Baseball

• Padres-Braves…Blockbuster Trade…AJ Preller (doesn’t sleep-works on holidays too)…Acquires Braves closer Craig Kimbrel (185Saves-1.51-ERA) plus outfielder Melvin Upton…for Carlos Quentin-Cam Maybin-Matt Wisler-Compensation draft pick-Minor Leauger in 5-for-2 deal….Padres taking on Kimbrel contract (37M) and Upton deal (45M) in trade…Braves reportedly will DFA-Quentin-giving him 8M and releasing him…Padres payroll now nearly 110M for opening day.

• Padres..Final roster moves..Option out Kevin Quackenbush-Brandon Mauer to AAA-El Paso…keeping backup catcher Will Nieves…May still have interest in Austin Romine-Yankees backup or an Oakland A’s catcher….Return Rule 5-P-Justin Gustave to Astros in deal.

• Padres-Dodgers…Opening day…Clayton Kershaw-vs-James Shields….New look Padres-big hitting lineup…Cactus League (.284BA-33HR-65XBHits)…Dodgers-Life after Matt Kemp-Hanley Ramirez-Dee Gordon begins…Padres-healthiest been in years…Dodges-siege of pitching injuries in spring.
• Padres….
• Dodgers..Roster Cuts-send Chris Heisey-OF..Adam Libertore-P to minors..Mike Adams-P-leaves camp to consider retirement..P-David Aardsma-Sergio Santos-David Huff also sent to AAA….Keep Cuban rookie 2B-Alex Guerrero.
• Dodgers..Sign FA-P-Scott Baker-ex-Twins-Yankees-Rangers starter
• Dodgers..Mourn passing veteran employee Billy DeLury-spent 50y with franchise-clubhouse-travelling secretary-administrative assistant.

• Angels..Furious at MLB decision they cannot discipline OF-Josh Hamilton for drug relapse-owe him 25M this year.
• Angels..Option out 2B-Josh Rutledge..SS-Grant Green..P-Andrew Heaney to Salt Lake City.

– Sunday Night Opener –

• Cubs-L-Cardinals (3-0)..Adam Wainwright (6-inn-0R)..Matt Holliday 2RBIs..Jason Heyward (3H) in St. Louis win..Cubs (0-13) Runners in scoring position.

• MLB…14-Games on Monday schedule
• Angels-Mariners..Jared Weaver-Felix Hernandez matchup..Halos without Josh Hamilton-Howie Kendrick…M’s-big off season deals.
• Blue Jays-Yankees…Life after Derek Jeter begins…A-Rod returns after 1Y-suspension-will be at DH..P-Masahiro Tanaka starts despite elbow issues.
• Red Sox-Phillies…Cole Hamels starts despite being on trading block..Red Sox-reload with new rotation-young bats.
• Mets-Nationals..Washington picked to win National League race with super-rotation…Mets-Matt Harvey starts after elbow surgery last year.
• Giants-Arizona..San Francisco without Panda Bear-Pablo Sandoval…new-look Diamondbacks rotation.

• Phillies..Sign FA-P-Dustin McGowan-Dodgers.
• White Sox..Sign FA-P-Matt Lindstrom-Angels.
• Cardinals..Sign FA-OF-Gary Brown-ex Giants
• Mariners..Sign FA-P-Joe Beimel-ex-Dodgers-Pirates.
• Diamondbacks-Braves..Trade-Arizona ships P-Trevor Cahill to Braves for prospects.
• A’s-Rays…Trade-Oakland sends P-Matt Bushman to Rays for minor leaguer.
• Reds-Orioles..Trade-Cincinnati sends P-Michael Bowden to Baltimore

• Arizona..Option 3B-Yasmani Tomas to Reno-signed $65M-contract out of Cuba.
• Red Sox..Option OF-Rusney Castillo to Pawtucket-had signed $75M deal…OF-Jackie Bradley to AAA
• A’s..Assign P-Barry Zito to Nashville.
• Orioles..Send OF-Nolan Reimold to AAA…Release P-Ryan Webb.
• Arizona..Release OF-Cody Ross
• Miami..Release OF-Tyler Colvin-ex Cubs.
• Braves..Release P-Wandy Rodriguez-ex Astros..P-Todd Coffey-ex Brewers..OF-Jose Constanza…P-Matt Capps
• Twins..Release P-Will Ladezma-ex Padres-Tigers
• Rockies..Option P-Rex Brothers
• Cubs..Option OF-Junior Lake.
• Houston..Option 1B-James Singleton
• White Sox..Release 3B-Andy LaRoche…P-JD Martin
• Yankees..DFA-C-Austin Romine
• Phillies…1st round draft pick OF-Larry Green-retires after 3Y in minors.

• Pirates..DL-P-Charley Morton-more hip issues.
• Rangers..DL-P-Yu Darvish…P-Tanner Scheppers
• Colorado..P-Jorge DeLaRosa-out of rotation-on going groin issues.
• Indians..DL-P-Josh Tomlin-Surgery-Shoulder-out 4-months…P-Gavin Floyd..DH-Nick Swisher
• Tampa Bay..DL-P-Drew Smyly..P-Alex Cobb..P-Matt Moore..SS-Nick Franklin
• A’s..DL-SS-Josh Reddick..P-Jarrod Parker.
• Yankees..DL-P-Chris Capuano…P-Ivan Nova
• Milwaukee..DL-P-Jimmy Henderson
• Boston..DL-P-Joe Kelly
• Royals..DL-P-Luke Hochevar.
• Phillies..DL-P-Chad Billingsley..P-Jon Pettibone
• Arizona..DL-P-Bronson Arroyo..P-David Hernandez..P-Matt Stites.
• Braves..DL-P-Mike Minor

• MLB..Suspends Twins P-Ervin Santana-80G-positive test for steroids.
• MLB..Arbitrator bans Commissioner from suspending Josh Hamilton-Angels-no positive drug test-turned himself in-no violation of drug agreement.
• MLB..Fines Miami P-Jarrod Cosart for associating with known gambler-no evidence bet on baseball-but bet on other sports.
• MLB..Impressed..96,000-Fans show up for 2-weekend exhibition games Blue Jays-Reds at Montreal Olympic Stadium.
• Giants..Promote Brian Sabean-VP-Baseball Operations..name Bobby Evans-GM..Bruce Bochy-contract extensions thru 2019.
• Lon Simmons…Passes away (91Y)..Popular Giants-A’s broadcaster for 4-decades in Bay Area.

Basketball

• NCAA-March Madness….Wisconsin-vs-Duke tonite-Indianapolis…Badgers veteran big men Frank Kaminsky-vs-Kids-Jahlil Okafor-Justise Winslow…Bo Ryan’s 3-point shooters-vs-Coach K-talented freshmen guards Aaron-Andrew Harrison.
• Kentucky…John Calipari urges freshmen to bypass NBA and come back next year after (38-1) season ended with stunning loss to Wisconsin.

• Alabama..Offers head coaching job to Avery Johnson-former NBA coach Dallas-NJ Nets.
• Texas..Hires Shaka Smart-Virginia Commonwealth.
• Wichita State…Gives (7Y-$21M) extension to Gregg Marshall-coach.
• Indiana..ESPN drops Bobby Knight as basketball analyst.

• Clippers-W-Lakers (106-78)…Clippers led by 40P at one point in game..horrible beat-down….LA (52-26)…Lakers (20-56).
• Golden State-L-San Antonio…Spurs build 21P-lead in game…Warriors (63-14)-suffer another strange blowout loss on road…
• Cavs-W-Bulls…LeBron James (20P-12A-10R)…Cleveland won (31-of-38)
• Houston-W-Oklahoma City…Wild shootout..James Harden (41P-6A) for Houston..Russell Westbrook (40P-11R-12A) for Thunder..Rockets (53-24).
• Indiana….All Star Paul George scores 13P in comeback game from badly broken leg suffered during the summer.

Football

• Bucs-Redskins…Trade..Tampa Bay deals S-Dashon Goldson to Redskins for #6.
• Bucs..Put QB-Mike Glennon on trade block-getting ready to draft Jameis Winston.
• Lions..Sign FA-CB-Josh Wilson-Falcons
• Colts..Sign FA-CB-Dwight Lowery-Falcons.
• 49ers..Sign FA-LB-Nick Bellore-Jets
• Miami..Visit-RB-Stevan Ridley-Patriots.
• Raiders..Visit WR-Michael Crabtree-49ers

• 49ers..May ask LB-Patrick Willis-retired-to return some 10M-signing bonus received-had 2Y-left on contract.
• 49ers..LB-Chris Borland offers to return 435,000 of his signing bonus after retirement-concussion issues.
• Browns..Deny report they are 90% certain to dump QB-Johnny Manziel…He is to be released from Alcohol Rehab center this week.
• Tampa Bay..Bucs admit they had scout spy on Oklahoma State WR-Justin Blackmon for a week before draft-took him off the board-bar hopping nightly.
• NFL..Hiring Sarah Thomas as lst female official to work regular season games.

Hockey

• LA Kings-at-Vancouver…Kings (92P)..tied with Winnipeg (92P) for last playoff spot…Calgary (93P).
• Winnipeg-at-Minnesota..Must win game for Jets also.
• NYRangers-Columbus…New York (107P)-tied with Anaheim Ducks for top spot in playoff race..Rangers 4G-left..Ducks 2G-remain on schedule.
• Montreal…Canadiens won last nite (106P)..lurking right behind Ducks-Rangers.

• Montreal..Mourns passing of legendary C-Elmer Lach-played on line with Toe Blake-Rocket Richard (97Y)..played 1940-1954 with Habs.

General

• Masters..Tiger Woods shoots (74) in practice round-says he will play at Augusta…Ends 9W-layoff from Pro Tour with injuries-putting-chipping issues.

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