By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Friday, May 25, 2012

Just when it seemed some of the injured Tampa Bay Rays were close to returning, manager Joe Maddon said OF Brandon Guyer needs surgery on his left shoulder that will keep him out the rest of the season.

Guyer has a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder and will have surgery next week by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala.

Meanwhile, OF Desmond Jennings' return from a left knee sprain won't be quite as quick as it seemed, as Maddon said Jennings will continue to ramp up baseball activity over the next few days with a plan to go on a minor-league rehab assignment by the middle of next week and potentially return next weekend.

OF/1B Brandon Allen (right quad strain) was eligible to come off the DL on Friday but Maddon said he will continue to play rehab games through the weekend.

There was considerable talk that Hideki Matsui would join the Rays in Boston this weekend, but Maddon said Matsui — hitting . 121 (4-for-33) through his first nine games — was "not quite ready yet.''

Maddon said they aren't as concerned with Matsui's batting average as being sure that he feels ready at the plate, and that isn't the case yet, though he is "close.''

By Dave Walker, Times Correspondent
Friday, May 25, 2012

What's hot: Spanish mackerel have been heating up drag systems all over Tampa Bay. These tasty speed demons have inundated our area, and they make for the best and easiest "dinner fishing" experience right now.

Tips: The kids will soon be out of school for the summer, so it is a great time to seize a fishing opportunity. A good catch of mackerel can make a kid's day. Areas in the open bay are usually the best place to find mackerel. But on a recent trip to downtown Tampa, we nailed numerous fish just south of Tampa General Hospital. Big tarpon were rolling right in front of the convention center. And another boat caught a cobia right by the Florida Aquarium.

Dave Walker charters out of Tampa. Call (813) 310-6531 or visit snookfish.com.

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Friday, May 25, 2012

The ratings game

Last Saturday's UEFA Champions League final between Chelsea and Bayern Munich on Fox drew 2 million viewers, which puts it in the same range as last weekend's Stanley Cup playoff games on NBC. Those numbers were far below the 7.6 million who watched Sunday's NBA playoff game between the Heat and Pacers.

However, the ratings winner last weekend was Saturday's Preakness horse race on NBC. Nearly 4 million tuned in for the prerace coverage, while 8.1 million watched the race. Speaking of the Stanley Cup playoffs, NBC blocked the Devils from holding a viewing party at the Prudential Center for Game 5 on Wednesday and did not allow the Rangers to have one Friday at Madison Square Garden for Game 6. The reason? The parties could put a dent into the TV ratings.

Media tidbits

• Former Bucs defensive star Warren Sapp is out as an analyst on Showtime's Inside the NFL, the Miami Herald reported. We're still waiting to hear if Sapp will continue working for the NFL Network. His contract there expires in August.

• HBO wants to have a team selected for its training camp series Hard Knocks sometime next week. Seems as if everyone is turning them down, including the Jets, Broncos, Falcons, Seahawks, Redskins and Texans. The New York Post has reported that the big problem is NFL Films president Steve Sabol, who was so good at convincing teams to participate, is battling brain cancer and too sick to meet with teams. HBO could get stuck with a Jaguars team that, on the surface, does not seem all that compelling.

Slam of the day

What's in the water these days? We have a tie today for the biggest slam.

We start with ABC NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy and his choice words for Magic CEO Alex Martins, who fired Van Gundy's brother Stan as coach.

"Listen, all you have done in your 25 years in the business is release press releases and run the business side," Jeff Van Gundy said. "You don't know if a ball is blown up or stuffed. Just say, 'I have no knowledge about basketball.' He doesn't know one thing about basketball, so please hold off your comments on my brother's expertise since you know nothing about basketball."

Meantime, check out this from Michelle Beadle, who is leaving ESPN for the NBC Sports Network. She seemed to take a dig at ESPN colleague Erin Andrews when asked to comment on various rumors that the two don't get along.

"I'm not out there," Beadle told the Boston Globe. "I don't go to events to have my picture taken. I don't really care if my name is mentioned on a blog. It's not my thing. I'm not going to hire a publicist or anything like that. It's just not what I'm interested in."

Three things that popped into my head

1. Doesn't it feel as if the buzz surrounding the Indianapolis 500 is nothing compared to the way it used to be?

2. Here's hoping that Larry Bird, left, does not walk away as president of the Pacers. The NBA is way more interesting with him involved in some way. And, in case you hadn't noticed, he's a heck of a better basketball executive than contemporaries Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas.

3. Even if he was affordable, Roberto Luongo wouldn't be my first pick to be the Lightning's No. 1 goalie next season. I'm not sure he will ever win a Stanley Cup.

tom jones' two cents

The latest from the world of sports:

By Don Jensen, Times Correspondent
Friday, May 25, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG — The evening started with lightning and thunder. Flying Lone Wolf ended it with an electrifying effort.

The McAllister kennel greyhound gave a career-best performance in winning the $20,000 Gold Trophy Juvenile Stakes on May 19 at Derby Lane.

But had the 550-yard race gone off 30 minutes later, when a deluge of rain turned the track surface from fast to sloppy, kennel owner Malcolm McAllister said it could have been a different story.

"He would have been in trouble because the rail (Flying Lone Wolf had the No. 1 box) would have been bogging him down," said McAllister, who won his 21st stakes at Derby Lane. "This particular surface is not beneficial to being on the inside when it rains (and) is beneficial to mid-trackers. I needed a dry, good rail."

That is what Flying Lone Wolf got. He won his first stakes in box-to-wire fashion, beating D'Arcy kennel's Call Me Ishmael by 31/2 lengths for the $9,000 first-place paycheck. The winning time of 30.37 seconds was the best in his young career and second fastest in the Gold Trophy's 73 years. Brady Thomas of Floyd & Porter ran a 29.98 in 2006. Flying Lone Wolf's time also was the track's second fastest for the week in 106 races over the 550-yard course.

Owned by Vince Berland of Abilene, Kan., Flying Lone Wolf almost skipped the series.

"He was going to go to Wheeling (Island in West Virginia) and I said, 'Wait a minute. He could win the Gold Trophy,' " McAllister said. "Lance Berland (Vince's son), who pretty much runs the operation, said, 'If you think he can win it, he can stay.' "

Flying Lone Wolf had his worst lifetime race before the finale. On a sloppy track in the fourth qualifier, he finished last, 21 lengths behind Call Me Ishmael.

Overall, Flying Lone Wolf has nine victories from 23 starts under trainer Barbara McAllister, Malcolm's wife. The 21-month-old male out of a litter by Lonesome Cry and Flying Argyle has led at every call in each win. Lonesome Cry, a dual stakes winner, was Derby Lane's win leader in 2003. He competed in the Gold Trophy that year, but finished last behind winner Flying Newport. Lonesome Cry won career 49 races and earned more than $90,000.

McAllister said Flying Lone Wolf may be sent to Wheeling Island in June.

"There are no more stakes races for him now (at Derby Lane)," he said. "If he goes, (the Berlands) might bring him back in December for the Sprint Classic next year. He's a small male (65 pounds), but he's got big feet.

"He's got everything going for him. He's got box break, a huge rush to the turn and he's not that short. He is very young and can only get better."

MEMORIAL DAY SCHEDULE: Derby Lane will have a 15-race matinee performance Monday. There will be no night racing, but the track will remain open for poker and simulcast wagering.

Times wires
Friday, May 25, 2012

INDIANAPOLIS — Andretti Autosport isn't lamenting Danica Patrick's move to NASCAR.

Michael Andretti's drivers say they are working like teammates again. Though nobody on the team has publicly cited Patrick's departure as the sole reason, the team clearly has a new zest for racing, and it doesn't seem a coincidence that the results have changed, either.

"I don't know about friction, but there wasn't a lot of trust and things like that and when it isn't happening, it's all forced and you can't force those things to happen," the team owner said after Friday's final practice for Sunday's Indianapolis 500.

Patrick joined the team in 2007 and apparently her feelings about the split are mutual. On Thursday in Charlotte, N.C., Patrick said when she watched last weekend's Indy qualifying, it rekindled her memories.

But she acknowledged she needed a fresh start.

"I didn't feel like I wanted to be there," she said. "I'm very pleased that I'm in NASCAR. I'm very happy, I'm having a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to a different challenge this weekend."

Patrick's departure was the biggest change since last season when Andretti's team had four drivers — his son Marco, soft-spoken Mike Conway, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Patrick.

Conway was left out when the team cut back to three full-time cars (he joined A.J. Foyt's team), and James Hinchcliffe replaced Patrick.

The three regular drivers qualified second, third and fourth for Sunday's race — a stark contrast to the past two years when Michael Andretti's team was still trying to get drivers in the race on Bump Day.

The difference comes down to teamwork.

"That's when you know that you're dealing with real people, when you're competing against your own people for the pole and not playing games behind people's backs," said Marco Andretti, the 25-year-old American with the strong racing lineage.

He declined to cite any specific drivers for the problems.

"There was just not a lot of honesty in the past. … Now am I going to throw someone under the bus? No," he said.

"I don't know about games, but I know we are one tight-knit group of drivers who all want to win races," Hunter-Reay said. "We get along off the track. We don't let egos get in the way."

He quickly pointed out his comment was not intended as a shot at Patrick.

"I had no direct issue with her, I just knew we worked closely with her," said Hunter-Reay, who starts third in Sunday's race. "We were just not going forward."

That's not the case now. Hinchcliffe missed earning the pole by 0.003 mph, the closest pole battle in 500 history. Marco Andretti has had one of the fastest cars at the speedway all month and starts fourth.

"You always struggle for that camaraderie. When you have it, you have it," Michael Andretti said.

FINAL PRACTICE: Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Dario Franchitti (222.360 mph) and Scott Dixon (222.274) had the two fastest laps of the day at Indy. Marco Andretti was third fastest at 221.702. Dixon's No. 9 team also win the Carb Day pit stop competition, a first for Ganassi.

INDY LIGHTS: Esteban Guerrieri won the crash-marred Freedom 100 at Indy. A multicar wreck early brought out a red flag because of damage to a barrier.

Times wires
Friday, May 25, 2012

CONCORD, N.C. — After months of wondering when any Hendrick Motorsports car would win again, NASCAR's powerhouse program is on a major roll heading into the Coca-Cola 600.

Five-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson broke a 16-race drought this month at Darlington for the team's 200th victory, then won the All-Star race last Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Throw in a Sprint Showdown victory by Hendrick driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and a win in the pit crew challenge by Johnson's No. 48 team and it's a nonstop party for owner Rick Hendrick.

"The company," Johnson said this week, "is still on a high from the 200th win, and the All-Star win just kicked it up another notch."

That could be bad news for the rest of NASCAR.

Johnson collected the program's 199th win in October at Kansas. But he fell short in his bid for a sixth consecutive title. And none of Hendrick's high-powered drivers — Johnson, Earnhardt, four-time champion Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne — could break through this year until Darlington.

Things have changed quickly.

Johnson doesn't see why that can't continue Sunday night in the Coca-Cola 600, where he'll start third. Kahne qualified seventh, Earnhardt 12th and Gordon 23rd. And Johnson has won nine times at the 1½-mile track: three 600s, three 500-mile fall races and three All-Star events.

This week, Rick Hendrick hosted a party in Charlotte headlined by country music superstar Brad Paisley. Hendrick's current crop of stars was on hand along with others who won for him through the years, such as Geoff Bodine, Mark Martin and Kyle Busch.

"It's a huge accomplishment for our people, and I'm really proud of them," Hendrick, 62, said. "You know, you need to stop and celebrate something like this because they don't come along too often."

Johnson recalled how during the Darlington celebration on May 12, Hendrick told him that now they'd gotten to 200, "let's get 250."

That indicates a focus that has kept Hendrick Motorsports clicking off wins since Bodine got the first in 1984 at Martinsville.

Hendrick's goal now is to put all four cars in the season-ending Chase for the Championship. They have some work ahead to do that.

Earnhardt's No. 88 car sits third in points, and Johnson is fifth. Kahne is 16th, but just 54 points out of 10th place. The one struggling most is Gordon, way back in 24th. He likely needs a couple of wins to claim a wild-card spot for the Chase.

Hendrick said he has never had so many races get away from such talented groups as Gordon's No. 24 team and Kahne's No. 5. "Between Kasey and Jeff Gordon, probably the rottenest luck I've had in my racing career," Hendrick said. "I mean, I can't even remember as many flat tires or wrecks or Kasey is running third on the last lap and gets shoved into the wall. We have had some freak things break on the car."

Gordon has tried to stay positive through the problem. "You can only do that for so long, but we're still doing it," he said.

The way things are going for Hendrick Motorsports, Johnson wouldn't be surprised if he and his teammates were all fighting for the win come Sunday night — just like Rick Hendrick wants.

"I'm sure we will be reminded of that here before long," Johnson said.

By Brandon Wright, Times Correspondent
Friday, May 25, 2012

TAMPA — Rarely are 28-year-olds considered elder statesmen. But in the case of Tom Kaleita, most of his Storm teammates think he should be getting a letter from AARP any day now.

"I get 'old man' once in awhile," Kaleita said.

That's quite a stretch, but in his fifth year with Tampa Bay, Kaleita is the longest-tenured player on the roster … by a long shot. The Storm has eight players with two years of experience, five players with one and 10 rookies.

"It's a different role for sure," Kaleita said. "Last year I think our average age was 30, but this is a different team. And now these guys look to me a lot more than before."

Kaleita, an offensive lineman, attributed the team's 0-5 road struggles this season to being so young. Tampa Bay is 5-5 overall and looks to keep a perfect home record tonight when it hosts Milwaukee (3-6).

"I think (our road trouble) has a lot to do with having so many young guys who aren't used to the (indoor) game," he said. "You can get down by 21 or 28 points in this game and it's still very possible to come back. We've had that happen (on the road) and you can see in some of these guy's eyes that they think it's over."

Kaleita has been a rock on the line in his four-plus season with the Storm. He has had a streak of 13 straight games between 2007-08 (568 snaps) without surrendering a sack and another 14-game streak (534 snaps) that started last year and extended into this season.

"Tom's been playing at a high level since he's come here," coach Dave Ewart said. "He's changed with this organization and always been a guy who does what he says."

Kaleita played at Eastern Michigan and signed with Detroit as an undrafted free agent before landing in Tampa. It took the 6-foot-6, 325-pounder time to get used to the indoor game.

"I was getting eaten up when I first got here," Kaleita said. "I had to learn to get my hands on (defensive linemen) quicker. You can't give them a step or two because they are so close to the quarterback."

Kaleita, a tight end in high school, has proven to be more than just a pass protector. He has 18 receptions for six touchdowns in his career and worked his way into the Storm's short-yardage package this season, carrying the ball six times for a pair of scores.

"Carrying the ball is something out of my comfort zone now," he said. "And I'm sure you've noticed that when linemen fall, we don't do it gracefully. It can be pretty ugly."

As is the case with AFL players, Kaleita juggles his time with the Storm. He has a full-time job as general manager of an industrial supply store, a wife of four years and a 15-month-old.

"It's very exhausting, and there are some major challenges with time," he said. "I have talked with my wife about (retiring), but I want to win a championship, and my body feels pretty good. When I'm done, it's going to be because I don't have the time, not because of how my body feels."

Moves: Offensive linemen Jamar Bass and Terence Crosby were re-signed this week. Both were with the club earlier this season. Bass played at USF. Defensive back Riley Swanson was activated from injured reserve, and linemen Eugene Kinlaw and Wondell Rutledge were placed on IR. Defensive back Erick Harris was signed, and defensive back Rod Mosley was released.

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Friday, May 25, 2012

tom jones' two cents

After tonight's Game 7 between the Celtics and 76ers (8, Ch. 28), the NBA playoffs will be half over and the conference finals will be set. The Boston-Philadelphia winner takes on the Heat in the East, while the Thunder and Spurs meet in the West. Here's what we've learned so far in this postseason:

1. LeBron James and the Heat deserve our respect

There are those who would love to see LeBron James and the Heat fail. But if you were to throw out that one ill-advised week when he made his "Decision" to join the Heat and then had that goofy dance party with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh (a week he has since apologized for), how could you not like James? He plays the game right, he works hard, respects his team and his opponents, says the right things and, by all accounts, handles himself well off the court. And isn't it admirable that his top priority last year was to go to a team that had the best chance to win a title? He and Wade showed guts and determination to get past the Pacers without Bosh.

2. Kobe Bryant's Lakers are nearing the end

In fact, they might have already arrived there. Kobe Bryant is only 33 and remains a star player. He still is capable of scoring 40 on any given night, just not every night. He just wrapped up his — read this closely — 16th season. Add 220 playoff games and that's like tacking on 2½ seasons. Bryant is four years removed from his only MVP award, and the Lakers are 5-11 in their past 16 playoffs games. The Lakers could improve by making a few moves, such as acquiring Steve Nash, but in order to become a title contender again, they have to make a big splash by getting the Magic's Dwight Howard. Otherwise, Bryant's career likely will end with five NBA titles.

3. The Spurs are ageless

Forget the Patriots. Forget the Red Wings. Forget the Yankees. The Spurs might be the best team in North American sports over the past 13 years. Since 1999, the Spurs have made the playoffs every season and are now going for their fifth title. And this stat is amazing: The Spurs have won 26 of their past 35 playoff series, winning 112 of 180 postseason games. That includes an 8-0 record this postseason thanks to sweeps of the Jazz and the up-and-coming Clippers. Tim Duncan just turned 36, but you can't tell. He's averaging 17.6 points and nine rebounds a game. Ageless.

4. We should all feel sorry for Seattle

Don't you feel just awful for the hoops fans living in Seattle? The Sonics broke into the league in 1967 and won an NBA title in 1979, but they didn't win another. The team then moved to Oklahoma City in 2008 and here it is, just four victories from the Finals. Seattle fans can only watch from afar as three-time scoring champion Kevin Durant, above, has developed into one of the league's best players and, along with teammates Russell Westbrook and James Harden, seems poised to win a title eventually, maybe even this season.

5. The Magic is a mess

Without Dwight Howard, the Magic was bounced in the first round of the playoffs. With Dwight Howard (if you catch my drift), the Magic fired coach Stan Van Gundy, while GM Otis Smith left the organization. The Magic had the league's fourth-best record since Van Gundy became coach in 2007, but because Howard pouted, Van Gundy was fired. And the idiotic thing is, Howard, above, still might whine his way out of O-town. Forget calling Glenn Davis "Big Baby," that should be Howard's nickname. Time to let go of this big baby and start over from scratch.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Friday, May 25, 2012

BOSTON — Just when it seemed like the Rays were about to start getting healthy came news Friday that OF Brandon Guyer will miss the rest of the season due to pending shoulder surgery and that OF Desmond Jennings is likely going to be out another week.

Guyer, 26, had been sidelined with what the Rays called a left shoulder strain that didn't seem like a major issue when it occurred as he took swings in the batting cage May 13, and he was eligible to come off the disabled list Monday. But subsequent tests and exams revealed a torn labrum, in his nonthrowing shoulder, and he will have surgery Thursday.

"When it happened, we just didn't know," manager Joe Maddon said. "It was one of those things you talked to him about it and it was never a strong feeling one way or the other, let's get more opinions, and then finally it's gotten to this point."

Guyer had a rough start to his season at Triple A that he attributed to the fallout from his truck being used by RHP Matt Bush in DUI hit-and-run accidents. Then he played in only three games for the Rays after his May 9 promotion before being hurt.

Jennings had been progressing well in recovery from a left knee sprain, and it sounded earlier this week like he would be ready shortly after his Sunday eligibility date. But Maddon said Jennings would first increase his amount of baseball activities, then go on a short minor-league rehab and possibly rejoin the team by the end of next week.

The rehab assignment doesn't need to include a lot of at-bats, he said. "I don't think it needs to be a heavy number; just get out there and feel good about your knee."

1B/OF Brandon Allen, who was eligible to come off the DL (right quad strain) Friday, will continue his rehab assignment at least through the weekend. In his first seven games at advanced Class A Charlotte, he has hit .240 (6-for-25).

It will be interesting to see what the Rays do with Allen, who is out of options and can't be sent to the minors without being passed through waivers, which is how the Rays got him from Oakland. C Jose Lobaton (right shoulder) is also continuing his rehab at Triple-A Durham.

MATSUI MANIA: There was considerable chatter about Hideki Matsui joining the team this weekend, but Maddon said the "general consensus" was that he was "just not quite ready yet, but he's getting real close."

That decision, Maddon said, extended well beyond Matsui's stats line at Triple-A Durham, where he hit .189 (7-for-37) in his first 10 games (went 3-for-4 Friday). He was in the outfield for a second straight night, which also is important since DH Luke Scott isn't ready to play the field.

"(Matsui is) doing well," Maddon said. "Don't worry about a batting average. He's feeling good, he's getting better, he's seeing the ball and all that kind of stuff, but he's just not quite ready yet."

Maddon said the Rays did not have a set number of at-bats in mind. "Basically, as many as he thinks he needs," Maddon said. "I don't think it's what I think or what any minor-league manager thinks. I think it is what he thinks and how he feels."

MISCELLANY: Maddon said he started Sean Rodriguez at second, with Drew Sutton at third and Elliot Johnson at short, to maximize their defense behind Alex Cobb, who is a ground ball pitcher. … Tonight's game is part of the Fox (Ch. 13) national broadcast but will have a Rays accent as regular analyst Brian Anderson will join Dick Stockton in the booth. …LHP David Price starts tonight of sound arm and body: "I feel good where I am right now on the mound." … The Rays are tied with Baltimore for the most errors (42) in the American League.

Times wires
Friday, May 25, 2012

FORT WORTH, Texas — Jason Dufner lists Ben Hogan as his hero.

At Hogan's Alley, Dufner had the lead halfway through the Crowne Plaza Invitational with a chance for a Texas two-step only Hogan has accomplished.

Dufner's bogey-free 6-under 64 on another windy day Friday at Colonial left him at 11-under 129 after two rounds. A week after winning the Byron Nelson Championship, Dufner had a two-stroke lead over Zach Johnson, the 2010 winner who shot 67.

The only player to win both PGA Tour events in the Dallas-Fort Worth market in a year was Hogan in 1946.

"That would be great company to join, obviously," Dufner said. "To have anything compared to him or be talked in the same sentence with him is something that would be pretty unique and special to me."

Both of Dufner's tour victories came in his previous three starts. He has led or shared the lead after 11 of his past 34 rounds.

Johnson, who opened with bogey-free 64, started Round 2 eagle-birdie-bogey. Then there was a four-hole stretch on the back nine when he alternated birdies and bogeys twice. He'll be paired with his buddy Dufner for today's third round.

"He's got a good rhythm about him, about his game right now," Johnson said. "But it's irrelevant who I play with. I'm not playing against him. I'm playing against the golf course and the conditions and the elements that are presented."

Two years ago, Johnson set the then-Colonial tournament scoring record at 21-under 259 en route to the most recent of his seven PGA Tour victories.

Bo Van Pelt (64) and Tommy Gainey (67) were tied for third at 133.

CHAMPIONS: Hale Irwin shot his age — and was so frustrated he might switch putters.

Irwin, who turns 67 on June 3, shot 5-under 66 in the second round of the Senior PGA Championship in Benton Harbor, Mich. He trailed leaders Roger Chapman and John Cook, who were at 7-under 135, by two, but Irwin wasn't the least bit satisfied with his work on the greens.

"I know the greens are difficult, but some of the putts I missed (Friday) are not that difficult," Irwin said. "I might even change to another putter (today) that's similar, but a different putter. I can't putt any worse."

Cook (66) tied Chapman at 7 under after a more forgiving day at Harbor Shores. Chapman had 67. Michael Allen broke the course record with 64.

EUROPEAN: No. 1-ranked Rory McIlroy missed the cut badly after shooting 79 to finish 9 over at the tour's PGA Championship in Virginia Water, England. James Morrison shot 64 for 132 total and led Luke Donald (68) and first-round co-leader David Drysdale (70) by four. A quarter of the field didn't finish the second round.

Times wires
Friday, May 25, 2012

Mets 6, Padres 1

NEW YORK — Dillon Gee struck out a career-high nine, won consecutive starts for the first time in nearly a year, and doubled and scored the go-ahead run. Lucas Duda hit a tying homer in the second off Anthony Bass. Consecutive doubles by Gee and Mike Baxter put the Mets ahead 2-1 in the third, just the second extra-base hit for Gee in 70 at-bats. Kirk Nieuwenhuis followed with an RBI single.

Times wires
Friday, May 25, 2012

BALTIMORE — The Orioles and CF Adam Jones are nearing agreement on a potential franchise-record contract extension for the one-time All-Star.

"I don't have a real time line," Orioles vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette said Friday. "We've had some productive discussions, and hopefully it will lead to a long-term deal."

Jones' contract expires after this season, though he still will be under club control in 2013. He made the AL All-Star team in 2009, and he entered play Friday leading the team in batting average (.311), homers (14) and RBIs (29) among players with at least 17 games.

Jones confirmed that his representative, Nez Balelo, was in Baltimore. Jones also said he has taken a physical, a prerequisite for a long-term extension.

"It's an exciting thing. It's a humbling thing, just even the thought of it," Jones, 26, said.

Jones figures to get a contract that will rival the most lucrative in Orioles history, which is Miguel Tejada's six-year, $72 million deal signed in 2003.

D'backs To lock catcher: Miguel Montero agreed to a five-year, $60 million contract with the Diamondbacks, but an announcement may not come for a few days, the Associated Press reported. He avoided arbitration by signing a one-year, $5.9 million contract in the offseason.

Clemens Trial: A needle stored with a beer can appeared to contain a tiny amount of Roger Clemens' DNA, which turned out to be good news and bad news for both sides in the perjury trial of the former pitcher. A forensic scientist linked Clemens to cotton balls and a syringe needle former trainer Brian McNamee says he saved after injecting Clemens with steroids 11 years ago. His testimony was one of the last pieces of the government's case in its effort to prove the pitcher lied to Congress in 2008 when he denied using performance-enhancing substances. Clemens' lawyer got the expert to acknowledge that "hundreds of thousands" of white males in the United States could be a match for the DNA found on the needle and that it's "conceivable" the cotton balls could have been contaminated.

Braves: 3B Chipper Jones (bruised left leg) went on the DL after missing his seventh straight start.

Cardinals: 1B Lance Berkman had surgery on his right knee and is expected to miss eight to 10 weeks. The team said the arthroscopic surgery found a partial tear in the medial meniscus, which was removed. The team had feared the injury could end his season or career.

Former player charged: Former OF Chad Curtis, who played for six teams and won two World Series with the Yankees, was charged with sexual misconduct after two teenage girls accused him of touching them at a Woodland, Mich., high school where he volunteered. Curtis, 43, was arraigned on five counts of criminal sexual conduct and freed after posting $25,000 in cash on a $250,000 bond, Barry County Undersheriff Robert Baker said.

By Ian Lanphier, Times Correspondent
Friday, May 25, 2012

CLEARWATER — Using timely hitting and a sharp outing by left-hander Matt Reed, USF staved off elimination in the Big East tournament for the second straight night, defeating top seed Louisville 6-2 Friday at Bright House Field.

After Cardinals first baseman Zak Wasserman tied the score at 1 on a home run to rightfield in the fifth inning, No. 4 seed USF (36-21) answered in the bottom half with a three-run shot to right by shortstop Alex Mendez.

Reed went 7⅓ innings, allowing one earned run (two overall) off four hits and two walks. He picked off Nick Ratajczak in the fourth inning.

"I came out, had a good session in the bullpen before the game, felt my pitches were pretty good and knew that I had a chance to be successful. I think I'm going to be successful every day," Reed said. "I tell people all the time, 'I think I'm the best pitcher in the world every time out,' and some days I am, some days I'm not, but (Friday) fortunately I was.

"My guys made some great plays for me. I pitched well, but there's no way I get through this without those guys making defensive plays."

USF senior DH Daniel Rockhold added a two-run homer to left in the eighth to seal the win. The Bulls face No. 5 Connecticut (31-25-1) today at 1 p.m. and need to beat the Huskies twice to reach Sunday's final. UConn stayed unbeaten with a 4-1 win over Louisville (39-20) in a game postponed from Thursday.

Notre Dame (30-26) defeated Seton Hall 4-3 and plays St. John's (35-21) today at 10 a.m. If the Irish beat the Red Storm in the first game, they would have to do so again later to advance to the final.

Times wires
Friday, May 25, 2012

Orioles 8, Royals 2

BALTIMORE — Jason Hammel pitched six shutout innings, Chris Davis homered and drove in three runs, and the Orioles had a Camden Yards-record walk-up of nearly 11,000 in the crowd of 28,954. The Orioles are 28-1 when hitting a homer. Davis hit Baltimore's AL-leading 70th home run, with a man on to make it 8-0 in the seventh. Adam Jones and J.J. Hardy each had two RBIs.

Times wires
Friday, May 25, 2012

Soccer

Beckham no longer mls'S best-paid

NEW YORK — David Beckham lost his place as Major League Soccer's highest-paid player after his salary was cut nearly 40 percent in his new contract with Los Angeles.

The former England captain has a base salary of $3 million this year and guaranteed compensation of $4 million, according to figures released Friday by the players union. His previous base salary had been $5.5 million with total annual compensation of $6.5 million under a $32.5 million, five-year contract that expired after the 2011 season.

New York's Thierry Henry became the highest-paid player, with a base salary of $5 million and total compensation of $5.6 million. Teammate Rafa Marquez was second ($4.6 million total), followed by Beckham.

more mls: Seattle midfielder Osvaldo Alonso was suspended for two games and fined for using what it termed excessive force during a game against Columbus on Wednesday. Alonso left his feet and showed his studs, endangering Crew midfielder Cole Grossman, the league said. Also, Los Angeles midfielder Hector Jimenez was suspended for one game and fined for a similar infraction against San Jose on Wednesday. The referee issued Jimenez a red card, which carries an automatic one game suspension, so he will miss two games total. No fine amounts were disclosed.

u.s. men: Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore will miss tonight's exhibition game against Scotland in Jacksonville (8, NBC Sports Network). Dempsey is recovering from a groin strain. Altidore had been blocked from reporting to training camp in Kissimmee until Monday by his Dutch club, AZ Alkmaar. The United States has five games in 18 games, including its kickoff for 2014 World Cup qualifying, against Antigua & Barbuda June 8 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

Track

Bolt wins 100 meters in personal-worst time

World record-holder and defending Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt won the 100 meters in 10.04 seconds in the wind at the Golden Spike meet, his worst time in a 100 final on the senior circuit.

His time at Ostrava, Czech Republic, also was his first over 10 seconds since June 2009. "It's hard to explain," said Bolt, whose record is 9.58. "I don't really know what went wrong."

Kim Collins of St. Kitts and Nevis was second in 10.19 and American Darvis Patton third in 10.22.

Et cetera

Tennis: Novak Djokovic got the top seed in the French Open, the only Grand Slam he has not won, and the draw set him up for a possible semifinal against No. 3 Roger Federer. They faced each other at the same stage last year, and Federer beat Djokovic to end the Serb's 43-match winning streak. That was Djokovic's last loss at a major tournament. On the women's side, the top seed went to top-ranked Victoria Azarenka. Second seed Maria Sharapova, also trying to win the only Slam she hasn't, could face No. 5 Serena Williams in the quarters. The French Open begins Sunday.

NFL: The Bengals pledged to keep linebacker Brandon Joiner on their roster indefinitely after the undrafted rookie was sentenced to three years in prison in a plea deal for a 2007 arrest. Joiner was indicted on two counts of aggravated robbery and one of felony drug possession after police said he and another former Texas A&M player broke into a College Station apartment and robbed a drug dealer at gunpoint. … The Colts have made multiple trade offers to the Cowboys in an effort to acquire disgruntled former USF cornerback Mike Jenkins, and the last one remains on the table, ESPN reported.

horses: A judge is preventing the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission from enforcing its suspension of jockey Robby Albarado. No. 3 on the all-time wins list at Churchill Downs, Albarado was suspended after his May 4 arrest on an assault charge. He has been unable to ride in other states that are honoring the decision.

Times wires

Times wires
Friday, May 25, 2012

Pirates 1, Cubs 0

PITTSBURGH — A.J. Burnett and four relievers worked out of trouble all game to help send the Cubs to their 10th straight loss. Burnett gave up six hits over 5⅓ innings and the bullpen made it stand up. Joel Hanrahan worked out of a two-on, one-out jam for his 11th save. Cubs starter Ryan Dempster remains winless since August despite dropping his ERA to 2.14. The Cubs went 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Friday, May 25, 2012

BOSTON

Thursday, the Rays dressed like nerds.

But Friday night, they didn't like being pushed around or thrown at. And, led by manager Joe Maddon, they made their feelings known.

Tempers flared in the ninth inning of their 7-4 win over the Red Sox when Boston pitcher Franklin Morales first threw behind, then hit Rays DH Luke Scott with two outs.

Both benches and bullpens emptied, and jawing led to shoving and several heated exchanges, though no major blows were landed and no one was ejected.

Maddon was adamant in his postgame comments that the Sox coaching staff was to blame for what he termed "a weak, cowardly effort," and he made it clear that when provoked, the Rays will respond.

"It's kind of incompetent behavior," he said. "It's the kind of behavior that gets people hurt on your own side by choosing to do something so ridiculous."

Among other adjectives and adverbs, Maddon said, it was "absurd, idiotic; I'll use all those different words."

Scott, walking with a limp and his right knee red and swollen, was measured in his response. "It's obvious where it came from," he said, referring to the decision to throw at him. "At the end of the day, you reap what you sow. Tomorrow is another day."

Morales denied any intent and said he was surprised by the reaction: "I didn't try to hit him. I was just trying to go with my fastball in, and I missed it."

The Rays pretty much scoffed at that. First baseman Carlos Peña said it was obviously "a dirty play," and Maddon said, "It reeks of intent."

The Rays and Red Sox have a history of incidents and brawls, including a major dustup at Fenway Park in 2008. Recently, there was chatter last week when Rays rookie pitcher Matt Moore hit Boston's Adrian Gonzalez and the Sox later hit Scott. Earlier in Friday's game, the Rays hit Dustin Pedroia but in a situation that brought David Ortiz to the plate as the tying run, leading Maddon to say hitting Scott in retaliation was "not called for.''

Also, Scott made disparaging comments in April about the facilities at Fenway, which manager Bobby Valentine tried to use in a sarcastic comment about what happened Friday.

"Emotions boiling over at that point? Frustration mounting? I don't know," Valentine said. "It seemed like it was with both teams on the field. But with the guy getting hit? Maybe it was the Ghost of Fenway Past remembering that he bad-mouthed all our fans and stadium, or something, just directing the ball at his leg."

Maddon never directly blamed Valentine or pitching coach Bob McClure, but he did make a point to praise how the Boston players reacted.

"I'm kind of curious regarding who put out the hit, because I know it wasn't one of their players," he said. "Truly, watch the video. The people that were incensed, obviously they're the ones that were probably behind the effort, the really weak, cowardly effort on their part. Did I say that strongly enough? Did I make my point?"

Among the more agitated Sox were McClure, who was seen grabbing Peña's jersey, and bench coach Tim Bogar, a former Rays staffer, with whom infielder Sean Rodriguez got into an exchange over something he said Bogar said. "I was fine the whole time,'' Rodriguez said. "Bobby V started saying some stuff. Tempers flared a little bit.''

The more active Rays included Rodriguez, Peña, catcher Chris Gimenez and coaches Tom Foley and George Hendrick. After order was somewhat restored, outfielder B.J. Upton got involved when a fan near the Rays dugout said "something" — which Upton said was not suitable for print or broadcast — about teammate David Price. "I didn't like it, and I lost my cool," Upton said.

Maddon, Upton, Peña and several other Rays said they did not expect any carryover when the teams play tonight.

"We don't initiate anything,'' Maddon said. "But we will respond to others that do attempt to do it to us. I promise you that, too.''

The Rays (28-18) won the game on the strength of three homers off Jon Lester, from Matt Joyce (his second grand slam in a week), Elliot Johnson and Peña; a good but not great five-inning start by Boston native Alex Cobb; and, after J.P. Howell walked his only two batters, a solid night of relief, with Jake McGee, who got four outs, earning "hero" of the game, Maddon said.

INCOMPETENTWEAKabsurd idioticcowardlyridiculous

Times staff, wires
Friday, May 25, 2012

STONY BROOK, N.Y. — Florida's first trip to the Final Four in women's lacrosse ended suddenly Friday, as the top-seeded Gators fell 14-13 to Syracuse in double overtime.

Sarah Holden scored her fourth goal with 2:02 remaining in the second extra period after Florida appeared to have won with nine seconds left in the first overtime. But Gabi Wiegand's low shot was disallowed when officials ruled she was using an illegal stick.

"(The stick check was) a smart play by Syracuse," UF captain Brittany Dashiell told Gatorzone.com. "We couldn't do anything about it; just keep playing and try to get the next ground ball, the next draw control."

Syracuse (19-3) reached its first final. Florida (19-3) was aiming for its first final in just its third season. Holden netted the winner by making a move from up top and buried a bounce shot by Florida goaltender Misty Meagher.

Shannon Gilroy scored five goals and Brittany Dashiell added four for UF, which blew leads of 11-4 and 12-5. Gilroy scored with 7:19 left for a 13-8 lead. But less than a minute later, Holden scored the first of five straight goals for the Orange.

FSU out of ACC baseball tourney

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Jon McGibbon's three-run homer in the bottom of ninth lifted Clemson past Florida State 9-7 at the ACC baseball tournament, eliminating the top-seeded Seminoles from the championship game.

Clemson (33-25) trailed 7-6 entering the ninth when McGibbon sent Robert Benincasa's 0-1 pitch over the fence in right-center.

Justin Gonzalez homered and drove in two for FSU (43-14), 0-2 in the round-robin tournament.

GATORS STAY ALIVE: Brian Johnson pitched a five-hitter and Mike Zunino hit a two-run homer to lead Florida over South Carolina 7-2 in the SEC tournament in Hoover, Ala., eliminating the two-time defending national champions. The Gators (42-17) face Vanderbilt today for a shot at the championship. Johnson (7-4) pitched his first career complete game on just 89 pitches, striking out five and walking none. Freshman Casey Turgeon (Dunedin High) went 2-for-4, including a two-run single, and Nolan Fontana scored three runs.

AD: MIAMI COMMITTED TO ACC: Miami reaffirmed its commitment to the ACC, denying speculation that the Hurricanes may be considering a jump to the Big 12 or elsewhere. Hurricanes athletic director Shawn Eichorst released a statement saying, among other things, that Miami has "not engaged in any formal or informal discussions with any other conferences."

WOMEN'S TENNIS: Florida's Allie Will, the No. 1 seed, reached the quarterfinals in the NCAA individual championships by defeating Georgia State's Abigail Tere-Apisah 6-1, 6-4. The other Gator remaining, No. 9 seed Lauren Embree, lost to No. 2 Beatrice Capra of Duke 6-1, 6-3. In doubles, Embree and Joanna Mather reached the quarterfinals with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 over No. 5 Annie Goransson and Anett Schutting of Cal.

MEN'S TENNIS: UF's Andy Jackson, a two-time SEC coach of the year whose teams advanced to the NCAA's round of 16 in 10 of his 11 seasons at UF, resigned. No reason was given. "I'm truly grateful for my time here, and I hope to have the opportunity to coach again," he said.

GOLF: The Florida women finished 12th in the NCAA Championships in Franklin, Tenn., 19 strokes behind first-time champion Alabama. The Gators shot 10-over 298 to finish at 1,190. The Crimson Tide beat USC by a shot, clinching on senior Brooke Pancake's 4-foot par on No. 18. Oklahoma's Chirapat Jao-Javanil (70—282) won the individual title by four strokes. Florida State's Maria Salinas (70—309) tied for 102nd.

Times wires
Friday, May 25, 2012

Nationals 7, Braves 4

ATLANTA — Rick Ankiel hit a two-run triple in a four-run first and Ryan Zimmerman padded the lead with a three-run double in the seventh against the slumping Braves. Right-hander Chien-Ming Wang won in his season debut. He gave up one run in three innings after taking over for Ross Detwiler in the fifth.

Times wires
Friday, May 25, 2012

Rockies 6, Reds 3

CINCINNATI — Todd Helton homered and drove in three runs to help halt the Reds' six-game winning streak. Helton had a two-run homer and a run-scoring single off Johnny Cueto, who gave up a career-high 11 hits. Troy Tulowitzki had three hits, including an RBI single in the ninth.