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Alexander: Dodgers’ signing of Blake Snell creates the traditional uproar

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You knew it was coming, didn’t you? Baseball’s reigning Evil Empire took the initiative this week, signing another high-profile starting pitcher and giving its fans something additional to be grateful for during Thanksgiving week (besides, of course, those shots of the Commissioner’s Trophy being shown off here, there and everywhere throughout Southern California). And after the bombshell announcement Tuesday night, that the Dodgers had signed Blake Snell , the howls could be heard throughout the land. The Dodgers are making a mockery of the sport. The rest of baseball can’t compete. They’re signing everybody! And how are the Cincinnatis and Pittsburghs and Colorados of the sport able to compete with an organization that not only brings in boatloads of money – and has created a second source of runaway revenue through its ties to Japan – but isn’t interested in hoarding it? Shouldn’t the next step be a salary cap to restrain this franchise’s runaway spending? Oh, stop it. Competitive balance is not an issue in baseball, period. Four different teams have won the last four World Series, and nine different fan bases have celebrated championships in the last 12 years. There hasn’t been a repeat champion in ... checks notes ... a quarter of a century. (That would be the New York Yankees, the first Evil Empire, in 1999-2000.) Meanwhile, Kansas City, Detroit and Baltimore have all risen from rebuilding to contention in the last couple of seasons. Milwaukee and Cleveland, both smaller markets, were legitimate threats as this past postseason began. And the Padres, long squeezed between Mexico to their south, the Imperial Valley to their east, the Pacific to their west and L.A. to their north, just might have been the second-best team in baseball in 2024 and, may we remind you, had the Dodgers by the neck going into Game 4 of their National League Division Series . Nor are they going away, even with some payroll retrenching in the wake of controlling owner Peter Seidler’s death. (But, nope, still no parade.) Most of the caterwauling, of course, comes from those whose favorite teams were either outbid or declined to spend. Trust me, no ownership in Major League Baseball can claim poverty, even with the cable TV issues that have scrambled some teams’ finances. Yes, big-market teams start with a financial advantage. Yes, Diamond Sports’ bankruptcy and the cord-cutting revolution have factored in. And yes, the Dodgers and Yankees have insulated themselves to a degree by owning their own cable networks. So, maybe, give them some credit for intelligence and foresight? Front Office Sports reported that deferrals on Snell’s reported five-year, $182 million deal, said to be $60 million, would push the Dodgers closer to the $1 billion mark in deferred money owed to five players. Shohei Ohtani’s whopping $680 million deferred on a $700 million contract signed last winter enabled the Dodgers to add additional pieces. Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts also have chunks of deferred money in their contracts – as does, interestingly, Teoscar Hernández on his one-year 2024 deal with the Dodgers. That would make that contract even more of a bargain than we thought. And this is an undisputable fact: Salary caps and other payroll-limiting mechanisms put no limits on front office creativity and ingenuity. It’s been pretty well established that in Guggenheim Baseball’s 13-year ownership of the Dodgers, especially after Mark Walter’s organization corrected the problems of the Frank McCourt era and particularly after Friedman arrived from Tampa Bay in 2015, the Dodgers have a smart, savvy organization whose advantages go way beyond their cash on hand. (And yes, as I noted on social media Tuesday night, we do tease them about sometimes trying too hard to be the smartest guys in the room. But most of the time they are, anyway.) Assuming everyone stays healthy – and as we saw throughout baseball in 2024, that’s a tall ask – what will the Dodgers’ rotation look like in 2025? They’ll have left-hander Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner who was one of the victims of a soft free agent market last spring and didn’t sign with the San Francisco Giants until March 19. He got off to a dreadful start as a result but was lights out from the start of July. In 14 starts he was 5-0 (and his team 12-2 in those starts), with a 1.23 ERA, an opponents’ batting average of .123, an 0.78 WHIP, five double-digit strikeout games and a 3.8-1 strikeout to walk ratio, and a complete-game no-hitter, an achievement for someone denigrated as a five-and-dive pitcher. Maybe those final three months spurred him to sign early this time. It’s almost certain the Dodgers will use a six-man rotation from the start of the season, and right now they have seven possibilities and who knows what they do from here. They’ll have Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Shohei Ohtani as a pitcher. Tyler Glasnow, Snell’s former teammate in Tampa Bay, will be back, as will Tony Gonsolin in his return from Tommy John surgery. Dustin May, essentially inactive since May of 2023, will return, and Clayton Kershaw is expected to re-sign and has indicated he plans to retire a Dodger. Is there room for free agent Jack Flaherty, last season’s major trade deadline acquisition? Or fellow free agent Walker Buehler, who closed out Game 5 of the World Series against the Yankees, following a sometimes spotty comeback from injury? And the wild card might be Roki Sasaki, who will be posted by his Japanese team this winter. The Dodgers had long been considered the favorites to land him, and even Snell’s signing might not change that. Then again, the way the 2024 Dodgers went through pitchers because of injuries – 40 for the season, including 12 starting pitchers – shouldn’t they be tempted to grab every reasonably healthy arm they can and sort it out as they go along? But this is, and should be, the bottom line: Every fan in every sport wants the people running their favorite team to care as much about winning as they do. In a lot of cities, with a lot of teams, that’s really hard to envision. In Dodger Stadium, it’s not hard at all. And if they’re going to be the new Evil Empire, why not just lean into it and have Dieter Ruehle play “The Imperial March” (i.e., Darth Vader’s Theme) before every game? jalexander@scng.com10 reasons why kids don’t listen to their parents ​Ananya Panday stuns in a vibrant red and black floral lehenga​ ​Bollywood's fashion queen-approved white looks​ Mrunal Thakur nails power dressing with an oversized blazer and formal look 10 animals you can spot only in the Himalayas Japanese mom turns simple dishes into adorable food art Divya Prabha’s stunning outfits Baby girl names inspired from Mirza Ghalib's poems Radhikka Madan’s pink saree is a must-have for your wardrobe

Christmas did not come early for Diddy . The disgraced mogul was denied bail on Wednesday, which means he will remain in jail during the Thanksgiving holiday. People confirmed that Diddy was denied a third time by Judge Arun Subramanian. He cited a number of different reasons as to why the court feels the mogul should stay locked up. "The Court finds," Subramanian explained. "That the government has shown by clear and convincing evidence that no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the safety of the community." Diddy's dubious track record was not, in Subramian's opinion, something that could be excused when considering bail. The Judge pointed to allegations in which the mogul used firearms and various threats of violence to coerce victims into keeping quiet. He also pointed to instances in which Diddy's alleged criminal actions were supported by text messages. There were also seized firearms with defaced serial numbers. The prosecution also claimed that Diddy attempted to influence witnesses from behind bars. They felt the Bad Boy founder had made "recent efforts to influence the jury pool." They cited a social media campaign organized by members of his family as proof. Read More: TD Jakes Attributes Medical Emergency To Alleged Stress From Diddy Accusers’ Lawyer Judge Subramanian took these different allegations into account. He pointed out that Diddy has been using the phone access codes of other inmates to make calls from MDC in Brooklyn. It doesn't look good for the Bad Boy mastermind, given that he's been denied twice before. His criminal trial is tentatively set for May 2025. Diddy may not have the chance to go home for the holidays, but his family continues to support him. The mogul's family issued a joint statement to Instagram. Diddy's children, in particular, made it clear that they will be behind him no matter what. "We stand united, supporting you every step of the way," the children wrote. "We hold onto the truth, knowing it will prevail, and nothing will break the strength of our family. Quincy, Justin, Christian, Chance, Jessie & D'Lila." The family also dismissed the charges against Diddy as being inaccurate. "Many have judged both him and us," they added. "Based on accusations, conspiracy theories, and false narratives that have spiraled into absurdity." Read More: Diddy Case At Standstill After U.S. Attorney Announces Resignation

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Sir Keir Starmer has led a host of tributes to former US president Jimmy Carter, saying he “redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad”. The Prime Minister said Mr Carter, who died aged 100, will be remembered for the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, as well as his “decades of selfless public service”. He added that it was the Democrat’s “lifelong dedication to peace” that led to him receiving the Nobel Peace prize in 2002. Very sorry to hear of President Carter’s passing. I pay tribute to his decades of selfless public service. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time. — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) Sir Keir was joined in paying tribute to the 39th president by other leaders including the King, current President Joe Biden, Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey and former PM Tony Blair. The King remembered former US president Jimmy Carter’s 1977 visit to the UK with “great fondness” and praised his “dedication and humility”. In a message to Mr Biden and the American people, Charles said: “It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of President Carter. “He was a committed public servant, and devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights. “His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977. “My thoughts and prayers are with President Carter’s family and the American people at this time.” Mr Biden said that Mr Carter was an “extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian”. He said his fellow Democrat was a “dear friend”, as he announced that he will order a state funeral to be held for him in Washington DC. “Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian,” he said. “Over six decades, we had the honour of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter though is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well. “With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us. He saved, lifted and changed the lives of people all across the globe. “He was a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism.” Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey said Mr Carter “will be remembered for generations”. “Jimmy Carter was an inspiration,” Mr Davey wrote on X. “He led a truly remarkable life dedicated to public service with a genuine care for people. “My thoughts are with his family, friends and all those who loved him. He will be remembered for generations.” Mr Blair said: “Jimmy Carter’s life was a testament to public service; from his time in office, and the Camp David Accords, to his remarkable commitment to the cause of people and peace round the world over the past 40 years,” he said. “I always had the greatest respect for him, his spirit and his dedication. He fundamentally cared and consistently toiled to help those in need.”Idaho debates Christian group’s push for Bible readings in public schoolsBIG 12 THIS WEEK

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Tomislav Ivisic scored a career-high 23 points to lead six players in double figures as No. 24 Illinois raced past visiting Chicago State 117-64 on Sunday in Champaign, Ill. Kylan Boswell also starred for the Fighting Illini (9-3) with an 18-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple-double. Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn added 16 points, while Kasparas Jakucionis contributed 14. Will Riley hit for 13 points and Morez Johnson Jr. came off the bench to net 11. Gabe Spinelli scored 20 points for the winless Cougars (0-15) and Noble Crawford added 15, but they just didn't have the scoring punch to stay with their Big Ten Conference opponent. Illinois outshot Chicago State 62.1 percent (41 of 66) to 37.3 percent (25 of 67) from the field and 45.5 percent (15 of 33) to 32.3 percent (10 of 31) from the 3-point line. The Cougars were also outrebounded 47-23. Illinois led for all but 24 seconds of the game, scoring basically at will. The Illini reaped a 28-4 advantage in free-throw attempts, drew 26 assists and earned a 48-16 advantage in points in the paint. In its last game before jumping into the bulk of its Big Ten schedule Thursday night at Oregon, Illinois wasted no time putting its stamp on the game. It carved out a double-figure edge at the 14:59 mark of the first half on Gibbs-Lawhorn's 3-pointer that made it 17-7 and simply kept expanding that lead. The margin reached 20 for the first time with 10:06 left when Ivisic drained a 3-pointer from the right wing for a 32-10 cushion. Johnson's foul shot with 3:43 remaining increased the advantage to 30 at 48-18, and Jake Davis' 3-pointer from the corner with a second on the clock gave the Illini a 60-24 cushion at halftime. Boswell's short jumper with 18:22 left in the game built Illinois' first 40-point advantage at 65-24. Riley splashed a 3-pointer with 9:57 remaining to up the lead to 50 at 93-43. Davis made another 3-pointer at the 7:59 mark to get the Illini to the 100-point threshold. They led by as many as 58 points in the final two minutes. --Field Level MediaAP Trending SummaryBrief at 5:46 p.m. ESTSAN JUAN – The U.S. territory of Puerto Rico has yet to produce a certified vote tally for a single district almost a month after holding historic general elections . Then on Wednesday, a judge issued a ruling that sparked an outcry and threatened to further delay the certification process as the Jan. 2 swearing-in looms. The judge, in response to a lawsuit, ordered Puerto Rico’s State Elections Commission to count early votes following ID verification even if the postal address used to request those votes is different from the one in the general voter registration. Recommended Videos “Contrary to what some actors in our society may have encouraged in public opinion, our legal framework in electoral matters is covered with guarantees of reliability, which leave no room for speculation or doubts about the validity of early votes,” Judge Raúl A. Candelario López wrote. The Nov. 21 lawsuit was filed by a dozen voters affiliated with the pro-statehood New Progressive Party, which won the gubernatorial race, according to preliminary results. The ruling noted that those voters alleged “their rights are being violated since they requested early voting, complied with all the requirements for it, and their votes are being subject to additional requirements without any legal basis.” The judge’s decision angered many including Karla Angleró, electoral commissioner for the opposing Popular Democratic Party, one of Puerto Rico’s two main parties, She said the party would appeal Wednesday’s ruling. In September, Angleró and electoral commissioners from other parties agreed that if they uncovered addresses that didn't match, officials would call people to confirm that they indeed requested an early vote to prevent any fraud. Angleró and other commissioners had recently requested that the elections commission investigate how more than 40 ballots with different residential addresses were requested from the same P.O. box in the southern coastal town of Santa Isabel. “We’ve been waiting for weeks,” she told reporters on Wednesday of the investigation. Judicial officials already are investigating allegations made before Nov. 2 about electoral crimes including people who said they received confirmations for early voting when they had made no such request. As those investigations continue, workers are certifying ballots with the aim to finish by Dec. 20 or 22, according to Jessika Padilla, alternate president for the elections commission. The aim was to finalize the district of the capital of San Juan on Wednesday, but that was pushed back to Sunday, she told reporters. Numerous obstacles have delayed the certification process, including an increase in write-in votes and a flurry of errors detected in bedside ballots, prompting all electoral commissioners to agree to start counting more than 60,000 such votes from scratch. The delay prompted electoral commissioners last week to temporarily halt the counting of ballots cast in a nonbinding referendum also held Nov. 5 on Puerto Rico’s political status so they could focus on election ballots. Local law dictates the certification process must be completed by Dec. 31.