Off the wire

— TENNIS

Davis Cup final tied 1-1

Tomas Berdych beat Nicolas Almagro 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-3 to give the Czech Republic a 1-1 tie with Spain after the opening singles matches Friday in the Davis Cup final in Prague. Earlier, Spain’s David Ferrer topped Radek Stepanek 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. The fifth-ranked Ferrer has won a tour-best seven titles this season. The Czech Republic is trying to win its first Davis Cup title as an independent nation since the former Czechoslovakia split in 1993. Spain, playing without injured star Rafael Nadal, is bidding to win its fourth title in five years. In the doubles match today, the Czech Republic’s Ivo Minar and Lukas Rosol were scheduled to play Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez, who won the ATP World Tour Finals title in London on Monday. However, Czech captain Jaroslav Navratil is expected to bring in Berdych and Stepanek, who are 11-1 in Davis Cup doubles. In Sunday’s reverse singles, Berdych is scheduled to face Ferrer, and Stepanek will play Almagro. Czechoslovakia won its only title in 1980, when Ivan Lendl led the team to victory.

FOOTBALL

Eagles QB Vick out

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick will miss Sunday’s game against the Washington Redskins due to the effects of a concussion. Rookie Nick Foles, who replaced Vick during the 38-23 loss to Dallas on Sunday, and who practiced with the first team all week, will get his first NFL start in a battle of 3-6 teams fighting to save their seasons. Philadelphia head trainer Rick Burkholder made the announcement Friday at the team’s practice facility, confirming a decision that had been in the works since Monday. It was only because Vick had not completed the leaguemandated concussion testing earlier in the week that Coach Andy Reid did not officially rule him out until the team’s final practice.

The Chicago Bears say quarterback Jay Cutler will miss Monday’s game at San Francisco because of a concussion. Jason Campbell is expected to start against the 49ers in his place. Cutler’s status was in question after he sat out the secondhalf of Sunday’s loss to Houston. The Bears believe he was injured on a helmet-to-helmet hit by the Texans’ Tim Dobbins, who was fined $30,000 by the league, late in the second quarter.

BASEBALL

Cabrera, Jays reach deal

A person familiar with the deal said All-Star Game MVP Melky Cabrera is set to join the busy Toronto Blue Jays in his return from a drug suspension. Cabrera and the Blue Jays have reached agreement on a two-year contract worth $16 million. The deal is pending a physical, the person told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because there was no official announcement. The 28-year-old Cabrera was leading the National League in hitting at .346 for the San Francisco Giants when he was suspended Aug. 15 for a positive testosterone test. The Giants didn’t put Cabrera on theirpostseason roster on the way to winning the World Series.

The Oakland Athletics have traded right-hander Tyson Ross and minor league first baseman A.J. Kirby-Jones to the San Diego Padres for infielder Andy Parrino and left-hander Andrew Werner. Ross was 2-11 with a 6.50 ERA in five stays with the A’s last season. The 25-year-old made 13 starts during his first four stints and later had five relief appearances in September with the AL West champions.

The Atlanta Braves have agreed to a two-year deal with backup catcher Gerald Laird. The 33-year-old Laird has appeared in the past two World Series. He played for the Detroit Tigers this past season, hitting .282 with 2 home runs and 11 RBI, and the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011.

The Chicago Cubs have formally announced a one-year deal with former All-Star catcher Dioner Navarro. Navarro’s salary for next season is $1.75 million. He could earnanother 250,000 in performance bonuses. The 28-year-old has spent all or part of the past nine seasons in the major leagues, playing for the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay and Cincinnati. Last year, he split the season between Cincinnati and Class AAA, batting .290 with 2 home runs and 12 RBI in 24 games with the Reds.

BASKETBALL

Bynum claims injury setback

Injured Philadelphia 76ers allstar center Andrew Bynum says he has suffered a “setback” in his return from a knee injury. Bynum, acquired by Philadelphia in a fourteam trade before the season, has yet to play for the Sixers. He spoke before Friday night’s game against Utah. He has been recovering from a bone bruise on his right knee and his return has been pushed back three times since the beginning of training camp. The Sixers were hoping Bynum would be cleared to return to basketball activities by Dec. 10. That date is now in question because of issues with his left knee.

Cleveland Cavaliers rookie center Tyler Zeller has been cleared to play wearing a mask to protect a broken cheekbone. Zeller fractured his left orbital bone and sustained a concussion when he was elbowed in the face by Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan on Nov. 6. Zeller returned from Cleveland’s road trip for further evaluation. He is expected to play tonight, when the Cavs host the Dallas Mavericks. Zeller scored a season-high 15 points and grabbed rebounds against the Clippers before he was injured.

GOLF

Stenson leads; play suspended

Henrik Stenson opened a fourshot lead at the South African Open in Johannesburg with a secondround 65 before play was suspended for the day because of an electrical storm with much of the field yet to finish. Stenson’s 7-under 65, to go with his opening 66, put him at 13 under, ahead of Swedish compatriot Magnus Carlsson, who shot a 67 on Friday to move to second at 9 under. First-round leader Merrick Bremner of South Africa was also at 9 under but still had four holes to play when they were called in for lightning at the Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate.

HOCKEY NHL, union might try not talking in search of deal

NEW YORK - If the NHL and the players’ association have run out of things to talk about, how can they ever find a way to make a deal to save the hockey season?

It is a question both sides seem to have trouble answering. The lockout is in its third month, and there is no obvious path to progress.

There was a hint of optimism after the league and locked-out players met a few times, but the view quickly became bleak. After a one-day break, the sides met Sunday and that brief return to the table also turned badly quickly. They haven’t met - and have barely talked - since then.

Now NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has suggested to players’ association head Donald Fehr that they take a two-week break from each other. If talking doesn’t work, it is possible that not talking will?

“I think what you have seen is disappointment with where we find ourselves in the process,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Friday in an e-mail to The Associated Press. “I don’t think it’s a case of personal animosity.”

That was one of two positive developments Friday. Daly and NHLPA special counsel Steve Fehr had a brief conversation during the day and planned to talk again over the weekend to discuss the next steps for bargaining.

Any contact qualifies as good news as the lockout drags on.

Staying apart could pose a problem because time has become a major factor. All games through Nov. 30 have already been taken off the schedule, more cancellations are likely within a week, the Winter Classic has been wiped out, the All-Star game is the next big event in jeopardy, and the whole season could be lost, too, in the blink of an eye.

Daly said Thursday that he is more discouraged now that at any other point in the process.

Fehr and the union haven’t said whether or not they will agree to trial separation from the league. Publicly, the players have maintained the position that negotiations are the only way to work out differences and get a deal, and that they are willing to meet any time the NHL wants.

Sports, Pages 20 on 11/17/2012

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