Times wires
Sunday, May 15, 2011

VANCOUVER — Kevin Bieksa tied it 7:02 into the third and Henrik Sedin scored on a power play 1:19 later as the Canucks came back to defeat the Sharks 3-2 Sunday in Game 1 of the West final.

Roberto Luongo made 27 saves for the Canucks.

San Jose, which was swept by Chicago in last season's West final, took a 2-1 lead into the third thanks to goals by Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. But after failing to finish several chances late in the second, Vancouver converted in the third.

Alex Burrows got behind Dan Boyle on a left wing rush and fed a pass across and back to Bieksa atop the right faceoff circle. The defenseman's wrister beat Antti Niemi.

Dany Heatley took an elbowing penalty 32 seconds later. And the Canucks' power play, which led the league during the regular season but did not get a shot on goal on two of its first three chances, converted.

Christian Ehrhoff fed Sedin, whose only other goal in these playoffs was into an empty net.

"We're here to score goals and produce. That's tough do in the playoffs," Sedin said. "I think a lot of games we played well and had our chances but pucks haven't gone our way. We started out being minus-1 after the first two (periods). That's a tough start, but we battled back."

The Sharks were coming off Thursday's Game 7 victory over the Red Wings.

"We didn't spend enough time in their end," Heatley said. "We didn't do a very good job of keeping it in their end and making them play down there for very long."

First Period—1, San Jose, Thornton 3, 18:47. Penalties—Murray, SJ (high-sticking), 9:09; Eager, SJ (interference), 13:16.

Second Period—2, Vancouver, Lapierre 1 (Hansen, Torres), 1:49. 3, San Jose, Marleau 4 (Boyle, Thornton), 8:44 (pp). Penalties—Huskins, SJ (hooking), 3:52; Raymond, Van (holding), 7:44.

Third Period—4, Vancouver, Bieksa 2 (Burrows, H.Sedin), 7:02. 5, Vancouver, H.Sedin 2 (Ehrhoff, Kesler), 8:21 (pp). Penalties—Heatley, SJ (elbowing), 7:34; Boyle, SJ (holding), 17:36; Lapierre, Van (diving), 17:36. Shots on Goal—San Jose 10-12-7—29. Vancouver 11-14-13—38. Power-play opportunities—San Jose 1 of 1; Vancouver 1 of 4. Goalies—San Jose, Niemi 7-6-0 (38 shots-35 saves). Vancouver, Luongo 9-5-0 (29-27). A—18,860 (18,810)

Boogaard death: Derek Boogaard's family donated his brain to researchers. The Rangers wing was found dead Friday. An autopsy is expected to take several weeks. Boogaard's agent said his client was previously approached by researchers because he fought often. Bob Probert, who fought often during his career, died last year at 45. And researchers found in him evidence of the degenerative brain disease that is associated with cognitive and behavioral problems and causes dementia.

Times wires
Sunday, May 15, 2011

CHICAGO — Frustrated by a rough start, Derrick Rose apologized to his teammates at halftime. As makeups go, they'll take it.

Rose scored 28, Luol Deng contained LeBron James and the Bulls struck first in the Eastern Conference final, pulling away to beat the Heat 103-82 in Game 1 on Sunday night.

The Bulls, who swept the Heat during the regular season, went on a 10-0 run midway through the third quarter, and as the final minutes ticked off, fans chanted "Over-rated!"

Game 2 is Wednesday in Chicago.

Rose settled down after committing three of his four turnovers in the opening minutes, hitting three 3-pointers. The Bulls converted 10 of 21 in all.

As for his apology?

"It was on me," Rose said. "Careless turnovers. You can't do that against this team."

Deng had 21 points and put the clamps on James, who scored 15 on 5-for-15 shooting.

Former Gator Joakim Noah had 14 rebounds, and the Bulls had 19 offensive boards, outscoring Miami 31-8 on second-chance points.

"You play defense hard and the shot goes up and they get an offensive rebound, kick it out for a three or get a layup or a dunk," James said. "Those are demoralizing for a defensive team."

Chris Bosh had 30 for Miami.

Bulls 103, Heat 82

MIAMI (82): James 5-15 4-4 15, Bosh 12-18 6-6 30, Anthony 0-1 0-0 0, Bibby 2-4 0-0 4, Wade 7-17 4-4 18, Jones 1-2 1-1 4, Miller 0-0 0-0 0, Chalmers 4-7 0-0 9, Magloire 1-2 0-0 2, Haslem 0-1 0-0 0, House 0-1 0-0 0, Howard 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 32-68 15-15 82.

CHICAGO (103): Deng 7-15 3-3 21, Boozer 5-10 4-4 14, Noah 4-14 1-2 9, Rose 10-22 5-6 28, Bogans 1-4 0-0 3, Brewer 3-5 2-2 8, Gibson 4-8 1-1 9, Watson 1-4 0-0 3, Korver 1-3 0-0 3, Asik 2-2 1-2 5. Totals 38-87 17-20 103.

Miami 23 25 15 19— 82

Chicago 20 28 24 31— 103

3-Point Goals—Miami 3-8 (Jones 1-1, Chalmers 1-2, James 1-3, Bibby 0-1, Wade 0-1), Chicago 10-21 (Deng 4-6, Rose 3-7, Korver 1-2, Watson 1-2, Bogans 1-3, Brewer 0-1). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Miami 36 (Bosh 9), Chicago 52 (Noah 14). Assists—Miami 11 (James 6), Chi. 23 (Rose 6). Total Fouls—Miami 15, Chicago 13. Technicals—Chi. three second. A—22,874.

Durant finds shot, Thunder advances

OKLAHOMA CITY — Coming off his worst performance in the playoffs, Kevin Durant couldn't get his shots to fall early Sunday. Then he caught a glimpse of his mother dancing during a timeout and the ball started going through the net.

Durant scored 39 for his best offensive outing of the series, Russell Westbrook had his first playoff triple double and the Thunder advanced to the Western Conference final with a 105-90 victory over the Grizzlies in Game 7.

"I knew she had those dance moves," Durant said. "She used to do it all the time when I was young. She was having fun. I was glad to see that."

Soon enough, he was having fun, and the Thunder will make the franchise's first appearance in the West final since losing in the NBA Finals in 1996 as the Seattle SuperSonics.

Game 1 against the Mavericks is Tuesday in Dallas.

Durant, the NBA scoring champion, followed his 11-point Game 6 with one of his best playoff performances.

After arena cameras caught Durant's mother pumping her fist and dancing at her courtside seat, Durant hit a jumper in the lane and his first 3-pointer from the right side during a 9-0 burst that gave Oklahoma City its first double-digit lead at 33-23.

"Durant is a special player, one of the best players in the NBA," said Memphis' Zach Randolph, who had 17 points and 10 rebounds. " … You see what he does night in and night out, and he's just relentless."

Westbrook, criticized in these playoffs for taking too many shots, was at his all-around best with 14 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds. It was only the fifth triple double in a Game 7, according to information provided by Elias Sports Bureau.

Thunder 105, Grizzlies 90

MEMPHIS (90): Mayo 5-12 3-5 14, Randolph 6-15 5-6 17, Gasol 4-10 4-4 12, Conley 7-19 2-2 18, Allen 3-6 1-2 7, Battier 2-6 0-0 4, Arthur 2-6 0-0 5, Young 2-6 0-0 4, Vasquez 2-4 0-0 5, Powe 1-3 0-0 2, Haddadi 1-1 0-0 2, Smith 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 35-88 15-19 90.

OKLAHOMA CITY (105): Durant 13-25 9-9 39, Ibaka 1-4 0-0 2, Perkins 2-4 0-0 4, Westbrook 4-12 6-6 14, Sefolosha 2-5 0-0 4, Collison 3-4 2-2 8, Harden 6-10 1-4 17, Mohammed 3-4 0-0 6, Maynor 1-3 0-0 3, Cook 0-4 0-0 0, Ivey 1-1 0-0 3, Robinson 1-1 2-2 5. Totals 37-77 20-23 105.

Memphis 17 17 24 32— 90

Oklahoma City 21 21 30 33— 105

3-Point Goals—Memphis 5-15 (Conley 2-3, Arthur 1-1, Vasquez 1-2, Mayo 1-5, Allen 0-1, Battier 0-3), Oklahoma City 11-28 (Harden 4-8, Durant 4-9, Ivey 1-1, Robinson 1-1, Maynor 1-2, Sefolosha 0-3, Cook 0-4). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Memphis 49 (Randolph 10), Oklahoma City 51 (Collison 12). Assists—Memphis 13 (Conley 6), Oklahoma City 25 (Westbrook 14). Total Fouls—Memphis 20, Oklahoma City 19. Technicals—Gasol, Memphis Bench, Ibaka, Westbrook. A—18,203.

Around the league: Suns president Rick Welts revealed he is gay in a story posted on the New York Times' website. Welts called sports "one of the last industries where the subject is off limits" and hopes to mentor other gay people who seek to pursue a career in sports.

Times wires
Monday, May 16, 2011

NEW YORK — Kevin Youkilis hit a tying three-run homer, David Ortiz had a go-ahead drive and the Red Sox completed a sweep of the reeling Yankees with a 7-5 victory Sunday night to reach .500 for the first time.

Jon Lester shrugged off a slow start to improve to 7-1 against New York and Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit his first homer with Boston as the Red Sox swept a three-game series in the Bronx for the first time since April 2004.

The Red Sox, who opened 0-6, evened their record (20-20) on their fourth try.

Despite taking a 4-1 lead, the Yankees matched their longest losing streak since May 2009 at five, all at home.

Alex Rodriguez let a ball roll through his legs in the seventh for an error, allowing the Red Sox to go up 6-4.

In the bottom half, former Ray Carl Crawford failed to cleanly field Rodriguez's double to left for an error, which gave Curtis Granderson time to score from first. But Nick Swisher struck out with runners on first and second.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Monday, May 16, 2011

If you want to watch the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' training camp this fall, you'll have sweat it out in person.

The team will not be appearing on the wildly popular HBO training camp reality series Hard Knocks, the team said today.

The show, which has run for several seasons on HBO, gives viewers an all-access pass to training camp, featuring both positive and negative storylines. The producers of the show look for engaging personalities and intriguing stories, and the Bucs — behind effervescent head coach Raheem Morris — seemed to have both.

The show is on shaky ground anyhow because of the NFL's work stoppage, but the network was moving forward with plans in case the opportunity to air the show presented itself.

Last year's show became a huge hit with fans as Jets coach Rex Ryan took center stage. The show featured the protracted contract holdout of star cornerback Darrelle Revis and Ryan's particularly salty language, but the Jets seemed to embrace both the good and the bad that came with the show.

The Bucs, in announcing their decision, said they hoped to "keep the focus on the field and what we hope to accomplish in 2011." That's, perhaps, a suggestion that the show would be a distraction — one of the main concerns of any team weighing this option. Another concern for the Bucs is their growing list of off-the-field concerns with a number of recent arrests. That list is highlighting by the pending charge of aggravated assualt with a deadly weapon against cornerback Aqib Talib, a case that could be playing out right about the time the show gets underway in August.

The Bucs told the NFL they would consider doing the show in the future if approached again.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Monday, May 16, 2011

The Tampa Bay Rays won't get to face former closer Rafael Soriano during the two-game series with his new team, the New York Yankees, that starts tonight at the Trop.

Soriano is bothered by soreness in his elbow, and told New York media on Sunday that he would test it in a bullpen session today but wouldn't pitch in a game again until Wednesday.

Soriano pitched last on Friday, which was his first appearance since May 8, and reported on Saturday that he was sore.

Soriano has struggled in a setup role since signing with the Yankees, for $35-million over three years, posting a 5.40 ERA

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Monday, May 16, 2011

Running back Mike Blakely, the former Bradenton Manatee standout who is transferring from Florida after one semester with the Gators, is scheduled to visit USF today and meet with head coach Skip Holtz, Manatee assistant Rod Frazier said Monday.

Blakely isn't likely to make his decision until he takes a few visits, Frazier said, and confirmed what Josh Newberg of 247sports.com has been out in front on, identifying three schools that Blakely has mentioned as options: USF, North Carolina and Central Florida. Frazier said he hasn't heard Blakely mention any other schools yet, but said "he has a lot of options ... he has no idea right now."

Frazier said that Blakely only used one official visit (to Gainesville) before choosing Florida, so he has still have five official (all-expenses-paid) visits available to him as he re-opens his recruitment. Some media outlets have mentioned that homesickness was a factor in Blakely's decision to leave the Gators after early-enrolling in January -- raising the question of why he would consider schools farther from his Bradenton home -- but Frazier said homesickness was not part of Blakely's decision.

"That was not a factor," he said. "He was just unhappy there."

Frazier said the biggest reason for Blakely's decision to transfer was the complete changeover in coaching staff from the people he committed to, with head coach Urban Meyer, offensive coordinator Steve Addazio and running backs coach Stan Drayton all gone when he arrived on campus in January.

Frazier said Blakely was offered by USF out of high school, but had made it clear he wanted to play in the SEC -- he would have the option of doing that now, despite Florida blockng any direct transfer to a conference rival. Blakely could choose the same path that quarterback Cam Newton took in going from Florida to a junior college to Auburn -- and that "is one option" Blakely is aware of, Frazier said.

Blakely would have to sit out this fall at a four-year school as a transfer, but would then have his full four years of eligibility at USF or another four-year program. The Bulls wouldn't present much in the way of established running backs in Blakely's way, as the top two backs entering the 2011 season, Demetris Murray and Darrell Scott, would be seniors when Blakely was a redshirt freshman. Two other backs, Marcus Shaw and Bradley Battles, totaled 166 rushing yards as freshmen last year and would be two years ahead of Blakely.

UNC, by comparison, had seniors for its top three rushers in 2010, with rising senior Ryan Houston listed as the starter entering 2011. The Tar Heels do have a highly touted recruit in redshirt freshman Giovanni Bernard, who was a four-star back coming out of Fort Lauderdale.

USF already has one Florida transfer all but officially on board for 2011 in receiver Chris Dunkley, a former five-star recruit from Pahokee who will sit out this fall and have three years of eligibility with the Bulls.

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Monday, May 16, 2011

BOSTON — Bruins goalie Tim Thomas quipped he didn't even realize C Patrice Bergeron (mild concussion) returned to practice Monday until he was on the receiving end of a shot.

"He got a good shot off me, I'm like, 'Woa,' we miss that," Thomas said. "We miss a lot of things that he brings."

A big storyline during the Eastern Conference final has been when — and if — Bergeron, the Bruins' top playoff scorer and faceoff man, will play. Bergeron practiced with the team Monday for the first time since suffering the injury in Game 4 against the Flyers, fueling speculation he'd be ready for Game 2 Tuesday against Tampa Bay.

Coach Claude Julien didn't exactly rule Bergeron out, only saying, "I don't know."

What the Bruins W Nathan Horton did know is that Bergeron, who leads Boston with 12 playoff points and is a key cog on both special teams units, "looked good."

Bergeron also leads the playoffs with a 64 percent faceoff percentage, and the Bruins felt his absence in Game 1, when it won just 39 percent of the draws. The Bruins could certainly use Bergeron's skills on a power play that is 2-for-41 this postseason.

"It'd be nice to have him back as soon as possible," Horton said.

Lightning coach Guy Boucher said his team has prepared as if Bergeron would play, and expects him to be on the ice.

"We know how important he is to the team," Boucher said. "He's a great player, he's a great individual. And that usually has a tendency to uplift your team in terms of confidence, and we know the impact he's got on the faceoff. "It just makes it way harder. So they said they're coming with their 'A' game and they're coming out with him."

UNSUNG STAR: While Lightning LW Sean Bergenheim has been all over the headlines for his playoff-high eight goals, linemate C Dominic Moore's great all-around play has gone under the radar.

Moore, who has nine points (two goals, seven assists), is a key reason why the third line has been so successful, as well as the team's penalty kill unit.

"I'd describe him as the ghost on that line," Boucher said. "He does everything, but Bergenheim gets the credit, (Steve) Downie gets the credit. But when you look at the clips, you realize a big portion of why they're successful starts with Dominic Moore."

"He's been very consistent. I think in his case, more than most of our players, there's a consistency there you can rely on every game, whether it's offensively, defensively, and he's a big part of the culture of the team."

PUNCHLESS: Horton shrugged off the punch he delivered to Moore late in Game 1, which led him to receive a roughing penalty and 10-minute misconduct. "Did I get a 10-minute (misconduct? I didn't even know," he said. "He's not under my skin at all. I'm just trying to play physical and he was there. It just kind of happened."

MISCELLANY: Bruins C Tyler Seguin, the 2010 No. 2 pick who scored a goal in his first playoff game Saturday, saw some time on the team's power play unit in practice, and could be an option as Boston has struggled. ... Bergenheim, a Helsinki, Finland native, was pumped over Finland's 6-1 win Sunday over Sweden to claim its second world championship, saying he received a lot of texts and the town is buzzing. "It's a great moment for Finland," he said. "It had been 16 years."

Joe Smith can be reached at joesmith@sptimes.com.

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Monday, May 16, 2011

Lightning at Bruins: 8 p.m. on Versus. If the Lightning wins, it will be only the second time in team history that it held a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven series.

NBA draft lottery: The NBA holds its draft lottery at halftime of the Dallas-Oklahoma City game, which is set to tip off at 9 p.m. on ESPN.

Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel: 10 p.m. on HBO. The debut of this episode features a profile on Brewers announcer Bob Uecker, a story on smokeless tobacco in Major League Baseball and how an injury to the daughter of a Red Sox coach has seen the Red Sox and rival Yankees combine their resources to help with her medical bills.

By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Monday, May 16, 2011

BOSTON — There are times when he reminds you of someone else. In those moments, he is no longer Guy Boucher the professor, or Guy Boucher the diplomat, or Guy Boucher the tour guide.

In the heat of the moment, when the camera lenses freeze on Boucher's face, and he is wild-eyed and his arms are waving and he is cursing loudly in French, when his face is contorted until it looks as if he's Norman Bates approaching the shower curtain, you might swear you had seen him before.

In those moments, darned if it doesn't look as if Boucher has borrowed a cup of DNA from John Tortorella.

You remember Torts, don't you, the drill instructor in charge the last time the Lightning made it to the Eastern Conference final. Until now, until Boucher, there has never been a Lightning coach to compare to Tortorella, who drove, shoved and kicked his team in the general direction of the Stanley Cup.

Guy and Torts. Torts and Guy. They are so alike, and they are so different.

As you watch one in the Eastern Conference final, it is difficult not to remember the other.

"They are both very intense," said forward Martin St. Louis. "They are both very demanding. They just went about it differently."

Um, yeah. Think of Boucher as a surgeon's scalpel. Think of Tortorella as a Viking's broadsword. Think of Boucher as your favorite teacher. Think of Tortorella as your grumpy uncle. Think of Boucher playing chess. Think of Tortorella playing with fire.

You know, like that.

None of this is meant to lessen the impact of either coach. Frankly, the world needs diplomats, and it needs trail bosses. When you consider the job Boucher has done this year, and the job that Torts did in his years, Tampa Bay should feel a fondness for both men. At this point, the most fair thing you can say is that Tortorella was the perfect coach for the championship team, and Boucher has been the perfect coach for this one.

"I think there are a lot more similarities than differences," said Nigel Kirwan, the Lightning's video coach who worked for both men. "They're both pretty intense in their desire to win. And when they lose, they're both men you want to stay away from. Neither one of them likes losing, which is why I think they've both been successful."

Both men also demand accountability. Both men are fiercely protective of their teams. Tortorella was coach of the year in 2004; it's a travesty that Boucher won't be this year.

"To me, the key to coaching is to get players to buy into your system," said Lightning captain Vinny Lecavalier. "Both of them were successful at that."

That said, they are as different as Dungy and Gruden, as different as Piniella and Maddon.

Tortorella was confrontational. He was brutally honest, bluntly opinionated, and if he stepped on your toes, he would ask why your feet were there in the first place. Every emotion he felt was on his sleeve, and his voice had a volume knob that most coaches lack. When a player moved into his doghouse, you might as well forward his mail, because he was going to be there for a while.

Boucher is more cerebral. His voice is measured, and his strategies are meticulously plotted. As near as anyone can tell, he doesn't have a doghouse. If his voice gets loud, he says, it is because it is so darned hard to hear on the bench. If his eyes get wide, he says, it is because of the urgency of his message. Honestly, he says, he hasn't been ticked off, really ticked off, in months.

"If I'm yelling and screaming, I'm not going to do my team any good," Boucher said.

Want to know the biggest difference in the two? Ask a reporter. Torts handled news conferences by wrapping his answers in barbed wire. He had little time for the routine and little patience for many of the questions. Once, he spoke all of 63 words before storming off. Another time, he was clocked at 108 seconds. YouTube had to build an extra wing for Tortorella blowups.

Still, he could be fun. If Tortorella were still here, he would have told someone to shut his yap. He might have blown up at a questioner. He might have questioned his goaltender. One way or the other, Tortorella was a walking headline.

Boucher? He loves interviews. For crying out loud, his public relations experts have to lead him away at times. He is charming and engaging and if you need it, he can probably bring his own microphone.

Early Monday afternoon, former Lightning players Dave Andreychuk and Chris Dingman sat in the seventh row of the TD Garden and spoke about the coaches past and present. Both won a Cup under Tortorella. Both are impressed with Boucher.

"Torts had a temper," Andreychuk said. "But you knew what he wanted, and you knew where you stood with him."

"Still," Dingman said. "I'd like to play for this guy. Torts would talk to you, but Boucher talks to everyone. He has 23 players, and he coaches them 23 different ways."

And how many ways did Torts have?

"One or two," Dingman said, and both players laughed. "Good mood and bad mood."

Different approaches, identical goals. There is room for that in hockey, too. It's okay to push a player to a Stanley Cup, and it's okay to calmly give him directions.

As long as the team gets there, everything else is just conversation.

By Doug Hemmer, Times Correspondent
Monday, May 16, 2011

What's hot: Redfish schools are large in the lower parts of Tampa Bay. Wind direction and water height play a big role in finding a school. A strong wind out of the north will make the tide much lower than predicted. It will also keep the incoming tide from reaching its highest point. In a few areas, you can target a school during these low tides. They do get a bit crowded with anglers, but if you come into the area slowly and wait for the bite to start, you'll have a good chance at hooking up.

Tackle: A 7- to 8-foot rod with a reel spooled with 10- to 15-pound braided line will give you long casts, needed to get close to reds without spooking the school. Reds in some areas respond to live chumming. When they do, free-line the baits. In other spots, reds respond to cut bait. Test the school with a few live whitebaits tossed near the school. If the reds strike, throw a few more into the school. Don't over-chum; it will attract the birds that like to dive on the baits and spook the school of reds into leaving.

Doug Hemmer charters out of St. Petersburg and can be reached at (727) 347-1389.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Monday, May 16, 2011

Fighting words?

Lightning D Victor Hedman "had it coming," Bruins C Brad Marchand said of Milan Lucic's punch to Hedman's face late in the third period of Game 1. Marchand didn't elaborate, and Hedman said he had "no idea" what Marchand was talking about. "He's always one of those guys that likes to talk a lot on the ice," Hedman said. So, take this for what it's worth: "(Hedman) was acting like he wanted to go back at (Lucic)," Marchand said. "I don't think that would be advised."

Quote to note

"For some reason, everybody (seems) to think that we have to adjust to them. We don't believe that. We have our game. We have our team. We've gotten this far. We believe in what we do. … Whatever they want to do, those are their decisions. From our end of it, we've got to stay sharp and put the right people on the ice."

Bruins coach Claude Julien

Number of the day

8 Tampa Bay's consecutive playoff wins, tying a 2004 team record.

The series Lightning leads 1-0

Game 1, Lightning 5, Bruins 2: Three goals in 1:25 of the first spark the Lightning on the road.

Tonight: at Boston, 8, Versus

Thursday: at Tampa Bay, 8, Versus

Saturday: at Tampa Bay, 1:30, Ch. 8

Monday: at Boston, 8, Versus *

May 25: at Tampa Bay, 8, Versus *

May 27: at Boston, 8, Versus *

Radio: 970-AM except May 25, which is 620-AM

* If necessary

Times wires
Monday, May 16, 2011

Times staff, wires
Monday, May 16, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — The way Yankees captain Derek Jeter stood up for teammate Jorge Posada apparently didn't sit well with managing partner Hal Steinbrenner.

After ESPN.com reported that Yankees management was angry with Jeter, a team spokesman said a conference call was arranged Monday between Steinbrenner, team president Randy Levine, general manager Brian Cashman and the shortstop.

But Jeter called it a "non-issue," and the club described it as a "good conversation" while declining further comment.

"It was good. It's nothing," Jeter said before Monday's game against the Rays. "Everybody is on the same page."

Jeter's stance that Posada didn't need to apologize for asking out of the lineup one hour before Saturday's game against the Red Sox became an issue with the Yankees brass. Jeter also made it clear his loyalty was with Posada, his teammate since 1996.

"He's a brother; we've been together a long time," Jeter said Sunday. "If I thought he did something wrong, I'd be the first one to tell him."

Manager Joe Girardi said he was glad Jeter and the team are "on the same page," a phrase used often by all parties involved.

"I'm happy the way this got handled," Girardi said. "We stuck together as an organization, and we're here for each other."

Rays manager Joe Maddon said he found the whole situation amusing.

"This is one brief moment, and this guy has been a pretty good player for many years," Maddon said. "I do find it a little bit humorous because I don't think it's that big of a deal."

ASTROS SALE: Astros owner Drayton McLane said he has agreed to sell the team to a group led by local businessman Jim Crane for $680 million, the second-highest price in major-league history if it is approved.

LA RUSSA RETURNS: Manager Tony La Russa is back with the Cardinals after missing a six-game road trip to be treated for shingles.

EX-PITCHER AILING: The family of Paul Splittorff, the winningest pitcher in Royals history and a popular television announcer for the team, said he has entered an area hospital for treatment of oral cancer and melanoma.

DODGERS: Former Reds chief operating officer John Allen will assist Tom Schieffer in monitoring the team for Major League Baseball.

INDIANS: CF Grady Sizemore went on the 15-day disabled list with a bruised right knee, an injury he sustained on a hard slide into second last week.

MARINERS: Milton Bradley was released, ending the outfielder's brief and tumultuous tenure with the team.

MARLINS: Manager Edwin Rodriguez, trying to shake Hanley Ramirez out of his prolonged slump, batted the shortstop second for the first time since his rookie season of 2006.

METS: 3B David Wright has a stress fracture in his lower back and is expected to sit out for about 10 days.

PHILLIES: RHP Roy Oswalt, on the 15-day disabled list with lower back inflammation, was activated and is scheduled to start tonight.

RED SOX: RHP John Lackey went on the disabled list with a strained right elbow. RH reliever Scott Atchison was called up from Triple-A Pawtucket.

REDS: LH reliever Aroldis Chapman, who in his past four appearances has walked 12 batters and retired only four, went on the 15-day disabled list with an inflamed pitching shoulder.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.

Times wires
Monday, May 16, 2011

GOLF

WOODS: I PLAN TO PLAY U.S. OPEN

PONTE VEDRA BEACH — Tiger Woods says he didn't do any more damage to his left leg at the Players Championship and expects to play the U.S. Open next month.

Woods made it only nine holes last week at the Players — his shortest tournament ever — when he withdrew after nine holes because pain in his left knee, Achilles' and calf. He shot 42 on the front nine.

On his website Monday, Woods said he irritated the knee and Achilles' without making them worse. He said doctors have advised rest, cold water therapy and soft tissue treatment, which he said he had been receiving.

"Aggravating my injury is very disappointing," Woods said. "I'll do whatever is necessary to play in the U.S. Open, and I'm hopeful I can be there to compete."

The U.S. Open is June 16-19 at Congressional in Bethesda, Md.

COLLEGES

Buckeye great George chosen for football hall

Eddie George, the Heisman Trophy winner for Ohio State in 1995, was picked for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. The rest of the class of 14 former players and two former coaches will be announced today.

HONOR: VCU's Shaka Smart won the Fritz Pollard male coach of the year award from the Black Coaches and Administrators.

ILLINOIS: Athletic director Ron Guenther, 65, said he will retire this summer.

OBITUARY: David Parry, the former head of football officiating in the Big Ten and the NCAA's first national coordinator of officials, died of complications from Parkinson's disease. He was 76.

TENNIS

Clijsters will play in French Open after all

Kim Clijsters says she's healthy enough to play the French Open. The Belgian said she will play with her right ankle taped but that her shoulder and wrist injuries no longer impede her before the only Grand Slam she has yet to win. Clijsters is a two-time runnerup at the French, which begins Sunday in Paris. Until last week, she was considered doubtful.

STRASBOURG INTERNATIONAL: No. 4 seed Nadia Petrova defeated Rebecca Marino 7-6 (6-4), 6-3 and American Melanie Oudin lost to No. 7 seed Anabel Medina Garrigue 6-3, 6-1 in the first round.

WORLD TEAM CUP: The doubles team of John Isner and Mardy Fish, both Tampa residents, gave the U.S. team the clinching point in a 2-1 win over Sweden in Dusseldorf, Germany.

SOCCER

Maradona signs contract to coach team in UAE

Former Argentine playing great Diego Maradona was hired to coach the United Arab Emirates club Al Wasl. He signed a two-year deal.

SPAIN: European governing body UEFA cleared Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets to play May 28 in the Champions League final, dismissing a claim that he racially insulted Real Madrid's Marcelo during the semifinals.

FC TAMPA BAY: The team's NASL match at Fort Lauderdale, canceled Saturday, was rescheduled for 7:30 p.m. on June 29.

ET CETERA

GOLD WINNER DIES: Sammy Wanjiru, the 2008 Olympic gold medalist in the marathon, died after a fall from a second-floor balcony during a domestic dispute involving his wife and another woman, officials said. He was 24. Kenyan officials differed on whether his death was suicide.

NFL: Broncos cornerback Perrish Cox pleaded not guilty to sexual assault charges that carry a maximum of life in prison. District Court Judge Paul King set a trial date of Oct. 18. … Jets receiver Braylon Edwards failed to appear at a scheduled hearing in Manhattan Criminal Court on his DWI case. His attorney, Peter Frankel, was granted a request for a pretrial hearing July 22.

KERRIGAN TRIAL: The trial began for former figure skater Nancy Kerrigan's 46-year-old brother, Mark Kerrigan, who is charged with manslaughter in the January 2010 death of their father, Daniel.

AUTOS: Renault owner Eric Lux plans to file a criminal complaint against Formula One driver Adrian Sutil for assault after a nightclub incident last month in Shanghai. Lux's lawyer said the German driver did "physical assault and grievous bodily harm."

Times wires

Times wires
Monday, May 16, 2011

West final

Canucks 1, Sharks 0

Game 1: Canucks 3, Sharks 2

Wednesday: at Vancouver, 9, Versus

Friday: at San Jose, 9, Versus

Sunday: at San Jose, 3, Ch. 8

May 24: at Vancouver, 9, Versus *

May 26: at San Jose, 9, Versus *

May 28: at Vancouver, 8, Versus *

* If necessary

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Monday, May 16, 2011

TAMPA — Point guard Anthony Crater, whose two seasons at USF were marked by off-court problems and injuries, was dismissed from the Bulls on Monday for an unspecified violation of team rules.

Instead of an experienced if inconsistent senior in Crater running the team next season, the Bulls will rely on a player with little or no Big East experience, likely junior college transfer Blake Nash.

"I am disappointed for Anthony," coach Stan Heath said in a statement. "He is a good young man who made a number of positive contributions to our program, but he made some mistakes and was unable to meet our team's standard."

Crater led the Bulls in minutes last season and ranked fourth in the Big East with 5.1 assists in conference games.

In 2009, a charge of marijuana possession was dropped. That year he was questioned about a theft from a former teammate but not charged.

Previous problems have been reportedly linked to positive drug tests. Crater's first games as a Bull in January 2010 came after a six-game suspension, which matches the suspension for 20 percent of a season that is prompted by a second violation of USF's substance abuse policy.

Last month, USF signed Nash, a junior college combo guard, and high school guard Anthony Collins of Houston; they will compete with rising sophomore LaVonte Dority, a backup last season.

Times wires
Monday, May 16, 2011

Braves 3, Astros 2

ATLANTA — Former Ray Eric Hinske had three hits, including a tiebreaking single in the seventh, and the Braves won behind a makeshift lineup. Manager Fredi Gonzalez subbed Hinske in leftfield and Joe Mather, who had a two-run single in the sixth, in right as Atlanta was missing third baseman Chipper Jones and rightfielder Jason Heyward from its starting lineup. Tommy Hanson struck out 10, one shy of his career high.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Monday, May 16, 2011

BOSTON — One would think if an NHL player was being mentioned with one of the all-time greats, he would at least take some notice.

But Lightning goaltender Dwayne Roloson said he doesn't read the sports section and doesn't turn on the television much, either.

"So, to be honest with you," he said Monday, "I have no inkling what you're talking about."

Did he want to know?

"No," he said, "I don't want to hear it."

But it is worth mentioning.

Roloson's eight straight playoff victories tie him with Hall of Famer Jacques Plante, who did it in 1969 with the Blues, for most by a goalie 40 or older. Roloson needs two more wins, not necessarily in a row, to tie former Red Wings goalie Dominik Hasek for most in a playoff season by those goalies of a certain age.

Roloson, 41, can pass Plante tonight against the Bruins in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference final at TD Garden.

If he plays anything like he has in the postseason — he leads the playoffs with nine wins, a 2.01 goals-against average and .941 save percentage — or in Game 1 against Boston, when he stopped 31 shots in a 5-2 win, Tampa Bay has to like its chances.

But more than his ability to gobble up shots, suppress rebounds and deftly deflect shots into corners and away from danger, it is how Roloson blocks out distractions and focuses on his task that most impresses coaches and teammates.

"I've rarely seen an athlete focus that high on what he needs to do to perform," goaltenders coach Frantz Jean said.

That is why coach Guy Boucher said he buys that Roloson doesn't realize the historic company he is keeping.

"He's very good at blocking things out," Boucher said. "At his age and with the experience he's got, that's what he's got more than the younger guys. He knows what affects him and doesn't affect him."

Questions about his age, for example.

Even if Roloson doesn't read the stories or see the reports, he is asked the questions and knows the narrative. So, when he was asked how his body would handle back-to-back games with the Capitals in the East semifinal, the implication was clear.

"I have no satisfaction," he said of disproving the ageists with two series-clinching victories. "I know what I can do. I can care less about what other people think or say or how they feel. For me, I've got to go out and do what I've got to do and give our guys a chance to win. As cliche as it is, that's what I try to do."

What the Bruins need to do to beat him is get more traffic in front of the net, right wing Nathan Horton said:

"If he sees it, he's going to stop it. That's what you get when you have a great goalie. We have to get in front of him. We just weren't in that spot (in Game 1)."

Roloson said he has no set pregame routine, and he isn't one of those goalies who shuts down conversation with teammates.

Still, center Steven Stamkos said, "For the most part, we try to let Roli do his thing. When he's focused, he's focused on the task at hand, that's stopping pucks and he's been phenomenal at it."

"He knows he's good," defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron said. "He just doesn't need to read about it."

Damian Cristodero can be reached at cristodero@sptimes.com.

Times wires
Monday, May 16, 2011

ST. LOUIS — Jake Westbrook allowed a run in seven innings and the Cardinals snapped a three-game losing streak in manager Tony La Russa's first game back from illness, capitalizing on Cliff Lee's career-high six walks to beat the Phillies 3-1 Monday night.

Lee is winless in six starts since pitching a three-hit shutout at Washington on April 14 and left after 122 pitches in 61/3 innings. Ryan Theriot, Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman walked twice each off Lee, helping the St. Louis rebound after getting swept at Cincinnati.

The Phillies totaled four hits and had only three runners in scoring position against Westbrook.

Philadelphia (25-15) has the best record in the NL but has totaled six runs in a three-game losing streak. The Phillies fielded a lineup minus Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco.

La Russa revised his lineup for better defense against a team that has four left-handed hitters. He had three-time NL MVP Albert Pujols at third base for the first time since Sept. 23, 2002.

Times wires
Monday, May 16, 2011

Blue Jays 4, Tigers 2

DETROIT — Kyle Drabek pitched seven strong innings as the Blue Jays snapped the Tigers' seven-game winning streak. Toronto scored three off former Ray Joaquin Benoit in the eighth. Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion led off with singles, and Aaron Hill made it 2-1 with a double. Juan Rivera and J.P. Arencibia followed with sacrifice flies. Max Scherzer pitched seven strong innings for Detroit.