Morning Briefing March 11, 2010
Baseball
Six years after he was traded away for the final pieces of Boston’s World Series puzzle, Nomar Garciaparra finally got a friendly farewell from the Red Sox.
The rookie of the year, batting champion and All-Star whose trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2004 began a bitter back-and-forth in Boston and, for Garciaparra, an inglorious slide into irrelevance, signed a ceremonial one-day contract with the Red Sox on Wednesday for the purpose of retiring in the uniform of his original team.
Garciaparra announced he’s leaving baseball at 36 to become an ESPN analyst, ending a 14-year career in which he was a six-time All-Star and two-time batting champion.
Cliff Lee accomplished his primary objective in his spring debut for Seattle, throwing 36 of 46 pitches for strikes over three innings in the Mariners’ 6-3 victory over the Texas Rangers at Surprise, Ariz.
Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said Milton Bradley should stop blaming the team, manager and fans for his failure to produce during his tumultuous season in Chicago.
Hendry said signing Bradley to a three-year, $30 million contract before last season was “a mistake.” He added the atmosphere of the entire organization has improved since the outfielder was traded to Seattle in December. Several players have said clubhouse chemistry has improved.
Football
Oregon running back LaMichael James, who set a Pac-10 freshman record with more than 1,500 yards rushing last season, is scheduled to appear Friday at a change-of-plea hearing on domestic violence charges.
Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli faces a burglary charge in connection with a theft at a campus fraternity house in late January.
The Lane Country District Attorney’s office said Masoli and former Oregon receiver Garrett Embry have each been charged with one count of burglary in the second degree and face arraignment in Lane County Circuit Court on Friday.
The head of the Bowl Championship Series thinks Congress “has more important things to do” than look into the way his group distributes money to college football conferences.
Still, BCS executive director Bill Hancock said he will respond to a question-filled letter sent to him by two U.S. Senators.
Hockey
The Atlanta Thrashers have a newcomer in 48-year-old defenseman Chris Chelios, an 11-time All-Star.
Chelios has played in more games than any other American-born NHL player, and he joins the Thrashers after getting five goals and 17 assists in 46 games with Chicago of the AHL.
The stick and glove Sidney Crosby used to give Canada its Olympic gold medal are back where they belong.
Crosby’s missing gear was on its way to the Pittsburgh Penguins star on Wednesday. Hockey Canada said the gear was misplaced rather than stolen, with both items ending up in the wrong place in the process of packing and shipping equipment after the Olympic final.
Basketball
Former sprinter Marion Jones signed with the WNBA’s Tulsa Shock, hoping to launch a new career after losing five Olympic medals for using steroids and doing jail time for lying to federal prosecutors.
— The Associated Press