Brown loses $2 million for skipping offseason work Brown loses $2 million for skipping offseason work ADVERTISING SANTA CLARA, Calif. — San Francisco 49ers starting cornerback Tarell Brown has voided a $2 million escalator in his contract after he chose
Brown loses $2 million for skipping offseason work
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — San Francisco 49ers starting cornerback Tarell Brown has voided a $2 million escalator in his contract after he chose not to participate in the team’s voluntary offseason program. Yet Brown said after practice that he learned of it via Twitter on Thursday because he didn’t know about that clause in the deal, and he then fired agent Brian Overstreet for the mistake.
Brown had been due to earn $2.925 million in salary for the 2013 season. The 28-year-old Brown, who is entering his contract year and currently without an agent, worked out on his own this offseason — something he said he has routinely done.
Had he known about the $2 million, he would have done things differently.
“No one wants to leave money on the table,” Brown said. “If I would have known the clauses in my contract — that’s what agents get paid to do, to orchestrate the contract and to let you know what you can and can’t do as far as workouts and OTAs and things of that sort. That’s what he got paid to do. He didn’t do that, so in my opinion you have to be let go. We all are held accountable for our actions. This is part of the business.”
Texans’ Foster, Reed start camp on PUP
HOUSTON — The Houston Texans have placed running back Arian Foster and safety Ed Reed on the physically unable to perform list a day before their first practice of training camp.
Reed is recovering from surgery to repair a partly torn labrum on April 30. Foster strained his right calf early in organized team activities and didn’t practice again, but the team said then that he should be ready for training camp.
Receiver DeVier Posey also was placed on the physically unable to perform list. He’s recovering from an Achilles tendon injury suffered in Houston’s playoff loss.
The Texans placed linebacker Darryl Sharpton on the non-football injury list and tight end Garrett Graham on the non-football illness list.
Houston moved rookies Sam Montgomery, a linebacker, and tackle Brennan Williams to the active roster after they passed physicals. The Texans signed cornerback Elbert Mack and nose tackle Daniel Muir.
LHP Lilly designated for assignment by Dodgers
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers designated injury-plagued left-hander Ted Lilly for assignment on Thursday and recalled utilityman Elian Herrera from Triple-A Albuquerque.
The moves were made by the NL West leaders before they hosted the Cincinnati Reds.
Lilly, 37, was 0-2 with a 5.09 ERA in five starts this season, and has been on the disabled list three times. He missed the first 3 1-2 weeks while recovering from shoulder surgery, then sat out another three weeks with a ribcage strain. He hasn’t pitched since June 4 because of a neck strain.
Lilly, a 15-year veteran and two-time All-Star, was 24-21 with a 3.83 ERA in 58 starts with the Dodgers after joining them in 2010. He was 5-0 with a 1.83 ERA in his first five starts and then signed a three-year, $33 million contract following that season.
George Brett steps down as Royals hitting coach
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — George Brett took over as the Kansas City Royals’ interim hitting coach with the rudderless team mired in an eight-game skid. He leaves with them showing signs of life.
The Hall of Famer announced Thursday that he was stepping down from his on-field job and returning to the Royals’ front office, where he’s served as vice president of baseball operations since retiring as a player following the 1993 season.
Brett has helped out at spring training for years as a volunteer coach, but his stint as the interim hitting coach was the first time he’d worn his No. 5 jersey for games that counted since the last out of his last game as one of the game’s greatest third basemen.
Brett said that he’ll still be around for some home games. He may even throw batting practice on occasion, but he won’t be in uniform once games starts, instead sitting in a suite with general manager Dayton Moore as the Royals try to play their way into contention.
DC United, city agree on $300M soccer-only stadium
WASHINGTON — DC United and city officials signed an agreement Thursday that would keep the Major League Soccer franchise in the District of Columbia with a new, $300 million soccer-only stadium.
The city and the team would split the cost of the stadium, which is tentatively scheduled to open in 2016 in an industrial section of southwest Washington known as Buzzard Point.
DC United, which has played in aging RFK Stadium since MLS’ launch in 1996, had considered relocating to suburban Maryland, Virginia or even Baltimore. But co-owner Jason Levien said Thursday that he’s been negotiating to keep the team in the district since he bought the club last year.
The design for the new stadium has not been finalized, but officials said Thursday it would seat 20,000 to 25,000 people. The city will pay $150 million to acquire the land for the stadium and improve infrastructure, raising money for the deal through a complicated series of land swaps, while the team will spend $150 million to build the structure.
Phillies put Brown on concussion DL
ST. LOUIS — The Philadelphia Phillies have put All-Star outfielder Domonic Brown on the seven-day concussion disabled list.
The Phillies made the move Thursday. Brown hit his head on the ground diving for Carlos Beltran’s triple in the seventh inning of Tuesday night’s 4-1 loss at St. Louis.
Brown underwent a concussion test on Wednesday. He leads the Phillies with 24 homers and 69 RBIs. He has started 97 games and is hitting .271.
The Phillies called up outfielder Steve Susdorf to take Brown’s place on the roster. Susdorf was batting .335 with one homer and 25 RBI for Triple-A Lehigh Valley, and was in uniform for Thursday night’s game against the Cardinals.
A’s place catcher John Jaso on seven-day DL
OAKLAND, Calif. — The Oakland Athletics have placed catcher John Jaso on the seven-day concussion disabled list.
The A’s made the move before opening a four-game series against the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday. Stephen Vogt was called up from Triple-A Sacramento, and Derek Norris moved into the starting lineup in Jaso’s place.
Jaso hit his third home run of the season in Oakland’s 4-3 victory at Houston on Wednesday. He was replaced by Norris for the eighth inning after taking a ball off his mask and complaining of a headache.
Vogt has hit .154 with a home run and two RBIs in four games with the A’s this season.
Oakland also announced that infielder Vinnie Catricala, who was designated for assignment Wednesday, has been outrighted to Double-A Midland.
Slumping Federer loses to Brands at Swiss Open
GSTAAD, Switzerland — His game inconsistent and his new racket not offering much help, Roger Federer lost yet again to a player way down in the rankings.
The Swiss star fell 6-3, 6-4 to Germany’s Daniel Brands in the second round of the Swiss Open on Thursday, the third straight tournament in which he made a startling exit.
Playing on clay and before home fans, Federer was troubled by the serve and big forehand of his 55th-ranked opponent.
Two other seeded players were ousted in the second round: Third-seeded Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia lost to Robin Haase of the Netherlands 6-2, 6-2; and eighth-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain retired with a back injury against Victor Hanescu of Romania while trailing 7-6 (2), 3-2.
Top-seeded John Isner advances in Atlanta
ATLANTA — Top-seeded John Isner barely avoided an upset Thursday night in the Atlanta Open, outlasting 19-year-old wild-card entry Christian Harrison 7-6 (9), 4-6, 7-5 to reach the quarterfinals.
Harrison, ranked 373rd in the world, fought off three match points before the 22nd-ranked Isner closed it out with the last two of his 29 aces.
Isner will play James Blake on Friday. Blake beat eighth-seed Evgeny Donskoy 6-3, 6-2.
Harrison broke Isner’s booming service game just once, but it came at a critical time as Isner double-faulted to give Harrison the second set point. Isner broke Harrison only once as well, to take a 6-5 lead in the third when Harrison’s forehand return from the baseline found the net.
Earlier, Christian’s brother, 21-year-old Ryan Harrison beat fourth-seed Igor Sijsling 6-4, 6-3 after trailing 1-4 in the first set.
Hampton reaches quarterfinal at Stanford
STANFORD, Calif. — Jamie Hampton took a few walks around the Stanford campus during the week, biding her time until she could get back on the court. A two-hour match helped her get right back into rhythm.
Hampton beat former Stanford All-American Nicole Gibbs 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-3 on Thursday in the second round of the Bank of the West Classic.
“When I got back from Wimbledon I had to get back into a practice mode,” Hampton said. “It was a tough transition. I was shaking off some rust.”
The fourth-seeded Hampton, ranked 29th, is playing her first tournament as a seeded player.
Seppi advances at Croatia Open
UMAG, Croatia — Andreas Seppi of Italy advanced to the quarterfinals of the Croatia Open when Andreas Haider-Mauer retired with an injury while trailing 6-1, 4-0 on Thursday.
Horacio Zeballos from Argentina also advanced after rallying to defeat eighth-seeded Carlos Berlocq 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. Tommy Robredo won in straight sets to reach the quarterfinals, defeating Viktor Troicki 6-0, 6-4.
From wire sources
