Woher kommt Ihr? » van Gerwen set a new record for the highest televised

CHICAGO -- Commissioner Rob Manfred says baseball wants to study high-profile positions within the sport to see if certain qualifications predict success, a step that has everything to do with minority hiring.Baseball had no Latino managers before Rick Renteria took over the Chicago White Sox last month. Dusty Baker of the Washington Nationals and Dave Roberts from the Los Angeles Dodgers are the only black skippers among the leagues 30 teams.But there were 10 minority managers as recently as 2009, according to Richard Lapchick of The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida.Certain perceptions develop as to what people are looking for in particular positions and then people write stories saying, `Oh, thats a problem on the minority front because, you know, maybe minorities are less likely to share these characteristics, Manfred said Thursday at the conclusion of two days of owners meetings.I think a first step in addressing those concerns is identifying which ones really matter and then you start to identify candidates who have all those qualifications and say, hey this may be the perfect guy for you and I have some science behind it in order to demonstrate that he is the best candidate, or she.Major League Baseball hired Korn Ferry last year in part to help top minority candidates in their interviews for positions in baseball operations. But Manfred said the search firm is going to focus on openings for individual clubs when its retained because of the potential for conflicts when it works for the central office and teams at the same time.When the White Sox announced Renterias promotion, they highlighted his ability to communicate in English and Spanish. But Manfred said there are all sorts of factors that could be considered.You could name probably 20 things off the top of your head, he said. The question is, once youve named them, do any of them really predict success on the field?While MLB briefed the owners on baseballs highly successful postseason and the upcoming World Baseball Classic, the ongoing labor talks with the players occupied a significant portion of the meetings at a downtown Chicago hotel, already decked out in its best Christmas decorations.The collective bargaining agreement expires Dec. 1. Negotiators for owners and players have been meeting since spring training.I remain optimistic that were going to make a deal, Manfred said. This process is not predictable in terms of time. I said there were certain natural deadlines out there. The beginning of the market was one and the expiration of the agreements another, and Im hopeful that were going to get a deal done before that latter deadline.Manfred declined to address any details from the bargaining sessions, but he said an international amateur draft remains on the table.Manfred also touched on several other fronts with the sport and the owners quarterly meetings:-The owners approved changes with the leadership structures in Oakland and Philadelphia, with John Fisher becoming the control person of the Athletics and John Middleton taking over the same position with the Phillies. The As announced that Lew Wolff will be transitioning from managing partner to chairman emeritus, and that he had agreed to sell most of his interest to the remaining owners.Fisher and Middleton each controlled the biggest stake in their specific teams before taking over their new roles.I think the ownership committee has a strong preference that the individuals who are either the largest or one of the largest equity owners in clubs be the individual who is the baseball control person, Manfred said.-Manfred also reacted to supermodel Kate Uptons online support of fiance Justin Verlander after the Detroit Tigers ace finished second to Bostons Rick Porcello in voting for the AL Cy Young Award. Verlander was left off the ballot by two voters, prompting a series of tweets by Upton that were widely circulated on social media.The particular content of the tweet Im not going to comment on, a chuckling Manfred said. I do think that engagement on social media by players and people close to players is important in todays world. I think that it brings attention to the sport at a point during the year when its our offseason and we have less going on.-The Cubs first World Series title since 1908 helped generate great ratings during the playoffs, and there is talk around the sport about how to build on the success from the postseason.Were not going to have the Cubs and 108 years every year, Manfred said. But I think there are lots of compelling baseball stories that can help us produce the kind of postseason popularity that we enjoyed this year.---Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap Cheap Shoes From China . Jon Montgomerys gold medal in skeleton at the Whistler Sliding Centre and his subsequent auctioning off of a pitcher of beer in the village square elevated him to folk-hero status. China Shoes Cheap . -- Devin Hester is done returning kicks in Chicago. https://www.chinashoesshop.com/ .C. -- Charlotte Bobcats coach Steve Clifford said after all of these years in the NBA hes still amazed at some of the things LeBron James does. Fake China Shoes . Paul Pierce couldnt believe he missed at the end. Young scored a season-high 26 points to spark a huge effort from the leagues most productive bench, and Los Angeles beat the Brooklyn Nets 99-94 on Wednesday night after blowing a 27-point lead. China Shoes Jordans . Argentina winger Ezequiel Lavezzi and France midfielder Blaise Matuidi scored, with star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic setting up both despite having a poor game by his high standards. Forward Eduardo gave Ajaccio the lead in the sixth minute after being set up by right winger Benjamin Andre, and the Corsican side looked comfortable in the first half, with the lively Johan Cavalli causing problems with his probing runs from midfield.Michael van Gerwen will be hoping to build on his record-breaking heroics when he faces Premier League leader Peter Wright on night five in Exeter. The world No 1 recorded the highest average in the history of televised darts as he ended with 123.4 after last weeks 7-1 thrashing of Michael Smith in Aberdeen.Van Gerwen will next face the unbeaten Peter Wright, while Phil Taylor takes on his familiar rival Adrian Lewis, and defending champion Gary Anderson also returns to action on Thursday night, live on Sky Sports 1 HD. Phil Taylor v Adrian Lewis Phil Taylor produced another impressive win against Dave Chisnall Taylor has strung together three straight wins in the Premier League and he ended with an average of 115.25 after his most recent 7-5 victory over Dave Chisnall.This performance was overshadowed by Van Gerwens earlier fireworks, but Taylor took out a 126 and twice started legs with six successive trebles. Phil Taylor beat Dave Chisnall 7-5 to make it three wins on the bounce in the Premier League Lewis sits on the same six-point tally as he finally completed his third win of the season against James Wade after both men missed a string of darts at a double.Dave Chisnall v James Wade James Wade will be targeting his third win of the campaign Chizzy finished second in last years table, but has failed to fire in the current campaign and wasteful finishing prevented him from pinching a point against Taylor.Wade was equally erratic during his loss to Lewis as he let a point slip through his fingers and both men will be seeking a confidence boosting result. Things got tight in the final leg of the match between Adrian Lewis and James Wade In the pairs last Premier League encounter, Chisnall recorded an average of 114 in a 7-1 hammering of Wade in Sheffield.dddddddddddd.Robert Thornton v Gary Anderson Gary Anderson had reason to smile after opening his account in Scotland Anderson ended a barren start to his title defence when he claimed a 7-3 win over Raymond van Barneveld.The Flying Scotsman expressed his relief after gaining his first win, but admitted he is still short of his best form after a virus forced him out of the first week.Fellow Scot Thornton has been unable to disguise his own struggles on the oche, but he did gain his first point in last weeks battling draw with Wright.Peter Wright v Michael van Gerwen Michael van Gerwen can take spot from Peter Wright with a win Van Gerwen has steamrolled his opponents in recent weeks and Smith watched in awe while the Dutchmans average soared up to 136 at one stage. Michael van Gerwen set a new record for the highest televised average score, beating Phil Taylors previous record It remains to be seen whether The Green Machine can maintain these sky-high standards as he attempts to take top spot from Wright, who is yet to suffer a defeat, despite continuously changing his darts.Wright laboured with a new set of arrows in his draw with Thornton and cannot afford any such lapses against Van Gerwen.Michael Smith v Raymond van Barneveld Michael Smith is still searching for his first Premier League win Van Barnevelds lack of consistency was again evident in his lacklustre 7-3 defeat against Anderson.But the Dutchman will be hoping to make his experience count against newcomer Smith, who has claimed just a point from five games.These two met in the quarter-finals of the World Championships as Barney battled back for a thrilling 5-4 win.Watch night five of the Premier League in Exeter this Thursday, from 7pm on Sky Sports 1. Or watch for £6.99 without a contract, on NOW TV. Also See: Mardles PL Darts predictions Rod recalls Greatest match ' ' '