Dodgers Get Kendrick, Work to Add Rollins
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Sports FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 Russian athletics chief steps down from IAAF role MOSCOW: The head of Russia’s athletics down while the investigation was taking television documentary, alleging wide- tims of a vicious campaign, which has federation has stepped down from his place but planned to return to his job spread doping and cover-ups among brought concerns amongst my col- role as treasurer of the International once it was over. Russian track and field competitors and leagues from the IAAF.” “I feel it is the Association of Athletics Federations “I sent a letter today to the President some high-ranking officials. correct decision to stop my work with (IAAF) because of the investigation into of the IAAF, Lamine Diack, with the offer The allegations in the video have not the IAAF, until this investigation into the allegations of doping in Russia. of temporarily ceasing to work as treas- been verified by Reuters and doping scandal finishes. “However, dur- Valentin Balakhnichev, the president urer and as a member of the council of Balakhnichev has denied any knowl- ing this period of an enforced holiday, I of the Russian Athletics Federation this organization,” Balakhnichev told edge of doping, denouncing the claims will be working for the good of athletics (VFLA), told Russia’s ITAR-TASS news TASS. The IAAF launched an investiga- as “a pack of lies”. “Over the last few and will continue to give everything in agency that he had volunteered to stand tion into the claims, made by a German days the VFLA and I have been the vic- the fight against doping.” — Reuters McLaren name Alonso and Button as 2015 drivers LONDON: Spain’s double world champion Fernando Alonso and Britain’s Jenson Button will drive for Honda-powered McLaren next season, the Formula One team said yesterday. Alonso’s return to Woking, seven years after he left following an acrimonious sea- son as 2007 team mate to then-rookie Lewis Hamilton, had been an open secret for months in the paddock. His partner next year had been far less clear-cut, with the former champions hav- ing to decide between one of their 2014 pairing of Button and Dane Kevin Magnussen, who will stay with the team as a reserve and test driver. The decision to go with Button, who made his race debut in 2000 and was the most experienced driver on the starting grid this year, will see the Briton start his 16th season at the age of 35. The former Honda driver remains McLaren’s most recent race winner, hav- ing triumphed for the under-performing former champions in Brazil at the end of 2012. McLaren have not won a race for ATLANTA: In this Sept. 2, 2014, file photo, Atlanta Braves’ Andrelton Simmons, right, is out at second attempting to steal as two years and are going through a major Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins applies the tag in the third inning of a baseball game in Atlanta. The Dodgers acquired overhaul, with changes at technical and second baseman Howie Kendrick from the Los Angeles Angels and were working to obtain shortstop Rollins from the Philadelphia managerial level. Phillies in a remake of their middle infield. — AP They have also teamed up again with Honda in a repeat of their hugely success- ful partnership in the late 1980s and 1990s Dodgers get Kendrick, when Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost domi- nated Formula One. Alonso, who won his title with Renault, has spent the last five seasons at Ferrari but his patience ran out after the Italian work to add Rollins glamour team again failed to take the fight to dominant Mercedes this year. SAN DIEGO: The Dodgers acquired second base- The 31-year-old Kendrick has spent all nine of 2008 World Series title. Rollins hit .243 last season The Spaniard is desperate to win a man Howie Kendrick from the Los Angeles Angels his big league seasons with the Angels. He hit .293 with 17 homers and 55 RBIs. Rollins is owed $11 third title, something he came close to in and were working to obtain shortstop Jimmy this year with seven homers, 75 RBIs and 14 steals. million next year in the final season of a contract 2007 when he and Hamilton finished level Rollins from the Philadelphia Phillies in a remake of Kendrick has a $9.5 million salary next year and that started in 2012. As a 10-year veteran who has and one point behind Ferrari’s champion their middle infield. then can become a free agent. spent five seasons with his current team, Rollins Kimi Raikkonen. In a flurry of moves late Wednesday, the Kendrick was selected to his only All-Star team cannot be traded without his consent. “I am joining this project with enor- Dodgers dealt All-Star second baseman Dee in 2011, and he has been a steady bat in Los The 26-year-old Gordon led the major leagues mous enthusiasm and determination, Gordon, right-hander Dan Haren, infielder Miguel Angeles’ lineup for six consecutive seasons. last season with 12 triples and 64 stolen bases, knowing that it may require some time to Rojas and a player to be named or cash to the Kendrick and shortstop Erick Aybar have been the mostly batting leadoff for the Dodgers. He hit .289 achieve the results we are aiming for, Miami Marlins as part of a seven-player trade for Angels’ double-play combination for the past half- with two homers, 92 runs, 34 RBIs and a .329 on- which is no problem for me,” Alonso said. left-hander Andrew Heaney, right-hander Chris decade. “It’ll be difficult to replace Howie,” Angels base percentage. He joins a batting order that “Over the past year I have received sev- Hatcher, infielder Kike Hernandez and catcher general manager Jerry Dipoto said. “We just felt includes NL home run champion Giancarlo eral offers, some of them really tempting Austin Barnes. The Dodgers then sent Heaney, like one year of control on Howie as a pending free Stanton, given a record $325 million, 13-year con- but, more than a year ago, McLaren- considered one of baseball’s top pitching agent at the end of the ‘15 season was impossible tract. “Our goal was to add another bat. Dee Honda contacted me and asked me to prospects, to the Angels for Kendrick. to walk away from Andrew Heaney and six years of wasn’t exactly the bat we were expecting to add,” take part, in a very active way, in the “We started this offseason with a really good control, and what we think is a left-hand starter Marlins general manager Mike Hill said. “But when return of their partnership - a partnership base of talent in place coming off an extremely who has top-of-the-rotation upside.”To help make you can access that type of game-changing that dominated the Formula One scene successful NL West division championship,” up for the loss of Kendrick, the Angels acquired 25- speed, for who we are, we just thought it made a for so long.” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew year-old infielder Josh Rutledge from the Colorado lot of sense.” Friedman said early Thursday. “But as we looked at Rockies for minor league right-hander Jairo Diaz. In Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria called it “lightning Button said he was extremely excited it and tried to figure out different ways that we can 266 games over three seasons, Rutledge is a .259 and thunder.” “It’s going to be a lot of fun,” he to be racing his sixth season for the team. continue to improve the roster, we felt like there hitter with 19 homers and 89 RBIs. said after using an old-fashioned flip phone to “Like Fernando, I am certain that were certain areas we could target and certain take photos of Hill holding a news conference in McLaren and Honda will achieve great guys that fit within the scope of what we were try- Rollins cannot be traded the lobby of the winter meetings hotel. “All we’ve things together, and I feel sure that, work- ing to do.” Rollins, the 2007 NL MVP, would take over at got to do is play well and start to win, and people ing together, all of us will pull incredibly Friedman wouldn’t say how close he was to shortstop for Hanley Ramirez, who signed an $88 will be responsive.” Haren went 13-11 with a 4.02 hard to create a brilliantly effective win- finalizing a trade for Rollins or a $48 million, four- million, four-year contract with Boston. ERA as the NL West champion Dodgers’ No. 4 ning team,” he said. “I am absolutely rar- year contract with free-agent pitcher Brandon The 36-year-old Rollins has spent his entire 15- starter. He is owed $11 million for next season ing to go.” — Reuters McCarthy. The Dodgers also have been talking year career with the Phillies, becoming a three- and said last month he might retire if traded about dealing outfielder Matt Kemp to San Diego. time All-Star and helping Philadelphia win the away from the area.—AP.