Cardinals reliever Russ Springer, one of the bright spots for a team that won the World Series in 2006 but didn’t make the postseason this year, agreed Wednesday to a one-year contract. The 38-year-old right-hander was 8-1 with a 2.18 ERA and appeared in a career-high 76 games while limiting opposing batters to a .181 average.
If the Yankees plan to keep calling on Mariano Rivera in the ninth inning, they might want to think carefully about who would be handing him the ball. Rivera isn’t happy that Joe Torre could be out as manager in New York and said the team’s decision will be factored into whether he returns. “I don’t feel good about it,” Rivera said Wednesday, two days after the Yankees’ third straight exit in the…
Jason Blake knew the bad news a couple of weeks before telling teammates he was battling leukemia. But once he went public Monday, Blake ended a stressful period of time that began when a blood test during a preseason physical suggested something wasn’t quite right. Since then, he’s had to wrap his mind around the diagnosis of chronic myelogenous leukemia — a highly treatable and rare form of the…
Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby practiced Tuesday and plans to play against Montreal on Wednesday night despite a bruised right foot. Crosby did not practice Monday, two days after a shot by Anaheim defenseman Francois Beauchemin deflected off his skate during the first period of Pittsburgh’s 5-4 victory.
The Detroit Red Wings survived their defensive breakdowns. Mikael Samuelsson had a goal and an assist to lift Detroit to a 4-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night. Chris Chelios, Tomas Holmstrom and Kris Draper also scored for Detroit. Nicklas Lidstrom and Henrik Zetterberg each had two assists.
A thoroughbred trainer suspended one year for violating horse medication rules received a temporary stay of his suspension Wednesday while Kentucky racing officials consider his appeal. Patrick Biancone received the suspension last week from Kentucky racing stewards after a search of a refrigerator at his Keeneland barn found snake venom, which can be used to numb a horse’s nerves.
Washington Wizards center Etan Thomas will undergo heart surgery Thursday. Thomas, a six-year veteran, missed the start of training camp after a routine physical revealed an abnormality. After further evaluation, the team announced Wednesday that surgery would be required to repair a leaking aortic valve.
The Memphis Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors probably weren’t expecting a playoff-like atmosphere for their preseason games in Spain. They’re getting it, though. A capacity crowd of 14,500 will pack the Palacio de Deportes on Thursday when the Grizzlies play Estudiantes and the Raptors face Spanish league champion Real Madrid.
State senators struck back Wednesday at Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s proposal to allow the New York Racing Association to continue running the Aqueduct, Belmont and Saratoga thoroughbred tracks. “Why should we continue with you folks?” Broome County Republican Sen. Thomas Libous asked NYRA officials during a Senate racing committee hearing.
Rookie Yi Jianlian will have to adjust to the pace and physicality of the NBA. The 6-foot-11 power forward from China struggled in his debut with Milwaukee, fouling out after 16 minutes and scoring three points in the Bucks’ 93-88 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night. The sixth overall pick in the draft couldn’t handle the energetic Joakim Noah, who scored six points with four rebounds…
