hot lead over Billy Horschel, Camilo Villegas and fellow rookie C.T.

NEW YORK -- Huston Street believes in some of baseballs oldest, tried-and-true traditions, and the reliever knows team building can be a real benefit, so he considers the elimination of rookie dress up in the new labor deal the loss of a healthy ritual.The Los Angeles Angels closer, like many players expressing their views Tuesday, disagrees with Major League Baseballs ban on the hazing ritual of dressing up rookies in costumes that could be considered offensive, including womens outfits.An effort to show our childlike spirit, or humble ourselves in wearing something funny as a team building moment, is now gone, Street wrote in an email to The Associated Press, but rest assured some other ritual will rise, will be kept far more secret and hopefully its as safe and harmless as uncomfortable clothes.Baseball owners and players ratified their five-year labor contract Tuesday, which contains a new Anti-Hazing and Anti-Bullying Policy formulated by management, rules the union agreed not to contest.New York Mets rookie outfielder Brandon Nimmo was among the last group to participate this past season. In September, he had to wear a wig and dress in the style of the 1992 movie A League of Their Own while fetching coffee and doughnuts in Philadelphia.I guess Im sad to see that go. Im glad that I got to partake in it last year. Wouldnt trade that, Nimmo said at the teams Citi Field holiday party. I felt like it just kind of brought the team closer together, lets have a little fun together.Many retired players were outraged, taking to social media to show their disgust.What a joke!! tweeted Mark Mulder, a big league pitcher from 2000-08.Yet for baseball officials, the decision goes far beyond just good-natured fun.Billy Bean, a big league infielder and outfielder from 1987-95 who came out as gay in 1999, spoke with MLBs labor lawyers as the policy was developed as part of his role as vice president for social responsibility and inclusion.To me its important to be cognizant of the images that our players project to our fans, and I think where for many where it would seem that its common sense that its just all in good fun and being silly, there are many sides to the story and I just think that its a responsible thing to do, he said during a telephone interview. Many players didnt like this tradition but were afraid to speak up.Still, players were stunned.Remember, youre doing this not because you look different or because youre from some far corner of the globe. In fact youre doing this for reasons that couldnt be more opposite, former pitcher Dallas Braden wrote to The AP. Youre one of us. Youre here now, youve made it, youve earned it. Youre a BIG LEAGUER and in the big leagues we dress up and sing just like the Cy Youngs & MVPs who came before us.Many took to social media to express disappointment.Seriously?! Had to wear a Hooters outfit going through customs in Toronto and wore it proudly (because) I was in the Show, former Boston star Kevin Youkilis wrote before deleting the tweet, adding Way more important topics and problems in the world that need attention.Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Ross Stripling tweeted a photo of himself and teammates sporting cheerleading uniforms , saying, honored to be one of the last players ever to be dressed up as a woman.Cody Ponce, taken by Milwaukee with the 55th overall draft pick in 2015, tweeted: I looked forward to the whole dressing up as a rookie in the MLB! I never saw it as hazing, just some fun!MLB executives were concerned about photos of rookie dress-ups that appear on social media and might offend some fans and business partners.The world has gotten 2 damn sensitive! This has been a time honored tradition, tweeted Aubrey Huff, a major leaguer from 2000-12 who liked to show off his lucky red rally thong. The world is full of sensitive snowflakes.Vernon Wells, a three-time All-Star during a career that spanned 1999-2013, wondered what was next.BREAKING NEWS: Fans are no longer allowed to heckle players because it hurts their feelings, he tweeted.Many outside the sport thought it was about time baseball comported with the norms of other industries.By banning the hazing of rookies by having them dress in feminine presenting clothing, MLB draws closer to minimizing and hopefully ending discrimination and harassment based on gender identity and expression, wrote Hudson Taylor, founder and executive director of AthleteAlly, an advocacy group that describes itself as a straight ally that stands in solidarity with the LGBT community.Colorado general manager Jeff Bridich views costumes as distinct from hazing that involves violence.If were getting so P.C. either as an industry or as a society that we cant make fun of ourselves at times, that would be, I think, harmful to the game in a certain way, he said.Mets general manager Sandy Alderson, a veteran of Dartmouth, Harvard Law School and the Marines, said he had not heard any complaints but still had some concerns.Ive seen it in the military and, for all the camaraderie its supposed to promote, its divisive and I think undercuts morale and so youve got to be very careful about that, he said. Is it constructive? Is it useful? Is it juvenile? Its probably juvenile. Its probably not useful or constructive in too many ways.Superheroes such as Batman and Spider-Man are still allowed, but Wonder Woman, Hooters Girls, Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, the U.S. Olympic womens gymnastics team, ballet tutus and Lady Gaga are now banned.Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard described teammate Curtis Granderson as the ringleader when the rookie right-hander dressed as the title character from He-Man and the Masters of the Universe at Cincinnati in 2015.Its not really embarrassing for us, Syndergaard said. It was a fun time. Its part of it. Just got to embrace it.---McCauley reported from Oakland, California.AP Sports Writer Pat Graham in Denver contributed to this report. Eric Lindros Flyers Jersey . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. Ron Hextall Flyers Jersey . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. http://www.hockeyflyersauthentic.com/ .ca NBA Power Rankings, ahead of the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs. Jakub Voracek Flyers Jersey . -- Arizona raced out to a big lead and did not back off, hitting the accelerator instead. Nolan Patrick Flyers Jersey . -- Ohio States Urban Meyer has never had any issue acclimating to the biggest stages in college football. Some of the sports stories The Associated Press is covering Sunday. A full Sports Digest will be sent by about 3 p.m. All times EST:- LOS ANGELES -- No. 1 draft pick Jared Goff finally makes his NFL debut for the Rams, taking over behind center when Los Angeles (4-5) hosts Ndamukong Suh and the surging Miami Dolphins (5-4). Game starts 4 p.m.- ARLINGTON, Texas -- Rookie Dak Prescott tries to lead the Dallas Cowboys to a franchise season record ninth straight win when Joe Flacco and the Baltimore Ravens visit in a battle of division leaders. Game starts 1 p.m.- CLEVELAND -- Ben Roethlisberger gets another chance to remind Cleveland it should have drafted him as the Pittsburgh Steelers try to end a four-game losing streak when they face the winless Browns, off to the worst start in their 66-year history. Game starts 1 p.m.- The AP releases its weekly Top 25 college football poll at 2 p.m.- Follows to various Top 25 college football games, including Clemson and Oklahoma State, and lookaheads to the Iron Bowl and Michigan-Ohio State.- HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Jimmie Johnson seeks a record-tying seventh NASCAR championship in the title-deciding season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Race starts 3 p.m.- LONDON -- Andy Murray andd Novak Djokovic meet in a showdown for both the ATP finals title and the year-end No.dddddddddddd 1 ranking.- ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- Canadian rookie Mackenzie Hughes tries to go wire-to-wire at the RSM Classic, where he has a one-shot lead over Billy Horschel, Camilo Villegas and fellow rookie C.T. Pan.- NAPLES, Fla. -- The LPGA season ends with Ariya Jutanugarn and Lydia Ko vying for player of the year honors in the final round of the CME Group Tour Championship. Charley Hull is the tournament leader going into Sunday.- UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- Top-ranked Duke faces No. 21 Rhode Island for the championship of the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament (1 p.m.) No. 24 Cincinnati takes on Penn State in the consolation game (3:30 p.m.).- NEW YORK -- It would be no stretch to imagine Donald Trump as a natural supporter of the effort to bring the Olympics back to Los Angeles in 2024. The International Olympic Committee would likely appreciate the support but still be nervous that Trump will turn America into an unsteady player on the global stage when the games are awarded next September. An AP analysis. ' ' '