Briefly in sports

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Dec 25, 2003 by Capital-Journal

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Minnesota Timberwolves' Latrelle Sprewell looks down court at New York Knicks owner James L. Dolan after scoring against the Knicks in Tuesday's game.

Baseball: KU first baseman Baty

named preseason All-American

Kansas first baseman Ryan Baty was named a third-team Preseason All-American by Louisville Slugger and Collegiate Baseball newspaper, KU officials announced Tuesday.

The senior from Wichita set single-season records in two categories last season --- amassing 257 at-bats and 97 hits. Baty was a second-team All-Big 12 selection in 2003. He hit .377 for the season. Baty played in the wood bat summer league in Cape Cod, leading the Hyannis Mets with 19 RBIs and was second on the team with a .274 batting average.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, George Steinbrenner! Your New York Yankees are the only baseball team to be slapped with a luxury tax bill.

The Yankees were told by the baseball commissioner's office that they owe $11.82 million, a baseball official told The Associated Press on Wednesday under the condition of anonymity.

New York's payment is due by Jan. 31.

A tax rate of 17.5 percent this year means the Yankees' final payroll, for tax purposes, was $184.5 million. The other 29 teams all stayed under the tax threshold of $117 million established by baseball's new collective bargaining agreement.

Commissioner Bud Selig pushed for the tax to discourage high- revenue teams from far outspending their rivals. The Yankees were told of the amount late Tuesday.

"One year's experience is not sufficient to make a judgment, but we are pleased with the increase in competitive balance on the field," said Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer.

NEGOTIATIONS FOR A NEW Florida Marlins ballpark are back in progress, less than a week after the prospects for a deal had appeared dead, The Miami Herald reported Wednesday.

Talks were revived after the Marlins agreed to consider a new stadium at the site of the city-owned Orange Bowl, Miami city manager Joe Arriola told the paper.

The team also backed off their requirement for a retractable roof - -- bringing the price tag down to about $200 million.

The talks had ground to a halt when city officials said they couldn't donate land or money for the stadium and a proposed sales tax increase in Miami-Dade County to raise money for the project had little support.

In a reversal of the city's previous position, Arriola said Miami was now willing to consider using bond money for a stadium.

The proposal would seek to demolish the 66-year-old Orange Bowl -- - scheduled to undergo extensive restoration next year --- to make way for a new stadium which the Marlins would share with the University of Miami Hurricanes football team.

Basketball: Timberwolves' Sprewell

fined $25,000 for cursing at Dolan

Minnesota's Latrell Sprewell was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Wednesday for cursing at New York Knicks chairman James Dolan and screaming at the team's bench during the Timberwolves' 98-92 win Tuesday night.

The penalty was issued by NBA senior vice president Stu Jackson.

Sprewell, who was traded to Minnesota and scored 31 points in his return to New York, turned to Dolan and unleashed a stream of curses after his 3-pointer gave Minnesota a 94-89 lead with 1:14 left.

Referee Dan Crawford came over and warned Sprewell to stop during the ensuing timeout, but Sprewell kept it up anyway and directed his next rant at the Knicks' bench. The tirade earned him a technical foul.

PEJA STOJAKOVIC of the Sacramento Kings was suspended for one game by the NBA on Wednesday for making improper contact with a game official.

Stojakovic, who scored a career-high 41 points in the Kings' 114- 97 victory over Memphis Tuesday night's game, brushed official Bernie Fryer with 1:17 remaining in the second period and received a technical foul.

"I overreacted on that," Stojakovic said. "I apologized to him at halftime."

Stojakovic will miss the Kings' game on Christmas Day against the Dallas Mavericks.

NUGGETS ROOKIE CARMELO ANTHONY could miss Friday's game against the Houston Rockets because a strained toe.

"If it's something that is still bothering him, we're going to hold him out. No question his health is much more important to me right now," Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said Wednesday.

Anthony has been bothered by a sprained right toe for a week and a half. He has been in pain the past two games, shooting only 9-for- 32.

General: Santa Claus promotion

turns bad at Islanders' game

Bad Santa isn't just a holiday movie.

A seemingly harmless Christmas promotion arranged by the New York Islanders turned ugly, and all because of the team's fierce rivalry with the New York Rangers.

And the Rangers were nowhere near when trouble broke out.

The promotion invited fans to dress up as Santa Claus for Tuesday night's game at Uniondale, N.Y., against the Philadelphia Flyers and be admitted to the Nassau Coliseum for free. What's more, they were permitted to parade across the ice between periods.

About 1,000 Santa Clauses showed up and as promised, they were invited on the ice after the first period.