groundstrokes in only her third event back after 17 mo

BOSTON -- The decision didnt take long.John Farrell will return to manage the Red Sox next season. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski casually gave the news to Farrell in the less than 10 minutes between their respective season-ending news conferences Tuesday at Fenway Park.I just thought that, for me, John has done a fine job this year, Dombrowski said less than 24 hours after the Red Sox were swept out of the AL Division Series by the Cleveland Indians. Ive been happy with working with him myself. I think he has the respect of the clubhouse. We played hard. I thought we had a good season. We won the division title. We communicate well with one another. And so, for me, theres some decisions you just need to address as quickly as you possibly can because you know how important they are. I just thought it was the right time to do it, so thats why I did it.Farrell has one year left on his contract plus a team option for 2018. Although Dombrowski pledged his support for the manager, he also declined to address whether the Red Sox will pick up the option, saying that ownership would be involved in something of that magnitude.But committing to Farrell for 2017 without exercising his option would be tricky business. For one thing, it would raise questions about his job security, placing him firmly on the proverbial hot seat from the first time the team endures a losing streak.I need to sit down with ownership and discuss that, Dombrowski said. For me, it was just a matter of, I think its important for everyone to know hes our leader going forward. Hes very well respected, and it gives him a clearer mind that he needs to go along with his staff to move forward.Farrell was scrutinized more heavily than usual throughout the season by critics who were restless after back-to-back last-place finishes in the AL East. Not even a 93-win season and a division title could quiet the anti-Farrell crowd, which piped up again Monday night after a questionable pinch-hitting decision in the seventh inning of a 4-3 loss in Game 3.?But Dombrowski made clear that he doesnt consider in-game strategy to be the most important job of a manager. Instead, he values a managers ability to understand how to reach each player on the roster in order to optimize their performances, a skill he believes Farrell possesses.I do not feel that in-game strategy is the biggest thing as a manager, Dombrowski said. I think its important, but theres other things that I think are probably more important. As Ive often told managers, to me, the most important thing for a manager is that their club plays up to their capabilities day in and day out, which means that theyre communicating with their players and theyre getting everything that they can and that their club is playing hard.During spring training, Dombrowski noted that he hadnt gotten an opportunity to evaluate Farrell as a manager, mainly because Farrell missed the final two months of the 2015 season while being treated for non-Hodgkin Burkitt lymphoma -- which many critics believed saved Farrell from getting fired.But in his typical fashion, Dombrowski made nearly every road trip with the Red Sox and had ample time to form a judgment on Farrells managerial ability.My relationship with John all year has been tremendous, Dombrowski said. I never had an argument with John. Ive disagreed on points with him, but Ive disagreed on points with anybody at one time or another.Dombrowski said Farrells entire coaching staff will be asked to return. But after being asked to stay on as a bench coach for this season, Torey Lovullo is free to pursue managerial opportunities, according to Dombrowski. Lovullo has been a candidate for several managerial vacancies in the past. Nike Epic React Flyknit Clearance . -- Playing time has been limited for Maxim Tissot this season, so the Montreal Impact defender made the most of his first scoring opportunity on Saturday. Nike React Wholesale ., and Rudi Swiegers of Kipling, Sask., took sixth spot on Saturday in pairs at the NHK Trophy ISU Grand Prix figure skating competition. http://www.nikereactsale.com/nike-odyssey-react-running-shoes.html . Brazilian national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has confirmed that the veteran goalkeeper is set to join Toronto on loan, saying it will help him be ready for the World Cup. Nike Air More Uptempo China . 24 Baylor in a Big 12 clash between teams trending in opposite directions. Andrew Wiggins made 10-of-12 from the foul line and scored 17 for Kansas (14-4, 5-0 Big 12), which capped a stretch of four straight games against ranked opponents unscathed. Nike React Sale . Zvonareva, who won the tournament in 2009 and 10, couldnt handle her opponents big groundstrokes in only her third event back after 17 months out with a shoulder injury. Zvonareva made her comeback in January in Shenzhen and played in the Australian Open but lost her first matches at both tournaments. NACOGDOCHES, Texas -- Javien Williams scored 21 points and UAB set a school record, shooting 72.1 percent in an 84-73 victory over Stephen F. Austin, ending the Lumberjacks 31-game home winning streak Wednesday night.William Lee added 14 points, nine rebounds and five blocks, Dirk Williams 13 points, Deion Lavender 12 and Hakeem Baxter 10 for the Blazers (5-4), who were consistent on offense, shooting 73.7 percent in the first half in taking a 37-30 lead, with 11 points from Williams.The Lumberjacks home winning streak was the third longest in the nation.dddddddddddd. UAB ended Old Dominions 32-game home win streak last season.Leon Gilmore III scored 17 points, Kevon Harris 16, TJ Holyfield 12 and Samuli Nieminen 10 for the Lumberjacks (3-4), who had 11 steals on 20 UAB turnovers but couldnt overcome the Blazers 31-of-43 shooting.Lavender made six free throws in the final minute in what had been a five-point game. ' ' '