Ben Sheets to debut for Braves on Sunday Ben Sheets to debut for Braves on Sunday ADVERTISING ATLANTA — Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez says Ben Sheets will pitch Sunday against the New York Mets, his first major league start in
Ben Sheets to debut for Braves on Sunday
ATLANTA — Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez says Ben Sheets will pitch Sunday against the New York Mets, his first major league start in almost two years.
Sheets, the former Milwaukee Brewers ace, had a bullpen session Thursday. Gonzalez said the Braves will make a roster move before Sheets makes his first big league start since July 19, 2010.
Atlanta signed Sheets to a minor league contract on July 1. He made two starts for Double-A Mississippi, going 0-1 with a 5.06 ERA in 10 2-3 innings. In eight seasons with Milwaukee and one with Oakland, Sheets is 90-92 with a 3.79 ERA in 241 career starts.
Gonzalez hopes Sheets can go five innings Sunday, but will not let him surpass 80 pitches. Sheets has been on the disabled list seven times in his career.
Selanne returns to Ducks for 20th season
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Teemu Selanne says he’s far from finished with hockey, and the Anaheim Ducks are grateful he’s still not feeling his age.
The 42-year-old Selanne agreed Thursday to a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the Ducks to return for the 20th NHL season of his remarkable career.
Selanne could end up being the NHL’s oldest active player next season, yet he shows no signs of slowing after leading the Ducks in scoring last season. Only Gordie Howe ever scored more points as a 41-year-old than Selanne’s 66 last season, and Selanne sees no reason he shouldn’t keep going.
“Sometimes, age is just a number,” Selanne said in a phone interview while on vacation in Italy. “Age is a funny thing. A lot of times, I don’t really feel 42. It’s just a number. It all depends on how you feel.”
The Finnish Flash’s real numbers are much more impressive: Selanne is the 19th-leading scorer in NHL history with 1,406 points in two decades spent mostly in Anaheim, his home for parts of 13 seasons. The right wing is 12th in league history with 663 goals, and could crack the top 10 with another strong season.
Jays sign Encarnacion to 3-year deal
TORONTO—Blue Jays first baseman Edwin Encarnacion, enjoying a breakout performance at the plate, has signed a three-year contract that begins next season.
The $27 million deal announced Thursday includes a $10 million club option for the 2016 season.
The 29-year-old Dominican native is batting .295 with 23 home runs and 58 RBIs.
“I’m very happy to be part of this organization for the next three years,” Encarnacion said. “That’s why I signed to stay here. I love this country, I love Toronto and I love the fans.”
Encarnacion is tied for fourth in the American League in home runs, fifth in slugging percentage (.595) and seventh in RBIs.
In his eighth season, he has a career .267 average with 140 home runs and 450 RBIs for Cincinnati and Toronto.
Junior Seau brain tissue released for study
SAN DIEGO— Junior Seau’s family has donated some of his brain tissue for research amid questions about whether damage from his football career contributed to his decision to commit suicide, officials said Thursday.
The San Diego County medical examiner’s office recently released preserved brain tissue to the National Institutes of Health, coroner’s spokeswoman Sarah Gordon said.
“We have no information about the type of study that will be done,” she said.
The tissue was released at the request of Seau’s family, she added. She declined to disclose whether Seau’s entire brain was released.
The 43-year-old former NFL linebacker shot himself in the chest at his Oceanside home in May, less than 2 1/2 years after ending his Pro Bowl career.
Seau’s death echoed last year’s suicide of former Chicago Bears defensive back Dave Duerson. Duerson left a note asking for his brain to be studied for signs of brain trauma. That raised anew questions about whether brain damage from repeated concussions on the field lead to long-term problems such as depression.
Thunder’s Perkins has surgery on groin
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder starting center Kendrick Perkins is expected to be ready for next season after having surgery on his right groin Thursday.
The team announced that the procedure was a success and that Perkins will miss four to six weeks before returning to normal offseason activities.
Perkins partially tore the groin in Game 4 of the Thunder’s first-round playoff sweep of Dallas, although Oklahoma City withheld the extent of his injury until after the season.
At the time, the Thunder only called it a strained hip muscle.
Perkins said after the season that he would not need surgery and he was excited that he would be able to work on his basketball skills after dealing with knee injuries the past two offseasons.
Bartoli advances at Bank of the West
STANFORD, Calif. — Marion Bartoli was in trouble when her father came out of the stands to give her a few words of advice. The talk from her coach did her some good.
Bartoli won 11 consecutive games to beat Mallory Burdette of Stanford University, 7-5, 6-0, in the second round of the Bank of the West Classic on Thursday.
“Mallory played extremely well,” Bartoli said. “She was taking the ball early and hitting winners into the corners. I felt like I was playing myself. She was just too good.”
Her father reminded her to use her feet more. That’s when things changed.
“I had to wait for her to come down a little bit and I had to play better,” Bartoli said. “I was very focused on my game, trying to get tactical and looking for my rhythm. I know how to play with pressure.”
Hewitt advances to Hall of Fame semifinals
NEWPORT, R.I. — Lleyton Hewitt of Australia defeated Dudi Sela of Israel 6-4, 6-3 Thursday to advance to the semifinals at the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships.
It marked his second straight-set victory in three matches on Newport’s grass courts.
The 31-year old Hewitt, the No. 1 player for 75 consecutive weeks from 2001-03, has undergone five surgeries in the past four years and entered the week ranked at a career-low of 233 on the ATP tour.
Wild card Ryan Harrison beat fellow American Jesse Levine 6-3, 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals.
Germany’s Benjamin Becker also moved to the quarters, ousting Canadian and No. 3 seed Milos Raonic 6-3, 6-3.
Top-seeded Verdasco advances in Umag
UMAG, Croatia — Former champion Fernando Verdasco of Spain defeated Ernests Gulbis of Latvia 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 to reach the Croatia Open quarterfinals on Thursday.
Verdasco, the top seed and 2008 champ, converted five of 18 break points in the second-round victory.
Gulbis served eight aces but could not overcome Verdasco, who picked up his game in the third set.
Verdasco will face either Andrey Kuznetsov of Russia or Mate Pavic of Croatia. Pavic ousted second-seeded countryman Marin Cilic.
Fifth-seeded Carlos Berlocq beat fellow Argentine Marco Trungelliti 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-1. Berlocq converted eight of 16 break points, but his five double faults helped to keep Trungelliti in it.
From wire sources
