Japan plates 2 in ninth, ousts Mexico in World Baseball Classic  —  MIAMI — Munetaka Murakami, a Japanese Triple Crown winner who, at 23, is already among the best hitters in the world, thought about bunting.  —  It was the ninth inning, two runners occupied first and second base with nobody out …

MLB could tweak new rules before Opening Day: Sources  —  Members of MLB's competition committee on Monday discussed tweaks to baseball's new rules, people briefed on the meeting told The Athletic, opening the door to potential rule modifications for Opening Day.

Willis Reed was the beating heart of the champion Knicks  —  It couldn't have happened without all of them, without Clyde who played the game of his life in that Game 7 against the Lakers that May night in 1970, the night at Madison Square Garden when the Knicks finally won it all, 36 points from him and 19 assists and seven rebounds.

Nazier Mulé, a 2-way prospect the Chicago Cubs drafted last year, will undergo Tommy John surgery  —  MESA, Ariz. — Chicago Cubs two-way prospect Nazier Mulé's professional baseball debut will be delayed.  —  Mulé is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery next week …

Kings ride 4-goal first period to rout of Flames  —  Drew Doughty and Viktor Arvidsson score in the opening period, Adrian Kempe has two goals and an assist and the Kings improve to 8-0-2 in their past 10 with an 8-2 win  —  The Kings turned in a forecheck-fueled, four-goal first period …

Eduardo Escobar's Mets return comes with Brett Baty competition at third  —  WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Eduardo Escobar enjoyed the “unbelievable” energy that came with playing in the World Baseball Classic for Venezuela, but his focus returned Monday to the Mets.

Charisma Osborne's big night leads UCLA women past Oklahoma, into Sweet 16  —  Osborne scores a career-high 36 points and the fourth-seeded Bruins squander an 18-point lead before rallying in the fourth quarter for an 82-73 win that earns them a shot at unbeaten South Carolina

Rick Pitino agrees to six-year deal to become St. John's head coach  —  Rick Pitino has agreed to become St. John's head coach, the school announced.  —  Pitino informed Iona he was leaving the program in a team meeting Monday afternoon and agreed to the six-year deal with the Red Storm, according to ESPN.

Sources: Cardinals Fire Longtime Head Athletic Trainer Tom Reed  —  The Cardinals have fired longtime head athletic trainer Tom Reed, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation.  —  Reed held the position for the past 15 seasons in Arizona.

FMIA: The First-Week Free-Agency Files  —  Early Report Card  —  1. Chicago.  The Bears traded ownership of the draft to Carolina, then owned the first week of free-agency.  —  After a conversation with Bears GM Ryan Poles the other night, it sounds like the trade was almost THE TRADE.