Heat Handle Cavaliers

     The Miami Heat beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 100-97 at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on Tuesday night. The Heat continued their four-game road trip. 

     Cleveland(31-22) scooted out to a slight lead 26-24 at the end of one quarter. Miami(29-23) moved ahead and were up 55-52 at halftime. Both teams were tied 79-79 at the end of the third quarter. The Heat compiled a 7-1 spurt near the end of the contest. 

     Jimmy Butler led the Heat with a game-high 23 points. Two Miami players picked up double-doubles. Bam Adebayo had 18 points and 11 rebounds while Caleb Martin chalked up 18 points and 10 rebounds. Tyler Herro was able to contribute 18 points in the victory. 

     Evan Mobley dropped in a club-high 19 points for the Cavaliers. Daruis Garland and Donovan Mitchell both scored 16 points each. 

Panthers To Release Anton Levtchi

     The Florida Panthers will release forward Anton Levtchi. They placed him on unconditional waivers and he was not claimed by any National Hockey League team. 

     The Panthers will have Levtchi's remaining part of his contract terminated. He can sign as a free agent with any club. He had 17 points in 35 games with the Charlotte Checkers in the American Hockey League this season. Levtchi participated in two contests with the Florida Panthers in 2022-23.

Marlins Acquire Matt Barnes

     The Miami Marlins made a trade on Monday as they acquired relief pitcher Matt Barnes from the Boston Red Sox for relief pitcher Richard Bleier. It ended a three-year stint for Bleier with the Fish. 

     Barnes has spent his entire nine-year Major League Baseball career with the Red Sox and was named to the American League All-Star Team in 2021. He pitched in 429 games for Boston and only started two contests. 

Adeiny Hechavarria Signs With Braves

      Former Miami Marlins shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria has signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves. He will get an invitation to their spring training camp. He was playing professional baseball in Japan over the last two years. 

     Hechavarria was with the Marlins for five seasons from 2013 until 2017. He participated in 599 games in Miami and had a .255 batting average with 13 home runs and 168 runs batted in during his tenure. 

Braves Pick Up Magneuris Sierra

     Former Miami Marlins outfielder Magneuris Sierra has signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves. He will be invited to Braves spring training camp to make their opening day roster. Sierra was with the Los Angeles Angels last season. 

     He came to the Marlins from the St. Louis Cardinals in a trade for Marcell Ozuna. Sierra was with the Marlins from 2018 until 2021 and contributed to the club making the postseason in 2020. He played in 211 games with the Fish and had no home runs, 20 runs batted in and a .230 batting average. 

Brewers Ink Monte Harrison

     The Milwaukee Brewers have signed outfielder Monte Harrison to a minor league contract and will be invited to spring training. He spent last season with the Los Angeles Angels. 

     Harrison was acquired by the Miami Marlins from the Milwaukee Brewers for Christian Yelich in a surprising trade. He was in the majors with the Marlins in 2020 and 2021 as he played in 41 games. Harrison helped the club get to the postseason in 2020 for the first time since 2003. 

Anton Levtchi On Waivers

     Florida Panthers forward Anton Levtchi has been placed on unconditional waivers. If Levtchi is not claimed by any of the other 31 NHL teams then his contract with the Panthers can be eliminated for him to become a free agent. 

     Levtchi made his NHL debut with Florida earlier this season and had no points in two contests. He has participated in 35 games with the Panthers AHL affiliate the Charlotte Checkers and chalked up 17 points. 

Miami Hurricanes Football 2023 Schedule Released

     The Atlantic Coast Conference has released the 2023 regular season schedule for the University of Miami Hurricanes football team. There will not be two separate divisions for the first time in almost 20 years. The top two teams in the ACC standings will play for the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship on December 2. 

     Each ACC school will face three conference opponents every year on a regular basis. They will face the other 10 ACC opponents in two-season cycles every four years. 

     Miami will open their first three games the 2023 campaign at home against the Miami of Ohio on September 1, Texas A&M on September 9 and Bethune-Cookman on September 14. The Canes play at Temple on September 23 and then have a bye week on September 30. 

     The Hurricanes begin their ACC schedule at home versus Georgia Tech on October 7 at Hard Rock Stadium and then travel to North Carolina on October 14. Miami will host Clemson on October 21 and Virginia on October 28. 

     The Canes visit North Carolina State on November 4 and main rival Florida State on November 11. They conclude the regular season facing Louisville on November 18 and head to Boston College on November 24. 

Florida Panthers Alumni Game

     There will be a Florida Panthers alumni game during the 2023 All-Star Game break in South Florida. It will be held in Coral Springs at the Florida Panthers Ice Den on Wednesday night. 

     The Florida Panthers alumni team will consist of players that once played for the Florida Panthers franchise. They include Roberto Luongo, Keith Yandle, Bill Lindsay, Peter Worrell, Ray Sheppard, Rhett Warrener, David Booth, Brian Boyle, Tomas Fleischmann, Bryan McCabe, Serge Payer, David Emma, Anders Ericksson, Denis Shvidki and Wojtek Wolski. Bally Sports Florida studio host Jessica Blaylock will be the head coach of the team. 

     The opponent will be a National Hockey League alumni squad. They have Patrick Marleau, Trevor Daley, Ryane Clowe, Dan Quinn, Tuomo Ruutu, Pierre Turgeon, Eric Nystrom, Sylvain Lefebvre, Paul Healey, Jeff Chychrun, Darius Kasparitis, Henrik Samuelsson and Shawn Heins. ESPN sideline reporter Emily Kaplan is the head coach of the other club. 

Jazz Chisholm Jr. On Lindy's Sports Magazine Cover

     Miami Marlins centerfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. is on the Florida region front cover of the 2023 Lindy's Sports baseball magazine. He has spent his entire three-year Major League Baseball career with the Marlins. 

     Chisholm spent last season as a second baseman for the team. He had a .254 batting average with 12 stolen bases, 14 home runs, 45 runs batted and an .860 OPS in during 60 contests last year. 

WINZ Gets Miami Dolphins Radio Network

     The Miami Dolphins Radio Network has moved their flagship radio stations from AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM and 99.9 Kiss Country WKIS-FM to iHeartMedia Fox Sports 940 WINZ-AM and Big 105.9 WBGG-FM.

     WQAM had the radio rights to the Miami Dolphins since the 2016 NFL season. iHeartMedia Miami did broadcast Miami Dolphins games from 2010 until 2015. 

     The on-air talent will remain the same on the Miami Dolphins radio broadcasts. Jimmy Cefalo continues as play-by-play announcer, Joe Rose remains as game analyst and Kim Bokamper stays as sideline reporter. 

Vic Fangio Dolphins Defensive Coordinator

     The Miami Dolphins have hired Vic Fangio as their new defensive coordinator. It is a three-year deal with a team option on a fourth season. 

     Fangio has been a defensive consultant for the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2022 season. He was the head coach of the Denver Broncos from 2019 until 2021 and had a 19-30 record. Fangio had defensive coordinator stints with the Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Stanford University, San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears. 

Hornets Fly By Heat

     The Miami Heat fell to the Charlotte Hornets 122-117 on Sunday at Spectrum Center. The Heat started off a four-game road trip. 

     Miami(28-23) had a 28-26 edge at the end of the first quarter. The Heat stayed in front 62-58 at halftime. Charlotte(15-36) bounced back in the second half and led 91-86 after three quarters. The Hornets remained ahead throughout the entire final quarter. 

     Jimmy Butler dropped in a team-high 28 points for the Heat while Tyler Herro added 24 points. Bam Adebayo contributed 17 points in the defeat. Terry Rozier led the Hornets with a game-high 31 points. 

Panthers Upset Bruins

     The Florida Panthers upended the Boston Bruins 4-3 in overtime on Saturday night at FLA Live Arena. It was the Panthers last game prior to the NHL All-Star Game break. 

     The Bruins came into the game with the most points in the National Hockey League standings. The Panthers became the first time to defeat the Bruins twice this season. It was the fourth and final matchup between both clubs during the 2022-23 regular season. 

     Boston(38-6-5) got on the scoreboard first with 3:10 remaining in the opening frame. Brandon Montour attempted clearing pass from his own right corner was intercepted by Craig Smith. He snapped a shot from the high slot by Alex Lyon for his third goal of the season. 

     Montour made up for his earlier mistake as he deflected in an Aleksander Barkov shot from the top right circle for his 10th goal of the year at the 8:55 mark of the second period to tie it up 1-1. Montour increased his point streak to nine games which is the longest by a Panthers defenseman in franchise history. Barkov extended his point streak to a career-high 11 games while Matthew Tkachuk chalked up his 40th assist in 2022-23. 

     The B's answered back with 2:05 to go in the second and regained the lead 2-1. Charlie Coyle collected his 11th tally this season with an unassisted goal as his centering pass from the right corner was accidentally batted into the cage by Sam Bennett in the crease area. 

     In the third period, Florida(24-22-6) evened it 2-2 at 8:29. Bennett placed in his 12th goal of the season on a wrist shot from the top right circle past Jeremy Swayman. Radko Gudas got the assist on a pass out of his zone. 

     Both teams scored in the final minute of regulation to send it into overtime. The Bruins pulled ahead 3-2 with 48.6 seconds remaining in the period as David Pastrnak found the net for the 38th time of the season on a snap shot from the high slot. The Panthers matched it with 1.4 seconds left in the third as Barkov scored his 14th goal on a forehand shot from the inner left circle. 

     Florida got their only lead of the contest just 17 seconds into overtime. Anton Lundell made a short pass from the top of the zone to Barkov. He angled a pass from the right point and Sam Reinhart blasted a one-time slap shot from the top left circle for his 17th goal of the campaign. It was Reinhart's first career overtime goal and Barkov's 600th NHL point. 

Panthers Battle Bruins

     The Florida Panthers challenged the NHL-leading Boston Bruins at FLA Live Arena on Saturday night. The Panthers and the Bruins met for the final time in the 2022-23 regular season. 

     It was the final regular season game for the Panthers prior to the NHL All-Star Game break. The 2023 NHL All-Star Weekend will be held in the same venue next Friday and Saturday. 

     Boston entered the contest with the best record in the National Hockey League with a 38-6-4 record. They are on pace to set the NHL single-season record for most wins and most points in a regular season. 

     Florida is in the middle of a five-game homestand with the NHL All-Star Game interrupting it. They will resume their regular season schedule at home on February 6 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

Heat Overcome Magic

     The Miami Heat came back on the Orlando Magic 110-105 on Friday night at Miami-Dade Arena. The Heat, who have been victorious in seven consecutive home games, completed a three-game homestand. 

     Miami(28-22) scored the first seven points and stormed out with a 10-2 spurt to begin the contest. Orlando(19-30) rallied back and led 31-26 after one quarter. The Magic extended their lead to 59-50 by halftime. Orlando was ahead 81-73 at the end of the third quarter. The Heat went on a 13-3 run to start the fourth quarter and overtook their opponent. 

     Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 29 points while Bam Adebayo scored 20 points. Max Strus added 17 points and Caleb Martin added 13 points. Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero and Cole Anthony all had 19 points each for the Magic. 

Kings Sack Panthers

     The Los Angeles Kings held off the Florida Panthers 4-3 at FLA Live Arena on Friday night. The Panthers will play 20 of their last 32 regular season games at home in Sunrise. The Kings continued a six-game road trip. 

     Los Angeles(28-17-6) got out to a 1-0 lead with 6:35 left in the first period. Adrian Kempe backhanded the puck from the right wing to Quinton Byfield in the right corner. He backhanded it to the middle and Anze Kopitar lifted a backhand shot from the low slot past Alex Lyon for his 15th goal of the season.  

     The Kings scored a shorthanded goal with 2:02 left in the first for a 2-0 lead. Blake Lizotte came in on the left side on a two-on-one breakaway. He slid the puck across the slot and Kempe smashed a one-time slap shot from the right circle or his 20th goal of the campaign. It is the second straight season that Kempe has reached the 20-goal mark. 

     In the second period, Los Angeles scored another shorthanded goal one second into a Panthers power play at the 9:58 mark to make it 3-0. Mikey Anderson connected a cross-ice pass from the low left circle and Victor Arvidsson tapped it in from the top of the crease.  

     Florida(23-22-6) closed it to 3-1 with 6:37 remaining in the second. Eric Staal centered the puck from behind the Kings cage and it was touched by Nick Cousins in the crease area. Ryan Lomberg released a backhand shot from the low slot for his seventh goal this season. 

     The Cats made it 3-2 with 3:41 left in the period. Matthew Tkachuk sent the puck from the right point. Brandon Montour blasted a slap shot from the top left circle by Phoenix Copley for his ninth goal. Carter Verhaeghe was credited with a secondary assist on the tally to extend his point streak to a career-high seven games. 

     It became 4-2 for the Kings with 1:02 to go in the third period. Matt Roy shot the puck from his own defensive zone into an empty net. 

    The Panthers cut it to 4-3 with 33.4 seconds left. Tkachuk centered the puck from the left corner and Verhaeghe was able to score his 26th goal this season from the right circle. 

West Palm Beach Holiday Ratings 2022

     The ratings were issued for West Palm Beach sports talk format radio stations during the holiday season. The time period went from the second week of December to the first week of January. 

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida increased from a 0.8 to a 1.1 in the period. They set an all-time record since the radio station flipped to a sports talk format in March 2008. The Florida Atlantic University Owls basketball team started off spectacular with a 12-1 record. They were approaching a top 25 national ranking for the first time in school history. 

     Sports Radio 1230 The Gambler WBZT-AM has remained at a 0.2 since September. The University of Florida Gators football team ended with a 6-7 record as they were blown out in the Las Vegas Bowl by Oregon State. The Florida Panthers barely had a losing record near the midway point of the regular season. 

Jordan Yamamoto With Dodgers

     Former Miami Marlins starting pitcher Jordan Yamamoto has joined the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has signed a minor league contract with that club. 

     Yamamoto was acquired by the Marlins from the Milwaukee Brewers for Christian Yelich in the five-player deal. He spent two seasons with Miami and helped them reach the postseason in 2020 for the for time in 17 years. 

Aleksander Barkov In NHL All-Star Game

     Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov has been named to the Atlantic Division team for the 2023 NHL All-Star Game on February 4 at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise. He will replace Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who suffered a knee sprain and will be out for three weeks. 

     Barkov will be playing in his second NHL All-Star Game. He was selected for the contest in 2018. Barkov has 13 goals and 30 assists for 43 points in 40 games this season with the Panthers. 

Joe Philbin Gone From Cowboys

     Former Miami Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin has been let go by the Dallas Cowboys. He was their offensive line coach for the past three seasons. 

     Philbin was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2012 until four games into the 2015 regular season. He finished up with a 24-28 record in four years with the club. 

Enrique Burgos Joins Marlins

     Enrique Burgos has signed a minor league contract with the Miami Marlins. He will be invited to the Marlins spring training camp. 

     Burgos pitched for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2015 and 2016 as he made 73 relief appearances. He has the last several years outside of the majors in the Mexican League, Atlantic League and Dominican Winter League. 

Miami Holiday Ratings 2022

     The ratings were released for Miami/Fort Lauderdale sports talk format radio stations during the holiday season. The time span went from the second week of December until the first week of January. 

     AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM stayed at a 0.7 in the period. Zack Krantz left his morning co-host role on the Joe Rose Show at the end of the holiday season. The Miami Dolphins lost four consecutive games and battled for the final AFC playoff spot. The University of Miami Hurricanes did not play in a bowl game. The Miami Heat and Florida Panthers were both near the .500 percentage mark so far during the regular season. 

     Fox Sports 940 WINZ-AM dropped from a 0.2 to a 0.1 in the month. They have lost 75% of their audience since October. The University of Florida Gators football team participated in the Las Vegas Bowl and lost to Oregon State 30-3. The Gators finished with a 6-7 record in 2022.  

     Streaming of WQAM remained at a 0.3 for the third straight time. WKIS-FM-HD2 ended up with a 0.1 from a 0.2 with a majority of Florida Panthers game broadcasts. 

Heat Come Back On Celtics

     The Miami Heat overcame the Boston Celtics 98-95 at Miami-Dade Arena on Tuesday night. Both teams faced each other in the Eastern Conference Finals last season. The Heat have won six consecutive home games. 

     Miami(27-22) had a slight 32-30 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Boston(35-14) scored 11 unanswered points in the last two minutes of the second quarter and had a 58-50 halftime lead. The Celtics would remain in front 82-75 after three quarters. The Heat went on a 15-0 run early in the fourth quarter and held on in the final stretch. 

     Bam Adebayo powered the Heat with a double-double of 30 points and 15 rebounds. Haywood Highsmith also had a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Victor Oladipo had 13 points and Max Strus scored 12 points. 

     Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with a game-high 31 points along with 14 rebounds. Derrick White got 23 points for the C's. 

Penguins Outscore Panthers

     The Pittsburgh Penguins outlasted the Florida Panthers 7-6 in overtime on Tuesday night at PPG Paints Arena. The Panthers finished off a three-week stretch of nine of their last 11 games on the road. 

     In the first period, the Panthers jumped out to a 1-0 lead at the 6:42 mark. Aaron Ekblad one-time shot from the right point was deflected by Anton Lundell's skate in the slot area. Sam Reinhart lifted a shot from below the left circle by Casey DeSmith for his 16th goal of the campaign. 

     Florida(23-21-5) expanded it to 2-0 on the power play at 8:08. Aleksander Barkov connected a pass from the right wing to Brandon Montour at the top of the zone. His snap shot was saved and Matthew Tkachuk put in the rebound from top of the crease for his 25th goal of the season. 

     Pittsburgh(23-15-8) tied the contest with two goals in a one-minute span. Kris Letang released a wrist shot from the right point that grazed off Evgeni Malkin in the right circle and was redirected by Rickard Rakell in the crease area by Alex Lyon at 10:56. The Pens evened it when Danton Heinen tapped in a rebound from the crease at the 11:56 mark. 

     The Penguins got their first lead of the contest 3-2 with 1:46 left in the first. Brian Dumoulin snapped a shot from the blue line and it was deflected in by Letang from the right circle. 

     The Cats evened it up 3-3 with 40.8 seconds to go in the frame. Ekblad flipped the puck from his own goal line out of the zone. Carter Verhaeghe raced for the puck and poked it past DeSmith from the inner right circle for his 24th goal in 2022-23. 

     In the second period, the Panthers reclaimed the lead 4-3. Ekblad chalked his eighth tally this season on a shorthanded goal. 

     Pittsburgh made it a 4-4 game with 40.6 seconds remaining in the second. Jeff Petry forwarded the puck from his own zone and it was tipped by Jake Guentzel in the neutral zone. Sidney Crosby carried the puck through the slot and scored his 23rd goal on a backhand shot from the low slot. It turned out to be Crosby's 29th career goal against the Panthers. 

     The Panthers moved ahead 5-4 at the 4:10 mark of the third period. Ryan Lomberg pushed the puck from the left corner and Nick Cousins backhanded it from the left goal line. Colin White skated across the crease area and put in a forehand shot for his sixth goal of the year. 

     The Pens tied it up 5-5 with 9:31 left in the third. Ryan Poehling made a blind backhand pass from the low slot. Drew O'Connor hit the post with a backhand shot and then put the puck in from the blue paint. 

     Pittsburgh took a 6-5 lead with a power-play tally with 5:30 remaining in the period. Crosby sent a cross-ice pass from the left wing and Malkin fired a one-time slap shot from the top right circle for his 17th goal this season. 

     Florida matched it 6-6 with 2:32 to go in the third. Verhaeghe scored his career-high 25th goal of the season as he picked up a loose puck in the right circle and went around the goalie for a goal from the blue paint. 

     The Penguins won the game on the power play with 53.1 seconds left in overtime. Malkin angled a pass from the high slot and Letang rifled a one-time slap shot from above the left circle for his second goal and fourth point of the contest. Crosby was credited with the secondary assist on the play. 

Jesus Aguilar Signs With A's

     Former Miami Marlins first baseman Jesus Aguilar has signed a one-year deal with the Oakland A's. The contract is worth $3 million. 

     Aguilar was with the Marlins for three seasons and helped them reached the postseason in 2020 for the first time in 17 years. He had 45 home runs, 176 runs batted in and a .747 OPS in 295 games with the Marlins. 

Marlins Ink Devin Smeltzer

     The Miami Marlins have signed pitcher Devin Smeltzer to a minor league contract. He will be invited to the Marlins spring training camp in Jupiter for a chance to make their major league roster. 

     Smeltzer played his entire four-year career in the majors with the Minnesota Twins.  He had a 5-2 record with a 3.71 earned run average in 15 games with the Twins last season. 

Rangers Ride By Panthers

     The Florida Panthers began a short two-game road trip and lost to the New York Rangers 6-2 on Monday night at Madison Square Garden. The Panthers, who had their season-high five-game point streak stopped, will face the Pittsburgh Penguins tomorrow night. 

     New York(26-14-7) got out in front 1-0 at the 3:07 mark. Mika Zibanejad forwarded the puck out of his zone and Artemi Panarin angled a pass from the red line. Adam Fox went by Gustav Forsling at the top of the Panthers zone and placed in a backhand shot from the top of the crease by Alex Lyon for his 10th goal this season.

     Florida(23-21-5) tied it up 1-1 at 5:56. Eetu Luostarinen tapped the puck back to Anton Lundell in the inner left circle. He sent a cross-ice pass and Carter Verhaeghe lifted a forehand shot from right of the crease past Igor Shesterkin for his 23rd goal of the season. 

     The Rangers regained the lead 2-1 on the power play with 2:39 left in the second period. Fox passed from the top of the zone to Panarin above the right circle. He sent a diagonal pass to the left circle and Zibanejad got his 21st goal on a one-time slap shot. 

     It became 3-1 for the Blueshirts with 4:57 to go in the second period. Vincent Trocheck won the faceoff in the right circle and could not shoot a backhand shot from the crease area. Barclay Goodnow tried to bank a shot off the goalie from the end wall. Jimmy Vesey poked in the loose puck from the blue paint for his eighth tally of the year. 

     In the third period, New York extended their lead to 5-1 with two goals in a 14-second span. Kaapo Kakko snapped two shots from the right of the crease which were saved. Alexis Lafreniere tapped in the puck from the blue paint at the 7:56 mark. 

     The Rangers made it a four-goal lead at 8:10. Fox cleared the puck out of his defensive zone. Panarin carried it to the left circle and backhanded it across. Zibanejad released a wrist shot from the inner right circle for his second goal of the contest and 22nd goal of the campaign. 

     The Panthers decided to pull their goalie for an extra attacker around the midway point of the frame and they scored with 8:58 to go and trailed 5-2. Brandon Montour dropped a pass at the right point to Matthew Tkachuk. He sent a diagonal pass from the top right circle and Aleksander Barkov compiled his 13rd goal this season from the left of the crease. Barkov now have an eight-game point streak. 

     The Cats used an extra attacker for the next couple of minutes and eventually New York scored to make it 6-2. Lafreniere chopped the puck down the ice from his own zone. Kakko flipped a pass from the left wing and Filip Chytil pushed the puck into the empty net from the crease with 3:11 remaining in the third. 

Sid Rosenberg WABC Morning Host

     Former Sports Florida sports radio host Sid Rosenberg is now the sole morning host at WABC-AM in New York City. The title of the show was recently changed to Sid & Friends In The Morning. 

     He was the WABC late morning co-host with Bernard McGuirk from January 2016 to March 2018. Rosenberg co-hosted the morning program with McGuirk from April 2018 until McGuirk passed away back in October. 

     Rosenberg was employed at several different local radio stations from the Fall of 2005 until December 2015. He worked at Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM, Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM and 640 Sports WMEN-AM. 

Kevin Millar On Red Sox Television Crew

     Former Marlins outfielder Kevin Millar has joined NESN and will work as a game analyst on several Boston Red Sox games during the 2023 season. Millar has co-hosted International Talk on MLB Network for a decade. 

     Millar broke into Major League Baseball with the Florida Marlins in 1998 and stayed there until 2002. He had 59 home runs, 251 runs batted in and a .296 batting average in 500 games with the Marlins. 

     He was purchased by the Boston Red Sox from the Marlins in February 2003. Millar helped the Red Sox in 2004 win their first World Series in 86 years. 

Randy McMichael In Atlanta

     Former Miami Dolphins tight end Randy McMichael currently has a broadcasting job in Atlanta. He is the midday co-host on 92.9 The Fan WZGC-FM. McMichael began as a college football Saturday morning weekend host at that radio station in 2015. 

     McMichael was drafted by the Dolphins in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He was with them for five seasons and had 283 pass receptions for 3,089 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns. McMichael started in 80 regular season games with Miami from 2002 to 2006 and never missed a contest with the club. 

Heat Stop Pelicans

     The Miami Heat picked up a 100-96 win over the New Orleans Pelicans at Miami-Dade Arena on Sunday. Both clubs faced each other in New Orleans just four days ago. 

     New Orleans(26-21) started with a 16-6 spurt in the first five minutes and were up 29-23 after one quarter. The Pelicans remained in front 47-41 at halftime. Miami(26-22) made it closer 72-69 at the end of three quarters. The Heat went up 86-84 with 4:24 left in the fourth quarter and never relinquished the lead. 

     Tyler Herro pumped in a game-high 26 points for Miami. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo both had 18 points each while Kyle Lowry dropped in 17 points. Jonas Valanciunas had a double-double of 14 points and 16 rebounds for New Orleans. 

Panthers Walk By Wild

     The Florida Panthers beat the Minnesota Wild 5-3 on Saturday night at FLA Live Arena. The Panthers played just their second home game in an 11-game stretch. The Panthers has won four of their last five contests and now have a season-high point streak of five games with a 4-0-1 record. 

     Florida(23-20-5) got out to a 1-0 lead with 13 seconds left in the first period. Anton Lundell slipped the puck in from the top of the crease for his seventh goal of the season. Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart were credited with assists on the play. 

     In the second period, Eetu Luostarinen made it 2-0 on an unassisted goal at the 1:40 mark. Minnesota(25-16-4) closed it to 2-1 with a power-play goal from Matt Boldy at 8:56. The Cats put it back to a two-goal margin with 28 seconds remaining in the second on a power-play tally by Carter Verhaeghe. 

     The Wild cut it to 3-2 at 4:37 with the man advantage as Joel Eriksson Ek found the net. The Panthers answered back as Gustav Forsling scored his seventh goal of the campaign at the 7:51 mark. Jared Spurgeon helped Minnesota make it 4-3 with 1:26 to go in the third. Reinhart placed his 15th goal this season into an empty net with 39 seconds left in the game. 

Matthew DeFranks In St. Louis

     Former South Florida Sun-Sentinel sportswriter Matthew DeFranks is currently the St. Louis Blues beat reporter for the St. Louis Dispatch. He started his new position at that newspaper in late December. 

     DeFranks was the Florida Atlantic University athletics beat reporter for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel from 2016 to 2017. He was promoted to Florida Panthers beat writer in September 2017 and stayed there until July 2018. 

     He left for the Dallas Morning News in August 2018. DeFranks was the Dallas Stars beat writer for them until December 2022. 

Mike Morin Lands With White Sox

     Former Miami Marlins pitcher Mike Morin has signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox. He was with the Kane County Cougars of the American Association of Professional Baseball in 2022. 

     Morin spent one season with the Miami Marlins in 2020 and helped them get to the postseason for the first time in 17 years. He made three relief appearances and had a 0.00 earned run average in four innings pitched. 

Mavericks Slam Heat

     The Dallas Mavericks rolled over the Miami Heat 115-90 at American Airlines Center on Friday night. The Heat completed a three-game road trip and play at home on Sunday versus the New Orleans Pelicans. 

     Dallas(25-22) pushed out to a 31-19 lead at the end of the first quarter and stayed in front 60-51 at halftime. Miami(25-22) got blown out during the third quarter and trailed 92-67 after three quarters. 

     Bam Adebayo picked up his 23rd double-double of the season for the Heat with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Victor Oladipo came off the bench with a club-high 20 points while Tyler Herro poured in 16 points. Jimmy Butler was held to 12 points in the defeat. 

     Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with game-highs of 34 points and 12 rebounds along with seven assists for a double-double. Spencer Dinwiddie dropped in 19 points and Reggie Bullock placed in 15 points. 

Marlins Acquire Luis Arraez

     The Miami Marlins have acquired infielder Luis Arraez from the Minnesota Twins for starting pitcher Pablo Lopez, infielder Jose Salas and outfielder Byron Chourio. Arraez is slated to be second baseman for the Marlins and Jazz Chisholm Jr. will be moved to center field for the upcoming season. 

     Arraez has played the last four years with the Twins. He ended up winning the American League batting title last season with a .316 batting average. Arraez also had eight home runs and 49 runs batted in during 144 contests in 2022. 

     Lopez was on the Marlins major league roster for the last five seasons. He had a 10-10 record with 174 strikeouts and a 3.70 earned run average in 180 innings pitched last season. 

Juho Lammikko Staying In Europe

     Former Florida Panthers right wing Juho Lammikko will be remaining in Europe. He has signed a two-year contract extension with ZSC Lions in Switzerland. He has a team-high 15 goals in 24 contests in 2022-23. 

     Lammikko was with the Panthers for two seasons in 2018-19 and 2020-21. He ended up compiling four goals and seven assists in 84 games. Lammikko spent last season with the Vancouver Canucks. 

Panthers Crush Canadiens

     The Florida Panthers routed the Montreal Canadiens 6-2 on Thursday night. Florida had four power-play goals in a regular season game for the first time since February 26, 2013 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Panthers finished up a stretch of seven of their last eight games on the road. 

     Things started out wrong for Florida(22-20-5) when Alex Lyon made his Panthers debut and replaced an injured Sergei Bobrovsky in net two minutes and one second into the contest. Neither club scored during the opening frame. 

     The Panthers made it 1-0 on the power play at the 6:30 mark of the second period. Aleksander Barkov released a shot from the right circle that Sam Montembeault saved. Sam Reinhardt snapped a shot from the inner left circle for his 14th goal of the season. 

     The Cats received another power-play opportunity following a failed Canadiens review on the goal. Florida capitalized on the situation with the man advantage and converted at 8:27. Anton Lindell backhanded a cross-ice pass from the right circle. Gustav Forsling passed ahead from above the left circle and it was redirected in by Sam Bennett from the left of the crease for his 11th goal this season. 

     Florida put in another power-play tally with 5:02 to go in the period. Brandon Montour smashed a slap shot from the top of the zone that was deflected by Reinhart in the slot area and stopped by Montembeault. Matthew Tkachuk flipped in a forehand shot from the top of the crease. 

     Montreal(19-24-3) trailed 4-0 with 3:57 left in the second. Radko Gudas angled a pass to his right from the blue line. Givani Smith placed a snap shot from the right-circle dot that went off Nick Cousins in the crease area. Smith hustled in and scored his first goal in a Panthers uniform with a wrist shot from the top of the crease. 

     It became 5-0 for the Panthers on their fourth power-play goal of the second period with 42.4 seconds remaining. Reinhart pushed the puck from the inner right circle and Tkachuk snapped a shot from the right circle for his second tally of the game and 24th goal of the season. 

     In the third period, the Habs broke the shutout at the 2:12 mark and were down 5-1. Justin Barron dropped the puck behind his own cage to former Panthers player Mike Hoffman. He skated it to the red line and made an outlet pass to his left. Rem Pitlick carried it to the low left circle and flicked a shot from an acute angle past Lyon for his second goal of the year. 

     The Canadiens cut the lead to 5-2 at 8:06. Jesse Ylonen sent a diagonal pass from the left point. Pitlick connected a cross-ice pass from the right circle through the slot and Josh Anderson chalked up his 13th goal on a shot from the low left circle. 

     The Cats increased it to a four-goal margin with 10:49 remaining in the third on their first shot in the final frame. Bennett handed the puck off to Carter Verhaeghe on the right wing. He centered it and Ryan Lomberg guided it in from the top of the crease for his sixth goal.  

Paul Maurice Fined

     Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice has been fined $25,000 by the National Hockey League. He made some derogatory remarks about the officiating following the Panthers contest on Tuesday night against the Maple Leafs in Toronto. 

     Maurice is in first season as the head coach for Florida. The Panthers will complete their three-game road trip tonight at the Montreal Canadiens. 

David Phelps Retires

     Former Miami Marlins pitcher David Phelps announced his retirement from Major League Baseball on Wednesday. He was with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2022. 

     Phelps had a stint with the Miami Marlins from 2015 to 2017. He had a 13-18 record and 242 strikeouts with a 3.52 earned run average in 131 games with the Marlins. 

Heat Hammer Pelicans

     The Miami Heat pounded the New Orleans Pelicans 124-98 at Smoothie King Center on Wednesday night. The Heat, who continued their three-game road swing, are tied with the New York Knicks for sixth place in the Eastern Conference. The Pelicans now have a 17-6 home record. 

     Miami(25-21) marched out to a 36-23 advantage at the end of one quarter. The Heat extended the lead and remained in front 70-51 at halftime. New Orleans(26-19) could not dent the lead and they were down 98-76 at the end of the third quarter. 

     Bam Adebayo had 26 points and eight rebounds for the Heat. Jimmy Butler added 18 points along with seven assists. Max Strus compiled a double-double of 16 points and 10 assists. Tyler Herro dropped in 14 points while Gabe Vincent put in 16 points. C.J. McCollum led the Pelicans with 21 points. 

Drew Goldfarb In Las Vegas

     Former South Florida television sportscaster Drew Goldfarb is currently working in Las Vegas. He is a FanDuel pregame sports betting segment host on the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball. His on-air segments have appeared on the regional sports networks of AT&T Pittsburgh, AT&T Rocky Mountain and Mid-Atlantic Sports Network.

     Goldfarb, a Broward County native, began his broadcasting career as a sports anchor at WTVA-TV in Tupelo, Mississippi. He was the Florida Panthers studio host on Fox Sports Florida alongside studio analyst Bill Lindsay from October 2013 until April 2015. 

     He moved on to WOWK-TV in Charleston, West Virginia as a sports director and sports anchor. Goldfarb also was the pregame studio host for West Virginia University football games. 

Brian Anderson Moves To Brewers

     Former Miami Marlins third baseman/outfielder Brian Anderson will be joining the Milwaukee Brewers. He has agreed to a one-year deal with that team. 

     Anderson was with the Marlins for six seasons from 2017 until 2022. He played in 531 games with the Fish during his time in South Florida and had 57 home runs along with 233 runs batted in. Anderson helped the club reach the postseason in 2020 for the first time in 17 years. He ended up with eight homers, 28 runs batted in and a .222 batting average last season with Miami. 

Adam Duvall Heads To Red Sox

     Adam Duvall is about to sign with the Boston Red Sox. It is expected to be a one-year contract worth around $7 million. 

     Duvall played a portion of the 2021 season with the Miami Marlins. He had 22 home runs, 68 runs batted in and a .229 batting average in 91 contests. Duvall was traded to the Atlanta Braves and helped them win their first World Series since 1995. He ended up leading the National League with a combined 113 runs batted in that season. 

Maple Leafs Top Panthers In Overtime

     The Florida Panthers fell to the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-4 in overtime at Scotiabank Arena. The Panthers had a two-game winning streak snapped. 

     Both clubs reached overtime in their third straight meeting against each other. The Panthers, who have participated in the least amount of overtime games this season, last played in overtime back on November 26. 

     Florida(21-20-5) took a 1-0 lead at 1:52 of the first period. Aaron Ekblad made a pass from the right point and Carter Verhaeghe fired a wrist shot from the right circle for his 21st goal of the season.

     Toronto(27-11-7) tied it 1-1 at the 2:38 mark of the first. Morgan Rielly sent a diagonal pass from the right wing and former Panthers player Dryden Hunt guided it in from the left of the crease for his third tally this year. 

     The Panthers reclaimed the lead 2-1 on a shorthanded goal with 7:26 left in the first. Mitch Marner turned over the puck at the red line to Anton Lundell and he passed it ahead. Aleksander Barkov went on a breakaway and had his snap shot from the crease area saved by Matt Murray. Anton Lundell followed up and scored his sixth goal of the year on a forehand shot from the top of the crease. 

     The Maple Leafs evened it up again 2-2 on the power play with 4:50 to go. Calle Jarnkrok released a shot from the top right circle that Sergei Bobrovsky stopped. Alexander Kerfoot put in a backhand shot from the right of the crease for his seventh goal of the campaign. 

     It became 3-2 for the Cats with 1:56 remaining in the period. Gregori Denisenko sent a pass from the right goal line to Radko Gudas on the right point. His shot went wide hitting the back boards and Josh Mahura blasted a slap shot from the left wing for his fourth goal. Denisenko got his seventh NHL assist on the play. 

     In the second period, Florida increased it to a two-goal margin with the man advantage. Barkov picked up his 12th goal this season on assists from Brandon Montour and Sam Reinhart. 

     Toronto replaced Murray in net following the goal with Ilya Samsonov. The Panthers had not faced Samsonov since their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series against the Washington Capitals last season. 

     The Leafs closed it to 4-3 with 1.1 seconds left in the second on a power-play goal. Marner passed from the left wing to William Nylander on the left goal line. He centered it and Auston Matthews powered a one-time forehand shot from the left circle for his 22nd goal of the season. Marner set a Maple Leafs franchise record with a 19-game home point streak passing Darryl Sittler. 

     Toronto made it a tie game 4-4 at the 5:58 mark of the third period as Nylander collected his 23rd goal of the season. Marner and Mark Giordano were credited with the assists on the tally. 

     The Maple Leafs got the winning goal at 1:53 of overtime. Nylander skated from the center circle, around Verhaeghe in the left circle and slipped in a forehand shot from the top of the crease. 

Hawks Hustle Heat

     The Atlanta Hawks held off the Miami Heat 121-113 at State Farm Arena on Monday afternoon. The contest was played on a weekday afternoon because of Martin Luther King Day. 

     Atlanta(22-22) had a 38-26 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Hawks kept the momentum during the second quarter and had a 20-point margin 70-50 by halftime. 

     Miami(24-21) began to chip away at the lead and trailed 91-80 after three quarters. The Heat came within four points of Atlanta 117-113 with 34.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter.     

     The Heat were led by Jimmy Butler as he scored a game-high 34 points. Bam Adebayo had a double-double of 20 points along with 13 rebounds. Tyler Herro dropped in 15 points and Max Strus added 13 points. 

     Dejounte Murray chalked up a club-high 28 points and seven assists for the Hawks. Trae Young had 24 points, eight assists and 10 turnovers. 

Jorge Alfaro Heads To Red Sox

     Former Miami Marlins catcher Jorge Alfaro has signed a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox. He would receive $2 million should he made their major league roster and could opt out of his deal on June 1 or July 1. 

     Alfaro played with the Marlins for three seasons from 2019 until 2021. He contributed to that franchise making the postseason in 2020 for the first time since 2003. Alfaro spent last season with the San Diego Padres and had seven home runs, 40 runs batted in and a .246 batting average in 82 games. 

White Sox Get Erik Gonzalez

     The Chicago White Sox have signed infielder Erik Gonzalez to a minor league deal. He will try and make their major league roster in spring training. 

     Gonzalez was with the Miami Marlins last season. He had three runs batted in and a .189 batting average in 16 contests. 

White Sox Add Jake Marisnick

     The Chicago White Sox have signed former Miami Marlins outfielder Jake Marisnick to a minor league contract. He is expected to attend their spring training camp and attempt to make the White Sox roster. 

     Marisnick reached Major League Baseball with the Miami Marlins in 2013 and 2014. He participated in just 54 and had a .178 batting average. 

     He later had stints with the Houston Astros, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates. Marisnick compiled two home runs, six runs batted in and a .234 batting average in 31 games with the Pirates last season. 

Panthers Freeze Sabres

     The Florida Panthers began a three-game road trip with a 4-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Monday. The Panthers leaped over the Sabres in the Eastern Conference standings. It was a rare weekday afternoon contest because of Martin Luther King Day.

     In the first period, Florida(21-20-4) got out to a 1-0 lead at the 4:01 mark. Matthew Tkachuk tried to stuff the puck from the right of the crease and former Sabres player Brandon Montour pushed it in from the blue paint past Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen for his eighth goal of the season. Tkachuk was able to extend his point streak to a team-high seven games this season. 

     The Panthers extended it to 2-0 at 8:04 of the second period. Carter Verhaeghe backhanded a shot that went off Tkachuk in the crease. It bounced back out and Sam Bennett one-timed a forehand shot from the inner right circle for his 10th goal of the campaign. 

     It became 3-0 for Florida 34 seconds into the third period. Aleksander Barkov kicked the puck ahead in his own zone. Sam Reinhart came into the Buffalo(21-9-2) zone on a 2-on-1 breakaway. He slid the puck over from the left circle and Anton Lundell powered in a one-time slap shot from the low right circle for his fifth tally of the season. It was Lundell's first goal in 14 contests. 

     The Sabres broke the shutout with 8:33 left in the third. Alex Tuch dropped the puck in front of him and placed in his 21st goal of this season with a wrist shot from the right wing. 

     Buffalo pulled their goalie for an extra attacker with 1:50 left in the period. It did not work as Verhaeghe shot the puck from the Panthers blue line into an empty net with 1:38 remaining in the period for a Florida 4-1 lead. Tkachuk picked up his third assist of the game while Gustav Forsling was credited with the secondary assist. 

Lewis Brinson Goes To Japan

     Former Miami Marlins outfielder Lewis Brinson is headed to Japan. He is expected to sign with the Yomiuri Giants of the Nippon Professional Baseball. 

     Brinson was with the Miami Marlins from 2018 to 2021 and helped the club reach the postseason in 2020 for the first time in 17 years. He had 23 home runs, 102 runs batted in and a .203 batting average in 320 games with the Marlins. He played 16 contests last season with the San Francisco Giants. 

Bills Eliminate Dolphins From Postseason

     The Buffalo Bills defeated the Miami Dolphins 34-31 in the AFC Wild-Card Round at Highmark Stadium on Sunday. Both teams have not faced each other in the postseason since the 1998 AFC Wild-Card Game.

     It was the first playoff appearance for the Dolphins since the 2016 season. The Fins have reached the postseason just three times since 2002. 

     Buffalo scored on their second possession of the contest for a 7-0 lead at 7:57 of the first quarter. Quarterback Josh Allen threw a six-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dawson Knox on the front right side of the end zone. 

     Bills defensive back Dean Marlowe intercepted a pass and returned it to the Dolphins 23-yard line. Five plays later, former Miami Central and current Buffalo running back James Cook rushed from 12 yards away around the left side that gave them a 14-0 lead with 5:07 left in the first. 

     In the second quarter, Tyler Bass added a 33-yard field goal at the 12:46 mark for a Bills 17-point margin. The Dolphins responded as Jason Sanders booted a 40-yard field goal with 7:34 to go in the second and they trailed 17-3. 

     Miami defensive back Xavien Howard made an interception and brought in back to the Bills 48-yard line. It led to a Sanders 48-yard field goal with 2:15 left in the quarter and the Fins were down 17-6. 

     Dolphins punt returner Cedrick Wilson Jr. returned a punt 50 yards to the Buffalo 27-yard line. Sanders closed it to 17-9 as he converted on a 37-yard field goal with 1:15 remaining in the first half. 

     The Fins tied it up 17-17 with 33 seconds to go. Quarterback Skylar Thompson tossed a seven-yard pass to tight end Mike Gisecki in the middle of the end zone. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill caught a two-point conversion pass from Thompson. Bass responded on the Bills next drive with a 39-yard field goal with three seconds left in the second to give them a 20-17 halftime lead. 

     Miami regained the lead 24-20 just 61 seconds into the second half. Defensive lineman Zach Sieler recovered an Allen fumble and returned it five yards for a touchdown. 

     The rest of the third quarter would belong to Buffalo as they took a 34-24 lead. Allen connected a six-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Cole Beasley on the left side with 5:18 remaining. On the Bills next possession, wide receiver Gabe Davis caught a 23-yard pass from Allen in the left side of the end zone with 2:07 left in the third. 

     The Dolphins cut the lead to 34-31 at the 10:53 mark of the fourth quarter. Running back Jeff Wilson plunged up the middle from one yard out for the score. Miami had one final chance to win the game, but they lost the ball on downs at their own 44-yard line with 2:22 to go. 

Tyreek Hill NFL All-Pro

     Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill was named to the NFL All-Pro First Team earlier this weekend. It was the first season for Hill in a Dolphins uniform. 

     Hill was acquired by the Miami Dolphins from the Kansas City Chiefs back on March 23, 2022. He had 119 pass receptions for a Dolphins franchise record 1,170 receiving yards along with seven touchdowns during the 2022 regular season. Hill won Super Bowl LIV with the Chiefs over the San Francisco 49ers at Hard Rock Stadium. 

Panthers Speed By Canucks

     The Florida Panthers powered by the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 at FLA Live Arena on Saturday night. It was the Panthers only home game in an eight-game stretch. The Cats are in the middle of just two home contests out of 11 games overall. 

     Vancouver(17-22-3) jumped out to a 1-0 lead on their first shot on goal at the 1:35 mark of the first period. The Panthers turned over the puck in their own zone. Jake Studnicka released a a wrist shot from above the left circle that went by Sergei Bobrovsky for his fourth goal this season. 

     Florida(20-20-4) made it 1-1 at 8:58 of the first. Gustav Forsling fired a slap shot from the left point and it was touched by Givani Smith in the crease. Ryan Lomberg put in the loose puck into the cage from the right of the crease past Spencer Martin for his fifth goal of the campaign. It was the second career assist for Smith with Florida. 

     The Canucks regained the lead 2-2 just 39 seconds into the second period. Tyler Myers snapped a shot from the right point for his first tally of the year. 

     The Panthers answered back at 1:46 to tie it 2-2. Nick Cousins guided the puck from the left wing. Josh Mahura shot the puck from the left point and Eric Staal poked it in from the top of the crease for his seventh goal with his new club. 

     It became 3-2 for the Cats as they scored on the man advantage at the 3:06 mark. Matthew Tkachuk passed from the low right circle to Brandon Montour at the top of the zone. He angled the puck to his left and Aaron Ekblad blasted a one-time slap shot from the left circle for his seventh goal. 

     Florida increased their gap to 4-2 on another power-play goal at 9:51. Ekblad took a shot from the left circle which was saved by Martin. Sam Reinhart made a square pass from the low slot and Aleksander Barkov placed in a snap shot from the inner right circle for his 11th goal of the season. 

     In the third period, Vancouver cut it down to 4-3 on the power play with 9:58 left. Quinn Hughes passed the puck from the left point and Elias Pettersson smashed a slot shot from the top of the zone. It was deflected in by Bo Horvat from the top of the crease for his 30th goal this season. 

Miami-Dade Arena New Name

     There is a new temporary name for the Biscayne Boulevard venue where the Miami Heat play their home games. It was renamed Miami-Dade Arena on Friday based on a joint agreement between the Miami Heat organization and Miami-Dade County. 

     It replaces the brand FTX Arena that was there from June 2021 until this past week. FTX had signed a 19-year deal worth $135 million for the naming rights. It was known as American Airlines Arena from December 1999 until June 2021. 

Heat Sweep Bucks

     The Miami Heat handled the Milwaukee Bucks 111-95 at Miami-Dade Arena on Saturday afternoon. The Heat, who have won four of their last five home games, defeated the Bucks two days ago in Miami. 

     It was the first time that the Heat played in the venue that was renamed Miami-Dade Arena from FTX Arena on Friday. The Heat finished up a four-game homestand. 

     Miami(24-20) had a 28-20 advantage after one quarter and remained ahead 53-45 by halftime. The Heat stayed in front 77-71 at the end of three quarters. Milwaukee(27-16) surrendered a 20-8 run to begin the fourth quarter and trailed by 18 points.

     Bam Adebayo led they Heat with a double-double of 20 points and 13 rebounds. Gabe Vincent dropped in a game-high 27 points while Victor Oladipo added 20 points. Jimmy Butler scored 16 points and Max Strus had 10 points. 

     Jrue Holiday compiled a double-double of 12 points and 10 assists for the Bucks. Bobby Portis put in a team-high 15 points. 

Phillies Ink Louis Head

     The Philadelphia Phillies have signed pitcher Louis Head to a minor league contract. He is expected to be invited to their spring training camp to make the major league roster. 

     Head split his time between the Miami Marlins and the Baltimore Orioles in 2022. He pitched 23 2/3 innings in 23 relief appearances with Miami and had a 7.23 earned run average. 

Panthers Put Zac Dalpe On Waivers

     The Florida Panthers have placed forward Zac Dalpe on waivers. The team will know by Sunday afternoon if he is claimed by any National Hockey League team. 

     Dalpe was called up from the Panthers AHL affiliate the Charlotte Checkers earlier this season. He had two goals and two assists in 11 games with Florida in 2022-23. 

Shannon Boxx On HBO Max

     Shannon Boxx will make her HBO Max debut on January 17. She will be a soccer studio analyst for the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team game at New Zealand. Both nations will face each other again three days later in that country on HBO Max. 

     Boxx was a defender for the magicJack of the Women's Professional Soccer league during their one season at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton back in 2011. She is most known for being part of the United States Women's National Soccer Team from 2003 to 2015. Boxx captured the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. She was also a three-time Olympic gold medalist in 2004, 2008 and 2012. 

Golden Knights Slip By Panthers

     The Golden Knights raced by the Florida Panthers 4-2 at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday night. Florida now has a 0-4-1 all-time record in Las Vegas. The Panthers completed a four-game road trip through four different time zones for the first time since the 2017-18 season. 

     Florida(19-20-4) broke out to a 1-0 lead at the 2:02 mark of the first period. Aaron Ekblad was stopped on a breakaway and Nick Cousins swept the puck in from the blue paint by Adin Hill for his fifth goal this year. 

     Vegas(28-13-2) evened it up 1-1 at 4:08 of the second period. The Cats lost the puck in their own end and Keegan Kolesar centered it from the left circle. Nicolas Roy snapped a shot from the inner right circle past Sergei Bobrovsky for his eighth goal of the campaign. 

     The Panthers reclaimed the lead 2-1 on the power play with 7:13 left in the second. Aleksander Barkov passed from the right circle to Tkachuk on the right side. He made a quick pass and Sam Reinhart one-timed a forehand shot from the low slot for his 13rd goal this season. 

     In the third period, the Golden Knights tied it 1-1 at 8:37. Kaedan Korczak sent a lead pass from his own zone to Jack Eichel at the red line. He skated in alone on a breakaway and scored his 15th goal of the season on a wrist shot from the right side of the crease. 

     It became 3-2 for Vegas with 2:36 remaining in the third. Kolesar made a backhand pass from the left corner and it was guided in by William Carrier from the crease area. 

     The Cats challenged the play for goalie interference and it failed to give the Golden Knights the man advantage. William Karlsson added an empty-net, power-play tally with 1:07 to go in the period for a 4-2 lead. 

Heat Ease By Bucks

     The Miami Heat took the Milwaukee Bucks 108-102 on Thursday night in Miami. Both clubs will meet again at the same venue on Saturday afternoon. 

     The Heat have won four of their last five home games and sit three games over the .500 percentage for the first time this season. It was also the first time that the Heat played at home since the FTX Arena brand was stopped by a federal bankruptcy judge. 

     Milwaukee(27-15) bolted out to a 23-14 lead at the end of the first quarter. Miami(23-20) had a 14-4 spurt to end the second quarter and were tied with the Bucks 45-45 at halftime. The Heat moved ahead 78-73 after three quarters. The Bucks were down by double digits for 10 minutes of the fourth quarter. 

     Gabe Vincent led the Heat with a game-high 28 points. Three Miami players were able to compile double-doubles. Bam Adebayo had 24 points with 12 rebounds while Jimmy Butler got 17 points and 11 rebounds. Max Strus contributed 12 points along with 10 rebounds and Victor Oladipo downed 14 points.

     Jrue Holiday composed a double-double of 24 points and 11 assists for the Bucks. Jevon White dropped in 18 points and Bobby Portis added 12 points in the defeat. 

Rick Sanchez Update

     Former Miami newscaster Rick Sanchez continues as a podcast host, chief executive officer and president at Agua Media. He was the co-founder of the company with Sol Trujillo. 

     Sanchez was a news anchor at WSVN-TV Channel 7 for over a decade during the 1980s and 1990s. He became a news anchor at MSNBC. Sanchez returned to Miami at WTVJ-TV Channel 6 as an afternoon talk show host and later became a news anchor. 

     He returned to national stage as a weekend daytime news anchor at CNN and eventually was promoted to weekday mid-afternoon studio host. Sanchez was a radio game analyst of Florida International University football games from 2011 to 2013. He joined WIOD-AM as an afternoon host in January 2013 and was elevated to late morning host in January 2014. 

     Sanchez would return to national television. He was a studio host for Fox News Channel, Fox News Latino, Mundo Fox and America TeVe. Sanchez joined RT America as a weekday studio host in October 2018 and later employed at Univision. 

Miami Heat FTX Arena Deal Ends

     The venue that the Miami Heat currently plays in has officially ended the naming rights to FTX Arena on Wednesday. A federal bankruptcy judge ruled that Miami-Dade County and the Miami Heat can eliminate the FTX branding on the arena. 

     Miami-Dade County was 18 months into a 19-year contract that was to pay out a total of $135 million. There is no word of a new name or brand for the venue. It went by the name American Airlines Arena from December 1999 until June 2021. 

Texas Rangers Ink Sandy Leon

     The Texas Rangers have signed former Miami Marlins catcher Sandy Leon to a minor league contract. He will be invited to their spring training camp. 

     Leon had a stay with the Marlins in 2021 and participated in 83 contests. He split his time last season between the Cleveland Guardians and the Minnesota Twins. Leon hit a combined .169 batting average with four runs batted in. 

Miguel Rojas Traded To Dodgers

     The Miami Marlins have traded shortstop Miguel Rojas to the Los Angeles Dodgers for infielder Jacob Amaya. The Marlins continue to formulate their infield for the upcoming 2023 season. Rojas was acquired by the Marlins from the Dodgers in a seven-player deal back in December 2014. 

     Rojas played eight seasons with the Fish. He helped the Marlins get to the postseason in 2020 for the first time in 17 years. Rojas had 38 home runs, 260 runs batted in and a .265 batting average in 870 games. 

     Amaya has been in the Dodgers minor league system since 2017. He split his time last season between Tulsa in Double-A and Oklahoma City in Triple-A. Amaya had 17 home runs and 71 runs batted in during 133 contests in 2022. 

Florida Panthers Claim Casey Fitzgerald

     The Florida Panthers have claimed defenseman Casey Fitzgerald from the Buffalo Sabres. He is the son of former Florida Panthers center Tom Fitzgerald, who played with the team from their inaugural season in 1993-94 until 1997-98. 

     Fitzgerald has played 52 games with the Sabres over the past two seasons and compiled nine assists. He is a cousin of Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk. 

Peter DeBoer Named NHL All-Star Game Coach

     Dallas Stars head coach Peter DeBoer has been named as the Central Division head coach for the 2023 NHL All-Star Game at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise on February 4. Other head coaches for the NHL All-Star Game includes Rod Brind'Amour of the Carolina Hurricanes for the Metropolitan Division, Jim Montgomery of the Boston Bruins for the Atlantic Division and Bruce Cassidy of the Vegas Golden Knights for the Pacific Division. 

     DeBoer was once the head coach of the Florida Panthers from 2008-09 until 2010-11 and had a team record of 103-107-6. He later coached the New Jersey Devils, San Jose Sharks, Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars. 

Panthers Survive Avalanche

     The defending Stanley Cup Champions the Colorado Avalanche lost to the Florida Panthers 5-4 at Ball Arena on Tuesday night. The Panthers will finish their four-game road trip to all four mainland United States time zones in Las Vegas on Thursday night against the Vegas Golden Knights. 

     Florida(19-19-4) rolled out to a 3-0 lead during the first period. Aleksander Barkov collected his 10th goal this season at the 9:07 mark. Brandon Montour added an even-strength goal with 8:08 to go in the first and Sam Bennett scored his ninth goal of the campaign on the power play with 6:13 left in the period. 

     Colorado(20-16-3) closed the gap to 3-1 with 54 seconds remaining in the opening frame. Andrew Cogliano placed his sixth goal of the season. 

     In the second period, the Panthers increased their lead to 4-1 with 52 seconds left. Matthew Tkachuk got his 21st goal this season on assists from Barkov and Montour. 

     The Avalanche would score twice in a 20-second span during the third period. Mikko Rantanen found the net at the 6:29 mark and Nathan MacKinnon followed at 6:49. The Avs tied it up 4-4 on a goal by J.T. Compher with 7:53 left in the third.  

     It became 5-4 for the Panthers with 3:30 left in the period. Tkachuk scored with the man advantage and picked up his 22nd goal in 2022-23. 

Heat Edge Thunder

     The Miami Heat set an NBA record with the highest number of free throws made without a miss in a contest as they got by the Oklahoma City Thunder 112-111 on Tuesday night at FTX Arena. The Heat will host the Milwaukee Bucks twice later this week. 

     Miami(22-20) had a 31-26 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Heat extended their lead to 63-56 by halftime. Oklahoma City(18-23) cut a seven-point margin down to one point 89-88 after three quarters. Jimmy Butler made a layup and a free throw with 12.2 seconds left in the fourth quarter to cap a Miami 8-2 spurt. 

     The Heat set a new NBA record on their last foul shot by Butler as they went a perfect 40-for-40 in free throws made in a game. It broke the record by the Utah Jazz as they went 39-for-39 versus the Portland Trail Blazers back on December 7, 1982. 

     Butler chalked up a game-high 35 points along with seven rebounds for the Heat. Max Strus put up 22 points and seven rebounds. Victor Oladipo dropped in 19 points while Gabe Vincent scored 12 points. 

     Josh Giddey compiled a triple-double for the Thunder with 18 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drained in a club-high 26 points. 

Former Miami Media Wins NSMA Awards

     Two former Miami media members were announced by the National Sports Media Association as their yearly winners. Jody Jackson was named the Arizona Sportscaster of the Year for the first time. David O'Brien was named the Georgia Sportswriter of the Year for the second time. He received the award back in 2006. 

     Jackson, a University of Miami grad, began her broadcasting career at Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM as a sports reporter and sports anchor. She moved to television as a sportscaster at WIVB-TV in Buffalo. Jackson joined Fox Sports Arizona, which is now known as Bally Sports Arizona, as a sports reporter and studio co-host. She is currently the studio host for Arizona Diamondbacks and Arizona Coyotes game broadcasts. 

     O' Brien was a Major League Baseball sportswriter before he arrived in South Florida. He became the Florida Marlins beat writer for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and worked there during the 1990s and early 2000s. O'Brien then joined the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as the Atlanta Braves beat writer. He currently has the same role at The Athletic Atlanta and The Athletic MLB. 

Barry Jackson Florida Sportswriter Of The Year

     Barry Jackson has been named the National Sports Media Association 2022 Florida Sportswriter of the Year. It is the second time he has received that award. Jackson was named the top Florida sportswriter in 2017. 

     Jackson has worked at the Miami Herald for over 30 years. He was first noticed locally as a sports media columnist. Jackson expanded his role at the newspaper over the past decade as the Miami Heat beat writer and Miami Dolphins beat writer. He has co-written a baseball column with Craig Mish since February 2021. Jackson did guest co-host the evening show on Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM for a couple of years in the late 2010s. 

Nashville Stars Baseball Adds Don Mattingly

     Former Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly has been named an advisor to Nashville Stars Baseball. He will continue as a bench coach of the Toronto Blue Jays for the upcoming 2023 Major League Baseball season. 

     Mattingly managed the Marlins from 2016 until 2022. He played for the New York Yankees from 1982 to 1995. 

     Nashville Stars Baseball is associated with Music City Baseball, LLC. Nashville has been hoping for a Major League Baseball expansion franchise should MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred increase the number of baseball clubs from 30 teams to 32 teams in the future. 

Johnny Cueto To Sign With Marlins

     Johnny Cueto is about to sign a contract with the Miami Marlins. The terms of the deal for the starting pitcher is a one-year contract for $8.5 million along with a 2024 team option. 

     Cueto has been with several clubs during his 15-year MLB career. He began with the Cincinnati Reds in 2008 and eventually won a World Series with the Kansas City Royals in 2015. Cueto spent the next six seasons with the San Francisco Giants and joined the Chicago White Sox in 2022. He has a career record of 143-107 with 1,812 strikeouts and a 3.44 earned run average. 

Nationals Getting Corey Dickerson

     The Washington Nationals will soon be signing outfielder Corey Dickerson. He is expected to ink a one-year contract worth $2.25 million. 

     Dickerson helped the Miami Marlins reach the postseason in 2020 for the first time in 17 years. He played in 119 games with the Marlins in two seasons and compiled nine home runs, 31 runs batted in and a .261 batting average during his tenure. Dickerson contributed to the St. Louis Cardinals winning the National League Central Division title in 2022. 

Cameron Maybin Gone From YES Network

     Former Miami Marlins outfielder Cameron Maybin will not return as a New York Yankees game analyst and studio analyst on YES Network. He joined that organization in February 2022 following his retirement in the previous month. 

     Maybin will still keep busy with his other broadcasting jobs. He continues as a studio analyst of Chicago Cubs games on Marquee Sports Network along with being a studio analyst for MLB Network. 

     He played in two different stints with the Marlins franchise. His first stint was from 2008 until 2010 and then had a second stint with the team in 2018. 

CFP National Championship South Florida Players

     Several former South Florida high school football players captured the CFP National Championship on Monday night. The University of Georgia Bulldogs pounded the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs 65-7 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Georgia became the first team to win consecutive championships since the University of Alabama in 2011 and 2012. 

     The Bulldogs had three players on their roster from the South Florida area. Running back Kenny McIntosh from University School and wide receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint from St. Thomas Aquinas won their second CFP National Championship. Former American Heritage linebacker Marvin Jones Jr. captured his first title with the University of Georgia. 

Bernie Kosar Exits Cleveland Browns

     Former University of Miami Hurricanes and Miami Dolphins quarterback Bernie Kosar is no longer with the Cleveland Browns organization due to placing a bet on the team last Friday. Kosar was contracted to provide Browns team content for the last couple of years. 

     There was an NFL policy where team employees and contractors are not allowed to make wagers on their own National Football League club. Sports betting became legal in Ohio on January 1. 

     Kosar began to work as a contributor and podcast host at the Cleveland Browns flagship radio station ESPN Cleveland WKNR-AM in September 2020. He later added duties on the Cleveland Browns Radio Network as a pregame show analyst. 

Jeff DeForrest Joins Greenlite Ventures

     Longtime South Florida sports radio host Jeff DeForrest has joined Greenlite Ventures, Inc. He will hold the title of director of podcast operations with that organization. DeForrest will also co-host a weekly podcast with Brandon Lang on their new sports and gaming network. 

     He along with his on-air associate and producer Mike Lubitz will continue their South Florida Live programs on Facebook and YouTube channels. DeForrest also will still co-host shows with former South Florida Sun-Sentinel sportswriter, news columnist and food critic Michael Mayo. 

     DeForrest has worked as an on-air personality and hosted radio shows on many different radio stations over the past 40 years. He has been on WINZ-FM. WIOD-AM, WQAM-AM, WFTL-AM, WAXY-AM, WSBR-AM, WWNN-AM, WMEN-AM, WINZ-AM and WBZT-AM. DeForrest has worked at Five Reasons Sports Network as a morning podcast host since October 2021. 

Aneurys Zabala Signs With Tigers

     Aneurys Zabala has signed a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers. He will have the chance to make their major league roster in spring training. 

     Zabala was with the Miami Marlins organization last year. He made his major league debut with the club and pitched just 2 2/3 scoreless innings in two relief appearances. 

Dolphins Clinch Playoff Spot Over Jets

     The Miami Dolphins clinched the last American Football Conference wild-card spot as they survived the New York Jets 11-6 at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday. The Dolphins, who snapped a five-game losing streak, leaped from eighth to seventh in the AFC standings because the New England Patriots fell to the Buffalo Bills. 

     The Dolphins reached the postseason for the first time since the 2016 season. The Fins will play in the NFL Playoffs for just the third time since 2002. They will challenge the AFC East Division Champions the Buffalo Bills in the opening round next weekend. 

     It was unusual that there were no touchdowns throughout the Dolphins regular season finale. Both clubs could not score during the first quarter. 

     Miami(9-8) drew first blood as Jason Sanders kicked a 37-yard field goal with 5:27 to go in the second quarter. New York(7-10) matched it as Greg Zuerlein got a 32-yard field goal with 1:37 remaining in the first half. 

     The Dolphins regained the lead 6-3 at 5:18 of the third quarter. Sanders was able to nail another 37-yard field goal. 

     In the fourth quarter, the Jets once again tied it up 6-6. Zuerlein booted a 35-yard field goal at the 11:59 mark. 

     The Fins picked up a go-ahead field goal with 18 seconds left in the fourth to make it 9-6 as Sanders converted on a field goal from 50 yards away. Former St. Thomas Aquinas High School player and current Jets wide receiver Elijah Moore fumbled the ball out of the end zone for a safety with no time remaining in the contest to give Miami an 11-6 lead. 

Stars Burst Panthers

     The Dallas Stars rushed by the Florida Panthers 5-1 at American Airlines Center on Sunday. The Panthers reached the midway point of the regular season and continued their four-game road swing. 

     Dallas(24-11-6) took a 1-0 lead with 3:15 left in the first period. Jason Robertson chalked up his 27th goal of the campaign. Nils Lunkvist increased it to 2-0 with a power-play tally at 10:03 of the second period. 

     Florida(18-19-4) cut the deficit to 2-1 with 7:25 to go in the second. Carter Verhaeghe collected his 19th goal of the season on assists from Brandon Montour and Matthew Tkachuk. The Stars made it 3-1 just 39 seconds later on a goal by Esa Lundell. 

     In the third period, Dallas extended their lead. Colin Miller sent a long lead pass out of their defensive zone and Robertson scored on a breakaway at the 4:21 mark of the third period for his second goal of the contest and 28th goal this season. Miro Heiskanen added an unassisted goal with 4:11 left in the third and they had a four-goal margin. 

Nets Get By Heat

     The Brooklyn Nets edged the Miami Heat 102-101 on Sunday night at FTX Arena. The Heat, who reached the midway point of the 2022-23 regular season, played home following a five-game road trip out west. 

     The Nets have won 18 of their last 20 games. The team never had a strectch like this in their franchise history. 

      Brooklyn(27-13) had a 31-30 lead at the end of the first quarter and remained ahead 66-64 by halftime. Miami(21-20) moved ahead 82-79 after three quarters. Royce O'Neale made a short shot with three seconds left in the fourth quarter to give the Nets a 102-101 lead. 

     Jimmy Butler fell short of a double-double with a team-high 28 points and eight assists for the Heat. Tyler Herro dropped in 24 points. Bam Adebayo, Max Strus and Haywood Highsmith each scored 10 points each. 

     Kyrie Irving poured in a game-high 29 points for the Nets. Kevin Durant contributed 17 points while Seth Curry drained in 14 points. 

Quinton Howden Heads To France

     Former Florida Panthers center Quinton Howden has joined Grenoble in France. He had short stints with Jukurit in Finland and Orebro of Sweden earlier this season. 

     Howden was selected 25th overall by the Florida Panthers in the 2010 NHL Draft. He spent three seasons with the club and had 17 points in 92 games. 

Reds Get Tayron Guerrero

     The Cincinnati Reds have signed pitcher Tayron Guerrero to a minor league contract. He will be invited to spring training to make the major league roster. 

     Guerrero spent two seasons with the Miami Marlins in 2018 and 2019. He had a 2-5 record and a 5.80 earned run average in 112 relief appearances. Guerrero spent last season with Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan.  

Florida Panthers Unique Road Trip

     The Florida Panthers began an unusual road trip yesterday. They will play four games in four different time zone this week. 

     It is rare for the National Hockey League to set a schedule like this for a team from the east coast. It has not happened to Florida since the 2017-18 season when it occurred twice. The Panthers travelled to Detroit, Chicago, Colorado, Vegas and Arizona on one road trip. The club went to Edmonton, Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg and Toronto on another road trip later that season. 

     The Panthers started their current road trip in Detroit against the Red Wings in the Eastern Time Zone on Friday night. The Cats will visit the Dallas Stars in the Central Time Zone on Sunday afternoon. Florida continues west and face the Colorado Avalanche at Denver in the Mountain Time Zone on Tuesday night. They conclude the road swing on Thursday night in the Pacific Time Zone and challenge the Vegas Golden Knights in Las Vegas. 

Heat Outlast Suns

     The Miami Heat handled the Phoenix Suns 104-96 on Friday night. The Heat have won their last four games and finished off a five-game road trip versus Western Conference opponents. 

     Miami(21-19) held a 30-23 advantage after one quarter. The Heat maintained their lead at halftime 51-46. Phoenix(20-20) could not gain any traction and were down 78-73 at the end of three quarters. 

     Victor Oladipo collected a game-high 26 points for the Heat. Bam Adebayo composed a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Jimmy Butler added 20 points and Max Strus dropped in 19 points. Deandre Ayton led the Suns with a club-high 23 points along with 14 rebounds. 

Panthers Push By Red Wings

     The Florida Panthers held off the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 at Little Caesars Arena on Friday night. The Panthers played the first of four road straight road contests in four different time zones. The Cats begin a stretch of nine of their next 11 games on the road. 

     Detroit(16-14-7) attacked quickly and got up 1-0 just 1:05 into the first period. Jonatan Berggren found the net for the sixth time this season. 

     Florida(18-18-4) responded just over one minute later at the 2:33 mark. Gustav Forsling fired a slap shot from long range for his sixth goal of the campaign. Eric Staal chalked up his seventh assist while Givani Smith collected his first assist and first point with his new club. 

     The Panthers converted on two power-play opportunities later in the contest. Aaron Ekblad scored at 6:28 of the second period and he made it 3-1 at the 8:11 mark of the third period. 

     The Red Wings closed it to 3-2 with 3: 43 remaining in the third. Robby Fabbri got his first goal of the year in just his second game he has participated in during 2022-23.

Dolphins Claim Geron Christian

     The Miami Dolphins have claimed offensive tackle Geron Christian off waivers from the Kansas City Chiefs. He was involved in 10 contests with the Chiefs this season. 

     Christian has played in 48 games in the National Football League over the last five seasons. He was previously with the Washington Redskins/Washington Football Team and the Houston Texans. 

Matthew Tkachuk On All-Star Game Roster

     Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk has been named to the 2023 NHL All-Star Game roster. He will participate in the All-Star Skills Competition on February 3 and play in the All-Star Game on February 4 at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise. 

     It is the second time that Tkachuk will appear in the National Hockey League All-Star Game festivities. He leads Florida with 20 goals, 27 assists, 47 points, 15 even-strength goals, 31 even-strength points, 16 power-play points and 134 shots on goal this season. His brother Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators was also selected as an Atlantic Division representative. 

Zach Thomas Pro Football Hall Of Fame Finalist

     Former Miami Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas has been named a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The election for that institution will occur in February prior to the Super Bowl. 

     Thomas played 168 games with the Miami Dolphins from 1996 until 2007 and had 17 interceptions for four touchdowns. He finished his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys in 2008. 

Lewin Diaz Claimed Again By Orioles

     Former Miami Marlins first baseman Lewin Diaz has been claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles for a second time. The O's did the same procedure back on December 2. 

     Diaz has been with several organizations since the conclusion of the 2022 season. He was with the Miami Marlins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles and Atlanta Braves. Diaz had five home runs, 11 runs batted in and a .169 batting average last season with Miami. 

Lakers Shake Heat

     The Los Angeles Lakers edged the Miami Heat 112-109 at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday night. Former Miami Heat player and current Lakers forward LeBron James did not participate in the game. The Heat will conclude their five-game road trip on Friday night at Phoenix. 

     Miami has defeated Los Angeles in four of the last six meetings since they played each other in the 2020 NBA Finals. The Heat have been victorious in 18 of the last 28 regular season contests against the Lakers. 

     Los Angeles(17-21) had an 11-1 spurt at the end of the first quarter and led 32-23. Miami(20-19) had a 19-10 run to conclude the second quarter and trailed 52-48 at halftime. 

     The Lakers were able to stay in front with a 79-78 advantage after three quarters. The Heat broke out in the fourth on a 11-4 spurt to go ahead 89-83. Los Angeles answered back with a 21-10 run and held off Miami down the stretch. 

     Bam Adebayo scored 30 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for Miami. Jimmy Butler dropped in 27 points while Victor Oladipo drained in 12 points. 

     Dennis Schroder powered in a game-high 32 points for Los Angeles. Russell Westbrook came off the bench and fell short of a triple-double with 21 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Thomas Bryant contributed 21 points in the victory. 

Mike Glennon Joins Dolphins

     The Miami Dolphins have signed quarterback Mike Glennon to a contract. He has been assigned to their practice squad. 

     Glennon will be joining his seventh National Football League team. He played in six games last season with the New York Giants. Glennon had previous stints with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals, Oakland Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Zach Krantz Leaves WQAM Morning Show

     Zach Krantz has left his position as the morning co-host on The Joe Rose Show. He is the new digital content producer at AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM. 

     Krantz started as a producer with WQAM. He moved to Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM when it switched to a sports format in August 2004 and was the morning producer of The Joe Rose Show.

     He returned with Rose to WQAM-AM in 2007 as the executive producer of the morning show and eventually added duties as an on-air sidekick. Krantz was elevated to afternoon co-host with Marc Hochman in April 2014. That program added Channing Crowder in August 2015. 

     Krantz was shifted back to morning show as on-air sidekick with Joe Rose in May 2017 and later received the title of morning co-host. He has co-hosted a weekly evening show on WQAM called Zach and The Nose for the past year.

Tkachuk Hat Trick And Panthers Jump Coyotes

     Matthew Tkachuk compiled his first hat trick with his new club as the Florida Panthers got a 5-3 victory over the Arizona Coyotes at FLA Live Arena on Tuesday night. The Panthers will play nine of their next 11 games on the road. 

     Florida(17-18-4) blasted out to a 1-0 lead at 1:09 of the first period. Gustav Forsling fired a slap shot from the left point which was saved by Karel Vejmelka. Aleksander Barkov made a square pass from the low slot and Matthew Tkachuk put in a one-time shot from the low right circle. 

     The Panthers expanded it to 2-0 with 8:39 left in the first. Marc Staal carried the puck from the right point to the middle and took a shot. After a Vejmelka save, Eric Staal waited and released a wrist shot from the low right circle. It was his fourth goal in the last seven contests and 446th career goal. 

     Arizona(13-18-5) picked up a power-play goal with 2.1 seconds remaining in the period and trailed 2-1. Nick Schmaltz advanced the puck from the top right circle to Clayton Keller on the right goal line. His centering pass was tapped in by Jakob Chychrun from the blue paint. 

     In the second period, the Coyotes evened it up 1-1 at the 5:17 mark. Juuso Valimaki passed from the left wing. Keller skated with the puck through the high slot and backhanded a shot from the top right circle past Spencer Knight for his 14th goal of the campaign. 

     The Cats reclaimed the lead 3-2 with 9:23 to go in the second. Josh Mahura connected a diagonal pass from the left wing. Tkachuk snapped a shot from the right of the crease for his second tally of the game and 19th goal of the season. 

     The Yotes answered back to tie it 3-3 with 6:01 remaining in the period. Jack McBain backhanded the puck from the left corner. J.J. Moser took a slap shot from the left point and it was deflected in from the top of the crease by former Panther Nick Bjugstad with his 10th goal. 

     It became 4-3 for Florida with 3:59 left in the second. Tkachuk sent a cross-ice pass from the left circle to Ryan Lomberg at the right circle. He pushed it to the middle and Staal powered in his second goal of the game. 

     Tkachuk got his first trick in a Florida uniform with 30.4 seconds remaining in the second and gave them a 5-3 lead. Knight sent a long lead pass from the Panthers zone to Sam Reinhart at the Coyotes blue line. He sailed a pass to the top the of the crease and Tkachuk scored on his own rebound for his 20th goal this season. Knight was credited with his first NHL assist on the play. 

Heat Ruin Clippers

     The Miami Heat knocked off the Los Angeles Clippers 110-100 at Crypto.com Arena on Monday night. The Heat, who were involved in their first game of the 2023 calendar year, have won four of their last five games. 

     Miami(20-18) leaped out to a 34-28 advantage at the end of the first quarter. The Heat compiled a 24-7 run during the second quarter and led 67-49 at halftime. 

     Los Angeles(21-18) dominated the third quarter with a 30-10 spurt and were ahead 83-81 at the end of the frame. Miami scored seven unanswered points to begin the fourth quarter and capped the contest on a 14-5 run. 

     The Heat were led by Bam Adebayo with a double-double of 31 points and 13 rebounds for game-highs. Tyler Herro added 23 points with seven rebounds while Victor Oladipo dropped in 15 points. Paul George scored a team-high 25 points for the Clippers. 

Rangers Skate By Panthers

     The Florida Panthers played their first game of the 2023 calendar year and were defeated by the New York Rangers 5-3 at FLA Live Arena on Sunday. The Panthers will conclude their short two-game homestand on Tuesday versus the Arizona Coyotes. 

     New York (20-12-6) got out to 1-0 lead one second into a power play following a four-on-four situation with 5:24 left in the first period. Adam Fox and Artemi Panarin made passes in the neutral zone. Mika Zibanejad raced through the middle of the ice, through to slot area and slid a wrist shot past Sergei Bobrovsky for his 17th goal of the season. 

     In the second period, the Rangers increased it to 2-0 with 9:30 left. Branden Schneider pushed the puck from the right corner. Kaapo Kakko centered it from the end wall and Zibanejad powered a one-time slap shot from the right circle for his second tally of the contest and 18th goal of the campaign. 

     Florida(16-18-4) cut it to 2-1 with 6:03 to go in the second. Josh Mahura scooted a pass from the high slot. Eric Staal made a square pass and Nick Cousins snapped a shot from the right circle by Jaroslav Halak for his fourth goal this season. 

     The Blueshirts regained a two-goal margin with 4:16 remaining in the period as Chris Kreider released a slap shot from the slot area for his 17th goal of the season. Kakko and Fox were credited with assists on the play. 

     The Panthers picked up a power-play goal with 57.1 seconds left and trailed 3-2. Gustav Forsling angled a pass from the top of the zone. Carter Verhaeghe fired a one-time slap shot from the right circle which was saved. Sam Bennett put in the rebound from the low left circle with a snap shot for his eighth goal of the campaign. 

     New York added another goal with the man advantage at the 1:38 mark of the third period for a 4-2 lead. Kreider connected a diagonal pass from the left circle and former Florida Panthers Vincent Trocheck guided the puck into the cage from the right of the crease for his 13th goal with his new team. 

     The Cats answered back just at 2:53 and were down 4-3. Staal shot the puck from the inner right circle for his fourth goal in a Panthers uniform. 

     It became 5-3 for the Rangers with 9:56 left in the third. Panarin attempted a pass across the slot and it bounced off a Panthers defender. He followed up with a wrist shot from the slot area for his 10th goal this season. 

Patriots Push By Dolphins

     The New England Patriots inched their way by the Miami Dolphins 23-21 on Sunday at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots leaped over the Dolphins for the final AFC wild-card spot with one regular season game to play. 

     New England(8-8) scored first at 7:15 of the first quarter. Quarterback Mac Jones threw a seven-yard pass to wide receiver Tyquan Thornton in the end zone. 

     In the second quarter, Miami(8-8) tied it up 7-7 on the first play of the frame. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill caught a two-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. 

     The Dolphins pulled ahead 14-7 at the 9:17 mark of the third quarter. Bridgewater tossed a two-yard touchdown pass to running back Raheem Mostert. 

     The Patriots rallied to take the lead 16-10 during the third quarter. Nick Folk booted a 49-yard field goal with 4:18 remaining. Defensive back Kyle Dugger intercepted a pass and returned it for a 39-yard score with 2:51 left in the third. 

     The Pats expanded their lead to 23-14 with 4:37 to go in the fourth quarter. Jones quickly passed to wide receiver Jakobi Meyers on the left side of the end zone from one yard away. 

     The Fins made one last attempt to come back in the contest as they reached the end zone with 1:04 left in the fourth to make it 23-21. Backup quarterback Skylar Thompson rifled a four-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mike Gesicki in the back right corner. 

Steve Cishek Retiring

     Former Miami Marlins pitcher Steve Cishek is retiring from Major League Baseball. Cishek finished up a 13-season career with the Washington Nationals last year. He started a game in his time in the majors. 

     Cishek played for the local club, who were known as the Florida Marlins and the Miami Marlins, from 2010 until 2015. He has 93 saves in 284 relief appearances with the Marlins.