By Ed Walker, Times Correspondent
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Targeting sharks: Shark fishing is underrated in local waters. They can be great fun to catch, particularly on light tackle. Few large marine adversaries fight as hard and are as easy to find.

Where to look: For smaller sharks, check just offshore where baitfish such as Spanish sardines are present. You may also encounter good numbers of them running with schools of bonito. Black tip and spinner sharks feed on these migrating minnows and often move with them. Spinner sharks sometimes leap and spin through the air as they charge through schools. You might encounter a big shark just about anywhere during summer; the better spots are inlets and wrecks in the Gulf. The big ones usually hang around out on the perimeter of the wreck moving in when they smell food or sense activity.

What to use: Chum with fresh fish to draw sharks into range. Frozen chum is effective but the best is a recently caught fish's smell. Same for bait. Wire leader is a must. For small ones, 50-pound test is adequate; for giants, 500-pound cable.

Ed Walker charters out of Tarpon Springs. He can be contacted at lighttacklecharters.com or at (727) 944-3474.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

BRANDON — All seemed as it should be Tuesday at the Ice Sports Forum.

Lightning players, who have assembled for informal workouts before training camp, conducted passing and shooting drills and played five-on-five while coach Guy Boucher watched intently from a balcony overlooking the ice.

"We're getting prepared," Boucher said, "for a normal camp."

Tampa Bay players are supposed to report Sept. 21. But with the NHL threatening a lockout Sunday if a new collective bargaining agreement is not in place, the question is when, or if, camp will begin.

And that has Boucher planning for the abnormal.

"You've got Plan B, Plan C and all of a sudden we're down to D and E," he said. "If it's not normal, at least everything has been done."

It's different for players, whose routines so far have not changed.

Tough summer off-ice workouts have morphed into hybrid plans that include 60- to 90-minute skates with teammates and, as right wing Adam Hall undertook, pushing a sled full of weights over a carpeted area overlooking the ice.

But underneath the sweaty jerseys and aching muscles, there is a sense of futility, star center Steven Stamkos said, as negotiations between the owners and Players' Association are stalled.

"It's definitely tough, especially when you don't make the playoffs," Stamkos said, referencing last season's failure. "You train for a long time and you're reading and hearing that there might be a lockout. You have to push through it and tell yourself it might start (on time) so you've got to go."

"It's been a weird summer in that sense," defenseman Matt Carle said, and added about the negotiations, "Just because we're all in shape and prepared for the season doesn't mean we'll give in. We want a fair deal for both sides."

This is an important week for the talks that have been unable to figure out how to divide $3.3 billion in league revenues.

Owners, whose latest proposal cut the players' share from 57 to 46 percent, will meet Thursday in New York for an update from commissioner Gary Bettman and to reiterate his ability to lock out the players.

Between 200 and 300 players — including Carle, Hall, center Nate Thompson, goaltender Mathieu Garon and defensemen Marc-Andre Bergeron and Brian Lee from the Lightning — are expected in New York for union meetings today and Thursday. Before today's union meeting, players and owners scheduled a new negotiating session.

"Every player is getting ready like we're starting on time," said right wing B.J. Crombeen, a member of the union's negotiating committee. "That's still the goal and I think it's something that we can do."

Meanwhile, there are questions.

"Will we get any exhibition games? Will we not?" Boucher said. "How much practice time? How many guys will we bring in? It's a moving target. You have to keep reacting."

"Hopefully, we solve this situation," Bergeron said. "Let's solve it. Let's all be happy."

Call that Plan A.

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

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Some things to keep in mind as the NHL approaches a Sunday lockout:

>> Lightning forwards Adam Hall and Nate Thompson, goaltender Mathieu Garon and defensemen Marc-Andre Bergeron, Matt Carle and Brian Lee will be part of an expected 250 to 300 NHL players at union meetings today and Thursday in New York. "It's a big gesture from us," Bergeron said. "It shows we're standing behind our union."

>> Expect players such as forwards J.T. Brown, Cory Conacher and Alex Killorn, defensemen Mark Barberio and Radko Gudas and goalies Dustin Tokarski and Riku Helenius to be assigned to AHL Syracuse by 5 p.m. Saturday.

>> Players who must clear waivers to be sent to Syracuse — forwards Mike Angelidis, Pierre-Cedric Labrie and J.T. Wyman, and defensemen Keith Aulie, Evan Oberg and Matt Taormina — likely will be signed to minor-league contracts instead.

>> If there is a lockout, NHL players can't use team locker room or workout facilities or have access to coaches or trainers, though players can rent the rink at the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon to continue workouts.

>> A lockout will prohibit teams from promoting or using players at team-sponsored events, though there might be an exception for charity events. It is to be determined whether, as was done during the 2004-05 lockout, player pictures on and around the Tampa Bay Times Forum will be taken down. Either way, expect the coaches and GM Steve Yzerman to get a lot of face time.

>> The Lightning is not expected to issue a policy on ticket refunds until games are cancelled.

Times wires
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

OAKLAND, Calif. — Athletics RHP Brandon McCarthy was released from a San Francisco hospital Tuesday, less than a week after getting hit in the head by a line drive and having surgery.

And he said he plans to return to baseball once he returns to full strength in the coming months.

The A's said Dr. Peter Weber, the neurologist who performed the surgery at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, and team physician Allan Pont agreed "McCarthy had made an excellent recovery and could be safely released from the hospital."

McCarthy, 29, underwent two hours of surgery late Wednesday after a ball hit by the Angels' Erick Aybar struck the right side of his head. He suffered an epidural hemorrhage, brain contusion and skull fracture.

McCarthy expressed deep appreciation to everyone involved in his care, from the moment of the accident to the ambulance ride and doctors and nurses who checked on him around the clock at the hospital.

"From the bottom of our hearts, (my wife) Amanda and I want to thank everyone who was involved in responding to and treating my injury," McCarthy said in a statement released by the A's. "We could not have been in better hands."

The A's said McCarthy will remain in the San Francisco bay area for three weeks.

By Saturday, he was back to joking on Twitter, and his wife was posting regularly, too.

McCarthy, Oakland's opening day starter, is 8-6 with a 3.24 ERA in his sixth big-league season and second with the A's.

CLOSER TO REST: The Reds are giving LHP Aroldis Chapman a few days off to rest his tired pitching shoulder. Chapman struggled with his control and hit only 96 mph on the radar gun Monday night during a 14-inning, 4-3 win over Pittsburgh. He had to be taken out during the middle of an inning for the first time this season.

AIR CLEARED: Reds 2B Brandon Phillips said he's happy and ready to move on after talking to Pirates RH reliever Jared Hughes about a comment he thought he overheard. Phillips tweeted Monday that he thought he heard Hughes make a derogatory comment about him during the game, but he and Hughes talked the next day and cleared up the matter.

GAME TIME CHANGE: The White Sox switched the time of their Sept. 25 game against the Indians from 8:10 p.m. to 2:10 p.m. to avoid a conflict with Yom Kippur. In other White Sox news, DH Adam Dunn was out of the lineup a fifth straight game because of a strained right oblique. Dunn was hoping to do some light swinging with a bat this week as he continues treatment.

ASTROS: Owner Jim Crane said the team has narrowed its list of managerial candidates and will interview six to eight of them this week. Interim manager Tony DeFrancesco is the only known candidate.

DODGERS: CF Matt Kemp was back in the starting lineup after missing two games because of left shoulder discomfort.

ORIOLES: The contracts of OFs Endy Chavez and L.J. Hoes were purchased from Triple-A Norfolk, and veteran RH reliever Kevin Gregg and INF Ryan Adams were designated for assignment.

RED SOX: Struggling RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka will make his scheduled start Friday despite reports that he might be dropped from the rotation.

TWINS: C Joe Mauer was scratched from the starting lineup with back spasms.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

BALTIMORE — LHP David Price admitted he was "a little bit scared" as he prepared to test his sore left shoulder in a Tuesday afternoon bullpen session that would determine if he could return to the rotation.

Turns out, there was no reason to worry.

Price threw well enough in a 30- to 35-pitch session, and felt good enough afterward, that he is now set to start Friday night at Yankee Stadium.

"I felt very good," Price said. "It was a good step forward. We should be good to go."

Manager Joe Maddon said he'll wait to see how Price feels today before making it official, but — in a rare appearance at a pregame throwing session — saw enough watching Price play catch before taking the mound to know he was well.

"He was real loose, real free, no hesitancy, good finish," Maddon said. "Then I stuck around and watched him in his bullpen — outstanding. I always look for the end: Is anybody holding back, are they grimacing, what does their face look like. It was all good."

Though expected to miss only one start, Price admitted to being more concerned than he let on with his first shoulder issue.

"It's been on my mind quite a bit the last week and a half," he said. "It's something I've never been through and it's something I really hope I never have to go through again. It feels good now, but it's something, I didn't know how it was going to respond, I didn't know how it was going to feel throwing a bullpen, I didn't know if it was going to bounce back. I've never been through this process before. It's something I was definitely a little bit scared about."

The Rays are set to start Price, RHP James Shields and LHP Matt Moore in New York. Maddon said the Rays will keep RHP Chris Archer available just in case Price can't go.

MEDICAL MATTERS: LF Desmond Jennings came in Tuesday saying the stiffness in his back subsided enough that he could play after missing the past two games, but Maddon and head athletic trainer Ron Porterfield wanted him to instead go through drills and wait at least one more day. … Evan Longoria said he felt good enough to play third, but Maddon said they wanted to be cautious and stick to their usual plan of having him DH the day after a travel day. He should be back at third tonight. … INF Sean Rodriguez took ground balls and threw without the splint on his fractured right hand and is set to be activated off the DL when eligible Saturday, though he will be limited to pinch-running, playing defense and possibly bunting.

SAD NEWS: Lisa Allen, 54, the wife of Triple-A pitching coach Neil Allen, died Sunday in Sarasota after suffering an aneurysm. Allen, who pitched 11 seasons in the majors, has been with the Rays since 2007.

MINOR MATTERS: Short-season Class A Hudson Valley lost 5-4 in 10 innings to Tri-City (Astros) in the opener of the NY-Penn League best-of-three championship series. RHP Jesse Hahn starts Game 2. … Top draft picks RHP Taylor Guerrieri (2011) and Richie Shaffer (2012) are among 46 players who started instructional league workouts in Port Charlotte.

MISCELLANY: 2B Ryan Roberts was relieved there was no fracture after feeling pain from his left forearm to thumb after a collision; he hopes to play today. … RHP Burke Badenhop, pitching for the first time in nine days, was not sharp. … Triple-A manager Charlie Montoyo joined the team. … Radio man Dave Wills will miss this series and the next due to his mother's health.

Times wires
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

BALTIMORE — Thousands of family and friends turned out Tuesday for the funeral of former Browns and Ravens owner Art Modell, including current and former players, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

An important figure in the league, Modell also was one of its most polarizing owners. Cleveland fans never forgave him from moving his club to Baltimore for financial reasons after the 1995 season, but Ravens fans were fond of him.

Ray Lewis, Ray Rice, Joe Flacco, Haloti Ngata and Torrey Smith were among current Ravens who attended the service at Baltimore Hebrew Congregation.

Lewis, Baltimore's second pick in the 1996 draft, gave a eulogy full of emotion.

"Rest in peace 'Pop Art,' " he said.

LATE MONDAY: Nate Kaeding hit five field goals and the visiting Chargers capitalized on three botched punts to beat the Raiders 22-14 (see summary, 2C). Oakland's Pro Bowl long snapper, Jon Condo, left with a head injury and Travis Goethel had problems filling in. Also, Raiders receiver/returner Jacoby Ford will have surgery on his injured left foot and miss some time.

BOUNTY MEETINGS: Goodell and four players whose bounty-related suspensions were recently lifted by an appeals panel have agreed to new meetings. League spokesman Greg Aiello said no dates have been set for Jonathan Vilma, Will Smith, Scott Fujita and Anthony Hargrove. The league lifted the Browns' roster exemption for Fujita, who missed the opener.

BRONCOS: Former Pro Bowl center Dan Koppen signed. He spent nine seasons with the Patriots. The team also re-signed quarterback Caleb Hainie.

REDSKINS: Long snapper Justin Snow was signed to replace Nick Sundberg, who played through a broken arm Sunday but has been put on injured reserve.

STEELERS: Pro Bowl linebacker James Harrison's aching left knee was good enough to work out, and he could play Sunday for the first time since January.

Times wires
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Mariners 4, Blue Jays 3

TORONTO — Kyle Seager came within a triple of the cycle, and Erasmo Ramirez pitched seven innings for his first major-league win to lift Seattle. Seager had an RBI single in the first, a double and a run in the third and a homer in the fifth as the Mariners snapped a three-game skid and won their 68th game, one more than last season.

Times wires
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Reds 5, Pirates 3

CINCINNATI — Mike Leake pitched seven innings, had two hits and dashed home on a wild pitch for Cincinnati. Both teams were recovering from their 5-hour, 22-minute game Monday night, won by the Reds 4-3 in 14 innings. Leake singled and scored during a three-run second. Pittsburgh lost its fifth straight game and 22nd in its past 31.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Rays at Orioles

When/where: 7:05 tonight; Camden Yards, Baltimore

TV/radio: Sun Sports; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)

Probable pitchers

Rays: RH Alex Cobb (9-8, 4.28)

ORIOLES: RH Miguel Gonzalez (6-4, 3.62)

On Cobb: Hasn't lost since July 27, though with two not-pretty no-decisions. Beat Yanks in last start, working on seven days rest as Rays try to monitor workload. First start vs. O's.

On Gonzalez: Has had one bad start vs. Rays (7 ER, 2.2 IP) and one good one (0 ER, 7 IP). Impressive overall since his late May promotion from Triple A, 2-0, 1.93 in past two home starts.

Key matchups

RAYS VS. GONZALEZ

D. Jennings 1-for-5, HR

Ryan Roberts 1-for-3, HR

B.J. Upton 2-for-5

ORIOLES VS. COBB

Omar Quintanilla 1-for-3

On deck

Thursday: at Orioles, 12:35, no TV. Rays — Jeremy Hellickson (8-10, 3.33); Orioles — Wei-Yin Chen (12-9, 4.06)

AL East

Team W L Pct. GB

New York 79 62 .560—

Baltimore79 62 .560—

Tampa Bay 77 64 .546 2

Toronto 64 76 .457 141/2

Boston 64 78 .451151/2 * Late game not included.

AL race for wild cards

Team W L Pct. GB

Oakland 80 60 .571—*

Balt./N.Y. 79 62 .560—

Tampa Bay 77 64 .546 2

Los Angeles 77 64 .546 2*

Detroit 74 67 .525 5

Top two wild cards make postseason; GB is games behind second wild card

Number of the day

15 Consecutive games vs. AL East opponents starting Tuesday.

A Sunday watch party

After Sunday's win, manager Joe Maddon went home and enjoyed one of the benefits of his new Tampa house (the one previously owned by original Bucs coach John McKay): A separate "man cave" structure with five TVs — a 60-inch in the center flanked by four 32-inch screens — and surround sound. "It was outstanding," he said.

A Thursday watch party

Watch Thursday's matinee (with the Orioles broadcast) at a team-sponsored watch party at Lykes Gaslight Square Park, 410 N Franklin St., Tampa. The event is a donation drive for the Junior League of Tampa's Love Bundles program, with fans asked to bring toiletries, bottles, pacifiers andchildren's clothing. Food and drinks are complimentary.

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

GAINESVILLE — With Florida RB Mike Gillislee hampered by a groin injury, Armwood alum Matt Jones and Mack Brown could see their roles expand. Offensive coordinator Brent Pease said the two are up to the task as the Gators prepare to play at Tennessee on Saturday night.

"Mack had a good game (vs. Texas A&M)," Pease said. "I know he doesn't get all the carries … but when he was in there, he hit the hole real well, saw the hole. Matt provides us with things, he's still young and he's getting better every day. He's going to be good."

Gillislee is expected to play, but he'll take it easy in practice.

"He'll take what he can (Tuesday)," Pease said. "In any situation, whether he's a little sore or not, he understands his reps now as far as practice goes."

Antonya English, Times staff writer

USF: Depth matters

TAMPA — On a shortened week compounded by cross-country travel and fatigue, USF will need what coach Skip Holtz called "a total team effort" to beat Rutgers on Thursday.

After a dramatic one-point win over Nevada, much of the attention went to WR Andre Davis for his record-breaking performance and QB B.J. Daniels for his late-game heroics. But coaches and players agreed that just as much credit is owed to team depth.

Defensive coordinator Chris Cosh said he was pleased with early production from the backups.

"We knew it was going to be a fourth-quarter game," he said. "We played guys right away in the second quarter, got them in there and got them significant reps right from the beginning. And that paid dividends at the end there."

Joe Polito, Times correspondent

UCF: RB's timetable

ORLANDO — UCF coach George O'Leary said he hopes senior starting RB Latavius Murray will be back Sept. 29 for the Knights' game against Missouri. Murray, who has an injured shoulder, will miss Saturday's home opener against Florida International.

Orlando Sentinel

Times wires
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Nationals 5, Mets 3

NEW YORK — Bryce Harper had his first four-hit game and pinch-hitter Tyler Moore hit a go-ahead homer off R.A. Dickey in the seventh inning for Washington, which has won seven straight at Citi Field.

Times wires
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

SOCCER

U.S. avenges loss, slips past Jamaica

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The United States rebounded from a loss at Jamaica in World Cup qualifying, beating the Reggae Boyz 1-0 Tuesday night as Herculez Gomez curled a free kick in the 55th minute. Goalkeeper Dwayne Miller made several sparkling saves in the first half. The U.S. is level with Guatemala on seven points atop Group A.

OTHER QUALIFIERS: Roberto Soldado's 86th-minute goal gave Spain a 1-0 victory in Georgia. … Frank Lampard's late equalizer spared Roy Hodgson from losing his first competitive home match as England coach, salvaging a 1-1 draw against Ukraine. … Marco Reus scored his third international goal to help Germany beat Austria 2-1.

BOXING

Ali fan buys champ's boyhood home

A fan of Muhammad Ali has acquired an important piece of memorabilia: the boxing legend's boyhood home in Louisville, Ky. Louisville Realtor Dave Lambrechts said that Las Vegas real estate investor Jared Weiss closed on the property Monday, paying $70,000.

PRO BASKETBALL

Seattle arena clears a big hurdle

Efforts to bring the NBA back to Seattle took a giant step forward in a revised arena deal, with investor Chris Hansen agreeing to kick in more money for transportation improvements near a proposed new arena. The plan for the $490 million arena, which could also host an NHL team, represents the best shot at bringing the NBA back to Seattle.

WNBA: Angel McCoughtry scored 23 and Erika DeSouza 20 as host Atlanta pulled away late to beat Seattle 77-61.

ET CETERA

GYMNASTICS: Olympic champion McKayla Maroney fractured her left tibia Sunday when she fell on her uneven bars dismount during the second stop of a 40-city gymnastics tour in Indianapolis.

TENNIS: Top-seeded Monica Niculescu was knocked out in the first round of the Tashkent Open in Uzbekistan, falling 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 to 135th-ranked Karin Knapp.

VOLLEYBALL: Former star Karch Kiraly was named head coach of the U.S. national team ahead of the 2016 Rio Games.

Times wires

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

BALTIMORE — Rays manager Joe Maddon spoke glowingly before the game about the upstart Orioles, praising them for — his words — their attitude, tenacity, unwillingness to be denied.

And while the Orioles showed all of that in the opening game of an unexpectedly critical series, the Rays didn't show any in losing 9-2.

"We just did not play well at all," Maddon said. "We just had a bad day."

As pivotal as the six-game road trip to Baltimore and New York is for their postseason hopes, as much as the players, Ryan Roberts said, acknowledged, "it's the playoffs right now," the Rays came out looking flat, and stayed that way.

They managed only one hit through the first five innings and five total, despite O's starter Jason Hammel leaving in the fourth with a knee injury. Rookie lefty Matt Moore wasn't sharp and pitched his way out of the game after just four innings — and 94 pitches. And rightfielder Matt Joyce made a costly first-inning error on a somewhat routine sequence to put them in an early hole, and a funk, they never escaped.

"Definitely," Maddon said. "We played like that the rest of the night."

Adding to their woes, Roberts left the game shortly after bending his wrist awkwardly on a play at second in the sixth inning, resulting in a left forearm strain that, with the X-rays negative, he hopes won't keep him out long.

The loss — their first by more than two runs in more than a month — dropped the Rays to 77-64 and two games behind the Orioles, who tied the Yankees for the American League East lead, as well as the second wild-card spot.

Given how well the Rays played last week, taking two of three from the Yankees and Rangers, and with a day off before facing the O's, such an uninspired effort would seem a bit surprising — and disappointing.

"Either that, or it's understandable, one of the two," Maddon said. "The fact that you played with such intensity the last week at home, a lot of high-pressure games, did really well, take a day off, come up here — maybe you lose a little bit of that edge. …

"I want to believe we're not that group. I want to believe we're going to come out with the correct edge. We need to do that (tonight). These guys, like I said, are not going away. They're playing with a lot of conviction, and we have to match it."

There was some concern coming into the game that Moore was tipping his pitches by tapping his glove. He seemed to address that by keeping his left hand in his glove throughout his windup, but the results were not good. He said he was thinking about it "at times," but blamed an overall lack of command more.

"A click below what he normally looks like," Maddon said.

Joyce's error on Matt Wieters' two-out blooper to right was damning. He couldn't catch it, then over-ran it, then hesitated before throwing as he didn't immediately see that Adam Jones was coming around to score from first.

"He didn't understand totally the gravity of the moment," Maddon said. "He did not process the whole play."

Joyce said the ground was wet, and the ball didn't bounce as he thought it would, and he initially was concerned with keeping Wieters from going to second.

"Just a bad play," Joyce said. "Can't happen."

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

Times wires
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Phillies 9, Marlins 7

PHILADELPHIA — Jimmy Rollins homered and drove in three runs and Roy Halladay improved to 4-0 in his past five starts as Philadelphia won its sixth straight game.

Times wires
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

BOSTON — Jacoby Ellsbury singled in the winner in the ninth inning with his fourth hit of the game, and the Red Sox beat New York 4-3 Tuesday night, dropping the Yankees into a first-place tie in the AL East.

Pedro Ciriaco, who started the rally with a single, slid in to beat the throw from rightfielder Ichiro Suzuki and give last-place Boston only its second win in 13 games.

The Yankees and Orioles are tied at 79-62.

The Red Sox, long out of the playoff hunt, have a chance to play spoilers down the stretch with five more games against New York and six each against Baltimore and the third-place Rays.

David Robertson retired his first four batters before giving up Ciriaco's single to leftfield with one out in the ninth. Mike Aviles singled into the shortstop hole where Derek Jeter fielded the ball but couldn't make the throw.

Ellsbury capped an outstanding performance on his 29th birthday with a sharp single to right.

Times wires
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Brewers 5, Braves 0

MILWAUKEE — Marco Estrada pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning, Rickie Weeks and Aramis Ramirez homered and Milwaukee won its eighth game in a row at Miller Park to reach the .500 mark for the first time since April 24. The Brewers have surged back into the NL wild-card race by winning 17 of 22 overall and beat wild card-leading Atlanta for the second straight day.

Times wires
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

LUBBOCK, Texas — An ambulance was sent to the home of Texas Tech men's basketball coach Billy Gillispie for the second time in 10 days while he remains on leave as the school investigates his leadership of the program.

Lubbock Police Sgt. Jeff Baker said Tuesday that the emergency call came around 6 p.m. Monday and that an ambulance was sent.

A spokesman for University Medical Center, where Gillispie earlier spent six days this month, said Gillispie did not come there. A spokeswoman for the other hospital in Lubbock said Gillispie was not brought there.

Gillispie, in a text to the Associated Press late Tuesday, said he would be treated for high blood pressure "amongst other things," at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

Gillispie, 52, is on indefinite sick leave and athletic director Kirby Hocutt said he is no longer making day-to-day decisions for the program so he can focus on his health.

HARVARD SCANDAL: Basketball co-captain Kyle Casey plans to withdraw from school amid a cheating scandal that also may involve other athletes, according to several reports. Sports Illustrated and the Harvard Crimson reported Casey, a senior, would withdraw to try to preserve a year of eligibility once the issue is resolved. The Boston Herald reported that fellow co-captain Brandyn Curry, also implicated in the scandal, is expected to withdraw from classes as well.

Football

JURISPRUDENCE: Michigan sophomore defensive end Frank Clark pleaded guilty to felony second-degree home invasion in Washtenaw County, Mich. Because he has no prior convictions, he can have his conviction for stealing a laptop expunged if he has no violations for a year.

EX-CANE DENIED: Former Miami free safety Ray Ray Armstrong was declared ineligible to play his senior season at Faulkner University.

ILLINOIS: Quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase said his sprained left ankle feels "night and day" better than last week and that he expects to play Saturday against Charleston Southern. He missed last week's loss at Arizona State.

KANSAS: Junior linebacker Prinz Kande, who made his first start in Saturday's loss to Rice, is out for the season with an ACL and MCL injury in his right knee suffered in that game, the Lawrence Journal-World reported.

MISSISSIPPI: The SEC suspended defensive back Trae Elston for a game for a high hit against UTEP. He wasn't called for a penalty on the play.

OREGON: The No. 4 Ducks lost two fifth-year senior leaders to season-ending injuries. Guard Carson York (right kneecap) was scheduled for surgery Tuesday. Free safety John Boyett said he'll need surgery to repair patellar tendons in both knees.

Times wires
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Royals 9, Twins 1

MINNEAPOLIS — Will Smith pitched seven shutout innings and Eric Hosmer homered for Kansas City. Lorenzo Cain had two RBIs and was a home run shy of the cycle as the Royals beat Minnesota for just the sixth time in 16 games. Salvador Perez extended his hitting streak to a career-best 15 games and threw out two runners trying to steal in support of Smith, who struck out a career-high seven.

Times wires
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Astros 1, Cubs 0

HOUSTON — Jimmy Paredes singled and scored an unearned run in the third inning for Houston. The second baseman also committed three errors. He has started three games with Jose Altuve out with an abdominal strain.

Times wires
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Tigers 5, White Sox 3

CHICAGO — Doug Fister pitched seven two-hit innings, Austin Jackson hit a tying two-run homer and Miguel Cabrera delivered a go-ahead solo shot as Detroit reduced Chicago's AL Central lead to two games. The division's top teams have split the first two of a four-game series, their last head-to-head matchups this season.