BASEBALL
Mets reassign Tebow
Tim Tebow was reassigned by the New York Mets to their minor league camp after he went 0 for 4 with four strikeouts in an exhibition game against the Houston Astros. The former NFL quarterback and 2007 Heisman Trophy winner hit .056 (1 for 18) with 11 strikeouts in seven big league exhibition games. The 30-year-old, who is not on the Mets' 40-man roster, has been hampered by a left ankle sprain. Tebow's only hit was a hard single to center off Washington's Erick Fedde on March 2. He has been used solely as a designated hitter or pinch hitter. Tebow, an outfielder, can appear in games for New York but would have to be brought over from the minor league side. New York also reassigned right-hander Kevin McGowan to the minor league camp on Tuesday and optioned right-handers Gerson Bautista, Marcos Molina, Jamie Callahan and Corey Oswalt to minor league affiliates.
Wright, Cespedes out
New York Mets captain David Wright won't participate in baseball activities for two months because of back and shoulder issues, another setback in his attempt to return from injuries that have sidelined him for two years, and Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes is sidelined after hurting a wrist. New York made the announcements Tuesday, a day after Wright was examined by Dr. Robert Watkins in Los Angeles. A seven-time All-Star, Wright is guaranteed $47 million by the Mets over the next three seasons. New York signed Todd Frazier in case Wright would not be able to play. Cespedes hurt his right wrist while swinging in a game on March 6. He was to play Tuesday but was scratched.
TENNIS
Halep wins at Indian Wells
Simona Halep is on track to retain her No. 1 world ranking after defeating Wang Qiang of China 7-5, 6-1 in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open. Halep improved to 17-1 this year and needs only to reach the final to stay at the top. If not, Caroline Wozniacki, who beat Halep in the Australian Open final, could replace her if the Dane wins the title. Halep and Wozniacki are the only former Indian Wells winners left in the women's draw. Next up for Halep is Petra Martic of Croatia, who beat Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 7-6 (4) on Tuesday.
Flach, 54, dies
Ken Flach, who won four Grand Slam titles in men's doubles and two in mixed doubles, has died, according to the ATP World Tour and International Tennis Federation. He was 54. The ATP World Tour announced Tuesday that Flach died Monday night in California after a brief illness. In a posting on Facebook, Flach's widow, Christina, wrote that he "passed away after fighting pneumonia." "Ken was taken far too soon and his sudden passing comes as a real shock to everyone in tennis," Flach reached No. 1 in the men's doubles rankings and paired with Robert Seguso to form one of the world's top teams in the 1980s.They won 28 titles together, including major championships at the U.S. Open in 1985 and Wimbledon in 1987 and 1988. They twice were the runners-up at the U.S. Open.Flach and Seguso also collected a gold medal for the United States at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Flach finished with a total of 34 men's doubles titles, including winning the 1993 U.S. Open with Rick Leach. Flach's Grand Slam mixed doubles trophies came with Kathy Jordan at the French Open and Wimbledon in 1986.
BASKETBALL
No timetable for Porzingis
Kristaps Porzingis thought he would go right back into the game when he hurt his knee last month. Now he's not sure when he can play again. Porzingis said Tuesday there is still no timetable for his return from a torn left ACL that will keep him out the remainder of this season and at least some of the next. The 7-foot-3 All-Star forward was hurt upon landing after a dunk in a game against Milwaukee on Feb. 6. He said there was sharp pain when the injury happened, but that he quickly felt better. "I was shocked at first. I couldn't believe that it happened to me, and then about 30 seconds later I said, 'OK, what can I do now?'" Porzingis said. "Now it's just time for me to make a comeback and then I focused on the next thing, and that was prepare myself for the surgery."
Clippers' Bradley has surgery
The Los Angeles Clippers say guard Avery Bradley could miss the rest of the season after having surgery to repair muscles in his pubic area. The Clippers expect the recovery time to be six to eight weeks, meaning they would need to make the playoffs for him to play again this season. They were seventh in the Western Conference entering Tuesday's game against the Chicago Bulls. Acquired in late January from Detroit in the Blake Griffin trade, Bradley is averaging 14.3 points in 46 games. He missed seven games with the Pistons because of a right adductor strain and has not played since Feb. 14.
HOCKEY
Penguins' Murray nears return
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray is nearing a return from a concussion that's sidelined him for two weeks. Murray faced shots Tuesday before the rest of the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions took the ice. Murray hasn't played since sustaining the concussion after taking a shot to the facemask in practice late last month. Coach Mike Sullivan said the team is "encouraged" by Murray's progress. Sullivan added he expects Murray to travel with the Penguins when they begin a three-game road trip against the New York Rangers tonight. The Penguins are 4-3 since Murray went down and trail first-place Washington by one point in the crowded Metropolitan Division.
GOLF
Woods, Els named captains
Tiger Woods and Ernie Els are the next Presidents Cup captains for the 2019 matches in Australia. Still to be determined is if one of them plays. Woods and Els have each played in the Presidents Cup eight times and served as assistants. Els will be 50 when the matches are played in mid-December next year, the latest the Presidents Cup has ever been staged. Woods, coming off a runner-up finish last week at Innisbrook, says he will talk to the PGA Tour about a possible change to allow him to be a playing captain if it comes to that. Hale Irwin is the only playing captain in 1994, the first year of the matches. The qualifying criteria have been changed to allow each team four captain's picks.
IDITAROD
Ulsom has big lead
Joar Ulsom said a few words in English but used his native Norwegian to heap praise on his dog team Tuesday as he arrived at the second-to-last checkpoint in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Ulsom held a commanding lead in the world's most famous sled dog race, and after a mandatory eight-hour rest, he was hours from the finish line in Nome. He arrived in White Mountain just before 8 a.m., and left shortly before 4 p.m. For being first to the checkpoint, he picked up a $2,500 check. Ulsom arrived in the checkpoint with a nearly three-hour lead on the second-place musher, Nic Petit, a native of France living south of Anchorage. Barring any catastrophes, Ulsom, a native of Norway who has been living in Willow, Alaska, the dog mushing capital of the United States, is on track to reach the finish line sometime early today. The winner will be awarded about $50,000 and a new pickup.
Sports on 03/14/2018