Diamondbacks fire Backman, hire Melvin
PHOENIX, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- The Arizona Diamondbacks fired Wally Backman, who was hired as manager this week, and chose Bob Melvin for the job, the team announced Friday.
Backman's dismissal followed reports of past problems including a DUI conviction, a guilty plea to a harassment charge, allegations of spousal abuse and financial trouble.
"The Diamondbacks have ended contract discussions with Wally Backman," said Ken Kendrick, one of the team's owners. "Wally will not be our manager."
Melvin, 43, was fired as Seattle manager last month.
"I'm here to brighten up the mood a little bit," he said after being introduced as Arizona manager.
Backman, 45, was named to the job Monday. He apparently was informed Thursday night of the team's decision to let him go, the Arizona Republic said.
"I'm stunned, so is my family, so is everybody," Backman told the newspaper.
Earlier, Backman had said, "There have been things that have happened in my past I'm not proud of, but I'm confident in the job that I'm going to do for the Diamondbacks."
Backman, a former big league player, has been a minor league manager the past eight years.
Sorenstam tied for lead in Japan
SHIGA, Japan, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Annika Sorenstam, trying for her fourth straight win in Japan's Mizuno Classic, shared the first-round lead Friday with a 9-under-par 63.
Chihiro Nakajima also shot a 63. Rachel Teske and Aree Song shot 66 and Grace Park, the winner in last week's tour event in South Korea, was in a group at 67.
Sorenstam, who has won six times this year, eagled the first hole in her round at the Seta Golf Club.
"I could not have asked for a better start," Sorenstam said. "I kept playing with a lot of confidence the rest of the way."
Sorenstam won the tournament by nine shots last year.
"It seems like I like this golf course," the Swedish star said.
MVP St. Louis joins NHL players in Europe
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Tampa Bay Lightning star Martin St. Louis has joined National Hockey League players to sign with a European team during the NHL lockout.
St. Louis, the league's MVP last season, signed a deal with Lausanne of the Swiss League Friday, a day after his teammate, Vincent Lecavalier, joined a Russian team.
About 250 NHL players have joined European teams because of the lockout. They are signing deals that will let them rejoin their NHL teams if the lockout ends and play resumes.
The NHL locked out the players Sept. 15 when their old collective bargaining agreement expired. Negotiators for the league and players union have not met for nearly two months.
The major issue is a salary cap. The league wants one, the players don't.
The NHL season is "likely to slip away," Commissioner Gary Bettman said this week.
"As long as the owners keep pushing a salary cap, no, I can't see us playing this season," Lecavalier told the St. Petersburg Times. "We are not going to accept it. No way."
New baseball team may be called Nationals
WASHINGTON, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- In the rush to get merchandise in Washington, D.C. stores before Christmas, the name of Major League Baseball's newest team may be the Nationals.
Changing the name of a team in professional baseball usually involves focus groups, marketing executives and polling data and it usually takes 12 to 18 months.
However, in an effort to exploit fan fever and sell tickets, merchandise and sponsorships for the nation's capital's return to Major League Baseball, the time to change the name of the Expos, used in Montreal for 36 seasons, is expected to take about two weeks, the Washington Times reported Friday.
Washington Mayor Anthony Williams has lobbied heavily against the resurrection of the name Senators; the name used by both of Washington's previous major league teams.
"I've articulated that I do not support Senators as a name. I believe that is the wrong name," Williams said.
Williams said he doesn't want to use the name Senators because the District of Columbia has no senators or voting representative in Congress.
