Prosecutor suggests probation for Tejada
baseball
A federal prosecutor yesterday recommended that shortstop Miguel Tejada, a former Oriole, get probation and no prison time for misleading Congress about the use of performance-enhancing drugs. U.S. attorney Jeffrey Taylor said in a memo to Federal Magistrate Judge Alan Kay that Tejada deserves that reduced sentence because he has admitted wrongdoing, accepted responsibility and has no criminal record. Tejada is to be sentenced Thursday. Tejada, a five-time All-Star now with the Houston Astros, pleaded guilty last month to one count of making misrepresentations to Congress, which carried a maximum sentence of a year imprisonment and a fine up to $100,000. Taylor says Tejada should be fined $250 to $5,000. Tejada admitted he withheld information about an undisclosed former teammate's use of steroids and human growth hormone when questioned by a House committee's investigators in August 2005. He also acknowledged he bought hGH while playing for the Oakland Athletics but said he threw away the drugs without using them. Prosecutors said they have no evidence to contradict that.
World Baseball Classic: : Defending champion Japan advanced to the semifinals with a 5-0 win over Cuba late Wednesday in San Diego. Hisashi Iwakuma and Toshiya Sugiuchi combined to five-hit the Cubans. It was the first time since 1951 that the Cubans failed to reach the finals of a major international competition.
Et cetera: : Evan Longoria is replacing Chipper Jones (muscle strain, right side) on the United States' roster for the semifinal round of the WBC. ... Outfielder Andruw Jones' time with the Rangers could end today. Jones is in camp on a minor league contract that includes a provision stating if he is not on the major league roster by March 20, he would be released if requested or added to the roster within 24 hours. ... Mets catcher Brian Schneider is out indefinitely with a strained right calf. ... Blue Jays center fielder Vernon Wells is expected to return from a strained left hamstring and make his first spring training appearance this year today as a designated hitter against the Rays in Dunedin, Fla.
Fla. State's Bowden: Sanctions 'too stiff'
colleges
Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden believes the NCAA sanctions calling for the school to give up wins in 10 sports are too harsh. Bowden said he supports the decision by Florida State president T.K. Wetherell to challenge the NCAA's ruling to vacate the victories in the wake of an academic cheating scandal. The forfeits could include as many as 14 in football. "It was too stiff," Bowden said in a university statement, commenting for the first time on the penalties announced March 6. "Does the punishment fit the crime?" Bowden's 382 career wins are one fewer than major college leader Joe Paterno of Penn State. The academic cheating involved 61 athletes in all 10 sports at Florida State.
Men's basketball: : Stanley Pringle scored 19 points and host Penn State (24-11) won, 83-72, over visiting Rhode Island (23-11) to advance to the National Invitation Tournament quarterfinals. ... Tory Jackson scored with two seconds left as Notre Dame (20-14) earned a 70-68 home victory over New Mexico (22-12) in the NIT. ... Coach Charlie Coles, 67, received a three-year contract extension from Miami of Ohio. ... Sophomore guards Zac Swansey and Troy Brewer are leaving the Georgia program in hopes of getting more playing time at other schools. Brewer is from Rockville.
Women's lacrosse: : Host Johns Hopkins rallied from five goals down midway through the second half, then scored twice in overtime to defeat George Washington, 13-12. Candace Rossi and Brianna Cronin each had a hat trick for the Blue Jays (3-4), who stopped a two-game skid. The Colonials fell to 1-8.
Ovechkin gets 50th; Caps top Lightning
et cetera
Alex Ovechkin scored his NHL-leading 50th goal to become Washington's first three-time 50-goal scorer, and defenseman Mike Green had two goals in the Capitals' 5-2 victory over the host Tampa Bay Lightning. Ovechkin, who also had two assists, opened the scoring at 7:43 of the first period. The Russian star, 23, took a pass from Nicklas Backstrom and carried the puck up the right side. Ovechkin deked Tampa Bay's Matt Pettinger out of position and snapped a wrist shot from the right circle past rookie goaltender Mike McKenna. Ovechkin has 213 goals in 315 career regular-season games. He had 52 goals as a rookie in 2005-06, 46 in 2006-07 and 65 last season.
More NHL: : Days after breaking the league record for wins by a goalie, the Devils' Martin Brodeur was dealt an alimony setback by a New Jersey appeals court. The court ruled that Brodeur must pay his ex-wife $500,000 a year until 2020, the year their youngest child graduates high school. A lower court originally awarded Brodeur's ex-wife, Melanie DuBois, limited alimony.
NBA: : LeBron James had 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his 24th career triple double, leading the Cavaliers (55-13) to a 97-92 overtime win over the visiting Trail Blazers (43-26). Cleveland committed only two turnovers, tying an NBA record. Brandon Roy led Portland with 24 points. ... Joe Johnson scored 24 points and the host Hawks (41-28) got their seventh straight win, a 95-87 victory over the Mavericks (41-28). ... Celtics coach Doc Rivers was fined $25,000 by the NBA for criticizing a referee after the team's 127-121 loss to the Bulls on Tuesday.
Golf: : Jim Furyk made two long birdie putts en route to a 6-under-par 65 in the first round of the Transitions Championship in Palm Harbor, Fla. It was the first time he has held the outright lead since his last PGA Tour victory 20 months ago. Stephen Ames was one shot behind. ... Annika Sorenstam announced on her blog that she and her husband, Mike McGee, are expecting their first child this fall. Sorenstam retired from the LPGA Tour last year.
Tennis:: Andy Murray ran his 2009 record to 19-1 by grinding out a 7-5, 7-6 (6) victory over error-prone Ivan Ljubicic in the quarterfinals of the BNP Paripas Open in Indian Wells, Calif. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 17, continued her run of upsets with a 7-6 (8), 6-4 victory over No. 10 Agnieszka Radwanska. No. 42 Pavlyuchenkova knocked off No. 3 Jelena Jankovic in the second round.