Anaheim, Calif. – The Los Angeles Angels didn’t waste much time finding another hitter after Juan Rivera broke his left leg playing winter ball in Venezuela.
The Angels agreed with free-agent first baseman Shea Hillenbrand on a $6.5 million, one-year contract Tuesday.
“We’ve always liked Hillenbrand’s bat, and when we got the news that Rivera was injured and that it might cost him some time into the season, that provided impetus to get another bat,” Angels general manager Bill Stoneman said on a conference call.
Rivera, injured Friday when he was running to first base and collided with a pitcher covering the bag, is scheduled to undergo surgery on his left tibia today in Florida. It’s uncertain how long he will be sidelined.
Hillenbrand, who split last season between Toronto and San Francisco, gets $6 million next year, and the Angels hold a $6.5 million option for 2008 with a $500,000 buyout. The option could become guaranteed based on his plate appearances next season.
The 28-year-old Rivera had career highs in batting average (.310), runs (65), hits (139), home runs (23) and RBIs (85) last season.
Arizona confirmed its trade talks with the New York Yankees about Randy Johnson, who won four Cy Young Awards with the Diamondbacks from 1999-2004, but thus far the Yankees’ asking price has been too high.
“There’s no activity at this point,” Diamondbacks general partner Jeff Moorad said. “The Diamondbacks as an organization have a tremendous amount of respect for Randy, yet also recognize he’s under contract to the Yankees. If there’s ever an opportunity that made sense to reacquire him, we’d be at the head of the line.”
The San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants also have talked with New York about Johnson, a baseball official who had been briefed on the talks said, speaking on condition of anonymity because no deal had been agreed to.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman declined comment on Johnson, and Padres GM Kevin Towers didn’t return messages seeking comment.
If the Yankees do trade Johnson, who is owed $16 million next year in the final season of his contract, New York would consider pursuing Barry Zito, the top available starting pitcher on the free-agent market.
NHL
Sore hamstring lands Blue Jackets goalie Leclaire on injured reserve
The Columbus Blue Jackets placed goaltender Pascal Leclaire on injured reserve and recalled goaltender Ty Conklin and forward Joakim Lindstrom from the club’s American Hockey League affiliate in Syracuse.
The club also said right winger Anson Carter will miss up to two weeks with a sprained shoulder.
Leclaire injured his hamstring Dec. 22 against Vancouver and will be sidelined indefinitely. He had appeared in 21 games with the Blue Jackets this season and has a 6-12-2 record with a 2.97 goals-against average.
New York Rangers forward Jed Ortmeyer, out all season because of a pulmonary embolism, and defenseman Bryce Lampman were recalled from Hartford of the AHL.
Ortmeyer will remain a non-roster injured player until coach Tom Renney thinks the right wing is ready to play. That is expected to be soon – perhaps as early as this weekend when the Rangers face Ottawa and Washington on consecutive days.
Right wing Brad Isbister was sent back down to Hartford after scoring one goal in two games with the Rangers following his recall last Wednesday.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Oklahoma State’s Boggan, Texas’ Durant receive Big 12 accolades
Oklahoma State senior Mario Boggan and Texas freshman Kevin Durant are the Big 12 men’s basketball player and rookie of the week.
Boggan, a 6-foot-7, 235-pound forward, averaged 25 points and 7.5 rebounds as the Cowboys finished with a 1-1 record last week.
Durant, at 6-9 and 225 pounds, had 27 points and 10.5 rebounds per game as the Longhorns split two contests.
New Mexico guard Tony Danridge, who scored a career-high 17 points in the Lobos’ win over then-No. 8 ranked Wichita State, was named the Mountain West Conference player of the week.
The win over Wichita State was the Lobos’ first over a top-10 opponent since Dec. 21, 1999, when New Mexico defeated then-No. 2 Arizona 70-68.
Duquesne University basketball coach Ron Everhart was hospitalized with abdominal pain and will miss Thursday night’s game at Boston College.
The 44-year-old Everhart became ill Monday and went to the hospital that day. He is taking antibiotics for a gastrointestinal problem, and is expected to remain hospitalized for four to five days.
FOOTNOTES
Overtime goal gives Germany 2-1 victory over U.S. juniors
The United States lost to Germany 2-1 at the World Junior Hockey Championship, beaten by Marcel Muller’s goal 1:51 into overtime in Leksand, Sweden.
This was Germany’s first victory over the Americans in the world juniors, although West Germany won three times, the most recent in 1981.
The winning goal came after defenseman Christopher Fischer made a rush deep into the American zone. He sent a short drop pass for Muller, who scored through goalie Jeff Zatkoff’s pads.
The Americans dominated early, but defenseman Christopher Giebe gave Germany the lead with a power-play goal at 13:45. The puck took a weird bounce off Jim Fraser, and Zatkoff had no chance.
A 17-year-old hockey player collapsed and died during a tournament in Scarborough, Ontario, the Toronto Star reported.
Alex Corrance, a 6-foot-2, 191-pound defenseman, was playing for the Mississauga Rebels when he fell to the ice early in a game against the rival Mississauga Ice Dogs.
His father, Alan Corrance, is the Rebels’ team manager and was on the bench when the younger Corrance collapsed. Trainers and emergency officials weren’t able to revive Alex Corrance.
Three injured sailors were airlifted by helicopter from maxi yacht Maximus and another crew abandoned its sinking vessel today at the Sydney to Hobart yacht race in Sydney, Australia.
Six crew members were injured on Maximus when it was dismasted in heavy seas and 30 knot winds overnight and three of them were evacuated to a hospital in Canberra.
