The Astros legend shared his thoughts on the honor during a conference call Tuesday afternoon. MORE: Exclusive portraits | Pedro: I was clean | Smoltz reflects | Unit ’enjoyed playing game’ | Not everything is the writers’ fault | Five most confusing ballots | Ballot breakdown His thoughts on being selected… “I want to thank the Baseball Writers’ Association for this huge honor. To be part of an organization for 20 years is special....

According to The Athletic, which cited unidentified sources, the Cubs are in agreement with the free agent closer. Kimbrel was reportedly interested in a deal in the three-year, $39 million to $52 million range, down from the five- or six-year contract he initially was seeking this offseason. According to The Athletic, his deal will be for three years and close to $45 million. The 31-year-old had 42 saves and a 2....

Sager was diagnosed with leukemia last fall. The longtime sideline reporter returned to TV at the All-Star Game earlier this month to interview Knicks star Carmelo Anthony. 

Common Causes It’s believed that craniosynostosis is caused by a defect in the hardening process of the skull (cranial) bones. The underlying cause of this defect is unknown and thought to be random. When the defect is caused by a genetic disorder, it is a result of a known mutation in a specific gene. There are two forms of craniosynostosis: syndromic and nonsyndromic. Syndromic craniosynostosis is part of a larger genetic syndrome, and nonsyndromic craniosynostosis occurs on its own without a known cause....

The fight takes place from the CenturyLink Center in Crawford’s hometown of Omaha, Neb., and is available on HBO. Coverage begins at 9:30 p.m. ET. RONDA ROUSEY: Nine surprising facts | Six best interviews | Seven times she broke the internet Crawford was 2014’s fighter of the year, as selected by the Boxing Writers Association of America. He moved up from lightweight in April to knock out Thomas Dulorme to win the 140-pound title....

Stacey Shaw pleaded guilty and was sentenced on charges of embezzlement from a federal credit union and willful failure to file tax returns. The Federal Bureau of Investigations says Shaw opened six unauthorized credit cards in her name, charging $2.1 million on the cards. Cases like Shaw’s aren’t uncommon, according to the FBI. State and local police departments just don’t have enough personnel to hone in on these types of investigations....

The Creek Fire broke out near Fallbrook at around 11 p.m. on Wednesday before spreading quickly to Camp Pendleton. The Marine Corps base said a mandatory evacuation order was issued for the DeLuz Family Housing, Wounded Warrior Battalion, and Lake O’Neill Campground areas. An interactive map on the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services’ website shows large swaths of Fallbrook were also under a mandatory evacuation order after the fire started in the 37000 block of De Luz Road and quickly spread to nearby Camp Pendleton....

One of the original teams from the league’s 1996 debut season, the last year has seen uncertainty surrounding the franchise as Precourt Sports Ventures (PSV), the ownership group in charge of the Crew, looked to relocate the team to Austin, Texas. However, MLS has confirmed Jimmy Haslam, the owner of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns, and his family, along with a local ownership group headed by Pete Edwards, Jr. are in discussions to keep the team in Ohio....

Ariel Helwani of ESPN.com reports the UFC is looking to book the superfight between featherweight champion Cris Cyborg and bantamweight titleholder Amanda Nunes for UFC 232 on Dec. 29 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Cyborg said Wednesday afternoon that she agreed to face Nunes for her title at UFC 228 on Sept. 8; on Wednesday evening, Nunes revealed a signed agreement for the bout to happen at UFC 232....

Fresh from helping his club to the Champions League quarter-finals by netting against Paris Saint-Germain in a 2-1 win in the French capital on Tuesday, the Portuguese sensation is ready for the launch of his new range of underwear. To celebrate the event, the 2017 Ballon d’Or winner gave his opinions on the world of fashion and he has explained what the contemporary gentleman requires to stay ahead of the game....

The Portuguese superstar was one of the few standout performers for the Red Devils in a largely underwhelming 2021/22, as United faltered to finish sixth in the Premier League — a massive 35 points adrift of their rivals from across Manchester, as City won the title. That uninspiring campaign ultimately cost both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and then Ralf Rangnick their jobs, with Erik ten Hag announced as the new man at the helm ahead of this season, fresh from leading Ajax to the Eredivisie title....

Swiss news reports have said the incident took place at Zurich Zoo in the Swiss capital on Monday evening (December 23, 2019), when a zookeeper entered the animal’s enclosure to clean it. The keeper attempted to remove the male crocodile from the enclosure when the animal clamped its teeth around her hand and held it there for several minutes. The zoo’s staff made the decision to kill the animal to save the keeper’s hand....

Brazil have advanced past the quarterfinals just once since winning their last World Cup title in 2002, and will look to get over the hump as the pre-tournament betting favorites. Luka Modric and Croatia, meanwhile, have proven difficult to take down, with just a single defeat in the last two World Cup tournaments, coming in last edition’s final against France. Neymar is back healthy for Brazil, and his presence helped take down South Korea 4-1 last time out, with the entire attacking front line in great form for the South American side....

As the game neared its conclusion, fans in the Croatian supporters’ section threw flares and firecrackers onto the field of play. At least eight of the items made it on the field, and the reasoning appears to be in protest against their country’s soccer governing body. MORE: Police make 36 arrests at Euro 2016 The scariest moment happened when a firecracker detonated under an employee attempting to clear the field....

Photographs show rooms littered with broken glass and extensive damage to the front of the Viking Kvasir after the incident on Germany’s Rhine River, near the western city of Wesel. The other boat involved has not yet been publicly identified. Shaken guests shared images of the aftermath of the crash online and described how several people had sustained cuts and bruises, while a crew member cooking breakfast in the kitchen reportedly needed medical treatment after he burned himself as the vessel was suddenly shunted by the impact at around 6:50 a....

Key Highlights BTC started to decline after hitting a one-week high. Hawkish comments from Fed Chairman dragged riskier assets like Bitcoin and stocks. Technical Analysis Intraday trend - Bearish On the daily chart, the pair is trading below Tenken-Sen ($40,763), Kijun-sen ($43,390), and Ichimoku Kumo cloud ($40,637). Bitcoin hit an intraday high of $40,237 and is currently trading around $40,483. Major support is seen at $39,500. Any violation below that level may take the pair to the April 18th low of $38,547 / $37,000 / $34,000....

Patrick van Aanholt’s first goal for the club, 11 minutes before half-time, proved the difference in a nervy match that was typical of the relegation battle. Both sides had endured miserable league runs heading into this clash, with Boro winless in eight, but it was Palace who secured a rare victory - just their third since September. Van Aanholt’s effort ensured Sam Allardyce’s side headed into the break in front, and it had appeared at that stage as though the home side would cruise to a crucial three points....

The Blues have been in fine form, winning their last four matches in a row, including impressive victories in the league against Aston Villa and Arsenal, respectively. Jose Mourinho will not underestimate the opponents this Saturday, though, with Palace getting the better of Chelsea last season, inflicting a shock 1-0 defeat at Selhurst Park. The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook prices the Blues at -270 odds to pick up their seventh win of the season....

They spend a lot of time in mud or grass, in people’s hands or making contact with bats. Even so, if you catch a fly ball with your beer, you’re only left with one real option: celebrate the odd occasion by chugging your drink. MORE: 12 legendary Cubs’ debuts | Cubs fan yells ‘You suck!’ at Bryant | Portable toilets to Wrigley You know, just like this Cubs fan....

Shin Ok-ju founded the Grace Road Church and managed to persuade her followers in 2014 that the island in the South Pacific would be a haven from natural disasters. After their passports were taken away, around 400 followers were forced into labor on the island, attending evening sermons and being subject to beatings in a bid to drive out evil spirits, a court heard. Footage filmed in South Korea broadcast by CNN last year shows Shin hitting her parishioners in what the network described as “threshing,” a technique used by the cult to atone for sins....