TAMPA, Fla. (AP) β New York Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez worked out at the team’s minor league complex yesterday before speaking with the media for about 8 Β½ minutes. The three-time AL MVP is coming off a season-long suspension for violations of baseball’s drug agreement and labor contract. Rodriguez said he cringes when he looks at some of the things he did, but he never said why he resumed the use of performance-enhancing drugs, never explained what he did and avoided getting into any specifics.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) β Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams says he’ll be released after nine seasons with the team. Williams told Charlotte television station WBTV Monday that he was informed of the decision in a meeting last week with general manager Dave Gettleman and coach Ron Rivera. Williams is the franchise’s all-time leading rusher with 6,846 yards, but he missed 10 games while running for 219 yards last year.
PHOENIX (AP) β The Arizona Cardinals have extended the contracts of coach Bruce Arians and general manager Steve Keim (kym) following consecutive seasons with double-digit wins. The new deals put the pair under contract through the 2018 season with team options for 2019. The Cardinals went 10-6 in 2013, then 11-5 last season.
MIAMI (AP) β The Miami Heat say All-Star forward Chris Bosh continues to improve and will leave a South Florida hospital soon. Bosh has been hospitalized since last week because blood clots were found on a lung. He will not return to play this season. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra (SPOHL’-strah) says he has not been told an exact date for Bosh’s discharge.
KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (AP) β Stewart-Haas Racing says it is sticking with Regan (REE’-gahn) Smith in place of suspended driver Kurt Busch this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Smith subbed for Busch and drove the No. 41 Chevrolet to a 16th-place finish in the Daytona 500 Sunday. NASCAR suspended Busch last week after a Delaware judge said the 2004 champion almost surely choked and beat his former girlfriend last fall.
