Fast Break

Rodeo

Gray rides way into NFR again

Ryan Gray is headed back to the National Finals Rodeo.

The Cheney bareback rider is 12th in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association with $63,157. The top 15 qualify for the 10-day NFR in Las Vegas next month. Gray was less than $5,000 ahead of the 16th spot.

The PRCA completed its fourth and final audit for the season Tuesday to determine the qualifiers.

Gray will be a long shot to win the championship. Defending champion Will Lowe of Canyon, Texas, goes into the Finals with $151,924.

Gray was a contender last year, entering the NFR in the top five.

Baseball

Nationals name Acta manager

Manny Acta was hired by the Washington Nationals, making him the youngest manager in the major leagues.

Acta, 37, coached the New York Mets the past two years.

He replaces 71-year-old Frank Robinson, who was told during the final week of the season that he wouldn’t be back.

The Nationals went 71-91 in 2006, finishing in last place in the National League East for the third consecutive season. New ownership, led by team president Stan Kasten, is overseeing an overhaul of the team in hopes of being competitive when Washington’s new stadium opens in 2008.

Acta agreed to a two-year contract with two club options.

Baseball

Arizona’s Webb wins Cy Young

Arizona Diamondbacks ace pitcher Brandon Webb captured the National League Cy Young Award in balloting released by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

Webb, who went 16-8 with a 3.10 ERA for Arizona in 2006, received 15 of a possible 32 first-place votes, totaling 103 points in a 5-3-1 points system.

He beat out San Diego Padres closer Trevor Hoffman (12 first-place votes, 77 points overall) and last year’s winner, St. Louis Cardinals starter Chris Carpenter (two first-place votes, 63 points).

Webb and Randy Johnson are the only Diamondbacks pitchers to win the award.