Rangers’ Harrison has second surgery on lower back
ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Rangers left-hander Matt Harrison has had a setback in his recovery, needing another operation eight days after surgery to repair a herniated disk in his lower back.
General manager Jon Daniels says Harrison started feeling pain in his leg. An MRI on Wednesday revealed another herniation in the same disk, and he had additional surgery to resolve that.
Daniels said Harrison came out of the surgery feeling great.
The Rangers don’t expect Harrison back for about three months.
Harrison, an 18-game winner and All-Star last year, started the opener this season, the first of his new $55 million, five-year contract. He was 0-2 with an 8.44 ERA in his first two starts while trying to pitch through lower back soreness.
Yankees INF Youkilis happy with back prognosis
NEW YORK — Kevin Youkilis is happy his back injury doesn’t appear serious and thinks he could return to the Yankees’ lineup as soon as his stint on the 15-day disabled list is up.
The infielder was back at the ballpark Wednesday, one day after being told to stay home and rest following an epidural injection. He says he should be able to resume baseball activities in about a week and hopes he’s ready to go when he’s eligible to come off the DL on May 13.
Youkilis joined Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson on New York’s star-studded disabled list Tuesday because of a lumbar spine sprain. By playing Youkilis last weekend, the Yankees lost the chance to backdate the move to April 21 and could only make it retroactive to Sunday.
CB Al Harris formally retires with Packers
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Cornerback Al Harris has chosen to formally retire from the NFL with the Green Bay Packers.
The team announced the decision on Wednesday.
Harris played seven seasons for the Packers after coming from Philadelphia in a trade in 2003. He started all 102 games he played in and had 14 interceptions during his time with Green Bay, including Pro Bowl selections in 2007 and 2008.
Harris set the Packers record for passes defensed in a single season with 28 in 2004. The team has tracked that statistic since 1982.
Harris played five years for the Eagles. After leaving Green Bay, he spent one season with the Miami Dolphins and one with the St. Louis Rams. He did not play in 2012.
Appeal board upholds penalties against Penske
CONCORD, N.C. — A three-member appeals board upheld NASCAR’s sweeping penalties against Penske Racing on Wednesday for a failed inspection last month at Texas and team owner Roger Penske vowed to take the ruling to the series’ highest level.
The three-member National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel unanimously upheld all penalties levied against the organization, including defending champion Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano, over confiscated parts in the rear suspensions of the drivers’ Fords. NASCAR chief appellate officer John Middlebrook will hear Penske’s final appeal next Tuesday.
Penske declined to discuss much of the case because the team will argue again Tuesday before Middlebrook. But he has previously said the team was working in a gray area of the rule book when NASCAR confiscated the parts. NASCAR docked both drivers 25 points, fined the two crew chiefs $100,000 each and suspended seven Penske team members.
Crisp, Anderson go on the disabled list
OAKLAND, Calif. — Athletics outfielder Coco Crisp and left-hander Brett Anderson have been put on the 15-day disabled list.
Oakland selected the contract of catcher Luke Montz from Sacramento of the Pacific Coast League and recalled right-hander Dan Straily from the Triple-A team before Wednesday’s series finale against the Los Angeles Angels.
Crisp strained his left hamstring trying to beat out an infield grounder in the 13th inning of Monday’s 10-8, 19-inning win over the Angels, and the roster move was made retroactive to Tuesday. Anderson aggravated his right ankle in the 18th inning trying to field a ball.
Crisp is hitting .283 with five homers and 12 RBIs in 24 games and is second in the AL with 24 runs. Anderson is 1-4 with a 6.21 ERA in six games.
Summitt to remain Lady Vols’ head coach emeritus
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Pat Summitt will continue in her role as the Tennessee head coach emeritus on Lady Vols coach Holly Warlick’s staff next season.
The university announced Wednesday that Summitt had agreed to a one-year contract that will pay her $85,000, less than a quarter of the $354,375 she received for the same role last year.
In her role as head coach emeritus last season, Summitt attended most practices and watched virtually every home game from the stands. She also mentored players and coaches and assisted in on-campus recruiting.
Summitt stepped down as the Tennessee head coach in April 2012, one year after announcing she had early-onset dementia, Alzheimer’s type. She posted a 1,098-208 record and led Tennessee to eight national titles and 18 Final Four appearances in 38 seasons.
Chicago, Pittsburgh plan NHL game at Soldier Field
CHICAGO — The Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins are heading outside again. Just not on New Year’s Day this time.
The NHL announced Wednesday that the Blackhawks and Penguins will play at Soldier Field next year. The regular-season game between two of the league’s marquee franchises will be played on Saturday night, March 1.
The Blackhawks hosted the Detroit Red Wings at Wrigley Field on Jan. 1, 2009, as part of the Winter Classic series. Some 40,818 fans attended the game at the home of the Chicago Cubs.
The March 1 date for Chicago and Pittsburgh is part of a series of outdoor regular-season games planned for next season. The league is planning to announce more games soon.
Second-seeded Marin Cilic loses in Munich
MUNICH — Ivan Dodig of Croatia ousted second-seeded countryman Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-2 in the second round of the BMW Open on Wednesday.
Dodig reached his third quarterfinals of the year at the expense of Cilic, who reached the final in 2010 and 2012.
Defending champion Philipp Kohlschreiber used 12 aces to help beat qualifier Evgeny Korolev 6-2, 6-4.
The fourth-seeded Kohlschreiber, who also won the title in 2007, will play Viktor Troicki. He defeated Radek Stepanek 6-4, 6-4.
Fifth-seeded Alexandr Dolgopolov needed two tiebreakers to edge Dmitry Tursunov 7-6 (2), 7-6 (3).
From wire sources
