Tuesday Sports in Brief

NHL

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - St. Louis defenseman Jay Bouwmeester was hospitalized and undergoing tests early Wednesday after suffering a cardiac episode and collapsing on the bench during the first period of the Blues’ game against the Ducks.

The team said in a statement late Tuesday night that the 36-year-old Bouwmeester was conscious and alert. Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said Bouwmeester was awake, alert and moving his arms and legs as he was transported from the arena.

“Thankfully, with the quick response of our medical trainers, Anaheim medical trainers and their team physicians, they were able to stabilize Jay,” Armstrong said.

Teammates Vince Dunn and Alex Pietrangelo immediately called for help after Bouwmeester slumped over with 7:50 left in the first period. After a couple of minutes, Bouwmeester was taken out on a stretcher through a tunnel next to the Blues bench and transported to an Orange County hospital.

DOG SHOW

NEW YORK (AP) - Siba the standard poodle won best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club.

With the crowd at Madison Square Garden chanting for Daniel the popular golden retriever, judge Bob Slay instead picked the perfectly primped and poised black poodle Tuesday night.

Poodles come in three sizes and this was the 10th time one of them has become America’s top dog.

Bourbon the whippet finished second. Also in the best-of-seven final ring was Bono the Havanese, Wilma the boxer, Conrad the Shetland sheepdog, Wilma the boxer and Vinny the wire fox terrier.

MLB

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) - The Boston Red Sox promoted bench coach Ron Roenicke to manager Tuesday, hiring him to replace Alex Cora on the day the team’s pitchers and catchers reported for the start of spring training.

The move is an indication that Roenicke - and perhaps the entire Red Sox organization - will escape punishment in baseball’s sign-stealing investigation. Cora was let go for his role in the Houston Astros’ cheating, but the team has maintained that there was no similar scheme in Boston when the Red Sox won it all in 2018.

A decision from Major League Baseball had been expected before the start of spring training, but a person with knowledge of the probe said the investigation would continue into next week. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because there was no formal announcement.

Commissioner Rob Manfred said last week that he hoped to have the investigation wrapped before the start of spring training; Red Sox pitchers and catchers reported Tuesday and have their first workout Wednesday.

Roenicke, 63, takes over a team that is dealing with the fallout not only from the cheating investigation but also the salary dump of onetime AL MVP Mookie Betts and Cy Young winner David Price.

-By AP Sports Writer Jimmy Golen.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) - Marwin González became the first batter from the 2017 Houston Astros team that won the World Series to publicly apologize for his role in the sign-stealing scandal, expressing regret Tuesday after reporting to spring training with the Minnesota Twins.

“I’m remorseful for everything that happened in 2017, for everything that we did as a group, and for the players that were affected directly by us by doing this and some other things,” González said. He later added: “I wish that we could take it back, but there’s nothing we can do now.”

Major League Baseball’s investigation into the allegation first made publicly by former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers resulted in one-season suspensions for manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow, a $5 million fine and the loss of Houston’s first- and second-round draft picks in 2020 and 2021. Hinch and Luhnow were fired by the Astros, and Boston manager Alex Cora and New York Mets manager Carlos Beltrán also lost their jobs for their involvement in the sign-sealing system for the Astros, Cora was bench coach and Beltrán was a player on the 2017 team.

NFL

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Panthers owner David Tepper remains noncommittal on Cam Newton’s future with the organization, saying it will largely depend on how the quarterback recovers from foot surgery.

“Listen, I’m not a doctor,” Tepper said Tuesday. “I said it a million times, is he healthy? He’s not a doctor. So there is a lot of different things that can happen. Tell me that and then we can talk.”

The 31-year-old Newton missed 14 games last season with a Lis Franc injury. He had surgery on Dec. 11.

The Panthers are in a rebuilding mode, and the team could save $19 million under next year’s salary cap if they trade or release the 2015 league MVP.

Tepper said the Panthers have not had any teams inquire about a trade for Newton.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Two Ohio State University football players have been accused of rape and kidnaping, according to Columbus police.

The Columbus Dispatch reports that police charged defensive players Amir I. Riep and Jahsen L. Wint, both 21, late Tuesday and warrants have been issued for their arrests.

“We are aware that two of our students have been arrested and criminally charged,” Ohio State spokesman Ben Johnson said in a statement to The Associated Press. “They have been suspended from all activities involving the football program. We will share more information when available.”

Riep is a 6-foot-1, 185-pound cornerback entering his senior season while Wint is a 6-foot, 198-pound redshirt senior safety, according to court documents and the Ohio State Buckeyes website.

COLLEGES

WASHINGTON (AP) - NCAA President Mark Emmert urged Congress to put restrictions on college athletes’ ability to earn money from endorsements, telling a Senate committee Tuesday federal action is needed to “maintain uniform standards in college sports” amid player-friendly laws approved in California and under consideration in other states.

The NCAA last fall said it would allow players to “benefit” from the use of their name, image and likeness and is working on new rules it plans to reveal in April. Under the NCAA’s timeline, athletes would be able to take advantage of endorsement opportunities beginning next January.

Meanwhile, more than 25 states are considering legislation that would force the NCAA to allow players to earn money off their personal brand in a bid to address inequities in the multi-billion-dollar college sports industry. California passed a law last year that gives broad endorsement rights to players and it will take effect in 2023. Other states could grant those rights as soon as this year.

SOCCER

BERLIN (AP) - Jürgen Klinsmann surprisingly resigned as coach of Hertha Berlin on Tuesday after only nine Bundesliga games.

The former Germany and United States coach said in a statement on Facebook that he “cannot live up to my potential as coach and therefore cannot live up to my responsibility” without the trust from people at the club.

“That’s why, after long thought, I came to the conclusion to make my position as coach of Hertha available and return to my original long-term task as a supervisory board member,” Klinsmann wrote.

Much was expected of Klinsmann when he was appointed coach on Nov. 27, helped by an extensive backroom staff. He was supposed to deliver on the promise provided by a $250 million investment from new backer Lars Windhorst and lead Hertha up the standings toward the European qualification places. But the team is still fighting off relegation.

HORSE RACING

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) - A horse died on the training track at Santa Anita last weekend, the sixth death at the track since late December.

A 6-year-old gelding named Double Touch and trained by John Sadler suffered what was described as a “sudden death” on Saturday, according to an incident report on the track’s website. A necropsy required by the California Horse Racing Board was pending.

There have been 43 deaths at Santa Anita since December 2018, including six beginning shortly before the winter-spring meet began on Dec. 28.

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