MLB-DRAFT
Nats agree with Harper...Brewers balk over their top pick
NEW YORK (AP) — Top draft pick Bryce Harper and the Washington Nationals have agreed on a five-year, $9.9 million contract, the second straight year agent Scott Boras and the Nats beat the deadline in the final minutes. Last year, the Nationals and Boras went to the wire before giving pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg (STRAHS'-burg) a record $15.1 million deal.
The 17-year-old power-hitting catcher from College of Southern Nevada was the first junior college player taken with the top overall pick. Harper hit .443 with 31 homers and 98 RBIs this season in JUCO play.
Other draft highlights:
— The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, Houston high school right-hander Jameson Taillon, and second-round pick Stetson Allie, another right-hander with a power arm. Both pitchers have been clocked in the high 90 miles per hour range.
— The Baltimore Orioles have agreed to terms with Florida high school shortstop Manny Machado, the third overall pick in this year's amateur draft. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Machado batted .639 with 12 homers and 56 RBIs in 29 games for Brito Miami Private this season.
— The Milwaukee Brewers were unable to agree to a contract with their first-round draft pick, right-hander Dylan Covey, the 14th overall pick. Covey has been diagnosed with diabetes, and Brewers general manager Doug Melvin says that played a role in his decision not to sign.
MLB-FINAL SCORES
All tied up...One-hitter for Marcum
UNDATED (AP) — It's all tied up again in the topsy-turvy American League East.
Carlos Pena, just off the disabled list, hit a tiebreaking single during a four-run eighth inning and the Tampa Bay Rays rallied to beat Cliff Lee and the Texas Rangers 6-4 in a potential playoff preview.
Lee outlasted David Price in a marquee matchup of All-Star aces.
In the rest of the AL:
— Detroit beat the Yankees 3-1. Miguel Cabrera clubbed his 28th homer. Ryan Raburn added a two-run shot. Tigers reliever Jose Valverde closed it out by inducing Derek Jeter to hit into a game-ending double play with the bases loaded.
— Shaun Marcum pitched a one-hitter as Toronto beat Oakland 3-1. The only hit off March was Conor Jackson's home run leading off the seventh inning. Toronto's Jose Bautista hit his majors-best 37th home run.
— Nick Markakis (mar-KAY'-kihs) led off the 11th inning with a double and scored on a two-out bunt by Adam Jones, giving the Baltimore Orioles a 5-4 comeback win over Seattle. The victory improved Baltimore's record under Buck Showalter to 10-4.
Over in the National League:
— The Atlanta Braves rallied with three in the bottom of the ninth to beat the L.A. Dodgers 4-3. Melky Cabrera's two-run single won it for the NL East leaders, who moved 2-1/2 games ahead of Philadelphia.
— NL West-leading San Diego worked over the Chicago Cubs 9-5. Kevin Correia (kohr-AY'-uh) pitched six scoreless innings and hit an RBI double. The Padres are the first NL team to reach 70 victories.
— Carlos Beltran homered and the New York Mets took the lead in the ninth inning on a wild pitch by Houston closer Matt Lindstrom in a 3-1 win over the Astros
— Pittsburgh trounced Florida 7-1 to end a seven-game losing streak. James McDonald pitched seven sharp innings. Garrett Jones and Pedro Alvarez each drove in three runs.
MLB-NEWS
Mets closer is done...Rangers' Cruz on DL
UNDATED (AP) — Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez has a torn thumb ligament in his pitching hand and is out for the season. He will need surgery to repair the injury, which presumably was sustained when punching his girlfriend's father at Citi Field.
Mets manager Jerry Manuel says he's "disappointed, discouraged, frustrated" by his reliever's actions.
The 28-year-old reliever was arrested and charged with third-degree assault following the fight and was released on his own recognizance. He's due back in court Sept. 14.
In other baseball news:
— The Texas Rangers have placed outfielder Nelson Cruz on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring. Cruz is hitting .320 with 16 home runs and 64 RBIs in 77 games.
NFL-PRESEASON
Manning in stitches at new Meadowlands Stadium
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Quarterback Eli Manning suffered a big gash to the left side of his temple and was forced to leave the New York Giants' game against the New York Jets in the first preseason faceoff played at the new $1.6 billion Meadowlands Stadium.
Manning left the field with a towel held to the left side of his head. He needed 12 stitches to close a 3-inch gash.
The Giants beat the Jets 31-16.
NFL-NEWS
Niners ship Balmer to Seahawks...Cards' Fitzgerald hobbled
UNDATED (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers have signed free agent running back Brian Westbrook to a one-year deal, giving Westbrook the second chance he's been seeking. Westbrook led the NFL with 2,104 yards from scrimmage in 2007, but missed eight games last season with a pair of concussions and an ankle injury before being released by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Also, the Niners won't have to deal with Kentwan Balmer's unexcused absences any longer as the team has traded the defensive lineman to the Seattle Seahawks. In return for the third-year pro, the 49ers get an undisclosed draft pick.
In other NFL news:
— Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is sidelined with a sprained right knee. But Cards coach Ken Whisenhunt (WIHZ'-en-hunt) says he fully expects the Pro Bowler to be ready for the team's regular season opener.
— Dallas Cowboys right tackle Marc Colombo is going in for arthroscopic surgery to remove five loose particles from his right knee, but is expected to play in the season opener.
— Carolina Panthers receiver Steve Smith took part in non-contact drills. It's the first time he has caught live passes for the first time since breaking his left arm in a flag football game in June. The four-time Pro Bowl selection remains on schedule to play in the regular-season opener.
— The Indianapolis Colts have lost safety Jamie Silva for the season with a torn ACL. Silva was one of the Colts most-experienced backups in a young secondary, having appeared in 25 career games and was known as a big hitter on the Colts' special teams.
— Wide receiver Percy Harvin, coming off a standout rookie season, has returned to the Minnesota Vikings. He has been away for more than two weeks after leaving because of the death of his grandmother. He's also been suffering from migraines.
— Former Buffalo Bills linebacker Aaron Schobel (SHOH'-buhl) is retiring. He was released by the team earlier this month after nine seasons, which included two Pro Bowl selections.
— This preseason has been so tough that even Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has needed shoulder surgery to repair a rotator cuff that originally was injured in high school football. Jones didn't want to share the details, except to say "we did some serious work on cleaning stuff up in there."
NBA-NEWS
Trouble for a Miami player
MIAMI (AP) — The Miami Heat's Udonis Haslem (yoo-DAH'-nihs HAZ'-lehm) of the Miami Heat says he's "confident" he'll be cleared after being charged with possessing more than 20 grams of marijuana, a third-degree felony, along with four counts of possessing drug paraphernalia. Haslem was freed from custody late Monday night. His lawyer says a passenger in Haslem's car has claimed possession of the drugs. He has averaged 10.0 points and 8.1 rebounds for the Heat.
In another NBA note, the Cleveland Cavaliers have signed free agent forward Samardo Samuels, who left Louisville after his sophomore season. The 6-foot-9, 260-pounder averaged 15.3 points and 7.0 rebounds last season for the Cardinals before declaring for the NBA.
RYDER CUP-PAVIN
U.S. captain considers four picks
MILWAUKEE (AP) — U.S. Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin has until Sept. 7 to make his mind up regarding his four captain's choices for the 2010 tournament. Pavin says Tiger Woods is high on his list but that a lot of players have been playing good golf. Woods failed to finish among the top eight in the Ryder Cup standings who qualified for the American team.
The matches are to be played Oct. 1-3 in Wales.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Arkansas broadcaster sacked for wearing Gators hat
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — An Arkansas radio personality who wore a Florida Gators hat to an Arkansas Hogs news conference says she's been fired.
Renee Gork announced on Twitter that she had been fired by KAKS, a northwest Arkansas radio station that calls itself Hog Sports Radio. Gork had worn a Gator hat Saturday to a news conference with Arkansas football coach Bobby Petrino.
KAKS general manager Dan Storrs confirms that Gork, a Florida graduate, no longer works for the station. He says Hog Sports Radio is in business to "support the Razorbacks 100 percent."
