Sports Shorts
Manny Ramirez and the Athletics reached agreement on a minor league contract yesterday, with Ramirez expected to report to spring training by the end of the week.
The 12-time All-Star is due to serve a 50-game suspension for his second positive drug test before he can play for the A’s. Barring rainouts, his first game could be May 30 — on his 40th birthday. Ramirez ranks 14th on the career list with 555 home runs.
* Rockies manager Jim Tracy has received what general manager Dan O’Dowd calls an “indefinite” contract extension. O’Dowd said there was only a handshake — no formal paperwork or press release. Tracy’s previous contract took him through this season, so he eventually must sign a new deal. The 56-year-old manager says he would like to one day retire with the Rockies.
In Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki had 26 points and moved into the top 20 on the NBA career scoring list as the Mavericks beat the short-handed and struggling Celtics 89-73.
Nowitzki raised his career total to 23, 354 points, moving past Hall of Famer Robert Parish (23,334), who played 14 of his 21 NBA seasons for the Celtics.
* In Chicago, Derrick Rose scored 23 points in his return from back pain, and the Bulls beat the struggling Hawks 90-79. Rose looked sharp after missing the previous five games.
* In Salt Lake City, Tony Parker scored 23 points, Matt Bonner hit five 3-pointers and the Spurs defeated the Jazz 106-102 for their 11th consecutive victory.
* Trail Blazers center Greg Oden was scheduled to have arthroscopic surgery to “remove debris” from his left knee.
The team announced that the former No. 1 pick in the 2007 draft was to have surgery yesterday in Vail, Colo. The often-injured 7-footer had the same procedure on his right knee earlier this month.
In Philadelphia, Shabazz Napier swished a 29-footer with 0.6 seconds left in overtime, and Jeremy Lamb scored a career-high 32 points to help Connecticut stun Villanova 73-70.
* In Austin, Texas, Quincy Acy had 22 points and 16 rebounds to power No. 13 Baylor to a tough 77-72 win over Texas. Baylor rallied from a 12-point deficit early in the second half as the Bears improved to 23-5 and 10-5 in the Big 12.
