MLB  – Major League Baseball – Opening Day 2023
Today

  Milwaukee  Brewers at Chicago Cubs, 2:20 p.m.

  Detroit  Tigers at Tampa Bay Rays, 3:10 p.m.          News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 2:45

Chicago  White Sox at Houston Astros, 7:08 p.m.

MLB – MLB opening day offers clocks, shift bans,  Ohtani and Judge

  A major shift is coming to Major League Baseball,  starting on opening day today. New rules are now in effect. There will be  clocks at stadiums to hurry along pitchers and hitters, and there are  restrictions on defensive shifts for fielders. The full slate of 15 games  includes matchups at Dodger Stadium, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field and Yankee  Stadium. Aaron Judge will aiming at his own home run record, Shohei Ohtani will  be trending with every pitch and swing and Houston manager Dusty Baker is  trying to win another World Series ring.

MLB – AP source: Minor leaguers reach 5-year labor  deal with MLB

  Minor league baseball players reached a historic initial  collective bargaining agreement with Major League Baseball on Wednesday that  will more than double player salaries, a person familiar with the negotiations  told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because  details were not announced. The sides reached the five-year deal on Wednesday,  two days before the start of the minor league season and hours after a federal  judge gave final approval to a $185 million settlement reached with MLB last  May of a lawsuit filed in 2014 alleging violations of federal minimum wage  laws. Under the new deal, minimum salaries in Triple-A will rise from $17,500  to $45,800.

MLB – MLB broadcasters adapting to faster pace under  new rules

  Major league pitchers and batters aren’t the only ones  going on the clock this season. Big league broadcasters have also been using  spring training to adjust to baseball’s new rhythm amid a series of rules  changes. When the season opens Thursday, Major League Baseball will usher in an  age of sharper, quicker and more concise commentary. For a generation of  play-by-play pros who grew up idolizing loquacious storytellers like Hall of  Famer Vin Scully, it’s been an adjustment. But not necessarily an unwelcome  one.

MLB – Cubs’ Happ: ‘Nothing really to report’ on  negotiations

  All-Star outfielder Ian Happ appears poised to enter  the season with an expiring contract after he and the Chicago Cubs were unable  to agree on a new deal. Happ had “nothing really to report” and “no real  comment on it.” He says he is not breaking off talks, but adds: “That also  doesn’t mean anything.” Happ is eligible for free agency after the upcoming  season. Chicago hosts the Milwaukee Brewers on opening day on Thursday. The  Cubs did lock in one key player, finalizing a $35 million, three-year contract  infielder Nico Hoerner on Wednesday. That contract begins in 2024. Hoerner is  moving to second base after playing shortstop last season with the arrival of  All-Star Dansby Swanson on a $177 million, seven-year contract.

NFL – NFL hits highs in diverse executives, lacks in  head coaches

  The NFL took another step at the owners meetings to  increase diversity throughout the league while continuing to face criticism and  a lawsuit for lack of representation among head coaches. Each team is now  required to have a person in charge of diversity, equity and inclusion.  Currently, 15 clubs have a DEI head and two others have someone leading that  department and another one. The league has reached milestone points in diverse  hirings in the front office but critics point to the sidelines where there are  only three Black head coaches in a sport that had 56.4% Black players in 2022.

NCAABB – A different March Madness: Online hate for  the athletes

  A toxic cauldron on social media is one of the  minefields players in the NCAA Tournament must navigate. In an era of increased  sensitivity to athlete mental health, never have there been more outside voices  scrutinizing their every move. In the third part of a series on social media’s  impact on March Madness, The Associated Press found that turning off social  media is an option but not really a practical one. It’s unrealistic with the  way society interacts in the 21st century. And many athletes need to use social  media for endorsement deals. All of that, the AP found, comes with a toll best  illustrated by spikes among athletes in anxiety and depression over the past  two years.

NCAAWBKB – Women making case in tourney for own March  Madness TV deal

  The NCAA has gotten mostly positive reviews for its  new women’s Sweet 16 format during March Madness. Hosting games it two cities  instead of the traditional four set attendance records higher TV ratings. The  two regionals combined to set an all-time attendance mark for the Sweet 16,  following up the record mark set the first weekend. The switch in format was  done for a few reasons including helping get a separate TV deal for the women’s  tournament. The current NCAA TV deal ends next summer.. The current NCAA TV  deal ends next summer. The NCAA also hopes the success leads to more cities  bidding to host the regional games and eventually the Final Four. The current  NCAA TV deal ends next summer. The next bid cycle starts in July where regional  hosting will be decided from 2027-31.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night

  Oklahoma  City Thunder 107, Detroit Pistons 106

  Milwaukee  Bucks 149, Indiana Pacers 136

  Los  Angeles Lakers 121, Chicago Bulls 110

Thunder  107, Pistons 106 – Jalen Williams’ late tip-in gives Thunder win over Pistons 

  Rookie  Jalen Williams’ putback with less than a second remaining gave the Oklahoma  City Thunder a 107-106 win over the Detroit Pistons. Oklahoma City entered the  night two games under .500 and hanging onto the final Western Conference  play-in spot. The Thunder were coming off a loss to the Charlotte Hornets and  couldn’t afford another defeat against a team near the bottom of the league’s  standings. Williams answered the call with 27 points, eight rebounds and six  assists. Lu Dort scored 20 points, Aaron Wiggins scored 19 and Josh Giddey  added 18 for the Thunder. Jaden Ivey had 24 to lead the Pistons.

Bucks  149, Pacers 136 – Holiday has career-high 51 points, Bucks beat Pacers 149-136 

  Jrue  Holiday scored a career-high 51 points, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 38 points in  a triple-double and the NBA-leading Milwaukee Bucks beat the Indiana Pacers  149-136 on Wednesday night. Antetokounmpo added 17 rebounds and 12 assists to  help the Bucks improve to 55-21. He returned after sitting out Monday night in  a victory at Detroit because of a sore knee. Holiday had 18 points in the third  quarter, when the Bucks scored a season-high 46 points to build a 12-point  lead. He was 20 of 30 from the field with three 3-pointers and hit 8 of 10 free  throws. Rookie Bennedict Mathurin led Indiana with 29 points.

Lakers  121, Bulls 110 – LeBron James, Anthony Davis lead Lakers past Bulls 121-110 

  LeBron  James scored 25 points in his return to the starting lineup, and the Los  Angeles Lakers beat the Chicago Bulls 121-110. James also had seven rebounds  and four assists in 31 minutes in his second game back after he was sidelined  for a month because of a torn tendon in his right foot. The four-time MVP  scored 19 points in Sunday’s 118-108 loss to Chicago in just his second appearance  as a reserve in his 20-year NBA career. Lakers star Anthony Davis had 38 points  and 10 rebounds in his hometown. Nikola Vucevic had 29 points and 12 rebounds  for Chicago.

NBA  – Bulls C Drummond ruled out after posting about mental health

  Bulls  center Andre Drummond missed the team’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers  after he posted on Twitter that he was deleting his social media apps to focus  on his mental health. The team says Drummond is out because of personal  reasons. Coach Billy Donovan says he is hopeful about the possibility of  Drummond traveling with the team ahead of Friday night’s game at Charlotte.  Drummond posted on Thursday that it was time to focus on his mental health.

NBA – NBA, players still talking about new deal as  deadline looms

  NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says he’s hopeful that a  new collective bargaining agreement between the league and its players can get  done by the end of this week, though he stopped short of predicting that a deal  would actually get struck. The league and the National Basketball Players  Association are facing a midnight Friday deadline for either side to decide  that they will opt out of the deal and end the current CBA on June 30. That  opt-out deadline already has been extended twice, and Silver said the NBA’s  plan is to exercise that option if there is no deal by Friday night.

NHL – National Hockey League
Tonight

  Carolina  Hurricanes at Detroit Red Wings, 7:30 p.m.

  St.  Louis Blues at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.

NCAA – NIL – Congressional hearing targets ‘NIL chaos’  in college sports

  A congressional hearing targeting what one lawmaker  called “NIL chaos” in college sports drifted into the consequences of college  athletes being deemed employees. A subcommittee of the House Committee on  Energy and Commerce held the first hearing Wednesday related to college sports  in the House or Senate in more than two years. The intended focus was name,  image and likeness compensation for athletes. College sports leaders have been  asking for a federal law to bring uniform regulation to the way athletes can  earn money through sponsorship or endorsement deals.

AHL – American Hockey League
Last Night

  Chicago Wolves 3, Grand Rapids Griffins 2 – Shootout

MCCAA – Junior College Athletics
Today
Baseball

  Kellogg Community College at Lake Michigan College,  2:00 p.m.

MHSAA – Divine Child’s Kennedy Blair wins Michigan AP  D2 POY award

  Kennedy Blair of Dearborn Divine Child has been named  the Michigan Associated Press Division 2 Player of the Year. The Miss  Basketball finalist had a tremendous senior season for the Falcons, wrapping up  her four years of playing on varsity. She averaged 25 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.5  assists, 4.0 steals and 2.0 blocked shots a game this season. In her four  seasons, she scored 1,451 career points and pulled down 565 rebounds

MHSAA – High School Sports
Last Night
Girls Soccer

  St. Joseph at  Edwardsburg, PPD to 3/30

  South Haven 6, Our  Lady of the Lake 1

  Niles 6, Buchanan 2

  Berrien Springs 2, New  Buffalo 0

  Grand Rapids Covenant  Christian at Allegan, PPD

Hamilton 5, Fennville  1

Baseball

  Bridgman at  Edwardsburg, PPD

Softball

  Bridgman at Niles, PPD

  Brandywine at  Constantine, PPD

Tonight
Girls Soccer

  St. Joseph at  Edwardsburg, 5:30 p.m.

Watervliet at Berrien  Springs, 5:30 p.m.

Baseball

  Our Lady of the Lake  at Bridgman, 5:15 p.m.

  Buchanan at Coloma,  4:30 p.m.

  Eau Claire at  Lawrence, 4:15 p.m.

  New Buffalo at Brandywine,  4:30 p.m.

  Berrien Springs at  River Valley, 4:15 p.m.

  Hartford at Paw Paw,  4:30 p.m. (DH)

  Bloomingdale at  Fennville, 4:30 p.m.

Softball

  Buchanan at Coloma,  4:15 p.m.

  Eau Claire at  Lawrence, 4:15 p.m.

  Hartford at Paw Paw,  4:30 p.m. (DH)

  Bloomingdale at  Fennville, 4:30 p.m.

MLB – Major League Baseball – Opening Day 2023 
 Today 
 Milwaukee Brewers at Chicago Cubs, 2:20 p.m. 
 Detroit Tigers at Tampa Bay Rays, 3:10 p.m.          News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 2:45 
Chicago White Sox at Houston Astros, 7:08 p.m.
MLB – MLB opening day offers clocks, shift bans, Ohtani and Judge 
 A major shift is coming to Major League Baseball, starting on opening day today. New rules are now in effect. There will be clocks at stadiums to hurry along pitchers and hitters, and there are restrictions on defensive shifts for fielders. The full slate of 15 games includes matchups at Dodger Stadium, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field and Yankee Stadium. Aaron Judge will aiming at his own home run record, Shohei Ohtani will be trending with every pitch and swing and Houston manager Dusty Baker is trying to win another World Series ring.
MLB – AP source: Minor leaguers reach 5-year labor deal with MLB 
 Minor league baseball players reached a historic initial collective bargaining agreement with Major League Baseball on Wednesday that will more than double player salaries, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because details were not announced. The sides reached the five-year deal on Wednesday, two days before the start of the minor league season and hours after a federal judge gave final approval to a $185 million settlement reached with MLB last May of a lawsuit filed in 2014 alleging violations of federal minimum wage laws. Under the new deal, minimum salaries in Triple-A will rise from $17,500 to $45,800.
MLB &#8211; MLB broadcasters adapting to faster pace under new rules 
 Major league pitchers and batters aren&rsquo;t the only ones going on the clock this season. Big league broadcasters have also been using spring training to adjust to baseball&rsquo;s new rhythm amid a series of rules changes. When the season opens Thursday, Major League Baseball will usher in an age of sharper, quicker and more concise commentary. For a generation of play-by-play pros who grew up idolizing loquacious storytellers like Hall of Famer Vin Scully, it&rsquo;s been an adjustment. But not necessarily an unwelcome one.
MLB &#8211; Cubs&#8217; Happ: &#8216;Nothing really to report&#8217; on negotiations 
 All-Star outfielder Ian Happ appears poised to enter the season with an expiring contract after he and the Chicago Cubs were unable to agree on a new deal. Happ had &ldquo;nothing really to report&rdquo; and &ldquo;no real comment on it.&rdquo; He says he is not breaking off talks, but adds: &ldquo;That also doesn&rsquo;t mean anything.&rdquo; Happ is eligible for free agency after the upcoming season. Chicago hosts the Milwaukee Brewers on opening day on Thursday. The Cubs did lock in one key player, finalizing a $35 million, three-year contract infielder Nico Hoerner on Wednesday. That contract begins in 2024. Hoerner is moving to second base after playing shortstop last season with the arrival of All-Star Dansby Swanson on a $177 million, seven-year contract.
NFL – NFL hits highs in diverse executives, lacks in head coaches 
 The NFL took another step at the owners meetings to increase diversity throughout the league while continuing to face criticism and a lawsuit for lack of representation among head coaches. Each team is now required to have a person in charge of diversity, equity and inclusion. Currently, 15 clubs have a DEI head and two others have someone leading that department and another one. The league has reached milestone points in diverse hirings in the front office but critics point to the sidelines where there are only three Black head coaches in a sport that had 56.4% Black players in 2022.
NCAABB – A different March Madness: Online hate for the athletes 
 A toxic cauldron on social media is one of the minefields players in the NCAA Tournament must navigate. In an era of increased sensitivity to athlete mental health, never have there been more outside voices scrutinizing their every move. In the third part of a series on social media&#8217;s impact on March Madness, The Associated Press found that turning off social media is an option but not really a practical one. It&#8217;s unrealistic with the way society interacts in the 21st century. And many athletes need to use social media for endorsement deals. All of that, the AP found, comes with a toll best illustrated by spikes among athletes in anxiety and depression over the past two years.
NCAAWBKB – Women making case in tourney for own March Madness TV deal 
 The NCAA has gotten mostly positive reviews for its new women&#8217;s Sweet 16 format during March Madness. Hosting games it two cities instead of the traditional four set attendance records higher TV ratings. The two regionals combined to set an all-time attendance mark for the Sweet 16, following up the record mark set the first weekend. The switch in format was done for a few reasons including helping get a separate TV deal for the women&rsquo;s tournament. The current NCAA TV deal ends next summer.. The current NCAA TV deal ends next summer. The NCAA also hopes the success leads to more cities bidding to host the regional games and eventually the Final Four. The current NCAA TV deal ends next summer. The next bid cycle starts in July where regional hosting will be decided from 2027-31.
NBA – National Basketball Association 
 Last Night 
 Oklahoma City Thunder 107, Detroit Pistons 106 
 Milwaukee Bucks 149, Indiana Pacers 136 
 Los Angeles Lakers 121, Chicago Bulls 110
Thunder 107, Pistons 106 – Jalen Williams&#8217; late tip-in gives Thunder win over Pistons 
 Rookie Jalen Williams&rsquo; putback with less than a second remaining gave the Oklahoma City Thunder a 107-106 win over the Detroit Pistons. Oklahoma City entered the night two games under .500 and hanging onto the final Western Conference play-in spot. The Thunder were coming off a loss to the Charlotte Hornets and couldn&rsquo;t afford another defeat against a team near the bottom of the league&rsquo;s standings. Williams answered the call with 27 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Lu Dort scored 20 points, Aaron Wiggins scored 19 and Josh Giddey added 18 for the Thunder. Jaden Ivey had 24 to lead the Pistons.
Bucks 149, Pacers 136 – Holiday has career-high 51 points, Bucks beat Pacers 149-136 
 Jrue Holiday scored a career-high 51 points, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 38 points in a triple-double and the NBA-leading Milwaukee Bucks beat the Indiana Pacers 149-136 on Wednesday night. Antetokounmpo added 17 rebounds and 12 assists to help the Bucks improve to 55-21. He returned after sitting out Monday night in a victory at Detroit because of a sore knee. Holiday had 18 points in the third quarter, when the Bucks scored a season-high 46 points to build a 12-point lead. He was 20 of 30 from the field with three 3-pointers and hit 8 of 10 free throws. Rookie Bennedict Mathurin led Indiana with 29 points.
Lakers 121, Bulls 110 – LeBron James, Anthony Davis lead Lakers past Bulls 121-110 
 LeBron James scored 25 points in his return to the starting lineup, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Chicago Bulls 121-110. James also had seven rebounds and four assists in 31 minutes in his second game back after he was sidelined for a month because of a torn tendon in his right foot. The four-time MVP scored 19 points in Sunday&rsquo;s 118-108 loss to Chicago in just his second appearance as a reserve in his 20-year NBA career. Lakers star Anthony Davis had 38 points and 10 rebounds in his hometown. Nikola Vucevic had 29 points and 12 rebounds for Chicago.
NBA – Bulls C Drummond ruled out after posting about mental health 
 Bulls center Andre Drummond missed the team&#8217;s game against the Los Angeles Lakers after he posted on Twitter that he was deleting his social media apps to focus on his mental health. The team says Drummond is out because of personal reasons. Coach Billy Donovan says he is hopeful about the possibility of Drummond traveling with the team ahead of Friday night&rsquo;s game at Charlotte. Drummond posted on Thursday that it was time to focus on his mental health.
NBA – NBA, players still talking about new deal as deadline looms 
 NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says he&#8217;s hopeful that a new collective bargaining agreement between the league and its players can get done by the end of this week, though he stopped short of predicting that a deal would actually get struck. The league and the National Basketball Players Association are facing a midnight Friday deadline for either side to decide that they will opt out of the deal and end the current CBA on June 30. That opt-out deadline already has been extended twice, and Silver said the NBA&rsquo;s plan is to exercise that option if there is no deal by Friday night.
NHL – National Hockey League 
 Tonight 
 Carolina Hurricanes at Detroit Red Wings, 7:30 p.m. 
 St. Louis Blues at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.
NCAA – NIL – Congressional hearing targets &#8216;NIL chaos&#8217; in college sports 
 A congressional hearing targeting what one lawmaker called &ldquo;NIL chaos&rdquo; in college sports drifted into the consequences of college athletes being deemed employees. A subcommittee of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce held the first hearing Wednesday related to college sports in the House or Senate in more than two years. The intended focus was name, image and likeness compensation for athletes. College sports leaders have been asking for a federal law to bring uniform regulation to the way athletes can earn money through sponsorship or endorsement deals.
AHL – American Hockey League 
 Last Night 
 Chicago Wolves 3, Grand Rapids Griffins 2 &#8211; Shootout
MCCAA – Junior College Athletics 
 Today 
 Baseball 
 Kellogg Community College at Lake Michigan College, 2:00 p.m.
MHSAA – Divine Child&#8217;s Kennedy Blair wins Michigan AP D2 POY award 
 Kennedy Blair of Dearborn Divine Child has been named the Michigan Associated Press Division 2 Player of the Year. The Miss Basketball finalist had a tremendous senior season for the Falcons, wrapping up her four years of playing on varsity. She averaged 25 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 4.0 steals and 2.0 blocked shots a game this season. In her four seasons, she scored 1,451 career points and pulled down 565 rebounds
MHSAA – High School Sports 
Last Night 
Girls Soccer 
 St. Joseph at Edwardsburg, PPD to 3/30 
 South Haven 6, Our Lady of the Lake 1 
 Niles 6, Buchanan 2 
 Berrien Springs 2, New Buffalo 0 
 Grand Rapids Covenant Christian at Allegan, PPD 
Hamilton 5, Fennville 1
Baseball 
 Bridgman at Edwardsburg, PPD
Softball 
 Bridgman at Niles, PPD 
 Brandywine at Constantine, PPD
Tonight 
 Girls Soccer 
 St. Joseph at Edwardsburg, 5:30 p.m. 
Watervliet at Berrien Springs, 5:30 p.m.
Baseball 
 Our Lady of the Lake at Bridgman, 5:15 p.m. 
 Buchanan at Coloma, 4:30 p.m. 
 Eau Claire at Lawrence, 4:15 p.m. 
 New Buffalo at Brandywine, 4:30 p.m. 
 Berrien Springs at River Valley, 4:15 p.m. 
 Hartford at Paw Paw, 4:30 p.m. (DH) 
 Bloomingdale at Fennville, 4:30 p.m.
Softball 
 Buchanan at Coloma, 4:15 p.m. 
 Eau Claire at Lawrence, 4:15 p.m. 
 Hartford at Paw Paw, 4:30 p.m. (DH) 
 Bloomingdale at Fennville, 4:30 p.m.

Depend On Us. Featuring local news, weather, sports, and community voices on The Morning Show with Ken & Friends weekday mornings from 6-9am. Find local stories, state news, sports, video and more at wsjm.com and the WSJM Mobile app!

Depend On Us. Featuring local news, weather, sports, and community voices on The Morning Show with Ken &amp; Friends weekday mornings from 6-9am. Find local stories, state news, sports, video and more at wsjm.com and the WSJM Mobile app!

News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM

Depend On Us. Featuring local news, weather, sports, and people on The Morning Show with Ken & Friends weekday mornings from 6-9am. Find local stories, state news, sports, video and more at wsjm.com and the WSJM Mobile app!

Depend On Us. Featuring local news, weather, sports, and people on The Morning Show with Ken &amp; Friends weekday mornings from 6-9am. Find local stories, state news, sports, video and more at wsjm.com and the WSJM Mobile app!

MLB – Major League Baseball – Opening Day 2023 Today Milwaukee Brewers at Chicago Cubs, 2:20 p.m. Detroit Tigers at Tampa Bay Rays, 3:10 p.m.          News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 2:45 Chicago White Sox at Houston Astros, 7:08