Phillies' Romero hit with 50-game ban

Major League Baseball yesterday suspended Phillies reliever J.C. Romero, the winning pitcher in the clinching game of the World Series, for the first 50 games of next season after he tested positive for a banned substance. ESPN.com reported Monday night that Romero, who pitched for the Red Sox in 2007, contends the supplement he took was legal because he bought it over the counter at a nutrition store in the US. An arbitrator decided against Romero in November. "The fact of the matter is we're supportive of J.C.," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro said. "We'll deal with it, and we'll move forward from it." MLB also suspended Yankees minor league pitcher Sergio Mitre 50 games for using a banned substance.

The Indians and free agent Carl Pavano agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract, and GM Mark Shapiro said the oft-injured righthander is guaranteed a spot in the rotation as long as he's healthy following spring training . . . Mets executives will meet today with agent Scott Boras to talk about two of his free agent clients: righthander Derek Lowe and lefty Oliver Perez. The Mets have offered Lowe a contract worth about $36 million over three years . . . Free agent first baseman Jason Giambi is nearing a deal to return to the Athletics, according to a person familiar with the negotiations, who spoke on condition of anonymity. It is expected to be a one-year contract with an option . . . The Rockies bolstered their starting rotation by acquiring righthander Jason Marquis (11-9, 4.53 ERA in 2008) from the Cubs for reliever Luis Vizcaino (5.28 ERA in 43 appearances) . . . After agreeing to a one-year, $750,000 contract with the Marlins last week, reliever Scott Proctor passed his physical in Miami to finalize the deal . . . The Phillies finalized a one-year, $2.5 million contract with righthander Chan Ho Park. The sides agreed to terms last month . . . Reliever Tyler Walker and the Mariners agreed to a one-year contract.

North Carolina State women's basketball coach Kay Yow, 66, will not return to the team this season because of health issues related to her long fight against breast cancer. Yow said in a statement that she just doesn't have the energy to coach the way she always has . . . The charter plane carrying the Louisville men's basketball team to tonight's game at South Florida had to return to the Louisville airport after a warning light falsely indicated a fire on board. Houston-based ExpressJet spokeswoman Kristy Nicholas said the plane was at about 10,000 feet and less than 10 minutes into its flight yesterday when a warning message in the cockpit indicated there was a fire. Louisville associate athletic director Kenny Klein reported no injuries . . . Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff said he is investigating the BCS for a possible violation of federal antitrust laws, contending the bowl setup unfairly puts schools like undefeated Utah at a competitive and financial disadvantage. To succeed in a lawsuit, Shurtleff would have to prove a conspiracy exists that creates a monopoly . . . Nick Holt, who directed Southern Cal's swarming defense the last three seasons, joined former USC offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian's coaching staff at Washington, agreeing to a three-year, $2.1 million contract.

Nuggets All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony will miss at least three weeks with a broken bone in his shooting hand, but he won't need surgery. Anthony was fitted with a removable splint after breaking a bone in his right hand against Indiana Monday night. "Hopefully the healing process will be a lot quicker [than the estimated 3-4 weeks]," Anthony said . . . Injured 76ers forward Elton Brand, who is rehabbing a fracture and tear in his right shoulder, hopes to return to practice by the end of the week.

Top-ranked Rafael Nadal routed Fabrice Santoro, 6-0, 6-1, in 46 minutes in his first ATP Tour match of the year, while Roger Federer and Andy Murray also breezed into the second round of the Qatar Open . . . Struggling with a new racket, top-seeded Novak Djokovic was upset, 6-4, 6-4, by Ernests Gulbis in his opening match of the season at the Brisbane International in Australia . . . Top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko defeated Daniel Koellerer, 6-2, 6-3, to advance to the second round of the Chennai Open in India, but second-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka lost, 6-4, 6-1, to Flavio Cipolla.

Bode Miller was disqualified for wearing boots a mere one-hundredth of an inch too high in a World Cup slalom event in Zagreb, Croatia, won by France's Jean-Baptiste Grange. Miller, last year's overall World Cup champion from Franconia, N.H., finished 29th in the first of two legs. Before the second run he was disqualified by the International Ski Federation after a random equipment check. "The rules are clear so nothing we can do about that," said Forest Carey, the coach of Miller's independent ski team . . . Mats Sundin believes there's a "good chance" he'll debut for the Vancouver Canucks tonight in Edmonton. Sundin, signed Dec. 18, had his first full practice Monday . . . St. Louis Blues left wing Paul Kariya had left hip surgery and will be sidelined indefinitely . . . David Beckham had a quiet debut for AC Milan, exiting at halftime before his club beat Hamburg, 4-3, in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in an exhibition match in Dubai.