Mets brace for shakeup in organization
MLB: The New York Mets are braced for a shakeup.
Manager Jerry Manuel and general manager Omar Minaya both said Friday they have not been notified they are losing their jobs following another season filled with injuries rather than accomplishments.
Sports Illustrated, citing unidentified sources, reported on its website earlier in the day that the team will announce after the season that the pair won’t return in their roles.
Speculation about their futures has swirled for weeks. The guaranteed portion of Manuel’s contract expires at the end of the season, and Minaya, completing his sixth season, is due two more years.
After coming within a win of reaching the World Series in 2006, the Mets have slopped through four sorry seasons.
First, they blew a seven-game lead with 17 to play in 2007 by going 5-12 down the stretch. Then, after manager Willie Randolph was fired in June 2008 and Manuel was promoted from bench coach, they wasted a 31/2-game lead with 17 remaining.
• Rangers add Hunter to playoff rotation: Right-hander Tommy Hunter will be added to the Texas Rangers’ playoff rotation. Manager Ron Washington announced the decision after saying earlier in the week that he’d go with a three-man rotation of Cliff Lee, C.J. Wilson and Colby Lewis in the A.L. Division Series against either the Rays or Yankees.
• Beltre heads home for birth of child: Adrian Beltre left Boston for Los Angeles before Friday night’s game against the New York Yankees to be with his wife, Sandra, who was about to give birth to their third child. Manager Terry Francona doesn’t expect the former Seattle Mariner back this season.
U.S. women cruise into Worlds semis
Miscellany: Angel McCoughtry scored 17 points and Maya Moore added 15 to help the United States rout South Korea 106-44 and advance to the semifinals of the women’s basketball world championship at Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic.
Candice Dupree added 12 points and Swin Cash 11 for the U.S. (7-0), which will take on the winner of today’s France-Spain game.
• TDF winner Contador denies blood doping: Three-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador denies that his positive test for a banned drug stems from blood doping rather than contaminated steak, his spokesman said.
The French sports daily L’Equipe reported that the German lab that found a tiny amount of the banned drug clenbuterol in Contador’s urine sample also found plastic residues of the kind that might turn up after a transfusion of blood from a plastic bag.
Contador spokesman Jacinto Vidarte told the Associated Press the Spanish rider “categorically denies having a blood transfusion.”
• U.S. revives hopes at volleyball worlds: The United States rallied for a 3-2 win over crowd favorite Cameroon at the men’s world championships, putting the Olympic champions back on track for a spot in the third round in Rome.
The Americans won 23-25, 25-14, 25-27, 25-20, 15-7, led by Clayton Stanley’s 21 kills and five aces.
Jackson, Atogwe game-time decisions
NFL: The availability of St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson and safety Oshiomogho Atogwe against Seattle will be a game-time decision.
Both saw limited work in practice. Jackson is nursing a groin injury and Atogwe bruised his thigh in last week’s win over Washington. Neither practiced Wednesday or Thursday.
• Jets’ CB Revis nearing return: Darrelle Revis is getting closer to returning to the lineup for the New York Jets.
The All-Pro cornerback participated in individual drills for the first time since injuring his left hamstring nearly two weeks ago, but will not play in the Jets’ game at Buffalo on Sunday.
• Delhomme’s status still up in air: Cleveland Browns starting quarterback Jake Delhomme, who missed the past two games with a badly sprained right ankle, practiced for the second straight day, but it’s still not certain if he’ll play when the Browns host the Cincinnati Bengals this week.
• Bills reach injury settlement with LB Mitchell: The Buffalo Bills released Kawika Mitchell after coming to an injury settlement with the veteran linebacker who was placed on injured reserve prior to the Bills’ season opener against Miami.
De Jonge, Haas share Viking Classic lead
Golf: Brendon de Jonge used a fast early start at the Viking Classic to shoot his second straight 66 and Bill Haas matched him with a 66, joining de Jonge at 12 under after two rounds.
Michael Allen finished three strokes back after a 6-under 66.
• Senior takes first-round Ensure lead: Peter Senior eagled the final hole for a 7-under 65 and a one-stroke lead over Bernhard Langer, Fred Couples and Tom Kite at the Ensure Classic at Conover, N.C.
Fulton Allem, Dan Forsman, Nick Price, Hal Sutton and Gary Hallberg were another stroke off the lead.
Kahne wins pole at Kansas Speedway
Auto racing: Kasey Kahne and Paul Menard swept the front row in qualifying for Sunday’s Sprint Cup race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan.
Kahne drove his Ford to a quick lap of 174.644 mph, earning his third pole of the season. Menard ran 174.469 mph on the 1.5-mile tri-oval.
Jeff Gordon qualified third at 174.430 in his Chevrolet. He was the highest qualifier among drivers in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. Denny Hamlin qualified 12th and Jimmie Johnson was 21st.
• Franchitti wins Homestead pole: Defending IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti captured the pole for today’s season finale at Homestead, putting together a top lap of 213.187 mph around the 1.5-mile oval to pull within 11 points of Australian Will Power in the championship race.
Franchitti’s Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon will start second. Power qualified third.