The Manchester Youth Baseball Association closed out the regular season on Friday night.  Two games, with each having tournament seeding implications, were contested at a hot and muggy Fred Deadman Park.  The league’s postseason tournament for each age division is set to get underway next week with championship games scheduled for Monday, July 27^th.  

In the 8U division, Freedom Automotive and Dr. Jay’s met for the 4^th time this season.  Dr. Jay’s has won 2 of the previous 3 meetings this season and Freedom needed a win to tie Dr. Jay’s for the regular season championship.  Dr. Jay’s eeked out an 8 to 7 win to claim the championship.  As expected, this game came down to the final out as Dr. Jay’s rallied from 2 runs down in the final inning to grab the win and the regular season championship.  Trailing 7 to 5 entering the bottom Hayes led off the frame with a hit and Kolton ripped a 2 run inside the park homer to tie the game.  In a game marked by great defense, a pair of errors ended up costing Freedom in the final inning allowing the winning run to get on base and come around to score. Rylan had 3 hits to pace the doc squad.  Hayes and Kolton both ended up with 2 hits and 2 runs scored.  For Freedom, Channing, Davion and Bryson each finished with 3 hits and a run scored. 

In the 12U division, Clower Automotive took on People’s Bank holding a half game lead over Powers Storage in the standings.  Needing a win to claim the regular season title in the division, Clower continued their hot hitting as the defeated Peoples 14 to 2.  After Clower took a 3 to 0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, Peoples rallied to score twice in the bottom of the first.  Clower added 4 more runs in the 2^nd inning and put the game out of reach in the 3^rd with a 7 run explosion.  Kaiden Gannon had 4 singles, 2 RBI and 3 runs scored to lead Clower.  Teammates Chase Leonard added 3 singles and 3 RBI and Caleb Crouch had a triple, a single and 2 RBI.  For Peoples, Isaiah Deadman had a double while Cole Shedd and Kaysen Lowery each finished with a single and a run scored. 

 FINAL Unofficial MYBA Standings

The pictures, material and information contained in this story may not be republished, rebroadcast, rewritten, or redistributed, for commercial gain, without the express written consent of Coffee County Broadcasting.

by Mark Bowman – MLB.com

Freddie Freeman’s status for Opening Day went from doubtful to probable within the past 24 hours.

Freeman showed up at Truist Park for a light workout after being cleared to rejoin the Braves on Friday morning. The All-Star first baseman received clearance after receiving two negative tests for COVID-19 at least 24 hours apart.

This was a much-anticipated development for Freeman, who first tested positive on July 3 but has not shown any symptoms since July 5. He received the news of his first negative test late on Thursday night, then got the results of the second negative test Friday morning and immediately began planning to work out at the field, despite the Braves having an off-day.

Freeman has been hitting and working out at his suburban Atlanta home over the past week. The question is if the remaining five days of Summer Camp will be enough for him to be ready Opening Day on July 24 against the Mets at Citi Field?

“Right now, we’ll see how he feels the next few days,” Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said. “We’ll have to take it day by day. We’ve got a week until Opening Day. He says he’s been hitting. You can never put it past him.”

Freeman could tally as many plate appearances as he desires while the Braves play intrasquad games over the next three days. He can then gather a few more when the Marlins come to Atlanta for exhibition games on Tuesday and Wednesday.

If Freeman is indeed ready for the start of the season, the Braves no longer have to think about the possibility of using Austin Riley as their primary first baseman. Riley could then begin the season as Atlanta’s starting third baseman.

News of Freeman gaining clearance occurred around the same time Yasiel Puig used Instagram to reveal he had tested positive for COVID-19. Consequently, the outfielder will not be joining the Braves. The two parties negotiated a deal, but an agreement always hinged on the results of the COVID test.

Right-hander Touki Toussaint was also cleared to rejoin the club. Toussaint and All-Star reliever Will Smith were both asymptomatic, but Smith still has not received the negative results needed to return.

Mark Bowman has covered the Braves for MLB.com since 2001.

By Jim Wyatt – TennesseeTitans.com

TRAINING CAMP PREVIEW: OFFENSIVE LINE

In camp (15): LT Taylor Lewan, RT Dennis Kelly, C Ben Jones, LG Rodger Saffold III, RG Nate Davis, T Ty Sambrailo, T Isaiah Wilson, T David Quessenberry, T Brandon Kemp, T Anthony McKinney, G Jamil Douglas, OL Avery Gennesy, G Zac Kerin, C Aaron Brewer, C Daniel Munyer.

Offseason developments: The Titans signed Kelly to a new, multi-year deal after Jack Conklin, last year’s starting right tackle, signed with the Browns in free agency. The team drafted massive Georgia lineman Isaiah Wilson in the first round of the NFL Draft with the 29th overall pick. Lewan vowed to take on more of a leadership role moving forward, something that was surely music to the ears of his bosses. In free agency, the Titans signed former Falcons tackle Ty Sambrailo to a one-year deal. The team also signed Avery Gennesy, formerly of the Browns and XFL, along with Zac Kerin, who has spent time with the Vikings and Redskins in addition to an XFL stint himself. Aaron Brewer (Texas State) and Brandon Kemp (Valosta State) were added as undrafted free agents.

In the spotlight: Kelly. The 6-foot-8, 321-pound Kelly has paid his dues, and with the right tackle spot now open, he has a big opportunity. A swing guy – and a fill-in – since being acquired in 2016 via a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles for receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, Kelly is the favorite to win the starting spot. During his career, Kelly has played in 58 games, with 16 starts, logging starts at right tackle, right guard, left guard and tight end. In 2019, Kelly also caught a pair of touchdown passes – one in a win vs. the Jaguars, and another in the AFC Championship game against the Chiefs. Last season, Kelly played in 15 games, with four starts. He started the first four games of the 2019 season during Lewan’s suspension. Now, he’d like to start, and end the season, as the team’s starter.

Battle to watch: Dennis Kelly vs. Isaiah Wilson. Kelly is the present, and Wilson is the future. But does that future begin in 2020, or down the road? A lot depends on Wilson. I suspect it’s going to be tough for Wilson to upend Kelly in camp. Kelly is a solid player, he has plenty of experience, and he’s built to play now. Plus, the lack of an offseason program – and OTAs and minicamp – hurt Wilson’s chances of developing in recent months, so he’s behind the 8-ball. The 6-foot-6, 350-pound Wilson has talent – he was an All-SEC second team performer for the Bulldogs in 2019 after playing in 11 games, starting 10. And he was the co-winner of Offensive “Up Front” Award, given at team’s post-season awards gala. Can Wilson make it a serious battle in camp and turn into a starting spot contender in camp? It’s among the team’s biggest position battles to watch in camp.

Keep an eye on: Nate Davis, and depth behind the starters. Davis, a third-round pick in the 2019 draft, showed great maturity and improvement in his rookie season. How much he’s developed this offseason will be on full display at the start of training camp. The Titans also have some things to sort out from a depth standpoint. The thinking here is it’s easy to count to six on the 55-man roster – Lewan, Saffold, Jones, Davis, Kelly and Wilson. The a 6-foot-5, 311-pound Sambrailo should make seven. Sambrailo has five years of NFL experience, with the Broncos and Falcons, and he’s played in 57 career games, with 13 starts. Douglas, who can play center and guard, figures to be No.8 because of his versatility. But which other players emerge from the pack, and how many offensive linemen will the Titans keep? Well, training camp will answer those questions.

Jim Wyatt is the Senior Writer and Editor for TennesseeTitans.com

The Manchester Youth Baseball Association hosted their final full night of games for the regular season on Thursday night.   Nine games filled the schedule as teams in the 6U, 10U and 18U divisions played their final games of the regular season.  Two games will close out the regular season on Friday night.  Play in the postseason tournament is set to get underway next week in all age divisions with championship games scheduled for Monday, July 27^th.  

In the 6U division, Manchester Tire and Brake stopped Cooper Sports 21 to 2 and Star Physical Therapy took down Lovelady Auto Parts 18 to 12.  In the opener, Manchester Tire and Brake closed out the regular season with a perfect 12 and 0 record as their defense was once again solid.  Cooper was held to single runs in the 2^nd and 3^rd inning in the loss.  Kasen Shelton had 2 home runs and Jace Spencer added 1 home run to lead Manchester Tire & Brake.  Blaine had a double and Raylan had a single as each scored a run for Cooper.  In the nightcap, Star Physical Therapy rallied from a 10 to 7 deficit to get the win over a determined Lovelady squad.  For Star, Zach had a homer and a single and scored twice.  Jordan and Owen each added a double and single for Star.  Jett and Dominic each had 3 singles and scored twice for Lovelady while Kayle had 3 base hits and scored once. 

In the 8U division, Freedom Automotive held off KK’s 14 to 2 and Dr. Jay raced past Lions Club 21 to 8. In the first game, Freedom plated 7 runs in the top of the 3^rd inning to take command of a previously close contest.  KK’s was held to 7 hits by the tight defense of Freedom.  Jaden and Davion led the Freedom hitting attack as each finished with 3 hits while Brysen added a triple and a single.  Walker had a single and a triple for KK’s.  In the second game, Dr. Jay’s jumped on Lions Club early as they plated 8 runs in the top of the first inning and rolled to their 13^th win of the season.  Kolton and Abe each had 4 hits and scored 4 runs to lead Dr. Jay’s.  Bentley had a pair of hits and scored twice for Lions Club. 

In the 10U division, State Farm swept Viam in a doubleheader.  In the 1^st game, State Farm won 18 to 0 and in the 2^nd game, State Farm grabbed a 12 to 4 win.  In the first game, Zander Meeks and Hyatt Moss combined to throw a no-hitter for State Farm.  State Farm earned 18 walks in the game as Meeks walked 3 times and scored 3 times.  Randall Harrison had a single and a pair of walks as well.  For Viam, Bryce Spencer reached base after getting hit by a pitch and Christian Teroy picked up a walk.  In the 2^nd game, Viam got off to a great start as they scored 3 runs in the top of the first inning.  State Farm, who closes out the regular season undefeated, added 4 runs in the 2^nd to avoid the upset.  Davion Dycus had a triple, a single and a walk while scoring 3 times to lead State Farm while Trey Sullivan added 2 singles, 3 RBI and 2 runs scored.  For Viam, Tanner Vernon had a single and 2 RBI. 

In the 12U division, Clower Automotive downed Bush Insurance 10 to 4 and Shelter Insurance bested People’s Bank 13 to 3.  In the early game, Bush jumped out to a 3 to 0 lead in the top of the first inning, only to see Clower come roaring back.  Clower plated 6 runs in the bottom of the 1^st inning on 6 hits, including a pair of home runs.  Chase Leonard and Levi Rollman smacked the big flies for Clower.  Rollman finished the game with a homer, double and single.  For Bush, Sy Owens finished with a pair of singles and an RBI while Kasen Morrison had a double, a walk and scored twice.  In the late game, Shelter scored 6 runs in the 2^nd inning to build an 8 to 0 lead and power their way to the win.  Matt Moore was the leading hitter for the insurers as he had a double and 2 singles while driving in a pair of runs and scoring 3 times.  David Featherson added a double and 2 singles with 1 RBI for Shelter.  Isaiah Deadman had a pair of singles and Cole Shedd had an RBI double for Peoples. 

In the 18U division, the Christiana Braves rolled past the Yankees 9 to 5.  The Braves built a 6 to 0 lead over the division leading Yankees thru 2 ½ innings and held on for the win.  The Yankees picked up a pair of runs in the bottom of the 3^rd only to see the Braves rebound to push 3 runs across in the 4^th.  The Yankees scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 6^th inning before a pop up and a strike out ended the game with 2 runners on base.  Matt Young had a triple and 2 singles to lead the Braves.  Will Graves added a double and 2 singles for the visitors from Rutherford County.  Owen Neel, Wyatt Nugent, Ethan Orange and Skylar Bratcher all had a pair of hits for the Yankees.   

 Friday MYBA Schedule

8U Division at Fast Pitch Field

5:00 PM – Freedom Automotive vs. Dr. Jay’s

12U Division at Aaron Miller Field

5:00 PM – Clower Automotive vs. Peoples Bank

The pictures, material and information contained in this story may not be republished, rebroadcast, rewritten, or redistributed, for commercial gain, without the express written consent of Coffee County Broadcasting.

By Jim Wyatt – TennesseeTitans.com

TRAINING CAMP PREVIEW: RUNNING BACKS

In camp (7): Derrick Henry, Darrynton Evans, Senorise Perry, Dalyn Dawkins, Shaun Wilson, Cameron Scarlett, FB Khari Blasingame.

Offseason developments: Henry was named the FedEx Ground Player of the Year following the 2019 season after leading the NFL with a career-best 1,540 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on 303 carries. Henry signed a 4 year contract extension on Wednesday. Henry’s offseason workouts once again created a stir on social media – the big man seems to keep getting bigger and faster. The Titans released Dion Lewis, who didn’t have much success last season, and he ended up signing with the Giants. The Titans drafted Appalachian State running back Darrynton Evans in the third round of the NFL Draft, and the team signed former Bears/Dolphins/Bills running back/special teams ace Senorise Perry in late April. The Titans also added Stanford’s Cameron Scarlett as an undrafted free agent. Back in January the Titans signed former Buccaneers and Redskins running back Shaun Wilson, who played collegiately at Duke, to a futures contract.

In the spotlight: Henry. After playing in his first Pro Bowl last season, Henry wants to keep on keeping on in 2020. Last fall, Henry ranked third in NFL with 18 total touchdowns, and he ranked second in the AFC and fourth in the NFL with 1,746 yards from scrimmage. Henry was a real workhorse in the postseason, setting a franchise playoff record with 182 rushing yards at New England (1/4/20) before resetting it with 195 rushing yards at Baltimore (1/11/20). He was the only running back in the NFL to average more than 100 rushing yards per game (102.7) last season. This offseason, there’s been a lot of talk about reducing Henry’s workload in 2020. None of it, however, has come from Henry, who should make it tough once again to take him off the field.

Perry

Battle to watch: Senorise Perry vs. Dalyn Dawkins/Shaun Wilson/Cameron Scarlett. The thinking here is Blasingame makes the team as a FB/RB behind Henry and Evans. So that’s three. Will the Titans keep a 4th back? Well, at the start of camp I’m giving the edge to Perry for the No.4 spot, ahead of Dawkins, Wilson and Scarlett. Dawkins has a chance to prove himself as a runner once again, but his lack of special value hurts his case. Scarlett is a better UDFA candidate than Alex Barnes from Kansas State a year ago in camp, and Wilson has some versatility as a pass catcher and punt returner. Former Titans running back David Fluellen remains a free agent, and a guy to keep an eye on as a possibility to join the mix. Fluellen’s injury history hurts his chances of being added to compete, but his knowledge of the system and comfort level with the coaching staff and offense keeps the possibility alive. If Perry can impress in camp, he’ll quash those chances and nab the spot himself.

DE

Keep an eye on: Darrynton Evans. The 5-10, 205-pound Evans posted 4,642 all-purpose yards at Appalachian State, with 34 career touchdowns. In 2019, Evans produced 2,064 all-purpose yards with 1,480 rushing, 198 yards as a receiver and 386 yards on kickoff returns. The do-it-all Evans is a speedster – he ran a 4.41 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, which was second among all running backs, and he was once clocked at a 4.36 while on campus at Appalachian State. I’m thinking Evans will be a clear upgrade over Lewis. Just how much he’s used as a rookie will depend on how he fares in training camp, and with his opportunities earlier in the season. He should be fun to watch.

Jim Wyatt is the Senior Writer and Editor for TennesseeTitans.com

Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/GM David Poile announced Wednesday that the team has signed forward Sean Malone to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2020-21 season worth $750,000 at the NHL level and $100,000 at the AHL level.

Malone, 25 (4/30/95), skated in 58 games with the AHL’s Rochester Americans in 2019-20, tallying 30 points (12g-18a), tied for the second-most on the team. The 6-foot, 196-pound center also matched his AHL career high in goals with 12 – tied for the third-most on the Americans – and had a +15 rating, the best mark among Rochester forwards. It was Malone’s third professional season – he has appeared in 169 career AHL contests, all with the Americans, and has recorded 28 goals and 65 points. He has also suited up in one career NHL game, coming on April 8, 2017 with the Buffalo Sabres against the Florida Panthers.

Originally drafted by the Sabres in the sixth round (159th overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft, Malone spent four seasons at Harvard University from 2013-17, including three as teammates with current Predators forward Colin Blackwell. He compiled 99 points (42g-57a) in 115 games with Harvard, winning two ECAC championships (2014-15 and 2016-17) and earning a spot on the 2017 ECAC All-Tournament Team. Internationally, the Buffalo, N.Y., native represented the United States at the 2013 World U-18 Championship, taking home a silver medal while picking up an assist in seven games.