Newsmakers
Hired California has hired former NFL players Akili Smith and Ronnie Bradford as administrative assistants on the coaching staff. Coach Jeff Tedford said that Smith will work with the offensive coaches and Bradford will work with the defense.
Unsigned Free agent running back LaDainian Tomlinson flew home to San Diego to consider his options after spending a day with the New York Jets and leaving without a deal. Tomlinson – the eighth-leading rusher in NFL history – was on a flight Saturday morning after his visit.
Out Houston Astros outfielder Lance Berkman is expected to miss two to four weeks after having surgery to remove loose cartilage from his left knee. The surgery showed there was no damage to the meniscus or ligaments. The timetable for Berkman’s recovery puts him in jeopardy of missing opening day.
•Chicago White Sox outfield prospect Jared Mitchell is scheduled for surgery Tuesday to repair a torn tendon on his left ankle. He sprained his ankle while making a spectacular, against-the-wall catch on a drive off the bat of the Los Angeles Angels’ Juan Rivera.
•New York Islanders captain Doug Weight will have season-ending shoulder surgery that could also mark the conclusion of the center’s 18-year NHL career. The 39-year-old Weight sustained a torn rotator cuff and labrum in his left shoulder in November. He has played through the pain this year, but said he will have surgery Thursday.
Agreed Center fielder Denard Span and the Minnesota Twins have agreed to a $16.5 million, five-year contract. The 26-year-old Span became the Twins’ everyday center fielder when they traded Carlos Gomez to Milwaukee in the offseason.
Suspended Chicago Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich has been suspended one game without pay for making contact with a referee. Phoenix Suns coach Alvin Gentry has been fined $25,000 for improper conduct toward a referee and for failing to leave the court in a timely manner after his ejection.
Resigned Head coach Gene Cross has resigned as Toledo’s men’s basketball coach following the worst season in school history. The Rockets finished 4-28 overall and 1-15 in the Mid-American Conference this season.