NFL-SCHEDULE
Rams playing host to Cardinals…Cromartie activated by Cards
ST. LOUIS (AP) β Arizona can clinch a post-season spot with a win over the Rams in St. Louis in the Thursday Night football game. The Cards start the day tied with Green Bay, New England and Denver for the best record in the league at 10-3. The Rams are 6-7 and coming off consecutive shutouts for the first time since 1945.
Cornerback Antonio Cromartie is active for the Cardinals. Cromartie had been questionable with an ankle injury and was limited in practice the previous two days.
Defensive end Chris Long is active for the Rams after being questionable with soreness in his surgically repaired left ankle. He was their only injury concern Thursday night.
Earlier in the season the Cardinals beat the Rams 31-14.
NFL-RAMS-FERGUSON
Rams to donate to police charity
ST. LOUIS (AP) β The St. Louis Rams will make a donation to a local police charity after five players’ protest over Michael Brown’s death in Ferguson drew the ire of local law enforcement officials.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports the team will present an unspecified amount of money to The Backstoppers group before tonight’s home game against the Arizona Cardinals.
The Backstoppers provides financial assistance to families of police officers, firefighters and paramedics killed in the line of duty.
The move comes after five receivers made the “hands up” gesture during pregame introductions at the team’s Nov. 30 home game.
MLB-WINTER MEETINGS
Busy day in San Diego
SAN DIEGO (AP) β The 2014 Winter Baseball meetings turned out to be a trader’s delight for many general managers. Several major moves took place on the final day:
βThe Tigers obtained outfielder Yoenis Cespedes (YOH’-eh-nis SEHS’-puh-dehs) in a trade with Boston for pitcher Rick Porcello. The Tigers also got pitchers Alex Wilson and Gabe Speier in the deal. The Red Sox acquired Cespedes in July in the deal that sent Jon Lester to Oakland. Cespedes finished the year with a .260 average, 22 home runs and 100 RBIs. Porcello won 15 games this past season in 204-plus innings of work.
β The Tigers obtained pitcher Alfredo Simon (SY’-muhn) from the Cincinnati Reds for a pair of prospects. The Tigers plan to have Simon replace Porcello in the starting rotation. The 33-year-old right-hander was 15-10 with a 3.44 ERA last season.
β The Reds also pulled off a deal with Miami which sends right-hander Mat Latos (LAY’-tohs) to the Marlins for pitching prospect Anthony DeSclafani and catcher Chad Wallach. The 27-year old Latos was limited to 16 starts this year due to left knee surgery.
β The Mets have come to terms on a one-year deal with John Mayberry Jr. Mayberry had seven home runs and 23 runs batted in in 146 at bats for the Phillies and Blue Jays last season.
β The Texas Rangers selected outfielder Delino (deh-LY’-noh) DeShields Jr. in the draft of unprotected players on the final day of baseball’s winter meetings. He is the 22-year-old son of former big leaguer Delino DeShields, who played for five teams from 1990-2002. The Rangers will have to keep DeShields on their major league roster all season or return him to the Astros.
And in deals being reported:
β Two people with knowledge of the situation says San Diego has a deal in place to acquire outfielder Matt Kemp and catcher Tim Federowicz from the division rival Los Angeles Dodgers. The Padres would give up catcher Yasmani Grandal (yaz-MAH’-nee gran-DAHL’) and two pitchers. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal hadn’t been announced by either team.
β A person familiar with the negotiations says power hitter Mark Reynolds and the St. Louis Cardinals have agreed to a one-year deal. The 31-year-old Reynolds hit 22 home runs last season in his only year with Milwaukee. He batted .196 with 45 RBIs in 130 games.
β The Royals have come to terms with Kendrys Morales on a two-year, $17 million contract. A person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press that the deal is pending a physical.
β The Texas Rangers have an agreement in place to acquire left-hander Ross Detwiler from the Washington Nationals. In exchange, the Nationals are getting two minor league prospects.
β And two people with direct knowledge of the deal tell The Associated Press that the Twins and free-agent pitcher Ervin Santana are working out the details of a four-year contract worth $55 million. The soon to be 32-year old was 14-10 with a 3.95 earned run averages for the Braves last season.
T25 BASKETBALL-IOWA STATE-DEJEAN-JONES
Iowa State star suspended
AMES, Iowa (AP) β No. 14 Iowa State has suspended star Bryce Dejean-Jones for its showdown with Iowa after he was arrested early Thursday and charged with two misdemeanors.
Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg says he decided to suspend Dejean-Jones for Friday’s game against the Hawkeyes. The senior is averaging 17.1 points and 6.9 rebounds.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-WISCONSIN
Alvarez goes back to the sidelines
UNDATED (AP) β A University of Wisconsin official has told The Associated Press that athletic director Barry Alvarez will coach the Badgers in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1. The move came after Gary Anderson abruptly resigned on Wednesday to take over the Oregon State program.
Alvarez coached the Badgers for 16 years before taking the AD’s job in 2006.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-AWARDS
Mariota wins top QB award
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) β Oregon’s Marcus Mariota has won the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award.
He becomes the first Oregon player to win the award and second Pac-12 player in the last four seasons, joining 2011 winner Andrew Luck of Stanford. Mariota was selected over finalists TCU’s Trevone Boykin and Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott.
Mariota, a favorite to win the Heisman Trophy Saturday night, also won the Walter Camp player of the year award.
In other awards:
__ Iowa’s Brandon Scherff has won the Outland Trophy, given to the nation’s outstanding interior lineman.
__ Louisville’s Gerod Holliman has won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back.
β Maryland’s Brad Craddock has won the Lou Groza Award as the nation’s top kicker.
NBA-NO JAMES
LeBron sits as Cavs looking for ninth straight
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) β LeBron James is sitting out the Cleveland Cavaliers’ game at Oklahoma City because of a sore left knee.
Cleveland coach David Blatt announced the decision Thursday night during his pregame media session. He said James started to have issues following Cleveland’s victory over Toronto on Tuesday night. Blatt says it’s “nothing major.”
James has averaged 24.9 points, 9.0 assists and 4.9 rebounds during Cleveland’s eight-game winning streak.
NBA-TRADE
76ers get Kirilenko from Brooklyn
PHILADELPHIA (AP) β The Philadelphia 76ers have acquired veteran forward Andrei Kirilenko, a second-round pick in the 2020 draft, guard Jorge Gutierrez and cash considerations from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for forward Brandon Davies. Kirilenko has averaged 12 points, six rebounds and three assists per game throughout his 13-year NBA career.
NHL-MUMPS OUTBREAK
Mumps strikes NHL teams
NEW YORK (AP) β The NHL has been hit with an outbreak of the mumps that has affected about a dozen players on four teams.
It started in Anaheim where the Ducks had three players affected. It then moved to the Minnesota Wild, who had five victims. Tanner Glass of the New York Rangers then came down with it, and the New Jersey Devils say two players also turned up sick.
The virus is very infectious and close quarters can lead to multiple victims.
NHL-STARS
Garbutt of Stars suspended
NEW YORK (AP) β The NHL has suspended Dallas forward Ryan Garbutt for three games for kicking a player’s skates out from under him. Because he is considered a repeat offender, Garbutt will lose just under $66,000 in salary.
NASCAR
Harvick named top driver
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) β NASCAR champion Kevin Harvick has been named Driver of the Year by a panel of broadcasters and journalists. He won the final two races of the season to earn his first career Sprint Cup title. For the year he won five races in his first season with Stewart-Haas Racing.
PGA-FRANKLIN TEMPLETON
Day-Tringale team in front
NAPLES, Fla. (AP) β The first round of the PGA’s Franklin Templeton Shootout in Naples, Florida, is over. The lead is held by Jason Day and Cameron Tringale who are 17-under-par. Two back is the team that won the event last year, Matt Kuchar (KOO’-chur) and Harris English.
FORMULA ONE
Alonso returns to McLaren
WOKING, England (AP) β Former world champion Fernando Alonso of Spain has rejoined the McLaren Formula One racing team for 2015. McLaren also announced that another former world champ, Jenson Button, will drive for the team as well.
