Deal for Cubs under agreement

It looks like All-Star Ryan Braun’s recent call for the front office to make a move soon to improve the Brewers did not fall on deaf ears. Except, general manager Doug Melvin wasn’t happy with what he heard. “It was inappropriate for him to say what he said, and I’m not happy about it,’’ Melvin said. “To make the statements he made and also get on his teammates like that, it was irresponsible on his part. It just ticked me off.’’ Braun told reporters after Sunday’s loss to the Cubs, “We’re at the point right now where it would be important for us to go out there and acquire somebody.’’

The Giants placed lefthander Randy Johnson on the 15-day disabled list after an MRI revealed a strained shoulder. The Big Unit hurt himself during an at-bat Sunday . . . Tigers manager Jim Leyland said he’s skipping Rick Porcello’s next turn in the rotation but insisted the rookie’s last two starts did not factor in the decision. Porcello (8-6) gave up nine earned runs in his last two outings.

A meeting last week of more than a dozen players has resulted in a letter sent to the LPGA Tour’s board urging that commissioner Carolyn Bivens resign, according to a report in Golfweek. The magazine reported key players stated in the letter that the tour’s woes cannot be blamed on a poor economy, and they said the tour should find a new leader to rebuild relationships with longtime sponsors. World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa, Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Morgan Pressel, and Natalie Gulbis were among the group who met in Toledo, Ohio. The tour has lost seven tournaments since 2007, including all three in Hawaii.

Six weeks after Phil Mickelson disclosed that his wife had breast cancer, his mother was diagnosed with the disease. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported on its website that Mary Mickelson discovered she had breast cancer last week. She is to have surgery Friday at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, the same hospital where Mickelson’s wife, Amy, had surgery last Wednesday.

Guard Jason Kidd has given the Mavericks a verbal commitment that he will re-sign. Kidd, 36, will receive a three-year, fully guaranteed contract worth in excess of $25 million. According to ESPN.com, the Mavericks are also interested in trading for the Raptors’ Shawn Marion, who might be expendable because Toronto signed Hedo Turkoglo last Friday . . . Dwyane Wade will remain in Miami on one condition: He wants the Heat to become championship contenders again, the quicker the better. Otherwise he will not re-sign next summer. The reigning NBA scoring champion, who can opt out of his contract after the upcoming season, said getting to the playoffs “is not enough.’’

NASCAR asked a federal judge to reverse the ruling that lifted driver Jeremy Mayfield’s indefinite suspension for failing a random drug test. The motion filed in US District Court sought the reversal of the injunction last Wednesday that cleared Mayfield to return to competition. NASCAR also filed notice of its intent to appeal to the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va.

USA Basketball said Connecticut’s Maya Moore has been diagnosed with a knee sprain and will not play in the World University Games . . . Former five-time world champion boxer Johnny Tapia is behind bars again. The New Mexico Department of Corrections said Tapia violated the terms of his parole by entering a bar and getting into a verbal confrontation . . . Hall of Fame offensive lineman Lou Creekmur, 82, who starred on the Detroit Lions’ three NFL championship teams of the 1950s, died after a lengthy illness in Tamarac, Fla. Obituary, B12 . . . Rene Capo, a two-time Olympian in Judo, died in Chicago after a yearlong battle with lung cancer. He was 48 . . . Newly acquired Cristiano Ronaldo received a rapturous welcome from 80,000 Real Madrid fans at his welcoming press conference in Madrid . . . About 300 angry AC Milan supporters protested the club’s sale of Kaka by throwing smoke bombs and fire crackers outside the team’s first preseason training session.