TENNIS
Raonic rolls
No. 1 seed Milos Raonic opened with an easy victory Tuesday in his first appearance at the Delray Beach Open. Raonic, the fourth-ranked player in the world, defeated American qualifier Tim Smyczek 6-1, 6-4. The 26-year-old Canadian advanced to a second-round match against 59th-ranked Borna Coric of Croatia, who beat Santiago Giraldo of Colombia 6-2, 6-3. No. 3 seed Jack Sock defeated Radu Albot 6-4, 7-6. Sock, the 21st-ranked player in the world and top American, was challenged by his opponent from Moldova. Albot was up 2-1 in the tiebreaker before Sock won six consecutive points, finishing the match with a strong forehand down the line. Sock plays next against 99th-ranked Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, who defeated Dustin Brown of Germany 6-3, 6-3.
Bellucci in upset
Thomaz Bellucci upset top-seeded Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-3 in the first round of the Rio Open, thrilling the home crowd on Carnival week in Rio de Janeiro. Nishikori, who lost the Argentina Open final on Sunday on clay, smashed his racket on the red clay after losing Tuesday's first set. It didn't get any better. He was broken in the first game of the second and never really recovered. Brazilian Belluci had lost his previous two matches against Nishikori, who has lost all six of his singles finals since winning the Memphis Open a year ago. In another first-round match, No. 4-seeded Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain defeated Brazil's Joao Souza 6-3, 6-2. No. 2 Dominic Thiem of Austria played late against Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia.
BASKETBALL
Lakers-Rockets swap
The Los Angeles Lakers have swung their first deal of the Magic Johnson era, agreeing to send Lou Williams to the Houston Rockets for Corey Brewer and a future draft pick. Brewer's agent Wallace Prather confirmed the terms of the trade, which were first reported Tuesday by Yahoo Sports. Neither team immediately revealed the trade publicly. Williams announced he was leaving Los Angeles on Twitter, saying "Thanx for the love L.A., I've enjoyed my stay." Williams led the Lakers in scoring at 18.6 points per game, playing off the bench. Brewer was averaging 4.2 points for Houston. The trade came hours after the Lakers announced the firing of general manager Mitch Kupchak and put Johnson in charge of basketball operations -- part of a massive front office shake-up.
BASEBALL
MLB to give players notice
Major League Baseball intends to give the players' association the required one-year advance notice that would allow management to unilaterally change the strike zone, install pitch clocks and limit trips to the pitcher's mound starting in 2018. Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred made the announcement Tuesday after union head Tony Clark said he did not foresee players agreeing to the changes for 2017. Under baseball's labor contract, management can make changes to playing rules only with agreement from the union -- unless it gives one year notice. With the one year of notice, management can make changes on its own. Manfred said while he prefers an agreement, "I'm also not willing to walk away."
Wieters, Nats agree
Free-agent catcher Matt Wieters and the Washington Nationals have an agreement in principle on a $10.5 million contract for 2017, pending a physical, according to a person familiar with the deal. The contract also includes a player option for 2018 worth $10.5 million, the person said, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity on Tuesday because nothing had been announced yet. Wieters is a four-time All-Star who has played his entire career with the Baltimore Orioles after being taken with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2007 amateur draft. Wieters, 30, is a switch-hitter known for his ability to work with a pitching staff. He has a .256 career batting average with 117 home runs and 437 RBI over eight seasons. Last year, Wieters hit .244 with 17 home runs and 66 RBI in 124 games, playing on a $15.8 million qualifying offer. He was not given a $17.2 million qualifying offer this offseason by the Orioles and became a free agent.
Ankiel drank before starts
Rick Ankiel said he drank vodka before his first two starts in 2001 to quell anxiety after throwing five wild pitches in one inning during the previous season's playoffs. Ankiel detailed his experience during an interview on a St. Louis radio station on Monday. Ankiel was an emerging star with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2000 before his ruinous postseason debut. He pitched the first game of an NL Division Series against Atlanta and became the first major leaguer with five wild pitches in one inning. The next season, he was "scared to death" before his first start against Randy Johnson and Arizona, and said vodka "tamed the monster." He pitched five innings and got the victory. He also drank before his next start but said "anxiety took over the alcohol" that time, and the yips came back. He said he didn't drink before games after that.
FOOTBALL
Steelers assistant fined
Pittsburgh Steelers assistant coach Joey Porter has been fined $300 after pleading guilty to a disorderly conduct citation stemming from a dispute with a bar bouncer and a police officer last month. Porter entered the plea Tuesday in City Court in Pittsburgh. He originally faced more serious charges, including aggravated assault, for allegedly grabbing the officer's wrists outside a South Side bar after a bouncer denied him entrance Jan. 8. The county prosecutor had dropped the most serious charges, saying surveillance video didn't support them. However, the city's Citizens Police Review Board, police union and brass all have said the charges were warranted. The officer involved in the dispute was at the hearing but didn't comment.
BASKETBALL
Lakers fire GM; Magic in charge of operations
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers fired general manager Mitch Kupchak on Tuesday and put Magic Johnson in charge of basketball operations in a major shake-up of the struggling franchise’s front office.
Lakers owner Jeanie Buss also removed her brother, Jim, from his job as the Lakers’ executive vice president of basketball operations.
Jeanie Buss then promoted Johnson, the Hall of Fame point guard who returned to the franchise earlier this year in an executive role. Johnson is the Lakers’ new president of basketball operations, reporting directly to Jeanie Buss.
Jeanie Buss made the extraordinary moves two days before the NBA’s trade deadline. The Lakers are 19-39 this season, plummeting out of contention after an encouraging 10-10 start under new Coach Luke Walton, who got a strong vote of confidence from Jeanie Buss.
In a statement, Jeanie Buss said she “took a series of actions I believe will return the Lakers to the heights Dr. Jerry Buss demanded and our fans rightly expect,” referring to her father, the late Lakers owner.
“Our search for a new general manager to work with Earvin and Coach Luke Walton is well underway, and we hope to announce a new general manager in short order,” Jeanie Buss added. “Together, Earvin, Luke and our new general manager will establish the foundation for the next generation of Los Angeles Lakers greatness.”
Kupchak has been the 16-time NBA champion franchise’s GM since 2000, when Jerry West left the club. Kupchak had been in the Lakers’ front office for 30 years, including the last 17 as general manager — the longest current stretch running a front office in the NBA.
Jim Buss had been in the Lakers’ front office for 19 years, including 12 in charge of basketball operations alongside Kupchak.
The Lakers are mired in the worst four-year stretch in franchise history, missing the playoffs in three consecutive years with their three worst records ever. They finished 17-65 last season, a franchise low in the last year of Kobe Bryant’s two-decade run with the franchise.
Johnson has never been a decision-making NBA executive, but he has been a successful businessman and investor since his playing career ended. He also briefly coached the Lakers, but dropped his ceremonial title as a team vice president last June after his frequent criticisms of Jim Buss and former coaches. He sold his ownership stake in 2010.
Sports on 02/22/2017