Strawberry arrested for breaking rule
OCALA, Fla., March 13 (UPI) -- Former baseball star Darryl Strawberry celebrated his 40th birthday Tuesday with another arrest.
Strawberry was jailed Tuesday afternoon after breaking a rule at the drug treatement center where he had been serving an 18-month sentence for cocaine possession. A spokesperson for the Marion County Sheriff's Office did not specify the rule but said Strawberry violated probation of "community control."
While he was kicked out of the drug treatment program at Phoenix House, it is unknown if the violation was drug related.
Battling drug addiction, depression and cancer, Strawberry was sentenced to two-years' house arrest at the center in May 2001 for violating conditions of his probation for a 1999 conviction on drug and solicitation charges. At the time of his sentencing, Hillsborough County Circuit Judge Florence Foster told the eight-time All-Star he was "in the bottom of the ninth with two strikes against" him.
Strawberry has violated terms of his probation five times since his conviction. Last spring, he skipped out on his house arrest at a Tampa drug treatment center for four days and smoked crack.
Shortly after his arrest on April 2, 2001, Strawberry was taken into custody at St. Joseph's Hospital, where he continued treatment for colon cancer.
Strawberry has been banned from baseball three times in his career. He was banned 60 days in 1995 for failing a drug test and 120 days in 1999 after pleading no contest to drug and solicitation charges resulting from an arrest earlier that year.
He missed the 1998 playoffs as a member of Yankees after being diagnosed with cancer. The Yankees dedicated the postseason to their stricken teammate and captured their 24th World Series title.
Once considered a future Hall of Famer, Strawberry admitted to substance-abuse problems eight years ago. His career has been wrecked by those problems and other legal woes.
During eight seasons with the New York Mets, Strawberry won the 1983 Rookie of the Year Award, was a World Series champion in 1986 and led the NL with 39 homers in 1988.
MacPhail named to negotiation group
NEW YORK, March 13 (UPI) -- Baseball commissioner Bud Selig on Tuesday added Chicago Cubs general manager Andy MacPhail to the Major League Baseball negotiating committee.
MacPhail will join new MLB president Bob Dupuy, MLB executive vice president of labor Rob Manfred and outside legal counsel Howard Ganz in their attempt to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with the players.
MacPhail was named Cubs president and CEO in 1994 and added the role of GM in 2000. Before joining the Cubs, he was general manager of the Minnesota Twins for nine seasons, winning World Series titles in 1987 and 1991.Hel comes from a baseball family. His father, Lee, and grandfather, Larry, both are members of the Baseball Hall of Fame as executives.
NCAA tournament gets underway
DAYTON, Ohio, March 13 (UPI) -- The NCAA basketball tournament began Tuesday night with Siena, the only team in the 65-team tournament with a losing record, beating Alcorn State, 81-7, in a "play-in" game at Dayton, Ohio. Siena now has a Friday night date with Maryland, the top-seeded team in the East Region.
The rest of the action in the men's tournament begins Thursday. Defending champion Duke is top-seeded in the South Region, Kansas is No. 1 in the Midwest and Cincinnati is top-seeded in the West.
The women's NCAA tournament begins Friday. Connecticut is seeded first In the Mideast Region as in Oklahoma in the West, Vanderbilt in the Midwest and Duke in the East.
Willis on injury list with wrist sprain
HOUSTON, March 13 (UPI) -- Veteran center Kevin Willis was placed on the injured list Tuesday by the Houston Rockets with a sprained left wrist.
Willis, 39, was signed by the Rockets as a free agent before the season and is three games away from tying Hall-of-Famer John Havlicek for 10th place on the NBA's all-time games played list with 1,270.
The 16-year veteran is averaging 6.0 points and 5.9 rebounds in 48 games and surpassed Hall-of-Famer Elgin Baylor for 20th place all time in rebounding.
To replace Willis on the roster, the Rockets activated guard Oscar Torres from the injured list after he missed six games with a right ankle sprain.
Saints sign four-time Pro Bowler Carter
METAIRIE, La., March 13 (UPI) -- Four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Dale Carter on Tuesday turned his comeback into a lucrative seven-year contract with the New Orleans Saints.
Along with signing Carter to a reported $28 million deal, the Saints also signed wide receiver Jake Reed to a one-year contract, re-signed kicker John Carney, released guard Tom Ackerman and withdraw their tender to tackle Darryl Terrell.
Carter, 32, signed with the Minnesota Vikings last November after being reinstated to the NFL following a 19-month suspension for repeat violations of the league's substance abuse policy. He started eight of nine games at left cornerback and finished with 37 tackles and six passes defensed.
In New Orleans, Carter will replace Fred Weary, who is an unrestricted free agent, at left cornerback.
A first-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in 1992, Carter has started 110 of 127 games. He was voted to the Pro Bowl four straight years from 1994-97 and signed a six-year, $34 million contract as a free agent with the Denver Broncos in 1999. But shortly after his first season with the Broncos, Carter violated the league's substance abuse policy for the third time, mandating a one-year suspension. After being reinstated, Carter was waived by the Broncos and signed with the Vikings.
Cowboys sign Glover for five years
IRVING, Texas, March 13 (UPI) -- The Dallas Cowboys, seeking a pass-rushing defensive tackle, landed the best one available on the free agent market Tuesday, signing La'Roi Glover to a five-year contract.
Financial terms were not disclosed, but ESPN reported that Glover received $22.5 million with a signing bonus of $6 million.
Glover was waived by the New Orleans Saints for salary cap purposes, but the Cowboys are more than $10 million under the cap and were able to put together a lucrative deal.
Glover, 27, had a breakout year with 17 sacks in 2000 for the Saints. Although that total was more than halved last year, his eight sacks would have led the Cowboys. Dallas managed just 24 sacks last season as defensive end Greg Ellis led the team with six. In Glover's five seasons in New Orleans, his lowest sack total was 6 ½ in 1997.
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Charleston coach stepping down
CHARLESTON, S.C., March 13 (UPI) -- John Kresse, who established the College of Charleston as one of the premier mid-major basketball programs and had the second-highest winning percentage among active coaches, announced his retirement on Tuesday.
Kresse coached at Charleston for the past 23 seasons and compiled a record of 560-143 for a winning percentage of .797. He guidedthe Cougars to four NCAA Tournament appearances (1994, 1997-99), two National Invitation berths (1995-96) and an NAIA national championship in 1983.
Charleston finished 21-9 this past season and shared its fourth consecutive Southern Conference South Division title, but lost in the semifinals to Furman in the league tournament.
Kresse, 58, signed a 10-year contract in 1994 and will serve as special assistant to the president for athletics for the remaining two years of his term.
Yankees drop outfielder over alleged theft
TAMPA, Fla., March 13 (UPI) -- The New York Yankees released Ruben Rivera Monday night amid allegations the reserve outfielder stole equipment from Derek Jeter's locker in the Legends Field clubhouse.
The New York Daily News said Tuesday the alleged incident involved the theft of a bat and glove from Jeter's locker, which came to light when Rivera's teammates learned of the sale of the items.
After the players voted unanimously to kick Rivera off the team, Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman announced at a hastily called Monday night news conference that Rivera had been given his unconditional release, the report said.
Rivera once was considered a top prospect in the Yankees' organization but frustrated management with his lack of discipline on and off the field and was traded to San Diego as part of the deal which brought pitcher Hideki Irabu to New York in 1997. He rejoined the Yankees in the off-season.
Astros add versatility in trade
KISSIMMEE, Fla., March 13 (UPI) -- The Houston Astros added some versatility to their infield Tuesday, acquiring Geoff Blum from the Montreal Expos for third baseman Chris Truby.
A switch-hitter, Blum batted .236 with nine home runs and 50 RBI in 148 games last season. He made 67 starts at third base, 27 in left field, 17 at second base and nine at first base.
Originally selected by Montreal in the seventh round of the 1994 draft, the 28-year-old Blum has a .254 career average with 28 homers and 113 RBI. In 2000, Blum started at each infield position. Truby hit .206 with eight homers and 23 RBI in 48 games last season.
Gant makes Padres roster
PEORIA, Ariz., March 13 (UPI) -- A solid spring has earned veteran outfielder Ron Gant a spot with the San Diego Padres.
The Padres purchased Gant's contract Tuesday, seven weeks after signing him to minor league deal. They also sent outfielder Todd Donovan outright to Class AA Mobile of the Southern League.
Gant, who turned 37 on March 2, has a .350 average in eight Cactus League games with five doubles and RBI. He was paid $1.75 million last season while hitting .258 with 10 home runs and 35 RBI with Colorado and Oakland.
A two-time All-Star, Gant ranks 17th among active players with 302 home runs. He has a .256 lifetime average and 945 in a 14-year career that also has featured stops with Atlanta, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Philadelphia and Anaheim.
