BASEBALL

SANCHEZ SUSPENDED FOR VIOLATING STEROIDS POLICY

Tampa Bay outfielder Alex Sanchez was suspended 10 days for violating baseball’s new steroids policy, the first player publicly identified under the major leagues’ tougher rules.

The suspension begins today when Tampa Bay opens its season against Toronto, the commissioner’s office said yesterday. Under the new policy that took effect last month, steroids and other performance-enchancing substances are the only drugs to draw a 10-day suspension. Baseball officials and the players’ union agreed they would not disclose the exact substance for which a player tests positive.

Sanchez said he was surprised by the suspension, adding that he uses milkshakes and multivitamins to build his energy – and blaming the positive test on something he bought over the counter.

“I’m going to fight it, because I’ve never taken steroids or anything like that,” said Sanchez.

BENSON TO MISS FIRST START

Mets right-hander Kris Benson felt some tightness while throwing in the bullpen yesterday and will not accompany the team to Cincinnati for the season opener. Benson, who has been nursing a strained right pectoral muscle, was throwing between starts during the Mets’ exhibition game against the Washington Nationals. He was sent to New York after the game for further examination.

The Mets open the season today against the Reds. Benson was originally to start the third game of the season Thursday in Cincinnati, but the pectoral injury moved his projected start back to Saturday.

PRIOR TO BEGIN SEASON ON DL

Mark Prior will start the season on the disabled list for a second straight year because of a sore elbow that has bothered the Chicago Cubs’ righthander since early March. He pitched in a minor league game Friday, giving up seven hits, including a pair of homers, over four innings.

Prior could come off the disabled list in time to pitch April 12 against San Diego, if his elbow is fine. Carlos Zambrano will start today against the Diamondbacks’ Javier Vazquez.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

BOGUT AWARDED NAISMITH TROPHY

Andrew Bogut, the 7-foot star sophomore center of Utah who declared for the NBA draft last week, received the Naismith Trophy yesterday. The award is given by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to the best player in college basketball .

Bogut averaged 20.4 points and 12.4 rebounds while shooting 62% from the field for the Utes, who lost to Kentucky in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. He led the nation in double-doubles and ranked first in the Mountain West Conference in scoring, rebounding, and field-goal percentage.

The other finalists for the award were guard J.J. Redick of Duke, guard Chris Paul of Wake Forest, and forward Wayne Simien of Kansas.

CYCLING

ARMSTRONG FINISHES 28TH IN RONDE OF FLANDERS

Lance Armstrong finished 28th yesterday in the Ronde of Flanders, which was won by Belgium’s Tom Boonen for the biggest victory of his career.

Armstrong was among the leaders most of the way but dropped back with 15 miles left in one of the five biggest one day races. The Texan is tuning up for the Tour de France in July, when he will attempt to win the title for the seventh straight year.

Boonen split from a breakaway group in the final stages and won the 159-mile race in Meerbeke in 6 hours, 22 minutes, 49 seconds. He was 33 seconds ahead of Germany’s Andreas Klier. Belgium’s Peter Van Petegem finished third, beating Germany’s Erik Zabel in a sprint.

The Ronde of Flanders is one of cycling’s toughest challenges – with 17 hills and stretches of cobblestones in the second part of the race. It is rare for multistage racers like Armstrong to figure prominently in such conditions, yet he led the chasing pack up hills.

It has been a tough start to the season for the 33-year-old Armstrong. He began by quitting last month’s Paris-Nice race a few days after finishing 140th in the prologue, which he called “the worst time trial of my life.” Armstrong also finished well back in the March 27 Brabant Arrow, a tuneup for the Ronde, before improving to finish in the top pack at Tuesday’s Paris-Camembert race.

GOLF

MICKELSON IN STRIKING DISTANCE AT BELLSOUTH CLASSIC

Tuning up for his Masters defense, Phil Mickelson shot a 7-under 65 yesterday to move within a stroke of leader Scott McCarron with one round to play in the rain-delayed Bell-South Classic. McCarron, the 1997 and 2001 winner at the TPC at Sugarloaf, shot his second straight 69 for a 6-under 138 total on the Greg Norman-designed course.

Mickelson, the no. 4 player in the world and a two-time winner this season, had the best round of the tournament as conditions improved with sun, temperatures in the low-60s and wind of 15-20 mph. He holed a 26-yard pitch for eagle on the 310-yard, par-4 13th, and had six birdies and a bogey in the round. Jose Maria Olazabal (69) and first-round coleader Billy Mayfair (69) matched Mickelson at 5-under, and Arron Oberholser (68),Tag Ridings (68), Brian Bateman (68), Joey Snyder III (69), and Rich Beem (70) were 4 under.

SWIMMING

PHELPS EDGES CROCKER IN TRIALS FOR 100-M BUTTERFLY

Michael Phelps, who yielded his spot on the U.S. gold medal 400-meter medley relay to Ian Crocker at the Olympic Games last summer, caught his longtime friend and rival at the finish and won the 100 butterfly last night at the U.S. trials for the world championships in July.

It was the third victory of the meet for Phelps, who trailed Crocker by more than a half-second at the turn but pulled ahead to win in 51.34 seconds. Crocker, who holds the world record of 50.76, finished at 51.45.

Phelps and Crocker were almost 2 seconds faster than third-place Peter Verhoef. Only the winner of each event is guaranteed a spot on the U.S. team for the world championships in Montreal on July 24-31, although the second place finishers likely will be added to the roster depending on how others qualify in multiple events.

– Associated Press