Stephen Strasburg says he's not feeling snubbed. The Washington Nationals rookie pitcher said Tuesday that he understands why he was left off the National League All-Star team and that he isn't ready for the midsummer classic. "You look at the guys who are going to the All-Star Game and the years that they've had — and they've done that since Opening Day," Strasburg said in his first comments since the selections were announced Sunday. "I haven't been here since Opening Day. They deserve it. Hopefully, someday I'll deserve it, too." Strasburg, 21, the first overall pick in last June's amateur draft who signed a record $15.1 million contract, is 2-2 with a 2.45 ERA in six starts. He has struck out 53 and walked eight in 362/3 innings.
Faceoff specialist Gordon signed for 1 year, $800,000
The Washington Capitals signed center-right wing Boyd Gordon to a one-year, $800,000 contract. Gordon, 26, completed his seventh professional season with the Capitals in 2009-10 and registered four goals and six assists in 36games. His ice time was limited because of injury, but he led the team with a 61.0 percent faceoff rate, which would have led the NHL had he taken enough draws to qualify.
Navy's Reed named Patriot League's top scholar-athlete
Recently graduated Navy women's soccer player Beth Reed was selected as the Patriot League's Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year across all sports for the 2009-10 season. It is the fourth straight year that a female Navy student-athlete has claimed the conference's top academic accolade. Reed graduated with a 3.95 grade-point average as a mechanical engineering major and was named the league's Goalkeeper of the Year.
Women's basketball: Maryland will host the first and second rounds of the 2011 NCAA tournament on March 20 and March 22. Comcast Center has played host to first- and second-round games in 2008 and 2009 and three overall since the building's opening in 2002.
Men's basketball: Mount St. Mary's named Matt Henry an assistant coach and Sam Atupem a graduate assistant. Henry spent the previous six years at Georgetown as director of basketball operations. Atupem, who played at the Mount from 2005 to 2009, was a graduate assistant in the Center for Student Diversity last school year.
Academics: Jessica Hammond, UMBC's assistant athletic director for academic services, has been named Region I director for the National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics.
Mystics' Langhorne added to WNBA All-Star team
Washington Mystics forward-center Crystal Langhorne (Maryland), averaging 17 points and 9.8 rebounds with a .592 shooting percentage, was among six players added to the WNBA All-Star roster. They join five players selected by fans last month. The WNBA All-Stars will face the USA Basketball team Saturday at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. The USA team includes Atlanta Dream forward Angel McCoughtry (St. Frances).
Wizards: Draft picks John Wall, Trevor Booker and Hamady Ndiaye will appear at the Wizards Basketball Camp at 1:30p.m. today at Archbishop Spalding.
Baseball: The Under-19 Western Howard County Renegades, coached by Jack Street, won the 42-team Beast of the East tournament that ended Sunday in Wheeling, W.Va. The team finished with a 9-0 record, including a 14-8 win against the Maryland Monarchs in the title game.
From Sun staff and news services