HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
The Coal Ridge Titans split a pair of non-league games last night with the Battle Mountain Huskies. The Lady Titans defeated Battle Mountain 63-25 while the Coal Ridge boys lost to the Huskies 59-47.
ROCKIES MAKE A TRADE
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The Houston Astros have traded reliever Wilton Lopez and a player to be named to the Colorado Rockies for right-handers Alex White and Alex Gillingham. The deal was announced Tuesday night and was the first trade at the winter meetings. Lopez was 6-3 with 10 saves and a 2.17 ERA in 64 games for the Astros last season. Known for his sharp control, he struck out 54 and walked just eight in 66 1-3 innings. The 29-year-old righty has done well at inducing groundballs and spent the last four seasons with Houston.
The 24-year-old White split last season with the Rockies and Triple-A Colorado Springs. He was 2-9 with a 5.51 ERA in 23 games for the Rockies, including 20 starts. He was the 15th overall pick in the 2009 draft, taken by Cleveland. The 23-year-old Gillingham was 6-8 with a 3.66 ERA at Class-A Asheville in his first full pro season.
PEYTON MANNING ON TARGET THIS SEASON
ENGLEWOOD (AP) – So much is made of what Peyton Manning’s passes look like after four neck operations and a season away from football. Do they wobble? Do they spiral? Do they dip or dive? No matter, they’re almost always on target. The Denver Broncos quarterback is completing 68 percent of his throws, just shy of his career high of 68.8 percent set in 2009, and that’s with his top two targets dropping 15 passes. Manning has been so precise that he’s already completed at least 70 percent of his throws eight times this season, tying his career high. He’s also on pace to throw for 4,669 yards, which would be 31 yards short of his career best.
Elsewhere in sports….
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The baseball winter meetings continue today in Nashville, Tenn. There has already been a fair amount of activity and a deal involving the Washington Nationals is reportedly on the verge of being announced. According to a person familiar with the talks, the Nats are close to signing free agent pitcher Dan Heren to a one-year, $13 million contract. The person told The Associated Press under condition of anonymity because no deal was announced.
NEW YORK (AP) – The New York Jets have announced that Mark Sanchez will start at quarterback this Sunday when they face the Jaguars in Jacksonville. Sanchez was benched in last Sunday’s game with Arizona and was replaced by Greg McElroy. Coach Rex Ryan pulled Sanchez late in the third quarter of the game with the Cardinals.
NEW YORK (AP) – Contract talks between the NHL and the players’ union continue today in New York City. Representatives for the two sides met for nearly eight hours yesterday. The second of two sessions didn’t end until around midnight, New York time.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Longtime rivals Florida and Florida State renew their rivalry in basketball tonight. The sixth-ranked Gators are on the road for a game against the Seminoles on FSU’s home court. The Gators enter the game unbeaten after six games.
MIAMI (AP) – The Washington Wizards won their first game of the season just a few days ago. Last night, they got win No. 2 by beating the Heat in Miami, 105-101. The Wiz got the win despite the fact that LeBron James had 26 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. The loss snapped a six-game Miami winning streak.
