FORT MYERS, Fla. — Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer said Friday he doubts he’ll be ready to play by opening day because of lingering pain and inflammation in his lower back. The reigning AL batting champion isn’t sure when he’ll return.
“We really don’t have a time- table,” Mauer said. “Hopefully, it will be sooner than later. There’s good days and bad days.”
• Ivan Rodriguez‘s $1.5 million, one-year contract with the Houston Astros was finalized after the catcher passed his physical.
• Oakland Athletics ace Justin Duchscherer tested his sore right elbow, throwing 25 pitches in the bullpen, and said afterward: “I’m excited, because it’s the first time I’ve thrown with some velocity without pain.”
• Yankees catcher Jorge Posada made his first three throws to second base on stolen-base attempts in spring training without any problems during a minor-league intra-squad game. “It was good,” said Posada, rehabilitating from right shoulder surgery July 30. “The last one was the best one I threw.”
• Whitey Lockman, who doubled ahead of Bobby Thomson‘s “Shot Heard Round The World” that clinched the 1951 NL pennant, died Tuesday in Phoenix. Lockman, who had been fighting pulmonary fibrosis, was 82.
Watney, Stricker share lead
PALM HARBOR, Fla. — Nick Watney and Steve Stricker fired 4-under-par 67s for 6-under 136 totals and a share of the second-round lead at the Transitions Championship.
Jim Furyk opened with a 65 for his first lead on the PGA Tour in nearly 20 months, but he was 13 shots worse and had to two-putt from 30 feet on his final hole simply to make the cut at 1-over 143.
• Lorena Ochoa shot a 7-under 65 for a two-stroke lead over Na Yeon Choi at the Mastercard Classic in Huxquilucan, Mexico.
• Michael Hoey had six birdies in a 5-under 66 that gave him a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Madeira Islands Open.
Martin wins Food City 500 pole
BRISTOL, Tenn. — • Mark Martin won his second straight pole with a lap of 125.773 mph around Bristol Motor Speedway, giving him the top starting spot in consecutive races for the first time in 20 years. Ryan Newman (125.74 mph) was second in qualifying for Sunday’s Food City 500.
• Formula One’s ruling body backed down and agreed to put off a new points system for the sport until next season, responding to objections from teams and top drivers.
Footnotes.
The Minnesota Vikings signed cornerback Cedric Griffin to a contract extension.
• William “Jeff” Komlo, a former quarterback who played for the Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1979-83, was killed in a car crash in Greece. He was 52.
• Hilary Knight scored twice and assisted on Erika Lawler‘s two goals in Wisconsin’s 5-1 victory over Minnesota Duluth in the NCAA women’s hockey semifinals in Boston. The Badgers will face Mercyhurst — a 5-4 winner over Minnesota in the second semifinal — in the title game Sunday.
• Maria Sharapova (shoulder) and Nikolay Davydenko (foot) withdrew from the Sony Ericsson Open, which begins Wednesday in Key Biscayne, Fla. The Associated Press
