MLB-HOF ELIGIBILITY
Hall cuts eligibility time
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) β The Baseball Hall of Fame’s board has cut the time a player will be eligible for election from 15 years to 10.
That will make it harder for prominent former players who have been tainted by allegations of performance-enhancing drug use to get elected. Among those expected to be affected are Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire and Roger Clemens. McGwire now has a maximum of two more appearances on the writers’ ballot. Bonds, Clemens and Sosa can be considered up to eight more times each by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. All four have seen their votes fall in past years. None has approached the required 75 percent for election to the Hall.
Three players who are past the 10-year mark will continue to have 15 years of eligibility. They are Don Mattingly, Alan Trammell and Lee Smith (13th).
This is just the second change in voting rules since 1985, when the 5 percent threshold for remaining on the ballot was instituted.
MLB-SCHEDULE
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UNDATED (AP) β The Dodgers would seem to have the better of the pitching match-up in Game 2 of their weekend showdown with NL West rival San Francisco.
Clayton Kershaw is unbeaten in his last nine starts for the Dodgers. He’s 11-2 with a major league-leading 1.92 ERA.
The Giants counter with Ryan Vogelsong, who has a much more modest 5-7 mark and 3.99 ERA. Last time out he gave up four runs on 11 hits in three-plus innings.
Chris Sale tries to keep putting up Cy Young award-consideration numbers when he gets the start for the White Sox at Minnesota. Sale is 9-1 and has allowed just three runs in 23 2-3 innings over his last three starts. Sale has given up three or fewer runs in 14 of his 15 starts this season.
Sonny Gray has won five in a row heading into his start for Oakland against Texas tonight. The right-hander is 11-2 and hasn’t lost since June 13 against the Yankees. In his last 3 starts, Gray has gone 3-0 with a 0.84 ERA.
There is a full slate of 15 games on the major league schedule today and tonight.
NBA-LOVE
Love pulls out of Team USA
UNDATED (AP) β Kevin Love has withdrawn from this summer’s Team USA basketball roster.
Love is in limbo while the Minnesota Timberwolves field offers for their three-time All-Star. He is the latest All-Star to pull out of Team USA, which begins its training camp in Las Vegas next week to prepare for the FIBA World Cup in Spain. In recent weeks the Americans have lost Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge and NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard. They have 18 players remaining and will choose 12 for the World Cup of Basketball roster.
Love was one of the first players to commit to play this summer. He was part of gold medal-winning teams for the Americans at the 2012 Olympics and 2010 world championship.
NFL-PACKERS-NELSON
Packers extend Nelson
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) β The Packers have signed receiver Jordy Nelson to a contract extension, securing their top player at the position.
Green Bay announced the deal but did not provide the terms. NFL.com reported it was a four-year, $39 million deal with an $11.5 million signing bonus.
Nelson posted career-highs of 85 catches and 1,314 yards last season.
NFL-COLTS-BALLARD
Colts RB Ballard out for season
ANDERSON, Ind. (AP) β Colts coach Chuck Pagano says running back Vick Ballard will miss the entire season due to a torn Achilles tendon. The injury leaves Ahmad Bradshaw and Trent Richardson competing for the starting job.
Ballard was hurt on a pass play during Friday’s practice. Last season, he tore the ACL in his right knee during a September practice and missed the final 15 games.
NASCAR-BRICKYARD
Brickyard qualifying set
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) β The NASCAR drivers hit the bricks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend for the Brickyard 400. Qualifying is set for today for tomorrow’s race. A four-time winner at Indy, Jeff Gordon, goes into the weekend with a 12-point edge over Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the standings. Brad Keselowski enters the weekend off a win at New Hampshire two weeks ago. That moved him to within 36 points of Gordon for the top spot.
FORMULA ONE-HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX
Rosberg takes pole, Hamilton at the back
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) β Formula One championship leader Nico Rosberg has claimed pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix while Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton will start at the back of the race grid as an engine fire prevented him from setting a qualifying time.
Hamilton, who was fastest in all three practice sessions, will start at the back for the second straight grand prix.
GOLF-CANADIAN OPEN
Furyk, Petrovic share lead
MONTREAL (AP) β Jim Furyk and Tim Petrovic (peh-TROH’-vihk) head into today’s third round of the Canadian Open tied for the lead at 10 under par. Furyk has won the tournament twice, and tied the course record yesterday with a 7-under 63. The 47-year-old Petrovic has only won once on the PGA Tour. That was in New Orleans in 2005.
Canada’s Graeme DeLaet (deh-LEHT’) starts the day two shots off the pace as he tries to end a lengthy drought for his country in its national championship. No Canadian has won the event since 1954.
GOLF-SENIOR BRITISH OPEN
Langer has large lead
BRIDGEND, WALES (AP) β Bernhard Langer is in great shape to add a Senior British Open title to the one he won in 2010.
The German took a commanding seven-shot lead into the third round at Royal Porthcawl.
Colin (KAH’-lihn) Montgomerie is tied for second and will need a stretch like he had in the second round to close the gap on Langer. Montgomerie strung together six birdies in seven holes during his 5-under 66.
LPGA-INTERNATIONAL CROWN
U.S. had work to do
OWNINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) β The United States takes on Thailand in hopes of advances to tomorrow’s singles matches and a shot at the title in the LPGA International Crown.
Heading into today’s better ball play, the Americans are tied with Taiwan for second, one point behind Thailand in Pool A. The top two teams from each pool move into the singles matches along with the winner of a showdown between third place teams.
CYCLING-TOUR DE FRANCE
Nibali heads to victory
BERGERAC, France (AP) β Vincenzo Nibali has locked up his first Tour De France win after maintaining his more than seven-minute lead following Saturday’s time trail.
The Italian will take a largely ceremonial victory ride into Paris Sunday to make the outcome official.
Germany’s Thomas Martin won the time trial.
