BASEBALL
Harper suspended, fined
Bryce Harper has been suspended one game and fined by Major League Baseball for his behavior following an ejection this week. The commissioner's office said Wednesday that Harper has decided to appeal the penalty, so he remains eligible to play until the process is finished. Last year's NL MVP was in the Washington Nationals' lineup Wednesday night against the Detroit Tigers. During the bottom of the ninth inning of Washington's 5-4 victory over Detroit on Monday night, Harper was in the dugout when he was ejected by plate umpire Brian Knight after Nationals batter Danny Espinosa was called out on strikes. When someone is tossed from a game in the majors, he is required to leave the dugout. Moments after the ejection, pinch-hitter Clint Robinson connected for a game-winning home run, and Harper ran onto the field with his teammates to celebrate. Harper pointed toward Knight and cursed at the umpire.
• The Atlanta Braves have traded right-hander Jhoulys Chacin to the Los Angeles Angels for minor league left-hander Adam McCreery. Chacin, 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA in five starts this season, had been scheduled to start for the Braves on Wednesday night against the Phillies. The Braves recalled right-hander Williams Perez from Class AAA Gwinnett to make the start. McCreery, 23, pitched the last two seasons for rookie-level Tempe in the Arizona League. He is in extended spring training. The 6-foot-8 McCreery posted a 3.52 ERA in 31 appearances, all in relief, the last two years. Chacin, 28, was in his first season with the Braves. He signed with the team as a minor league free agent after spending six seasons with Colorado and one season with Arizona.
FOOTBALL
Jones: Gregory has 'demons'
Dallas Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory attended the club's annual golf event Wednesday at Cowboys Golf Club in Grapevine, Texas, shaking hands and mingling with sponsors. He did not take questions from the media. Gregory is suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. But owner Jerry Jones and executive vice president Stephen Jones said they were pleased to see Gregory take part in the event. "As far as Randy, it is a big step for him to be out here interacting, a big smile on his face and meeting people," Stephen Jones said. "This is good for him, and I appreciate him being out here." Jerry Jones said he enjoyed a discussion with Gregory, who Jones said had the highest SAT score of a player the team has signed. He also praised his personality and talent and gave a positive report on Gregory's conditioning. But the fact remains that Gregory can't help the Cowboys when the season opens. Dallas drafted him in the second round in 2015 after he tested positive for marijuana at the NFL scouting combine and entered the league in the first stage of its substance abuse program. He tested positive for marijuana twice at Nebraska in 2014. Jerry Jones said there are no assurances a similar instance won't happen again when dependency is involved, noting that Gregory has "demons." "Pray for him and want him to have the kind of career his gifts will allow," Jones said, "which is he's an exceptional, exceptional football player -- probably was the top rusher of the last two drafts, that's just my opinion. We need him."
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Ricardo Lockette is retiring six months after suffering a serious neck injury in a game at Dallas. The team confirmed the retirement and has scheduled a news conference with Lockette today. Lockette was knocked out and remained motionless on the field for several minutes after a hit by Cowboys safety Jeff Heath during the Nov. 1 victory over Dallas. He was eventually strapped to a backboard and taken off the field. Lockette underwent surgery at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas the next day to stabilize his neck. Lockette has been a special teams standout for the Seahawks since joining the team in 2011. He’s also been part of Seattle’s rotation of receivers.
HORSE RACING
Nyquist jogs at Pimlico
Kentucky Derby champion Nyquist took his first steps on the track at Pimlico Race Course early Wednesday morning, exhibiting the composure that has carried him to the top of his 3-year-old class. Assistant trainer Jack Sisterson said everything has gone according to plan in Nyquist's preparations for the May 21 Preakness. The bay colt jogged a mile on his first trip over the Pimlico dirt and will jog again today, holding to the pattern he maintained in the run-up to last Saturday's Derby. Nyquist arrived in Baltimore on Monday. On Tuesday, he walked the shedrow in the stakes barn where he's being stabled with six other horses trained by Doug O'Neill. O'Neill is expected to be at the barn today after spending most of the week at his home base in California. O'Neill is following the same plan he used in 2012 with I'll Have Another, bringing the bay colt to Baltimore early to get accustomed to the Pimlico track and stakes barn. I'll Have Another won the first two legs of the Triple Crown before pulling out of the Belmont with a career-ending tendon injury. Nyquist's team members have said they will work him lightly leading up to May 21's Preakness Stakes because he's already raced eight times, not losing a race.
MOTOR SPORTS
Busch crew chief fined
NASCAR has fined and suspended Kyle Busch's crew chief Adam Stevens for violating a lug-nut policy that is only weeks old. Stevens was fined $20,000 and will miss this week's race at Dover after a lug-nut infraction was discovered after Busch won last week's race at Kansas Speedway. Busch's front-tire changer Josh Leslie was also suspended for one race. Both were put on probation through Dec. 31. "First and foremost, we have been crystal clear about what the rule states," Richard Buck, NASCAR's Sprint Cup series director, said. "It was updated to provide clarity to our teams. And that is that all tires and wheels must be installed in a safe and secure manner." Buck said the infraction was discovered during post-race inspection, although he didn't say whether it occurred at Kansas or NASCAR's research and development center in Concord. Lug nuts are also checked pre-race and during the race with what Buck called "available resources." Some teams don't use all five lug nuts on a wheel, and sometimes the ones that are used are not tightened sufficiently. A pit stop could be quicker if a team chose not to use all five lug nuts. Buck said he expected Busch's Joe Gibbs Racing team to appeal the penalty.
OLYMPICS
Public health professor: Postpone or move Olympics
LONDON — With the opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro less than three months away, a Canadian professor has called for the Olympics to be postponed or moved because of the Zika outbreak, warning the influx of visitors to Brazil will result in the avoidable birth of malformed babies.
“But for the games, would anyone recommend sending an extra half a million visitors into Brazil right now?” University of Ottawa professor Amir Attaran, who specializes in public health, said in an article published this week in the Harvard Public Health Review.
Brazil is by far the country most affected by Zika, a mosquito-borne virus which has now been proven to cause a range of disturbing birth defects, including babies born with abnormally small heads and neurological problems.
In February, the World Health Organization declared the epidemic to be a global health emergency. The WHO says there are no restrictions on travel or trade with countries affected by Zika outbreaks, but advises pregnant women not to travel to those regions.
Attaran’s position is not shared by Olympic and global health authorities, who insist the Aug. 5-21 games will not be derailed by the virus.
The International Olympic Committee, which follows the WHO’s advice, said it has no plans to relocate or postpone the games.
“The clear statements from WHO that there should be no restrictions on travel and trade means there is no justification for canceling or delaying or postponing or moving the Rio Games,” Dr. Richard Budgett, the IOC’s medical director, told The Associated Press. “The IOC will continue to monitor the situation very closely and work with the WHO, and we’re confident as we’ve been advised by the experts that the situation will improve over the next three months.”
Sports on 05/12/2016