Off the wire

Thursday, June 26, 2014

BASEBALL

Pillar sent down

The Toronto Blue Jays have sent outfielder Kevin Pillar back to the minors, one day after the rookie threw his bat down the dugout steps when he was pulled for a pinch hitter. The Blue Jays selected outfielder Brad Glenn from Class AAA Buffalo on Wednesday. Pillar was hitting .225 with no home runs and two RBI, and was demoted to Class AAA. Pillar tossed his bat down the steps leading from the dugout to the clubhouse after Anthony Gose batted for him in the eighth inning Tuesday night against the Yankees. Pillar then walked the length of the dugout and took off his batting gloves while having a brief and civil conversation with manager John Gibbons. On Wednesday, Gibbons said Glenn was promoted to increase offensive production. But Gibbons acknowledged that Pillar's antics "didn't help him at all."

Manny Ramirez will make his debut as player-coach with the Chicago Cubs' Class AAA Iowa affiliate today at Colorado Springs. Ramirez, 42, has spent most of the past three weeks working out at the Cubs' facility in Mesa, Ariz., in preparation for his new assignment. Ramirez signed a contract with the Cubs on May 25. Ramirez has an association with Cubs President Theo Epstein dating back to their days with the Boston Red Sox 11 years ago. Ramirez is a 12-time All-Star who has a lifetime batting average of .312 with 555 home runs, but twice has been in violation of Major League Baseball's drug testing policy. Ramirez batted .259 with three home runs in 30 games for the Texas Rangers' Class AAA Round Rock affiliate last summer.

HOCKEY

Penguins hire coach

The Pittsburgh Penguins have hired Mike Johnston as the team's new head coach. Johnston replaces Dan Bylsma, who was fired on June 6. The 57-year-old Johnston, introduced at a Wednesday news conference, spent the past six years with the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League. He previously served as an NHL associate head coach with the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks. Johnson's hiring ends an eventful start to the offseason for the Penguins, who won the Metropolitan Division but were knocked out of the Eastern Conference semifinals by the New York Rangers after leading 3-1. Pittsburgh fired general manager Ray Shero last month and replaced him with former Carolina Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford. The Penguins also hired 18-year NHL veteran Rich Tocchet as Johnston's top assistant and released Tony Granato and Todd Reirden.

• Left wing Marian Gaborik has agreed to a seven-year deal to stay with the Los Angeles Kings. The Stanley Cup champions announced the deal Wednesday with Gaborik, who would have been an unrestricted free agent next week. The Kings acquired the Slovak goal-scorer from Columbus on March 5, and he was an immediate hit. Gaborik scored 16 points in 19 regular-season games before leading the NHL with 14 postseason goals during Los Angeles' run to the title. Gaborik scored 22 points in 26 postseason games with the Kings before raising the Stanley Cup for the first time in his 13-season NHL career. The Kings are the fourth NHL team for Gaborik, who also played for the New York Rangers and Minnesota Wild. He is a three-time NHL All-Star.

BASKETBALL

Chandler back to Dallas?

The Dallas Mavericks and the New York Knicks have agreed to a trade that would bring center Tyson Chandler back to the Mavericks three years after he helped them win a championship only to leave right away in free agency. Two people with knowledge of the deal said Wednesday the Mavericks would send guards Jose Calderon and Shane Larkin and center Samuel Dalembert to the Knicks for Chandler and point guard Raymond Felton. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal hasn't been announced. The trade, which is subject to NBA approval, would include Mavericks guard Wayne Ellington and both Dallas picks tonight. The Mavericks have two second-round selections, at Nos. 34 and 51. The Mavericks didn't re-sign Chandler after winning the title in 2011.

• Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay has exercised his $19.3 million player option for next season. The Kings also announced Wednesday that they have extended a qualifying offer to point guard Isaiah Thomas to make him a restricted free agent. Gay averaged 20.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 55 games for Sacramento after being acquired in a trade from Toronto. Gay's agent, Jeff Austin, says the sides plan to discuss a potential long-term deal before Gay will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. Thomas averaged 20.3 points and 6.3 assists in 72 games last season. Thomas is eligible to sign an offer sheet with another team next month but the Kings have the right to match any contract.

MOTOR SPORTS

Bourdais' fine withdrawn

The IndyCar Series has withdrawn its $10,000 fine and probation against driver Sebastien Bourdais after accusing him of unsafe driving during a race in Texas. IndyCar said Wednesday it had rescinded the penalties following an internal review. It did not give a reason for the change. Bourdais was penalized after saying he thought he had positioned himself to prevent Justin Wilson from passing him on Lap 121 of the race earlier this month. When Wilson tried to make the move, the two cars crashed.

• Reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson visited the White House on Wednesday where President Obama called Johnson "pretty much the Michael Jordan of NASCAR." "Like Mike, Jimmie has won six championships in eight years," Obama, a Chicago sports fan, said in reference to the Chicago Bulls legend as Johnson stood to the president's left. To Obama's right on the stage were Rick Hendrick, owner of Johnson's Hendrick Motorsports team, and Chad Knaus, who's been crew chief for Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet for 13 years. "While sometimes the two might sound like an old married couple sniping (at) each other over the radio, Jimmie knows that without Chad -- and Rick and the entire team at Hendrick Motorsports -- he'd be just another mortal making left turns," Obama said. Obama also noted that Johnson, with a series-high three victories so far this season, is trying to join Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt as the only drivers to win seven Cup championships. If Johnson did so, that naturally would mean a return trip to the White House.

FOOTBALL

NFL will remove cap on damages

The NFL agreed Wednesday to remove a $675 million cap on damages from thousands of concussion-related claims after a federal judge questioned whether there would be enough money to cover as many as 20,000 retired players.

A revised settlement agreement filed in federal court in Philadelphia also eliminates a provision that barred anyone who gets concussion damages from the NFL from suing the NCAA or other amateur football leagues.

In January, U.S. District Judge Anita Brody had denied preliminary approval of the deal because she worried the money could run out sooner than expected. The settlement, negotiated over several months, is designed to last at least 65 years and cover retired players who develop Lou Gehrig’s disease, dementia or other neurological problems believed to be caused by concussions suffered during their pro careers.

“I think there was perception by players and the judge that needed to be addressed, and that is that everyone will need to get paid. Now you have a guarantee,” said plaintiffs’ lawyers Christopher Seeger.

More than 4,500 former players have filed suit, some accusing the league of fraud for its handling of concussions. They include former Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett and Super Bowl-winning Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon, who suffers from dementia.

The revised settlement eliminates the cap on overall damage claims but retains a payout formula for individual retirees that considers their age and illness. A young retiree with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, would receive $5 million, a 50-year-old with Alzheimer’s disease would get $1.6 million, and an 80-year-old with early dementia would get $25,000.

Even with the cap removed, both sides said they believe the NFL will spend no more than about $675 million on damage claims by ex-players.

Brody will decide later whether to accept the new settlement terms. She still has to rule on a petition by a group of seven players who say the settlement pays them nothing for symptoms ranging from headaches to personality changes.

Sports on 06/26/2014