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In Sports from United Press International

MLB cancels season-opening series in Japan

NEW YORK, March 19 (UPI) -- Major League Baseball on Tuesday canceled the season-opening, two-game series in Japan between the Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics.

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The decision was made amid the increasing likelihood of war in Iraq and after Major League Baseball executives huddled with Japanese baseball representatives and officials at the U.S. Office of Homeland Security.

Citing the "tense world situation," MLB Commisioner Bud Selig rescheduled both games stateside later in the season.

"I have consulted with Don Fehr, the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, which is our partner in this event," Selig said. "Given the uncertainty that now exists throughout the world, we believe the safest course of action for the players involved and the many staff personnel who must work the games is to reschedule the opening series.

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"It would be unfair and terribly unsettling for them to be half a world away, away from their families, at this critical juncture."

Under the new schedule, the major league opener will be March 30 and will feature the world champion Anaheim Angels and the Texas Rangers.

The A's and Mariners will open their seasons against each other on April 1 at the Network Associates Coliseum in Oakland.

"Baseball is a social institution with enormous social responsibilities and it is with that in mind, along with great regret, that I take this action," Selig added. "I hope our fans and business partners in Japan understand that this difficult decision is only made in response to the most serious of circumstances."

"Major League Baseball and the Players Association value our relationship with Japanese baseball and have looked forward to Japanese stars Ichiro Suzuki, Kaz Sasaki and Shigetoshi Hasegawa returning to their homeland to compete in regular-season games," Fehr said. "With world tensions so high, this is the prudent course of action. We do regret, though, having to take it."

The games, both of which were Oakland home dates, were rescheduled for April 3 and June 30. Both the Mariners and Athletics will have their Cactus League schedules modified.

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After President Bush addressed the nation on Monday night, word spread quickly Tuesday that the overseas trip for both clubs was in trouble. Early Tuesday afternoon, MLB Vice President Bob DuPuy addressed the media and began laying the groundwork for potential changes.

Dupuy went so far as to call Japan, "the safest country in the world in terms of internal security."

Teams were expected to arrive in Tokyo for news conferences Thursday. DuPuy was quick to point out that an eventual return to Japan is in the plans.

"We will sit down and discuss the possibilities of another All-Star tour and another opener in Japan at a later date," he said.


NCAA Tournament to played as usual

INDIANAPOLIS, March 19 (UPI) -- The NCAA decided Tuesday that all of its winter championships would be held as scheduled.

The organization spent the day looking at possible contingencies in the wake of possibility of a confrontation with Iraq this week. During a speech Monday night, President Bush gave Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, his sons, and top aides 48 hours to leave Iraq or face war.

"The White House has encouraged continuation of life as usual, and we have made the decision to move forward with all 11 tournaments being conducted throughout the nation this week and weekend," said NCAA President Myles Brand. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the men and women in uniform involved in the Iraqi conflict and elsewhere. At the same time, we share the President's resolve to maintain normalcy under Liberty Shield."

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The decision came as a result of conversations with Tom Ridge, Secretary of Homeland Security and leadership within the Association.

Other tournaments scheduled for this weekend are men's and women's fencing, Division III men's swimming, Division I wrestling, Division I women's swimming, Division III men's ice hockey, national collegiate women's ice hockey, Division III women's ice hockey, Division III men's and women's basketball.

Brand had said earlier that there was a chance that games could be delayed if the United States was involved in a confrontation.

"I think we should be very careful not to let Saddam Hussein control our lives," Brand said Monday night at a scholarship forum at Indianapolis. "We have to balance those. We have to show respect and concern for our men and women in uniform. At the same time, we also want to make sure we don't let our lives be taken over by a tyrant."

ESPN.com had reported that arenas and hotels were being checked for availability through April if the NCAA were to push the tournament back a few days, or even a few weeks.

The Final Four in New Orleans is scheduled for April 5 and 7. Games are scheduled to begin Thursday at noon.

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The first and second rounds for the Division I Women's Basketball Championships also will be affected. That tournament is March 22-25, with the Women's Final Four concluding April 6 and 8 in Atlanta.


Ravens sign Orlando Brown and Cornell Brown

OWINGS MILLS, Md., March 19 (UPI) -- The Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday signed Otlando Brown, who was with the Cleveland Browns before they relocated to Baltimore.

The Ravens gave him a one-year contract and also re-signed outside linebacker Cornell Brown to a four-year deal.

"I did not coach him (Orlando Brown) here, but coaching against him, I have seen what he can do and we are happy to have him here," Ravens Coach Brian Billick said.

Orlando Brown, 32, was rated as one of the NFL's top right tackles before he was accidentally hit in the eye by a weighted penalty flag thrown by referee Jeff Triplette in the Browns' 1999 season finale.

Orlando Brown suffered severe damage to the eye and reached an injury settlement with Cleveland in 2000, when he was released, and then sued the NFL in 2001, charging the league "failed to enforce rules that flags be properly weighted and thrown in a proper fashion."

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A six-year veteran, Orlando Brown recently reached a settlement with the league on the lawsuit before signing with the Ravens.

The 6-7, 350-pound Brown will compete for the right tackle spot with Ethan Brooks. He started all 48 games for the Browns-turned-Ravens from 1995-97 before signing as a free agent with the resurrected Browns.

Cornell Brown, 28, started 14 games at strongside linebacker last season and had 59 tackles and 1 1/2 sacks.

Cornell Brown was primarily a backup in his first four years with the Ravens before signing with the Oakland Raiders in 2001, but was released in training camp and sat out the year before coming back to Baltimore last year.


New deal for Gonzalez

TUCSON, Ariz., March 19 (UPI) -- Luis Gonzalez, whose outstanding season in 2001 sparked the Arizona Diamondbacks to a World Series title, Tuesday agreed to a three-year contract extension.

The 35-year-old left fielder, who delivered the game-winning hit in the ninth inning of Game Seven against the defending champion New York Yankees, was in the final year of a four-year, $16.5 million contract.

The deal ends months of negotiations with one of the most popular players in team history.

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"I'm very excited for myself and my family, and I'm excited to have this Diamondback uniform for many more years to come," Gonzalez said. "I've always said from day one since I put the uniform on here, that my career has turned around. I never expressed interest in leaving or going anywhere else. This where I want to be. I do not want to explore any other options. The fit is perfect for me to be here, I enjoy my teammates and coaching staff. When I came here, what they gave me was an opportunity. I was a player in the middle of my career just looking for a chance to try and get out there and play every day."

Gonzalez was acquired from the Detroit Tigers in December 1998, and was regarded as a solid but unspectacular hitter. In four seasons with Arizona, he is batting .316 with and average of 35 homers and 117 RBI per season.

expectations we may have had, and I anticipate more of the same over the next four years."

Gonzalez, a career .286 hitter with 249 homers and 1,020 in 1,747 games, had his 2002 season cut short by a separated left shoulder. He has reported no residual effects from the injury this spring.

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No surgery for Tomjanovich

HOUSTON, March 19 (UPI) -- Houston Rockets Coach Rudy Tomjanovich was diagnosed with a superficial bladder tumor that will not require surgery.

Tomjanovich, 54, underwent a cystoscopic evaluation and biopsy on Monday in an attempt to determine if the abnormality found on his bladder last week is cancerous. The 30-minute procedure was performed by Dr. Richard Goldfard, a urologist at Methodist Hospital, and the results produced good news.

"Rudy's treatment options are optimistic," said Rockets team physician Dr. James Muntz. "His condition does not require surgery. Instead, he will receive treatments once a week, beginning in two weeks."

Tomjanovich was released from the hospital and returned to his Houston home.

He will not be with the Rockets for Tuesday's game at Seattle, but is expected to rejoin the team during its five-game road trip that also includes games at Portland, Golden State, Sacramento, and the Los Angeles Clippers.

Tomjanovich, who never has missed a regular-season game as Rockets' coach, told his players the news after Sunday's 85-75 win over Phoenix. Assistant Larry Smith will coach the team in his absence.

Tomjanovich is in his 12th season as Rockets coach.

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Grant Hill recuperates

DURHAM, N.C., March 19 (UPI) -- Veteran forward Grant Hill of Orlando underwent surgery Tuesday morning that he hopes will save his NBA career.

The surgery likely will require his most arduous rehabilitation stint yet and could make his availability for the beginning of next season questionable.

The procedure, performed by orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Nunley at Duke Medical Center, consisted of the removal of three screws that had previously been placed in his ankle, removal of the entire non-union bone, and the application of a steel plate with screws to reinforce the stress fracture.

In addition, a genetically engineered material, which helps make bone form, was added to his ankle to assist in the healing process, and an osteotmy of the heel was performed simultaneously to realign his left leg.

"We found no reason why Grant Hill will not be able to play basketball again for the Orlando Magic," Nunley said. "His bone had good strength and good blood supply, and we felt good about how the surgery proceeded. Although I feel like he will play basketball again, there is no timeframe at the present as to when he will be able to return to play."

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Hill, 30, has had three surgeries during the past three seasons to repair a stress fracture on the inside of his left ankle. He sustained the injury in the 2000 playoffs while with the Detroit Pistons.

It is of the opinion of Dr. Nunley that one of the reasons this stress fracture has not healed after three previous surgeries has been the improper alignment of Hill's leg.

Now in the third year of a seven-year, $93 million deal, Hill played just four games in 2000-01, 14 games last season, and 29 of 67 games this season. He was placed on the injured list on Jan. 18.

Roughly 80 percent of the $32.5 million Hill has made to this point has been covered by insurance.

"We're hopeful for Grant's recovery, and return to basketball," said General Manager John Gabriel. "The prognosis on his return will be based on a re-evaluation of the repaired areas in the future."

When he was healthy earlier this season, Hill formed a potent 1-2 punch with Tracy McGrady, and the Magic got off to a good start, winning five of their first six games.

Currently, Orlando is 34-33 and in seventh place in the Eastern Conference.

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The 6-8 former Duke All-American averaged 14.6 points while shooting just under 50 percent from the field. He was voted an All-Star starter each of his first six years with the Pistons, and averaged a career-high 25.8 points in 1999-2000.


Rockies put Uribe on DL

TUCSON, Ariz., March 19 (UPI) -- The Colorado Rockies will be without starting shortstop Juan Uribe for at least the first two months of the new season.

Tuesday, they placed him on the 60-day disabled list with a broken bone in his right foot. He underwent surgery to repair the fracture on March 5.

Uribe suffered the injury while running the bases in a March 1 exhibition game against the Texas Rangers.

The Rockies will move Jose Hernandez, who was signed as a free agent to start at third base, to shortstop. Chris Stynes and Greg Norton will share time at third.

Uribe, 23, hit .240 with six homers and 49 RBI in 155 games last season. As a rookie, he batted .300 and tied a club record with 11 triples, despite playing in just 72 games in 2001.

The Rockies also have acquired lefthanded reliever Javier Lopez from the Boston Red Sox for a player to be named or cash considerations.

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Lopez, 25, was acquired by Boston from the Arizona Diamondbacks in December in the Rule 5 draft, and has made an impression in the exhibition season, giving up one earned run in 6 2/3 innings with no walks and four strikeouts in seven appearances.

A starting pitcher for the first three years of his minor league career, Lopez was moved to the bullpen in 2001. At Double-A El Paso last season, he appeared in 61 games and limited opponents to a .204 average, including a .117 mark by left-handed hitters.

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