Calipari wins in his return to Rupp

John Calipari received a mixed reception on his return to Rupp Arena on Saturday night, then got the last laugh when his Arkansas Razorbacks beat No. 12 Kentucky 89-79. “It’s hard to win in here. And I’ve got to be honest with you, I looked up a couple of times and I thought we were losing because I kept looking at Kentucky instead of Arkansas, “ Calipari said. “I made it clear it was a privilege and an honor to coach here. We had 15 unbelievable years of a great run and support.” Calipari, in his first season at Arkansas, was 410-123 at Kentucky, leading the Wildcats to their eighth national title in 2012. He resigned last April and signed a five-year contract with Arkansas. There were definitely more boos, but some applause and cheers as well in Calipari’s first time back in Lexington. The Hall of Fame coach is the winningest active coach in men’s college basketball and has an 867-271 mark during his stops at Massachusetts, Memphis, Kentucky and Arkansas. Former Kentucky coach Tubby Smith, who led the team from 1997-07 and won a national title in 1998, was in attendance Saturday.

Ohtani ‘on schedule’ to pitch in May

Shohei Ohtani pitching for the Dodgers in May is “about right,” manager Dave Roberts said Saturday at the team’s annual fan fest. He reiterated that Ohtani won’t pitch in the season-opening Japan Series against the Cubs on March 18-19 in Tokyo. The two-way superstar hasn’t pitched in the majors since August 2023, when he was with the Angels. The right-hander had surgery on his left shoulder on Nov. 5 after dislocating it on a stolen base attempt in Game 2 of the World Series against the Yankees. “He looks really strong,” Roberts said. “I saw some videos recently and you just wouldn’t think that there was any shoulder surgery this past winter.” The Dodgers begin reporting to spring camp in Arizona on Feb. 10. “As of now, it seems like I’m on schedule,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. “I’ve been able to work out every day and I’m really looking forward to being on time for spring training and the season.” Ohtani said he’ll know more after he throws his first bullpen session. “Then I think we’re going to really get a feel for when I’ll be able to be on a big league mound,” he said.

Ex-MLB commish Vincent dies at 86

Fay Vincent, who became an unexpected baseball commissioner in 1989 following the death of A. Bartlett Giamatti and then was forced out three years later by owners intent on a labor confrontation with players, has died. He was 86. Vincent had undergone radiation and chemotherapy for bladder cancer and developed complications that included bleeding, said his wife, Christina. He asked that treatment be stopped and died Saturday at a hospital in Vero Beach, Florida. A lawyer who became a movie studio executive, Vincent had been retired for three decades and lived in Connecticut and Florida. During his three-year tenure as commissioner, Vincent had a string of what he called “three-cigar days,” angering owners by becoming the first management official to admit the collusion among teams against free agents following the 1985, ’86 and ’87 seasons. He suspended the Yankees’ George Steinbrenner, divided expansion fees among both leagues, attempted to force National League realignment and negotiated a settlement that ended a 1990 spring training lockout. —AP