By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 27, 2012

FORT MYERS — With the rotation resolved, the Rays are now close to picking between Burke Badenhop and Brandon Gomes for the final spot in their bullpen.

Gomes is making it an easy decision. He had another rough outing in Tuesday's 8-0 loss — six batters, four walks, one hit — while Badenhop continued his strong spring with two solid innings.

"There's never a good time to have three outings in a row and not throw well, but especially toward the end," Gomes said. "But I'm feeling good and I'm confident I'm still very close to where I need to be."

Gomes, a key contributor last season as a rookie, had offseason back surgery and has not regained full velocity nor command. In 5 1/3 innings over six games, he has allowed eight hits and seven walks and has a 15.19 ERA.

"He's just a little bit off; that's the best way I can describe it," manager Joe Maddon said. "His velocity is probably down a tick and the breaking ball, they're not chasing it."

Badenhop, acquired from the Marlins, has pitched 9 2/3 innings in big-league exhibitions, allowing 12 hits, striking out 11, walking two, with a 2.79 ERA. "I felt like I've been in pretty decent control of my innings," he said.

FULD OUT: OF Sam Fuld will seek a second opinion on a tendon issue in his right wrist from specialist Dr. Thomas Graham at the Cleveland Clinic, then decide between rehab and surgery. Either way, he is unlikely to start the season but expects to be back at some point. "There's a couple ways we can do it," he said.

UPTON UPDATE: CF B.J. Upton (sore back) said he feels better and is confident he will be ready for the April 6 opener. Maddon said he was glad to hear that but that Upton, who has played only part of one minor-league game since his March 14 collision with Desmond Jennings, has to rejoin the lineup soon.

"He's got to get out there and we have to deem him ready to play, too, medically and physically," Maddon said. "He just can't go play. He's had very little spring training. We've got to get him actually playing the game of baseball." Though Upton was swinging well before the injury, Maddon said, "that platform's gone."

MORE MEDICAL: Jennings (sore shoulder) has been throwing the past two days and, after returning to big-league action as the DH Tuesday, said he expects to be back in the outfield tonight or Thursday. … SS Reid Brignac (plantar fasica issue, right foot) played in a minor-league game again Tuesday and said he hopes to rejoin the Rays tonight.

MISCELLANY: Opening day starter RHP James Shields worked seven innings in a Triple-A game, allowing one run on five hits and striking out 12. … The Rays were held to three hits in falling to 7-15-3 for the spring. … There was no action yet on moving RHP Matt Bush, jailed on DUI charges, off the 40-man roster and onto the restricted list.

By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 27, 2012

PALM BEACH — The Buccaneers have a new head coach in Greg Schiano, three high-priced free agents, a bump in ticket sales that is a step toward ending blackouts and a belief in their plan to build a consistent winner.

Co-chairman Joel Glazer believes that the franchise, which finished 4-12 in 2011, including 10 straight losses that led to the firing of coach Raheem Morris and his staff, is headed for calmer waters.

But he admits mistakes.

"When you have a season like last season, everybody should accept responsibility, from the owner to the general manager to the head coach," Glazer said from the NFL owners' meetings in Palm Beach. "No question, at the end of the season, I felt it. Geez, maybe we should have, maybe we were too extreme in what we did. …

"It's a very painful process and I don't think a lot of people have the stomach for the process but we just believe to get there, you have to go through that."

The Bucs' 24-day search for a coach led them to Schiano, the former Rutgers coach who brings organization, discipline — and yes, Glazer says — integrity that might have been lost in three seasons under Morris.

"You've got to have sustained success, you've got to stand for certain things in our community and I think that's what people are going to see with coach Schiano. He has something he stands for and his beliefs, and the locker room is going to see he stands for certain things," Glazer said. "He talks about being Buccaneer men and what he expects, and the team will soon hear what he expects, and I think the community will soon embrace that."

In an interview with the Times, Glazer talked about topics including the firing of Morris, retaining general manager Mark Dominik, investing in free agents and the positive response by Bucs fans over recent weeks that has resulted in an increase in season ticket sales.

On what led to hiring Schiano:

"The more people we talked to, my gosh, it was amazing the more one person after another had more and more positive things to say about coach Schiano, whether it was his integrity, whether it was his football smarts, whether it's the way he deals with players, the way he teaches, his approach," Glazer said. "When we got to the end, it was very clear that this was the guy that brought something different to the table and … will fit very well with the things he stands for on and off the field."

On the response of fans to the signing of free agents Vincent Jackson, Carl Nicks and Eric Wright:

"It's been a tremendous response," Glazer said. "The excitement I feel when we're talking to people, the input we're getting from our season ticket holders, our fans in general, the effect it's seemed to have is the re-energizing of our fan base in the Tampa community and kind of re-engaging them with the Buccaneers. … People say, hey, was this really part of the plan? I always go back to when we set out on this plan a few years ago, this was part of the plan. But the appropriate time to do something like this wasn't in the beginning."

On ending television blackouts:

"First of all, we've seen a great response in our ticket office, A: when we hired Coach Schiano; and then, B: in free agency," Glazer said. "So with our renewals and our existing season ticket holders, they're excited. We've seen a great response there. From new sales, we've seen a great response there as well. That being said, we obviously have a ways to go, and that is the No. 1 priority for us. … The key thing is we want our fans to be able to watch every single game on television, and we're going to work our tails off to get back to that because it means so much to the community, it means so much to our fans."

On retaining Dominik:

"I think Mark knows what he wants to do and he has a plan in his mind. Again, in football, nobody ever hits it all the time," Glazer said. "And sometimes when you're a general manager for the first time, you're going to make some mistakes. The key is, did you learn from those mistakes? The way he handled this coaching search, behind the scenes which I know a lot of people didn't see, the work he's done in the offseason, the job he did getting these free agents in, the preparatory work being done for the draft, we have great confidence in Mark."

On whether he believes some "integrity" was lost in three seasons under Morris.

"At (Monday's) owners meeting, there was a focus group of fans brought in to talk to the owners and all of them, to a person, said one thing. And the one thing was what was important to them, was the integrity of the players, the NFL and what happens on and off the field. They pay attention. Over everything, integrity was No. 1.

"Sometimes, after a bad season, you have to take a step back … and look at where we're at, where we've been and what we've got to do to get back to what we really believe in and what we stand for and what we want to stand for and what the community wants us to be. And I think you're going to start to see all those things calibrate back to what the Buccaneers are all about.

"I have great respect for coach Morris. I always have. But I'm excited for what coach Schiano is bringing to our team and what he'll bring to our community and what he will bring to the players in the locker room."

On his reaction to the one-year suspension of Saints coach Sean Payton by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for his role in player bounties:

"We heard it (Monday) from fans, integrity is the No. 1 item in the National Football League and player safety is paramount," Glazer said. "So, what happened there is a tough situation and obviously, there's no place for it in our game and the commissioner acted in that situation responsibly to protect the game on the field and protect the integrity of the National Football League. . . . You never like to see any team have a situation like that."

Times wires
Tuesday, March 27, 2012

TAMPA — RHP Joba Chamberlain hobbled to a chair, put down his crutches and soon made a pronouncement: He expects to pitch in the majors this season.

Despite a trampoline accident that dislocated his right ankle and put him in a cast for six weeks, the Yankees reliever remained confident he would be back.

"Obviously there's a lot of things that are going to have to happen before that, but what we've been told there's a great chance it's going to happen," Chamberlain said Tuesday.

Chamberlain spoke at the Yankees' spring complex five days after the injury. GM Brian Cashman said there is no timetable for his return.

"No one can tell you whether he'll pitch this year," Cashman said. "There's a chance he can. There's a chance he might not. Is this something that can be a real issue for him going forward? Yes. I'm optimistic that the best-case scenario will work out and he'll pitch again this year, but that's my heart and gut. I don't have anything else go to on."

Chamberlain, 26, says he didn't break any bones and has been free of infection. Chamberlain and Cashman said it was never a life-threatening situation.

Chamberlain was hurt Thursday playing with his 5-year-old son at a Tampa-area recreation spot.

"I felt like I let my team down, to be perfectly honest with you, and that's the most frustrating part," he said.

GRANDERSON OUT: CF Curtis Granderson was scratched from the game against the Blue Jays with right elbow soreness and was sent for a precautionary MRI exam.

PETTITTE THROWS: LHP Andy Pettitte increased his workload by throwing in a simulated game, and manager Joe Girardi said the 39-year-old could pitch in a spring training game next week.

EX-STAR'S SON CUT: The Yankees released 1B Preston Mattingly, who agreed to a minor-league contract in January. The 24-year-old is the son of former Yankees star and current Dodgers manager Don Mattingly.

Phils: Lee on track

CLEARWATER — Cliff Lee definitely looks ready for the regular season.

Lee pitched six scoreless innings in the Phillies' 5-4 victory over the Pirates. He allowed three hits, struck out three and walked one. The left-hander, 33, will make one more spring start Sunday before taking the ball in the second game of the regular season on April 7 in Pittsburgh.

"I'm pretty happy with where everything is right now," Lee said. "One more start and then the regular season, so it's time to get after it."

NICKED UP: INF Freddy Galvis said he was okay a day after fouling a pitch off his left foot. He was diagnosed with a contusion and is day to day.

Jays: Lind sits

TAMPA — Blue Jays 1B Adam Lind was a late scratch because of tightness in his lower back.

The team said the move was made for precautionary reasons. It didn't indicate how long Lind would be out.

Lower back problems hounded Lind for much of the 2011 season. He spent three weeks in May and June on the disabled list and battled discomfort the rest of the season. He was batting .313 before his DL stint, then batted .229 thereafter.

By Christina K. Cosdon, Times Correspondent
Tuesday, March 27, 2012

TAMPA — The annual Tampa Equestrian Festival opens today at the Florida State Fairgrounds with events featuring everything from fast and scopey grand prix horses partnered by the nation's top show jumping riders to feisty little ponies and their even smaller young riders.

Gates open at 8 a.m. today through Sunday. Each day has 30 to 70 equestrian competitions. The festival is closed Monday. It reopens at 8 a.m. Tuesday and continues through April 7, culminating in the $200,000 Gene Mische American Invitational at Raymond James Stadium.

Many show jumping riders who last week finished the first round of trials for the London Olympics in July and August are expected to show in Sunday's $50,000 Grand Prix of Tampa, a qualifier for the World Cup finals next month in the Netherlands. Kent Farrington, who won last year's Invitational, placed ninth on the U.S. Olympic long list after last week's trials in Wellington. Longtime crowd favorite Margie Engle was second to 17-year-old newcomer Reed Kessler. McLain Ward, who is recovering from a shattered left kneecap, was given a bye and is eighth and 10th on the list on different horses. Ward, with Beezie Madden, was on the 2004 and 2008 U.S. gold medal Olympic team.

Tampa Equestrian Festival

What: A hunter/jumper horse show circuit featuring riders of all ages and horsemanship levels and their ponies and horses. Visitors can walk among the horses, but give a wide berth to the ones that kick (they'll have red ribbons on their tails.)

When: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today through-Sunday and Tuesday through April 7.

Admission: Free.

Grand Prix

Schedule: Friday — $32,000 Tampa Bay Welcome Stake at 5 p.m. in the covered arena; Sunday — $50,000 Grand Prix of Tampa, 2 p.m. in the covered arena. The event is a qualifier for the final show jumping World Cup, April 18-22 in the Netherlands.

Where: Bob Thomas Equestrian Center, Florida State Fairgrounds, 4800 U.S. 301 N, Tampa.

Directions to fairgrounds: From Tampa or St. Petersburg/Clearwater via Interstate 275 to I-4 eastbound, take Exit 6 for Orient Road and turn right off the ramp. There will be a sign for the fairgrounds entrance immediately on the left. Check in at the security guard gate for entry.

American Invitational

What: The "Super Bowl" of show jumping features Olympic medalists from around the world and is one of the premier outdoor show jumping competitions in the United States.

When: April 7. The public can walk the course with the riders from 6 to 6:45 p.m. Opening ceremonies are at 7 p.m. and showtime is 8.

Where: Raymond James Stadium, 4201 N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa.

Tickets: Purchase online at stadiumjumping.com or call Stadium Jumping toll-free at 1-800-237-8924 or (941) 744-5465. Advance tickets are $10, $20, $25. Day of, they're $15, $25, $30. Tickets for groups of 10 or more and seniors 55 and older are $7.50, $17.50 and $22.50 depending on location. Girl Scouts tickets are $7.50. Any active duty military with ID can get one free ticket. Tickets for active duty family members military are $10 for adults, $5 for children.

Times wires
Tuesday, March 27, 2012

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Prepare for "The Stare" at South Carolina games next season.

The Gamecocks hired fiery Frank Martin from Kansas State to re-energize a program that had dropped to the bottom of the SEC.

Martin, 46, spoke for nearly an hour in front of several hundred fans, media and school administrators. Afterward, he was asked to demonstrate his harsh, laser-like stare, a featured attraction at Wildcat games the past five years.

"It's something that happens when it's time to compete," Martin said, laughing.

Martin says the time for the Gamecocks to compete is now.

He told the players Tuesday morning that they weren't far off from SEC success, despite going 10-21 and 2-14 in the league this season.

"I've got to figure out a way, and that's my job, to get them the confidence that they need to win that next game," Martin said.

NIT: Anthony Brown scored a season-high 18 and Josh Owens had 15 points and 12 rebounds to help Stanford (25-11) advance to the championship game with a 74-64 win over Massachusetts (25-12). The Minutemen took their first lead since early in the game with about eight minutes left, but Brown hit a 3-pointer to push the Cardinal back on top then later scored seven during an 11-3 run.

COACHING BONUSES: Ohio State coach Thad Matta has racked up $100,000 in incentives tied to his team's performance in the Big Ten and NCAA Tournament this season. Kansas coach Bill Self, Kentucky's John Calipari and Louisville's Rick Pitino are already racking up similar bonus packages, according to a review of their contracts by the Associated Press.

UCONN: Junior center Alex Oriakhi was granted his release from the program.

GEORGETOWN: Junior forward Hollis Thompson plans to skip his senior year, hire an agent and enter the NBA draft.

MEMPHIS: The school extended the contract of coach Josh Pastner by one year through the 2017 season. Financial terms were not released.

NOTRE DAME: Sophomore guard Alex Dragicevich plans to transfer.

Women's All-America

Baylor junior Brittney Griner and Stanford's Nnemkadi Ogwumike were unanimous selections to the Associated Press' All-America team. They were joined on the squad by Notre Dame's Skylar Diggins, Delaware's Elena Delle Donne and Maryland's Alyssa Thomas.

CHARLESTON: Natasha Adair was named coach after spending eight seasons as an assistant at Wake Forest.

MIAMI: The school extended coach Katie Meier's contract for two more seasons through April 30, 2018. The Hurricanes have 54 wins in two years.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 27, 2012

BOSTON — Lightning goaltenders coach Frantz Jean likes to work with what he calls "static" drills in which a goalie "works on the mechanics of the movement."

G Dwayne Roloson likes to work with what Jean calls "momentum plays where there's passing of pucks and shooting on reception."

Coincidence or not, Roloson's mini resurgence in which he entered Tuesday on a 3-0-0 streak with a 2.59 goals-against average and .928 save percentage came several weeks after he requested more of those kinds of drills; drills with which he said he is more comfortable.

"I like Frantz a lot. He's a great person and a great guy and obviously knows a lot about the game or he wouldn't be coaching at this level," Roloson said before Tuesday's loss to the Bruins. "For me, it was just some of the stuff he was doing, it didn't quite work into my game. … I had to get back doing the things I know work and allowed me to play as long as I have."

Roloson said he and Jean talked, "And he said, 'Okay, let me know what drills you want to do.' We've worked pretty well together with it."

Jean agreed.

"Roli has a lot of experience and has been in the league for a long time, so you go with the athlete that has that experience of what works for them and what doesn't," he said. "You have to give them that luxury of going back to certain patterns that they like to use and work on their technique."

"As a coach," Jean added, "you have to grant that and be confident enough to say, 'Yeah, let's do that.'"

Coach Guy Boucher said he liked the collaboration:

"They did a great job figuring out what had to be done. That's what coaching is and that's what experience is, finding those little things that make a difference at the moment. … It's not always being right, it's about getting it right, and that's where the ego for the player and coach has to be managed and managed well."

There was bit of a divergence on when Roloson began positioning himself higher in the crease. The player indicated it was part of recent adjustments. Jean said it happened around Christmas and also applied to G Mathieu Garon because "we were getting beat too much on straight shots and wanted to change that."

Either way, Roloson, 42, who entered Tuesday with a 3.66 goals-against average and .886 save percentage, hasn't looked better all season.

Roloson said he wishes he spoke up sooner.

"I didn't want to be an insubordinate guy and not go with what they were teaching, so I just wanted to do that," he said. "But at the end I have to do what's going to allow me to play the best."

"I'm there to assist the goaltenders," Jean said. "If they like certain drills to end up with the same objective at the end, that's how it should be. You shouldn't force things down someone's throat."

MEDICAL MATTERS: C Vinny Lecavalier (hand) and C Nate Thompson (upper body) were held out of their 18th and sixth games, respectively, but might play Thursday at New Jersey. "A definite possibility for both players," Boucher said. … D Victor Hedman was in the lineup after being a late scratch Monday because of illness.

ODDS AND ENDS: C Steven Stamkos was 6-for-18 on faceoffs as Tampa Bay lost 37 of 54. … Bruins D Zdeno Chara was honored pregame for his 1,000th game which occurred Saturday while Boston was in Los Angeles. … Lightning D Bruno Gervais was the healthy scratch.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 27, 2012

BOSTON — The Lightning will not practice today, and given the situation, that is like a reward.

"The guys," coach Guy Boucher said, "are giving everything they've got."

But games such as Tuesday night's 5-2 loss to the Bruins at TD Garden are a reminder that for a team depleted by injuries and trades, and with seven players in the lineup who this season have played in the AHL, that is not nearly enough.

You can get by for a while; the team's three-game winning streak entering Tuesday was proof of that. But against the Stanley Cup champions in the second game of a back-to-back, well, that is another story.

"We're trying our best and that's all you can ask," center Steven Stamkos said. "When you look at what we have right now, everyone is giving their all. There's no quit on this team."

Stamkos scored twice for a league-best 55 goals, and goaltender Dwayne Roloson played a fourth straight strong game with 33 saves on 37 shots as Boston also scored an empty-netter.

"Roli," wing Marty St. Louis said, "kept us in the game."

But Tampa Bay (35-34-7) simply has no ability right now to push back when an opponent gains momentum. That means lots of defensive zone time and lots of scoring chances against.

Boston was relentless, too. Its 38-18 shot advantage put the Lightning's deficit the past five games at 187-107, including 43-11 in the past three second periods.

That means little chance to win unless the goalie is flawless, and that is an unfair standard.

"You can paint a picture whatever way you want it," Roloson said.

Roloson was so good in carrying the team to wins in his three previous games, Boucher changed his mind about giving Sebastien Caron his first Lightning start.

With Roloson's good work, Tampa Bay was down only 2-1 after the second period despite being outshot 23-8. And when Stamkos scored with a one-timer on the power play 5:46 into the third, it was 2-2 and the center was a post shot away from giving the Lightning the lead.

But just 31 seconds after Bruins goalie Tim Thomas made a great glove save on Teddy Purcell, a defensive lapse led to Benoit Pouliot's winner with 8:26 left in the third period, though Roloson argued he was hooked out of position by Brian Rolston.

Another lapse led to Brad Marchand's goal with 4:10 left on a shot Roloson probably believes he should have had.

So, Tampa Bay was not flawless.

"We fight the way we can fight," Boucher said. "A day of rest (today) and continue fighting."

First Period—1, Tampa Bay, Stamkos 54 (St. Louis), 5:03. 2, Boston, Thornton 5 (Chara), 10:54. Penalties—Wyman, TB (holding stick), 6:11; Aulie, TB (tripping), 14:52.

Second Period—3, Boston, Seidenberg 4 (Chara, Krejci), 15:05. Penalties—Marchand, Bos (cross-checking), 4:43; Aulie, TB (roughing), 13:16; Campbell, Bos (roughing), 13:16; Commodore, TB (tripping), 15:21; Seguin, Bos (tripping), 19:57.

Third Period—4, Tampa Bay, Stamkos 55 (Hedman, St. Louis), 5:46 (pp). 5, Boston, Pouliot 14 (Rolston, Chara), 11:34. 6, Boston, Marchand 26 (P.Bergeron, Seguin), 15:50. 7, Boston, Peverley 10 (Krejci), 19:53 (en). Penalties—Wallace, TB (tripping), 2:59; Boychuk, Bos (tripping), 5:23; Seguin, Bos (high-sticking), 9:07; Lee, TB (delay of game), 16:01. Shots on Goal—Tampa Bay 5-3-10—18. Boston 11-12-15—38. Power-play opportunities—Tampa Bay 1 of 4; Boston 0 of 5. Goalies—Tampa Bay, Roloson 11-15-2 (37 shots-33 saves). Boston, Thomas 33-19-0 (18-16). A—17,565 (17,565). T—2:28.

Times wires
Tuesday, March 27, 2012

PALM BEACH — NFL owners ratified the agreement between the league and players' union that takes away $36 million in salary cap space from the Redskins and $10 million from the Cowboys.

Other than Dallas and Washington, no club voted Tuesday to oppose the agreement, which raised the 2012 cap from about $113 million to $120.6 million. The two NFC East rivals have sought arbitration, which will be conducted by University of Pennsylvania professor Stephen Burbank.

Both teams were penalized for overloading contracts in the 2010 uncapped season despite league warnings. Each must take at least half the reduction this year.

The owners also approved competition committee recommendations for the coming season, including blows to the head, horse-collar tackles and taunting:

• Blows to the head by both offensive and defensive linemen were reviewed. The competition committee sought to re-emphasize that such hits are illegal. Game officials will be instructed to closely monitor those acts, which draw a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness and can bring fines.

• Horse-collar tackles increased enough to alarm the committee. Rich McKay, president of the Atlanta Falcons and chairman of the committee, said examples will be part of a video shown to players at training camp. The owners vote today on whether to make such tackles of quarterbacks in the pocket a penalty.

• The committee did not say taunting increased, but it urges that policing such acts be emphasized.

AGENT CONTACT: The players' union voted to repeal a rule that prohibited certified agents from having contact with college players until the student-athletes have been out of high school for three years. NFLPA spokesman Carl Francis said player representatives from each team voted to eliminate the so-called "junior rule" last weekend. The union passed the rule in 2007, not long after it was discovered that Reggie Bush and his family got cash and gifts from fledgling marketing agents before his junior year at USC.

BENGALS: Coach Marvin Lewis said the team is open to offering receiver Jerome Simpson another deal though he could be headed to jail and faces a suspension for violating NFL substance abuse policy. Simpson pleaded guilty March 1 to a charge resulting from 2 pounds of marijuana shipped to his home in September.

FALCONS: Center Todd McClure agreed to terms on a one-year contract to return for his 14th season with the team.

GIANTS: The team is expected to reach agreement on a contract extension for coach Tom Coughlin in the next several weeks, president and co-owner John Mara said.

LIONS: Running back and former UCF standout Kevin Smith agreed to a one-year deal.

RAIDERS: Free agent cornerback Pat Lee signed a one-year contract.

VIKINGS: Linebacker Erin Henderson re-signed and former Bears cornerback Zack Bowman signed, both for one year.

Times wires
Tuesday, March 27, 2012

PHILADELPHIA — Jodie Meeks scored a career-high 31 and Jrue Holiday had 19 to lead the 76ers to a 103-85 victory over the Cavaliers on Tuesday night.

Philadelphia moved a half-game ahead of Boston and back into sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division. The Sixers have held the top spot in the Atlantic for all but a few days early in the season.

Sixers forward Andre Iguodala missed his second straight game because of left patella tendinitis. Meeks started in his place and made 7 of 10 3-pointers.

Anthony Parker scored 14 and Kyrie Irving had 12 for the Cavaliers, who dropped their fourth straight.

game highlights: Dante Cunningham, starting because center Marc Gasol sat with a sprained right ankle, had season highs of 13 points and 14 rebounds as the host Grizzlies beat the Timberwolves 93-86. St. Petersburg's Marreese Speights, a former Gator, scored 18 for Memphis. Gasol is day to day. … Monta Ellis, who had struggled since being acquired from the Warriors on March 14, scored 33 as the host Bucks held off the Hawks 108-101. Milwaukee moved to within two games of the idle Knicks for the final playoff spot in the East.

around the league: Knicks guards Carmelo Anthony (right groin strain) said he will play in tonight's home game against the Magic, but Jeremy Lin (sore left knee) is questionable. Forward Amare Stoudemire is out tonight and perhaps for the season. He traveled to Miami for a second opinion on his injured back. … Heat forward LeBron James may have a dislocated ring finger on his non-shooting hand. Miami did not practice Tuesday and next plays Thursday against the Mavs. … Cavs guard Daniel Gibson has a torn tendon in his right foot and ankle and may miss the rest of the season. … Australian point guard Patrick Mills, a former Blazers backup, signed with the Spurs. He last played in China during the NBA lockout.

76ers 103, Cavaliers 85

CLEVELAND (85): Gee 4-12 2-2 13, Jamison 5-14 3-4 13, Thompson 3-3 3-6 9, Irving 4-13 1-2 12, Parker 5-7 2-2 14, Samuels 2-2 0-2 4, Harris 3-8 4-4 10, Sloan 1-4 0-0 2, Casspi 0-5 5-6 5, Walton 1-2 0-0 3. Totals 28-70 20-28 85.

PHILADELPHIA (103): Turner 6-13 0-0 12, Brand 4-6 0-0 8, Hawes 5-9 0-0 10, Holiday 9-19 0-0 19, Meeks 11-16 2-2 31, Battie 0-1 0-0 0, Williams 5-14 0-1 11, T.Young 3-7 0-0 6, S.Young 1-4 1-2 4, Allen 0-0 0-0 0, Vucevic 0-1 0-0 0, Brackins 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 45-92 3-5 103.

Cleveland 21 22 25 17— 85

Philadelphia 29 28 25 21— 103

3-Point Goals—Cleveland 9-23 (Gee 3-4, Irving 3-7, Parker 2-3, Walton 1-1, Sloan 0-2, Jamison 0-3, Casspi 0-3), Philadelphia 10-19 (Meeks 7-10, S.Young 1-1, Holiday 1-3, Williams 1-4, Turner 0-1). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Cleveland 50 (Gee 9), Philadelphia 49 (Hawes 8). Assists—Cleveland 19 (Irving 7), Philadelphia 25 (Williams 7). Total Fouls—Cleveland 15, Philadelphia 22. A—17,832 (20,318).

Bucks 108, Hawks 101

ATLANTA (101): J.Johnson 4-14 2-3 11, Smith 14-26 1-4 30, Pachulia 3-5 1-2 7, Teague 6-8 2-2 15, Hinrich 4-10 1-1 10, Williams 4-11 1-1 11, Green 0-1 0-0 0, I.Johnson 7-7 2-4 17, McGrady 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 42-84 10-17 101.

MILWAUKEE (108): Mbah a Moute 6-7 0-0 12, Udoh 3-8 2-2 8, Gooden 5-16 6-6 16, Jennings 6-13 4-4 18, Ellis 15-24 3-4 33, Dunleavy 5-10 0-0 13, Sanders 2-5 0-0 4, Udrih 2-5 0-0 4. Totals 44-88 15-16 108.

Atlanta 23 23 33 22— 101

Milwaukee 31 24 23 30— 108

3-Point Goals—Atlanta 7-23 (Williams 2-4, I.Johnson 1-1, Teague 1-3, Smith 1-3, J.Johnson 1-6, Hinrich 1-6), Milwaukee 5-11 (Dunleavy 3-5, Jennings 2-3, Ellis 0-3). Rebounds—Atlanta 52 (Smith 18), Milwaukee 42 (Udoh 10). Assists—Atlanta 27 (J.Johnson 8), Milwaukee 29 (Ellis 8). Total Fouls—Atlanta 16, Milwaukee 16. Technicals—Smith, Mbah a Moute, Milwaukee defensive three second. A—12,223.

Grizzlies 93, Wolves 86

MINNESOTA (86): Johnson 3-7 0-0 6, Williams 4-15 5-6 14, Love 10-22 4-4 28, Ridnour 4-13 0-0 9, Webster 4-10 1-2 9, Beasley 1-2 0-0 3, Tolliver 1-4 0-0 2, Lee 0-1 0-0 0, Ellington 6-10 1-1 15, Miller 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 33-85 11-13 86.

MEMPHIS (93): Gay 7-20 7-7 21, Cunningham 6-9 1-2 13, Speights 8-11 2-2 18, Conley 3-9 6-6 12, Allen 5-12 3-5 13, Z.Randolph 3-6 2-2 8, Mayo 1-6 4-4 6, Pargo 1-5 0-0 2, Pondexter 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 34-80 25-28 93.

Minnesota 22 19 26 19— 86

Memphis 24 20 24 25— 93

3-Point Goals—Minnesota 9-29 (Love 4-8, Ellington 2-4, Beasley 1-1, Ridnour 1-2, Williams 1-6, Miller 0-1, Tolliver 0-2, Johnson 0-2, Webster 0-3), Memphis 0-11 (Pargo 0-1, Conley 0-2, Mayo 0-2, Pondexter 0-2, Gay 0-4). Rebounds—Minnesota 44 (Love 11), Memphis 59 (Cunningham 14). Assists—Minnesota 13 (Ridnour 5), Memphis 16 (Conley 8). Total Fouls—Minnesota 21, Memphis 15. A—14,769 (18,119).

Mavericks 90, Rockets 81

HOUSTON (81): Parsons 6-14 1-3 15, Scola 9-14 4-4 22, Dalembert 0-1 0-0 0, Dragic 7-15 2-2 17, Lee 4-13 0-0 10, Budinger 3-9 0-0 7, Camby 2-3 0-1 4, Patterson 1-7 0-0 2, Boykins 1-3 2-2 4. Totals 33-79 9-12 81.

DALLAS (90): Marion 2-6 0-0 4, Nowitzki 5-17 11-12 21, Mahinmi 2-4 0-0 4, Kidd 2-3 0-0 6, Carter 3-8 0-0 7, Terry 5-14 0-0 12, Odom 4-5 1-2 9, Wright 6-7 1-1 13, Beaubois 5-9 3-5 14, Cardinal 0-0 0-0 0, Jones 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 34-73 16-20 90.

Houston 30 19 12 20— 81

Dallas 19 27 23 21— 90

3-Point Goals—Houston 6-21 (Lee 2-4, Parsons 2-5, Dragic 1-5, Budinger 1-5, Boykins 0-2), Dallas 6-19 (Kidd 2-3, Terry 2-8, Beaubois 1-2, Carter 1-3, Nowitzki 0-3). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Houston 44 (Parsons 9), Dallas 48 (Marion 11). Assists—Houston 17 (Dragic 7), Dallas 18 (Beaubois 5). Total Fouls—Houston 22, Dallas 14. A—20,359 (19,200).

Times wires
Tuesday, March 27, 2012

tennis

wozniacki takes advantage of serena's errors

KEY BISCAYNE — Serena Williams kept swinging on the final point, and Caroline Wozniacki kept chasing the ball down, running from side to side in a grueling, grunt-filled exchange.

A weary Williams finally hit one where her relentless opponent couldn't reach it: into the net. With that, Wozniacki had a 6-4, 6-4 victory Tuesday night, and a berth in the Key Biscayne semifinals for the first time.

"I made her run," Wozniacki said.

"Everyone I play always plays the match of the year," Williams said.

Wozniacki, a former No. 1, served well and was content to play patiently from the baseline. She extending rallies until Williams would make a mistake, and the stats told the tale: Williams hit 34 winners to 12 for Wozniacki but also committed 36 unforced errors to the Dane's 13.

Wozniacki's opponent in the semifinals Thursday will be No. 2 Maria Sharapova, who advanced by drubbing French Open champion Li Na 6-3, 6-0.

Sharapova had lost their previous four meetings.

"I just really wanted to change that," she said, "so I was extremely focused and, you know, looking forward to the match."

The buzz Andy Roddick got from beating Roger Federer turned into a hangover when Juan Monaco became a real headache. Less than 24 hours after his upset win over Federer, Roddick endured a drubbing against Monaco, 7-5, 6-0.

Monaco, a patient baseliner seeded 21st, was unfazed by Roddick's big serve, and the match became a succession of long rallies. Roddick began to look weary and stumbled after several shots.

No. 2 Rafael Nadal swept five consecutive games during one stretch and beat No. 16-seeded Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-4.

Nadal, a three-time runnerup at Key Biscayne, lost the final last year to Novak Djokovic, and they could meet again Sunday. The top-ranked Djokovic reached the final eight by beating No. 17-seeded Richard Gasquet 7-5, 6-3.

No. 4 Andy Murray and No. 6 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga also won in straight sets. No. 8 Mardy Fish edged No. 12 Nicolas Almagro 6-3, 6-7 (7-2), 6-3.

Also, Nadal has resigned as vice president of the ATP Player Council, saying he can no longer give the job the attention it needs.

Davis Cup: Fish and Tampa's John Isner have been chosen to play for the U.S. team in the quarterfinals against France on April 6-8. Fish and Isner swept the opening-day singles matches to help the U.S. team win at Switzerland in the first round last month. The U.S. team will also include top-ranked doubles partners and Wesley Chapel residents Bob and Mike Bryan.

et cetera

College baseball: Former Dunedin standout Casey Turgeon had a go-ahead two-run triple and later scored during a three-run sixth and Florida (23-2), ranked No. 1 by Collegiate Baseball, beat No. 5 FSU (21-4) 4-1 in Jacksonville.

Horses: Trainer Bob Baffert was moved out of intensive care a day after having a heart attack and is expected to be released from a United Arab Emirates hospital by Thursday. Baffert, 59, was in Dubai to train Game on Dude for the Dubai World Cup this week.

Gymnastics: Paul Hamm, the only U.S. man to win a world or Olympic all-around title, is abandoning his comeback for the London Olympics because his body can no longer handle the demands of training and competition. He retires with five medals from the world championships and three from the Olympics.

Times wires

Times wires
Tuesday, March 27, 2012

KINGSTON, R.I. — Before the season started, Geno Auriemma figured his Connecticut Huskies wouldn't be good enough to make it to the Final Four.

A funny thing happened along the way: His starless team jelled, and now UConn is back in the national semifinals for a fifth straight season.

Tiffany Hayes scored 22 and top-seeded Connecticut beat Kentucky 80-65 on Tuesday night in the Kingston Region final.

"We like to go to the Final Four every year," Auriemma said. "I think we're also realistic, some years it's going to be easier than others. Expectations are always there, regardless of the probability. This year was less than other years. Makes it more worthwhile. Last year we went as a team led by Maya Moore. This year there isn't any of that. The University of Connecticut is going to the Final Four and I think that's pretty cool once in a while."

Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis added 18 for UConn (33-4), which will play Notre Dame on Sunday in Denver.

Auriemma said facing the Irish: "We've got two of the best teams in the country. That's going to be as hard to win as any other time we've played them. They are really, really, really good."

Hayes, selected most outstanding player of the region, has been to a Final Four in all four of her seasons. This time was special to the senior: "It's even sweeter because this is a team effort, it wasn't one or two people getting us there. We all had our part in it. Glad to be back for the fourth time."

The Huskies matched their own NCAA record of consecutive Final Four trips set from 2000-04. LSU and Stanford have also accomplished the feat.

Unlike their previous four trips to the region finals, which were quick blowouts, the Huskies had to work hard.

UConn led 48-47 early in the second half before turning up its defense and going on a 21-4 run. Hayes, who scored seven during the run, got it started with a lay-in. Then the Huskies started a parade to the line, converting 12 free throws.

Mosqueda-Lewis' 3-pointer with 7:26 left capped UConn's burst. Kentucky (28-7) got no closer than 15 the rest of the way.

It has been a strange season for UConn. Despite running through the early part of its schedule, Auriemma knew the team's shortcomings would eventually be exposed. Road losses to Baylor and Notre Dame were understandable, but at the end of February UConn really came to a crossroads.

The Huskies lost to St. John's on senior night, snapping a 99-game home winning streak. Nine days later they fell to Notre Dame. Since then they've been unstoppable, cruising to the Big East tournament championship and rolling through three NCAA Tournament games.

Now UConn is back in the Final Four for the 13th time in 18 years. Kentucky, meanwhile, lost in the region finals for the second time in three seasons.

"It's hard to get to where we got to tonight and they've been here so many times, it's difficult," Wildcats coach Matthew Mitchell said. "We need to stay at it and keep showing up and one day we'll punch through."

NOTRE DAME 80, MARYLAND 49: Skylar Diggins had a triple-double and the Irish (34-3) earned their second straight Final Four berth by routing the Terps (31-5) in the Raleigh (N.C.) Region final.

Diggins, the Big East player of the year, had 22 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds and five steals. She kept Notre Dame's four-guard lineup humming and causing the second-seeded Terrapins fits all night. The Irish had a 46-27 rebounding edge on low-post-oriented Maryland.

The Terrapins trailed by 19 in the first half and never got close from there, denied a fourth Final Four trip and first since winning the national title in 2006.

By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Running back LeGarrette Blount has a 'tons of ability,' according to Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano. But his inability to protect the football could force the team to look elsewhere for ball carriers.

Blount fumbled five times last season, losing three.

"I think LeGarrette has tons of ability,'' Schiano said Wednesday at the NFL owners meetings. "No one who touches the football will get touches if they don't protect the football. That is one of our core covenants. The ball. It's so important, they named the game after it. So, we make a big deal about that thing.''

Schiano said repeatedly that he wants the Bucs to run the football and use play action passes to take shots downfield. He credited running back Ray Rice with spearheading the turnaround at Rutgers and described the Ravens running back as a 'bell cow.'

The Bucs, who own the No. 5 overall pick, may have an opportunity to draft Alabama running back Trent Richardson, whom Schiano described as 'a special talent.'

By comparison, one of Richardson's strengths is ball security. Richardson lost only one fumble in 614 career touches. In fact, that turnover came in the sixth game of his freshman season, which means he went 550 touches without a fumble.

"I've studied a lot of tape on him, he's a very talented guy,'' Schiano said of Richardson. "I met him briefly, I look forward to spending more quality time with him here before the draft. You can't argue with production. One of the things I think you really have to look at, it doesn't guarantee anything, but when you're looking at that running back making the jump from high school to college or college to the National Football League, one of the real barometers is production. Was he able to be consistently productive and Trent has done it in what's arguably the toughest league in college football. So he's a special talent.''

Schiano said he has had running backs by committee but clearly thrived at Rutgers under a feature back system with players such as Rice. Blount has been one dimensional in his career with the Bucs and is rarely used in the passing game. In two seasons, he has 20 receptions for 162 yards and no touchdowns.

"We've done it both ways,'' Schiano said. "We've turned around our program at Rutgers on the shoulders of Ray Rice. He was a bell cow guy, now. I don't know what his average per carries were but he certainly never walked off the field feeling like he hadn't had enough touches, I can promise you that.

"So I do believe if you have the right one, you just feed him. And great backs want the ball. Ray used to come to me, I would check with Ray continuously. "How are you feeling, big guy?' "Keep giving me the ball. Keep giving me the ball.' That's all he wanted. "Give me the ball, give me the ball.'

"When you have those types of backs, I've been around some of them – Kijana Carter was like that at Penn St. — at Miami we had a slew of them. They all want touches to get into a groove. But you've got to have that guy. I always talk about touches during a football game. It's kind of like a pizza and you earn your slice of the pie. so the better the player you are, the more productive you are, we're going to find ways to get you touches. And you earn them. They're not handed out. You earn them.''

And if Blount wants touches, he's going to have to start holding onto the football.

By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 28, 2012

LeGARRETTE BLOUNT

TRENT RICHARDSON

TAMPA — LeGarrette Blount received respect, then ridicule from new Bucs coach Greg Schiano.

When asked about the running back at the NFL owners meeting Wednesday, Schiano said Blount has "tons of ability."

But Blount's inability to protect the ball — nine fumbles, six of them lost over his two NFL seasons — could force the Bucs to look elsewhere for carriers.

"No one who touches the football will get touches if they don't protect the football," Schiano said. "That is one of our core covenants: the ball. It's so important, they named the game after it. So we make a big deal about that thing."

The Bucs, who own the No. 5 overall pick in April's draft, might have an opportunity to draft Alabama running back Trent Richardson, whom Schiano described as "a special talent."

Not coincidentally, one of Richardson's strengths is ball security. Richardson lost one fumble in 636 career touches at Alabama (carries, catches and kick returns). That fumble came during the sixth game of his freshman season; he then went 572 touches without one.

"I've studied a lot of tape on (Richardson). He's a very talented guy," Schiano said. "I met him briefly. I look forward to spending more quality time with him here before the draft. You can't argue with production.

"One of the things I think you really have to look at — it doesn't guarantee anything — but when you're looking at that running back making the jump from high school to college or college to the National Football League, one of the real barometers is production. Was he able to be consistently productive? And Trent has done it in what's arguably the toughest league in college football. So he's a special talent."

Schiano said repeatedly he wants the Bucs to run the ball and use play-action to take shots downfield. He credited Ray Rice with spearheading the turnaround at Rutgers and described the Ravens running back as a "bell cow."

Schiano said he has had running backs by committee but thrived at Rutgers under a feature-back system with players such as Rice. Blount has been one-dimensional in his two seasons with the Bucs and is rarely used in the passing game. In two seasons he has 20 receptions for 162 yards and no touchdowns.

Richardson rushed for 1,679 yards and 21 touchdowns last season for the national champion Crimson Tide. He averaged 31.6 touches over his final three regular-season games. Richardson also was a factor in the passing game, with 29 catches for 338 yards and three touchdowns.

"We've done it both ways," Schiano said. "We've turned around our program at Rutgers on the shoulders of Ray Rice. He was a bell-cow guy. I don't know what his average per carries was, but he certainly never walked off the field feeling like he hadn't had enough touches. I can promise you that.

"So I do believe if you have the right one, you just feed him. And great backs want the ball. I would check with Ray continuously. 'How are you feeling, big guy?' 'Keep giving me the ball. Keep giving me the ball.' That's all he wanted. 'Give me the ball. Give me the ball.'

"When you have those types of backs, I've been around some of them — Ki-Jana Carter was like that at Penn State —- at Miami we had a slew of them. They all want touches to get into a groove. But you've got to have that guy. I always talk about touches during a football game.

"It's kind of like a pizza and you earn your slice of the pie. The better the player you are, the more productive you are, we're going to find ways to get you touches. And you earn them. They're not handed out. You earn them."

Rick Stroud can be reached at stroud@tampabay.com.

Holding (and not holding) onto the ball

Fumbles by LeGarrette Blount, the Bucs' starting running back for most of the past two seasons, and Trent Richardson, the star running back at Alabama, who will be drafted high:

By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 28, 2012

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed tackle Demar Dotson to a two-year year, the team announced Wednesday.

Dotson, who can back up both tackle positions, was a restricted free agent.

The Bucs also officially announced the signing of cornerback Ronde Barber to a one-year contract.

Dotson played in 13 games with the Bucs last season and made his first two pro starts, both as a second tight end. He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2009 with the Bucs. He has played in 22 career games with two starts.

By Andy Warrener, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Gaither senior pitcher Evan Gainey, a junior at the time, took the mound for his first start against district rival King last year.

Gainey made it through a bad case of nerves and into the second inning before facing an unfamiliar batter.

"It was an unexpected hitter, a guy I didn't know his tendencies," Gainey said.

He left a fastball a little high and the left-handed batter turned on it. Then two horrific sounds Gainey followed in split-second succession: the PING of the aluminum bat and the WHACK of the line drive caroming off his face.

The impact of the speeding baseball swept him off his feet.

"It hit me on the right side of my face and I was out for a few minutes," Gainey said. "When I got up the pain was immediate and intense."

Gainey was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital, where doctors diagnosed a broken occipital bone (in the back of his skull), a fractured upper jawbone and a damaged retina.

Doctors concluded the impact must have been devastating to cause such a break in a bone in the back of the head. Gainey returned home with a bottle full of Vicodin, a swollen head, a patch over his eye and an ominous warning.

"They said I could go blind if I got hit again before it healed," Gainey said.

After a few weeks, the swelling went down and the bones healed, and Gainey faced one of the more important decisions of his young life: to play or not play.

Gainey is not a Division I recruit, and he wasn't even in the starting pitching rotation in 2011. It would have been very easy for him to call it quits.

"It's hard for a pitcher to come back from a serious facial injury," said Gaither skipper Frank Permuy. "It was even harder for Evan because it was his first appearance as a pitcher."

Nevertheless, Gainey was cleared to play a couple weeks later and he began getting reps in American Legion play during the summer. According to Permuy, "he really came into his own during our fall season,"

However, the specter of that fateful Saturday afternoon would haunt Gainey.

"At the beginning, whenever a ball was hit, I would flinch," Gainey recalled.

The psychological imprint that injury left proved inescapable. It is akin to a boxer who has been knocked out by an opponent. They are always afraid of it happening again so sometimes they adjust their technique to compensate.

If Evan were to compensate in this way, his days on the mound would have been over. He remembers when he finally conquered his fear.

"I realized that what happened to me was such a rare incident, that the chances of it ever happening again were almost none."

And that was it.

Gainey regained his full pitching motion, his confidence and became a better pitcher.

His re-emergence could not be more timely for the Cowboys.

Right-handers Robert Johnson and Zach Jackson graduated and junior Eric Collier transferred, leaving a gaping void in the Cowboy pitching department. Gainey was there to answer the call.

"I know that Coach (Nelson) North has worked really hard with Evan and Evan's work ethic has really helped him," Permuy said. "He has developed into a fine strike thrower and is now our No. 1 pitcher."

Evan carries the load for Gaither in 2012, pitching 41 of the Cowboys' 102 innings while posting a 4-2 record and an impressive 1.02 ERA.

"I don't know where we'd be without him," Permuy said.

Aided by the FHSAA's move to less powerful bats that diminished the risk of such injuries, Gainey said he no longer flinches.

"I don't even think about it anymore."

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 28, 2012

PORT CHARLOTTE — Centerfielder B.J. Upton has had more bad days than good battling soreness in his lower back in the two weeks since a violent outfield collision. In an effort to make sure he is well for most of the season, the Rays decided Wednesday they will place him on the disabled list at the start.

"The thing is they want to get it under control and make sure it's perfectly fine and then I can get out there and play," Upton, 27, said. "Would I love to be out there? Yeah. But if this is going to help me over the long term, this is what we've got to do."

Upton said "there's no timetable" for his return. He could be eligible as soon as April 10 (missing only three games) and doesn't expect to be out more than a few weeks at the most. "When I'm ready to go, I'm ready to go," he said.

Manager Joe Maddon said that was the idea: "I think we've been forcing a finish line on this whole thing all the way through, so we took the finish line away.''

With Sam Fuld also out due to a wrist injury that seems likely to lead to surgery, the Rays will open the season without two of their top four outfielders.

Utilityman Elliot Johnson is expected to fill one of the spots. The other could go to one of non­roster candidates Jesus Feliciano, Jeff Salazar or Will Rhymes; prospect Brandon Guyer; or a late-spring acquisition.

Also Wednesday:

• Right-hander Brandon Gomes was optioned to Triple A, giving the final spot in the bullpen to Burke Badenhop.

• Catcher/utilityman Chris Gimenez was reassigned to the minors, making Jose Lobaton the other half of the catching tandem with Jose Molina.

• Shortstop Reid Brignac was green-lighted to rejoin the big-league team and attempt to play through the plantar fascia injury in his right foot.

• The order of the starting rotation after opening day starter James Shields was set, with David Price second followed by Jeremy Hellickson, rookie Matt Moore and Jeff Niemann.

Upton had been pushing to return by the April 6 opener but has played in only part of one minor-league game since the March 14 collision.

The issue has been described as soreness in his lower back; Upton said it is more a matter of tightness.

"It won't loosen up," he said. "Other than that, there's nothing else major going on. I just think it's getting loose and being able to keep it loose, and I haven't been able to do that yet."

He said it would feel better with rest, then when he would get more active he would end up taking a step back. Now it sounds like he will shut down for at least a few days then start working his way back. "Resting is probably the biggest thing for it right now," he said.

Upton, making $7 million in his last season before free agency, is a key player with a blend of power, speed, grace, athleticism and a strong arm, and he was being considered for the No. 2 spot in the batting order. He hit .243 last season with 23 homers, 81 RBIs and 36 steals.

Fuld will see wrist specialist Thomas Graham in Cleveland on Monday and could have surgery as soon as Tuesday to correct issues with the tendon and sheath. An exact timetable would depend on the specifics of the procedure, but he is confident he will return during the season.

Brignac said after three days of extensive action in minor-league games he was confident he could play through the now-tolerable discomfort and added it was "great news" the Rays agreed.

His status remains somewhat tentative, as the partial tear could become a complete tear and sideline him for several weeks, but he isn't worried. "I don't feel like it's going to rip anytime in the next 10 days before the season starts," he said. "Where I'm at right now is more than tolerable to be able to play every day."

The Rays are taking a slight gamble in putting him back in a big-league game because a DL stay can only be backdated to the last major-league exhibition, but he likely would be out more than 15 days anyway.

Marc Topkin can be reached at topkin@tampabay.com.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 28, 2012

While the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys have been locked in legal wrangling with the NFL office after being penalized for salary-cap violations during the uncapped season, not everyone has forgotten the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a handful of other teams also took advantage of the lack of salary parameters in 2010.

The Bucs are one of a few teams that spent below the would-be salary floor in 2010, committing less than $100 million -- in some cases, much less -- to their payrolls that year. The NFL warned teams not to impact competitive balance by spending in excess of the usual spending limits created by the salary cap.

Dallas and Washington, according to the NFL, did. Both teams were penalized with massive reductions in their salary caps and soon will challenge the ruling before an arbitrator.

But did the Bucs and other teams also violate the spirit of the rules with their spending decisions? A case can be made they did on the basis of affecting competitive balance.

But today, here at the NFL owners meetings in Palm Beach, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell rejected the notion.

"No there was no issue there," he said. "(The question was) did any teams gain a competitive advantage. That was the focus that we and the (players union) had moving forward. That's why we reached an agreement . . . so no one had a long-term competitive advantage. That's what the NFLPA and we agreed on."

Adding a bit of intrigue was Tuesday's 29-0 vote by owners to support the league's actions against the Redskins and Cowboys. The missing three votes? The Redskins and Cowboys (who weren't permitted to participate) and, according to the Washington Post, the Bucs, who abstained.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 28, 2012

PALM BEACH — NFL teams, with few exceptions, will be assured of an opportunity to possess the ball in regular-season overtime games as teams voted Wednesday at the owners meetings to amend the current overtime rules.

Under the new rules, only a touchdown can end an overtime game without both teams having had at least one possession. The rule was adopted two years ago for the postseason.

Also Wednesday, teams voted to make turnovers automatically subject to review just like scoring plays now are.

"We like the way the procedure worked on scoring plays, and we felt like this was a change we could make without adding game time," said Falcons executive Rich McKay, chairman of the league's competition committee.

A couple of notable proposals failed.

One proposal to have all replays decided by a replay official in the booth — rather than the referee — did not pass. There were concerns about the experience level of the replay assistants versus referees.

A proposal to make horse-collar penalties applicable to quarterbacks in the pocket also failed, McKay said, because there was no indication the current rule had a negative impact on player safety.

"The rule was developed for the open-field tackle, when a defender has the chance to do something else (in making the tackle)," he said. "He's also able to use the runner's momentum against him. We didn't think that applied to the pocket and didn't see the injury risk."

There also was debate about moving the trade deadline back two weeks for greater flexibility and a roster exemption to allow one player to return from injured reserve late in the season after an established number of weeks. Both issues were tabled, but McKay said it is possible they could be adopted at the league's next meeting in May.

"There were good ideas and suggestions; no resistance," he said. "We'll work on the language."

No Bucs cap trouble: With the Redskins and Cowboys locked in a legal battle with the league after being penalized for salary cap violations during the uncapped season, questions have been raised about the Bucs and the handful of other teams that also took advantage of the lack of salary parameters in 2010.

The Bucs are among a few teams that spent below the would-be salary floor in 2010. The league warned teams not to impact competitive balance by spending in excess of the usual spending limits created by the salary cap.

Dallas and Washington, according to the league, did. Both teams were penalized with massive reductions in their salary caps and soon will challenge the ruling before an arbitrator.

But did the Bucs and others also violate the spirit of the rules with their spending decisions? Commissioner Roger Goodell rejected the notion.

"No, there was no issue there," he said. "(The question was) did any teams gain a competitive advantage. That was the focus that we and the (players union) had moving forward. That's why we reached an agreement; so no one had a long-term competitive advantage."

Adding a bit of intrigue was Tuesday's 29-0 vote by owners to support the league's actions against the Redskins and Cowboys. The missing three votes? The Redskins and Cowboys (who weren't permitted to vote) and, according to the Washington Post, the Bucs, who abstained.

Parcells says he's open to taking over Saints

If Bill Parcells decides to come out of retirement to coach the Saints this season, it will be for one reason.

"If this guy says to me, 'Bill, I need you to do this,' " Parcells said Wednesday. "That's what friends are supposed to be for."

"This guy" is Saints coach Sean Payton, who is suspended for the upcoming season for his role in a bounty program. Parcells, 70, said he has turned down two coaching opportunities since leaving the Cowboys after the 2006 season but this situation is different.

"It's a little more personal to me because this is one of my guys," he said

Parcells hired Payton as an offensive assistant in 2003, and they spent three years together in Dallas before Payton became Saints coach.

Parcells met with Payton and Saints general manager Mickey Loomis on Tuesday. Parcells said the coaching job was not discussed specifically; that he believed Payton wanted him to get to know Loomis.

Parcells added he does not expect an immediate decision, citing a potential appeal by Payton. He has until Monday to do so.

Bounty discipline: Goodell said he expects to speak with union leader DeMaurice Smith before the end of the week and hopes to have his recommendations on punishment for players involved in the bounties by then or soon after. The league also will be scheduling additional hearings in the investigation.

49ers sign Jacobs: San Francisco agreed to a one-year deal with running back Brandon Jacobs, according to multiple reports. Jacobs, 29, spent seven seasons with the Giants, and his 4,849 yards are fourth in franchise history. But last season, Jacobs' role diminished with the emergence of Ahmad Bradshaw. And he was released March 9 after the sides failed to reach agreement on a restructured deal.

Coughlin confident, playful: Giants coach Tom Coughlin, entering the final year of his contract, said he expects to sign an extension in the coming weeks. "I'm not overly concerned," he said. Coughlin, coming off a Super Bowl season, said he also isn't concerned about the headlines the Jets have drawn in New York for their acquisition of quarterback Tim Tebow. "You know who won the Super Bowl. You know who the world champions are," he said. "Whether we're on the front page every day or not, it's not that important. New Yorkers know."

Bears: Receiver Devin Thomas agreed to a one-year deal. He has 43 catches in four seasons with the Redskins, Panthers and Giants. He was mainly a special teams player for the Giants last season and recovered two fumbles during the NFC title game, including one that set up the winning field goal.

Colts: Eva Weinberg, a financial adviser for Dwight Freeney, and her lover, Michael Stern, were arrested on federal wire fraud charges that allege they swindled about $2.2 million from the defensive end. Authorities say Weinberg wired the money, in nearly 140 separate transactions, from Freeney's bank account to Arm's Reach Consulting, a company owned by Stern. An arraignment has not been set.

Rams: Receiver Torry Holt, out of the league since 2010 training camp, will sign in order to retire with the team, ESPN radio in St. Louis reported. From 1999-2007 with the Rams, he went to the Pro Bowl seven times and helped them win a Super Bowl.

Titans: Cornerback Asante Samuel could be acquired from the Eagles for a third-round pick this week, CSNPhilly.com reported. Samuel is set to count for $10.5 million against the salary cap in 2012. But Philadelphia also has standout cornerbacks Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 28, 2012

The Tampa Bay Lightning will get a significant piece of its roster back on Thursday when captain Vinny Lecavalier is expected to play against the Devils in Newark, N.J. Lecavalier has missed 18 games with a fractured right hand sustained Feb. 18 against the Capitals when he was hit by a puck.

"Happy to get back in the lineup," he tweeted.

Center Nate Thompson also might return after six games sidelined by an upper-body injury. In anticipation, right wing Pierre-Cedric Labrie was reassigned to AHL Norfolk.

Lecavalier's absence left a huge hole in the lineup. He has 21 goals, 46 points in 58 games and averages 19:04 of ice time. He also is second on the team with five winning goals. Still, with only six games left in the season, the question is: is it worth it to bring him back?

Both Lecavalier and coach Guy Boucher told the Tampa Bay Times earlier this week that was not an option.

"The guys have been working so hard, as soon as I'm ready I want to play," Lecavalier said, "even if there's seven, five, three games."

Added Boucher: "Our mentality is every game we want to put our best team on the ice."

Besides, Boucher added, it is not as if Lecavalier can hurt himself further by playing. "A bone is either broken or it isn't," he said.

Still, Lecavalier admitted the bone, next to the one on which he had surgery last season, took longer to heal than expected. And being out of the lineup for so long, his minutes likely will be closely monitored.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 28, 2012

PALM BEACH — If Bucs coach Greg Schiano has done nothing else since being hired in late January, he has familiarized himself with last season's team.

Because coaches aren't permitted to consult with players about football until Monday, Schiano can do so only through game tape.

So when Schiano looks at the 2011 Bucs, what does he see?

Raheem Morris' replacement is hesitant to make assumptions without context, even though the club lost its last 10 games (the last five by an average of 23 points). Schiano emphasized Wednesday at the owners meetings that everyone on the roster gets to start over.

"Other than to evaluate personnel and steal whatever scheme or things we liked, I didn't try to overanalyze (the tape)," he said. "I think things kind of got going in the wrong direction. And I think when that happens, you can try to overanalyze and overjudge everything.

"A lot of guys are excited about having a fresh start."

Schiano can see last season's dropped balls, missed tackles and poorly thrown passes. But what about the character of his team? Some analysts believe the Bucs quit on Morris and each other.

"You can look and say, 'I think this happened or I think that happened,' " Schiano said. "That's a little bit of a waste of time because there were different variables involved, different people involved. Everything's people, the relationships you have with guys. Do they trust you? Do you trust them? That's what carries you through those tough spots."

And Schiano will set out to build a team that can weather those inevitable rough patches with the hope that temporary struggles don't become seasonlong tailspins.

"The old saying is that adversity reveals character, it doesn't build it," Schiano said. "We'll have our share of adversity, and one of the things that you train for is that adversity. That's mental toughness. There are certain ways you can build mental toughness. We'll coach that as a staff."

MIXED BAG: The team likely will have a different linebacker lineup with weakside starter Geno Hayes not expected to be re-signed.

Schiano said he's still working through that and will continue to evaluate. And he sounded noncommittal about keeping Mason Foster as the starter in the middle.

"I think Mason Foster did some good things at times," Schiano said. "At times, he looked like a rookie. I went back and watched his college tape and tried to evaluate him as if he was coming out of college, and he really was a productive player.

"Hopefully, he can do it. He seems very intelligent. That'll help him. The (middle linebacker) has got to make a lot of checks."

STILL A MYSTERY: Asked what his defense will look like, Schiano was vague but said his scheme won't be easily classified.

"We've had a high percentage of pressure with zone blitzes," he said. "Then again, all my years in college, I studied (ex-Bucs defensive coordinator) Monte Kiffin (and the Tampa 2). When I was at (the University of) Miami, we'd drive up and come to camp and (offseason workouts).

"So we're kind of a mishmash of a lot of different people. The one nice thing coming from college is you don't have to deal with the (spread offense). That has really taken over college football. To be able to get back to playing some real football, the football I grew up on, that'll be fun."

DOTSON SIGNS: Demar Dotson, a restricted free agent who can back up both defensive tackle positions, re-signed for two years, the team announced. He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2009 with the Bucs and has played 22 games, including 13 last season. The Bucs also announced CB Ronde Barber officially signed a one-year contract to play his 16th season.