Gästebuch » CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Cubs shortstop

Addison Russell accepted a 40-game suspension Wednesday for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy after a series of allegations made by his ex-wife.Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the ban and said MLB had completed its investigation into the accusations made by Melisa Reidy. Russell has denied the allegations http://www.piratesfanproshop.com/authentic-bill-mazeroski-jersey , which Reidy detailed in a blog post in September.Russell’s unpaid suspension includes the 11 regular-season games he missed after being placed on administrative leave Sept. 21. Russell will be eligible to return on May 3 against St. Louis, barring any postponements, and he will not appeal the suspension. He will also participate in an evaluation and treatment program.Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said he’s not sure what the odds are of Russell playing another game for the Cubs.“Domestic violence is everyone’s problem,” he said. “Because of that, we all have an obligation to be part of the solution as well. The discipline in a case like this is part of the solution going forward and so we support Major League Baseball’s decision and we think it’s appropriate. But prevention is also a big part of the solution and maybe a more important solution.”The Cubs’ season ended Tuesday with a 2-1, 13-inning defeat to the Colorado Rockies in the NL wild-card game. Russell was not active for the game.MLB has said it began an investigation last year after allegations against Russell first became public.Reidy posted a photo on her Instagram account last year with a caption suggesting her husband of about 18 months had been unfaithful to her. In another post, a user described by Reidy as a close friend claimed Russell had “hit” his wife. The post was later deleted. Reidy declined to talk to MLB at the time because she decided it was not in her family’s best interests, her attorney, Thomas Field, said last year. But MLB kept the case open.Reidy published a blog post in September describing more detailed allegations Dave Parker Jersey , including years of physical and emotional abuse. Less than 12 hours later, MLB announced Russell had been put on leave under MLB’s domestic violence policy.“The physical stuff wasn’t like every day or every month,” Reidy told Chicago’s WGN-TV in an interview that aired Wednesday night. “Fights started getting worse. He broke my phone in half with his hands.”WGN reported that Reidy provided texts and pictures to MLB for its investigation. Reidy said she wrote the blog post because she felt the time was right. She said she wanted to support other women in similar situations and wasn’t thinking about baseball and how it would impact the Cubs.“I know how hard it is to go through something like that,” she said. “And I know how hard it is to feel trapped and alone and distant.”She said some Cubs’ wives knew “bits and pieces” of what she was experiencing but not the whole story.Epstein, meanwhile, said he’s wondering if there’s anything more the organization can do to support players and their families.“The part I do question myself on in general as a sports team is what is the absolute best structure that you can have for your players, for their spouses and for their families so that this never happens?” Epstein said. “I know we have a wonderful family program and we have wonderful people working for support. We try to stay as engaged as possible with the families. But clearly, because this happened, we should all be asking, ‘Can we do more?'”Epstein said it’s the Cubs’ “obligation” to give both Reidy and Russell the support they need. He also said the organization needs to see if there’s more it can do to support players and families and make sure a similar situation does not come up in the future.The Cubs have been willing to employ players following suspensions under the domestic violence policy before. All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman served a 30-game ban with the Yankees in 2016 before Chicago acquired him midseason and utilized him to end a 106-year World Series title drought.Chicago acquired Russell in a July 2014 trade with Oakland. He helped the Cubs win the World Series two years ago Josh Harrison Jersey , batting .238 with 21 homers and 95 RBIs in 151 games.Russell hit .250 with five homers and 38 RBIs in 130 games this season.“I think we have to understand that with all of our words and actions going forward, whether we know it or not, we’re sending messages to our fans who all have their own unique backgrounds and histories and sensitivities and perspectives, and that’s important,” Epstein said. “I honestly, personally, think the most important thing going forward is to be part of the solution and making this a better place.” NEW YORK — Aaron Judge is off the disabled list after missing seven weeks with a fractured right wrist, but not quite ready to hit.Nonetheless, the New York Yankees are excited about the prospect of him getting closer to returning to the lineup, but until he does http://www.piratesfanproshop.com/authentic-gregory-polanco-jersey , Judge will be able to play in the field and run.With Judge back from the disabled list on a limited basis, the Yankees continue a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday afternoon.Article continues below ...Judge was activated before Friday’s 11-0 win and played the final two innings in right field without getting a ball hit to him and earned a standing ovation when fans realized he was entering the game.“Pretty crazy,” he said of getting a loud ovation.It’s unclear when Judge might actually get any at-bats against live pitching, but manager Aaron Boone said it is possible Judge might get an at-bat during this homestand. Before making his first appearance since July 26 against Kansas City, he took batting practice on the field, something he started earlier this week in Minnesota.“We’ll continue to ramp up from a hitting standpoint this weekend,” Boone said. “We’ve got a plan in place we’ll activate as we get closer. He’s getting real close to being an option for us.”During the 45 games he missed, the Yankees were 25-20, including a 13-10 mark at home. While Judge was on the disabled list, the Yankees averaged 4.8 runs and recorded a .235 batting average (351-for-1496) with 71 homers. Giancarlo Stanton heated up early in Judge’s absence but overall batted .224 (38-for-170) with 10 homers and 25 RBIs in the 45 games.In the meantime http://www.piratesfanproshop.com/authentic-jung-ho-kang-jersey , the Yankees (91-56) will hope to get more nights like Friday when they collected 14 hits and remained 1 1/2 games ahead of Oakland in the wild-card race. For the Blue Jays losing a player like Judge is equal to losing a bat such as Josh Donaldson, who missed over three months with a calf injury before getting traded to the Cleveland Indians.“Anytime one of your top guys go down, it’s a pretty big hole,” Toronto manager John Gibbons said Friday afternoon. “Some teams have more to cover than others but it’s still, he’s been the guy here. Then they got to change their lineup a little bit. Even if a guy’s struggling you’re aware where he is in the lineup, he’s probably going to come up. A guy like that can beat you, even if he mishits a ball, that can change a game.” The Blue Jays (65-82) are 4-9 in their last 13 games and officially clinched their second straight losing season after making consecutive postseason appearances in 2015 and 2016.“It’s the way it goes sometimes in this game,” Gibbons said. “It’s tough to stay on top. We’re in a rebuild mode now, so you’re going to take your lumps.”Toronto has taken its lumps when facing a left-handed starter and after doing little off Masahiro Tanaka Francisco Cervelli Jersey , the Blue Jays face CC Sabathia. Toronto has lost its last nine games when facing a southpaw starter and is a major league-worst 14-35 in those games.CC Sabathia makes his fifth attempt at getting his 245th career win, which would tie him with Dennis Martinez and Jack Powell for 53rd on the all-time list. Since getting his 244th career win Aug. 12 against Texas, he is 0-2 with a 4.87 ERA.Sabathia last pitched in Sunday’s 3-2 loss at Seattle when he allowed two runs on seven hits in five innings while getting a no-decision.The left-hander is 18-11 with a 3.48 ERA in 34 career starts against the Blue Jays. Sean-Reid Foley will make his fifth career start and so far, he is 1-3 with a 6.86 ERA. Reid-Foley fanned 10 in seven innings for his first career win Sept. 2 at Miami but allowed six runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings last Saturday in a 9-8 loss to Cleveland.Reid-Foley opposed the Yankees in New York on Aug. 18 and was tagged for eight runs (six earned) on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. It was the shortest of his starts so far.