среда, 3 октября 2012 г.

On 2 - Winnipeg Free Press

Wonky hammy sidelines Mets' Martinez

MIAMI -- Pedro Martinez will be sidelined 4-to-6 weeks with what the New York Mets said was a mild strain of his left hamstring.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner was placed on the 15-day disabled list before the Mets' game against the Florida Marlins on Wednesday night.

Martinez was injured Tuesday night, returned to New York and was examined by Dr. David Altchek at the Hospital for Special Surgery.

'It doesn't look good,' manager Willie Randolph said before the diagnosis was announced by Mets spokesman Jay Horwitz. 'He said he heard a pop, and that is not a good thing. It could have just been a combination of a real bad cramp or a strain. 'Any time a pitcher pulls a hamstring, that is usually automatic DL.'

Wickenheiser makes SI's list

of toughest jocks

Canadian women's hockey star Hayley Wickenheiser ranked 20th on Sports Illustrated's list of the 25 toughest athletes, posted on its website Tuesday.

Golf superstar Tiger Woods was ranked first overall.

Wickenheiser, from Shaunavon, Sask., was the second of two women on the list, coming in behind British triathlete Chrissie Wellington, who was No. 10.

'No player in women's hockey drives to the net with such purpose and fury,' the website says of Wickenheiser. 'Wickenheiser has grown from teen phenom to grande dame of Canadian hockey, carrying the weight of her country and game every time on the ice. Sadly, she isn't allowed to body check.'

Musher Lance Mackey was second, mixed martial arts fighter Anderson Silva was third, NFLer Bob Sanders was fourth and hulking Boston Bruins defenceman Zdeno Chara was fifth.

Denver Nuggets guard Allen Iverson was the top NBAer, at No. 7, while San Francisco Giants centre-fielder Aaron Rowand was the top baseball player, at No. 17.

On Wednesday Wickenheiser scored a natural hat trick in Canada's 6-1 win over Sweden in exhibition women's hockey in Harbin, China.

The game was a World Women's Hockey Championship warmup for both countries. Canada, the reigning Olympic and world champions, opens defence of its world title Friday against Russia.

The Swedes, who won bronze last year in Winnipeg and silver in the 2006 Olympics, start the tournament against promoted Japan.

-- The Canadian Press

Fenerbahce nips Chelsea in first leg stunner

LONDON -- Deivid de Souza scored a late goal Wednesday to give Fenerbahce a 2-1 upset over Chelsea, and Liverpool got a crucial away goal in its 1-1 draw at Arsenal in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals.

Deivid gave Chelsea the lead with an own-goal in the 13th minute, but he then scored with a dramatic shot from distance in the 81st to give the Turkish team a win in its first appearance in the quarter-finals of Europe's top club competition.

Five-time European champion Liverpool came back with a 26th-minute goal from Dirk Kuyt to get its draw at English rival Arsenal after Emmanuel Adebayor put the hosts ahead three minutes earlier. The teams will play again in the second leg on Tuesday, with the winners facing each other later this month in the semifinals.

'We are in a good position, playing at Anfield with our supporters who are a massive difference,' Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez said. 'But against a good team with the quality you could see today we need to play counter-attack and working very hard in defence.'

Chelsea took the lead at Sukru Saracoglu stadium when Deivid deflected a cross from Florent Malouda into his own net. But Kazim Kazim equalized in the 65th by beating the offside trap and beating Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini.

'We are strong enough at home,' Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack said. 'Everything is in our hands.'

Chelsea almost scored a goal of its own in the 26th when a header by Frank Lampard went wide. Didier Drogba then had a close-range shot saved by goalkeeper Volkan Demirel in the 29th.

'Normally it's a good result to lose 2-1 away from home, but because we played the better football, we are disappointed,' Chelsea manager Avram Grant said.

Kuyt scored for Liverpool by sliding inside the 6-yard box and deflecting in a cross from captain Steve Gerrard, three minutes after Adebayor had given the hosts the lead at the Emirates Stadium with a header off a cross from Robin van Persie. Emmanuel Eboue nearly scored another for Arsenal, but Martin Skrtel cleared it off the line with Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina beaten.

This was the first of three matches between Arsenal and Liverpool in six days.

-- The Associated Press

Condition improving,

but Koskie still can't play

MINNEAPOLIS -- Corey Koskie came to the Metrodome on Wednesday, and he didn't get sick.

That's not a joke about the dingy stadium the Minnesota Twins are two years from leaving. That's an accomplishment for the 34-year-old native of Anola who wants to be a third baseman in the major leagues again despite persistent post-concussion symptoms that won't let him.

The last time Koskie showed up at the Dome to see his old teammates, his daily nemeses -- dizziness and nausea -- told him it was time to go back home.

That was last summer, so he's clearly making progress. He's able to play catch and goof around with his three very active sons, ages seven, five and three, and drive them to and from school in their suburban community in the Twin Cities area. But visual stimuli still give him trouble. When he walks from a confined space to a large, open area, he often feels wobbly. Actual baseball activities are currently out of the question.

'I want to get to the point where I can go run and exercise and not think about it,' said Koskie, who had lunch with former teammate Torii Hunter and brought the new Angels centre-fielder to the ballpark. Koskie was in a chatty mood, talking to a small group of reporters for more than 15 minutes after catching up with Twins players, coaches and employees.

-- The Associated Press