BASEBALL
Chemist sentenced
A chemist working out of his suburban South Florida garage was sentenced Wednesday in Miami to 18 months in prison for supplying banned performance-enhancing substances to a clinic whose customers included professional baseball players such as New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez. Paulo Berejuk, 51, had hoped for probation and home confinement after pleading guilty in December to conspiracy to distribute testosterone. But U.S. District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga agreed with prosecutors that Berejuk's role in the case was too vital and his cooperation with investigators too limited to warrant such a sentencing break. "I cannot in good faith sentence Mr. Berejuk to probation," Altonaga said at a hearing. "This involved a serious crime. I have to consider deterrence to others." Investigators said Berejuk was the key drug source for Anthony Bosch, who ran the now-closed Biogenesis of America clinic in Coral Gables that sold steroids to baseball players and other athletes, some only in high school. Berejuk admitted in court documents that between 2007 and 2013 he supplied up to 10,000 units of steroids to Bosch and others for as much as $20,000 a month. The doping scandal resulted in suspensions last year for 14 professional baseball players and criminal convictions for Bosch and others. Rodriguez, who got the stiffest Major League Baseball suspension at a full season, recently apologized to Yankee fans in a written statement and previously admitted in interviews with U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents that he used Bosch-supplied steroids.
TENNIS
Berdych wins 500
Tomas Berdych became the eighth active ATP player to post 500 career victories when he beat Simone Bolelli of Italy 7-6 (7), 5-7, 6-0 at the Dubai Championships on Wednesday. Third-seeded Andy Murray also moved into the quarterfinals off of a swift 6-0, 6-2 victory over Joao Sousa of Portugal. Berdych faced a set point in the first-set tiebreaker before Bolelli sailed a backhand return long on a second set point to give the Czech the lead. Murray has won all 12 sets in the five matches he's played against Sousa. "He was getting more frustrated because he couldn't get any free points, and then was going for more and more shots and obviously making more errors because of it," Murray said. The only game the 50th-ranked Sousa won was when holding serve in the third game of the second set. Lucky loser Borna Coric ended up with a win when, at 6-4, 3-6, 6-6 and 4-4 in the third-set tiebreaker, Marcos Bagdhatis retired because of cramping. Also, seventh-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain was upset by Richard Gasquet of France 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (6).
• Fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska brushed aside Flavia Pennetta 6-1, 6-1 on Wednesday to set up a quarterfinal with Venus Williams in the Qatar Open at Doha, Qatar. Radwanska, who had lost both their previous meetings, including the Indian Wells final in March last year, dropped just 11 points in her seven service games. The Polish player broke her opponent's serve five times in a match that lasted just 49 minutes. Radwanska, who lost to Williams in the fourth round of the Australian Open last month, will play her again today. Top-seeded Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic will take on third-seeded Caroline Wozniacki for a place in the semifinals after both their matches were cut short. Kvitova had a 6-3, 1-1 lead against Jelena Jankovic when her opponent retired, while Denmark's Wozniacki was leading 6-1, 3-0 when Romanian qualifier Alexandra Dulgheru withdrew. Lucie Safarova also advanced, beating fifth-seeded Ekaterina Makarova 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3.
FOOTBALL
McCown visits Browns
Josh McCown spent a second day with the Cleveland Browns, who could keep him around on a more permanent basis. McCown, released last week by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was at the Browns' facility on Wednesday, a person familiar with the visit told The Associated Press. McCown arrived on Tuesday to speak with the QB-deficient Browns, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team is not revealing plans during its quarterback search. The 35-year-old McCown could be the next option for a team that has spent the past 15 years looking for a passer to return them to prominence. Cleveland has gone through 22 different starters since 1999. The Browns have made finding a starting quarterback a priority this offseason. They aren't sure if Brian Hoyer, who started 13 games last season and is eligible for free agency , wants to return; Johnny Manziel entered rehab last month and Connor Shaw isn't ready to be a starter after playing in just one game last season.
• Jacoby Jones was cut Tuesday by the Baltimore Ravens. The wide receiver and kicker returner was a major contributor to the Ravens' Super Bowl championship. The 30-year-old Jones played three seasons with Baltimore after a five-year run with Houston. Jones' most memorable plays with the Ravens both occurred in the 2012 postseason. He caught a 70-yard touchdown throw from Joe Flacco to force overtime against Denver and a returned a kickoff 108 yards to spark a Super Bowl win over San Francisco. He returned a kickoff 108 yards last season against Pittsburgh, but he had only nine catches compared to 37 in 2013. "We don't win (the) Super Bowl without Jacoby," General Manager Ozzie Newsome said. "Jacoby was an outstanding Raven and a good teammate on and off the field." The move makes some salary-cap room for the Ravens and gives Jones a few months to latch on with someone else.
• The Green Bay Packers have released inside linebacker A.J. Hawk, cutting ties with the nine-year veteran and respected locker room presence. Hawk leaves Green Bay with 1,118 tackles, tops in the franchise since 1975. He appeared in 142 out of a 144 possible regular-season games with 136 starts since being drafted in the first round in 2006. But Hawk lost playing time in the second half of this past season as Green Bay tried to shore up its run defense. General Manager Ted Thompson in a statement called Hawk a "consummate Packer" and a durable, consistent contributor to the team's success. Hawk said he had nine great seasons in Green Bay, and that he would always cherish his time as a Packer.
FOOTBALL
Giants release veteran RB Hillis
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants have released running back Peyton Hillis (Conway, Arkansas Razorbacks).
The Giants announced the move Wednesday, a day after releasing veteran defensive lineman Mathias Kiwanuka. The two moves will save the team just under $6 million in salary cap space.
The tandem of Rashad Jennings and Andre Williams will continue to lead the rushing attack for the Giants.
A seven-year veteran, Hillis’ contract was worth $945,000 against the cap this season. He joined the Giants in October 2013 after David Wilson suffered a season-ending neck injury. He played in the Giants’ first nine games in 2014 before suffering a season-ending concussion. He rushed for 115 yards and caught 10 passes.
Hillis has also played for Denver, Cleveland and Kansas City.
Hillis’ future in football is up in the air. He would have to obtain clearances from physicians showing he is capable of playing after the concussion issues. Only then would a team consider him based on his remaining ability.
Hillis averaged more than four yards per carry in limited duty for the Giants last season, according to BleacherReport.com, and could help a team as a short-yardage power back.
Hillis attended Conway High School and the University of Arkansas, where he majored in sociology and was used mainly as a fullback. He was taken in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL draft by the Denver Broncos, where he rose to the top of their depth chart as the starting fullback.
After a number of injuries among the running back corps, he was tapped as the Broncos’ starting running back.
In 2010, Hillis was traded to the Cleveland Browns. After a difficult 2011-2012 season, he was not re-signed and was allowed to leave as a free agent to the Kansas City Chiefs.
In July 2013, he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was released that September. He signed with the Giants in October.
Sports on 02/26/2015