BASEBALL
Harper no-shows at event
Washington Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo said that club was "disappointed" that outfielder Bryce Harper did not show up Saturday at the NatsFest fan festival. In a statement emailed by one of his agent's employees, Harper said: "I have attended NatsFest each year and always enjoy my experience with the fans, but was unable to attend this year's event due to matters out of my control. I look forward to next year's NatsFest." The Major League Baseball Players Association has filed a grievance on Harper's behalf over whether he should able to void the 2015 terms in the final season of a $9.9 million, five-year contract he signed when drafted. An arbitrator hearing could happen next week if the case isn't settled. "We're disappointed he's not here, but he chose not to be here because of the grievance," Rizzo said. Outfielder Jayson Werth met with fans Saturday but, unlike other players present, did not speak to the media. "That was my decision," Rizzo said. Werth was convicted this month of reckless driving and sentenced to 10 days in jail.
FOOTBALL
49ers place two on IR
The San Francisco 49ers have placed linebacker NaVorro Bowman and defensive lineman Glenn Dorsey on season-ending injured reserve. The Niners promoted cornerback Marcus Cromartie and guard Andrew Tiller from the practice squad Saturday to take the place of Bowman and Dorsey on the roster. Bowman has been out since tearing knee ligaments in the NFC Championship game last January. He started the season on the physically unable to perform list and was added to the active roster earlier this week. But he has not practiced and the Niners decided to shut him down for the year. Dorsey tore his biceps in training camp and started the season on the short-term injured reserve list but ultimately did not heal enough to play this season.
• The Tennessee Titans have placed right tackle Michael Oher on injured reserve with a sore toe on his left foot that kept him out of the past two games. Tennessee announced the move Saturday bringing the number of Titans on injured reserve to 12 this season, including eight starters. Oher signed a four-year, $20 million contract in March with the Titans, bringing him back to his home state. He started the first 11 games this season before he said he heard a pop in warmups at Houston on Nov. 30. He got a second doctor's opinion on Tuesday, the same day the Titans signed offensive tackle Jamon Meredith.
• The Chicago Bears have placed linebacker Darryl Sharpton on injured reserve because of a hamstring injury and elevated quarterback David Fales from the practice squad to the active roster. Sharpton has appeared in 47 games with Houston (2010-13) and Chicago (2014). He had 27 tackles in five games for the Bears. A sixth-round draft pick by the Bears out of San Jose State, Fales has spent the last 13 weeks on their practice squad. The moves were announced on Saturday.
• Oklahoma quarterback Trevor Knight has been cleared to play after missing more than a month with a neck injury. The school made the announcement Saturday on the football team's Twitter account. Knight practiced Saturday as the Sooners prepared for their Russell Athletic Bowl matchup with Clemson on Dec. 29. Knight was injured while being sacked during the fourth quarter against Baylor on Nov. 6. Freshman Cody Thomas started the next three games, and the Sooners went 2-1 while featuring running back Samaje Perine. Knight has an 11-3 record as Oklahoma's starter. He was the MVP of the Sugar Bowl last season after passing for 348 yards and four touchdowns. Knight has passed for 2,197 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed for 340 yards and 5 scores this season.
• The Cleveland Browns waived slumping and injured kicker Billy Cundiff on Saturday, a day after Cundiff didn't practice with an unspecified knee injury. Cundiff had missed an attempt in each of the past five games. Cundiff, 34, failed on a 40-yard attempt last week in a 25-24 loss to Indianapolis. The Browns host AFC North-leading Cincinnati today. To replace Cundiff, the team signed Garrett Hartley, who kicked in 57 games for New Orleans from 2008-13. Hartley has made 82 career field goals, converting on 81 percent. Hartley was one of three kickers the Browns worked out this week. Cundiff made 22 of 29 field goals in his second season with Cleveland. Last year, he was good on 21 of 26.
GOLF
Day, Tringale win Shootout
Jason Day and Cameron Tringale overcame a slow start Saturday to win the Franklin Templeton Shootout by a shot in Naples, Fla. Day and Tringale shot a 7-under 65 in the better-ball final round to finish at 32 under at Tiburon Golf Club. They each earned $335,000. Day and Tringale opened with a 55 on Thursday in the scramble round and shot a 64 on Friday in modified alternate-shot play. Leading by three shots going into the final round, they had just one birdie in the first eight holes before closing with six in their last nine. Matt Kuchar and Harris English, the 2013 winners, finished second after a 62. Kuchar just missed an eagle chip on the final hole.
• Curtis and Tom Strange saved par from a greenside water hazard on the 17th hole and finished with a 10-under 62 for a share of the first-round lead with Bernhard and Jason Langer in the PNC Father/Son Challenge scramble event in Orlando, Fla. Bernhard Langer turned to 14-year-old son Jason after daughter Christina withdrew because of back issues. Defending champions Stewart and Connor Cink were a stroke back at The Ritz Carlton Golf Club along with Johnny and Andy Miller, Vijay and Qass Singh, and Hale and Steve Irwin.
• Australia's Marcus Fraser of Australia shot a 2-under 70 to take a one-shot lead after the third round of the Thailand Golf Championship. Making his second start since returning from a wrist injury, Fraser had a 5-under 211 total at Amata Spring. India's Anirban Lahiri was second after a 68. U.S. Open champion Martin Kaymer (70), Lee Westwood (72) and Tommy Fleetwood (73) were tied for third at 3 under. Masters champion Bubba Watson was 7 under after a 77.
• Defending champion Adam Scott and fellow Australians Scott Strange and Wade Ormsby were tied for the lead after the third round of the Australian PGA Championship. Scott shot a 3-under 69 and Strange and Ormsby had 71s to reach 10-under 206 at Royal Pines. American Boo Weekley (69) and Australia's Jason Scrivener (68) were a stroke back.
BASKETBALL
Clippers Barnes fined $25,000
Los Angeles Clippers forward Matt Barnes was fined $25,000 on Saturday for kicking a water bottle into the stands and directing profane language at fans on Friday night at Washington. The incident occurred with 2:09 left in the Clippers' 104-96 loss to the Wizards.
HORSE RACING
Lukas filly prevails
Take Charge Brandi, owned by Arkansan Willis Horton of Marshall, became the favorite to win the Eclipse Award as the nation’s outstanding 2-year-old filly with her third consecutive victory, holding off Feathered by a half-length to win Saturday’s $350,500 Starlet at Los Alamitos in Cyrpress, Calif. Take Charge Brandi, who is trained by D. Wayne Lukas and is expected to continue her career at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs during the 2015 season, was ridden by Victor Espinoza. Take Charge Brandi rose to prominence with a victory at 61-1 odds in the $1.84 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile fillies on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita Racetrack in Arcadia, Calif. She followed that with a victory in the $400,000 Delta Downs Princess Stakes in Vinton, La., on Nov. 22. Take Charge Brandi, by Giant’s Causeway, has won 4 of 8 starts and earned $1,620,126 for Horton, who owned and raced 2013 3-year-old champion Will Take Charge.
Sunbean won the $150,000 Louisiana Champions Day Classic for the second consecutive year at Fair Grounds in New Orleans. Sunbean, a 4-year-old gelding, became the sixth horse bred in Louisiana to exceed $1 million in earnings. Sunbean, ridden by Corey Lanarie, rallied to to beat stablemate Watch My Smoke — who was later disqualified — by a nose. Saturday’s victory marked Sunbean’s third stakes victory in six weeks and 13th career victory in 20 starts. Sunbean ran the 1 1/8-mile race in 1:51.81 and paid $2.60, $2.10 and $2.10 as the prohibitive favorite.
Sports on 12/14/2014