data-mm-id=”_az5cei6kf”>Nelson Cruz hit 22 Major League home runs before entering his age-28 season in 2009. He has 382 since then. Two came yesterday as part of a four-hit, seven RBI outburst in Chicago against the White Sox. Cruz, now 40 and a crucial bat for the pennant-chasing Minnesota Twins, continues to age like a fine wine. Or perhaps he's Benjamin Buttoning, allowing writers to dip back into the overworked Curious Case headline files should they see fit. Something's going on and we need to get to the bottom of it. The slugging outfielder-turned-designated hitter made one All-Star Game before he turned 32. Since then, he's earned a spot in five. Over the past five seasons, he's finished in the Top-10 of MVP voting in four and in 15th in another campaign. During this torrid stretch he has homered at least 37 times every season. Last year, in his first go-round with the Twins, Cruz posted arguably the most spectacular numbers of his career, slashing .311/.392/.639 while blasting 41 dingers and driving in 108 runs in 120 games. Now, it's an extremely small sample size, but it's worth mentioning that he currently leads all of baseball in homers, RBI, and hits through three games — which amounts to five percent of the season. Cruz producing at a blistering pace over a 60-game stretch is very possible. It's not unreasonable to think he could contend for MVP honors. If that happens, he'll be one of the oldest player to ever win it, tied with Barry Bonds (who won it at 40 in 2004). Even more eye-brow raising for Cruz is that he's the second-oldest position player currently in baseball. Even if those lofty goals fall by the wayside, Cruz has put together a remarkable and unexpected inverted career. The truth can be stranger than fiction and it feels like he just gets better as they days pass. Wish we could all say the same.
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The 23-year-old Southampton academy product moved to Emirates Stadium in 2014 and won three senior England caps during that season.
He spent 2016-17 on loan at Middlesbrough before returning to Arsenal last time around to make 12 Premier League appearances over the course of Arsene Wenger s final campaign in charge.
I m really excited. I watched a lot of Fulham last season, I really like the way they play football, Chambers told his new club s official website.
There s a good manager and it s a great club, so I m really excited for the season ahead.
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Former West Ham boss Slaven Bilic says he is ready to return to management, amid links with Swansea City and Middlesbrough.
The former Croatia international was sacked by the Hammers in November and has yet to find a position with a new club.
The 49-year-old has been linked with the vacant post at Swansea, who dismissed Paul Clement on December 20, as well as Championship club Middlesbrough.
Bilic reavaled he has had a number of offers and would relish the chance to take on a new role if something really good is proposed.
Many people are calling from here or abroad. A lot of people are calling and I am weighing up the options, he told Sky Sports.
I am resting now, I have been in a job 12 years, day in, day out, and it s always there, even in s…
Sevilla lived up to Diego Simeone s billing as LaLiga title contenders on Sunday as Steven N Zonzi s second-half strike clinched a deserved 1-0 win over 10-man Atletico Madrid.
Jorge Sampaoli s men came into the game in fourth after a strong start to
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the season and, having dominated possession for much of the match, they claimed a deserved first win over Atletico in any competition since October 2010.
Angel Correa wasted a glorious chance towards the end of a tight first half and Sevilla should have capitalised on that just after the break – Samir Nasri hitting the post and Vitolo going close.
That proved to be the start of a dominant second-half performance from Sevilla and, although Atletico became compact, the visitors were undone 17 minutes from…
Is Zinedine Zidane s second spell in charge of Real Madrid coming to an end?
Zidane guided Madrid to three successive Champions League titles in his first stint, and last season s LaLiga crown after returning to the Santiago Bernabeu in 2019.
But the Los Blancos great is under mounting pressure amid the club s struggles this season.
TOP STORY – ZIDANE IN DANGER
Mauricio Pochettino and Raul are waiting in the wings to replace Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid, according to widespread reports in Spain.
Madrid head coach Zidane is in danger of losing his job following Tuesday s Champions League loss to Shakhtar Donetsk.
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Jupp Heynckes has urged Bayern Munich not to underestimate Sevilla in the Champions League quarter-finals.
While Manchester City face Liverpool in an all-Premier League tie and holders Real Madrid take on Juventus in a repeat of last year s Champions League final, Bayern arguably have an easier task.
But Sevilla knocked out Manchester United against the odds in the last round, Vincenzo Montella s men winning 2-1 at Old Trafford thanks to a brace from Wissam Ben Yedder.
And Heynckes who won the Champions League with Bayern in 2013 at the end of his third spell in charge will not be taking progression to the semi-finals for granted.
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Mason Holgate has been warned by the Football Association (FA) after allegedly posting homophobic insults on Twitter earlier in his career.
The Everton defender deleted his Twitter account after historical messages dated between 2012 and 2013 were uncovered that included offensive language.
This followed January s Merseyside derby in which Holgate alleged that Roberto Firmino used a discriminatory comment towards him. The Liverpool striker was cleared of wrongdoing.
The FA has now concluded its investigation into Holgate, giving the player a warning and directing him to undertake a mandatory inclusion programme.
[1/2] The FA has concluded its investigation into historic tweets posted by Everton’s Mason Holgate.
— FA Spokesperson (@FAspokesper…
Jordi Alba and referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz had both forgotten about the Barcelona defender s first yellow card prior to his dismissal against Espanyol on Saturday.
Barcelona were held to a 1-1 draw by their Catalan rivals on what was a bittersweet day for Alba, who became only the 12th different player to make 300 LaLiga appearances for the club.
Alba s landmark outing was marred as the left-back received two yellow cards in the space of five minutes after Espanyol s leveller, with Lahoz losing control of the latter stages.
Lahoz, who was in charge of Argentina s fiery World Cup quarter-final clash with the Netherlands earlier this month, also sent off Vinicius Souza, while only a VAR review saved Leandro Cabrera after he was initially shown a red card for a stam…
Toby Alderweireld says Tottenham will always be in his heart after completing a move to Qatari side Al-Duhail.
The Belgium international has joined Al-Duhail on a three-year deal for a reported £13million fee (65.34m QAR), ending his six-year association with Spurs.
Former Atletico Madrid and Southampton defender Alderweireld made 236 appearances for Tottenham and was a regular in the club s run to the 2018-19 Champions League final.
He appeared 25 times in the Premier League last season, with his 2.61 headed clearances per 90 minutes the most of any Spurs player, just ahead of Eric Dier (2.43).
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Phillip Cocu said Wayne Rooney will be ready for his reunion with former club Manchester United after Derby County earned a FA Cup tie against the Premier League giants.
Derby captain and ex-United skipper Rooney, 34, converted a 77th-minute penalty as the Championship outfit defeated Northampton Town 4-2 in Tuesday s fourth-round replay.
Rooney – who left United in 2017 having arrived from Everton in 2004 – can now look ahead to a Pride Park clash against United, where the superstar became the Red Devils record scorer with 253 goals.
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Barcelona’s Jules Kounde faces an indefinite lay-off after his knee injury was diagnosed as medial collateral ligament damage, the club has said.
The France defender will miss his nation’s forthcoming fixtures against the Netherlands and Scotland and is the latest Barca player to be ruled out through injury.
The 24-year-old was forced out of Barca’s 2-2 LaLiga draw at Granada on Sunday night.
MEDICAL NEWS | Tests carried out have shown that first team player Jules Kounde has a left MCL sprain. He is out and his recovery will determine his availability.
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona)
The Catalan club said on their official website: “Tests this Monday morning have revealed that Jules Kounde has sprained the lateral collateral ligament in …