Baseball

• Padres…Begin off season with 40-man roster and rumors they are willing to trade some pitching to go get bats…One rumor has Atlanta expressing interest in Andrew Cashner (5-7) 2.55, who has dropped hints he won’t sign an extension in San Diego.  The Padres have interest in OF-Jason Heyward (.271-11HR), who has had a couple of up and down statistical years.  Atlanta would have to throw in a young pitcher as part of the deal.  Second rumor has the Padres shopping troubled SS-Evreth Cabrera (.234), with Oakland amongst others interested in him.  The 2nd arrest on the marijuana charge has turned people in organization off.  OF-Cameron Maybin (.235) may have run out of time and chances in San Diego…Best rumor is San Diego expressing interest in Washington Nationals FA-1B-Adam LaRoche (.259-25HR), who earned 13M last year, and did not have the 15M-option in his contract picked up and is being replaced by Ryan Zimmerman at first.  That would allow the Padres to move Yonder Alonso to either 3rd base or left field, where he has played while in Cincinnati…The Padres remain interested in Cuban free agent Yasmany Toras, but the Phillies and Dodgers are both interested in him.

• Dodgers…Huge moves in front office…Hire-Farhan Zaidi-as General Manager-was VP Operations for Athletics…Offer Josh Byrnes-Director of Scouting position…Gained permission to talk to Padres scouts Billy Gasparini-Jeff Pickler…Opened free agent period with just a 36-man roster.  They will try to get Hanley Ramirez to consider a multi-year contract after offering him the 15.3M-qualifying offer on Monday…Look for Los Angeles to alleviate the outfield jam by attempting to deal 4th outfielder Andre Eithier to acquire either an infielder or another pitcher.

• Angels…A stacked payroll, plus the emergence of pitchers Garrett Richards and Matt Shoemaker have lessened the Halos off season needs….Rumors persist they may shot veteran infielder Howie Kendrick for a pitcher, possibly a mid-level starter. The Angels did sign Cuban 20Y-OF-Roberto Baldoquin to an 8M-contract, though he is not major league ready.

– Free Agency –

• Giants…Pablo Sandoval rejects their (15.3M) qualifying offer to test the free agent market.
• Red Sox…Held a private workout for Cuban OF-Yasmany Toras at their Dominican Republic academy…he hit (.412) in World Baseball Classic.
• Yankees…Pullout of Max Scherzer bidding for Tigers FA-P..not willing to go (8Y-200M).
• Cubs…Reportedly prepared to offer Jon Lester-P-Oakland (7Y-100M)…Lester rejected a 70M-offer from Red Sox in season before trade deadline.
• Cubs…Preparing offer to Pirates C-Russell Martin.
• Phillies…Prepared to offer contract to P-Brandon Morrow-Toronto….P-AJ Burnett opts out of contract-will retire.
• Arizona..Opens talks with ex-Dodgers P-Chad Billingsley…coming off 2-elbow surgeries
• Cardinals..Looking at P-Joe Thatcher-Angles…P-Andrew Miller-Orioles-as left-handed setup man.

– Trades –

• Phillies..Shopping 1B-Ryan Howard…35Y-is owed 25-25M and 10M buyout on contract-Phillies want pitching.
• Diamondbacks..Shopping C-Miguel Montero…White Sox-Rangers interested..Arizona wants pitching.
• Red Sox…Shopping OF-Yoenis Cespedes-1Y left on contract…Miami Marlins interested.

• Royals..Pick up 7M-option P-Wade Davis.
• Brewers..3B-Aramis Ramirez picks up 14M-option-will remain.
• Arizona..Picks up 3M-option P-Daniel Hudson coming off multiple elbow surgeries.

• White Sox..Sign FA-OF-JB Schuck-former Angels minor league slugger.
• Houston..Signs FA-P-Will Harris-Diamondbacks
• A’s…Sign FA-P-Tahlor Thompson-White Sox
• Dodgers…P-Scott Elbert opts for free agency.

• Cubs..Manager Joe Maddon wants to talk to Rick Renteria about staying on staff after being fired after just l year as manager.
• Twins..Want to talk to Rick Renteria about becoming bench coach Paul Molitor.
• Astros..Hire Alan Zinter-assistant hitting coach.
• Cardinals..Elevate David Bell to be bench coach.
• Rockies..Hire Steve Foster-Royals-as hitting coach…Darren Holmes-Atlanta-as bullpen coach
• Indians..Give Terry Francona contract extension thru 2018.

Football

• Chargers…Veteran C-Nick Hardwick says team has hit ‘rock bottom’ with 3-straight losses….Chargers consider making Donald Butler lst-2nd down LB-pull on 3rd down passing plays because of poor coverage….Consider moving Rashard Matthews-starting NT in place Sean Lissimore.

• Baltimore..Ray Rice arbitration hearing opens this morning…Seeking reinstatement under CBA rule-player cannot be penalized twice for same infraction…Seeks not only reinstatement but full salary from games missed after Ravens released him.
• Minnesota..RB-Adrian Peterson plea bargains down felony child abuse to misdemeanor…Fined 4,000-ordered 80-hours community service work-placed 2Y-probation..will now likely seek reinstatement to finish the season.
• Carolina..Coach Ron Rivera says NFL should reinstate DE-Greg Hardy-domestic abuse trial postponed till 2015.

• Dallas..Tony Romo joins Cowboys in London-ailing back improving..did not practice on Tuesday.
• Giants..CB-Prince Amukamara-Torn Bicep-will miss rest of season.
• Eagles..QB-Nick Foles will miss 6-8W with cracked collarbone.
• Steelers..S-Troy Polamalu will miss 1W-strained knee..LB-Ryan Shazier-1W-sprained ankle.
• Houston..CB-Kareem Jackson-4W-sprained knee.
• Ravens..Activate DT-Terrance Cody from PUP list in preseason.
• Redskins..Activate WR-Leonard Hankinson from PUP.
• Colts..Activate S-LeRon Landry-PED suspension.

• Packers..Release former lst round pick OT-Derek Sherrod-3 injury riddled seasons.
• Eagles..Sign FA-RB-Kenjon Barner-played for Chip Kelly at Oregon.
• Redskins..Workout QB-Terrelle Pryor-ex Raiders draft pick.

• Seattle..Herman Sarkowsky-one of original owners with the Nordstrom Family of Seahawks-passes away (89)

Basketball

• Lakers-L-Suns (112-106)..Phoenix shot 48%-Lakers 39%…G-Isiah Thomas-22P..Gerald Green 26P…Kobe Bryant scored 39P-in-44 Minutes..LA (0-5)
• Miami-L-Houston…Battle of unbeatens..Rockets beat Heat by 17 in Miami-Houston (5-0)..Miami (3-1)
• Cleveland-L-Portland…Blazers Damian Lillard 27P…LeBron James (4-12) shooting-held to 11P.
• Toronto-W-Oklahoma City…Thunder-without Durant-Westbrooke-fall to (1-4).
• Tonite…Clippers (3-1)-at-Golden State (3-0)

• WNBA-star Brittany Griner-playing China, cut on elbow by man wielding knife tried to confront her near team bus in Beijing.
• Indiana University..Police say Hoosiers player Devin Davis caused drunk driving accident by running out infront of car-suffered head injuries.

Hockey

• Kings-W-Dallas…Trevor Lewis-shorthanded goal-Kings snap 4-game losing streak.
• Vancouver wins-Canucks (9-4)…Penguins win-Pittsburgh (9-2-1)
• Anaheim Ducks…Bad news-G-John Gibson will miss 6W-with groin injury.
• Tonite…Ducks (10-3)-host-New York Islanders.
• NY Rangers….Workout D-Tomas Kaberle…Rangers have 4-regulars out with injuries.

General

• Formula 1…FIA facing more problems…Team Lotus-Sauber-Force India-threatening to cease operations over lack of Spending Cap on big teams and profit sharing plan…Last week 2-other teams shutdown before the US Grand Prix.

• South Africa…Prosecutors in Oscar Pistorious murder case appeal the light 5Y-prison sentence-out in 10-months handed down…take judge decision to South African Supreme Court.

• Soccer…Agent for Jozy Altidore-to meet with Sunderland team-seeking possible transfer to team in France or Italy…Altidore not started a game this year in EPL..

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