Times wires
Monday, April 23, 2012

ARLINGTON, Texas — Derek Jeter is hitting the way he did in his prime and CC Sabathia looks more like his old self with each outing.

No wonder the Yankees are starting to get on a roll.

Jeter had four hits to stretch his hitting streak to 13 games, Sabathia pitched a season-high eight innings and Alex Rodriguez belted a three-run homer in a 7-4 victory over the Rangers on Monday night.

"I keep kidding him that it's like 1999 again, three hits every day. He's amazing," Rodriguez said of the 37-year-old Jeter.

"He's playing like he's 25," manager Joe Girardi said. "He's off to a great start. He feels good physically and that's the most important thing."

The Yankees have won 10 of 13 since being swept in three games at the Rays to start the season.

Sabathia earned his 11th career win against the two-time defending AL champion Rangers, who won their first five series this season. After two six-inning outings with no-decisions, Sabathia has won his past two starts.

Times wires
Monday, April 23, 2012

soccer

genoa's team banned from own stadium

ROME — Genoa's team was banned from its stadium for its final two home games this season after a protest-filled 4-1 loss to Siena.

The league announced the decision a day after Sunday's match with Siena was suspended for about 45 minutes early in the second half. Genoa fans threw flares onto the field and climbed onto barriers as they were met by stadium officers in riot gear.

With Genoa trailing 4-0, players tried to appease the hard-core fans by removing their shirts to acknowledge they weren't worthy of wearing them.

The ANSA news agency says police have identified three fans involved and banned them from sports events for five years.

This was the latest in a long list of crowd problems at Serie A matches, and Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Petrucci said Monday the situation is "beyond the point of no return."

The loss left Genoa one point above the relegation zone, and resulted in coach Alberto Malesani being fired for the second time this season.

"It's not enough to ban the stadium, we need to stop these delinquents that are damaging football and Genoa," Serie A president Maurizio Beretta said.

hockey

Defense propels U.S. to U-18 title

Collin Olson made 27 saves for a record-setting defense, Nicolas Kerdiles had two goals and three assists and the United States routed Sweden 7-0 Sunday to win its fourth straight title and seventh overall under-18 world championship Brno, Czech Republic.

Olson earned his third shutout of the tournament and the Americans allowed only four goals in six games to set an International Ice Hockey Federation under-18 record. The United States set a record with its 10th medal at the tournament.

The United States also got goals from Daniel O'Regan, Ryan Hartman, J.T. Compher, Connor Carrick and Thomas DiPauli. Olson earned top goaltending honors.

et cetera

Obituary: LeRoy Walker, the first African-American to lead the U.S. Olympic Committee and the first black man to coach an American Olympic team died in Durham, N.C. He was 93. Mr. Walker's death was confirmed by Scarborough & Hargett Funeral home, but no cause of death was given. The grandson of slaves raised in the segregated South before he moved to Harlem, Mr. Walker led the U.S. Olympic Committee from 1992 to 1996, both shepherding the summer games played in Atlanta and leading the group when the 2002 Winter Olympics were awarded to Salt Lake City.

Golf: The course at Royal Lytham and St. Annes has been lengthened by 181 yards for this year's British Open, with all but two holes having been altered since the last time the tournament was held there in 2001. Royal and Ancient chief executive Peter Dawson said the total length of the course has increased to 7,086 yards, but that it will remain a par 70. The British Open starts July 19.

Horses: Havre de Grace, the 2011 Horse of the Year, was retired after injuring an ankle following a workout at Churchill Downs. Owner Rick Porter said on his Fox Hill Farm website that the injury was detected in the champion filly's right front ankle Sunday. After she was examined at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., "we didn't get a positive prognosis for continuing her racing career."

Times wires

Times wires
Monday, April 23, 2012

Blue Jays 4, Royals 1

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jose Bautista hit a two-run homer, Kelly Johnson also homered and Toronto completed a four-game sweep. The Blue Jays improved to 6-1 on the road while Kansas City lost its 11th straight to finish a winless 10-game homestand. The Royals became the first team to lose its first 10 at home since the Cubs dropped 12 in a row at Wrigley Field in 1994. Eric Hosmer homered leading off the second for Kansas City.

Times wires
Monday, April 23, 2012

Giants 7, Mets 2

GAME 2

NEW YORK — Madison Bumgarner pitched seven crisp innings, Pablo Sandoval homered to match a team mark set by Willie Mays and San Francisco completed a sweep. Sandoval hit a three-run homer in the first and has a 16-game hitting streak, tying the club record at the start of a season set by Mays in 1960.

Times wires
Monday, April 23, 2012

CHICAGO — Mike Smith had 39 saves and the Coyotes scored three times in the final period to beat the Blackhawks 4-0 Monday night and capture their opening-round Western Conference series in six games.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored in the second and Gilbert Brule, Antoine Vermette and Kyle Chipchura had goals in the third as the Coyotes won a series for the first time since 1987 when the franchise was in Winnipeg. The team moved to Phoenix for the 1996-97 season.

The Coyotes won all three games at the United Center — Monday night's game was the first in the series not to be decided in overtime.

The Coyotes next face the fourth-seeded Predators, with Phoenix, the No. 3 seed as Pacific Division champ, owning home-ice advantage.

Smith, the former Lightning goalie, was steady all night and spectacular at times, especially early, in recording his first playoff shutout. He had 229 saves in the six games.

Chicago led 39-20 in shots, but after winning the Stanley Cup in 2010, the Blackhawks have been ousted two straight years in the first round.

Ekman-Larsson's long slap shot from the top of the slot on a power play beat a screened Corey Crawford at 13:14 of the second after Chicago had forced most of the action.

Chicago's elimination means the West winner will be a team that has never captured a Stanley Cup. St. Louis has been to the final three times, Los Angeles once. Neither Phoenix nor Nashville has ever advanced past the second round.

First Period—None. Penalties—Chipchura, Pho (holding), 9:11; Keith, Chi (delay of game), 13:36.

Second Period—1, Phoenix, Ekman-Larsson 1 (Yandle, Whitney), 13:14 (pp). Penalties—J.Toews, Chi (interference), 12:22; Langkow, Pho (tripping), 18:24.

Third Period—2, Phoenix, Brule 2 (Chipchura), 2:24. 3, Phoenix, Vermette 4 (Boedker, Ekman-Larsson), 13:04 (pp). 4, Phoenix, Chipchura 1 (Brule, Langkow), 14:56. Penalties—Hayes, Chi, served by Stalberg, major-game misconduct (boarding), 8:47; Kane, Chi, misconduct, 17:10. Shots on Goal—Phoenix 2-6-12—20. Chicago 16-12-11—39. Power-play opportunities—Phoenix 2 of 4; Chicago 0 of 2. Goalies—Phoenix, M.Smith 4-2-0 (39 shots-39 saves). Chicago, Crawford 2-4-0 (20-16). A—21,636 (19,717). T—2:26.

Rangers force Game 7

OTTAWA — Game 7 at the Garden.

It's not necessarily what the top-seeded Rangers hoped for initially, but they're thrilled about it now.

Brad Richards scored the go-ahead goal and Derek Stepan had a goal and two assists as New York staved off elimination with a 3-2 victory against the Senators.

"We showed some desperation tonight," Rangers defenseman Marc Staal said.

The East series heads back to New York for Game 7 on Thursday night.

Not even the return of Daniel Alfredsson, who missed three games with a concussion, in front of the fired-up home crowd at Scotiabank Place could help the No. 8 seed.

"I didn't really think that we played particularly well or worked particularly hard," Ottawa coach Paul MacLean said.

Carl Hagelin returned for the Rangers after a three-game suspension for his elbow on Alfredsson.

New York got a long 5-on-3 after Nick Foligno was sent off for goalie interference — replays showed two Rangers guiding him into Hendrik Lundqvist — and Richards, the former Lightning star, beat Craig Anderson high at 17:08. That was soon followed by a back-breaker from Chris Kreider, his first NHL goal.

First Period—1, Ottawa, Neil 2 (Gonchar, Foligno), 7:05 (pp). Penalties—Rupp, NYR (roughing), 5:47; Carkner, Ott (delay of game), 10:02; Prust, NYR, major (fighting), 15:10; Neil, Ott, major (fighting), 15:10; Smith, Ott (roughing), 18:06.

Second Period—2, N.Y. Rangers, Stepan 1 (Richards, Stralman), 8:55 (pp). 3, N.Y. Rangers, Richards 2 (Del Zotto, Stepan), 17:08 (pp). 4, N.Y. Rangers, Kreider 1 (Stepan, Staal), 19:19. Penalties—Prust, NYR (cross-checking), 6:22; Michalek, Ott (holding), 7:57; Silfverberg, Ott (boarding), 9:18; Kreider, NYR (goaltender interference), 14:28; Kuba, Ott (hooking), 15:42; Foligno, Ott (goaltender interference), 15:58.

Third Period—5, Ottawa, Spezza 3 (Greening), 19:21. Penalties—Prust, NYR (tripping), 1:44; Turris, Ott (slashing), 4:11; Gaborik, NYR (hooking), 8:20. Shots on Goal—N.Y. Rangers 7-8-7—22. Ottawa 6-7-14—27. Power-play opportunities—N.Y. Rangers 2 of 7; Ottawa 1 of 5. Goalies—N.Y. Rangers, Lundqvist 3-3-0 (27 shots-25 saves). Ottawa, Anderson 3-3-0 (22-19). A—20,500 (19,153). T—2:35.

Around the league

ST. LOUIS SKIPPED OVER:Finalists for the Selke Trophy for top defensive forward were also announced: Three-time winner Pavel Datsyuk of Detroit, St. Louis' David Backes and Boston's Patrice Bergeron. The Professional Hockey Writers Association votes on the awards, which will be presented June 20 in Las Vegas.

BLUES:

Playoffs

East

Rangers 3, Senators 3

Game 1: Rangers 4, Senators 2

Game 2: Senators 3, Rangers 2 OT

Game 3: Rangers 1, Senators 0

Game 4: Senators 3, Rangers 2 OT

Game 5: Senators 2, Rangers 0

Monday: Rangers 3, Senators 2

Thursday: at New York, TBD, TBD

Capitals 3, Bruins 3

Game 1: Bruins 1, Capitals 0 OT

Game 2: Capitals 2, Bruins 1 2OT

Game 3: Bruins 4, Capitals 3

Game 4: Capitals 2, Bruins 1

Game 5: Capitals 4, Bruins 3

Game 6: Bruins 4, Capitals 3 OT

Wednesday: at Boston, 7:30, NBCSN

Panthers 3, Devils 2

Game 1: Devils 3, Panthers 2

Game 2: Panthers 4, Devils 2

Game 3: Panthers 4, Devils 3

Game 4: Devils 4, Panthers 0

Game 5: Panthers 3, Devils 0

Today: at New Jersey, 7:30, NBCSN

Thursday: at Florida, TBD, TBD *

Flyers 4, Penguins 2

West

Kings 4, Canucks 1

Coyotes 4, blackhawks 2

Game 1: Coyotes 3, Blackhawks 2 OT

Game 2: Blackhawks 4, Coyotes 3 OT

Game 3: Coyotes 3, Blackhawks 2 OT

Game 4: Coyotes 3, Blackhawks 2 OT

Game 5: Blackhawks 2, Coyotes 1 OT

Monday: Coyotes 4, Blackhawks 0

Blues 4, Sharks 1

Predators 4, Red Wings 1

* If necessary

Times wires
Monday, April 23, 2012

Cubs 3, Cardinals 2

CHICAGO — Joe Mather hit a two-run single with two outs in the ninth inning, rallying Chicago. The Cubs, who went in having lost seven of eight, trailed 2-1 entering the ninth when pinch-hitter Bryan LaHair and Geovany Soto drew one-out walks off St. Louis closer Jason Motte. Both moved up on pinch-hitter Steve Clevenger's groundout to first and scored on Mather's single to center.

Times wires
Monday, April 23, 2012

Red Sox 6, Twins 5

MINNEAPOLIS — Cody Ross homered twice, tying the score with a two-run shot in the seventh and giving Boston the lead with two outs in the ninth as the Red Sox snapped a five-game skid. Starter turned temporary reliever Daniel Bard, whose scheduled Sunday start was rained out, recorded two critical outs in the eighth after the Twins put the leadoff runner on third.

Times wires
Monday, April 23, 2012

Brewers 6, Astros 5

MILWAUKEE — Ryan Braun broke out of his slump with a homer and three hits, and Zack Greinke improved to 13-0 at Miller Park for Milwaukee, which beat Houston for the 10th straight time. Braun also singled in a run and doubled to end a 2-for-20 slide. Greinke handed Jose Veras a 6-2 lead to start the seventh, but five of the next six Astros reached.

Times wires
Tuesday, April 24, 2012

D'backs 9, Phillies 5

PHOENIX — Justin Upton had two hits and two RBIs, including his first homer of the season, and Jason Kubel also homered as Arizona hammered Kyle Kendrick, starting in place of injured Cliff Lee.

Times wires
Tuesday, April 24, 2012

White Sox 4, Athletics 0

OAKLAND, Calif. — Jake Peavy pitched a three-hitter and Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko hit back-to-back homers for Chicago. Two days after teammate Phil Humber pitched the 21st perfect game in history, Peavy allowed only a leadoff single to Jemile Weeks in the fourth inning, a double to Yoenis Cespedes in the seventh and a single to Coco Crisp in the ninth. The 2007 NL Cy Young Award winner faced only four batters more than the minimum.

Times wires
Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Dodgers 7, Braves 2

LOS ANGELES — Juan Uribe tied a career high with four hits and had three RBIs, and Chris Capuano pitched out of trouble for seven innings for Los Angeles. Capuano needed 27 pitches to get out of the first unscathed, striking out Jason Heyward on a full count with the bases loaded. In the fourth, he retired Michael Bourn on a grounder with two runners in scoring position.

By Terry Tomalin, Times Outdoors-Fitness Editor
Tuesday, April 24, 2012

First, Derek Fitzgerald beat cancer. Then, he bounced back after a heart transplant. But this weekend he will attempt what he once thought impossible — finish an Olympic-distance triathlon.

"When I first got out of the hospital my wife asked me if I was going to be one of those crazy guys, who once they get a new heart, tries to go out and run a marathon," said the 39-year-old Pennsylvania man. "But here I am, a little more than a year later, about to do the St. Anthony's Triathlon."

In 2003, Fitzgerald was your typical, high-energy, independent business owner. "I have my own health care technology company," he said. "All I did was work, work, work. …"

Then, one day, he started feeling tired. He lost the pep in his step and every few weeks, noticed blood when he went to the bathroom.

"They ran all the tests until finally they decided to do some exploratory surgery," said Fitzgerald, who lives just outside of Philadelphia. "That is when they found a tumor the size of a grapefruit hiding inside my stomach."

His doctors took a biopsy and the news was not good. Fitzgerald was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a form of blood cancer that creates tumors.

"It was treatable with chemotherapy," he said. "But there was a small chance that one of the drugs that they had to give me could damage his heart."

Fitzgerald thought he had dodged the bullet. The chemo seemed to be working. Life began to return to normal — until that fateful morning, walking up a hill to his office, he suddenly felt out of breath.

"I had walked that same hill a hundred times without a problem," he said. "But this day, half way up, I had to stop and rest."

Fitzgerald went back to the doctors, who had more bad news.

"I had heart failure," he recalled. "I felt like a boxer in the 12th round of a title fight. … I was always woozy, heavy on my feet. … My heart was too weak to pump the blood that my body needed."

Fitzgerald had few options. He could get an external heart pump, or find a new heart. In January 2011, the doctors told him they had found a donor.

"It is a risky operation," he said. "You have to think of your own mortality. You have to tell the people you love goodbye in case things don't work out. It is a big decision."

On Jan. 3, Fitzgerald was on the operating table once again. The procedure went well. "The next day, I was up and moving," he said.

His rehabilitation started off slowly. "At first, it was just shuffling from one side of my bedroom to the other," he said. "Gradually, I got to where I could walk across the kitchen."

A former high school soccer player, Fitzgerald's 200-pound body had withered to 128 pounds. All of his muscles had atrophied.

"I used to have tree-trunk legs," he said. "But post-transplant, I could put my hands around my thigh."

Nurses came to his house daily to check on his progress. They put him on a treadmill. Fitzgerald started walking. Then he jogged. Eventually, he ran.

In September 2011, the heart transplant recipient ran his first 5K. Two months later, he ran a 13.1-mile race as part of the Philadelphia Marathon weekend.

"I felt so lucky," he said. "I felt like I had a third chance at life. First the cancer, then the heart transplant. … Now it was time to do something, to give back."

Fitzgerald had heard about a program called Team in Training. The organization helps aspiring athletes train to complete an endurance event such as a triathlon. In return, the athletes help raise money for charity.

At this year's St. Anthony's Triathlon, Fitzgerald and more than 200 of his fellow Team in Training triathletes will swim 1.5K, bike 40K and run 10K along St. Petersburg's iconic waterfront. Together, these contestants have raised $750,000 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to support cancer research and patient services.

"I am just going to try and finish," Fitzgerald said. "I don't think anybody will mistake me for an athlete."

The past eight years have taught Fitzgerald much about life.

"All I ever thought about was my career," he said. "But now I have learned to stop and smell the roses.

"I have re-prioritized my life. I have learned to take nothing for granted."

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 24, 2012

The situation

There's been continued transition in the Tampa Bay secondary lately, and there are likely more changes to come.

For now, the Bucs have a need at cornerback and safety. The cornerback position was beefed up with the arrival of Lions free agent Eric Wright. He'll either start at right cornerback or compete there with Ronde Barber, who, by the way, is probably in his final season.

Further complicating matters is the status of Aqib Talib. He faces a trial this summer for a felony charge in Texas that could result in prison time, not to mention an NFL suspension. Even if Talib walks and is not disciplined by the league, he's in the final year of his rookie contract and it's practically inconceivable that the Bucs would re-sign him.

Depth is a concern in the cornerback ranks, too. When the Bucs last season went to nickel and dime packages with three or four cornerbacks, quarterbacks successfully picked on backups E.J. Biggers or Myron Lewis. The slow growth of Lewis, in particular, has been an issue. He was a third-round choice in 2010.

The release of Tanard Jackson leaves an already-thin safety corps even thinner. Cody Grimm is the only returning player in the unit with extensive experience, and he's finished the past two seasons on injured reserve. Larry Asante and Ahmad Black are considered key reserves, though neither has much experience.

What they're looking for

In coach Greg Schiano's style of defense, cornerbacks, in particular, need to be able to play an aggressive brand of football. They will be asked to challenge receivers at the line of scrimmage, and be physical tacklers against the run.

The safeties are probably going to need to be willing to play near the line of scrimmage and punish receivers who do catch the ball in the open field.

Fitting the bill

LSU's Morris Claiborne is the preeminent cornerback in the draft, and he would fit into any type of scheme the Bucs would play. Beyond him, South Carolina's Stephon Gilmore is a nice-sized, physical cornerback who would fit Schiano's style. But Gilmore is probably only going to be an option for the Bucs in a trade-down scenario because he'll probably be picked in the middle of the first round.

The Bucs need to address the safety position, and the Bucs could have their eye on LSU's Brandon Taylor. He could be drafted in the second round, but if he slips to the third, the Bucs have a high enough pick to grab him. Taylor is considered a player whose strength is playing in the box in run support. He is a violent hitter coached in college by current Bucs secondary coach Ron Cooper.

The top 10

Best guess

The Bucs have to come away from this draft feeling like they've addressed the secondary in a substantial way. Look for Claiborne to, most likely, be the team's top pick, and keep an eye out for a safety anywhere from the second to fourth round.

Stephen F. Holder, Times staff writer

By Brent Gaskill, Times Correspondent
Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Wind forecast: Heavy winds the past few days have kept most boats from heading out. Safety is always key, and there are no fish worth risking life or equipment over. Those who journeyed out had to stay close to home and seek shelter on the lee side of any land mass. Winds should gradually subside this week. Fishing will improve as waters muddied by the wind clear. Areas with good tidal flow will flush first, and normal conditions should return as we move toward the full moon next week.

Beach action: The Spanish mackerel, kingfish, sharks and barracuda that were prevalent along gulf beaches prior to the blow have left. A longer run to the west until clean water is found will be necessary for several days. Target high-profile structures such as wrecks or artificial reefs to find concentrations of fish.

Kids report: Children have kept busy catching and releasing smaller bottom fish while adults waited for strikes on the surface lines. Fishing over natural hard bottom areas has led to catch-and-release action from small grouper and sharks. Other species that have occasionally been caught include sea bass, flounder, grunts and silver trout.

Brent Gaskill runs Summer Vacation Charters out of the St. Petersburg area and can be reached at captbrent@summervacationcharters.com and (727)510-1009.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 24, 2012

TAMPA — As Bucs coach Greg Schiano and general manager Mark Dominik plot their course of action in this week's NFL draft, they'll do their level best to focus more on the best available players versus players who fulfill needs.

And it all sounds pretty good — in theory.

"I think the smartest thing to do is let the draft tackle itself and proceed accordingly," Dominik said. "Instead of playing what-if games, just look at the draft as its own thing. The reality is, you try not to let your strengths or weaknesses determine which player to take at the time. You don't want to prevent yourself from saying this is the best player for this team at this time."

But it will take significant discipline to ignore the reality in the Bucs' secondary entering this weekend's draft. Can the Bucs' brain trust look at a paper-thin group of safeties and not make it a draft priority? Is it really possible not to focus on cornerbacks when your most experienced one is 37 (Ronde Barber) and your most talented one (Aqib Talib) is in a contract year and facing a felony trial this summer?

That's why, despite the Bucs' intent, the conventional wisdom says they'll grab LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne with the team's fifth overall choice on Thursday night. And the Bucs probably won't stop there when it comes to supplementing the secondary, with several early to mid round safeties among the options they'll be considering on Friday and Saturday.

Even the principled Dominik admits that, at times, when the need is great — as it is in this case — you can't help but factor it into draft decisions.

"You have to balance it out," he said. "There's no debate. That has to come into play."

There's also little debate about the merits of drafting Claiborne, the consensus top defensive back in this draft. Perhaps his best attributes are his ability to make plays on the ball using his long frame and his solid technique.

"He's got wide receiver type ball skills," ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said. "… When the ball is in the air, it's his."

And those are qualities the Bucs could use regardless of who currently is on the roster.

As the NFL continues to evolve into a league of pass-first offenses, with long-standing offensive records falling everywhere, defending such offenses becomes more difficult without the proper personnel.

"In this league, he's needed," Kiper added.

The Bucs have quarterbacks Cam Newton, Tony Romo, Eli Manning and Drew Brees on their schedule this fall — and that's just in the first six weeks (Peyton Manning and Phillip Rivers loom later).

"You're always looking for the right fit (with cornerbacks)," Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "And you're always looking for more. It seems like you can never have enough.

"It's such an important value position in the league."

If the Bucs can get the best guy at that position in this draft, it would be hard not to consider that a success. Claiborne, winner of the Thorpe Award, hopes to continue his dominance in the NFL. He seems to be patterning his game after the right player, too.

"I watch a lot of Darrelle Revis," Claiborne said, referring to the Jets' All-Pro cornerback. "He's one of the best corners doing it right now. I admire the way he plays."

The Bucs seem to be admirers of Claiborne's, but so, too, are the Vikings, who own the third overall choice.

As for the safety position, the Bucs are woefully thin after the release of Tanard Jackson and the decision not to re-sign free agent Sean Jones, who struggled in 2011. The Bucs likely won't have a shot to draft Alabama's Mark Barron, expected to be chosen later in the first round, but Harrison Smith of Notre Dame and Brandon Taylor of LSU are options in the second and third rounds, respectively.

The Bucs would like to make their picks irrespective of their needs. But needs in the secondary are great, probably too great to be ignored.

By Rick Stroud, Times staff writer
Tuesday, April 24, 2012

By Rick Stroud, Times staff writer
Tuesday, April 24, 2012

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 24, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG — Manager Joe Maddon usually likes what happens when Jeremy Hellickson takes the mound, given his 18-10 record and 2.88 ERA in 36 career starts, and the 2011 American League rookie of the year award with his name on it.

But Maddon is not particularly pleased with how Hellickson, who takes on the Angels tonight, has been pitching since incorporating a cutter into his repertoire this season.

"The problem is when a young pitcher who's had a lot of success tries to introduce a new pitch into the mix, then he's possibly taking away from something else that he does really well," Maddon said.

"You only get so many opportunities to throw a pitch in a game. I don't mind the idea that he's messing with something that might be good for him down the road. But most of the time the hitters are going to tell you when you need to become more creative."

Maddon prefers Hellickson, who is 2-0, 3.26 in starts against the Yankees, Tigers and Blue Jays, stick with his basic weapons of fastball, changeup, curveball.

Hellickson, 25, says he doesn't necessarily want to throw the cutter so often, but it has felt good and he feels it has been working, especially when he has fallen behind in counts.

He has, however, cut back. Based on BrookBaseball.net data, he threw the cutter on 17 percent (20 of 118) and 25 percent (25 of 99) of his pitches in his first two starts, and less than 6 percent (6 of 106) in his last start.

"It's feeling good, it's getting a little more consistent," Hellickson said. "It's just a matter of figuring out when to use it."

HEAD GAMES: Maddon has been saying for more than a week that the starting pitchers, except for RHP James Shields, have not been aggressive enough in challenging hitters. Tuesday, after watching LHP David Price deliver a gem, Maddon acknowledged that it might have to do with spending all spring hearing, and reading, how good they are.

"We're starting to right ourselves on the mound. There's some momentum to be gained. I think maybe in the beginning the starters were applying a little too much pressure on themselves based on a lot of the pre-season conjecture and stuff,'' he said. "I like where we are right now. I think they're starting to really just morph into that nice little understanding.''

MATSUI UPDATE: An expected minor-league deal with former All-Star OF/DH Hideki Matsui could be finalized today, with the Rays declining comment until then. Matsui, 37, will head eventually to Triple-A Durham, where the Rays will see if/how well he hits, then if they have a need. Maddon did say, in general, depth is a good thing.

MR. TEXTBOOK: Maddon often raves about the outfield play of Ben Zobrist, specifically how fundamentally sound he is. "Everything he does out there is textbook," Maddon said, "and that's the part I really appreciate about him being out there."

Maddon said Zobrist could be the model for an outfield instructional video and went so far as to put him in the same sentence as Hall of Famer Al Kaline. "That's not a bad comparison," he said.

MISCELLANY: Rays pitchers have gone 52 innings without allowing a homer, 72/3 shy of the team record. … Desmond Jennings had his second career leadoff homer. … L.A.'s Albert Pujols was hitless, extending his current skid to 0-for-16 and his season-starting homerless streak to 69 at-bats. … SS Reid Brignac, unhappy with his demotion after Friday's game, joined Triple-A Durham on Sunday. … CF B.J. Upton said he got a thank-you message from the 16-year-old patient he visited at All Children's Hospital before Saturday's game. … Today is the Rays-St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Carillon Hilton.

Times wires
Tuesday, April 24, 2012

SOCCER

U.S. WOMEN VS. NORTH KOREA IN OLYMPIC GAMES

WEMBLEY, England — With tension escalating between their governments, the United States and North Korea were drawn Tuesday into the same first-round group for this summer's Olympic women's soccer tournament.

The Americans will play in Group G, which includes France, Colombia and the isolated Asian nation.

"A lot of the time we are at the center of some controversy on the political stage, but we have to give them the respect they deserve," said Tim Ryder, general manager of the U.S. women.

The Americans face France July 25 in Glasgow, where the U.S. also plays Colombia three days later. The North Korea game is July 31 in Manchester.

CHELSEA IN FINAL: Chelsea ousted host and defending champion Barcelona to reach the Champions League final with a 2-2 tie, winning 3-2 on aggregate despite playing most of the game a man short. Captain John Terry drew a red card in the 37th minute. Chelsea plays May 19 in Munich against Real Madrid or Bayern Munich; their second leg is today.

AUTOS

Lotus lets two IndyCar teams go

Struggling manufacturer Lotus released Bryan Herta Autosport and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing from its IndyCar engine contracts. The teams can cut new deals with Chevrolet or Honda, leaving Lotus with three cars including that of St. Petersburg resident Sebastien Bourdais. BHA, the team Alex Tagliani drives for, had already said it won't race this weekend in Brazil. "I ran cross country in high school, but I am not quick enough to push the car around the track myself," said Herta, a former driver. "We need an engine."

ET CETERA

HORSES: Trainer Bob Baffert said he will enter Liaison in the Kentucky Derby on May 5.

OBITUARY: Valeri Vasilyev, a Soviet defenseman who won two Olympic gold medals and played in the "Miracle on Ice" loss to the U.S. team in 1980, died April 19 in Moscow. He was 62.

Times wires

Times wires
Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Orioles 2, Blue Jays 1

BALTIMORE — Tommy Hunter pitched six solid innings, and Matt Wieters homered off the glove of leftfielder Eric Thames to lead Baltimore. The only runner to get past first base against Hunter was Thames, who hit a long homer in the third. With the score tied at 1 in the fourth, Wieters hit an opposite-field drive that Thames tracked on the run. As he leaped to make the catch, his upper body hit the wall and the ball bounced off his glove and into the seats.