About 45 Cuban baseball players gathered on a field in Boca Chica, a coastal city in the Dominican Republic near the capital city of Santo Domingo, for a showcase earlier this year. Representatives from about 15 to 20 major league teams attended. Every player left without a contract. In baseball cir...

Promoters aren’t happy unless they’re exaggerating. But Fe ando Beltran wasn’t far off when he said this week that Francisco Vargas and Orlando Salido are “two of the best warriors that we have from Mexico.” The are the epitome of a Mexican fighter, and area fans got some good news this week when it...

CLEVELAND — Joh y Football has been tossed aside. Quarterback Joh y Manziel, the scrambling, Heisman Trophy-wi ing college star who hasn’t come close to matching his hype in the NFL, was released Friday by the Cleveland Browns following two turbulent and troubling seasons. Manziel’s unceremonious ex...

Gary Jeter, a defensive lineman who played for the Giants and Rams during a 13-year NFL career, has died. He was 61. The NFL Players Association said it was informed he died Wednesday. No cause or other details were given. Jeter was drafted out of Southe Califo ia in 1977 by the New York Giants with...

MOSCOW — There have been 99 positive tests this year for meldonium, the drug found in Maria Sharapova’s sample at the Australian Open, the World Anti-Doping Agency said Friday. WADA spokesman Ben Nichols told The Associated Press in an e-mail that since the drug was ba ed on Jan. 1 “there have been ...

MONACO — Russia’s track and field federation has not yet done enough to reform its anti-doping program in order to have its athletes reinstated to global competition, the IAAF said Friday. The sport’s world gove ing body said it will likely decide in May whether Russian athletes will be readmitted o...

CLEVELAND — The Browns have released troublesome quarterback Joh y Manziel, ending his drama-filled stay with the team. The team finally cut ties on Friday with the 2012 Heisman Trophy wi er after two disappointing seasons. Manziel faces an uncertain future in the NFL and potential criminal charges ...

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Chargers say they’ve agreed to a two-year contract with star tight end Antonio Gates. The deal was a ounced Wednesday, hours before Gates was set to become an unrestricted free agent. The 2016 season will be Gates’ 14th with the Chargers. He signed as an undrafted rookie in...

On the first official day of free agency, the Los Angeles Rams have reportedly lost a key piece of their defense. NFL Network’s Rand Getlin is reporting this mo ing that Rams starting co erback Janoris Jenkins has reached agreement with the New York Giants, and according to NFL.com’s Ian Rappoport t...

The Rams lost another key player in their defensive backfield today as starting free safety Rodney McLeod reportedly agreed to terms with the Philadelphia Eagles on a 5-year, $37 million deal. On the first day of free agency, the Rams have lost two starting defensive backs: Janoris Jenkins who agree...

MIAMI — The trade sending co erback Byron Maxwell and linebacker Kiko Alonso to the Miami Dolphins from the Philadelphia Eagles is now final. The Eagles will receive the Dolphins’ No. 8 pick in April’s NFL Draft in exchange for their No. 13 pick. Miami approved the trade Wednesday after speculation ...

LONDON — Maria Sharapova was guilty of “willful negligence” for using meldonium, and inte ational te is officials were aware that many players were taking the drug before it was ba ed this year, former World Anti-Doping Agency president Dick Pound said Wednesday. Pound told The Associated Press that...

No USC quarterback ever won a starting job based on the first day of spring practice. But Trojans coach Clay Helton said Tuesday he would name a starter next month if there was a “huge gap” in the competition. That seems unlikely if freshman Sam Da old grasps the offense, because his strong arm and ...

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. >> Angels pitcher Garrett Richards was getting questions about his velocity Tuesday as quickly as a fastball left his hand at Salt River Fields: 100 mph, according to Pitch f/x data. Like a crafty veteran, Richards was content to foul them off nonchalantly. Maybe Richards genuinely...

On the first official day of free agency, the Los Angeles Rams have reportedly lost a key piece of their defense. NFL Network’s Rand Getlin is reporting this mo ing that Rams starting co erback Janoris Jenkins has reached agreement with the New York Giants, and according to NFL.com’s Ian Rappoport t...

The humble pie that D’Angelo Russell ate this season included a few slices. Lakers coach Byron Scott yanked his starting spot 20 games into the season and remained publicly critical of his progress. Kobe Bryant challenged Russell, including calling him out in a post-game speech to the team. Russell ...

CAPITALS AT KINGS Faceoff: 7:30 p.m. TV/Radio: FSW / 790-AM Update: >> The Kings welcome ex-teammate Justin “Mr. Game 7” Williams to Staples Center for the first time since he signed a two-season, $6.5-million contract with the Capitals last summer. Williams helped lead the Kings to Stanley Cup titl...

The humble pie that D’Angelo Russell ate this season included a few slices. Lakers coach Byron Scott yanked his starting spot 20 games into the season and remained publicly critical of his progress. Kobe Bryant challenged Russell, including calling him out in a post-game speech to the team. Russell ...

LA MIRADA >> Fresh off of its second consecutive CIF Southe Section Division 4 girls soccer championship, La Mirada kept the momentum rolling Tuesday afte oon with a 3-1 victory at home over Southwest of San Diego to open the CIF State Division IV Regionals. The top-seeded Matadores (20-5-4) struck ...

DETROIT — Calvin Johnson has retired. The 30-year-old receiver, known as Megatron, a ounced his decision Tuesday to walk away from the NFL after nine mostly spectacular seasons with the Detroit Lions. He had reportedly told some teammates entering last season that it would be his last and told coach...