Raiders' Rhodes gets four-game ban

July 4, 2007

NFL
Oakland Raiders running back Dominic Rhodes was suspended yesterday for the first four games of the season for violating the league's substance abuse policy. The league does not disclose reasons for substance abuse suspensions, but Rhodes pleaded guilty in the offseason to reckless driving charges in Indiana after prosecutors agreed to drop drunken driving charges against him. Rhodes, who spent his first six years in Indianapolis, signed a two-year contract in the offseason with the Raiders that could be worth up to $7.5 million. Rhodes started all 16 regular-season games for the Colts last season, rushing for 641 yards and five touchdowns . . . Special teams ace Torrie Cox of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers also was suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the substance-abuse policy . . . The Chicago Bears signed first-round draft pick Greg Olsen to a five-year contract, making the tight end from Miami the first player taken in the first two rounds to agree on a deal.

Baseball

Pedro Martínez threw a simulated game at the New York Mets' complex in Port St. Lucie, Fla., delivering 50 pitches in three innings. "It is a step in the right direction," Mets manager Willie Randolph said. Assistant general manager John Ricco said the team will see how the 35-year-old righthander responds to this outing before deciding whether Martinez will go on a minor league assignment. Martinez had rotator cuff surgery last fall . . . Arizona pitcher Randy Johnson was put on the 15-day disabled list for the third time this season, sidelined because of a sore back right before his scheduled start at St. Louis. Johnson is 4-3 with a 3.81 ERA this season. The 43-year-old lefthander had back surgery last October and recently was diagnosed with a herniated disk . . . Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jon Lieber will undergo season-ending surgery Friday to repair a ruptured tendon in his left foot. Lieber, 37, was 3-6 with a 4.73 ERA in 12 starts this season . . . The AL West-leading Los Angeles Angels designated righthander Hector Carrasco for assignment and recalled righthander Chris Resop from Triple A Salt Lake. The 37-year-old Carrasco was 2-1 with a 6.57 ERA in one start and 28 relief appearances this season . . . The Chicago White Sox placed outfielder Scott Podsednik on the 15-day DL because of a strained left ribcage muscle . . . The Reds replaced bench coach Bucky Dent with minor league manager Pat Kelly. Dent, who had been with the Reds since 2005, was removed after the Sunday firing of manager Jerry Narron . . . Pirates reliever Salomon Torres filed a grievance against the team nearly four months ago, alleging he was induced into signing a below-market contract last year by promises the club would rent his baseball training complex in the Dominican Republic. Torres, whose case has yet to be heard, personally negotiated his $6.2 million, two-year deal in March 2006, when he was a setup man.

Auto racing

NASCAR has not ruled out suspending drivers as a deterrent for cheating on the Car of Tomorrow. Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. have all been docked 100 points when their cars failed inspections. Their crew chiefs were fined $100,000 and suspended six races apiece, but the drivers have been allowed to compete and all three are in contention for the Chase for the Championship. "We'd like not to get to [suspending drivers]," chairman Brian France said during a conference call. "We'd like to make the deterrent, a portion of the penalty, significant enough that that isn't necessary for us to do. But are we willing to go there? Of course we would." France also said NASCAR is investigating reports that crew chiefs Chad Knaus, Steve Letarte, and Tony Eury Jr. were at New Hampshire International Speedway last weekend despite their suspensions . . . Ferrari has fired a British technician following an internal investigation into attempted sabotage before the Monaco Grand Prix. "All I can say is that Nigel Stepney is no longer our employee," Ferrari spokesman Luca Colajanni said. The Italian Formula One team has also filed a criminal complaint against Stepney, who was responsible for team performance. Stepney allegedly was disappointed he was not promoted to technical director when Ross Brawn left the team after last season. Stepney criticized Ferrari in an interview last month with a British newspaper and the team responded by not sending him to races anymore.

Soccer

Peru and Uruguay advanced to the Copa America quarterfinals. Peru came from behind twice -- the second time playing a man short -- to tie Bolivia, 2-2, and Uruguay played a 0-0 tie with host Venezuela, which already was assured a berth in the final eight. The United States, which opened with a 4-1 loss to Argentina and a 3-1 loss to Paraguay, could be eliminated before it even plays its final first-round game tomorrow against Colombia (0-2). The US team would lose any chance to advance if Brazil and Chile both pick up at least one point today . . . Freddy Adu scored three goals and the US recovered from an early deficit to rout Poland, 6-1, in Montreal at the Under-20 World Cup . . .

Miscellany

Tiger Woods revealed that his wife, Elin, was admitted to the hospital the Thursday of last month's US Open, experiencing complications as she prepared to deliver the couple's first child. "It wasn't life-threatening or anything, but she just had a few problems and had to be admitted," Woods said. "It wasn't easy." Sam Alexis Woods was born June 18 . . . The winner of this month's British Open will receive $1.5 million, making it the richest top prize in any major . . . Mitch Cozad, the former Northern Colorado punter accused of stabbing the starter, testified in Greeley, Colo., that he felt bullied while being interrogated by detectives and that he implied he wanted a lawyer, only to be ignored . . . Giro d'Italia winner Danilo Di Luca and third-place finisher Eddy Mazzoleni's had their hearings before Italian Olympic Committee doping prosecutors postponed until next week. The pair were to be interrogated in the "Oil For Drugs" case, a four-year-old doping probe, which reportedly involves several Italian athletes and doctors. Mazzoleni will be heard July 13 and Di Luca a day later . . . Anna Kournikova will open the season, Pete Sampras plans to play four matches, and John McEnroe will try to keep up "with the big boys" of World Team Tennis. Co-founded by Billie Jean King, the coed league kicks off its 32d season tomorrow. The monthlong series will feature appearances by Venus and Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, and the top-ranked doubles duo of Bob and Mike Bryan . . . Seattle's Sue Bird was the leading vote-getter among the WNBA All-Star starters announced last night . . . Sophia Young matched her season-high with 24 points as the San Antonio Silver Stars defeated the host Washington Mystics, 84-79, in WNBA action . . . Lauren Jackson scored 11 of her 23 points in the third quarter to help the host Seattle Storm defeat the Los Angeles Sparks, 90-71 . . . Kelly Miller scored a season-high 16 points, and the Phoenix Mercury held off a late rally by the host Minnesota Lynx, 95-79 . . . Eighteen crews from the United States, including one from Connecticut, are set to race today in England at Henley Royal Regatta, one of the world's oldest rowing events . . . Michael Kasprzak has been hired as the boys' basketball coach at Melrose High School.