As we learned yesterday, the Boston Red Sox agreed to sign Cuban OF Rusney Castillo to a 7-year, $72.5 million deal. On Saturday, they made it official.

Here’s the release from the Red Sox:

BOSTON, MA – The Boston Red Sox today signed outfielder Rusney (roos-NAY) Castillo to a seven-year major league contract beginning in 2014 and continuing through 2020. 

Executive Vice President/General Manager Ben Cherington made the announcement.

Castillo, 27, hit .319 (403-for-1,265) with 75 doubles, 11 triples, 51 home runs, 99 walks, 256 runs scored, and 76 stolen bases in 360 games over five seasons in Cuba’s major league, Serie Nacional. He spent all five campaigns with his hometown team, Ciego de Avila, and posted a career .383 on-base percentage, .516 slugging percentage, and .899 OPS while appearing primarily in center and right field.

The 5-foot-9, 205-pound Castillo last played in Cuba during the 2012-13 season and hit .274 with six doubles, two triples, six homers, and 29 RBI over 68 contests in which he struck out fewer times (29) than he walked (31).

During the 2010-11 season, the right-handed batter set career highs with 22 home runs and 95 RBI. The following season, 2011-12, he hit .342 in 113 games with 60 extra-base hits, including 21 homers, helping Ciego de Avila to the Serie Nacional Championship.

In 2011, Castillo also represented Cuba in the Baseball World Cup and the Pan American Games. He established residency in Haiti before signing with the Red Sox.

In the coming days, he will report to the Red Sox’ Fenway South facility in Fort Myers, FL to resume baseball activities. With the signing, the Red Sox’ 40-man roster is now at 39.

Here’s how his contract breaks down courtesy of Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald:

2014: $100,000 for remainder of season
2015: $10.5 million
2016: $10.5 million
2017: $10.5 million
2018: $11 million
2019: $11 million
2020: $13.5 million
Signing bonus: $5.4 million

After beating Puerto Rico 112-86 on Friday night, USA Basketball announced their 12-man roster for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain. Amongst the final 12 players are two former UConn Huskies basketball players in Andre Drummond and Rudy Gay.

Here’s the full release from USA Basketball:

NEW YORK – USA Basketball National Team Managing Director Jerry Colangelo announced Friday night the 12 players who will represent the United States at the 2014 FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Basketball World Cup that is being held Aug. 30-Sept. 14 in Spain. The player announcement followed the USA’s112-86 exhibition victory over Puerto Rico Friday evening at Madison Square Garden.

Named as members of the official 2014 USA Basketball World Cup Team were: DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings); Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors); Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans); DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors); Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons); Kenneth Faried (Denver Nuggets); Rudy Gay (Sacramento Kings); James Harden (Houston Rockets); Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers); Mason Plumlee (Brooklyn Nets); Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls); and Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors).

“Since taking over the USA Basketball Men’s National Team program in 2005, this was without doubt the most difficult selection process we’ve gone through,” said Colangelo. “I can’t stress enough the outstanding effort and commitment that has been given by each finalist. I also want to make it clear that this is not just about talent – each player is incredibly talented and each player offered us unique skills. In the end it was about assembling the best team, selecting guys who we felt would be able to best play the kind of style we envision this team playing.”

“The first thing is we are very pleased with the overall effort of every player who was a part of the process,” said Mike Krzyzewski, USA head coach and Duke University’s Naismith Hall of Fame mentor. “To select twelve was difficult, because our pool is so good. As we go forward, we not only go forward as twelve, we go forward as a pool for USA Basketball. As a staff we want to thank the players who are not going forward.

“I’m excited about the 12 players selected and feel we have excellent versatility and the makings of a really good defensive team.”

Rounding out Krzyzewski’s USA National Team coaching staff as assistant coaches are USA Basketball and Syracuse University and Naismith Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau and New Orleans Pelicans head coach Monty Williams.

The USA will complete its pre-World Cup exhibition tour on the island of Gran Canaria, Spain. Training Aug. 24-25, the U.S. will close out its exhibition tour on Aug. 26 facing Slovenia at Gran Canaria Arena. The USA team will complete its training for the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Basketball World Cup Aug. 28-29 in Bilbao, Spain, the site of its World Cup preliminary round games.

Since the first FIBA World Championship was held in 1950, the USA has won 11 medals – four gold medals, three silver medals and four bronze medals – while compiling an all time 114-27 win-loss record. Led By Krzyzewski, the Americans are defending World Champions having claim gold in Istanbul with a 9-0 record.

The 2014 World Cup, featuring a total of 24 national teams, is scheduled to be held Aug. 30-Sept. 14 in Spain. The USA will play its preliminary round games in Bilbao, after being drawn into Group C along with teams from the Dominican Republic, Finland, New Zealand, Turkey and Ukraine.

The USA opens the 2014 World Cup on Aug. 30 against Finland, and then faces Turkey on Aug. 31 in a rematch of the 2010 FIBA World Championship gold medal game, a contest in which the USA claimed an 81-64 victory. Following a day off on Sept. 1, the USA resumes play Sept. 2 facing New Zealand. The U.S. will go against the Dominican Republic on Sept. 3 and will conclude its preliminary play on Sept. 4 facing Ukraine.

Each team at the 2014 World Cup will play the other teams in its preliminary group, and the top four finishing teams from each of the four preliminary round groups will then qualify for the round of 16. Winners of the round of 16 games will advance to the quarterfinals, while losers are eliminated. Winners of the quarterfinals games will advance to the medal round semifinals, while the quarterfinals losers are eliminated from the competition. Winners of the semifinals will advance to the Sept. 14 gold medal game, while semifinals losers will meet in the bronze medal game on Sept. 13.  The games from the round of 16 to the semifinals will be played in Barcelona and Madrid, and the bronze and gold medal games will be held in Madrid.

Rusney Castillo (R) of Cuba hits the ball during the Baseball Bronze Medal Match between Mexico and Cuba during Day 11 of the XVI Pan American Games at the Pan American Baseball Stadium on October 25, 2011 in Lagos de Moreno, Mexico.

Are the days of Jackie Bradley Jr. numbered in the Boston Red Sox organization? Could be a key offseason trade piece?

It’s extremely possible that it could happen depending on their plans for the offseason as there are reports that the team is about to sign Cuban free agent OF Rusney Castillo.

Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com was first to report that Castillo would sign a six-year, $72 million deal with the Red Sox. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports added that the Red Sox would sign Castillo.

Alex Speier of WEEI.com and Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald both report that the deal is actually for seven-years, $72.5 million beginning this year and keeping Castillo in a Red Sox uniform through the 2020 season.

According to all of the published reports out there, Castillo is just about big league ready. So it is possible he could see a little time with the Red Sox this season.

I wonder if they’ll send him to Triple-A Pawtucket to get some at-bats in and then call him up when rosters expand to get him acclimated to big league pitching and ready for the 2015 season.

UConn Huskies head football coach Bob Diaco listens to a question from the media during UConn’s media day on August 21, 2014 at the Burton Family Football Complex.

During his media day press conference on Thursday, UConn Huskies head coach Bob Diaco made a few references to his post-camp two-deep depth chart. With it not being released yet, it was hard to ask questions but we’ll get a chance to do that coming up (not a big deal to me at all).

One thing to keep in mind when you look at the depth chart below and read the notes is the fact that is from post-training camp. Diaco was quick to point out that it could change before the BYU game next Friday.

Honestly, the only question I would have is when did John Green switch positions to cornerback as he is listed as the backup to Byron Jones. Everything else is pretty straightforward.

Max DeLorenzo emerged as the winner at tailback although Diaco did say say that all four in his stable, Joshua Marriner, Arkeel Newsome and Ron Johnson, along with DeLorenzo would see action in the game.

There are four true freshman on this two-deep, two on offense, one on defense and one on special teams. There are 10 redshirt freshman as well (all guys who would be seeing the field for the first time in a game in a Husky uniform).

It’s going to be interesting to see if this changes at all before the BYU game.

Here’s the full two-deep as of 8/21/14.

Offense

LT: 71 Richard Levy (RSo., 6-6, 305)
74 Paul Nwokeji (RJr., 6-6, 287)

LG: 65 Gus Cruz (RSr., 6-4, 296)
77 Trey Rutherford (Fr., 6-5, 289)

C: 73 Alex Mateas (RSr., 6-4, 309)
70 Kyle Bockeloh (RSo., 6-3, 284)

RG: 60 Tyler Samra (Jr., 6-2, 288)
63 Ryan Crozier (Fr., 6-4, 297)

RT: 78 Dalton Gifford (RJr., 6-4, 304)
62 Thomas Hopkins (RFr., 6-6, 298)

TE: 49 Sean McQuillan (RJr., 6-3, 239)
80 Tommy Myers (RFr., 6-5, 238)

WR: 85 Geremy Davis (RSr., 6-3, 216)
8 Thomas Lucas (RFr., 6-2, 198) OR
5 Noel Thomas (So., 6-1, 187)

QB: 12 Casey Cochran (RSo., 6-1, 224)
10 Chandler Whitmer (RSr., 6-0, 192)

FB: 34 Jazzmar Clax (RFr., 5-11, 241)
36 Matt Walsh (So., 6-1, 227)

TB: 44 Max DeLorenzo (RJr., 5-11, 210)
26 Joshua Marriner (RFr., 5-9, 193)

WR: 4 Deshon Foxx (Sr., 5-10, 172)
9 Kamal Abrams (RJr., 5-11, 182) OR
1 Dhameer Bradley (So., 5-9, 166)

Defense

DE: 56 Angelo Pruitt (RSr., 6-2, 287)
93 Folorunso Fatukasi (RFr., 6-4, 307)

NG: 90 Julian Campenni (RJr., 6-0, 299)
92 Mikal Myers (RSo., 6-1, 312)

DT: 97 B.J. McBryde (RSr., 6-5, 304)
95 Kenton Adeyemi (RJr., 6-4, 268)

DE: 47 Reuben Frank (RSr., 6-4, 246)
57 Cole Ormsby (RFr., 6-3, 248)

LB: 46 Marquise Vann (RJr., 6-0, 226)
55 Jon Hicks (RSo., 6-2, 236)

LB: 32 Jefferson Ashiru (RSo., 6-2, 233)
39 Junior Joseph (RFr., 6-1, 242)

LB: 2 Graham Stewart (RJr., 6-1, 227)
10 Cameron Stapleton (RFr., 6-4, 226)

CB: 16 Byron Jones (RSr., 6-1, 196)
7 John Green (RSo., 5-10, 179)

S: 22 Andrew Adams (RJr., 6-0, 197)
28 Jordan Floyd (RSo., 6-0, 206)

S: 20 Obi Melifonwu (RSo., 6-3, 210)
23 Junior Lee (RJr., 6-0, 214) OR
19 Ellis Marder (RSo., 6-1, 193)

CB: 6 Jhavon Williams (RSo., 5-10, 190)
21 Jamar Summers (Fr., 6-0, 180)

Special Teams

K: 17 Bobby Puyol (RSo., 5-10, 174)
94 Chase Briley (Fr., 5-11, 165)

P: 42 Justin Wain (RSo., 6-3, 204)
94 Chase Briley (Fr., 5-11, 165)

HL: 82 Blake Feagles (RFr., 5-10, 205)
12 Casey Cochran (RSo., 6-1, 224)

KR: 4 Deshon Foxx (Sr., 5-10, 172)
26 Joshua Marriner (RFr., 5-9, 193)

PR: 4 Deshon Foxx (Sr., 5-10, 172)
18 Brian Lemelle (So., 5-10, 165)

LS: 66 Dominick Manco (RJr., 6-0, 213)
67 Adam Mueller (RSr., 6-1, 212)

photo credit: ian bethune – sox & dawgs