Orioles great Mike Flanagan dead at 59
BALTIMORE (AP) _ Mike Flanagan, a former Cy Young winner and
part of the Baltimore Orioles 1983 World Series championship team,
has died. He was 59.
Authorities found a body outside Flanagan’s home in Monkton,
Md., Wednesday afternoon, and it was later determined to be the
former left-handed pitcher. The Orioles confirmed Flanagan’s death
Wednesday night.
Flanagan won the Cy Young Award with the Orioles in 1979 when he
went 23-9 with a 3.08 ERA and five shutouts. He also played for
Baltimore’s 1983 world championship team, going 12-4 despite
missing nearly three months with ligament damage in his left knee.
Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr called Flanagan “a good friend and
teammate. Mike was an Oriole through and through and will be sorely
missed by family, friends and fans. This is a sad day.”
Flanagan finished 167-143 with a 3.90 ERA, including 141-116
with Baltimore. Jim Palmer, who was part of the Orioles’ strong
starting rotation with Flanagan, called Flanagan “one-of-a-kind”
pitcher, teammate and friend. He called the loss “devastating.”
After his playing career ended in 1992, he worked in the
Orioles’ front office and did color commentary for the team’s TV
network.
Orioles Managing Partner Peter Angelos said that “In over a
quarter century with the organization, Flanny became an integral
part of the Orioles family, for his accomplishments both on and off
the field. His loss will be felt deeply and profoundly by all of us
with the ballclub and by Orioles fans everywhere who admired him.”
Flanagan is survived by his wife and three daughters.
MLB-FINAL SCORES
Red Sox back in first…A’s outlast Yanks…Weaver wins 15th
UNDATED _ The Boston Red Sox trounced the defending American
League champion Texas Rangers 13-2 and took over sole possession of
first place in the AL East in the process. Jacoby (juh-KOH’-bee)
Ellsbury, Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford all went deep for the
Red Sox, who lead the Yanks by one game.
Josh Beckett held the hard-hitting Rangers to one run on four
hits over his six innings for the win. He’s 11-5. Beckett and three
relievers combined on a six-hitter.
In the rest of the American League:
_ Coco Crisp homered twice and drove in five runs, going 4 for 4
with a three-run shot in the 10th inning in the Oakland Athletics’
6-4 win over the New York Yankees. No. 9 batter Scott Sizemore was
4 for 4 with a tying double off CC Sabathia in the eighth. Nick
Swisher homered twice and Mark Teixeira (teh-SHEHR’-uh) also
connected for the Yankees.
_ Jered Weaver, the American League leader in earned run
average, pitched seven shutout innings in the L.A. Angels’ 8-0 win
over the Chicago White Sox last night. Weaver struck out eight
while raising his record to 15-6.
_ Brett Lawrie hit a tiebreaking home run in the seventh inning,
Jose Bautista added his major league-leading 37th homer and the
Toronto Blue Jays beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3.
_ Wily Mo Pena (WIL’-ee MO PAYN’-yuh) drove in four runs as
Seattle beat the slumping Indians 9-2. The M’s took three of four
games in the series from the Indians, who fell below .500 for the
first time since early April.
_ Elliot Johnson had a game-ending fielder’s choice in the 10th
inning and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Detroit Tigers 3-2.
_ Mark Reynolds homered to start a five-run fifth inning and the
Baltimore Orioles beat the Minnesota Twins 6-1.
In the NL:
_ Arizona doubled up the Washington Nationals 4-2 to stay in
control of the NL West race. Daniel Hudson fell one out short of
his first career shutout before Laynce Nix and Jonny Gomes homered
in the ninth for the Nats.
_ San Francisco remained two back of the Diamondbacks by beating
San Diego 2-1. Carlos Beltran hit his first home run for the Giants
since coming over from the Mets. Tim Lincecum (LINZ’-ih-kuhm) won
his 12th game, allowing just one run on four hits in eight innings.
Lincecum also drove in a run.
_ The New York Mets snapped a five-game losing streak behind
home runs from Nick Evans and David Wright in a 7-4 win at
Philadelphia.
_ Troy Tulowitzki (too-loh-WIT’-skee) scored from third on a
wild pitch in the bottom of the 10th inning and the Colorado
Rockies beat the Houston Astros 7-6 to complete a three-game sweep
at Coors Field. The Astros have lost four in a row.
_ The red-hot Milwaukee Brewers lost for just the fifth time in
their last 29 games Wednesday afternoon as they were stopped by the
Pirates in Pittsburgh, 2-0. Aaron Thompson pitched 4 1/3 scoreless
innings in his major-league debut for the Bucs and Jason Grilli won
his first game in nearly two years.
_ Florida and Cincinnati split a twinbill. Omar Infante
delivered a go-ahead single in the eighth inning and Greg Dobbs
drove in a pair of runs to help the Marlins beat the Reds 6-5 in
the first game. Joey Votto hit his 24rd homer as Cincinnati won the
nightcap 3-2. Votto also homered in the first game.
_ Juan Rivera homered and knocked in three runs and the Los
Angeles Dodgers scored an early knockout of the St. Louis Cardinals
for the second straight day, completing their first road sweep of
the season with a 9-4 victory. The Cardinals were outscored 24-7 in
the Dodgers’ first three-game sweep in St. Louis since 1993. The
Cards have dropped seven of nine overall.
_ Alfonso Soriano homered, Randy Wells pitched effectively into
the seventh and the Chicago Cubs beat the Atlanta Braves 3-2.
MLB-NEWS
Padres closer thinks he’s staying put
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ San Diego Padres closer Heath Bell has
confirmed that the San Francisco Giants have claimed him off
waivers, although he is skeptical about whether he will actually
end up with the defending World Series champions.
Once Bell is claimed, San Diego has 48 hours to decide whether
to trade the three-time All-Star, allow him to be claimed or pull
him back from waivers.
There is also a theory that Giants general manager Brian Sabean
(SAY’-bee-ihn) might be trying to block NL West-leading Arizona _
under first-year general manager and former Padres GM Kevin Towers
_ from landing Bell.
In other baseball news:
_ Pittsburgh left fielder Ryan Ludwick has gone on the 15-day
disabled list with muscle spasms in the middle of his back. Since
joining the Pirates in a trade with San Diego on July 31, Ludwick
has hit .262 with one home run and seven RBIs in 21 games.
_ The New York Mets have placed starter Jonathon Niese (nees) on
the disabled list. Niese, who is 11-and-11, has been bothered by a
ribcage injury. The Mets have not announced who will take Niese’s
spot in the rotation.
_ The Colorado Rockies have called up third baseman Kevin
Kouzmanoff (KOOZ’-mah-nahf) from Triple A Colorado Springs.
NFL-NEWS
Colts sign Collins…’Pokes sign Scandrick to long-term deal
UNDATED (AP) _ The Indianapolis Colts are getting some
quarterback insurance in case Peyton Manning’s recovery from neck
surgery lingers into the regular season.
Colts owner Jim Irsay says the team has signed veteran
quarterback Kerry Collins to a one-year deal.
The 38-year-old Collins retired in July after 16 seasons in the
NFL. He had faced free agency after his contract with the Titans
expired, though he said he still wanted to play.
Manning is still recovering from neck surgery in May.
In 195 career games, Collins had a 55.8 completion percentage
and threw for 40,441 yards, 206 touchdowns and 195 interceptions.
In other NFL news:
_ The Dallas Cowboys have signed cornerback Orlando Scandrick to
a five-year contract extension. The deal is worth $27 million _ an
additional $2 million this season, and an average of $5 million per
season for the added years.
_ The Arizona Cardinals have signed quarterback Brodie Croyle
and waived injured quarterback Max Hall.
_ The agent for Brandon Siler says the Kansas City Chiefs
linebacker will miss the entire season with a torn Achilles tendon.
_ The Seattle Seahawks have released defensive lineman Kentwan
Balmer.
NFL-LABOR-RETIREES
Retired players dismiss case against NFL
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) _ A group of retired players has decided to
dismiss their lawsuit against the NFL now that the lockout is over.
Hall of Famer Carl Eller, Priest Holmes and several other
retired players had accused the players’ union and the NFL of
illegally negotiating terms of a collective bargaining agreement on
their behalf.
At a hearing earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Susan
Richard Nelson told the retired players that they would have a
difficult time making their case.
NBA-LABOR
Union skeptical of new offer
NEW YORK (AP) _ Negotiators for NBA owners and players will
likely meet again next week. And the league will have to offer
something different to interest the players.
The union has been holding regional meetings, informing its
members just how harsh it believes the owners’ proposal for a new
collective bargaining agreement is. The league is seeking
significant changes to the salary structure as a way to eliminate
its losses, which it says totaled $300 million last season.
Players have balked at the demands, and players’ association
vice president Maurice Evans of Washington says that when players
are shown what the league wants, it “becomes so clear and evident
that we cannot take this deal” _ even at the risk of losing the
season.
US OPEN-MEN’S SEEDS
Djokovic is top seed for upcoming U.S. Open
NEW YORK (AP) _ World No. 1 Novak Djokovic (NOH’-vak
JOH’-kuh-vich) of Serbia is the top-seed for the U.S. Open.
He is followed by Spain’s Rafael Nadal (rah-fay-ehl nah-DAHL’),
Roger Federer of Switzerland, Andy Murray of Britain and Spain’s
David Ferrer. The highest seeded American is Mardy Fish at No. 8.
Andy Roddick is seeded 21st.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-PEARL
Report: NCAA comes down hard on Pearl
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) _ The NCAA has announced that it has hit
former Tennessee men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl with a
three-year show-cause penalty. What the ruling means is that before
Pearl can be hired, a school must tell the NCAA why it wants him
and be prepared to face its own penalties for giving him a job.
Former Pearl assistants Tony Jones, Jason Shay and Steve Forbes
face the same sanctions, except they were only given one-year
penalties.
The NCAA punished Pearl for lying to investigators about
improperly hosting recruits at his home and urging others to do the
same
INDYCAR-PROTEST
Victory withstands protest
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ Ryan Hunter-Reay’s victory at New Hampshire
will stand. A three-member IndyCar panel on Wednesday upheld Brian
Barnhart’s decision Aug. 14, rejecting a protest by two teams to
change the finishing order.
Newman/Haas Racing and Target Chip Ganassi (guh-NA’-see) argued
that their drivers, Oriol Servia (SUR’-vee-uh) and Scott Dixon,
passed Hunter-Reay on the final restart, before another accident
brought out a red flag.
NASCAR-DANICA PATRICK
Patrick to announce NASCAR plans Thursday
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) _ Danica Patrick has called a Thursday
news conference and is expected to announce her 2012 move to
NASCAR.
The Associated Press reported earlier this month that Patrick
was finalizing a deal to drive fulltime for JR Motorsports in the
second-tier Nationwide Series. She was also working on a limited
schedule of elite Sprint Cup Series races for Stewart-Haas Racing.
Patrick has driven 20 Nationwide races for JR Motorsports over
the last two seasons and has five more scheduled this year.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)