Schilling to rehab injured shoulder
FORT MYERS, Fla., Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Boston pitcher Curt Schilling said Monday he will abide by the league's collective bargaining agreement and have rehab for a shoulder injury instead of surgery.
Schilling preferred surgery, but maintains he wasn't hurt when he signed an $8 million deal with the Red Sox in November.
Red Sox physician Dr. Thomas Gill recommended rehab for a tendon injury. Dr. Craig Morgan, who operated on Schilling's right shoulder twice, said surgery was the best option. There was speculation that a surgical procedure could end Schilling's season.
"If some people want to believe this was me taking advantage of the situation financially, I wouldn't have done it here," said Schilling, 41. "I would have done it for $14 million in at least two other places, if I was going to sit on the DL and collect a paycheck.
"I was healthy at the time. I didn't feel great, but I felt like I was 40 or 41."
Defending champ Youzhny upset in Rotterdam
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Defending champion Mikhail Youzhny lost to Janko Tipsarevic Monday in the first round of the $1.2 million ABN AMRO World Tennis event in the Netherlands.
The Serbian beat the fourth-seeded Russian 7-6 (7-3), 6-4. Youzhny defeated Croat Ivan Ljubicic in last year's Rotterdam finale.
Former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero of Soain also went out, losing to Russian qualifier Teimuraz Gabashvili 7-5, 6-1.
In other opening-round action, 6-foot-10 Croat Ivo Karlovic beat 5-foot-6 Belgian Olivier Rochus 6-1, 6-2; German Michael Berrer beat countryman Matthias Bachinger 6-3, 6-2; and qualifier Mischa Zverev beat fellow German Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-5, 7-5.
Three-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal is the top seed this week.
Andrews made Bengals' 'franchise player'
CINCINNATI, Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Offensive lineman Stacy Andrews, who could become a free agent at the end of the month, has been designated the franchise player of the Cincinnati Bengals.
The designation means Andrews has the option to play for the Bengals next season at a salary equal to the average of the five highest paid offensive linemen in the NFL.
"Stacy has been a productive young player for us," said Bengals Coach Marvin Lewis. "He has shown the flexibility to start and play well at a number of different positions on our line. This move helps us keep our core players together and it gives us an opportunity to continue negotiating for a longer- term contract with Stacy."
Andrews, entering his fifth NFL season, played in all 16 Bengals games last season. He opened the season at left guard but was moved to right tackle to fill in for the injured Willie Anderson.
If Andrews signs with another team, the Bengals could match that contract and keep the player. If Cincinnati didn't choose to match the deal, the team signing Andrews would have to give the Bengals first-round choices each of the next two drafts.
Nalbandian wins in Buenos Aires opener
BUENOS AIRES, Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Top-seeded Argentine David Nalbandian was a first-round winner Monday at the Copa Telmex tennis tournament.
Nalbandian, former Wimbledon runner-up and Masters Cup titlist, defeated Australian Peter Luczak 6-3, 6-3.
The world No. 11 won in 1 hour, 12 minutes with the help of 10 aces and four service breaks.
Seventh-seeded Italian Potito Starace beat Serbian Boris Pashanski 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 and Czech Jiri Vanek beat Argentine Carlos Berlocq 6-4, 7-5.
