Over the weekend, a bombshell Wall Street Journal reportrevealed that the Astros' front office was not only aware of the sign-stealing that was going on but, in fact, created the system in the first place. It even had a name: "Codebreaker."
How it worked: Using an in-game live feed, someone would log the catchers' signs and the type of pitch that was thrown into an Excel spreadsheet. An algorithm would then decipher what each sign meant and that information was communicated to a baserunner, who would relay it to the hitter.
Major League Baseball is considering expanding the postseason to nearly half the 30 teams and allowing higher-seeded wild-card teams to choose opponents, the AP reports.
The state of play: The playoffs would grow from 10 clubs to 14, with four wild cards in each league, up from two. The selections would be made on a televised show.
CBS Sports said Monday that William Hill, a sportsbook operator, will be the official sportsbook and provider of wager information for the network. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Why it matters: It's the latest media company to partner with a sportsbook to increase engagement with its content. Content partnerships for sportsbooks, on the other hand, help them acquire more customers.
Why it matters: This continues a remarkable run for sports-centric documentaries at the Oscars, with "O.J. Made in America" winning Best Documentary in 2016, "Icarus" winning in 2017 and "Free Solo" winning last year.
The coronavirus outbreak has halted work and travel in China, and the ripple effects are now impacting the NHL.
The state of play: New Hampshire-based Bauer and Montreal-based CCM supply roughly 75% of NHL players with sticks, which are highly customizable and made in small batches in China. With the country at a standstill, the NHL has been unable to get fresh stock.
