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Accused Twitter Hack Mastermind Owns $3 Million in Bitcoin – The Daily Beast

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The 17-year-old accused of orchestrating the Twitter hack earlier this month that hijacked the accounts of the worlds rich and powerful is a Bitcoin multimillionaire, according to his lawyer. A judge set Graham Clarks bail at $725,000 Saturday as he awaits trial on 30 criminal counts for the July 15 incursion. The teenager is charged with stealing $117,000 in Bitcoin by soliciting it via accounts belonging to Joe Biden, Elon Musk, Kim Kardashian West, and other notable figures, which he had taken control of by hiring deputy hackers and duping Twitter employees. Clark already owns $3 million worth of the cryptocurrency, his lawyer said, and hell only have to pay $72,500 to go free until his trial.

Prosecutors argued the defendant should prove he earned the money through legal means. Based upon the conduct of this defendant, I believe its appropriate to assume that every single penny that this defendant has access to is by ill-gotten gains, a prosecutor said, according to the Tampa Bay Times. And were talking about millions of dollars. His lawyer argued against providing proof, citing a federal investigation in which agents seized some of Clarks Bitcoins and then returned them, finding no illegal activity. One condition of his bail, though: he cant access the internet.

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Accused Twitter Hack Mastermind Owns $3 Million in Bitcoin - The Daily Beast

Bitcoins $10,000 push may have awakened a sleeping giant – AMBCrypto English

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Bitcoins push over $10,000 was long-awaited. After nearly three months of trading flat, Bitcoin jumped out of its most stagnant trading period since March 2019 with an ascent over $10,000. Now, it looks like this move has awakened a sleeping giant that was waiting to pounce on a bullish market.

According to a recent report by Chainalysis, the stagnancy in Bitcoins price contributed to a stagnancy in the movement of the cryptocurrency. The report stated that by early-July 2020, a time when the price was $9,200, 56 percent of all mined Bitcoin was held at its current address for more than a year. This meant that a clear majority of all Bitcoin had not been moved and remained stagnant, despite the price ranging between $5,000 to $13,000 in the past year.

Further, of these mined Bitcoin, 80 percent were illiquid. The report defined illiquid as Bitcoin held by an entity, in a wallet or group of connected addresses, which sends on average less than one-quarter of the Bitcoin they receive. This means that of all the Bitcoin mined, 80 percent saw less than a fourth of liquidations as defined by sending any Bitcoin received.

The conclusion of the report reiterated the hodling sentiment of most investors,

This data leads us to conclude that most Bitcoin is held as a long-term investment and rarely moves.

In fact, the old, cold Bitcoin trend continued in Q2 of 2020 [April June] with an increase of 3 percent in illiquid Bitcoin and 2 percent in stagnant Bitcoin compared to the previous quarter. A reason for this increase could be the lack of price action since May, or the halving scheduled for the middle of the quarter.

Discarding lost and other longer-locked Bitcoins, the 10 percent of minority Bitcoin which saw movement, an estimated 1.77 million Bitcoin, priced at $15 billion, saw rapid trading. Among these Bitcoin, 81 percent or 1.43 million BTC was held for less than two weeks before being sent and 67 percent or 1.18 million BTC was held by highly liquid entities or entities that send more than 75 percent of all cryptos they receive.

Focusing on the illiquid Bitcoin mentioned previously, how did they react to this weeks market movement? While it is still too early to say, there are inklings of these dormant wallets awakening to the move.

According to Chainalysis markets, illiquid Bitcoin noted a massive fall. Over the past four weeks, illiquid Bitcoin decreased by 24,180 BTC on average, its largest fall in since April. While the number 24,180 BTC in absolute terms represents $265.98 million, in percentage terms, it represents a 0.13 percent drop in illiquid Bitcoin from 79.92 percent of all Bitcoin mined to 79.79 percent.

Still, these dormant accounts were inactive when the price was higher at $13,000 and now, when the price is at $11,500, they have made a $268 million transfer. That is notable, to say the least.

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Bitcoins $10,000 push may have awakened a sleeping giant - AMBCrypto English

Fired Tiverton teacher gets her job back – Wicked Local Hanover

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TIVERTON -- Amy Mullen has her job back with the Tiverton School Department.

U.S. District Court Chief Justice John J. McConnell Jr., ruling on a preliminary injunction Friday morning, said Mullens First Amendment rights were violated when she was terminated from her teaching job April 15 for speaking up about wanting to discuss distance learning as it pertained to her member teachers. Mullen is the head of the teachers union.

In granting the preliminary injunction filed by attorney Elizabeth Wiens, the judge ordered that Mullen be restored as a teacher until further notice. No doubt Ms. Mullen was retaliated against because of her First Amendment speech, McConnell said from the bench at the end of a virtual hearing.

Never once was her teaching called into question in the 25 years Mullen has worked for the district as a special education teacher, McConnell said, adding that she is considered an exemplary teacher.

Four attorneys were representing the School Department two were from the Interlocal Trust, the insurance carrier for the town. There was no ruling on their motion to dismiss the case Mullen brought against the district.

McConnell said he would take the motion to dismiss under advisement but at least part will be denied, he said. He said he was bothered by the individual suits against individual members of the School Committee who voted to terminate Mullen on the recommendation of Superintendent Peter Sanchioni.

Shell be back on the payroll as of today, School Committee attorney Stephen Robinson said Friday afternoon. We clearly will respect the courts orders, Robinson said, but added they respectfully disagree with the judge in his findings of fact and conclusions of law. We will explore our options.

Wiens wrote in the motion for preliminary injunction that Mullen should be reinstated immediately, noting in the 15-page motion that less than two years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court held that union speech is overwhelmingly of substantial public concern.

Wiens also wrote that there can be no doubt that speech relating to public education, including the creation of a Distance Learning Plan for students during a global pandemic is a matter of public concern. Mullens speech, Wiens wrote, was the sole factor in her termination.

In providing background, Wiens said Sanchioni repeatedly violated the collective bargaining agreement between the School Department and NEA-Tiverton, and because of numerous grievances and unfair labor practice complaints filed by the union, there was animus towards Mullen.

On March 12, 2020, Mullen attended a professional development committee meeting and communicated to the superintendent that online learning plans need to be negotiated with the union. She learned of a March 18 meeting for a distance learning plan and she arrived early to say the union should be part of the discussion.

Sanchioni raised his voice, told Mullen she was not invited to the meeting and told her he would write her up for insubordination if she did not leave, according to the motion.

She was placed on paid administrative leave on March 21 and told to cease and desist all communications with parents, teachers and administrators, or there would be further discipline, Wiens wrote. An April 6 letter to Mullen from the superintendent notified her of his intent to recommend to the School Committee that she be suspended without pay for her persistent disruption and insubordination. A Facebook post she made violated the gag order, it was later charged.

The School Committee voted unanimously April 14 to terminate Mullen, but voted again at a meeting in May to suspend without pay and terminate her at the end of the 2020-2021 school year. That vote was 4-0, with committee member Sally Black abstaining. Voting in favor was Chairman Jerome Larkin, Vice Chairwoman Diane Farnworth, Deborah Pallasch and Elaine Pavao.

Mullen filed suit soon after her termination, saying she was retaliated against by the district for speaking on behalf of her union members. The district said she was terminated for unprofessional and disruptive behavior.

In a June 17 email to Mullen, who wanted to be on the School Reopening Committee as a representative of the teachers union, she was advised by School Department legal counsel that she was not allowed on school property and not permitted to speak with school staff or administrators because of her suspension, Wiens wrote.

Much of the discussion at the hearing Friday morning centered on whether Mullen was speaking as an employee of the district, or as a private citizen at the distance learning meetings.

The speech took place in the workplace. It had to do with work-related issues, said attorney Marc DeSisto, representing the Interlocal Trust. When a union president speaks, that union official is speaking in a workplace official capacity and not as a private citizen, DeSisto argued, saying union and public employee are symbiotic.

He said the court was crossing out union and making it outside the employee realm. It goes back to whether she spoke as a private citizen and was protected by First Amendment speech, or spoke as an employee subject to disciplinary action.

Wiens told the judge that every court has found that speech as a union representative is not speech as an employee. We allege Amy Mullen was terminated because of her association with the union. The reason for the termination was her status as union president.

Wiens also argued the Tiverton School Department and the individual members of the School Committee who voted to terminate her and thus violated her First Amendment rights, should be held liable for damages for violating the Constitution.

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Fired Tiverton teacher gets her job back - Wicked Local Hanover

Big Tech CEOs will face ‘anti-conservative bias’ claims at hearing. They’re BSand dangerous. – Mashable SE Asia

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When the CEOs of Big Tech testify in Congress on Wednesday, theyll almost certainly be hit with a dubious and regular Republican talking point: censorship of conservative voices on social media.

President Donald Trump and other politicians and pundits on the right love to complain that social media companies censor conservatives. There is no evidence that's true. In fact, conservative news thrives on Facebook. Of Trumps thousands of lies, Twitter had the audacity to lightly fact-check him three times.

During the hearing before the House Antitrust Subcommittee, Apples Tim Cook, Amazons Jeff Bezos, Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg, and Googles Sundar Pichai will try to convince lawmakers their corporate behemoths arent monopolies. These companies absolutely need to be interrogated about their unprecedented wealth and power. But, thanks partly to the flow of dark money, Republicans have hijacked the conversation to push the narrative that they are the real victims in all of this.

Republicans feel that Social Media Platforms totally silence conservatives voices. We will strongly regulate, or close them down, before we can ever allow this to happen. We saw what they attempted to do, and failed, in 2016. We cant let a more sophisticated version of that....

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 27, 2020

Mashable spoke to experts about the history, facts, and potential consequences of the GOP's "bias" claims. Heres what you need to know.

From 2016 to the present, Republicans have seized on anecdotes to claim Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google intentionally moderate content in a way that unfairly impacts conservatives. They have claimed that these companies remove or down-rank (or shadow ban) conservative content and profiles because "elite Silicon Valley" companies are supposedly liberal. GOP senators even had a hearing dedicated to the issue, and Sen. Josh Hawley has introduced legislation that would require companies to prove they are politically neutral.

"[T]he only people who have been in a position to call bullshit on this, the tech companies, are too terrified to say no..."

Tech companies aren't good at defending against these arguments at least without trying to appease right-wingers in the process. They dont want to piss off the people in charge of regulating and taxing them, and would prefer to avoid alienating high-profile users like Trump, and his followers, who drive engagement (and profits). When presented with cases of bias, in some cases, the companies backtracked even when the content did violate some company policies. Giving in just reinforced the idea that bias existed in the first place.

Every one of these things reinforces the next, and at every step of the way, the only people who have been in a position to call bullshit on this, the tech companies, are too terrified to say no, so the story just keeps growing, Berin Szka, the president of the non-profit, non-partisan technology think tank TechFreedom, said.

Proving bias is more complicated than pointing to several instances of someones post or profile being removed, and concluding theres something larger at work. The problem is its difficult to prove a negative.

Kathleen Hall Jamieson, the director of FactCheck.org, explained that to truly assess bias, you have to establish a data set (i.e., pieces of content), find comparable content on the left and the right, and then see if they were treated the same. This has to be done multiple times. Jamieson and other scholars have successfully conducted these analyses on print media and cable news, and found there is generally bias on both sides, although not one overwhelming "liberal media" bias.

Doing the same for social media, however, is a different story. There is simply too much data. And these social networks aren't necessarily open to outside researchers poking under the hood. There are privacy concerns, and it could jeopardize company secrets.

From a methodological standpoint, its virtually impossible to do, Jamieson said. You'll never capture the full base of the content in order to start your analysis.

Because of those challenges, Jamieson explained that people claiming bias then move to argument by anecdote," like when Ted Cruz complained about conservative bloggers Diamond & Silk being temporarily banned by Facebook. It made headlines, but one case does not prove that something systemic is at work.

BREAKING: @Twitter & @jack have suspended @DonaldJTrumpJr for posting a viral video of medical doctors talking about Hydroxychloroquine.

Big Tech is the biggest threat to free expression in America today & they're continuing to engage in open election interference - full stop. pic.twitter.com/7dJbauq43O

Andrew Surabian (@Surabees) July 28, 2020

In the absence of actual data, some conservatives have tried to create the appearance of empirical evidence. Politicians point to a 2016 Gizmodo story that showed how Facebook used human moderators not automated systems, as it claimed to populate its trending news tab as evidence of anti-conservative bias (helped by the articles inflammatory headline).

Then last year, the Trump campaign solicited complaints of social media censorship, but that was basically just a way to get voter emails and donations. A Columbia research fellow did his own analysis on high-profile figures banned by Twitter, and found they were mostly Trump supporters. Many of them David Duke and Richard Spencer, just to name two also happened to be white supremacists spreading hate speech.

That's related to another issue: people on the right may in fact experience more content moderation than people on the left because right-leaning ideologies and content overlap with behavior thats not allowed on social networks. For example, Twitter started expanding and enforcing its policies against hate speech, and, surprise, surprise, they applied to Trump's dog-whistle politics. Since Russian trolls successfully manipulated the 2016 election with inflammatory rhetoric and fake news alike, Facebook has been working to de-emphasize conspiracy theories and incendiary content from disreputable sources, which most often comes from right-wing sites like Gateway Pundit.

These people are not entirely wrong when they claim there might be some disparate effect when Facebook changes its algorithm to handle sites that use clickbaity headlines, or post conspiracy theories, or rely on bots to promote their content, Szka said.

Despite these instances of moderation, conservative content the more sensationalist the better actually thrives on social media networks, especially Facebook. Ben Shapiro and Breitbart consistently rank as top voices on Facebook.

Some conservatives have attempted to take internet companies to court. That hasnt worked out so well. In one lawsuit against Google, and another against Twitter and others, federal judges decided in both cases that tech companies arent violating First Amendment rights when they make content moderation decisions, because the First Amendment protects citizens from the government dictating the parameters of their speech, not private companies.

The term liberal media did not arise organically. Since the 1960s, conservative politicians have sought to discredit criticism from the press by calling them unfair or biased. In the 1970s, Richard Nixon accused the press of conducting a witch hunt (sound familiar?) as reporters pursued Watergate. Once Rush Limbaugh hit the airwaves in the 1980s, he argued that the press was not the actual arbiter of the truth he was. Fox News shifted its tone at the time to echo Limbaugh, and the rest is history.

So disgusting to watch Twitters so-called Trending, where sooo many trends are about me, and never a good one. They look for anything they can find, make it as bad as possible, and blow it up, trying to make it trend. Really ridiculous, illegal, and, of course, very unfair!

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 27, 2020

Conservatives, who normally would not seek to regulate or dictate the policies of a private company, found a new target in social media and internet companies, too.

"It's an old argument that is being revivified and applied to something that you would not ordinarily call news, Jamieson said. Ordinarily you would expect a conservative to say the platforms are privately owned companies, they can do whatever they want. It is a little odd to hear conservatives argue that a privately owned company should have constraints placed on it."

Some conservatives are ready to join the fight against internet companies because decades of animosity with the press have entrenched the idea of liberal bias as a problem. Making these accusations also plays well with conservative voters, as does taking CEOs to task for bias in front of Congress.

It plays well when you run in an election, Ashkhen Kazaryan, TechFreedoms director of civil liberties, said. A crucial player in that ecosystem is Sen. Josh Hawley. When he ran for senator, one of his big things was that he 'took on Google.' He was one of the first who proved that its very successful messaging, especially when it comes to conservatives.

Experts say another reason conservatives engage in these arguments is to work the refs. That is, if they accuse the people in charge of moderating content of bias loudly enough, moderators might be disinclined to do so again in the future to avoid looking biased. Conservatives have a huge incentive to keep social media companies from moderating untrue or bigoted posts, since the narratives created by Trump allies such as Ben Shapiro and Tucker Carlson spread so effectively online and helped Trump and Republicans rise to power.

"Attacking somebody for being biased is effective if you can get them to change their behavior in a way that benefits you, Jamieson said. There's a tactical reason to attack the platforms for bias if you increase the likelihood that they're going to let you get away with things as a result because they're trying so hard not to be biased."

The strategy appears to be working.

Social media platforms have differed in their responses to claims of anti-conservative bias. Twitter has stood by its efforts to introduce conversational health measures, despite complaints about shadow banning, and has been more aggressively going after hate speech and conspiracy theories. It also appended fact-checking or warning labels to three of Trumps recent tweets.

Facebook, on the other hand, declined to act on the same Trump statements. The platform has largely bent over backwards to appease Republican complaints. In 2018, it hired a former Republican senator to do an audit of bias on the site. The report accused non-partisan, neutral fact checkers of liberal bias," and resulted in policy changes that allowed for more graphic anti-abortion ads

It has also appointed an organization affiliated with Tucker Carlsons ultra-right wing website the Daily Caller as a fact checking partner, despite the Daily Callers status as a routine peddler of misinformation. That appointment, and the audit, result in more than just lip service to conservatives: it undermines fact-checkers and the nature of truth and accountability itself.

"When the fact-checking group holds you accountable as a candidate, your voting constituency can say, 'Well I don't believe that, because I don't believe any fact checkers, they're all liberal,'" Jamieson said. So tactically what's the effect of being able to discredit fact-checkers? It minimizes your accountability.

There is a lot at stake for these social media companies. Trump took out his anger at Twitter by, well, tweeting. He also crafted an executive order that asked the Federal Communications Commission to rewrite a portion of the Communications Decency Act, Section 230, that shields social media companies from liability.

Twitter Pulls Trump Campaign Video of President Showing Empathy For Peaceful Protesters https://t.co/5DEIoPHsud They are fighting hard for the Radical Left Democrats. A one sided battle. Illegal. Section 230!

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 6, 2020

Section 230 is a cornerstone for the internet that actually protects freedom of speech, because it allows social media companies to host forums or other publishing tools for people without being liable for what users say. Amending Section 230 would not only change the internet, but could open the door for reinterpretations of the First Amendment.

The First Amendment and Section 230 protect free speech in our democracy as we know it, Kazaryan said. Messing with them based on knee-jerk reactions and feelings about how these companies conduct their business could be extremely damaging to democracy.

Jamiesons research has shown that bias, on both sides, is part of human nature. However, these bad faith arguments, made to work the refs, could have consequences that echo far beyond the internet.

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Big Tech CEOs will face 'anti-conservative bias' claims at hearing. They're BSand dangerous. - Mashable SE Asia

The Best of the Best- Volleyball – Press Herald

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(Ed. Note: With high school sports currently on hiatus, please join me in a look back at some of the finest teams our coverage area has produced this century. To help us get through the summer, each week, Ill present the top 10 teams from a different sportfour honorable mentions, then our Super Six, These rankings are put together with help from coaches and others, including a Twitter poll each week at twitter.com/foresports, but the final decision is mine. This week its volleyball. Girls hockey is on deck)

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The sport of high school volleyball has grown exponentially in recent years and Forecaster Country has been the biggest beneficiary, with multiple teams winning multiple state titles in that span.

While Greely was long the gold standard, several other schools have fought their way to the top and there were many fine championship teams to choose from in determining this list.

Without further adieu, heres one writers stab at the finest squads weve seen over the past 20 years:

Greely Rangers, 17-0, 2008 state champion

While the Rangers won 66 consecutive matches between 2003 and 2007, the overall quality of competition wasnt as strong as it would become by 2008, when the likes of Cape Elizabeth, Falmouth and Scarborough had programs up and running. Greelys sixth consecutive state championship team, featuring All-State standouts Michaela Campbell (92 kills, 84 digs, 15 aces) and Hillary Cederna (126 kills, 54 aces, 85 digs and 14 blocks), and also led by defensive standout Kayla Simpson, setters Karlee Biskup and Abby Rivers and hitters Erin Cadigan and Linnea Zrioka, dropped just one set all season, gave coach Kelvin Hasch his 100th career victory and rolled to the title.

The Rangers only brush with mortality all season came in the opener versus Biddeford, when they dropped the third set, but they prevailed, 3-1. From there, Greely won each match by a 3-0 margin to wind up 14-0 and first in the West Region. The Rangers continued to steamroll the competition in the playoffs, blanking Gorham and Biddeford (behind 11 kills and eight aces from Cederna) to reach the state match, where they shut out Mt. Desert Island (25-17, 25-20, 25-18) to return to the pinnacle (Cederna led the way with a dozen kills, while Campbell added nine). At the time, it didnt appear that Greelys dominance would ever end.

Coach Kelvin Hasch: Its always nice to win. We have 14 kids who can play. Its probably the deepest team weve had since we started here.

Falmouth Yachtsmen, 15-2, 2013 Class A state champion

Falmouths program arrived as a power almost immediately, but the Yachtsmens first two trips to the state final ended in defeat. The third time, however, would prove to be a charm. Falmouth, which featured seniors Riley Burfeind and Katrina Meserve, juniors Leigh Bernardy, Ally Hickey and Megan Tammaro and sophomore Julia Treadwell, just got better and better as the season progressed, then survived three tough playoff challenges to reach the pinnacle.

The Yachtsmen started 9-0, including a 3-2 win over Greely, then dropped a five-set decision to Scarborough. After beating Greely again by a 3-2 score and surviving Biddeford and Gorham as well, Falmouth closed with another five-set loss to Scarborough to wind up 12-2 and second for the Class A tournament, but that setback refocused the Yachtsmen, who would wind up atop the heap at last.

In the state quarterfinals, Falmouth had to contend with always-tough Biddeford and while the Yachtsmen advanced in three games, it wasnt easy (25-21, 25-19, 25-22). Burfeinds 16 kills helped lead the way. The semifinals would see unheralded Cape Elizabeth push Falmouth to the brink. Down 2-sets-to-1 and trailing, 23-22, in the fourth game, the Yachtsmen discovered their championship heart and rallied to extend the match to a decisive fifth set and they advanced, 3-2 (23-25, 25-20, 25-27, 25-23, 15-9), as Meserve came up huge late in the match. Falmouth would get a third crack at Scarborough in the state final and the Yachtsmen were ready. They took the first set, 26-24, and the second, 25-19. After the Red Storm won the third game, 25-21, Falmouth closed it out, 25-19, and had a 3-1 victory and an elusive state title. Meserve led the way with 13 kills and a block that brought the curtain down, while Burfeind added 10 kills and Tammaro had 27 assists. It was the first, but nowhere near the last championship the Yachtsmen would get to celebrate.

Coach Gary Powers: Its exciting for us. Wed been here twice before and (didnt win a game), so this is phenomenal. These kids have been awesome to work with. We came out and played well, played hard. They did everything they were supposed to do. The girls did an awesome job. They believed in themselves. They made all the smart plays.

Cape Elizabeth Capers, 15-2, 2014 Class A state champion

The Cardiac Capers put their coaches and fans through an emotional wringer during the most exciting title run to date. One which culminated with the programs first championship. Cape Elizabeth, which featured freshman setter Maggie Dadmun and a bevy of clutch contributors like Maddie Bowe, Lydia Brenneman, Katie Connelly, Monica DellAquila, Tess Haller and Monika Scheindel, had to go five sets in every postseason match, but won them all.

The Capers had barely lost to eventual champion Falmouth in the 2013 state semifinals and started the 2014 campaign with just three wins in their first five matches, but then they caught fire and they wouldnt lose again. Cape Elizabeth closed the regular season on a nine-match win streak, including a dramatic five-set victory over Scarborough and a 3-0 win over perennial powerhouse Greely. Despite going 12-2, the Capers only earned the No. 5 seed for the Class A playoffs, but by the time the postseason was finished, they were number one.

In the quarterfinals, at a Scarborough team that would win the title the following year, Cape Elizabeth won the first set, 25-13, then dropped the next two, 24-26, 29-31. The resilient Capers would regroup, however, and win the fourth game, 25-22, and the fifth, 15-6, to capture the match, 3-2, as Dadmun had 30 assists, Connelly 13 kills and DellAquila 11 kills. Cape Elizabeth dug an even deeper hole in the semifinals at top-ranked Greely, never holding a lead in dropping the first two sets, 13-25 and 12-25, but again saving their best for last, the Capers eked out wins in the third (28-26) and fourth (25-22) games, before taking the fifth, 15-11, to again win by a 3-2 score and stunningly advance to the state final (Dadmun had 28 assists, while Haller had 12 kills). When Cape Elizabeth dropped the first two sets to Falmouth in the state final (22-25, 18-25), the Capers had the Yachtsmen right where they wanted them. A 25-22 third game victory gave Cape Elizabeth life, then the Capers won the fourth game by a 25-22 score as well. With the match and championship hanging in the balance, Cape Elizabeth wouldnt be denied, winning the fifth set, 15-8, and the title, 3-2. The palpitations from that championship run still linger.

Coach Sarah Boeckel: I cant believe we pulled off what we did. What an amazing run and an even better championship. My girls are just fighters and so mentally strong. Im so proud of them. It was one of the best experiences Ive ever had as a player or a coach. What these girls did was unbelievable. Its something Ill never forget.This title means so much. Its for all the girls who started the program and helped build it. There were a lot of former players at the (state match) and they felt it every bit as much as this years players.

Yarmouth Clippers, 16-1, 2019 Class B state champion

The most dominant of Yarmouths five championship teams, the Clippers lost just one match (to the states best team), then rolled to the title and punctuated their best-ever season with a surprisingly convincing victory over their rival in the final match. After winning the 2018 Class B crown in a mild surprise, Yarmouth, led by superb sophomore setter Sophie Dickson and terrific play at the net from Kaitlyn Bennett, Evelyn Lukis, Margaret McNeil, Maggie Murray and Caeden Rogers, didnt surprise the volleyball world by repeating, but in the manner it did so.

The Clippers opened the season against defending (and eventual repeat) Class A champion Falmouth and gave the Yachtsmen one of their closest matches of the season before falling in four sets. And then, Yarmouth didnt lose again. The Clippers won their final 13 regular season matches, only losing six sets along the way. They twice beat Cape Elizabeth (3-0 and 3-2) and earned the top seed for the Class B playoffs, where they really turned heads.

Yarmouth wasnt tested by Wells in the state quarterfinals, winning by a 3-0 score (25-3, 25-17, 25-10), as Dickson had 24 service points and Murray finished with seven kills. York made the Clippers work in the semifinals, but they again won, 3-0 (25-13, 25-18, 26-24). To no ones surprise, Yarmouth found Cape Elizabeth waiting in the state match and after producing a five-set epic in the 2018 final, the teams were expected to go the distance again, but the Clippers had other ideas. Yarmouth won the first set, 25-21, took the second, 25-18, then quashed any Capers comeback hopes by capturing the third game as well, 25-17, to win it, 3-0, and go back-to-back. Dickson led the way with 25 assists, while Murray had 13 kills (including the clincher) and Lukis added 12 kills. The Clippers ended the season on a 16-match win streak and theyre far from finished stealing headlines.

Coach Jim Senecal: Its sweet. I was nervous coming in because everything seemed reversed from last year. (Cape) seemed to have more momentum, but we have a lot of talent. The confidence the girls showed was the difference. Im just so impressed. We had to play like that to sweep Cape. I expected it to be five (sets). In middle school, these kids developed a passion for the game that continues today and many of them have played key roles in our back to back state championships.

6) Greely Rangers, 16-0, 2011 Class A state champion

After its seven-year championship run came to a close in 2010, Greely bounced back in perfect fashion in 2011. The Rangers, led by Maggie Bradley, Danielle Cimino, Jordynne Copp, Catherine Fellows, Lexi Foster, Haleigh Roach, Emily Sampson and Ellie Weickert, reminded everyone that they were still the gold standard as they lost only five sets all season and returned to the pinnacle, winning a title for longtime assistant coach Bruce Churchill, who would pass away due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known as Lou Gehrigs Disease, the following summer.

A 3-0 win over eventual Class B champion Yarmouth set the tone. Greely went four sets against Gorham, Scarborough, Falmouth and Scarborough again, but had enough to prevail each time and finished the regular season 14-0. The Rangers earned the top seed for the Class A tournament and quickly completed their return to the top.

After earning a bye into the state semifinals, Greely met Falmouth and beat the Yachtsmen in three sets, 26-24, 25-16, 25-12, as Bradley had 11 kills, Sampson 10 digs and Copp six blocks. That sent the Rangers directly to the state match where Scarborough was the final obstacle. Greely won the first set, 25-19, but dropped the second by the same score and suddenly found itself being tested, but the Rangers held on for a 25-21 victory in the third game, then did the same in the fourth for a 3-1 triumph. Bradley had 17 kills, Sampson added seven kills. Greely had the newly created Gold Ball trophy and had left no doubt that it was still the program all others measured themselves by.

Coach Kelvin Hasch: Im lucky I had a great team this year. Every player could hit. This ones really sweet. We wanted it really bad for Bruce. (The girls) came in from day one setting the goal high. I was thinking maybe it shouldnt be so high, but they wanted that goal and they achieved it. Im so excited theres finally a Gold Ball (trophy). When I saw that, I knew we had to win it. No one else should take it home.

5) Scarborough Red Storm, 15-2, 2017 Class A state champion

Scarboroughs first championship run in 2015 came after a 9-5 regular season and caught the volleyball world by surprise. This one was another story, as the Red Storm overcame an Opening Night hiccup, then lived up to preseason billing as the team to beat. Scarborough, led by standout hitter Asia Mattress, as well as Ivy DiBiase, Marissa Edwards, Jamiyae Mattress, Laura Powell, Caelyn Sheil, Natalie Simonton and Faith Winslow, got more and more dominant as the season progressed and only dropped one set in its postseason surge to the title.

The Red Storm were stunned by upstart Deering in the season opener, falling in five games, but they turned around and ran off seven straight victories, including wins over Falmouth and Greely. After losing in straight sets to eventual Class B champion Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough wouldnt be beaten again, closing the regular season on a five-game win streak, giving coach Jon Roberts his 100th career victory in the finale, and winding up 12-2, good for second for the Class A state tournament. The Red Storm then steamrolled through the field en route to the title.

In the quarterfinals, Scarborough blanked feisty Thornton Academy (25-19, 25-11, 25-23). Biddeford was next and while the games were close, the Red Storm didnt drop any of them (25-19, 25-17, 25-17). Scarborough hoped for a chance to avenge its regular season loss to Deering in the state match, but the Rams were upset by South Portland in their semifinals and as a result, the Red Storm were a prohibitive favorite against the Red Riots. Scarborough focused on the task at hand and took the first two games, 25-19 and 25-17. South Portland stayed alive with a 25-16 win in the third set, but the Red Storm closed it out in the fourth, 25-12, and had a 3-1 victory and their second title in three seasons. DiBiase produced 20 assists, freshman Mayne Gwyer had 10 assists, Asia Mattress added 11 kills, Simonton had 10 kills and Sheil contributed 13 service points. The championship match would prove to be the swan song for Roberts (who left to coach at St. Josephs College) and Asia Mattress (who moved out of state). It wont prove to be Scarboroughs last title, however.

Coach Jon Roberts: I just wanted this for the kids. Im so proud of them. These kids sat behind the kids (from 2015 and 2016) for so long and they were really good and didnt get to play. You root for them. They didnt complain. They worked hard in practice for two years and didnt get to see the court, so for them, its special.

4) Falmouth Yachtsmen, 16-1, 2018 Class A state champion

The first of Falmouths back-to-back crowns over the past two years was a story of growth, as the Yachtsmen took some time adapting to Larry Nichols coaching before putting it all together when it mattered most. Falmouth, which had lost in the Class B state final in 2017, was led by transcendent hitter Annika Hester, as well as Gretchen Barney, Holly Barney, Hillary Bouchard, Katie Phillips, Rose Riversmith and Summer Spiegel, and it put on a show in the postseason.

The Yachtsmen won their first four matches, including a 3-0 win over Greely and a 3-1 victory over Scarborough, then was blanked by Cape Elizabeth in a state game rematch. A 3-1 victory over Yarmouth got Falmouth back on track and the Yachtsmen would close the regular season on a nine-match win streak, only dropping four games total in the run. At 13-1, Falmouth earned the top seed for the playoffs and set out to win its second Class A state championship and first in five seasons.

In the state quarterfinals, the Yachtsmen blanked Thornton Academy (25-18, 25-23, 25-12). Biddeford proved to be a challenge in the semifinals, but Falmouth advanced in four sets (25-17, 25-17, 17-25, 25-16), behind 33 kills from Hester and 13 service points apiece from Bouchard and Phillips. Undefeated Gorham awaited the Yachtsmen in the state match, but Falmouth made sure it wrapped up its championship in quick, tidy fashion, prevailing in three games (25-18, 25-17, 25-16), as Spiegel bowed out with a match for the ages (18 assists, 18 service points), Hester produced 17 kills, Phillips finished with eight kills and eight assists and Riversmith added seven blocks, including one on match point. The Yachtsmen had returned to the top of Class A and their reign was just beginning.

Coach Larry Nichols: It means a lot. There was a lot of competition this year, so Im glad we could showcase our level of volleyball today when it mattered most. Its been an interesting journey. Each week, the girls were different, which from a coachs perspective, was terrifying and really great at the same time. There was some pressure to do well. We graduated seven, but the kids bought into the system, did their job and worked hard.

3) Cape Elizabeth Capers, 17-0, 2017 Class B state champion

The Capers won their second championship in four years and this time, did so in perfect fashion, beating every powerhouse program along the way. Setter extraordinaire Maggie Dadmun and classmates Madeline Bauman, Madison Sarka and Anna Torre capped their superb high school career in style, while juniors Megan Connelly, Tess Dolan, Brooke Harvey and Kalie Manning and sophomore Jaya McClure also played huge roles in the teams success.

Cape Elizabeth won its first four matches with relative ease, then faced a series of stern tests and passed every one. The Capers beat Yarmouth, Falmouth, Greely and York by 3-1 scores, then downed Scarborough in three games before outlasting Greely and Falmouth in five-set marathons. Cape Elizabeth closed with wins over Windham and Cony and wound up 14-0 and first in Class B. The Capers then embarked on a perfect run through the playoffs, not dropping a single set.

In the quarterfinals, Cape Elizabeth made quick work of Kennebunk (25-12, 25-14, 25-8). Tradition-rich Greely awaited in the semifinals, but again, the Capers won in three games (25-21, 25-12, 25-19). Heading into the state final versus Falmouth, the big story was that the match was being played on Cape Elizabeths home court. As it turned out, the Capers werent losing anywhere, as again they took care of business in three sets, 25-13, 29-27, 25-21. Dadmun bowed out with 20 assists and 11 service points, Connelly had 10 kills and Robicheaw added five blocks and five kills, including the one which punctuated the match. The best team in Cape Elizabeth history will rank as one of the best in state history as well.

Coach Sarah Boeckel: Im not usually emotional, but Im having a hard time coming up with words to say how proud I am of this team. We werent nervous or worried. Were not the biggest team, or maybe the best team, but were mentally tough and we love a long rally. Every time we won tight matches this year, I wondered if it would come back to bite us in playoffs, but it didnt.

2) Falmouth Yachtsmen, 17-0, 2019 Class A state champion

After going 16-1 and winning the Class A title in 2018, the 2019 Yachtsmen were even more dominant, so dominant in fact that they got the most votes in our Twitter poll. Falmouth, paced by the hitting prowess of Gatorade Player of the Year Annika Hester, as well as veterans Gretchen Barney, Holly Barney, Hillary Bouchard, Katie Phillips and Rose Riversmith, was only taken to five-sets once en route to a perfect season and a repeat championship.

The Yachtsmen survived defending (and eventual) Class B champion Yarmouth in four grueling sets in the opener, then enjoyed 3-0 wins over Cheverus, Bonny Eagle, Deering, Greely, Portland and Marshwood. Host Cape Elizabeth then gave Falmouth its biggest scare, taking a 2-sets-to-1 lead, but the Yachtsmen rallied to prevail in five games. The Yachtsmen had to go four-sets to defeat Scarborough and Gorham and blanked Biddeford, Brunswick, Windham and Thornton Academy to finish 14-0 for the first time and earn the top seed for the Class A tournament, where they achieved their date with championship destiny.

In the state quarterfinals, Falmouth made quick work of Marshwood, winning in three games (25-16, 25-6, 25-7). Windham gave the Yachtsmen a scare in the semifinals, taking the first set, 25-20, but Falmouth roared back to win the next three (25-8, 25-14, 25-14) to advance to the final. There, Scarborough awaited, but there would be no denying the Yachtsmen, who won the first two sets, 25-20 and 25-18, then, after dropping a close third game (23-25), they put it away with a 25-19 fourth set victory to take the match, 3-1, and finish a perfect 17-0, extending their two-season win streak to 29 matches in the process. Hester led the way with 30 kills, while Phillips had 20 assists and eight kills, Bouchard contributed 22 assists and Riversmith finished with eight blocks. Falmouth now has three state titles and there might be no end in sight for this Gold Ball-winning juggernaut.

Coach Larry Nichols: Last year, we flew under the radar and that was like getting away with something, but this year, we were favored and I think we handled the pressure well. We had fun and the kids cared for each other. From the stars to the kids who didnt play at all, everyone was great. This year, the challenge was to make not only other people, but our own team realize that yes, Annika is a special player, but that we have some other great players who complement her. The biggest challenge this year was those players recognizing how important they were. You cant win a title with one kid.

1) Greely Rangers, 17-0, 2016 Class A state champion

The nearly perfect champion. Through 14 regular season matches, Greely, still stinging from an upset loss to Scarborough in the previous years state match, didnt drop a single set. Now thats consistency. The Rangers, paced by standout Kayley Cimino, as well as Sara Agren, Molly Chapin, Jane Grandchamp, libero Coco Petrone and Morgan Selby, who joined the program after moving in from out of state, finally found themselves having to play longer matches in the postseason, but still went on to complete their 10th and most recent championship season, one simply without peer.

Greely got a chance to avenge its state match loss in the opener and the Rangers swept Scarborough (25-22, 25-15, 25-15) to set the tone. In fact, Greely went scorched earth and completely took apart all comers, not only winning by 3-0 margins, but in fact, few of the sets were even close. The Rangers were pushed a bit by Falmouth, but prevailed, 25-16, 25-23, 25-23, and went on to finish 14-0 and earn the top seed for the Class A tournament. While Greely finally met a little adversity in the playoffs, that didnt stop the Rangers from going on to capture the title.

Gorham was up first in the state quarterfinals and for two sets, it was more of the same, as Greely won, 25-16, 25-17, but in the third game, the Rams staggered the Rangers with a 25-21 victory, ending their consecutive set win streak at a mind-boggling 44. Greely quickly responded, however, and took the fourth set, 25-9, and the match, 3-1, as Cimino had 15 kills and 14 assists, Agren added 10 service points and seven kills and Chapin had 10 kills and nine service points. Falmouth then staggered Greely in the semifinals, winning the first set, 25-16, but the Rangers again responded like the champions theyd become, taking the next three games, 25-12, 25-16, 25-14, to set up a highly-anticipated rematch with Scarborough in the state final. There, Greely started fast with a 25-20 first set victory and a 25-8 triumph in the second game, but the Red Storm answered and won the third set, 25-18. The Rangers possessed one last surge of excellence and took the fourth game, 25-20, to win the match, 3-1, and the state title. Cimino bowed out with 18 service points (including 16 in a row in the second set), 15 kills and 11 assists, Selby added 17 assists and Agren finished with seven kills, while Chapin had six. It was utter dominance from start to finish. Well likely never again see a team run roughshod over the opposition quite like the 2016 Greely Rangers.

Coach Kelvin Hasch: To run the (regular) season (without losing a set) was a feat in itself. I never thought wed do that in the tournament. Kayleys quickness and knowledge of the game set her apart. She can read a ball and get to the ball. All the seniors, even the ones who didnt play much, were huge. They all played so hard in practice. Im so proud of them.

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Jeudy and Hamler need to follow in the footsteps of another rookie duo – 104.3 The Fan

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(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

You dont have to look up the stats from the past three NFL seasons to know that the Broncos offense has been, to put it nicely, ineffective. The visual of Denvers offense continually failing to score or move the ball has become a tough watch for Broncos Country.

This lack of scoring has kept the Broncos our of the playoffs for four straight seasons. With the Chiefs and their high-powered offense in the Broncos division, it was clear heading into the offseason that the Broncos needed to add weapons to their offense if they wanted to try to gain ground on the Super Bowl champions. That is why they drafted wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler in the first and second rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft.

For the Broncos to make a return to the playoffs, they are going to need both Jeudy and Hamler to contribute. If both players can make an immediate impact, the Broncos could be looking at a return to relevancy.

There was another time the Broncos needed to build depth at a single position to improve their ability to compete with the elite teams in the NFL. Just like 2020, they turned to two rookies and the result was one of the most-exciting teams in Broncos History.

The 2003 and 2004 editions of the Broncos both made the playoffs, but they were eliminated at the end of both seasons in the first round by Peyton Manning and Colts, falling by scores of 41-10 and 49-24. It was terrible.

It was clear that if the Broncos were going to make the transition from first-round loser to serious Super Bowl contender, they would need help in the secondary.

In the 2005 NFL Draft, the Broncos used their first three picks on the secondary. Cornerback Darrent Williams, defensive back Karl Paymah and cornerback Dominique Foxworth were all drafted to combat the Broncos postseason deficiencies. The Broncos secondary already featured superstars Champ Bailey and John Lynch in addition to the returning and firmly established Nick Ferguson. As good as those three were, they needed help.

In their rookie seasons, Williams and Foxworth made an immediate impact. Williams would start nine games, have two interceptions and 50 solo tackles. Foxworth would start seven games, and also have two interceptions and 65 solo tackles.

Keep in mind, as rookies, they were taking the field with a prime Champ Bailey. Opposing quarterbacks were going to target both Williams or Foxworth whenever they were on the field. This was going to be a big challenge for both players and neither flinched.

I spoke with Ferguson about Williams and Foxworth. Specifically, what characteristics allowed them to come in and play key roles for the Broncos in 2005.

The temperament of both players, Ferguson explained. They were both willing tacklers and that earned (himself, Bailey and Lynch) our respect. It shows in their stats. Respect was not given in that locker room, it was earned. They earned it. They knew they were playing opposite Champ and they wanted to be great, especially Darrent. We knew we had two dogs. One was a Rottweiler and one was a German shepherd.

Both Bailey and Lynch were named to the Pro Bowl in 2005 and Ferguson absolutely should have been voted in with them. The two rookies kept pace with the three veterans all season as the Broncos would finish 2005 with a record of 13-3, a top-five ranked defense and a trip to the AFC Championship Game. That defense will forever be the first to defeat the combination of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady in the playoffs. After two seasons of first-round exits, the Broncos broke through.

I asked Ferguson if Williams and Foxworth were vital to the teams success in 2005.

Oh yeah, he responded. When you have depth, right and left corner, and you have somebody to play the nickel it gives your defense versatility. Look at (Bradley) Roby with (Aqib) Talib and (Chris) Harris (Jr.). Roby knew he had to play at their level. Darrent and Foxy knew they had to play up to a certain standard with us and they accepted the challenge.

The 2020 Broncos are in a similar position as the 2005 Broncos. The team has had trouble breaking through the last few seasons and is looking to get out of the rut. Like they did in 2005, the Broncos used the draft to stack one position group in hopes it will allow them to compete with the best quarterbacks in the league.

In 2005, they prepared to stop Manning and Brady. In 2020, they hope to trade touchdowns with Patrick Mahomes.

The 2005 Broncos needed three top cornerbacks to make the next step and the 2020 Broncos need three wide receiver threats to be able to truly establish themselves as a playoff contender. Opposing offenses in 2005 did everything they could to avoid throwing to Baileys side, so the opportunities were plentiful for Williams and Foxworth.

Courtland Sutton is an emerging star in the NFL and is rightfully the No. 1 wide receiver on the depth chart. Opposing defenses will look to shut him down. With the focus on Sutton, Jeudy and Hamler can expect to have opportunities early on. They need to take advantage of their opportunities. Particularly Hamler, who should be able draw mismatches from the slot position.

One of the most interesting things Ferguson said to me about the comparison of Williams and Foxworth to Jeudy and Hamler was what it will take for them to succeed.

They will only be as good as the wide receiver room, he explained. Darrent and Foxy had us to push them. Sutton has to be that guy in the room.

Once the young guy, Sutton now finds himself the leader and veteran. Suttons approach and performance will be key to the success of Jeudy and Hamler. Williams and Foxworth felt the pressure to keep up with Bailey, Lynch and Ferguson. Sutton needs to apply the same pressure to Jeudy and Hamler.

Fair or not, the expectations on Jeudy and Hamler are high. It is up to them to approach their rookie season with a sense of urgency. The Broncos feel if they can score on a more consistent basis, they will once again be a contender.

In 2005, the Broncos felt they needed depth in the secondary to become a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Darrent Williams and Dominique Foxworth proved them right by having two of the best rookie seasons in Broncos history.

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Jeudy and Hamler need to follow in the footsteps of another rookie duo - 104.3 The Fan

Five bold and spicy predictions for the Chargers’ 2020 season – The Athletic

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I have descended into the bowels of Earth and returned with some truly scorching Chargers takes mined directly from our planets core.

Yes, friends, it is that time again.

Your 2020 bold and spicy Chargers predictions are here!

To recap, this is my second year doing these predictions. Last year was not great? My five predictions, which I published in early September just before the start of the season, were:

Keenan Allen and Mike Williams will both top 1,000 yards receiving

Jerry Tillery will have at least six sacks

Kyzir White will top 100 tackles

Nasir Adderley will lead the team in interceptions

Hunter Henry will catch more than 70 passes

I went 1-for-5. That is not successful by any measure. In my defense, I nailed the Allen-Williams production. Henry caught 55 passes in 12 games, which is a pace of 73 catches in 16 games if he hadnt been injured. So I wasnt too off on that...

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Five bold and spicy predictions for the Chargers' 2020 season - The Athletic

MLB Trades Teams Should Already Be Considering 1 Week into 60-Game Sprint – Bleacher Report

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Take the anything-can-happen oddities of a 60-game MLB season. Add the expanded 16-team playoff format. What do you get?

A whole lot of clubs with at least a decent shot at making the postseason.

That could throw all sorts of wrenches into the works of the upcoming Aug. 31 trade deadline, with potential buyers far outnumbering sellers.

Superstars who featured in multiple offseason rumors such as the Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant, Cleveland Indians' Francisco Lindor and Colorado Rockies' Nolan Arenado could technically be moved, but their respective squads could be in the thick of the playoff mix and may wait until after the 2020 campaign to entertain serious offers.

Instead, let's focus on a handful of more realistic swaps clubs should already be considering one week into this truncated season. All involve players on rebuilding teams and/or guys on expiring contracts.

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The Kansas City Royals lost 103 games in 2019 and are at least a few years away from serious contention, even in a shortened season.

They've built their farm system up to the No. 10 position in our most recent rankings and should keep trying to add to their cache of minor league talent.

The Royals have several interesting veteran trade candidates, including second baseman/outfielder Whit Merrifield. But the most obvious place to trade from is the bullpen, since relievers are always in high demand at and before the deadline.

The Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs stand out as playoff hopefuls whose pens have been liabilities in the early going. But virtually every contender could use relief reinforcements.

The Royals could surely generate interest in right-hander Ian Kennedy. The 35-year-old converted from a starter to a late-inning arm last season and resurrected his career with a 2.99 FIP, 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings and 30 saves in 63.1 frames.

He's allowed one earned run with three strikeouts in his first three innings of 2020 and could slot in as a setup man or closer in virtually any bullpen.

He's set to hit free agency after the season and as a rental wouldn't net the Royals a king's ransom. But if he could bring back a high-upside prospect or two, it would be well worth it for K.C. to cash in.

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Speaking of rebuilding teams that could take advantage of the pervasive need for bullpen help, enter the Baltimore Orioles.

The O's, like Kansas City, are a clear rebuilder who posted triple-digit losses in 2019 and should be focused on adding prospects with an eye on the future.

The Orioles aren't loaded with tradable veterans, but reliever Mychal Givens is an obvious candidate.

The 30-year-old right-hander averaged 12.3 K/9 in 2019 and has opened 2020 with 1.1 scoreless innings and a pair of strikeouts. He also has closing experience, with 20 career saves.

Givens is controllable through 2021, so he'd be more than a rental. This feels like the moment for Baltimore to leverage his value and continue to stock the farm.

The same teams mentioned beforethe Phillies, Mets, Reds and Cubsmake sense as partners, but interest should be widespread.

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The Seattle Mariners have baseball's No. 2 farm system. The future is bright in the Pacific Northwest.

But many of the M's top prospects, such as outfielder Jarred Kelenic, are a year or two away from seriously contributing at the big league level. Seattle is still in the rebuild phase.

As such, the Mariners should look for takers for third baseman Kyle Seager.

Multiple teams expressed interest in Seager over the winter, according toKen Rosenthalof The Athletic. The 32-year-old hit just .239 last season, but he's a former All-Star and Gold Glove winner who has hit 20 or more home runs every season since 2012.

Through his first 24 at-bats of 2020, Seager has collected eight hits, including three doubles and a home run. As a veteran bat and clubhouse leader, he should drum up interest among contenders.

Seager is owed $18.5 million in 2021 with a $15 million club option for 2022 that becomes a player option if he's traded. If the Mariners were willing to pick up some of that cash, they could net a decent return.

One potential suitor? The Atlanta Braves, who have been linked to Kris Bryant but, as mentioned, might not be able to pry him away from the Cubs before the deadline. Instead, after losing third baseman Josh Donaldson to free agency this winter, the Braves could dip into their deep farm system and acquire a proven hot corner option in Seager to supplement or supplant internal options Austin Riley and Johan Camargo.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates figure to be bottom-dwellers in the deep National League Central in 2020. The Bucs have some exciting young talent in right-hander Mitch Keller and third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes but should work to keep buttressing their No. 13-ranked farm system.

First baseman Josh Bell should draw ample interest. The 27-year-old had a career year in 2019 with 37 home runs and a .936 OPS. He's controllable through 2022 and should fetch a nice return from a club looking for a power hitter entering the midst of his prime.

They wouldn't be the only team to pick up the phone, but the New York Yankees seem like a fit for Bell's services.

The Yanks are relying on the duo of Luke Voit and Mike Ford at first base. Voit posted an .842 OPS with 21 homers in 118 games last year but got out of the gate slow with one hit in his first 10 at-bats, though he went 2-for-4 with a grand slam Thursday in an 8-6 win over the Orioles. Ford flashed power in 2019 with 12 homers in 50 games but is unproven. It's a position where New York could use an upgrade as it angles for title No. 28.

Bell would represent exactly such an upgrade, and his switch-hitting bat would help balance the Yankees' right-handed-heavy lineup.

New York would have to part with some impact talent and deplete a farm system that's already ranked No. 23, but Bell is the type of controllable, proven talent who'd be worth the cost.

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Last season, the Houston Astros won the AL pennant behind co-aces Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole, who finished first and second, respectively, in Junior Circuit Cy Young Award voting.

Now, Cole is a member of the Yankees and Verlander is out indefinitely with a forearm injury.

The 'Stros still have a deep lineup and veteran right-hander Zack Greinke to headline the starting rotation. But their status among MLB's elite is in jeopardy.

Houston could turn to internal options such as touted prospect Forrest Whitley, but it would be wise to add a proven arm.

Detroit Tigers left-hander Matthew Boyd posted a less-than-stellar 4.56 ERA in 2019 and has wobbled in his first two starts of 2020, allowing eight earned runs in 10 innings. But he averaged a career-high 11.6 K/9 last season and has the stuff to be an effective, bat-missing rotation stalwart.

He's also 29 years old and controllable through 2022. He could be part of the rebuilding Tigers' future. Yet Detroit has multiple high-upside arms at the top of its farm system, including Casey Mize, Matt Manning and Tarik Skubal, which makes Boyd expendable.

If the Astros (or someone else) come calling with an enticing package, Detroit should pull the trigger. Boyd won't replace Verlanderfew pitchers couldbut he'd help shore up a recently exposed hole in Houston's armor.

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Over the winter, the Boston Red Sox were "all but certain" to trade center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr., according to The Athletic'sKen Rosenthal.

That didn't materialize, and Bradley remains a member of the Red Sox. But Boston should revisit this trade idea soon.

Entering play Thursday, Boston pitchers ranked 27th in baseball with a 5.83 ERA. Cry small sample if you want, but the eyeball test backs up the numbers. Chris Sale is lost to Tommy John surgery. Nathan Eovaldi, easily the Sox's best starter so far, has surrendered 13 hits in 11 innings.

Boston simply doesn't have enough pitching to be a serious postseason factor in 2020.

The Sox could go shopping for starters and bullpen help. But they'd have to strip pieces from their already-thin,No. 25-ranked farm system.

Instead, Boston should continue on the trajectory it established by trading right fielder Mookie Betts and left-hander David Price to the Los Angeles Dodgers in February.

Bradley has gotten off to a hot start with eight hits in his first 20 at-bats, including a pair of doubles. And the 30-year-old remains a superlative defensive center fielder.

He's in a contract year but should interest multiple teams as a rental. The New York Mets spring to mind as a club that could use outfield depth, and they've been linked to Bradley before.

Either way, Bradley should switch laundry before the season is over and land Boston a few pieces for the future.

All statistics current as of Thursday and courtesy of Baseball Reference.

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MLB Trades Teams Should Already Be Considering 1 Week into 60-Game Sprint - Bleacher Report

Denver Broncos: John Elway says team will lean on defense as offense grows – Predominantly Orange

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JACKSONVILLE, FL - DECEMBER 04: Denver Broncos GM John Elway before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field on December 4, 2016 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

The Denver Broncos are a young football team, especially on the offensive side of the ball. In fact, the oldest players on offense are Diontae Spencer and Jake Rodgers, who are both 28-years old.

Its been a long road since the team lost Peyton Manning to retirement, and even though Drew Lock appears to (maybe) be the answer at the quarterback position, the offense still needs to come together.

As for the defense, Broncos general manager John Elway says that the team will have to lean on the group that will try to stop opposing offenses from scoring, and the new additions that were brought in are going to play a major role.

If you look on the defensive side, for the most part, with the players and veterans that weve added to the defensive side, with the veterans that have been here with another year of understanding [Head Coach] Vic [Fangios] defense and what its about, obviously, were going to have to lean on the defense. We have veterans on the defensive side that we can rely on as we grow as an offense. Thats the hope. Id love to see us come out and score 40 points against Tennesseeon Monday night. Im not saying that cant happen, but with the youth that we have, its going to take some time. Hopefully we can play better defense with the veterans we have coming in and give us a chance. Ultimately, [the goal] is to win football games.

John Elway (via Broncos PR)

40 points is definitely a big number.

Denver added to their young offense with even more young guys in wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler. They also brought in Tyrie Cleveland. All three were from the 2020 Draft and have yet to participate in a practice with the team.

The goal of the 2020 offseason for the Broncos was to bring in guys who would help Drew Lock grow. They did that with those offensive players, also including center Lloyd Cushenberry and guard Graham Glasgow to protect him.

Lets also not forget the addition of offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur. It may start off bumpy for the Broncos offense as they try to learn yet another offense, but Giants quarterback Daniel Jones did put up 24 touchdown passes to 12 interceptions in 2019.

On defense, the team welcomed cornerback A.J. Bouye to replace Chris Harris Jr., as well as Jurrell Casey to fill the hole in the middle of the defensive line.

Its definitely easy to see how the team is going to lean on the defense. With the return of Bradley Chubb and having Von Miller, Alexander Johnson, Kareem Jackson, and Justin Simmons, this defense has the potential to be great if they can all stay on the field.

The Broncos may not be as great in 2020 as Broncos fans hope, but thats not to say that greatness cannot happen soon. We have to learn to give this offense time. After all, greatness does not appear overnight.

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Denver Broncos: John Elway says team will lean on defense as offense grows - Predominantly Orange

Artificial Intelligence in Lung Cancer: Bridging the Gap Between Computational Power and Clinical Decision-Making – DocWire News

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This article was originally published here

Can Assoc Radiol J. 2020 Jul 31:846537120941434. doi: 10.1177/0846537120941434. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Lung cancer remains the most common cause of cancer death worldwide. Recent advances in lung cancer screening, radiotherapy, surgical techniques, and systemic therapy have led to increasing complexity in diagnosis, treatment decision-making, and assessment of recurrence. Artificial intelligence (AI)-based prediction models are being developed to address these issues and may have a future role in screening, diagnosis, treatment selection, and decision-making around salvage therapy. Imaging plays an essential role in all components of lung cancer management and has the potential to play a key role in AI applications. Artificial intelligence has demonstrated value in prognostic biomarker discovery in lung cancer diagnosis, treatment, and response assessment, putting it at the forefront of the next phase of personalized medicine. However, although exploratory studies demonstrate potential utility, there is a need for rigorous validation and standardization before AI can be utilized in clinical decision-making. In this review, we will provide a summary of the current literature implementing AI for outcome prediction in lung cancer. We will describe the anticipated impact of AI on the management of patients with lung cancer and discuss the challenges of clinical implementation of these techniques.

PMID:32735493 | DOI:10.1177/0846537120941434

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Artificial Intelligence in Lung Cancer: Bridging the Gap Between Computational Power and Clinical Decision-Making - DocWire News


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