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How a ‘unique’ toe tap unlocked Jorge Mateo’s swing and turned the Orioles’ speedster into a valuable slugger

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

One of the best games of Jorge Mateo’s career is what, ironically, led him to change his swing.In August, Mateo recorded the first five-hit game of his career, but it was his final at-bat against the Tampa Bay Rays that later piqued the interest of Baltimore’s hitting coaches.Facing a position player who was pitching in a blowout, Mateo instinctively incorporated a toe tap into his swing as infielder Yu Chang lobbed a 40.4 mph pitch into the zone. Almost like a slow-pitch softball hitter, Mateo waited as the pitch floated in the air, tapped his toe as he loaded and lined a single into left-center field.No one knew it at the time, but that single — and the toe tap that preceded it — was the origin for a swing that has, so far this season, transformed Mateo into an impact bat in the Orioles’ lineup.“He’s always believed that he has the skills and has the tools, and I think we all have as well,” Orioles co-hitting coach Matt Borgschulte s...

2023 NFL mock draft (Version 3.0): 4 trades, 5 QBs and one last projection for first round

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

It’s finally draft day.After months of scouting and speculation, the first round will begin Thursday night in Kansas City when the Carolina Panthers make the first overall selection. While a clear betting favorite has emerged to go No. 1, there’s no consensus on the 30 picks that will follow before the night is over. That makes for an interesting draft.Here are The Baltimore Sun’s projections for the first round, including three mock trades (Note: The Miami Dolphins were stripped of their first-round pick after a league investigation for tampering):1. Carolina Panthers (via Chicago): Bryce Young, QB, AlabamaAll signs point to Young being the pick for Carolina, which is betting he can overcome his 5-foot-10, 204-pound frame and become a franchise cornerstone. Young’s size is an outlier among first-round quarterbacks, but he showed an incredible feel for eluding pressure and hitting open targets that’s drawn comparisons to Cincinnati Bengals star Joe Burr...

Stock market today: Global shares up ahead of US GDP update

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Global shares were mostly higher Thursday ahead of the release of data that are expected to show the world’s biggest economy slowing in the first quarter of the year. Shares rose in Paris, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai but fell in London and Sydney. U.S. futures and oil prices were higher. The U.S. economy stood firm last year but is expected to weaken and slip into a recession in coming months. Worries over the impact of higher interest rates aimed at vanquishing high inflation are detracting from relatively strong earnings reports for many companies. However there are signs of resilience in the world economy: The German government doubled its growth forecast this year for Europe’s largest economy after the country made it through the winter without major energy problems. In early trading Thursday, France’s CAC 40 added 0.4% to 7,496.69, while Germany’s DAX edged up 0.1% to 15,814.15. Britain’s FTSE 100 was at 7,844.87, down 0.1%. The futur...

Herbst Eatery and Farm Stand coming to South St. Anthony Park; pre-opening dinner tickets available

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

A new farm-focused restaurant called Herbst Eatery and Farm Stand is coming to South St. Anthony Park — and before they officially open, they’re holding a series of tasting-menu dinners.Jorg and Angie Pierach are remodeling the onetime Herbst Food Market grocery store on Raymond Avenue, and they’re connecting it to the building next door, which will become a small market. The Pierachs have kept many details private so far, including an official opening date.But in the meantime, tickets are available for a series of pre-opening meals. The dinners are taking place this week and next, with two seating times available per night: 5:30 and 8 p.m., though some slots are already sold out. Seats run $95 per person, with add-ons like wine pairings available.From April 26 to 28, the menu includes blistered sugar snap peas, a spaghetti dish, and lamb steak with anchovy and hickory nut pesto. From May 3 to 5, the menu includes spinach and corned lamb tongue; grilled cuttlefish with eggplan...

Kim Gardner faces second contempt of court hearing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

ST. LOUIS - For the second time this week, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner faces the prospect of being held in contempt of court.Judge Michael Noble requested that Gardner appear in his courtroom Thursday to "show cause" why she shouldn't be held in contempt. If Gardner fails to appear or show cause, then Noble could levy a fine against the city’s chief prosecutor, put her in jail, or both.This latest contempt of court hearing is the result of an assistant circuit attorney missing an April 10 court date over a shooting case. Our news partners at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch report prosecutor Chris Desilets had another attorney pass a note to Judge Noble, explaining that Desilets had to miss court for a doctor's appointment.Noble asked Desilets to appear in court on April 24 with proof of the doctor's appointment and to reschedule the start of trial. However, Desilets no-showed that hearing as well, prompting Noble to summon Gardner.The shooting case is about an Oct. 2020 incid...

New EU sanctions on Russia no earlier than 'deep into May' - Poland

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

A new round of European Union sanctions against Russia is being discussed, but the adoption of this package is unlikely to happen before "deep into May", said Poland's Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau late on Monday.The Polish state-run PAP news agency quoted Rau as saying that it would be unrealistic to anticipate anything earlier."All this is still in the discussions phase," Rau said. "I believe the matter won't be resolved until May. You can't anticipate anything earlier."This month Poland proposed new sanctions against Russia. These included a ban on the import of diamonds and pipeline oil. The proposal was the first salvo of what will be a long and complicated negotiation among the 27 members.Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which Russian President Vladimir Putin called a "special operation", 14 months ago, the EU has adopted ten sanctions packages against Russian companies and individuals, inflicting financial and making funding the war more difficult.

Word Game: April 27, 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — WRATHFUL (WRATHFUL: RATH-ful: Irate.)Average mark 20 wordsTime limit 35 minutesCan you find 26 or more words in WRATHFUL? The list will be published tomorrow.YESTERDAY’S WORD — HEROICS heir hero heroic hers hire hoer horse hose echo rice rich riches rise rose ocher cero choir chore chose coheir coir core cosier cries score shier shire shoe shore sire soreTo purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!RULES OF THE GAME:1. Words must be of four or more letters.2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible.4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe at [email protected].

Ask Amy: My boyfriend’s 7-year-old told me some worrisome news

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

Dear Amy: My boyfriend “Steve” and I have been together for over two years. He is extremely kind and generous to me. I can see a long-term future with him.Steve is divorced, with three children: sons age 5 and 9, and a daughter age 7.He and his ex-wife have an acrimonious relationship but have a loose agreement regarding the children. He gets the kids every other weekend and also sees them during the weekdays.The issue is this: Steve openly favors the youngest son and is openly disdainful of his daughter.I have spoken to him repeatedly about the obvious favoritism and the mistreatment of his daughter, but he then accuses me of favoring her.When we get into arguments about the kids, he will blame the kids for me being upset and will punish them.The girl recently confided in me that their mother threatened to take him to court if he didn’t change his behavior toward them.She has talked to me and her mother about this favoritism, but Steve will staunchly deny it, even...

Single-family residence sells for $2 million in San Ramon

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

786 Pradera Way – Google Street ViewA 2,715-square-foot house built in 1999 has changed hands. The spacious property located in the 700 block of Pradera Way in San Ramon was sold on April 7, 2023, for $2,020,000, or $744 per square foot. The property features four bedrooms, three baths, an attached garage, and two parking spaces. It sits on a 6,357-square-foot lot.Additional houses have recently been purchased nearby:In February 2023, a 2,337-square-foot home on Pradera Way in San Ramon sold for $1,700,000, a price per square foot of $727. The home has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.On Pradera Way, San Ramon, in September 2022, a 2,715-square-foot home was sold for $1,760,000, a price per square foot of $648. The home has 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.A 2,715-square-foot home on the 700 block of Pradera Way in San Ramon sold in July 2022, for $2,100,000, a price per square foot of $773. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. 

Harriette Cole: My husband just died, and my neighbor made a bothersome request

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:00 GMT

DEAR HARRIETTE: For many years, my husband watered my next-door neighbor’s plants whenever she traveled. He was the one with the green thumb in my house, and he loved it.My husband recently passed away. I am managing pretty well — all things considered. But wouldn’t you know it, my neighbor stopped by the other day to ask if I would take up my husband’s role of watering her plants when she travels.My answer is a clear and simple no. I told her no 20 years ago. I don’t even water the plants in my own house. Why would I want to water hers?I know it made her feel special to have my husband come and tend to her, but I do not want to do that.How can I get her to stop pestering me about this? I have nothing against her. I just don’t plan on watering her plants. I have hired someone to do that for me.Not a GardenerRelated ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: How can I get out of paying for the car repair? Advice | Harriette Cole: I...