Alexander: You think ESPN isn’t giving baseball enough attention now? Just wait

• February 22, 2025

The world according to Jim:

• Buried in the coverage of ESPN’s split with Major League Baseball following this season is this nugget from Commissioner Rob Manfred. According to the initial report by The Athletic’s Evan Drellich and Andrew Marchand, Manfred told the owners in a memo that the league has “not been pleased with the minimal coverage that MLB has received on ESPN’s platforms over the past several years outside of the actual live game coverage.”

In other words, baseball is an afterthought – if it’s even a thought – with the Pat McAfee/Stephen A. Smith engagement farming mechanism that drives much of ESPN’s daytime programming.

But consider this: If ESPN as a rights-holder gives the sport such short shrift, what do you suppose happens when it’s not, beginning in 2026? Here’s a hint: Baseball might go from secondary topic to invisible. …

• Item: The Team That Is Ruining Baseball is 0-2 in the Cactus League.

Comment: We love the start of the exhibition season because it’s a chance to watch baseball again, after a long winter. (And if we’re antsy, how do you think folks in the snow belt feel?) As for the results, if you’re depending on non-roster players and minor leaguers for your schadenfreude, you might want to reconsider. …

• The New York Yankees have rescinded their no-beards policy, some three or four decades after it was outdated. Once again, we wonder what The Boss would have thought. (And no, we don’t mean Springsteen.) …

• But if you look at the contenders who have the best chance to derail a Dodgers repeat, the Yanks’ acquisitions might make them the ones to fear the most. Max Fried bolsters their starting staff (and we’re waiting for Marcus “I’m a starter” Stroman’s head to explode when he’s told to head for the bullpen.) Devin Williams is a lockdown closer. Paul Goldschmidt is a more than adequate replacement for Anthony Rizzo (still unsigned, by the way) at first base. And the underrated move is the acquisition of Cody Bellinger, which will enable the Yankees to move Aaron Judge back to right field and improve their outfield defense.

(And no, this isn’t a reaction to that fateful fly ball Judge took his eye off of in Game 5 of the World Series last October. Bellinger is still that capable a center fielder.) …

• As for National League teams that could impede the Dodgers’ road back to the World Series? Atlanta (with a healthy Ronald Acuña Jr.), the Phillies and the Arizona Diamondbacks (especially after adding Corbin Burnes) are the top three threats. The New York Mets, after signing Juan Soto for a fortune and Pete Alonso for a far smaller one, are No. 4 on this list. …

• Free agent update: We are now a week into spring training, and according to Spotrac’s free agent tracker there are still 73 unsigned players as of Friday afternoon, among them Rizzo, J.D. Martinez, Patrick Corbin and Mark Canha, as well as Joe Kelly, Yasmani Grandal, Alex Verdugo and Alex Wood. Once again, baseball’s veteran middle class is being squeezed.

Meanwhile, the St. Louis Cardinals – who, we remind you, missed the postseason in 2024 – still haven’t signed anybody. We blaming that one on the Dodgers, too? …

• For those who haven’t been paying a lot of attention, the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference are well into their attempt to divide all the spoils of college athletics.

The goal of the two most powerful of the power conferences to grab four automatic berths each in the next iteration of the College Football Playoff is just the first step. At some point, you can expect those conferences to hold March Madness hostage, as in: “Give us everything we want, or we’ll bolt the NCAA and start our own postseason basketball tournament.”

I mean, what’s to stop them from disassociating themselves from the NCAA, setting their own eligibility and compensation rules, and the like? Those conferences could establish salary caps before Major League Baseball does. …

• As has been noted here before, the one way to solve the madness that is the combination of NIL money and the transfer portal is for the college system to swallow its misgivings and make the players employees, with signed contracts. The major obstacle? Administrators are scared of the potential of a players’ association with teeth. Stay tuned. …

• One thing we are reminded of whenever the Lakers play at home: Lawrence Tanter remains the best public address guy in the business, any venue, any sport. The reason: He’s not a yeller or screamer, as are so many in the business, yet those well modulated tones can generate plenty of energy and excitement. It’s a refreshing antidote in an age where arena and stadium atmospheres are increasingly ear-splitting and overcaffeinated. …

• ESPN – which, surprise, rediscovered hockey when the network regained the rights to the NHL after ignoring it for years – did it right with its coverage of the 4 Nations Face-Off final between the U.S. and Canada. Particularly impressive was the opening segment Thursday night that interspersed clips of the current U.S. team, sitting at their stalls in the dressing room, with Kurt Russell’s recital of the Herb Brooks pregame address to the 1980 U.S. Olympians before the Miracle on Ice, as portrayed in the movie, “Miracle.” (Which was, of course, a Disney production.)

Too bad that speech didn’t work so well this time. …

• And now it can be told: All of that money generated by others’ use of the term three-peat, which was trademarked by Pat Riley more than 25 years ago? Riles never kept a penny of it. According to The Associated Press, he said he donated his share of the royalties to various charities, including those that help military veterans and their families.

Those, he said, “are very minor in comparison to what they deserve.” True. But every penny helps.

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​ Orange County Register 

LAFC opens MLS play with a new captain for a new season

• February 22, 2025

Coming into its 30th season, Major League Soccer wants to change how players interact with the referees.

Across the world, match officials are familiar with multiple players getting in their face, arguing or pleading calls that did or did not get made. MLS was no exception. But this year it mandated that only captains are allowed to approach and address referees following key decisions.

Initiating a direct and uninterrupted line of communication, the league hopes, will reduce moments of what it describes as mobbing, which to be fair can be a byproduct of the game’s passion and intensity. Interactions between the officials and players are otherwise encouraged throughout a match.

“I think it’s a clever rule,” said LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo, himself a tenured captain with German club Hannover 96. “Yeah, I actually do think it’s a very good idea.”

Starting with the league opener Saturday at BMO Stadium, when LAFC hosts Minnesota United FC, the punishment for invading the referee’s space? A yellow card for dissent. Cherundolo finds no benefit in arguing calls with a referee. Instead he wants players to quickly switch to the next play and move forward.

“I’m hopeful this will do a lot for the game and keep players focused for the entire 90 minutes,” he said.

On top of whatever ramifications the rule carries across the league and beyond, in the near term it sets up 32-year-old center back Aaron Long, named by Cherundolo as LAFC captain for 2025, to get plenty of face time with the referees through the end of the year.

Like his coach, Long sees no real value in arguing referee decisions, though he often finds himself chatting with the person holding the whistle so the edict from the league won’t be much different in that respect.

Re-signed this offseason through 2027, Long’s third year with LAFC marks his first as captain. He served in that role several times for the U.S. men’s national team, and did the job in 2022 during his last season with the New York Red Bulls prior to joining the Black & Gold as a free agent.

What makes a good captain?

“Authenticity,” Long answered. “Just being yourself out there. Being a guy players can look at and know what they’re going to get. Having some dependability, taking responsibility for situations and I think holding guys to a certain standard.”

It’s the sort of spot Long relishes, which was apparent to Cherundolo as preseason moved along.

At Hannover, Cherundolo was on teams where players voted for a captain and teams where the coaches decided. Entering Year 4 as LAFC’s head coach, the 46-year-old American prefers the latter, using training camp to observe how things naturally shake out within the group.

“A period of observations that come to an obvious conclusion,” Cherundolo said regarding his process for selecting a captain. “Let things play out and observe, and certainly one of the goals of preseason is to find and create a clear hierarchy on the team as far as leadership goes, and to be well balanced, to make sure everybody is included, everybody has a voice, but also to understand that when things are not going well who is going to speak up and who will roll up their sleeves.”

The work fans pay attention to most began Tuesday when Long and his teammates visited frozen-solid Denver, where the Colorado Rapids won 2-1 in the opening leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup’s first-round home-and-away series.

It was Long who connected on the end of a cross by Denis Bouanga late in the match that notched a critical away goal and improved LAFC’s chance of advancing when they conclude at BMO Stadium next week.

Despite being forced to stay in Denver overnight because their charter flight could not depart in the frigid conditions, the group, which sacrificed its off-day Wednesday, still recovered well for the start of the 34-match MLS regular season on Saturday afternoon.

Against Minnesota, which ended last season losing a Western Conference semifinal match to the eventual MLS Cup champion L.A. Galaxy, LAFC will try to stay unblemished on Matchday 1 by winning an eighth straight season opener.

“As a group we’re taking it one game at a time,” Long said. “We have three home games coming up in a row, so just to start this next stretch off now with a win to start the MLS season, if we have that, build some confidence and carry that over into Tuesday, it would be fantastic.”

MLS opener: Minnesota at LAFC

When: 1:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: BMO Stadium

TV: FOX (Ch. 11), Apple TV (MLS Season Pass), Apple TV+

​ Orange County Register 

Inmate fatally assaults another inmate in Santa Ana facility

• February 22, 2025

An inmate died on Friday, Feb. 21 after an assault by another inmate in a holding cell at the Intake Release Center in Santa Ana occurred on Feb. 5, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

The victim, Juan Vasquez Pulido, 38, was transported to a hospital and put in a medically induced coma. Pulido died Friday.

On Feb. 5, Pulido was in a holding cell waiting to be moved into housing after the Anaheim Police Department arrested him on suspicion of drug related offenses. Another inmate also in the holding cell, 23-year-old Irving Josue Morales, assaulted Pudlio in the cell, according to the OCSD. Pudlio was found by deputies, unconscious, and transported to the hospital.

Morales has been charged with attempted murder, though prosecutors may consider further charges, as a result of Pulido’s death.

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office will be investigating the in-custody death and the OCSD will be conducting an in-custody death review.

​ Orange County Register 

Santa Anita horse racing consensus picks for Saturday, February 22, 2025

• February 22, 2025

The consensus box of Santa Anita horse racing picks comes from handicappers Bob Mieszerski, Eddie Wilson, Kevin Modesti and Mark Ratzky. Here are the picks for thoroughbred races on Saturday, February 22, 2025.

Trouble viewing on mobile device? See consensus picks

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​ Orange County Register 

The Supreme Court won’t allow Trump to immediately fire head of whistleblower office

• February 21, 2025

By MARK SHERMAN, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Friday temporarily kept on the job the head of the federal agency that protects government whistleblowers, in its first word on the many legal fights over President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda.

The justices said in an unsigned order that Hampton Dellinger, head of the Office of Special Counsel, could remain in his job at least until Feb. 26. That’s when a lower-court order temporarily protecting him expires.

The high court neither granted nor rejected the administration’s plea to immediately remove him. Instead, the court held the request in abeyance, noting that the order expires in just a few days.

​ Orange County Register 

Laguna Niguel estate with 2 homes and two pools seeks $30M

• February 21, 2025

Nestled in guard-gated Bear Brand Ranch, a sprawling 20,580-square-foot ocean-view estate with its own resort is poised to make history as Laguna Niguel’s most expensive home sold.

The asking price is $29.998 million.

If it sells near the asking price, it will best a transitional Spanish-style home across the street that closed Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) for $16.25 million and is less than half the size of this immense compound.

The estate occupies nearly 2 acres, secured by double gates, and encompasses two Santa Barbara-style mansions with separate addresses. included in the list price Together, they offer a total of nine bedrooms and 16 bathrooms.

According to listing agent Shawn Halan of Real Brokerage Technologies/Agent Inc., the previous owner who lived in the home above the lower property purchased what was then an undeveloped 1-acre lot on which he built an 8,671-square-foot home with a lighted tennis court with a viewing deck for his wife in 2006.

County records confirm the couple bought that land adjacent to their home on a three-quarter-acre lot in June 2004. They sold both the main estate house and its entertainment and sports pavilion, as described in an old listing, to the current owners in March 2014 for $15 million.

A staircase connects the two houses, cutting through the ground’s lush greenery and luxury resort-style amenities.

Each structure contains a wine cellar and a pool. The upper pool has a lanai room and a large patio, and it overlooks the lower property’s grotto waterfall pool.

Halan suggests that the property would make an ideal corporate retreat “because it’s like a hotel,” complete with two one-bedroom, one-bathroom villa suites with kitchens that overlook the tennis court. “Those are the only bedrooms for the property below.”

The lower property, known as “The Retreat,” lives up to its name. It features a gourmet kitchen with dual appliances, a movie theater, a karaoke bar, an indoor basketball court, a fully equipped gym, a sauna and “his” and “her” locker rooms.

It also boasts a 10-car subterranean garage.

The main house spans 11,909 square feet. Completed in 1993, it features seven bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, a game room and a self-contained mother-in-law suite wing.

“It’s a grand, elegant home with columns and a grand staircase,” Halan said. “Although trends and styles change … there are still people who love that classic Santa Barbara California meets Aspen vibe where the scale of everything is oversized but warm. There are lots of rich tones. The house has been very well maintained.”

​ Orange County Register 

One of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ attorneys wants to quit his defense team

• February 21, 2025

NEW YORK (AP) — One of the attorneys for Sean “Diddy” Combs in his sex trafficking case wants to quit the hip-hop mogul’s defense team.

Defense lawyer Anthony Ricco filed notice on Thursday in Manhattan federal court that he no longer wants to represent Combs, writing “under no circumstances can I continue to effectively serve as counsel.”

Ricco, one of six attorneys representing Combs, did not offer any details about the decision. The court must first sign off on his decision to leave the case.

Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking charges lodged against him after his September arrest. He remains incarcerated without bail, awaiting a May 5 trial.

Federal prosecutors say he used his wealth and influence to coerce female victims and male sex workers into drug-fueled sexual performances, and used blackmail and violence to intimidate and threaten his victims. Combs also faces several sexual assault lawsuits.

Ricco said he had discussed leaving the defense team with Combs’ lead attorney and added that the move would not cause a delay in Combs’ upcoming trial.

​ Orange County Register 

California wildfire aid will come with strings, President Trump’s aide says

• February 21, 2025

Federal wildfire aid to California will come with conditions, Trump administration envoy Ric Grenell said.

“The reality is that the federal response is mostly money, and so we are going to have strings on the money that we give to California,” Grenell, President Donald Trump‘s envoy for special missions, said at CPAC on Friday, Feb. 21.

Grenell, who has ties to Southern California, said the conditions are still being discussed in the Trump administration but criticized how the state manages water and forestry.

“As a Californian, I’m all for it because I don’t have faith that if we went back and we just gave California hundreds of millions of dollars, they are going to go back to their same old ways of not giving us enough water, having dangerous situations on the ground when it comes to forestry,” he said.

Historically, presidents have been reluctant to attach conditions to disaster relief. And most Southern California House members on either side of the aisle have said they outright oppose attaching conditions to federal aid.

Grenell didn’t specify what the conditions would be, but he suggested cutting funding from the California Coastal Commission.

The state agency, created in 1972, regulates land use and public access along the coast, overseeing development and protecting habitats. While supporters see it as a key environmental watchdog, critics say its strict rules block development and allege it is politically biased.

“Everyone who’s involved knows that the California Coastal Commission is a disaster, and it needs to absolutely be defunded,” said Grenell. “It’s an unelected group of people who are crazy, woke left … and they’ve made California less safe.”

“I think squeezing their federal funds, making sure they don’t get funds, putting strings on them to get rid of the California Coastal Commission is going to make California better,” he added.

This isn’t the first time the administration has said strings would be attached to aid. Trump has previously said that federal wildfire aid will be given only if California establishes a voter ID law and changes its water management strategies.

CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, is an annual gathering of Republican politicians and conservative activists. It’s held this week at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Maryland, about 10 miles from the U.S. Capitol. Speakers so far have included Vice President JD Vance and Elon Musk.

Grenell has been a close advisor to the president, serving as his acting director of national intelligence during the first Trump administration.

Along with Trump, Grenell toured Southern California in late January to survey the damage left by the Palisades fire. (Trump and his delegation notably did not tour the Altadena area, where the Eaton fire left 17 people dead and more than 9,000 structures destroyed, including businesses, churches, homes and schools.)

Grenell has floated a bid for California’s governor in 2026, and on Friday, he said he doesn’t have plans to make a run for the state’s chief executive spot unless former Vice President Kamala Harris enters the race.

“We already know who she is. We spent hundreds of millions of dollars to define who Kamala Harris is. If she thinks she’s going to run for governor of California, a Republican is going to win, and I may not be able to resist trying to run against her,” he said to applause.

Grenell been critical of the state’s Democratic leadership, particularly Gov. Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, for their handling of the wildfires, saying on social media earlier this month that aid should have strings, otherwise, California would “have another catastrophic fire without water available to fight it.”

Wendy Broley, the executive director of California Urban Water Agencies, the nonprofit corporation that serves drinking water to most of the state, has said it wasn’t the water supply that was the issue during the fires but rather there were issues with the distribution system and strong winds hampered efforts to fight the fires from the air.

Also on Friday, Bass fired Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, saying it was “in the best interests” of L.A.’s public safety and the operations of the L.A. Fire Department.

Bass and Crawley have engaged in a tense relationship since the fires broke out in early January.

The fire chief recently lashed out against city officials, saying the city “failed” her and her department. Crowley also cast blame on the city for water running out when many of the hydrants tapped to fight the deadly Palisades fire went dry.

But on Friday, Bass said more firefighters could have been on duty the morning the fires broke out but “were instead sent home on Chief Crowley’s watch.” The Palisades fire gutted 23,448 acres, leveled nearly 7,000 structures and damaged 1,017 more. At least 12 people were killed.

Staff writers Linh Tat and Teresa Liu contributed to this report. 

​ Orange County Register