Hanley Ramirez returns to Marlins’ lineup

ST. LOUIS — One locker stall at a time, Hanley Ramirez worked his way around the Florida clubhouse to offer his apologies.

A few hours later, the Marlins star was back in a more familiar, comfortable place: batting third and playing shortstop. The team was ready to put the unsightly outburst that led to a benching behind them.

"He told us he was sorry and he was wrong … and he wouldn’t let it happen again," teammate Wes Helms said Wednesday. "Doing it that way is a lot easier than doing it front of a whole crowd.

"Whatever way he does it, we just wanted him to do it, and he did it. So now it’s done with," he said.

Ramirez singled in his first two at-bats against Jaime Garcia of the St. Louis Cardinals. He was roundly booed before he came up the first time and there was no reaction when he stepped to the plate leading off the third.

Two days after pulling Ramirez for not hustling, manager Fredi Gonzalez handled his clear-the-air chat with the two-time All-Star like a father with a son that’s been grounded. Then Gonzalez put out the lineup card that included the reigning NL batting champion, and tossed away an alternate card he had prepared just in case.

"I think we’re all parents here," Gonzalez said.. "Sometimes our children will say something that hurts, but it’s no big deal, we still love them.

"After this is all said and done, 10-15 years down the road we’ll sit down and say: ‘What a privilege to get a chance to manage this type of ballplayer.’"

Ramirez didn’t play Tuesday after taking shots at his manager and teammates. Gonzalez considered the matter old news after chatting for five or 10 minutes with Ramirez in the manager’s office — Ramirez stood just inside an open door — several hours before a game against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Gonzalez seemed surprised when more than a dozen members of the media were waiting for his daily briefing, which on this day was all about Ramirez.

Asked whether the benching had made a point, he told reporters who had been critical of Ramirez that "you guys made the point."

"People make mistakes, it happens, it really does. We’re human beings, you know," Gonzalez said. "Sometimes it happens because you’re mad at yourself, sometimes it happens because you lose concentration."

A team spokesman said Ramirez did not plan to speak with the media, although the shortstop did a telephone interview with ESPNDesportes.

"I regret that all this has gotten so ugly," Ramirez said in Spanish. "It wasn’t my intention to create a distraction.I feel bad that things got to this point; the team and the fans don’t deserve it."

Helms said the apologies were said quickly, with little embellishment.

"I’m pretty sure he said the same thing to everybody. It didn’t take long," Helms said. "Just I’m sorry, won’t happen again."

Helms said he told Ramirez, "Hanley, you’re better than that," and said Ramirez responded, "I know. I shouldn’t have said the things I said."

Gonzalez had no concerns how he was viewed for putting his foot down with a star player.

"This wasn’t about me or him, this was about doing the right thing, it’s about playing the game the right way," Gonzalez said. "I just see a guy that loves the game and respects the game of baseball and tries to leave it the same way or better when we’re done."

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa supported his fellow manager.

"I don’t want to disrespect Hanley, I know he’s a great talent," La Russa said. "We see him in spring training, we have a good relationship, our club, our coaches and him.

"But I think Fredi did the right thing."

La Russa said the Ramirez blowout was a sign of the times.

"It’s more frequent ever since talented players started feeling like they were entitled," La Russa said. "They grew up without people telling them what was right and wrong. So this happens a hell of a lot more often than it used to, a ton of times more often than it used it, and it happens often enough without it being real public."

Ramirez accidentally kicked a ball about 100 feet and then jogged leisurely after it, allowing two runs to score on Monday night, and wasn’t in the lineup on Tuesday.

Earlier Monday, Ramirez fouled a ball off his left shin and was tended to by a trainer, then grounded into a double play and failed to run full speed down the line. He was taken out of the game.

"It’s his team. He can do whatever," Ramirez said the next day, mixing in an expletive. "There’s nothing I can do about it."

Ramirez was hitting .293 with seven homers and 20 RBIs and is the Marlins’ highest-paid player, in the third year of a six-year, $70 million contract.

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

ST. LOUIS — One locker stall at a time, Hanley Ramirez worked his way around the Florida clubhouse to offer his apologies.

A few hours later, the Marlins star was back in a more familiar, comfortable place: batting third and playing shortstop. The team was ready to put the unsightly outburst that led to a benching behind them.

"He told us he was sorry and he was wrong … and he wouldn’t let it happen again," teammate Wes Helms said Wednesday. "Doing it that way is a lot easier than doing it front of a whole crowd.

"Whatever way he does it, we just wanted him to do it, and he did it. So now it’s done with," he said.

Ramirez singled in his first two at-bats against Jaime Garcia of the St. Louis Cardinals. He was roundly booed before he came up the first time and there was no reaction when he stepped to the plate leading off the third.

Two days after pulling Ramirez for not hustling, manager Fredi Gonzalez handled his clear-the-air chat with the two-time All-Star like a father with a son that’s been grounded. Then Gonzalez put out the lineup card that included the reigning NL batting champion, and tossed away an alternate card he had prepared just in case.

"I think we’re all parents here," Gonzalez said.. "Sometimes our children will say something that hurts, but it’s no big deal, we still love them.

"After this is all said and done, 10-15 years down the road we’ll sit down and say: ‘What a privilege to get a chance to manage this type of ballplayer.’"

Ramirez didn’t play Tuesday after taking shots at his manager and teammates. Gonzalez considered the matter old news after chatting for five or 10 minutes with Ramirez in the manager’s office — Ramirez stood just inside an open door — several hours before a game against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Gonzalez seemed surprised when more than a dozen members of the media were waiting for his daily briefing, which on this day was all about Ramirez.

Asked whether the benching had made a point, he told reporters who had been critical of Ramirez that "you guys made the point."

"People make mistakes, it happens, it really does. We’re human beings, you know," Gonzalez said. "Sometimes it happens because you’re mad at yourself, sometimes it happens because you lose concentration."

A team spokesman said Ramirez did not plan to speak with the media, although the shortstop did a telephone interview with ESPNDesportes.

"I regret that all this has gotten so ugly," Ramirez said in Spanish. "It wasn’t my intention to create a distraction.I feel bad that things got to this point; the team and the fans don’t deserve it."

Helms said the apologies were said quickly, with little embellishment.

"I’m pretty sure he said the same thing to everybody. It didn’t take long," Helms said. "Just I’m sorry, won’t happen again."

Helms said he told Ramirez, "Hanley, you’re better than that," and said Ramirez responded, "I know. I shouldn’t have said the things I said."

Gonzalez had no concerns how he was viewed for putting his foot down with a star player.

"This wasn’t about me or him, this was about doing the right thing, it’s about playing the game the right way," Gonzalez said. "I just see a guy that loves the game and respects the game of baseball and tries to leave it the same way or better when we’re done."

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa supported his fellow manager.

"I don’t want to disrespect Hanley, I know he’s a great talent," La Russa said. "We see him in spring training, we have a good relationship, our club, our coaches and him.

"But I think Fredi did the right thing."

La Russa said the Ramirez blowout was a sign of the times.

"It’s more frequent ever since talented players started feeling like they were entitled," La Russa said. "They grew up without people telling them what was right and wrong. So this happens a hell of a lot more often than it used to, a ton of times more often than it used it, and it happens often enough without it being real public."

Ramirez accidentally kicked a ball about 100 feet and then jogged leisurely after it, allowing two runs to score on Monday night, and wasn’t in the lineup on Tuesday.

Earlier Monday, Ramirez fouled a ball off his left shin and was tended to by a trainer, then grounded into a double play and failed to run full speed down the line. He was taken out of the game.

"It’s his team. He can do whatever," Ramirez said the next day, mixing in an expletive. "There’s nothing I can do about it."

Ramirez was hitting .293 with seven homers and 20 RBIs and is the Marlins’ highest-paid player, in the third year of a six-year, $70 million contract.

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Dodgers’ Andre Ethier placed on the disabled list

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers weren’t pointing fingers at each other at the end of April when a five-game losing streak put them six games out of first place. And now that they’re back within striking distance of the NL West lead, the only finger that concerns them is Andre Ethier’s broken right pinky.

Ethier was placed on the 15-disabled list Tuesday for the first time in his five-year career, four days after a freak mishap in the indoor batting cage at San Diego’s Petco Park left him with a fracture in the top knuckle of his finger after it slipped off the knob and shifted to the other side of the bat handle.

"It’s disappointing. I took pride in playing every day and playing through some of the nagging stuff," Ethier said. "This is a year that has challenged me more in terms of playing every day.

"There was the knee that held me out the last couple of games in spring training, and then there was the ankle thing in the second game of the season. Those are bigger things that you expect to hold you out, but a small little chip of a bone off your pinky, that was the last thing I thought about at this point."

The Dodgers made the move before their game against Houston, which happened to be Andre Either Bobblehead Night.

"Whenever you lose one of your beat hitters, obviously it’s something that you’ve got to figure out a way to make up for," general manager Ned Colletti said. "He’s a middle-of-the-order bat, and his ability to hit in the clutch is well above average."

Ethier has 11 walkoff hits since the end of the 2008 season, six of them home runs. His two game-ending hits this season were an RBI single on April 15 against Arizona and a grand slam on May 6 against Milwaukee.

"Individual performance is nice and definitely makes you feel a little bit better about yourself at the end of the night," Ethier said. "But when we’re sitting two games out at this point in time after being six out, that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, not to be out there and help keep this thing going."

Ethier entered Tuesday leading the majors with a .392 average and 38 RBIs, and also was tied for the league lead in home runs with 11.

"What makes it bad is the team part," Ethier said. "We’re really coming together as a team, and it’s been a long month and a half to get ourselves into the position we’ve gotten ourselves into right now. So to be missing time because of something like that is the tough part."

The Dodgers’ entered Tuesday on en eight-game winning streak, their longest since a nine-game stretch in 2006. The primary reason is a pitching staff that has fashioned a 1.75 ERA over the past eight games.

"We really haven’t skipped a beat because of the pitching, but you know long-term you’re going to miss Andre because of what he brings to the table," manager Joe Torre said. "We just thought the safest thing was to do was what we did with him. I think it could be anywhere from two to three weeks. If it’s longer, it’s longer. But we have to make sure we take care of it now. I’m just glad we have the bench we have."

The Dodgers recalled outfielder Xavier Paul from Triple-A Albuquerque. Paul played nine games for Los Angeles this season.

"We’re not going to go out and make a trade for somebody, because, what do we do with him when Ethier comes back? Right now we just have do get through this short-term," Colletti said. "Last year we lost Manny (Ramirez) for 50 games (because of a drug suspension), so things like that happen. Let’s see how it goes."

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers weren’t pointing fingers at each other at the end of April when a five-game losing streak put them six games out of first place. And now that they’re back within striking distance of the NL West lead, the only finger that concerns them is Andre Ethier’s broken right pinky.

Ethier was placed on the 15-disabled list Tuesday for the first time in his five-year career, four days after a freak mishap in the indoor batting cage at San Diego’s Petco Park left him with a fracture in the top knuckle of his finger after it slipped off the knob and shifted to the other side of the bat handle.

"It’s disappointing. I took pride in playing every day and playing through some of the nagging stuff," Ethier said. "This is a year that has challenged me more in terms of playing every day.

"There was the knee that held me out the last couple of games in spring training, and then there was the ankle thing in the second game of the season. Those are bigger things that you expect to hold you out, but a small little chip of a bone off your pinky, that was the last thing I thought about at this point."

The Dodgers made the move before their game against Houston, which happened to be Andre Either Bobblehead Night.

"Whenever you lose one of your beat hitters, obviously it’s something that you’ve got to figure out a way to make up for," general manager Ned Colletti said. "He’s a middle-of-the-order bat, and his ability to hit in the clutch is well above average."

Ethier has 11 walkoff hits since the end of the 2008 season, six of them home runs. His two game-ending hits this season were an RBI single on April 15 against Arizona and a grand slam on May 6 against Milwaukee.

"Individual performance is nice and definitely makes you feel a little bit better about yourself at the end of the night," Ethier said. "But when we’re sitting two games out at this point in time after being six out, that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, not to be out there and help keep this thing going."

Ethier entered Tuesday leading the majors with a .392 average and 38 RBIs, and also was tied for the league lead in home runs with 11.

"What makes it bad is the team part," Ethier said. "We’re really coming together as a team, and it’s been a long month and a half to get ourselves into the position we’ve gotten ourselves into right now. So to be missing time because of something like that is the tough part."

The Dodgers’ entered Tuesday on en eight-game winning streak, their longest since a nine-game stretch in 2006. The primary reason is a pitching staff that has fashioned a 1.75 ERA over the past eight games.

"We really haven’t skipped a beat because of the pitching, but you know long-term you’re going to miss Andre because of what he brings to the table," manager Joe Torre said. "We just thought the safest thing was to do was what we did with him. I think it could be anywhere from two to three weeks. If it’s longer, it’s longer. But we have to make sure we take care of it now. I’m just glad we have the bench we have."

The Dodgers recalled outfielder Xavier Paul from Triple-A Albuquerque. Paul played nine games for Los Angeles this season.

"We’re not going to go out and make a trade for somebody, because, what do we do with him when Ethier comes back? Right now we just have do get through this short-term," Colletti said. "Last year we lost Manny (Ramirez) for 50 games (because of a drug suspension), so things like that happen. Let’s see how it goes."

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Hanley Ramirez won’t apologize for loafing

MIAMI — Florida Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez defended his play Tuesday and took shots at his manager and teammates, a day after he was pulled from a game for not hustling.

Ramirez, a two-time All-Star and last year’s NL batting champion, wasn’t in manager Fredi Gonzalez’s starting lineup against Arizona. On Monday night, he accidentally kicked a ball and then lightly jogged after it, allowing two runs to score.

The controversial play came in the second inning.
The controversial play came in the second inning.

"It’s his team. He can do whatever," Ramirez said, mixing in an expletive. "There’s nothing I can do about it."

"That’s OK. He doesn’t understand that. He never played in the big leagues," he said.

Responded Gonzalez: "He’s right, but I know how to play the game."

"I played six years in the minor leagues and I know what it takes to play this game and I know the effort it takes to play this game," he said.

It seemed unlikely Ramirez would say he was sorry.

"We got a lot of people dogging it after ground balls," he said. "They don’t apologize."

The trouble for Ramirez started in the first inning Monday night after he fouled a ball off his left shin and was tended to by a trainer. He grounded into a double play and did not run full speed down the line.

Ramirez’s costly misplay came the next inning after Tony Abreu’s looper fell near him in short left field. Ramirez booted the ball about 100 feet toward the left-field corner and slowly chased it.

"I wasn’t trying to give up," Ramirez said. "That was the hardest I could go after the ball."

Ramirez was replaced by Brian Barden an inning after the play. Gonzalez, in his fourth season at Florida’s manager, confirmed Ramirez was yanked for not hustling in the 5-1 loss.

Ramirez is hitting .293 with seven homers and 20 RBIs this year. He is the Marlins’ highest-paid player after signing a $70 million, six-year contract in 2008, and has become the face of a franchise that moves into a new ballpark in 2012.

For all his talent, however, there have been occasions in which some speculated Ramirez didn’t always hustle. Nothing ever reached this level, though.

Barden started in place of Ramirez on Tuesday and drove in two runs during an 8-0 win over Arizona. Ramirez, who was on the field for batting practice, didn’t comment after the game.

"It’s our team. I’m just the guy that makes the lineup," Gonzalez said. "I can’t control everybody going 4 for 4, but you can control the effort."

Ramirez said he lost some respect for Gonzalez for the episode.

"A little bit. We got 24 more guys out there," Ramirez said. "Hopefully they can do the same things I can do. They’re wearing the Marlins uniform."

Veteran infielder Wes Helms hopes Ramirez apologizes to his teammates.

"I can’t overlook it," Helms said. "I know people say that’s just the way he is, but you know what? That’s not the way it is. That’s not the way the game’s supposed to be played.

"And that’s what we want from Hanley. We want him to be that guy that goes out there every day … and busts his butt and does anything he can for his this team. That right there will earn the respect of not only his teammates, but everybody in the league."

Teammate Dan Uggla, a two-time All-Star second baseman, supported Gonzalez’s decision.

Last September in a game against the Atlanta Braves, Uggla and Ramirez got into a heated discussion after the star shortstop left a game early with a strained hamstring.

"I think Skip needed to do what he needed to do, which was take Hanley out of the game at that time," Uggla said. "Does that mean we love Hanley any less? No, we have all made mistakes. We’ve all done things like, ‘Oh, maybe I shouldn’t have done that.’ But you move on, you move forward you get past it."

Cameron Maybin, who hit a three-run homer Tuesday, also sided with Gonzalez.

"I think if it happened to anybody else in here, I think other teammates would feel the same way about it," Maybin said. "As long as you are playing hard nobody can really say anything bad about you. We definitely support Fredi’s decision and we thought it was the right decision."

Gonzalez, who did not want to discuss the Ramirez situation after Tuesday’s win, previously said he hoped the situation doesn’t draw focus from his team.

"If it’s handled the right way, I think it could be good," he said. "If it’s not, it could be distraction, it could grow into some ugly stuff. But let’s wait and see what happens. Let’s not make a mountain out of a molehill just yet."

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

MIAMI — Florida Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez defended his play Tuesday and took shots at his manager and teammates, a day after he was pulled from a game for not hustling.

Ramirez, a two-time All-Star and last year’s NL batting champion, wasn’t in manager Fredi Gonzalez’s starting lineup against Arizona. On Monday night, he accidentally kicked a ball and then lightly jogged after it, allowing two runs to score.

The controversial play came in the second inning.
The controversial play came in the second inning.

"It’s his team. He can do whatever," Ramirez said, mixing in an expletive. "There’s nothing I can do about it."

"That’s OK. He doesn’t understand that. He never played in the big leagues," he said.

Responded Gonzalez: "He’s right, but I know how to play the game."

"I played six years in the minor leagues and I know what it takes to play this game and I know the effort it takes to play this game," he said.

It seemed unlikely Ramirez would say he was sorry.

"We got a lot of people dogging it after ground balls," he said. "They don’t apologize."

The trouble for Ramirez started in the first inning Monday night after he fouled a ball off his left shin and was tended to by a trainer. He grounded into a double play and did not run full speed down the line.

Ramirez’s costly misplay came the next inning after Tony Abreu’s looper fell near him in short left field. Ramirez booted the ball about 100 feet toward the left-field corner and slowly chased it.

"I wasn’t trying to give up," Ramirez said. "That was the hardest I could go after the ball."

Ramirez was replaced by Brian Barden an inning after the play. Gonzalez, in his fourth season at Florida’s manager, confirmed Ramirez was yanked for not hustling in the 5-1 loss.

Ramirez is hitting .293 with seven homers and 20 RBIs this year. He is the Marlins’ highest-paid player after signing a $70 million, six-year contract in 2008, and has become the face of a franchise that moves into a new ballpark in 2012.

For all his talent, however, there have been occasions in which some speculated Ramirez didn’t always hustle. Nothing ever reached this level, though.

Barden started in place of Ramirez on Tuesday and drove in two runs during an 8-0 win over Arizona. Ramirez, who was on the field for batting practice, didn’t comment after the game.

"It’s our team. I’m just the guy that makes the lineup," Gonzalez said. "I can’t control everybody going 4 for 4, but you can control the effort."

Ramirez said he lost some respect for Gonzalez for the episode.

"A little bit. We got 24 more guys out there," Ramirez said. "Hopefully they can do the same things I can do. They’re wearing the Marlins uniform."

Veteran infielder Wes Helms hopes Ramirez apologizes to his teammates.

"I can’t overlook it," Helms said. "I know people say that’s just the way he is, but you know what? That’s not the way it is. That’s not the way the game’s supposed to be played.

"And that’s what we want from Hanley. We want him to be that guy that goes out there every day … and busts his butt and does anything he can for his this team. That right there will earn the respect of not only his teammates, but everybody in the league."

Teammate Dan Uggla, a two-time All-Star second baseman, supported Gonzalez’s decision.

Last September in a game against the Atlanta Braves, Uggla and Ramirez got into a heated discussion after the star shortstop left a game early with a strained hamstring.

"I think Skip needed to do what he needed to do, which was take Hanley out of the game at that time," Uggla said. "Does that mean we love Hanley any less? No, we have all made mistakes. We’ve all done things like, ‘Oh, maybe I shouldn’t have done that.’ But you move on, you move forward you get past it."

Cameron Maybin, who hit a three-run homer Tuesday, also sided with Gonzalez.

"I think if it happened to anybody else in here, I think other teammates would feel the same way about it," Maybin said. "As long as you are playing hard nobody can really say anything bad about you. We definitely support Fredi’s decision and we thought it was the right decision."

Gonzalez, who did not want to discuss the Ramirez situation after Tuesday’s win, previously said he hoped the situation doesn’t draw focus from his team.

"If it’s handled the right way, I think it could be good," he said. "If it’s not, it could be distraction, it could grow into some ugly stuff. But let’s wait and see what happens. Let’s not make a mountain out of a molehill just yet."

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Mariners players shun reporter in response to report critical of Ken Griffey Jr.

Mariners players are boycotting a newspaper beat reporter who wrote that DH Ken Griffey was asleep during a game and unavailable to pinch hit.

Larry LaRue of the Tacoma News Tribune reported that two M’s players told him Griffey was napping in the clubhouse last week.

The blowback started after a players-only meeting Tuesday. LaRue wrote that he was given the silent treatment when he entered the locker room and would not disclose his sources; ESPN.com reported that left-hander Cliff Lee asked LaRue to leave his postgame interview session. LaRue complied.

Griffey and Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu have disputed LaRue’s account, saying Griffey was awake and available. Fellow DH Mike Sweeney told Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal that the 40-year-old Griffey had his teammates’ full support.

"We will support and fight and take a bullet for Ken Griffey Jr., if we have to. He’s our teammate," Sweeney was quoted as saying. "Nothing is going to divide this clubhouse, especially a makeshift article made up of lies. We don’t think there are two players who said that (about Griffey) and I challenged anybody in that room if they said it to stand up and fight me. No one stood up."

Mariners players are boycotting a newspaper beat reporter who wrote that DH Ken Griffey was asleep during a game and unavailable to pinch hit.

Larry LaRue of the Tacoma News Tribune reported that two M’s players told him Griffey was napping in the clubhouse last week.

The blowback started after a players-only meeting Tuesday. LaRue wrote that he was given the silent treatment when he entered the locker room and would not disclose his sources; ESPN.com reported that left-hander Cliff Lee asked LaRue to leave his postgame interview session. LaRue complied.

Griffey and Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu have disputed LaRue’s account, saying Griffey was awake and available. Fellow DH Mike Sweeney told Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal that the 40-year-old Griffey had his teammates’ full support.

"We will support and fight and take a bullet for Ken Griffey Jr., if we have to. He’s our teammate," Sweeney was quoted as saying. "Nothing is going to divide this clubhouse, especially a makeshift article made up of lies. We don’t think there are two players who said that (about Griffey) and I challenged anybody in that room if they said it to stand up and fight me. No one stood up."

Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor charged with rape of 16-year-old girl

SUFFERN, N.Y. — Pro Football Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor was charged Thursday with raping a 16-year-old runaway who police said was forced into prostitution by a man who had beaten her up.

Taylor, a 51-year-old former New York Giants star who has faced drug and tax evasion charges in the past, paid the girl $300 for sex in a Holiday Inn, where he was arrested early Thursday, said Christopher St. Lawrence, supervisor of the town of Ramapo.

Lawrence Taylor listens to the proceedings during his court appearance Thursday.
Lawrence Taylor listens to the proceedings during his court appearance Thursday.

The man who’d beaten the girl drove her to Taylor’s suburban hotel room while she texted her uncle for help, police said.

Ramapo Chief of Police Peter Brower said Taylor was cooperative when police woke him up around 4 a.m. Taylor was arraigned Thursday on charges of third-degree rape and patronizing a prostitute.

"I’m not that important," Taylor told a scrum of media after being released on $75,000 bail.

His attorney, Arthur Aidala, said Taylor is a "loving family man" who did not have sex with the teenager.

"My client did not have sex with anybody," Aidala said. "Lawrence Taylor did not rape anybody."

Brower would not comment on whether Taylor knew the girl’s age; third-degree rape is a charge levied when the victim is under the age of consent, which is 17 in New York.

"Ignorance is not an excuse to an individual’s age," Brower said.

Police said the girl was reported missing by her family in March and had been staying with a 36-year-old parolee, Rasheed Davis, in the Bronx. The two met a few weeks ago at a Bronx bus stop, New York Police Department spokesman Paul Browne said.

"He chats her up. She explains she doesn’t have a place to stay. He provides one," Browne said.

Davis then forced her to perform sexual favors for others, authorities said.

Early Thursday morning, Davis punched and kicked her, drove her to the hotel against her will and told her she had to have sex with Taylor, police said. When she refused, Davis handed her over to Taylor, who sexually assaulted her, they said. Taylor paid her $300, which she gave to Davis, police said.

Taylor used a middle man to arrange the liaison with the girl, Browne said.

On the way to Suffern, the girl sent text messages to her uncle spelling out what was happening, Browne said. The uncle then went to the NYPD, he said.

Davis was arrested on charges of unlawful imprisonment, assault and endangering the welfare of a child. He was sentenced in April 1994 to eight to 25 years in prison for first-degree manslaughter. He was paroled in March 2008.

There was no phone number listed at the address provided by police for Davis, and it wasn’t clear if he had an attorney. His relationship with the girl was unclear.

The Bronx district attorney’s office refused to comment.

Taylor was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999 and competed in ABC’s "Dancing With the Stars" last year. He had a highly publicized struggle with drug addiction and has had multiple legal run-ins since retiring from football.

At the Metamorphecise Spa in Pembroke Pines, Fla., where Taylor works out and did some of his training for his stint on the dance competition show, much of the talk Thursday was about the charges and how most people simply couldn’t believe the local resident was guilty.

"He’s a regular guy, a good guy who just goes about his business," said Steffen Grover, who said he’d spoken to Taylor once or twice. "I think he just wants to be like everyone else."

Police said no drugs were found in Taylor’s hotel room on Thursday but a bottle of alcohol was.

A quick, fierce and athletic linebacker who redefined his position, Taylor anchored the Giants’ defense and led them to Super Bowls titles in 1987 and 1991. He was selected to the NFL’s 75th Anniversary All-Time Team.

A 10-time Pro Bowler, he was the NFL Most Valuable Player in 1986 and the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1981, 1982 and 1986. He recorded 132 1/2 sacks, which doesn’t included his 9 sacks in 1981 when the statistic wasn’t official.

In 2001, Taylor was convicted of possessing drug paraphernalia in New Jersey. The conviction stemmed from the September 1998 discovery in a hotel room of a butane torch and other materials commonly used to smoke crack.

In 1996 and 1997, he was arrested in South Carolina and Florida on drug charges. In those cases, he either admitted his guilt or agreed to enter a pretrial intervention program.

In 2000, he drew five years of federal probation for filing false tax returns and for tax evasion.

Taylor is due in court again on the latest charges on June 10.

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

SUFFERN, N.Y. — Pro Football Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor was charged Thursday with raping a 16-year-old runaway who police said was forced into prostitution by a man who had beaten her up.

Taylor, a 51-year-old former New York Giants star who has faced drug and tax evasion charges in the past, paid the girl $300 for sex in a Holiday Inn, where he was arrested early Thursday, said Christopher St. Lawrence, supervisor of the town of Ramapo.

Lawrence Taylor listens to the proceedings during his court appearance Thursday.
Lawrence Taylor listens to the proceedings during his court appearance Thursday.

The man who’d beaten the girl drove her to Taylor’s suburban hotel room while she texted her uncle for help, police said.

Ramapo Chief of Police Peter Brower said Taylor was cooperative when police woke him up around 4 a.m. Taylor was arraigned Thursday on charges of third-degree rape and patronizing a prostitute.

"I’m not that important," Taylor told a scrum of media after being released on $75,000 bail.

His attorney, Arthur Aidala, said Taylor is a "loving family man" who did not have sex with the teenager.

"My client did not have sex with anybody," Aidala said. "Lawrence Taylor did not rape anybody."

Brower would not comment on whether Taylor knew the girl’s age; third-degree rape is a charge levied when the victim is under the age of consent, which is 17 in New York.

"Ignorance is not an excuse to an individual’s age," Brower said.

Police said the girl was reported missing by her family in March and had been staying with a 36-year-old parolee, Rasheed Davis, in the Bronx. The two met a few weeks ago at a Bronx bus stop, New York Police Department spokesman Paul Browne said.

"He chats her up. She explains she doesn’t have a place to stay. He provides one," Browne said.

Davis then forced her to perform sexual favors for others, authorities said.

Early Thursday morning, Davis punched and kicked her, drove her to the hotel against her will and told her she had to have sex with Taylor, police said. When she refused, Davis handed her over to Taylor, who sexually assaulted her, they said. Taylor paid her $300, which she gave to Davis, police said.

Taylor used a middle man to arrange the liaison with the girl, Browne said.

On the way to Suffern, the girl sent text messages to her uncle spelling out what was happening, Browne said. The uncle then went to the NYPD, he said.

Davis was arrested on charges of unlawful imprisonment, assault and endangering the welfare of a child. He was sentenced in April 1994 to eight to 25 years in prison for first-degree manslaughter. He was paroled in March 2008.

There was no phone number listed at the address provided by police for Davis, and it wasn’t clear if he had an attorney. His relationship with the girl was unclear.

The Bronx district attorney’s office refused to comment.

Taylor was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999 and competed in ABC’s "Dancing With the Stars" last year. He had a highly publicized struggle with drug addiction and has had multiple legal run-ins since retiring from football.

At the Metamorphecise Spa in Pembroke Pines, Fla., where Taylor works out and did some of his training for his stint on the dance competition show, much of the talk Thursday was about the charges and how most people simply couldn’t believe the local resident was guilty.

"He’s a regular guy, a good guy who just goes about his business," said Steffen Grover, who said he’d spoken to Taylor once or twice. "I think he just wants to be like everyone else."

Police said no drugs were found in Taylor’s hotel room on Thursday but a bottle of alcohol was.

A quick, fierce and athletic linebacker who redefined his position, Taylor anchored the Giants’ defense and led them to Super Bowls titles in 1987 and 1991. He was selected to the NFL’s 75th Anniversary All-Time Team.

A 10-time Pro Bowler, he was the NFL Most Valuable Player in 1986 and the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1981, 1982 and 1986. He recorded 132 1/2 sacks, which doesn’t included his 9 sacks in 1981 when the statistic wasn’t official.

In 2001, Taylor was convicted of possessing drug paraphernalia in New Jersey. The conviction stemmed from the September 1998 discovery in a hotel room of a butane torch and other materials commonly used to smoke crack.

In 1996 and 1997, he was arrested in South Carolina and Florida on drug charges. In those cases, he either admitted his guilt or agreed to enter a pretrial intervention program.

In 2000, he drew five years of federal probation for filing false tax returns and for tax evasion.

Taylor is due in court again on the latest charges on June 10.

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Ernie Harwell dies at age 92; legendary broadcaster called Tigers games for four decades

DETROIT — From the sandy shores of Lake Michigan to the rugged streets in Flint, they listened to Ernie Harwell tell the Tigers’ tales for more than 40 years.

Beloved by generations of baseball fans who grew up enraptured by his rich voice, Southern cadence and quirky phrases on the radio, Harwell died Tuesday after a months-long battle with cancer. He was 92.

The longtime Detroit Tigers broadcaster died about 7:30 p.m. in his apartment at Fox Run Village and Retirement Center in the Detroit suburb of Novi, said his attorney and longtime friend, S. Gary Spicer.

His wife of 68 years, Lulu, and his two sons and two daughters were at his side, Spicer said.

For 55 years, the press box was Ernie Harwell's office. In this 1993 photo, he takes a break from a Tigers-Yankees game at Yankee Stadium.
For 55 years, the press box was Ernie Harwell’s office. In this 1993 photo, he takes a break from a Tigers-Yankees game at Yankee Stadium.

"We’ll miss you, Ernie Harwell. You’ll forever be the voice of summer," Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm tweeted.

A Hall of Fame announcer who was acquired by the Brooklyn Dodgers for a catcher in 1948, Harwell revealed in September that he’d been diagnosed with inoperable cancer of the bile duct. He took the news with characteristic poise, saying he planned to continue working on a book and other projects.

"Whatever happens, I’m ready to face it," Harwell told The Associated Press on Sept. 4, 2009.

Harwell’s body will lie in repose at Comerica Park on Thursday beginning at 7 a.m. and "until the last person who wishes to pay their respects" has done so, Spicer said.

"It might be an all-night vigil," he said.

There will be no public memorial service, and the family will hold a private funeral service at a location Spicer declined to disclose.

The Tigers were in Minnesota on Tuesday night. During the seventh-inning stretch, the Twins announced Harwell had died, and fans honored him with a standing ovation.

"All of Major League Baseball is in mourning tonight upon learning of the loss of a giant of our game," commissioner Bud Selig said. "This son of Georgia was the voice of the Detroit Tigers and one of the game’s iconic announcers to fans across America, always representing the best of our national pastime to his generations of listeners.

"Without question, Ernie was one of the finest and most distinguished gentlemen I have ever met."

Shortly after Harwell announced that he was ill, the Tigers honored him during a game against Kansas City, showing a video tribute and giving him a chance to address the crowd at Comerica Park.

"In my almost 92 years on this Earth, the good Lord has blessed me with a great journey," Harwell said at a microphone behind home plate. "The blessed part of that journey is that it’s going to end here in the great state of Michigan."

Harwell spent 42 of his 55 years in broadcasting with the Tigers, joining Mel Allen, Jack Buck, Harry Caray and others among the game’s most famous play-by-play voices.

He announced Detroit games on radio from 1960-1991, again in 1993 and from 1999-2002. He broadcast games on over-the-air and cable television from 1960-64 and 1994-98.

When he signed off following his final game in 2002, Harwell was as eloquent as ever.

Ernie Harwell says goodbye to Tigers fans last September at Comerica Park.
Ernie Harwell says goodbye to Tigers fans last September at Comerica Park.

"It’s time to say goodbye, but I think goodbyes are sad and I’d much rather say hello. Hello to a new adventure. I’m not leaving, folks. I’ll still be with you, living my life in Michigan — my home state — surrounded by family and friends," he said.

"And rather than goodbye, please allow me to say thank you. Thank you for letting me be part of your family. Thank you for taking me with you to that cottage up north, to the beach, the picnic, your work place and your back yard. Thank you for sneaking your transistor under the pillow as you grew up loving the Tigers. Now, I might have been a small part of your life. But you’ve been a very large part of mine. And it’s my privilege and honor to share with you the greatest game of all."

Hall of Fame announcer Vin Scully began broadcasting Brooklyn Dodgers games in 1950, the season after Harwell left.

"Probably the best word, he was gentle. And it came across. He just cared for people and he loved baseball," Scully said. "You can understand how the people in Detroit just loved him. I followed him into Brooklyn, and then I followed him into the Hall. He was such a lovely man. However that word is defined, that was Ernie."

Harwell’s passing came one season after the death of another cherished baseball announcer, Philadelphia’s Harry Kalas.

"What a voice," said longtime Tigers shortstop Alan Trammell, the World Series MVP the last time the Tigers won it all in 1984. "He did it with class, he did it with dignity. We shed a tear tonight, that’s for sure."

The Tigers and their flagship radio station, WJR, allowed Harwell’s contract to expire after the 1991 season in what became a public relations nightmare. Then-Tigers president Bo Schembechler, the former Michigan football coach, took the blame. WJR general manager Jim Long later took responsibility for the unpopular move.

When Mike Ilitch bought the franchise from Tom Monaghan, he put Harwell back in the booth in 1993. Harwell chose to retire after the 2002 season.

"Ernie Harwell was the most popular sports figure in the state of Michigan," said Ilitch, who also owns the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings.

Harwell began his journalism career as a correspondent for The Sporting News when he was still in high school in Atlanta. Harwell had a long association with TSN, and his 1955 essay, The Game for All America, considered a baseball literature classic, was originally published in SN magazine.

Harwell’s big break came in unorthodox fashion.

Brooklyn Dodgers radio broadcaster Red Barber fell ill in 1948, and general manager Branch Rickey needed a replacement. After learning that the minor league Atlanta Crackers needed a catcher, Rickey sent Cliff Dapper to Atlanta and Harwell joined the Dodgers.

By his own count, Harwell called more than 8,300 major league games, starting with the Dodgers and continuing with the New York Giants and Baltimore Orioles before he joined the Tigers. He missed two games outside of the ’92 season: one for his brother’s funeral in 1968, the other when he was inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame in 1989.

His easygoing manner and love of baseball endeared him to Tigers fans, enhancing the club’s finest moments and making its struggles more bearable.

Even casual rooters could tick off Harwell catch phrases: "Looooooong gone!" for a home run; "He stood there like the house by the side of the road and watched that one go by" for a batter taking a called third strike; and "Two for the price of one!" for a double play.

Foul balls into the stands were "Caught by a man from (whatever town in the area that came to his mind)."

"I started that after I got to Detroit in 1961 or ’62, and it just happened by accident," Harwell explained. "I said, ‘A guy from Grosse Pointe caught that foul ball,’ then the next ones were caught by a guy from Saginaw or a lady from Lansing."

The Baseball Hall of Fame honored Harwell in 1981 with the Ford C. Frick Award, given annually to a broadcaster for major contributions to baseball.

A life-sized statue of Harwell stands at the entrance to Comerica Park and its press box is called "The Ernie Harwell Media Center."

Harwell was born Jan. 25, 1918, in Washington, Ga., with a speech defect that left him tongue-tied. Through therapy and forcing himself to participate in debates and classroom discussions, he had overcome the handicap by the time he graduated from Emory University.  

Harwell’s survivors also include seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

DETROIT — From the sandy shores of Lake Michigan to the rugged streets in Flint, they listened to Ernie Harwell tell the Tigers’ tales for more than 40 years.

Beloved by generations of baseball fans who grew up enraptured by his rich voice, Southern cadence and quirky phrases on the radio, Harwell died Tuesday after a months-long battle with cancer. He was 92.

The longtime Detroit Tigers broadcaster died about 7:30 p.m. in his apartment at Fox Run Village and Retirement Center in the Detroit suburb of Novi, said his attorney and longtime friend, S. Gary Spicer.

His wife of 68 years, Lulu, and his two sons and two daughters were at his side, Spicer said.

For 55 years, the press box was Ernie Harwell's office. In this 1993 photo, he takes a break from a Tigers-Yankees game at Yankee Stadium.
For 55 years, the press box was Ernie Harwell’s office. In this 1993 photo, he takes a break from a Tigers-Yankees game at Yankee Stadium.

"We’ll miss you, Ernie Harwell. You’ll forever be the voice of summer," Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm tweeted.

A Hall of Fame announcer who was acquired by the Brooklyn Dodgers for a catcher in 1948, Harwell revealed in September that he’d been diagnosed with inoperable cancer of the bile duct. He took the news with characteristic poise, saying he planned to continue working on a book and other projects.

"Whatever happens, I’m ready to face it," Harwell told The Associated Press on Sept. 4, 2009.

Harwell’s body will lie in repose at Comerica Park on Thursday beginning at 7 a.m. and "until the last person who wishes to pay their respects" has done so, Spicer said.

"It might be an all-night vigil," he said.

There will be no public memorial service, and the family will hold a private funeral service at a location Spicer declined to disclose.

The Tigers were in Minnesota on Tuesday night. During the seventh-inning stretch, the Twins announced Harwell had died, and fans honored him with a standing ovation.

"All of Major League Baseball is in mourning tonight upon learning of the loss of a giant of our game," commissioner Bud Selig said. "This son of Georgia was the voice of the Detroit Tigers and one of the game’s iconic announcers to fans across America, always representing the best of our national pastime to his generations of listeners.

"Without question, Ernie was one of the finest and most distinguished gentlemen I have ever met."

Shortly after Harwell announced that he was ill, the Tigers honored him during a game against Kansas City, showing a video tribute and giving him a chance to address the crowd at Comerica Park.

"In my almost 92 years on this Earth, the good Lord has blessed me with a great journey," Harwell said at a microphone behind home plate. "The blessed part of that journey is that it’s going to end here in the great state of Michigan."

Harwell spent 42 of his 55 years in broadcasting with the Tigers, joining Mel Allen, Jack Buck, Harry Caray and others among the game’s most famous play-by-play voices.

He announced Detroit games on radio from 1960-1991, again in 1993 and from 1999-2002. He broadcast games on over-the-air and cable television from 1960-64 and 1994-98.

When he signed off following his final game in 2002, Harwell was as eloquent as ever.

Ernie Harwell says goodbye to Tigers fans last September at Comerica Park.
Ernie Harwell says goodbye to Tigers fans last September at Comerica Park.

"It’s time to say goodbye, but I think goodbyes are sad and I’d much rather say hello. Hello to a new adventure. I’m not leaving, folks. I’ll still be with you, living my life in Michigan — my home state — surrounded by family and friends," he said.

"And rather than goodbye, please allow me to say thank you. Thank you for letting me be part of your family. Thank you for taking me with you to that cottage up north, to the beach, the picnic, your work place and your back yard. Thank you for sneaking your transistor under the pillow as you grew up loving the Tigers. Now, I might have been a small part of your life. But you’ve been a very large part of mine. And it’s my privilege and honor to share with you the greatest game of all."

Hall of Fame announcer Vin Scully began broadcasting Brooklyn Dodgers games in 1950, the season after Harwell left.

"Probably the best word, he was gentle. And it came across. He just cared for people and he loved baseball," Scully said. "You can understand how the people in Detroit just loved him. I followed him into Brooklyn, and then I followed him into the Hall. He was such a lovely man. However that word is defined, that was Ernie."

Harwell’s passing came one season after the death of another cherished baseball announcer, Philadelphia’s Harry Kalas.

"What a voice," said longtime Tigers shortstop Alan Trammell, the World Series MVP the last time the Tigers won it all in 1984. "He did it with class, he did it with dignity. We shed a tear tonight, that’s for sure."

The Tigers and their flagship radio station, WJR, allowed Harwell’s contract to expire after the 1991 season in what became a public relations nightmare. Then-Tigers president Bo Schembechler, the former Michigan football coach, took the blame. WJR general manager Jim Long later took responsibility for the unpopular move.

When Mike Ilitch bought the franchise from Tom Monaghan, he put Harwell back in the booth in 1993. Harwell chose to retire after the 2002 season.

"Ernie Harwell was the most popular sports figure in the state of Michigan," said Ilitch, who also owns the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings.

Harwell began his journalism career as a correspondent for The Sporting News when he was still in high school in Atlanta. Harwell had a long association with TSN, and his 1955 essay, The Game for All America, considered a baseball literature classic, was originally published in SN magazine.

Harwell’s big break came in unorthodox fashion.

Brooklyn Dodgers radio broadcaster Red Barber fell ill in 1948, and general manager Branch Rickey needed a replacement. After learning that the minor league Atlanta Crackers needed a catcher, Rickey sent Cliff Dapper to Atlanta and Harwell joined the Dodgers.

By his own count, Harwell called more than 8,300 major league games, starting with the Dodgers and continuing with the New York Giants and Baltimore Orioles before he joined the Tigers. He missed two games outside of the ’92 season: one for his brother’s funeral in 1968, the other when he was inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame in 1989.

His easygoing manner and love of baseball endeared him to Tigers fans, enhancing the club’s finest moments and making its struggles more bearable.

Even casual rooters could tick off Harwell catch phrases: "Looooooong gone!" for a home run; "He stood there like the house by the side of the road and watched that one go by" for a batter taking a called third strike; and "Two for the price of one!" for a double play.

Foul balls into the stands were "Caught by a man from (whatever town in the area that came to his mind)."

"I started that after I got to Detroit in 1961 or ’62, and it just happened by accident," Harwell explained. "I said, ‘A guy from Grosse Pointe caught that foul ball,’ then the next ones were caught by a guy from Saginaw or a lady from Lansing."

The Baseball Hall of Fame honored Harwell in 1981 with the Ford C. Frick Award, given annually to a broadcaster for major contributions to baseball.

A life-sized statue of Harwell stands at the entrance to Comerica Park and its press box is called "The Ernie Harwell Media Center."

Harwell was born Jan. 25, 1918, in Washington, Ga., with a speech defect that left him tongue-tied. Through therapy and forcing himself to participate in debates and classroom discussions, he had overcome the handicap by the time he graduated from Emory University.  

Harwell’s survivors also include seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Baseball players union opposes Arizona immigration law

NEW YORK — Given a chance to take part in the 2011 All-Star Game at Arizona, Ozzie Guillen insists he won’t go.

"I wouldn’t do it," the Chicago White Sox manager said Friday. "As a Latin American, it’s natural that I have to support our own."

Guillen joined a growing chorus of opposition to Arizona’s new law that empowers police to determine a person’s immigration status. The state is home to all four major team sports, hosts half the clubs in spring training and holds top events in NASCAR, golf and tennis.

The Major League Baseball players union issued a statement condemning the law. A congressman whose district includes Yankee Stadium wrote a letter to baseball commissioner Bud Selig urging him to pull the All-Star Game from Phoenix. The World Boxing Council took a step to limit fights in Arizona.

"It’s a bad thing," said Baltimore shortstop Cesar Izturis, born in Venezuela. "Now they’re going to go after everybody, not just the people behind the wall. Now they’re going to come out on the street. What if you’re walking on the street with your family and kids? They’re going to go after you."

With more than one-quarter of big leaguers on opening-day rosters were born outside the 50 states, most of them from Hispanic descent.

"These international players are very much a part of our national pastime," MLB union head Michael Weiner said. "Each of them must be ready to prove, at any time, his identity and the legality of his being in Arizona to any state or local official with suspicion of his immigration status."

Weiner said that if the law is not repealed or modified, the union would consider "additional steps."

A day earlier, WBC president Jose Sulaiman said its sanctioning body unanimously agreed it will not authorize Mexican boxers to fight in Arizona.

"Great figures of boxing have fought in Arizona, boxers such as Julio Cesar Chavez, Salvador Sanchez, Konstantin Tszyu, ‘Coloradito’ Lopez and many, many others," said Sulaiman, who is based in Mexico City. "The WBC will not allow that in boxing, athletes are exposed to suffer that degrading act, humiliating and inhumane, as racial discrimination is."

MLB, the NFL and the NBA declined comment on the law.

The BCS national championship game will be played next January in Glendale, Ariz., shortly after the city hosts the Fiesta Bowl.

"The recent Arizona immigration legislation is obviously a matter of great public concern," the Fiesta Bowl said in a statement Friday. "While this matter may ultimately be resolved in a court of law or in the court of public opinion, we are certain that it will not be resolved on the fields of college football."

Rep. Jose Serrano, D-N.Y., sent a letter Thursday night to Selig, asking him to take next year’s All-Star game out of Arizona.

Calling the law "extremist" and "discriminatory," the congressman wrote: The All-Star game is now not just a display of baseball’s best talent, but is also a display of the global reach of the game. It is at odds with the reality of the modern game to hold such a prestigious event in a state that would not welcome those same players if they did not play our national pastime."

Arizona Diamondbacks managing general partner Ken Kendrick said "this whole situation is sad and disappointing."

"We believe the federal government should act swiftly to address the immigration issue once and for all," he said in a statement.

Said Cleveland Indians coach Sandy Alomar Jr., whose team trains in Goodyear, Ariz.: "Certainly I am against profiling any race and having sterotypes, but at the same time my feeling is what does baseball have to do with politics? Let the politicians stay in politics and the baseball players play baseball."

Guillen, from Venezuela, became an American citizen in 2006. He said players should consider boycotting baseball in Arizona, adding, "I plead sportsmen to join on this."

The White Sox hold spring training in suburban Phoenix. Guillen said he hoped MLB would take a strong stance on the immigration law.

"They have to. They have a team in Arizona," he said. "There is a concern for baseball players to go out there, of course, and we’ve got to support those people."

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

NEW YORK — Given a chance to take part in the 2011 All-Star Game at Arizona, Ozzie Guillen insists he won’t go.

"I wouldn’t do it," the Chicago White Sox manager said Friday. "As a Latin American, it’s natural that I have to support our own."

Guillen joined a growing chorus of opposition to Arizona’s new law that empowers police to determine a person’s immigration status. The state is home to all four major team sports, hosts half the clubs in spring training and holds top events in NASCAR, golf and tennis.

The Major League Baseball players union issued a statement condemning the law. A congressman whose district includes Yankee Stadium wrote a letter to baseball commissioner Bud Selig urging him to pull the All-Star Game from Phoenix. The World Boxing Council took a step to limit fights in Arizona.

"It’s a bad thing," said Baltimore shortstop Cesar Izturis, born in Venezuela. "Now they’re going to go after everybody, not just the people behind the wall. Now they’re going to come out on the street. What if you’re walking on the street with your family and kids? They’re going to go after you."

With more than one-quarter of big leaguers on opening-day rosters were born outside the 50 states, most of them from Hispanic descent.

"These international players are very much a part of our national pastime," MLB union head Michael Weiner said. "Each of them must be ready to prove, at any time, his identity and the legality of his being in Arizona to any state or local official with suspicion of his immigration status."

Weiner said that if the law is not repealed or modified, the union would consider "additional steps."

A day earlier, WBC president Jose Sulaiman said its sanctioning body unanimously agreed it will not authorize Mexican boxers to fight in Arizona.

"Great figures of boxing have fought in Arizona, boxers such as Julio Cesar Chavez, Salvador Sanchez, Konstantin Tszyu, ‘Coloradito’ Lopez and many, many others," said Sulaiman, who is based in Mexico City. "The WBC will not allow that in boxing, athletes are exposed to suffer that degrading act, humiliating and inhumane, as racial discrimination is."

MLB, the NFL and the NBA declined comment on the law.

The BCS national championship game will be played next January in Glendale, Ariz., shortly after the city hosts the Fiesta Bowl.

"The recent Arizona immigration legislation is obviously a matter of great public concern," the Fiesta Bowl said in a statement Friday. "While this matter may ultimately be resolved in a court of law or in the court of public opinion, we are certain that it will not be resolved on the fields of college football."

Rep. Jose Serrano, D-N.Y., sent a letter Thursday night to Selig, asking him to take next year’s All-Star game out of Arizona.

Calling the law "extremist" and "discriminatory," the congressman wrote: The All-Star game is now not just a display of baseball’s best talent, but is also a display of the global reach of the game. It is at odds with the reality of the modern game to hold such a prestigious event in a state that would not welcome those same players if they did not play our national pastime."

Arizona Diamondbacks managing general partner Ken Kendrick said "this whole situation is sad and disappointing."

"We believe the federal government should act swiftly to address the immigration issue once and for all," he said in a statement.

Said Cleveland Indians coach Sandy Alomar Jr., whose team trains in Goodyear, Ariz.: "Certainly I am against profiling any race and having sterotypes, but at the same time my feeling is what does baseball have to do with politics? Let the politicians stay in politics and the baseball players play baseball."

Guillen, from Venezuela, became an American citizen in 2006. He said players should consider boycotting baseball in Arizona, adding, "I plead sportsmen to join on this."

The White Sox hold spring training in suburban Phoenix. Guillen said he hoped MLB would take a strong stance on the immigration law.

"They have to. They have a team in Arizona," he said. "There is a concern for baseball players to go out there, of course, and we’ve got to support those people."

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Chargers release LaDainian Tomlinson after nine seasons

SAN DIEGO — The slashing, dazzling runs came less frequently. The yards didn’t pile up as easily as in previous seasons.

LaDainian Tomlinson was slowing down because of injuries and age, becoming less and less the face of the franchise as his role was reduced in a pass-happy offense.

LaDainian Tomlinson is the eighth-leading rusher in NFL history.
LaDainian Tomlinson is the eighth-leading rusher in NFL history.

On Monday, he was released by the San Diego Chargers, a franchise he helped revive with a brilliant nine-year run in which he became one of the NFL’s greatest running backs.

The move had been expected for some time. Tomlinson, one of the most beloved athletes in San Diego sports history, got the word in a meeting with team president Dean Spanos.

"I told him that in the 26 years that I’ve been in this business, it was probably the hardest thing I’ve had to do," Spanos told The Associated Press. "I’m not close to a lot of the players, but there’s a handful that I’ve been close with, and he’s probably the closest. It was really difficult to tell him. But out of respect, I wanted to tell him earlier rather than later."

Tomlinson was due a $2 million roster bonus in early March, which all but guaranteed he would be cut loose, as well as a $5 million salary for 2010. He still had two years left on his contract, which was reworked during a somewhat tumultuous period last offseason.

L.T. told SI.com’s Jim Trotter, a former Chargers beat writer, that he wants to play for Super Bowl contender.

"The main thing for me now is to try to win a championship," Trotter quoted Tomlinson as saying. "That’s my No. 1 goal. That’s why I still work hard and train like I do, because I still believe there’s a chance of winning that championship. So the next team I go to has to have a chance of winning a title. I can think of a few teams off the top of my head, but that’s what my agent is for. I’m sure he’s going to do some research, talk to some teams and present some options to me."

Tomlinson said after the Chargers’ playoff loss to the New York Jets that he felt he could still play for a few more seasons.

"He was one of the greatest players and people that I’ve ever had a chance to be around and he will be missed," outside linebacker Shawne Merriman said in an e-mail to the AP.

"What L.T. has meant to this town and to this team, in nine years, the impact he’s had both on and off the field, we may never see that again," quarterback Philip Rivers said before accepting an award at a sports banquet Monday night. "You’re not just going to replace L.T. himself. He was more than a running back."

General manager A.J. Smith called it "a tough day, a sad day for everybody in the organization. But it’s always tough to part ways with great players who helped you win games. It’s not a pleasant day, but we’re working through it."

Agent Tom Condon said he’ll spend time at the forthcoming NFL combine in Indianapolis determining interest from other teams.

"I think they did us a favor in terms of releasing him before we go to the combine. That part of it was positive," Condon told the AP. "L.T. during Super Bowl week had indicated it was time to move on, and they accommodated him. He’s had a Hall of Fame run there as a Charger."

Tomlinson, who turned 30 last summer, was injured early in the 2009 season and finished with 730 yards on 223 carries for an average of 3.3 yards per carry, all career lows.

Condon doesn’t think Tomlinson is finished.

"It’s one of those things with the very, very special players, like Emmitt Smith, Marcus Allen, guys like that," Condon said. "You can’t predict what they’re going to do. They seem to defy the odds. He keeps himself in tremendous condition. I think he feels like he can go forward for several more years."

Tomlinson ranks eighth on the all-time rushing list with 12,490 yards. His 138 career rushing touchdowns rank second, and his 153 total touchdowns rank third.

He was the NFL’s MVP in 2006, when he set league single-season records with 31 touchdowns, including 28 rushing, and 186 points. Tomlinson won the NFL’s rushing title in 2006 and ’07.

Perhaps his most memorable moment as a Charger came on Dec. 10, 2006, when he swept into the end zone late in a game against the Denver Broncos for his third touchdown of the afternoon to break Shaun Alexander’s year-old record of 28 touchdowns.

His linemen hoisted him onto their shoulders and carried him toward the sideline, with Tomlinson holding the ball high in his right hand and waving his left index finger, while the fans chanted "L.T.! L.T.!" and "MVP! MVP!"

"I had the best view in the house on some of those awesome runs he made," Rivers said.

"He’s just been a great player for us," Smith said. "Also, the character, integrity, work ethic, along with his talent, have been unbelievable. He’s a Hall of Famer right now. He will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer."

Coming off a 1-15 finish in 2000, and trying to dig out from the nightmarish Ryan Leaf years, the Chargers held the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 draft. They sent that pick to the Atlanta Falcons on the day before the draft began for a package that included the fifth pick, which they used to select Tomlinson. The Falcons took Michael Vick with the top pick.

"When he came here in 2001, we were a struggling franchise," Spanos said. "It’s clear that we are where we are today because of him. He truly has been the heart and soul of our team all these years, and just done an outstanding job and helped turn this franchise around into a winning franchise. It couldn’t have been done without him."

Spanos said he and Tomlinson expressed disappointment that the player never got a chance to win a Super Bowl title.

"We came close but just never quite got there," Spanos said.

The Chargers made five playoff appearances during Tomlinson’s time here. They advanced to the AFC championship game following the 2007 season but lost to the New England Patriots.

Tomlinson’s squeaky-clean image took a hit during that AFC championship game. Forced out early with a knee injury, Tomlinson watched glumly from the sideline, huddled in a parka and his face hidden behind the tinted visor on his helmet.

The Chargers gave an overly optimistic prognosis about his injury, announcing that he "can return," which caused fans and commentators to question his toughness.

Tomlinson was always the most brutally honest employee in the Chargers’ organization. When he sustained a groin injury in the 2008 regular-season finale, he was more forthright with the media about its severity, causing Smith to bristle.

That groin injury sidelined Tomlinson in a divisional-round loss to Pittsburgh, the first time he missed a game due to injury in his pro career. He had been slowed earlier that season by a toe injury.

He sprained his right ankle in the 2009 season opener against Oakland and missed the next two games.

Spanos said Tomlinson "was very, very gracious and very respectful" during their meeting. "He had his typical smile. He was just as good as could be, as respectful as could be. Just really, like he is, first class."

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

SAN DIEGO — The slashing, dazzling runs came less frequently. The yards didn’t pile up as easily as in previous seasons.

LaDainian Tomlinson was slowing down because of injuries and age, becoming less and less the face of the franchise as his role was reduced in a pass-happy offense.

LaDainian Tomlinson is the eighth-leading rusher in NFL history.
LaDainian Tomlinson is the eighth-leading rusher in NFL history.

On Monday, he was released by the San Diego Chargers, a franchise he helped revive with a brilliant nine-year run in which he became one of the NFL’s greatest running backs.

The move had been expected for some time. Tomlinson, one of the most beloved athletes in San Diego sports history, got the word in a meeting with team president Dean Spanos.

"I told him that in the 26 years that I’ve been in this business, it was probably the hardest thing I’ve had to do," Spanos told The Associated Press. "I’m not close to a lot of the players, but there’s a handful that I’ve been close with, and he’s probably the closest. It was really difficult to tell him. But out of respect, I wanted to tell him earlier rather than later."

Tomlinson was due a $2 million roster bonus in early March, which all but guaranteed he would be cut loose, as well as a $5 million salary for 2010. He still had two years left on his contract, which was reworked during a somewhat tumultuous period last offseason.

L.T. told SI.com’s Jim Trotter, a former Chargers beat writer, that he wants to play for Super Bowl contender.

"The main thing for me now is to try to win a championship," Trotter quoted Tomlinson as saying. "That’s my No. 1 goal. That’s why I still work hard and train like I do, because I still believe there’s a chance of winning that championship. So the next team I go to has to have a chance of winning a title. I can think of a few teams off the top of my head, but that’s what my agent is for. I’m sure he’s going to do some research, talk to some teams and present some options to me."

Tomlinson said after the Chargers’ playoff loss to the New York Jets that he felt he could still play for a few more seasons.

"He was one of the greatest players and people that I’ve ever had a chance to be around and he will be missed," outside linebacker Shawne Merriman said in an e-mail to the AP.

"What L.T. has meant to this town and to this team, in nine years, the impact he’s had both on and off the field, we may never see that again," quarterback Philip Rivers said before accepting an award at a sports banquet Monday night. "You’re not just going to replace L.T. himself. He was more than a running back."

General manager A.J. Smith called it "a tough day, a sad day for everybody in the organization. But it’s always tough to part ways with great players who helped you win games. It’s not a pleasant day, but we’re working through it."

Agent Tom Condon said he’ll spend time at the forthcoming NFL combine in Indianapolis determining interest from other teams.

"I think they did us a favor in terms of releasing him before we go to the combine. That part of it was positive," Condon told the AP. "L.T. during Super Bowl week had indicated it was time to move on, and they accommodated him. He’s had a Hall of Fame run there as a Charger."

Tomlinson, who turned 30 last summer, was injured early in the 2009 season and finished with 730 yards on 223 carries for an average of 3.3 yards per carry, all career lows.

Condon doesn’t think Tomlinson is finished.

"It’s one of those things with the very, very special players, like Emmitt Smith, Marcus Allen, guys like that," Condon said. "You can’t predict what they’re going to do. They seem to defy the odds. He keeps himself in tremendous condition. I think he feels like he can go forward for several more years."

Tomlinson ranks eighth on the all-time rushing list with 12,490 yards. His 138 career rushing touchdowns rank second, and his 153 total touchdowns rank third.

He was the NFL’s MVP in 2006, when he set league single-season records with 31 touchdowns, including 28 rushing, and 186 points. Tomlinson won the NFL’s rushing title in 2006 and ’07.

Perhaps his most memorable moment as a Charger came on Dec. 10, 2006, when he swept into the end zone late in a game against the Denver Broncos for his third touchdown of the afternoon to break Shaun Alexander’s year-old record of 28 touchdowns.

His linemen hoisted him onto their shoulders and carried him toward the sideline, with Tomlinson holding the ball high in his right hand and waving his left index finger, while the fans chanted "L.T.! L.T.!" and "MVP! MVP!"

"I had the best view in the house on some of those awesome runs he made," Rivers said.

"He’s just been a great player for us," Smith said. "Also, the character, integrity, work ethic, along with his talent, have been unbelievable. He’s a Hall of Famer right now. He will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer."

Coming off a 1-15 finish in 2000, and trying to dig out from the nightmarish Ryan Leaf years, the Chargers held the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 draft. They sent that pick to the Atlanta Falcons on the day before the draft began for a package that included the fifth pick, which they used to select Tomlinson. The Falcons took Michael Vick with the top pick.

"When he came here in 2001, we were a struggling franchise," Spanos said. "It’s clear that we are where we are today because of him. He truly has been the heart and soul of our team all these years, and just done an outstanding job and helped turn this franchise around into a winning franchise. It couldn’t have been done without him."

Spanos said he and Tomlinson expressed disappointment that the player never got a chance to win a Super Bowl title.

"We came close but just never quite got there," Spanos said.

The Chargers made five playoff appearances during Tomlinson’s time here. They advanced to the AFC championship game following the 2007 season but lost to the New England Patriots.

Tomlinson’s squeaky-clean image took a hit during that AFC championship game. Forced out early with a knee injury, Tomlinson watched glumly from the sideline, huddled in a parka and his face hidden behind the tinted visor on his helmet.

The Chargers gave an overly optimistic prognosis about his injury, announcing that he "can return," which caused fans and commentators to question his toughness.

Tomlinson was always the most brutally honest employee in the Chargers’ organization. When he sustained a groin injury in the 2008 regular-season finale, he was more forthright with the media about its severity, causing Smith to bristle.

That groin injury sidelined Tomlinson in a divisional-round loss to Pittsburgh, the first time he missed a game due to injury in his pro career. He had been slowed earlier that season by a toe injury.

He sprained his right ankle in the 2009 season opener against Oakland and missed the next two games.

Spanos said Tomlinson "was very, very gracious and very respectful" during their meeting. "He had his typical smile. He was just as good as could be, as respectful as could be. Just really, like he is, first class."

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Tigers, Johnny Damon agree on 1-year contract

A person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press the Detroit Tigers and Johnny Damon have reached a preliminary agreement on an $8 million, one-year contract.

The person, who talked Saturday on condition of anonymity because the deal hasn’t been announced, says the contract is subject to a physical, which will be some time next week.

Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski confirmed Friday he had made a contract offer to the outfielder, but Dombrowski did not return messages seeking comment on Saturday.

The 36-year-old Damon hit .286 with 24 homers for the New York Yankees last season. He likely will bat leadoff for the Tigers, filling the void left when Detroit dealt Curtis Granderson to the Yankees.

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

A person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press the Detroit Tigers and Johnny Damon have reached a preliminary agreement on an $8 million, one-year contract.

The person, who talked Saturday on condition of anonymity because the deal hasn’t been announced, says the contract is subject to a physical, which will be some time next week.

Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski confirmed Friday he had made a contract offer to the outfielder, but Dombrowski did not return messages seeking comment on Saturday.

The 36-year-old Damon hit .286 with 24 homers for the New York Yankees last season. He likely will bat leadoff for the Tigers, filling the void left when Detroit dealt Curtis Granderson to the Yankees.

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

New York Jets defeat Cincinnati Bengals in AFC wild-card playoff game

Another Jets rookie, Shonn Greene, plays a huge role in New York's playoff victory.
Another Jets rookie, Shonn Greene, plays a huge role in New York’s playoff victory.

CINCINNATI — One playoff game into his career, Mark Sanchez is giving a pretty good off-Broadway performance.

So are the rest of the New York Jets, who are no longer an overlooked team after dismantling the AFC North champions twice within a week.

Any more doubters?

With their rookie quarterback playing mistake-free, the Jets turned their surprising playoff appearance into a long-running production Saturday. Sanchez threw a touchdown pass, and the NFL’s top running game took it from there, setting up a 24-14 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

"It’s pretty special," Sanchez said. "It’s got nothing to do with me."

Actually, the Jets’ first playoff win since 2004 had everything to do with him.

Playing in single-digit wind chills against a defense that tried its best to put the game in his hands, Sanchez went 12 of 15 for 182 yards and a stratospheric passer rating of 139.4.

Mark Sanchez does what the Jets' coaches ask, and the result is a playoff win.
Mark Sanchez does what the Jets’ coaches ask, and the result is a playoff win.

Considered the Jets’ weakest link heading into the playoffs, he became their focal point, getting his first playoff win ahead of Carson Palmer, his boyhood idol.

"He had the eye of the tiger today and he was ready to get out there and throw it around," coach Rex Ryan said. "I see him getting better and better each day on the practice field. What a job he’s done. I think he’s tired of hearing he’s the weak link on this football team."

He wasn’t the only rookie making plays under pressure for New York (10-7). Third-round pick Shonn Greene ran for 135 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown, leading a running game that churned out 171 yards for a rare back-to-back sweep of the Bengals (10-7).

Cedric Benson ran for a Bengals-record 169 yards in a playoff game, but Cincinnati managed little else. Its streak without a playoff win reached 19 years and counting.

The Jets?

"They might have a chance to make a move," said Palmer, who was off-target and under pressure most of the game. "Their defense is that good."

Take Palmer’s word for that.

Cincinnati went to the Meadowlands six days earlier and got turned into road kill. The Jets ran for 257 yards, and the Bengals managed a total of 72 yards, with Chad Ochocinco getting shut out. Little changed the second time around — Ochocinco had two catches for 28 yards in the rematch.

"This was a great team effort," said Ryan, who won in his playoff debut as a head coach. "We’re a good football team. If people don’t believe that, they soon will."

No one should count the Jets out now, not the way their coach did two weeks ago. Ryan thought the Jets were out of contention following a 10-7 loss to the Falcons that was set up by Sanchez’s three interceptions. Then, everything lined up in their favor.

The Colts pulled their starters a week later, allowing the Jets to rally for a win, while four other playoff contenders lost. Then, the Bengals showed up at the Meadowlands and lost 37-0 with little at stake.

Ryan’s father, Buddy, was the defensive line coach for the ’69 Jets, who won the Super Bowl title that Broadway Joe Namath had guaranteed. These Jets came into the playoffs as an off-Broadway show, lacking a star quarterback who could deliver a win.

Until Saturday.

Sanchez looked like a playoff pro, joining Shaun King, Joe Flacco and Ben Roethlisberger as rookie quarterbacks to win postseason starts. At times, Sanchez found himself on the sideline soaking it all in.

"It just blows your mind," he said. "It’s unbelievable. I hope I have this feeling next week." 

Bengals QB Carson Palmer was sacked three times by the Jets' top-ranked defense.
Bengals QB Carson Palmer was sacked three times by the Jets’ top-ranked defense.

Sanchez was by far the lowest-ranked passer in the playoffs, throwing 20 interceptions in his rookie season — second-most in the league. The Bengals wanted to put the game in his hands. Playing without a glove on his passing hand in an 8-degree wind chill, the kid from Southern California handled it without a bobble.

Afterward, the team presented a game ball to owner Woody Johnson, whose daughter, Casey, was found dead in her Los Angeles home on Monday. Johnson’s eyes were red as he left the locker room.

The Jets also had a scare at the outset when punter Steve Weatherford was ruled out because of dizziness and an elevated heartbeat. Kicker Jay Feely punted for the first time in his NFL career, averaging 31 yards on seven kicks. He also made 20-yard field goal with 5:47 to go that put Cincinnati too far behind.

"I was so happy that I was kicking a field goal (then) instead of punting," Feely said. "That was great."

The Jets pulled ahead 14-7 by halftime with two big plays off Sanchez’s hand. He faked a handoff and made a perfect pitchout to Greene, who needed only one block to find open space for a 39-yard touchdown run, the longest of his career.

In the second quarter, Sanchez caught the Bengals off-guard. He rolled to his right and found tight end Dustin Keller running uncovered beyond the secondary. The throw was perfect, and Keller kept his balance for the last 15 yards while safety Chinedum Ndukwe vainly tried to knock him out of bounds.

At halftime, Sanchez was 7 of 10 for 94 yards with a passer rating of 132.9. It could have been even better — Braylon Edwards let a pass slip through his hands in the end zone.

Sanchez led an eight-play, 75-yard drive that culminated in Thomas Jones’ 9-yard run for a 21-7 lead late in the third quarter. Benson broke a 47-yard touchdown run — the longest in Bengals playoff history — that got Cincinnati within a touchdown, but Sanchez and Greene turned it on again.

The game ended with a little more Jets serendipity. Shayne Graham, the Bengals’ franchise-tagged player, missed two field goals in the second half, including a 28-yarder with 3:49 to go that essentially sealed it.

NOTES: Greene was the third rookie since 2000 to rush for 100 yards in a playoff game. … Feely had one punt in college and didn’t punt in high school. … Bengals LB Rashad Jeanty broke his left leg on the opening kickoff. … Bengals WRs Laveranues Coles (thumb) and Andre Caldwell (ankle) suffered injuries in the second quarter, but returned in the second half. … Palmer said he’ll have surgery on his left (non-throwing) thumb, which he injured in the fifth game of the season. He wore a removable brace for the rest of the season.

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Another Jets rookie, Shonn Greene, plays a huge role in New York's playoff victory.
Another Jets rookie, Shonn Greene, plays a huge role in New York’s playoff victory.

CINCINNATI — One playoff game into his career, Mark Sanchez is giving a pretty good off-Broadway performance.

So are the rest of the New York Jets, who are no longer an overlooked team after dismantling the AFC North champions twice within a week.

Any more doubters?

With their rookie quarterback playing mistake-free, the Jets turned their surprising playoff appearance into a long-running production Saturday. Sanchez threw a touchdown pass, and the NFL’s top running game took it from there, setting up a 24-14 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

"It’s pretty special," Sanchez said. "It’s got nothing to do with me."

Actually, the Jets’ first playoff win since 2004 had everything to do with him.

Playing in single-digit wind chills against a defense that tried its best to put the game in his hands, Sanchez went 12 of 15 for 182 yards and a stratospheric passer rating of 139.4.

Mark Sanchez does what the Jets' coaches ask, and the result is a playoff win.
Mark Sanchez does what the Jets’ coaches ask, and the result is a playoff win.

Considered the Jets’ weakest link heading into the playoffs, he became their focal point, getting his first playoff win ahead of Carson Palmer, his boyhood idol.

"He had the eye of the tiger today and he was ready to get out there and throw it around," coach Rex Ryan said. "I see him getting better and better each day on the practice field. What a job he’s done. I think he’s tired of hearing he’s the weak link on this football team."

He wasn’t the only rookie making plays under pressure for New York (10-7). Third-round pick Shonn Greene ran for 135 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown, leading a running game that churned out 171 yards for a rare back-to-back sweep of the Bengals (10-7).

Cedric Benson ran for a Bengals-record 169 yards in a playoff game, but Cincinnati managed little else. Its streak without a playoff win reached 19 years and counting.

The Jets?

"They might have a chance to make a move," said Palmer, who was off-target and under pressure most of the game. "Their defense is that good."

Take Palmer’s word for that.

Cincinnati went to the Meadowlands six days earlier and got turned into road kill. The Jets ran for 257 yards, and the Bengals managed a total of 72 yards, with Chad Ochocinco getting shut out. Little changed the second time around — Ochocinco had two catches for 28 yards in the rematch.

"This was a great team effort," said Ryan, who won in his playoff debut as a head coach. "We’re a good football team. If people don’t believe that, they soon will."

No one should count the Jets out now, not the way their coach did two weeks ago. Ryan thought the Jets were out of contention following a 10-7 loss to the Falcons that was set up by Sanchez’s three interceptions. Then, everything lined up in their favor.

The Colts pulled their starters a week later, allowing the Jets to rally for a win, while four other playoff contenders lost. Then, the Bengals showed up at the Meadowlands and lost 37-0 with little at stake.

Ryan’s father, Buddy, was the defensive line coach for the ’69 Jets, who won the Super Bowl title that Broadway Joe Namath had guaranteed. These Jets came into the playoffs as an off-Broadway show, lacking a star quarterback who could deliver a win.

Until Saturday.

Sanchez looked like a playoff pro, joining Shaun King, Joe Flacco and Ben Roethlisberger as rookie quarterbacks to win postseason starts. At times, Sanchez found himself on the sideline soaking it all in.

"It just blows your mind," he said. "It’s unbelievable. I hope I have this feeling next week." 

Bengals QB Carson Palmer was sacked three times by the Jets' top-ranked defense.
Bengals QB Carson Palmer was sacked three times by the Jets’ top-ranked defense.

Sanchez was by far the lowest-ranked passer in the playoffs, throwing 20 interceptions in his rookie season — second-most in the league. The Bengals wanted to put the game in his hands. Playing without a glove on his passing hand in an 8-degree wind chill, the kid from Southern California handled it without a bobble.

Afterward, the team presented a game ball to owner Woody Johnson, whose daughter, Casey, was found dead in her Los Angeles home on Monday. Johnson’s eyes were red as he left the locker room.

The Jets also had a scare at the outset when punter Steve Weatherford was ruled out because of dizziness and an elevated heartbeat. Kicker Jay Feely punted for the first time in his NFL career, averaging 31 yards on seven kicks. He also made 20-yard field goal with 5:47 to go that put Cincinnati too far behind.

"I was so happy that I was kicking a field goal (then) instead of punting," Feely said. "That was great."

The Jets pulled ahead 14-7 by halftime with two big plays off Sanchez’s hand. He faked a handoff and made a perfect pitchout to Greene, who needed only one block to find open space for a 39-yard touchdown run, the longest of his career.

In the second quarter, Sanchez caught the Bengals off-guard. He rolled to his right and found tight end Dustin Keller running uncovered beyond the secondary. The throw was perfect, and Keller kept his balance for the last 15 yards while safety Chinedum Ndukwe vainly tried to knock him out of bounds.

At halftime, Sanchez was 7 of 10 for 94 yards with a passer rating of 132.9. It could have been even better — Braylon Edwards let a pass slip through his hands in the end zone.

Sanchez led an eight-play, 75-yard drive that culminated in Thomas Jones’ 9-yard run for a 21-7 lead late in the third quarter. Benson broke a 47-yard touchdown run — the longest in Bengals playoff history — that got Cincinnati within a touchdown, but Sanchez and Greene turned it on again.

The game ended with a little more Jets serendipity. Shayne Graham, the Bengals’ franchise-tagged player, missed two field goals in the second half, including a 28-yarder with 3:49 to go that essentially sealed it.

NOTES: Greene was the third rookie since 2000 to rush for 100 yards in a playoff game. … Feely had one punt in college and didn’t punt in high school. … Bengals LB Rashad Jeanty broke his left leg on the opening kickoff. … Bengals WRs Laveranues Coles (thumb) and Andre Caldwell (ankle) suffered injuries in the second quarter, but returned in the second half. … Palmer said he’ll have surgery on his left (non-throwing) thumb, which he injured in the fifth game of the season. He wore a removable brace for the rest of the season.

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.