Indians place center fielder Bourn on disabled list
Indians place center fielder Bourn on disabled list
CLEVELAND — The Indians will be without their leadoff hitter, starting centerfielder and top base-stealing threat for at least two weeks.
Michael Bourn’s loss creates some big holes.
As expected, the team placed Bourn on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday with a cut right index finger that needed five stitches and currently is in a splint. Cleveland made the move before its game against the Boston Red Sox.
The inside of Bourn’s finger got sliced open Sunday when he got stepped on by White Sox reliever Matt Thornton while diving into first base in the eighth inning. The cut is near the joint in Bourn’s finger, and the injury would impact his ability to throw or grip a bat.
Indians manager Terry Francona thinks Bourn should come close to being ready to play when he’s eligible to come off the DL on April 30.
In the meantime the Indians will be without the two-time NL All-Star, who signed a $48 million, four-year contract with Cleveland as a free agent in February. He’s batting .333 with two homers and two RBIs in 10 games, and although he has just one steal, the Indians will miss his speed atop the lineup.
Michigan losing Tim Hardaway Jr. to draft
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan guard Tim Hardaway Jr. is leaving the Wolverines early for the NBA draft.
The 6-foot-6 junior announced his decision Wednesday. He is the second Michigan player to declare for early entry to the draft this year. National player of the year Trey Burke announced his departure Sunday.
Burke and Hardaway helped lead the Wolverines to their first Final Four appearance since 1993. Michigan lost to Louisville in the national title game.
Burke could be one of the top players taken, but Hardaway’s status is less clear. The 6-foot-6 guard started all 107 games he played during his three-year career with the Wolverines, but he’s projected as a second-round pick by DraftExpress.
There’s been no announcement yet on the futures of Mitch McGary and Glenn Robinson III, two talented freshmen who could also leave Michigan for the NBA.
Hardaway’s father played in the NBA from 1989-2003. The younger Hardaway, who is 6 inches taller, averaged 14.5 points in his final season at Michigan, helping the Wolverines reach the Final Four for the first time since 1993.
Source: Jordan returning to NJ for more talks on Rutgers job
NEWARK, N.J. — Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Eddie Jordan is returning to New Jersey for what might be a final round of talks with Rutgers about taking over its beleaguered basketball program.
A person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press that Jordan was going to travel from Los Angeles on Wednesday, and planned to meet with Rutgers officials Thursday in an attempt to reach an agreement on a contract to replace the fired Mike Rice.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak for Jordan, who met with Rutgers interim athletic director Carl Kirschner over the weekend.
Jordan is expected to talk with Robert Barchi, the university president who has been under fire since a videotape was aired two weeks ago showing Rice kicking and shoving his players at practice, while uttering gay slurs at times. The conduct took place over Rice’s three seasons as coach, with the videotape being a compilation of clips.
Brewers sign K-Rod to minor league deal
MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Brewers have brought back reliever Francisco Rodriguez, signing the right-hander to a minor league deal.
The Brewers made the move Wednesday. Their bullpen has been a sore spot early this season.
The 31-year-old Rodriguez played for Milwaukee the last year and a half. He pitched 78 games last season, going 2-7 with three saves and a 4.38 ERA.
Rodriguez set the single-season saves record with 62 in 2008 with the Angels.
The Brewers got K-Rod from the New York Mets in a trade in July 2011. He is a four-time All-Star and has led the league in saves three times.
Milwaukee has used Rodriguez as a setup man, rather than as a closer.
Costa Rica wants US match at old Saprissa stadium
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — Costa Rica wants to move a World Cup soccer qualifying game against the Unites States to cozy old Ricardo Saprissa.
The Sept. 6 match was originally scheduled to be held at the National Stadium, which opened in 2011, but the Costa Rican Soccer Federation is trying to move it to Saprissa, an old, smaller stadium with artificial turf. At Saprissa, the fans are right behind the benches and have thrown urine bags and other projectiles at opponents.
Eduardo Li, president of the Costa Rican Soccer Federation, said Wednesday that’s what the Costa Rican people want.
“The voice of the people is the voice of God, and if people want us to play there, we will play in the Saprissa against the United States,” Li said in an interview with the radio station Radio Rican DNA.
FIFA would have to approve the change in venue.
Djokovic, Nadal advance at Monte Carlo Masters
MONACO — Eight-time champion Rafael Nadal extended his Monte Carlo Masters winning streak to 43 matches, and top-ranked Novak Djokovic won despite a balky ankle on Wednesday at the Monte Carlo Masters.
Nadal cruised past Marinko Matosevic 6-1, 6-2. Djokovic spent twice as long on court, defeating Mikhail Youzhny 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 in 2 hours, 15 minutes.
Djokovic twisted his ankle while playing for Serbia in the Davis Cup on April 7. He looked a bit tentative in the first set, but it didn’t appear to impede his movement.
“Today was a big test. My ankle survived, I’m in the next round. That’s what matters,” Djokovic said. “I know that my game is still not there, obviously, and I have a lot of ups and downs through the match. Physically also, I think I’ve put double the effort than I do usually because, you know, I still don’t feel comfortable.”
Nadal will face Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany in the third round, and Djokovic will play Juan Monaco. Last year, Djokovic lost to Nadal in the final.
NY judge tosses lawsuit against UConn’s Auriemma
HARTFORD, Conn. — A New York City judge has dismissed an NBA security official’s discrimination and assault lawsuit against University of Connecticut women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma, the NBA and USA Basketball, saying the alleged wrongdoing didn’t happen in New York.
Kelley Hardwick sued in state court in Manhattan in June, alleging she was removed from the security detail of the USA women’s basketball team at the London Olympics last year because she spurned sexual advances from Auriemma during a 2009 national team trip to Russia. Auriemma, who coached the Olympic team to the gold medal, denied the allegations.
Hardwick, the NBA’s director of security and a former New York police detective, said league officials removed her from the detail after Auriemma, in retaliation for her rejecting his advances, told a USA Basketball official that he didn’t want Hardwick to provide security for the team. The national team official then told Hardwick’s supervisor at the NBA and she was reassigned, her lawsuit said.
After filing the lawsuit, Hardwick said she was reinstated to the national team’s security detail but with significantly reduced responsibilities. After being reinstated, she said Auriemma screamed at her in front of the team, prompting the civil assault charge, court documents say.
White Sox recall outfielder Jordan Danks from Charlotte
TORONTO — The Chicago White Sox recalled outfielder Jordan Danks from Triple-A Charlotte Wednesday and placed left-hander Charlie Leesman on waivers for the purpose of granting his unconditional release.
Danks takes the place of right-hander Duente Heath, who was optioned to Charlotte following Tuesday’s win over the Blue Jays.
The younger brother of White Sox left-hander John Danks, Jordan Danks played in 50 games with Chicago in 2012, batting .224 with one homer and four RBIs. He was batting .333 with two homers and five RBIs in 13 games at Triple-A.
Leesman was designated for assignment Sunday when Chicago promoted infielder Tyler Greene. He never pitched for the White Sox.
Lindy Ruff to coach Canada in world championship
CALGARY, Alberta — Former Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff will be behind Canada’s bench for the world hockey championship next month in Stockholm and Helsinki.
Ruff was fired by the Sabres on Feb. 20, ending a 16-year run as the team’s coach.
Ruff coached Canada to a silver medal in the 2009 world championship.
Doug Shedden will be one of Ruff’s assistant coaches.
From wire sources