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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Braves beef up lineup, acquire Lee from Cubs

Derrek Lee brings his .251 average and 16 homers to the Braves. (Associated Press)

Baseball: The Atlanta Braves bulked up for the playoff race Wednesday, acquiring first baseman Derrek Lee from the Chicago Cubs.

The Braves sent three minor league pitchers to the Cubs, none of them considered top-level prospects.

The Braves, leading the N.L. East by 2 1/2 games, are looking for any offensive help they can get after losing third baseman Chipper Jones to a season-ending knee injury.

Lee has put up disappointing numbers in the final season of his five-year, $65 million contract, hitting .251 with 16 homers and 56 RBIs.

• Cameron’s season over: Boston Red Sox center fielder Mike Cameron will have season-ending surgery to repair a torn abdominal muscle.

Cameron hit .259 with four homers with 15 RBIs in just 48 games this season.

• Union backs Rodriguez: The players’ union filed a grievance against the New York Mets and the commissioner’s office, protesting how the team has handled Francisco Rodriguez since he was injured in a fight at Citi Field.

The MLB Players Association is challenging the Mets’ decision to place Rodriguez on the disqualified list and their effort to convert his contract to a non-guaranteed deal.

Manning won’t play against Steelers

Football: Eli Manning is going to sit out the New York Giants’ preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night.

While Manning insisted he is feeling fine after needing 12 stitches on Monday to close a cut on the left side of his head, coach Tom Coughlin said the team is concerned that wearing a helmet might break the stitches or irritate the wound.

• Cowboys lose left guard: Dallas Cowboys left guard Kyle Kosier is expected to miss at least a month because of a sprained knee, making it two offensive linemen the club has lost to injuries this week.

Kosier went down two days after right tackle Marc Colombo had knee surgery.

• Tebow injures ribs: Rookie quarterback Tim Tebow’s first foray into an NFL end zone appears to have left him with injured ribs.

Denver’s rookie quarterback missed his first practice of training camp after jogging off the field during warmups. While the Broncos aren’t saying what’s wrong with their first-round draft pick from Florida, Tebow might be feeling the effects of his game-ending 7-yard touchdown run in his pro debut Sunday night against Cincinnati.

• Badgers want new building: University of Wisconsin athletic officials are asking for a $76.8 million athletic performance center in the next two-year state budget, just five years after a $109.5-million expansion of Camp Randall Stadium.

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will review the request today.

• Baxter won’t travel: Southern California running back Dillon Baxter is unlikely to travel with the team to Hawaii for the season opener on Sept. 2 after being suspended for violating team rules.

U.S. men will play Poland in friendly

Soccer: The U.S. men will play Poland in an exhibition game Oct. 9 at Soldier Field in Chicago.

The United States has won seven of its 16 matches against Poland, including three of the last four.

• Anelka scoffs at ban: Nicolas Anelka says he isn’t interested in playing again for France, a day after he received an 18-match suspension from the national soccer team for his outburst against coach Raymond Domenech during the World Cup.

“Who said I wanted to play again in blue?” he said in a French newspaper, adding “for me, after the World Cup in South Africa, the French team is now history.”

Woods’ caddy isn’t worried about split

Golf: Steve Williams doesn’t believe his job as Tiger Woods’ caddie is under any threat, despite media speculation about their 11-year association and concern over the champion golfer’s form.

Williams told New Zealand radio that he and Woods remain close friends and there is no possibility their working relationship is about to end.

Peirsol catches break at Pan Pacific

Swimming: Michael Phelps led all the way in winning the 200-meter butterfly at the Pan Pacific championships in Irvine, Calif.

The American touched in 1 minute, 54.11 seconds, fastest in the world this year.

American Ryan Lochte cruised to victory in the 200 freestyle with the fastest time in the world this year – 1:45.30.

Olympic champion Aaron Peirsol of the U.S. won the 100 backstroke in a meet-record 53.31. He took advantage of Lochte dropping out of the final after the morning preliminaries. Lochte and David Plummer were the fastest Americans and only two swimmers from each country make the finals.

Lochte only wanted to swim the 100 back once at this meet, so he scratched.

Busch wins third straight trucks race

Miscellany: Kyle Busch won his third straight NASCAR Trucks race at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn.

Busch was able to hold off Aric Almirola for his 19th Truck Series win in 77 career starts.

• Henin sidelined: Justine Henin, 28, will miss the rest of the 2010 tennis season as she recovers from an elbow injury suffered at Wimbledon in July.

• JR Motorsports hires Almirola: JR Motorsports signed Aric Almirola to drive its flagship No. 88 Chevrolet in the Nationwide Series next season.

• Margarito denied license to fight: Former welterweight champion Antonio Margarito was denied a license to fight in California, leaving a significant hurdle in the way of a proposed bout against Manny Pacquiao.