Latest news with #No.19
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Alex Cora optimistic about the return of Wilyer Abreu next week
'This is what we thought it was going to be [timeline-wise],' said Cora, who referenced Abreu participating in weight-room activities. 'We talked to him [Monday], no chance we were going to play shorthanded for three or four days. This is the best move for him and obviously the roster.' Advertisement That tracks with the initial thought from Red Sox decision-makers that Abreu's injury maybe wouldn't require a stint on the injured list at all. When they realized Monday afternoon Abreu needed more than a day or two of recovery, they opted to play it safe and put him on the IL, prompting the call-up of Anthony, regarded as the top prospect in baseball. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up If Abreu indeed comes back quickly, it would raise questions about playing time, outfield arrangement and roster construction. The answers should depend on who is playing to what level of success by the time Abreu is ready. In Abreu's stead, Anthony is due to stick in right field, though he played all three outfield spots in the minors. Advertisement Slow for Slaten Reliever Justin Slaten (right shoulder inflammation) remains stuck in a shutdown period, according to Cora, and is not close to returning. He has been on the IL since June 1, his second arm injury in 11 months. 'It's slower than we expected, let's put it that way,' Cora said. 'He hasn't thrown. He hasn't reacted to treatment the way we expected. It's a slow process.' Slaten had served as a key late-inning option for Cora, who has had to lean more heavily on others in Slaten's absence. 'It's a big [loss],' Cora said. 'Hopefully this is something we can figure out in the upcoming days and get him going. Right now, it doesn't seem like it's going to be soon.' Numbers game Anthony, who wore No. 48 in his debut Monday, switched to No. 19 on Tuesday. He said clubhouse manager Tom McLaughlin gave it to him because he had worn that number in Triple A. Among the noteworthy former Sox who have worn No. 19: Jackie Bradley Jr. (2017-20 and 2022), Koji Uehara (2013-16), Josh Beckett (2006-12), Fred Lynn (1974-80) and Moe Berg (1935). Most recently, it had been worn last month by Middleborough native Sean Newcomb . Left out versus lefties Cora reiterated his plan to mostly not let Anthony as well as Marcelo Mayer bat against lefthanded pitchers, preferring the righthanded bats of Rob Refsnyder and Romy Gonzalez , respectively, in those spots. Even if Anthony in particular fared well against southpaws in the minors this year, Cora explained that there is a significant difference between those lefthanders and the lefties in the majors. So his righty/lefty splits aren't particularly meaningful. 'The gap is big. It's very big,' Cora said. 'The lefties here are real lefties. There's stuff here, especially guys in the bullpen … If you have stuff, you're going to be here. You're not going to be in Triple A or Double A. Advertisement 'The kids, they understand … They're all in to win it. They know. We will keep doing that.' Up in arms Of the 35 relievers who have appeared in 30 or more games this season, three are Red Sox: Greg Weissert (31), Brennan Bernardino (31) and Aroldis Chapman (30). Chapman pitched for a third day in a row — for the first time this season — Monday. 'You're going to go through stretches that you don't pitch,' Cora said. 'It seems like we've been in this stretch that everybody pitches every day for a month now.' . . . Seymour's homecoming The Rays optioned lefthander Ian Seymour , a St. John's of Shrewsbury product, back to Triple A Durham, a day after he picked up the win in his major league debut in Tampa Bay's 10-8 defeat of the Red Sox in 11 innings. Seymour pitched the two extra innings, allowing a lone unearned run and no hits . . . Lefthander Chris Murphy joined Triple A Worcester to continue his rehab assignment. He had Tommy John surgery in April 2024 . . . Tanner Houck (right flexor pronator strain) threw his second bullpen session Tuesday and said he is scheduled for another Friday . . . Tampa Bay's Zack Littell , who will start Wednesday, on his five days with the Red Sox in 2023: 'Every now and again, I'll see a picture of me in a Red Sox jersey and it's weird. It's almost like it didn't happen, but it did happen and there's proof.' Advertisement Tim Healey can be reached at
Los Angeles Times
12-05-2025
- General
- Los Angeles Times
The best pastrami dip sandwich in the city may be at this Westlake deli
Langer's Delicatessen may be the most consistent restaurant in Los Angeles. It's so consistent that my order hasn't deviated in 35 years. The No. 1 with an extra side of Russian dressing for dipping. 'You used to suck on the pickles before your teeth came in,' says my father during a recent lunch. The tufted brown leather squeaks as we both shift in our seats. He's been coming to the deli since before I was born. He's there once a week, sometimes more. He often tells himself that this week, he will order the chef's salad. 'But then I smell the pastrami, and, well,' he says with a shrug of his shoulders. The most popular Langer's sandwich is the No. 19, a tower of pastrami, Swiss cheese, coleslaw and Russian dressing served on double-baked rye bread. It was created by the late Al Langer, who opened the deli in 1947. The No. 1, also my dad's favorite, is almost identical, minus the Swiss cheese. It is the only time I will not invite cheese to a party. The Russian dressing, a thick, chunky Thousand Island, is rich enough. It took a recent visit with a friend from Kentucky for me to stray from my usual order. Before our lunch, I told her that Langer's was home to the best pastrami sandwich in the universe. But I never specified which of the dozen ways to order pastrami on bread at the restaurant. When it came time to order, she chose the pastrami French dip ($26). The sandwich is served on a golden French roll made by Fred's Bakery and Deli, the same Beverlywood bakery that has been making the restaurant's rye bread for more than 45 years. It's undressed, soft and airy with crust that's crisp but yields on contact. The mountain of pastrami in the middle is seven-slices high. It's arranged in such a way that the meat covers every inch of bread, then just barely hangs over the edge in enticing fragments you can pluck out whenever the fancy strikes. The pastrami is the same on all of the Langer's sandwiches, made by RC Provisions in Burbank for more than 45 years. It's a recipe from Al, whose son Norm Langer owns and runs the deli. The meat is brined, rubbed in a spice blend then smoked. It's steamed at the restaurant for anywhere from 2½ to 5 hours, losing about 35% of its mass in the process. When it emerges from the steamer, quivering and glistening, it is so delicate, it barely survives the blade of the knife, collapsing into a heap of fat and smoke on the cutting board. Each slice is crowned with a layer of bark, jet black-edged and hot with pepper. There's a rim of fat (unless you order your pastrami lean) that melts into the reddish-pink beef beneath. The cup of jus on the side is deep in color and flavor, salty but balanced enough to sip. 'This sandwich has been on the menu since before you were born,' Langer says. 'It used to be more popular years ago.' It is not a sexy sandwich. There are no striations of condiments. Just pink on beige with more brown for dipping. 'The pastrami dip in my place is not the big deal,' Langer says. 'It's great. It's excellent, but people come to me [and] they want the No. 19. If you ask me how much do I sell in comparison to everything else, very little.' But maybe it should be the big deal. Much in the same way that pastrami purists will order plain pastrami on rye, or even a pile of pastrami on a plate, I'd argue that the pastrami dip may be the purest sandwich of them all. Without the bite of rye seeds, the pastrami's smoke is bolder, its black pepper hotter on the tongue. The roll is more sponge than vessel, soaking up just enough au jus to moisten the sandwich without capitulating to the broth completely. A squirt of hot brown mustard every third bite helps penetrate the richness and heightens the spice. Its a sandwich resplendent in its restraint, the three ingredients each allowed to enrapture your senses. 'People have Philippe's in mind when they hear French dip,' Langer says. 'Or they think of the Hat. They don't think Langer's.' But do people think Los Angeles when they think of the pastrami dip? The late, great Jonathan Gold once called the sandwich a saving grace for the city's bad pastrami. 'Perhaps the ultimate Bad Pastrami experience in Los Angeles is the pastrami dip, which combines French dip form with Bad Pastrami function, pungent ethnic excess structured like a genteel downtown businessman's lunch,' he wrote. The pastrami dip is a creation deeply ingrained in Los Angeles sandwich culture, with no shortage of restaurants advertising their world-famous sandwiches. Two downtown Los Angeles restaurants, Philippe the Original and Cole's French Dip, claim to have created the French dip sandwich in the early 20th century. At Philippe the Original, the rolls are crusty and sturdy around a generous cluster of thinly sliced pastrami. On its own, the pastrami is tough and rubbery, with pockets of black pepper wherever there's a bite with bark. It's a sandwich ($15.50) that requires a double dip in the jus when ordering and an extra side of jus for dipping. The hot mustard helps. It will tingle your nostrils. At Cole's, the French rolls are a deeper gold, toasted on the insides, more substantial and chewier. The pastrami is a thicker cut, gristly, all smoke with no pepper. It's less abundant in the sandwich, the architecture lacking with a few meatless corners. Like at Philippe's, the sandwich ($23) requires a few dips in the cup of jus to hide a multitude of shortcomings. Sandwiches by Connal in Pasadena serves a pastrami dip sandwich ($13.99) with a dip so slight, the roll and meat are dry. The pastrami is sliced into rugged, uneven slabs that taste like smoked ham. With yellow mustard and pickles, it eats like the sort of sandwich you might make the morning after a holiday dinner. The pastrami at the Hat locations around Los Angeles and Orange County fall into a different category, one that I associate with the pastrami you find at burger joints all over the city. It's shaved into unruly ribbons, and half the contents spill from the sandwich. The Hat's 'world-famous pastrami dip' ($12.60) is painted with yellow mustard and a smattering of pickles on the bottom half of the roll, while the top half is dipped into a vat of jus. The salt, fat and juice smother the pickles and mustard, snuffing out the vinegar and tang. A bombardment of pastrami on a roll. The welcome theme of pastrami excess is echoed at Johnnie's Pastrami. Brothers Eddie and Eli Passy opened the restaurant on Sepulveda Boulevard in Culver City in 1952. When they took over the space, the signage for the property read 'Johnnies Pastrami.' It was too expensive to change, so despite there not being a Johnny involved in the operation, the name stuck. At the time, the pastrami dip sandwich was $0.70. Like the Hat, the Johnnie's Pastrami dip ($19.25) is crammed with shaved pastrami, only the meat is even thinner, more tender and with a heavier smack of smoke and maybe a little garlic. A single dip of the top bun into the drippings will suffice, but if you dine in, you can ask for an extra cup on the side. Can any of these sandwiches compete with the pastrami dip at Langer's? It was never a fair fight. While you could happily eat a plate of Langer's pastrami bare, the same cannot be said for the others. The pastrami dip sandwiches of Los Angeles are their own breed of sandwich, built upon the New York deli pastrami sandwiches that gradually made their way west in the 1930s and '40s. The dips are wet, messy behemoths of meat, juice and bread. Grittier and humbler than their East Coast predecessors. There will always be bickering when it comes to pastrami. Which style is best. The correct condiments. To dip or not to dip. Who makes the best. This column will no doubt stoke the fires. Dress the sandwich up or down however you like. But if your goal is to eat the best pastrami, to appreciate the hours of smoke and steam, make sure it's from Langer's.
Straits Times
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Lamine Yamal stardust could give Barca edge on Inter Milan
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates with the trophy after winning the Copa del Rey. PHOTO: REUTERS BARCELONA – Barcelona last reached the Champions League final a decade ago, with Lionel Messi as their torch-bearer. Now the Catalan giants rely on another generational talent in Lamine Yamal as their 'X-factor' when they host Inter Milan in a semi-final, first-leg clash on April 30. At the peak of his powers, Messi scored two brilliant goals in the 2015 semi-final, first leg against Bayern Munich on the way to the treble, and while Yamal, 17, is still honing his finishing, he holds the key to the team's potential success this season. The teenager, left-footed but operating on the right flank with freedom to roam, as Messi did for many years, is what gives Hansi Flick's brilliant Barca their edge. Yamal showed precisely that in their thrilling Clasico Copa del Rey final victory over Real Madrid on April 26 in Seville, setting up two of Barcelona's three goals. He has been showing it all season, with 14 goals and 24 assists, and countless but crucial flashes of invention, genius and flair, on the back of his superb Euro 2024 displays with champions Spain last summer. Flick's attacking Barca has captured the imagination and a grand part of that is due to Yamal. In Barcelona's city centre it is rare to walk more than a few minutes without seeing somebody sporting a replica Yamal shirt. On matchdays, a sea of No. 19 shirts ascends the rolling staircases and escalators reaching towards the Olympic stadium on the city's Montjuic hill. It used to be Messi's No. 10, with an array of different Barcelona shirts from different years, or the sky-blue and white stripes of Argentina. With Yamal the shirts are identical, given his rise to stardom has been dizzyingly rapid and this is his first season wearing the No. 19. Should Barcelona win the Champions League, he is a potential Ballon d'Or winner. Such a feat was hard to imagine so quickly when former Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez gave him his debut as a 15-year-old in April 2023 against Real Betis in La Liga. Yamal looked a tad intimidated, rightfully so, as the Camp Nou towered up around him, with tens of thousands analysing his every step. Perhaps it was the one and only time, because ever since then he has not shown the slightest hint of being daunted. 'I'm surprised by how incredible the (young players') mentality is,' said Barcelona captain Ronald Araujo last week. 'They are so calm... these kids from La Masia, it's surprised me a lot.' Yamal's mother was more worried than the youngster himself. 'My mum is afraid for me when I start, but she supports me a lot,' he said, while still finding his footing at the club. Those initial nerves disappeared so quickly and despite his tender age, Yamal began shouldering the creative weight of the team while only 16. While still awaiting results for his secondary school exams, he cemented his star status with Spain at the Euros in Germany, turning 17 the day before the final. 'We have seen a genius, the work of a genius,' gushed Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, after Yamal scored a beautiful goal against France in the semi-finals. He is now essential for Barcelona, who have struggled every time he has not started this season. While Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha have the lion's share of the goals, so many of those would not be possible without Yamal's input. Either directly, from his dangerous in-swinging crosses, or indirectly, because of his incisive dribbling to take out three opponents in the build-up. 'Lamine Yamal... he's like Messi. Does he surprise me? No. Everyone knows how good he is, he can dribble past anyone,' said former Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde earlier this season. Yamal, who as a baby in 2007 was remarkably photographed being bathed by then 20-year-old Messi for a charity calendar, has always been wary of the parallels, inevitable as they seem. 'Messi is the best player in history, and being compared to him means I'm doing things right, but I try to be myself,' he said in February. If Yamal can take Barcelona back to the Champions League final, those comparisons will only grow. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
USA Today
02-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Rising Cowboys WR opts for new jersey number with major history, big-name recognition
Rising Cowboys WR opts for new jersey number with major history, big-name recognition Embarking on his second season in the pros, Cowboys wide receiver Ryan Flournoy is looking to build off a rookie season where he turned in fairly modest numbers. But he'll do so wearing a number that has proven to be very productive in the franchise's passing game through the years. The sixth-round draft pick out of Southeast Missouri State has a new jersey number, according the official team website. Flournoy will wear No. 19 in the upcoming season, leaving his former No. 80 for someone else. (He wore No. 18 during his rookie training camp and preseason.) It doesn't carry the mystique of No. 88 in the annals of Cowboys wide-receiver lore, but No. 19 definitely has some history of its own. If it rings a bell of familiarity, consider a few of the former Cowboys receivers who have sported those digits previously. Lance Rentzel led the NFL in receiving touchdowns in 1969 and- despite leaving the team after just four seasons 55 years ago- remains in the franchise's top 20 in receiving yards. One of the most decorated stars of the old AFL, Lance Alworth took over the number when he was traded to Dallas in 1971. He stayed for just two seasons but helped the Cowboys to their first two Super Bowls and caught a touchdown in their first Super Bowl win. Keyshawn Johnson brought the No. 19 back to the Dallas WR room in 2004. One of the most dominant pass-catchers of his era, the three-time Pro Bowler was a Cowboy for only two years but was the team's position leader in receptions in both campaigns. He is currently 48th on the NFL's all-time receiving yards list. Miles Austin enjoyed one of the more improbable Cowboys careers in recent memory. Going undrafted out of tiny Monmouth University, Austin was a virtual unknown when he got his first NFL start in a 2009 Week 5 game versus Kansas City and went on to tally 250 yards as a fill-in for the injured Roy Williams. Austin subsequently made two Pro Bowls wearing No. 19 for Dallas and, after eight years with the club, remains in the top 10 for receiving yards. The Cowboys made a rare midseason trade in 2018 for Amari Cooper, who wore No. 19 and nearly single-handedly turned around a disastrous season with his arrival. A five-time Pro Bowler, Cooper sits 10th in Cowboys all-time receiving yards, despite playing in Dallas for just three and a half seasons. Currently a free agent, Cooper would likely crack the league's top 50 in career receiving yards this season if signed by another team. Players at other positions have worn No. 19 for Dallas, too, including infamous backup quarterback Clint Longley, punter John Jett, kicker Brett Maher, and Trey Lance. Now the 25-year-old Flournoy, who logged 10 catches on 14 targets for 102 yards in 11 game appearances 2024, will hope to be the next Cowboys receiver to bring some glory to the No. 19 jersey as he looks to take a major step and become an instrumental component of the Cowboys aerial attack this season.
Reuters
22-03-2025
- Automotive
- Reuters
Five drivers desperate for some help at Homestead
March 22 - When the NASCAR Cup Series rolls into Homestead, Fla., for the Straight Talk Wireless 400 on Sunday, the Florida skies won't be bright and sunny for every driver in the field. Here are five drivers in desperate need of a solid showing in South Florida. Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing Aside from a fourth-place finish in the Daytona 500, Briscoe's maiden voyage with Joe Gibbs Racing has not started off on the right foot. Briscoe sits 20th in points five races into the season, and is yet to put forth an eye-catching performance this year. A good run at Homestead would go a long way toward the No. 19 team getting back on track and performing to the expectations that were set for them before the season began. Erik Jones, No. 43 Toyota, Legacy Motor Club While Jones' teammate John Hunter Nemechek consistently competes in the top 20 and sits 15th in points, Jones is 25th and hasn't finished better than 18th over the last four races. Jones has long been touted as one of the most underrated drivers in the Cup Series, but his start to the 2025 season hasn't exactly been indicative of that. Jones didn't have the same expectations of several other drivers on this list, but his slow start has been disappointing nonetheless. A top-15 performance on Sunday seems necessary for the No. 43 team to get back on track, especially if Nemechek once again runs well. Riley Herbst, No. 35 Toyota, 23XI Racing This isn't a knock on Herbst, who is still learning and adjusting in his first year at the Cup level. However, Herbst sits 27th in points after five races -- a far, far cry from teammates Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace, who sit third and 11th, respectively. It's far too early to hit the panic button on a Cup Series rookie, but a good run in South Florida would do wonders for a young driver looking for momentum early in the season. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Ford, RFK Racing Keselowski's 2025 season has been defined by bad luck. Decent finishes of 15th at COTA and 11th at Las Vegas were negated by finishes of 26th at Daytona, 39th at Atlanta and 33rd at Phoenix. The 2012 champion sits 30th in points after five races, and needs to start stringing together good finishes in order to claw his way towards the playoff cut line. Keselowski is still capable of winning races, but showing pace at Miami almost seems like a necessity if the No. 6 team wants to get the ball rolling. Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing Five races into 2024, Gibbs was third in points and had scored four top-10 finishes. His widely publicized slump to end his sophomore season has carried over to the start of 2025. Five races into his third Cup Series season, Gibbs sits 34th in points with an average finish of 25.8. He's above only two other full-time drivers -- Cole Custer and Cody Ware -- in the standings. When he hasn't been involved in an incident this year, there's been little speed under the hood of the No. 54. Gibbs' third Cup Series campaign risks outing him as a prospect who is slowly flaming out. One race may not be enough to completely turn the narrative surrounding Gibbs' slow start, but a top-10 effort underneath the Florida sun could turn the tide for a young driver who needs to reaffirm that he's a threat on a weekly basis.
