Associated Press
KISSIMMEE, Fla. ó The Atlanta Braves tried to close a deal with Ken Griffey Jr. on Tuesday, hoping the aging slugger who ranks fifth on baseball’s career homer list can bolster an outfield that produced the fewest long balls in the majors last season.
The 39-year-old Griffey is clearly past his prime, but his 2008 numbers ó a .249 average, 18 homers and 71 RBIs ó were more productive than any of Atlanta’s outfielders. With right fielder Jeff Francoeur having a miserable season and no one able to win full-time jobs in center and left, the Braves got only 27 homers from those three spots.
Griffey had narrowed his search for a new home to Seattle, where he starred from 1989-99, and the Braves, a team his father played for in the 1980s and long on Junior’s wish list.
– FORT MYERS, Fla. ó David Ortiz wants players who test positive for steroids to be suspended from baseball for a year instead of the current 50-game penalty.
COLLEGE NOTES
DAVIDSON ó Davidson star Stephen Curry missed practice for a second straight day Tuesday because of a sprained left ankle. It will be a game-time decision on whether he plays Wednesday night against The Citadel.
– CHAPEL HILL ó Third-ranked North Carolina appears likely to have freshman 7-footer Tyler Zeller back tonight against North Carolina State.
Zeller broke his left wrist late in the win against Kentucky on Nov. 18 and was expected to miss the rest of the season, but he recently returned to practice on a limited basis.
SUSPENDED
PHOENIX ó The Phoenix Suns have suspended Jason Richardson for one game without pay as the result of his arrest on allegations he was driving 55 mph above the limit with his unrestrained 3-year-old son in the car.
TENNIS
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates ó Top-seeded Serena Williams dropped the first four games before recovering for a three-set victory over Sara Errani of Italy in the second round of the Dubai Tennis Championships on Tuesday.
The Australian Open champion won 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 at the Aviation Club, while her sister Venus had an easy time defeating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkov of Russia 6-0, 6-1.
SAKIC UPDATE
DENVER ó The Colorado Avalanche remain confident that captain Joe Sakic will return to the ice this season after he recovers from a back operation and three broken fingers.
Sakic mangled his left hand in a snow blower accident in December and while he was sidelined he underwent surgery to repair a herniated disk that had been bothering him all season.