Pirates catcher’s mother kidnapped in Venezuela
According to USA Today, the mother of Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Elias Diaz was kidnapped in Venezuela Thursday afternoon. The kidnapping of the relatives of famous people has become common in Venezuela during the nation’s political crisis. As a result, many Venezuelan major league players have been forced to hire security personnel in order to keep their families safe. The news of the incident came as the catcher was preparing to report to the team’s spring training camp in Bradenton, Fla.
Rob Gronkowski considering an acting career
According to NBC Sports, Patriot’s tight end Rob Gronkowski is considering retirement to pursue a career in acting. Gronkowski, or “Gronk,” was told by former players and now Hollywood superstars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Sylvester Stallone, that he could make millions of dollars in action films. The report comes after Gronkowski told friends that the injuries sustained from the sport have taken a toll on him. Gronkowski is the fourth highest paid Patriot behind Tom Brady, Stephon Gilmore and Devin McCourty.
Cavaliers make deals in radical restructuring
The Cleveland Cavaliers drastically reshaped their rosters hours before the NBA’s annual trade deadline, according to The New York Times. They agreed to two separate deals in order to acquire Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. from the Los Angeles Lakers, George Hill from the Sacramento Kings and Rodney Hood from the Utah Jazz. Additionally, they shipped out six veteran players — including former All-Star guard Isaiah Thomas — in order to make those moves happen and infuse its team with much-needed youth and athleticism.
US beats Russian athletes in curling
The U.S. defeated their Russian counterparts in the new discipline of mixed curling, according to CNN. In a not-so-close match between brother and sister duo Matt and Becca Hamilton sweep a 9-3 win over Anastasia Bryzgalova and Aleksandr Krushelnitckii. As a nation, Russia isn’t competing in South Korea after been banned by the International Olympic Committee in December in the aftermath of the McLaren Report.
