BASEBALL
Mauer placed on DL
Minnesota Twins first baseman Joe Mauer has gone on the 15-day disabled list after hurting his side in Tuesday night’s game against the Kansas City Royals. The Twins said Mauer has a right oblique strain. He apparently suffered the injury when he doubled in the fourth inning, a hit that ran his hitting streak to 12 games. Mauer had hit .320 with 13 RBI in his past 19 games. The Twins called up Chris Colabello from Class AAA Rochester to take his place on the roster. Colabello was hitting .275 with 6 home runs and 27 RBI in 36 games with the Red Wings.
Suspended New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez received permission to take banned substances in 2007 and 2008 under Major League Baseball’s therapeutic-use exemption, a new book says. The exemption was granted by a doctor who was appointed by both Major League Baseball and the Players Association. According to an excerpt on SI.com released Wednesday from Blood Sport: Alex Rodriguez, Biogenesis and the Quest to End Baseball’s Steroid Era, the exemption was revealed by MLB during Rodriguez’s fall 2013 grievance hearing. Rodriguez was appealing a record 211-game ban imposed by MLB for his alleged involvement with performance-enhancing drugs from Biogenesis, a shuttered anti-aging clinic near Miami. The Yankees were unaware of the therapeutic-use exemption when it was granted, an industry source said. Rodriguez has three years and $61 million left on his contract. Rodriguez’s spokesman Ron Berkowitz declined to comment Wednesday. MLB’s exemption program in 2007 was administered by Dr. Bryan W. Smith from High Point, N.C. “I can’t say anything,” Smith said when reached by phone.
San Diego Padres outfielder Seth Smith has signed a $13 million contract extension through 2016 after being told by the San Diego ownership that it is committed to winning. The deal was announced before Wednesday’s game against Cincinnati. It had been in the works since before General Manager Josh Byrnes was fired June 22, and it came together in the past few days. Smith will make $6 million in 2015 and $6.75 million in 2016. The Padres hold a $7 million option in 2017, or a $250,000 buyout. Smith is making $4.5 million this year. He was obtained in an offseason trade with Oakland.
The Colorado Rockies have acquired right-hander Jair Jurrjens from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for minor league first baseman Harold Riggins. Jurrjens signed a minor league contract with Cincinnati in May and was 2-3 with a 4.46 ERA at Class AAA Louisville. He has a 53-37 record with a 3.63 ERA in seven major-league seasons, including five with Atlanta. He last pitched in the majors in 2013, appearing in two games with Baltimore. Riggins was playing at Class AA Tulsa.
The Los Angeles Angels activated Tyler Skaggs from the disabled list in time for Wednesday’s start against the Chicago White Sox. The left-hander was sidelined for nearly a month by a strained right hamstring. He was 4-4 with a 4.34 ERA entering Wednesday’s game.
MOTOR SPORTS
Huertas fined $10,000
The IndyCar Series fined Carlos Huertas $10,000 on Wednesday for two infractions on his winning car during the first race of last weekend’s Grand Prix of Houston. The No. 18 car for Dale Coyne Racing violated the fuel cell capacity and the height of its rear right wing. The team was fined $5,000 for each penalty. IndyCar did not strip Huertas of the victory because it said the infractions did not impact the finishing order of the race or final position of his team. Dale Coyne Racing used strategy to get Huertas and teammate Justin Wilson to the front. Wilson eventually had to pit for fuel, and Huertas assumed the lead with just over seven minutes to go.
GOLF
Ball dead at 103
Samuel Henry “Errie” Ball, who played in the first Masters, died Wednesday. The golf pro was 103. Ball’s daughter, Leslie Adams Gogarty, said her father died at Martin Hospital South in Stuart, Fla. Ball was most recently director of golf at Willoughby Golf Club in Stuart. He was a PGA of America member for 83 years, which the organization said is a membership record. Ball was inducted into the PGA Golf Professional Hall of Fame in 2011. Ball played in the first Augusta National Invitation Tournament in 1934, which later became the Masters, and finished tied for 38th, 25 shots behind winner Horton Smith. Ball went on to compete in 19 Senior PGA Championships, tying for second in the 1962 tournament. Gogarty said Ball was a pro clubs in Illinois, Arizona and Florida among his stops. He was a three-time winner of the Illinois PGA and also won the Illinois Open and the Illinois PGA Senior event.
FOOTBALL
North Texas players suspended
North Texas linebacker Sed Ellis and tight end Chris Loving have been suspended indefinitely after they were arrested on charges of stealing two television sets. Coach Dan McCarney said Wednesday he decided to suspend both players after talking to them following their arrests. Denton police say suspects later identified as Ellis and Loving were seen taking TVs out of a Wal-Mart store in separate shopping carts without paying for them. Police say Ellis and Loving admitted to the thefts and returned the TVs at a police station. Both players are facing misdemeanor theft charges. Ellis played in 10 games as a sophomore and had six tackles. Loving was a junior transfer from Blinn College last season.
Basketball
Nets decide on former Grizzlies coach
NEW YORK -- The Brooklyn Nets reached an agreement in principle Wednesday with Lionel Hollins to become their coach, moving quickly after the departure of Jason Kidd.
The deal with the former Memphis Grizzlies coach comes two days after the Nets made a trade with Milwaukee to allow Kidd out of his contract so the Bucks could hire him.
Nets General Manager Billy King and his assistants met with Hollins on Monday night and again Tuesday before agreeing to the deal. Terms were not disclosed.
"I want to thank the Nets ownership and Billy for this opportunity," Hollins said in a statement. "It has been a long process to get back into the league, and I believe that Billy and I will have a very successful working relationship. Brooklyn has firmly established itself as a franchise that is committed to winning, and I eagerly look forward to becoming part of that culture and building on the success of the past two playoff appearances."
The Nets will introduce Hollins at a news conference Monday.
Hollins led Memphis to 56 victories and the 2013 Western Conference finals before he and the Grizzlies parted ways. The Nets considered him last year after firing P.J. Carlesimo before hiring Kidd.
He was the only known candidate the Nets interviewed this time. King said he had reached out to one other person who chose not to pursue the job.
Kidd led Brooklyn to a 44-38 record and the second round of the playoffs in his lone season, but the Nets allowed him to pursue other jobs after denying his request for more power within the organization. The Bucks held Kidd's welcoming press conference earlier Wednesday.
Hollins is known as a strong defensive coach, with the Grizzlies holding opponents to an NBA-low 89.3 points per game in his final season. He is the franchise's career leader in victories and led them to three consecutive playoff appearances.