Tampa Bay extends Kazmir's welcome

May 15, 2008

Tampa Bay Rays lefthander Scott Kazmir, the 2007 AL strikeout leader, agreed to a $28.5 million, three-year extension through 2011, a deal with a club option that could raise the contract's value to $39.5 million over four seasons . . . The Chicago Cubs agreed to a contract with eight-time Gold Glove winner and four-time All-Star Jim Edmonds, five days after the 37-year-old outfielder was released by the Padres . . . Shortstop Jeff Keppinger will be sidelined for 4-6 weeks with a broken left kneecap, leaving the Cincinnati Reds without their most consistent hitter . . . Pirates catcher Ryan Doumit, who broke his left thumb on a passed ball Tuesday, will be sidelined at least a month . . . Nationals first baseman Nick Johnson, who strained a tendon in his wrist on a swing against the Mets Tuesday, was sent to Washington for tests on his sore right wrist . . . Jim Hoey, who pitched in 23 games for Baltimore last year, underwent shoulder surgery May 4 and will miss the rest of the season . . . Met Pedro Martinez threw 55 pitches during a simulated game in Florida, the latest step in his recuperation from a hamstring injury . . . After a toughened drug agreement was passed unanimously by baseball's executive council, commissioner Bud Selig said he expects an easy path to ratification when owners meet today. Players and owners have until May 23 to ratify the drug agreement their negotiators signed off on last month. The deal increases the frequency of tests and the authority of the program's independent administrator . . . Giants owner Peter Magowan dodged questions about speculation he might announce he will step down . . . The Atlantic Coast Conference championship will be held at Fenway Park next year.

This time, Finland inflicted emotional pain. Sami Lepisto took a pass from Saku Koivu at the point and fired the puck past goalie Robert Esche at 3:59 of overtime, enabling Finland to advance to the semifinals of the world championships by edging the United States, 3-2, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, for the second time in four days. The US, which fell in a qualifying-round match Sunday that featured more than 200 penalty minutes, rallied from a 2-0 deficit last night. Olli Jokinen, ejected from Sunday's game for a hitting Tim Gleason from behind, set up goals that gave Finland a 2-0 lead. But Bruin Phil Kessel, assisted by Gleason, scored his sixth of the tournament with 4:16 to play, and Drew Stafford's shorthanded goal tied it with 3:39 left. The teams combined for 18 penalty minutes last night. Finland will play Russia (a 6-0 winner over Switzerland) tomorrow in Quebec . . . Mattias Weinhandl's overtime goal in Quebec gave Sweden a 3-2 victory over the Czech Republic. Sweden will play Canada tomorrow. Canada routed Norway, 8-2, in Halifax, getting three goals from Derek Roy. The Revolution's busy season got busier. New England, which will play at least three games in the MLS-Mexican SuperLiga in July, was selected along with Chivas USA, D.C. United, and the Houston Dynamo as the US representatives in the initial CONCACAF Champions League. The Revolution, who won the US Open Cup championship and advanced to the MLS Cup last season, will be among the 16 teams who will play in the qualifying round - two-game, home-and-away series in the final week of August and first week in September.

Quarterback Ryan Perrilloux, kicked off Louisiana State's national championship team after off-the-field problems, signed with Jacksonville State. Perrilloux will be able to start immediately for the Gamecocks because they play in the Football Championship Subdivision . . . Prosecutors in Miami said a fifth person, 16-year-old Timothy Brown, has been charged in the slaying of Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor. Taylor died of massive blood loss after he was shot at his Miami-area home during a botched robbery in November. Brown is charged with first-degree murder and armed burglary of an occupied dwelling. The Miami Herald reported on its website that one of the other four suspects, Venjah Hunte, has pleaded guilty. Under the plea agreement, Hunte will serve 29 years in prison and cooperate with prosecutors . . . Star tight end Kellen Winslow did not attend the first day of Cleveland's organized team activities . . . The Browns cut defensive back Kenny Wright, who was arrested last month on marijuana possession charges . . . The Baltimore Ravens reached a compromise with franchise player Terrell Suggs, his agent said. Gary Wichard said the defensive end/linebacker will be paid a one-year tender worth nearly $8.5 million.

American sprinter Michelle Collins, 37, was reinstated by track and field's governing body, the IAAF, after serving three-plus years of a suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs. The ban was to expire in July but it was reduced because Collins cooperated with investigators . . . Kelvin Sampson was hired as an assistant by Milwaukee Bucks coach Scott Skiles . . . San Antonio Silver Stars guard Shanna Crossley will miss the WNBA season after tearing a knee ligament in a preseason game . . . The Connecticut Sun gave a contract extension to coach Mike Thibault . . . Rafael Nadal needed a tiebreaker to overcome Potito Starace, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6), and James Blake was upset by Janko Tipsarevic, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, at the Hamburg Masters. . . Williams will play Washington and Lee University today for the Division 3 national women's tennis championship in St. Peter, Minn. Ephs Nicole Riech and Annie Hancock each won in singles and doubles as Williams ousted Pomona-Pitzer, 5-2, in a semifinal.