Sports Desk

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The New York Sun

BASEBALL


MINAYA SHAKES UP METS’ COACHING STAFF


Mets general manager Omar Minaya shook up New York’s coaching staff yesterday while continuing to search for a manager to replace Art Howe.


Minaya, in his second week since becoming GM, announced that only pitching coach Rick Peterson will return in his current position next season. Don Baylor will not be back as hitting coach, but is still under consideration to take over for Howe, who was fired after two years. Baylor also is a candidate to be the Philadelphia Phillies manager.


Former Blue Jays manager Carlos Tosca already has been interviewed for the vacant manager’s position, and the Yankees gave Minaya permission to talk to longtime coach Willie Randolph.


Third base-infield coach Matt Galante and first base-outfield coach Gary Pettis were also let go by the Mets, who went 71-91 and finished just ahead of last-place Montreal in the NL East. Head trainer Scott Lawrenson also was dismissed while bench coach Bobby Floyd and bullpen coach Nelson Silverio will be reassigned within the organization.


FOOTBALL


JETS’ MOSS QUESTIONABLE WITH BAD HAMSTRING


Jets receiver Santana Moss is questionable for Sunday’s game against San Francisco with a strained right hamstring.


Moss was hurt against Buffalo last weekend, but coach Herman Edwards said after the game that he had cramps. Moss has 11 catches for 231 yards and no touchdowns this season. He didn’t practice yesterday.


Edwards also said reserve cornerback Derrick Strait is out “for a while” with a stress fracture in his right foot. Left guard Pete Kendall also is out with a fractured big toe on his right foot, and Edwards would not give a timetable for his return.


Right guard Brandon Moore is doubtful with a strained hamstring and also missed practice. The Jets signed guard Dave Yovanovits to their active roster and waived center Drew Caylor yesterday.


GIANTS SIGN HOLLOWELL, WARD


Linebacker T.J. Hollowell and running back Derrick Ward signed with the Giants yesterday. To make room on their roster, the Giants (4-1) placed receiver and linebacker Wes Mallard on injured reserve.


Carter fractured a hip socket in Sunday’s win over Dallas. Mallard injured a knee last week. Hollowell has been on the Giants’ practice squad. He was with the team in training camp, and was among the last players cut. During the preseason, he had eight tackles, including two on special teams.


Ward was a seventh-round pick by the Jets. He rushed for 2,061 yards and 28 touchdowns at Ottawa University in Kansas last year. He has been on the Jets’ practice squad this season. The Giants also signed receiver Jason Geathers to their practice squad. Geathers was in the Cleveland Browns training camp this summer.


PANTHERS’ JENKINS DONE FOR SEASON


The Carolina Panthers lost All-Pro defensive tackle Kris Jenkins for the season yesterday to a shoulder injury, the fourth important player the team has lost this season.


It was the latest blow to the defending NFC champions, who are already without top receiver Steve Smith (broken leg) and no.2 running back DeShaun Foster (broken collarbone). Star running back Stephen Davis has also missed three games with a knee injury.


W. VIRGINIA TOPS UCONN IN BIG EAST OPENER


Rasheed Marshall rushed for 110 yards and threw a touchdown pass and Mike Lorello had two interceptions last night to lead West Virginia (5-1) to a 31-19 victory over Connecticut in the Mountaineers’ Big East opener.


Marshall repeatedly rescued an offense that sputtered for almost three quarters. With leading rusher Kay-Jay Harris sidelined with injuries, Marshall and Jayson Colson kept the 17th-ranked Mountaineers’ ground game going, racking up 309 yards rushing. Colson finished with 111 yards and one TD.


SOCCER


AMERICANS EDGE CLOSER TO WORLD CUP BERTH


Established star Landon Donovan and rising sensation Eddie Johnson carried the United States into the regional qualifying finals for the 2006 World Cup in emphatic fashion last night.


Donovan scored the first two goals, then Johnson, a second-half substitute, got three in a row in a 6-0 rout of Panama. It was the first U.S. hat trick in World Cup qualifying since 1968 and only the third ever.


The Americans’ biggest victory since beating Barbados 7-0 in 2000 moved them one huge step closer to Germany ’06. They clinched a spot in the Concacaf regional finals, where the top three of six teams automatically make the World Cup field. And they did it with an unrelenting attack that extended their longest unbeaten streak to 12 games. They are 3-0-2 in qualifying.


Johnson, 20, in just his second national team game, became the first American sub to score three times in a game.


TOP SCORERS LEAD COUNTRIES TO QUALIFYING WINS


Some of Europe’s top scorers pushed their teams closer to places in the 2006 World Cup yesterday.


The Czech Republic’s Jan Koller and Bulgaria’s Dimitar Berbatov scored two goals each while Ukraine’s Andriy Shevchenko and England’s Michael Owen also produced goals.


But the big names did not entirely dominate the day – Andorra scored a 1-0 victory over Macedonia on a 60th-minute volley by midfielder Marc Bernaus.


Koller made it three goals in two games for the Czechs, who won 3-0 at Armenia for their second straight Group 1 win. Berbatov had two goals to send Bulgaria past Malta 4-1 in Group 8. Shevchenko scored Ukraine’s second goal in a 2-0 win over Georgia.


Owen headed in England’s lone goal in a 1-0 victory at Azerbaijan. It was England’s third victory in a row and gives the team 10 points from four games in Group 6.Owen was appointed captain in the absence of the suspended and injured David Beckham, who yesterday apologized for the yellow card ploy that earned him a convenient suspension.


In other qualifying action, Italy, France, and the Netherlands recovered from weekend setbacks to register victories.


Italy edged Belarus 4-3, while France beat Cyprus and the Dutch topped Finland. Portugal romped to a 7-1 win over injury-plagued Russia in a Group 5 qualifier.


– Associated Press


The New York Sun

© 2024 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  Create a free account

or
By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use