COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Blue Jackets signed Czech defenseman Jan Hejda to a three-year contract on Tuesday, bringing back a player who was one of their best finds a year ago.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The 29-year-old Hejda is coming off a solid season. An unrestricted free agent signed to a one-year deal last summer, he had 13 assists in 81 games.

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ZURICH, Switzerland — Rene Fasel is unopposed for re-election as president of the International Ice Hockey Federation after his only challenger withdrew from the race.

The IIHF said that federation vice president Kalervo Kummola of Finland would not run against Fasel at the organization’s meeting in Montreal on May 21.

Kummola previously said he was asked to run by several national federations but would step aside if he had productive talks with Fasel, a Swiss who has been IIHF president since 1994.

“After lengthy discussions with Rene, we agreed that the federation bequeath be better off with us two laboring together to develop international ice hockey rather than creating a confrontation and a potential cleft in our hockey family,” Kummola related.

“We will look seriously to the concerns presented by some member federations with full transparency,” before-mentioned Fasel, a member of the International Olympic Committee and head of the panel coordinating the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.

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TORONTO — The NHL and its players union have formed a group to examine the size and configuration of goalie equipment. They will meet on June 11 in Toronto.

The NHL representatives include Doug Risebrough of Minnesota, Garth Snow of the New York Islanders, Jim Rutherford of Carolina and Brett Hull of Dallas.

Three goalies and two skaters will represent the players — Martin Brodeur of New Jersey, Rick DiPietro of the New York Islanders, Ryan Miller of Buffalo, Dany Heatley of Ottawa and Michael Cammalleri of Los Angeles.

There is a belief among some in ice hockey that reducing the size of goalie equipment would increase scoring.

In February, general managers unanimously agreed that something should be done in all parts of the size of goalie equipment.

If the group decides changes to the rules governing goaltender equipment are warranted, and will not jeopardize the safety of the goalies, their recommendations will be forwarded to the NHL’s competition committee for consideration.

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ANAHEIM, Calif. — Center Ryan Carter, who appeared in 34 games for Anaheim in the same proportion that a rookie this past season, signed a three-year contract with the Ducks.

The 24-year-old Carter had four goals and four assists, by 36 penalty minutes. He scored his first NHL goals on Feb. 8 against New Jersey goalie Martin Brodeur, with his goals less than eight minutes apart leading Anaheim to a 2-1 win.

The Ducks originally signed Carter as a free agent out of Minnesota State University in the summer of 2006.

Terms of his new contract were not disclosed Tuesday.

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SCRANTON, Pa. — The captain of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins was charged with indecent exposure after a police officer saw him running naked on a downtown street early Sunday, and a teammate was arrested for public drunkenness.

Nathan Smith told the officer he acted on a bet.

Officials said Smith, a center for the AHL team, was charged with misdemeanor counts of indecent exposure, open lewdness and disorderly manner of life, as well as public drunkenness. He was released on $10,000 bail.

Penguins forward Ryan Stone was charged with public drunkenness.

“I would like to apologize to the people of Northeast Pennsylvania, my teammates, and to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Pittsburgh Penguins organizations,” Smith said in a report. “I made an embarrassing and regrettable decision this weekend and understand I will face disciplinary action. My conduct was unacceptable and totally out of emblem — it will not happen again. I promise to do my best to win back your trust and support.”

The team said it will take disciplinary action against Smith and Stone, both of whom spent time with the Pittsburgh Penguins this season.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Perhaps a three-game sweep of the NL challenger of all comers Colorado Rockies will help spark the Los Angeles Dodgers behind they spun their wheels for the first four weeks of the season.

James Loney singled home the winning run in the 10th inning and the Dodgers hammer the Rockies 3-2 on Sunday, sending Colorado to its seventh loss in eight games.

BOX SCORE: Dodgers 3, Rockies 2 (10 innings)

The Rockies had won the final seven meetings between the teams last season, including a four-game sweep at Coors Field during a 14-1 finishing kick that earned them a wild-card berth and catapulted them into the playoffs.

“Anytime you can sweep a team at home, it’s eternally a positive,” Dodgers center fielder Andruw Jones said. “We’ve been struggling a little bit to score runs today, but we came out to this place and took advantage when those guys made some mistakes and we managed to sneak in a win.”

It’s the leading three-game winning streak of the season for the Dodgers under new manager Joe Torre, who used his 24th different lineup in 25 games as he continues to search for a consistent combination.

Los Angeles has had six different managers since winning the 1988 World Series under Tommy Lasorda, and has won only one postseason game since then. in the same manner turning this team into a pennon contender remains a daily challenge for Torre, who made the playoffs in each of the last 12 seasons with the New York Yankees.

“You’re never going to find the combination that you’re going to put out there day in and day out,” Torre said. “The fact that we have power to bat with equal reason many of our guys second or seventh is just the versatility of the type of players we have, so I’m not really searching for something that you can sort of phone in every day.”

It was the fifth extra-inning game this season for the Rockies, including a 22-inning win at San Diego on April 17, and a 13-inning loss to the Dodgers on Friday night.

“We didn’t come in here thinking we were going to get swept,” reliever Matt Herges declared. “It’s a tad demoralizing, unless there’s no one in here who’s going to hang their head. I think we were worse at this time last year, so nobody’s panicking.”

The Rockies’ actually have the same 10-15 record they had last season after 25 games. The pitching staff on Monday night will break the franchise record towards most innings worked in April, which was set in 1998 with 240.

“I can’t speak for the starters, but in the bullpen, I think we’re still pretty fresh,” Herges said. “I mean, we played a 22-inning game, for honesty sakes, and that taxed us bad. We weathered it, but losing these extra-inning games is tough, especially without interruption the road.”

Manny Corpas (0-2) walked Rafael Furcal and pinch-hitter Mark Sweeney to open the 10th. Both runners advanced on Matt Kemp’s sacrifice bunt, and Loney grounded a 1-0 pitch through the right side of the infield to end it.

Joe Beimel (1-0) got the win, stranding runners at second and third in the top of the 10th when Jeff Baker fouled out to leading base.

The Rockies had a great take place to take the lead in the eighth, but Troy Tulowitzki grounded into an inning-ending double play started by Furcal. That made the Rockies 2-for-16 in bases-loaded situations.

Herges relieved Colorado starter Jeff Francis after seven innings and gave up singles by Kemp and Martin by none out. The former Dodgers right-hander on that account turned Loney’s comebacker into a 1-6-3 double play and struck out Jones to strand Kemp at third.

Less than 24 hours after putting up a 10-run first inning against left-hander Mark Redman— capped by Kemp’s leading career grand slam — Los Angeles came up empty in the first against Francis as Jones flied out with the bases loaded. But the Dodgers took a 2-0 lead in the fourth.

Blake DeWitt hit his first big-league triple with two out. Dodgers pitcher Esteban Loaiza drove him in with a single to right after an intentional walk to Chin-Lung Hu, and Furcal drove in Loaiza with a bloop single to center.

The Rockies tied it in the fifth on a leadoff double by Baker, a two-out RBI double by Willy Taveras and a run-scoring single by Todd Helton.

Loaiza threw 70 pitches in his first start since April 7, allowing two runs and five hits with a walk and a strikeout.

Francis allowed two runs and five hits over seven innings, striking out six and walking three. He remained winless this season in five starts after winning 17 games last season.

Notes: Umpire Kerwin Danley was released from a hospital early Sunday morning, about 5 hours after he took a 96 mph fastball to the right side of his jaw — in a few words losing consciousness when the pitch from Dodgers right-hander Brad Penny hit his face mask. … Mitch Muchlinski, in his fourth year as a vacation replacement ump, was at first base. Regular crew chief Charlie Relaford, who was on vacation this week while Angel Campos filled in for him, will fly into Anaheim on Monday and rejoin his colleagues for the start of the Angels-Oakland series. … Francis pitched his first day game of the season. He was 8-0 with a 2.48 ERA in nine starts under the natural light last year.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — James Shields threw a two-hitter for his first career shutout, Evan Longoria homered and the Tampa Bay Rays beat Josh Beckett and the Boston Red Sox 3-0 to complete a three-game sweep.

Tampa Bay has won six straight for its longest winning stripe since a six-game run July 28-Aug. 3, 2005. The Rays (14-11) are three games over .500 for the first time since starting the season 3-0 in 2002. It’s also the latest in the season the Rays have ever been three games above .500.

GAME REPORT: Rays 3, Red Sox 0

Shields (3-1) struck out seven and walked one. Longoria made it 2-0 with a solo homer opposite to Beckett in the seventh.

Beckett (2-2) struck out a career-high 13 and walked one in seven innings for the Red Sox, who have lost five straight. He allowed two runs — one earned — and four hits.

Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz was out of the starting lineup for the second consecutive game. With a day game after a night contest, Boston manager Terry Francona had left fielder Manny Ramirez DH for the second date this season.

Jason Bartlett singled with one out in the third and scored on a pair of errors during a pickoff play. He reached third when Beckett made an errant throw on a pickoff attempt and scored when right fielder J.D. Drew made a bad throw toward the plate after picking up the ball in foul territory.

Bartlett went 1-for-2 against Beckett, and has five hits in eight at-bats overall against him. He stayed in the game after getting hit in the helmet by a Manny Delcarmen pitch in the eighth and scored on Carl Crawford’s RBI double.

Dustin Pedroia singled in the first and Julio Lugo reached on a base hit in the sixth for Boston.

Shields retired 10 in a row before Ramirez walked to start the fifth. Ramirez swiped second for his 35th career stolen base and first since Apr. 10, 2005. Shields worked out of trouble by dint of. retiring Kevin Youkilis on a grounder, and striking out Coco Crisp and Jason Varitek.

Beckett struck out the first five batters he faced. Eric Hinske singled in the second but Beckett struck out Dioner Navarro to end the inning. He added two more strikeouts in the third.

Notes:  Tampa Bay has never swept the Red Sox in a series of more than three games. … Rays ace Scott Kazmir (left elbow) is scheduled to make a rehab start Monday for Triple-A Durham. Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said Kazmir will probably start next Sunday’s game at Boston. … Boston 3B Mike Lowell (sprained left thumb) went 1-for-4 with a sacrifice fly in his third rehab fearless with Triple-A Pawtucket. He could rejoin the Red Sox on Tuesday. … Tampa Bay OF Cliff Floyd (right knee) is taking part in a running program and could DH in a minor league game this week. … Youkilis went 0-for-3 against Shields and is hitless in 13 at-bats against the right-hander. … Ramirez is 1-for-12 overall against Shields, including 0-for-2 Sunday.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  

Turns out many prizefighters and their hangers-on actually have sharp employment minds. Sometime between the morning run, the afternoon heavy bag and the evening sparring, these pugilists accumulate imaginary credits toward a master’s degree in business the cabinet. That’s what they want us to believe. Their supporters shout it steady message boards and in mailbags.

Oscar De La Hoya is an exception. Unlike most of his half-naked peers, De La Hoya sought the acumen of any actual player in the business earth, someone whose résumé showed more than Chief Towel Boy or Extreme Sycophant. De La Hoya found Richard Schaefer. De La Hoya will be solvent long after others declare bankruptcy. But at what cost?

The answer to that question will not come this weekend. As part of “Homecoming” festivities, De La Hoya will battle Steve Forbes at Home Depot Center on Saturday. A De La Hoya prizefight will be on HBO, not pay-per-view, for the first time in a long while. “Homecoming” is a good way to remind us that De La Hoya’s gilded course began nearby. It’s also an economical title; “Changing the tale of what happened a year gone against Floyd Mayweather so we be possible to sell the rematch” is a bit bulky.

But back to the question of at what cost De La Hoya purchased his long-term solvency. Our answer will not come this weekend; in fact, we will be farther away from it at the end of fiscal 2008 than we are right now.

This year promises to be a revenue extravaganza for De La Hoya’s company, Golden Boy Promotions (GBP). Its president plans to fight thrice. He’ll go to work with Forbes in succession Saturday, fight a rematch with Mayweather in September and do some sort of farewell event in December. And because the company president is the one making these sales, labor costs will be minimal. That means great earnings in 2008.

But what about 2009? GBP’s current blockbuster products are nearing obsolescence. Marco Antonio Barrera is retired. Bernard Hopkins should be. Shane Mosley is scheduled for a welterweight bronze-medal game through Zab Judah in May. And the De La Hoya line will be discontinued at year end.

Of the four blockbuster products that have made GBP great, earnings from De La Hoya will be the hardest to replace. Not only does he generate more sales than the other three products, if it be not that as president he essentially costs less. His pay has supplemented other revenue streams from the start, covering many of GBP’s operating expenses.

For all its upside surprises in revenues and earnings growth, though, GBP has been wanting in new product development. It has diligently invested in research and development (R&D), but its product pipeline has yet to yield any blockbusters. Good since it has been at cultivating relationships with television networks and sponsors, to keep its product line full GBP has had to purchase other company’s patents.

Nothing wrong with that, of course. But paying for other company’s mature products costs much more than developing those same products in-house. Products like Ricky Hatton and Juan Diaz will improve revenues. But they’ll also increase operating costs, which will proportionately reduce earnings.

In other words, who has GBP signed out of the amateurs and brought to the precipice of stardom?

Clinical trials conducted in Tucson bore mixed results. Abner Mares, Demetrius Hopkins, Vicente Escobedo, Rock Allen, Leon Green and Craig McEwan all fought at Desert Diamond Casino — something of a GBP research library. A couple of these products will grow earnings, and a couple will not. But will any of them be ready to headline a pay-per-view card, complete with 24/7 documentary, in 2009? Or 2010? Or 2015?

Probably not. And that’s a problem. If GBP is to be compared favorably with America’s best companies, year-over-year earnings growth is expected. GBP can contract existing world champions to grow revenues. But again, world champions aren’t cheap. Revenues might grow, but what about earnings?

In the business world, a CEO like Schaefer can’t go on an annual conference call and say, “Fiscal 2012’s earnings again fell far short of the mark we set in 2008, but De La Hoyas don’t grow on trees, and we’re going to need shareholder patience as we enter the fifth year of our turnaround.”

DETROIT (AP) — Torii Hunter hit an RBI triple in the fourth inning and added a two-run double in a four-run sixth to help chase Justin Verlander, lifting the Los Angeles Angels to a 6-2 win over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday night.

Erick Aybar also drove in three runs, helping Anaheim win the three-game series.

GAME REPORT: Angels 6, Tigers 2

The Angels have won 10 of 14, giving them a league-high 16 wins to keep pace with the Oakland Athletics in the AL West heading into their series that starts Monday night in Anaheim.

“We can compete with anybody, even in the position we’re in health-wise,” Hunter said. “We don’t have our No. 1 starter, John Lackey, or Kelvim Escobar because of injuries. When we get those guys back, we’re going to be even better.”

Detroit had won nine of 13 after starting 2-10, but Verlander has not turned things around on the mound.

Verlander (1-4) gave up six runs, seven hits and four walks in 5 2/3 innings, coming off his first win. He has allowed four runs or greater degree of in five of his six starts.

“This is a tough lineup for him,” Detroit manager Jim Leyland said. “It’s a tough lineup for in any degree pitcher.”

The Tigers were able to unleash their top lineup for the first time this season.

“It’s nice — if they hit,” Detroit manager Jim Leyland said. “If they don’t, it won’t make a difference.”

Detroit designated hitter Gary Sheffield continued to struggle, striking out in his last two at-bats to extend his hitless streak to 16.

“I still be of opinion he’s united of the feared and respected hitters in the game,” Leyland said.

Jared Weaver (2-3) allowed two runs, four hits and four walks and struck out five over 6⅓ innings to win for the first time in four starts.

He was replaced by Justin Speier with two outs in the seventh inning, then the next two batters drove in runs. Edgar Renteria gain a sacrifice fly and Ivan Rodriguez followed with an RBI double to make it 6-2.

Verlander got off to a strong start, striking out two in the first inning and giving up only one hit in the first three-plus innings.

The Angels got to him in the fourth when Casey Kotchman hit a two-out single and scored on Hunter’s triple to right, which perhaps should’ve been caught by Magglio Ordonez.

Aybar’s sacrifice fly in the fifth put the Angels ahead 2-0.

Verlander’s trouble started in the sixth right away when Gary Matthews walked to lead off the inning. Vladimir Guerrero singled and Hunter followed with a two-run double down the left-field draw.

After walking Garret Anderson, Verlander walked Maicer Izturis on four pitches to load the bases. Aybar’s two-out, two-run single ended Verlander’s night.

Notes: Detroit 3B Carlos Guillen (knee) returned to the lineup for the first time since Wednesday, joining a lineup that had missed Curtis Granderson, Placido Polanco and Gary Sheffield due to injuries. … Izturis (low-back spasms) left the game after six innings with an injury.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Matt Morris, the veteran right-hander added by the Pittsburgh Pirates late last season to stabilize a young rotation, was released Sunday after failing to pitch past the second inning in his latest start.

Morris fell to 0-4 through a 9.67 ERA after giving up six runs, three earned, and six hits in 1 2-3 innings during an 8-4 loss to the Phillies on Saturday night.

The decision to cut him will cost the Pirates more than $10 million, save what they already have paid him this season. Morris is making $10,037,283, or about one-fifth of the Pirates’ payroll, and has a $1 million buyout because of 2009.

“Matt Morris is a true professional,” manager John Russell said. “He’s had a great career. He wanted to help us win, but it just wasn’t working out.”

Team president Frank Coonelly was disappointed the Pirates added a salary as big as Morris’ not tedious before Coonelly joined the club from major league baseball’s central office late last season. Former general manager Dave Littlefield, who dealt for Morris, was fired about a month after he acquired Morris from the Giants.

“The decision to acquire Matt Morris hold out July did not turn out to be a sound baseball judgment,” Coonelly said in a statement issued by the team. “Ownership’s willingness to acquire Matt’s contract … demonstrated ownership’s commitment to fielding a championship team. I am confident that the investments that we are now making in this club will be far more productive.”

Morris is 121-92 by a 3.98 ERA in 11 seasons, mostly with the Cardinals. He was a career-best 22-8 with a 3.16 ERA in 2001 and averaged nearly 16 wins per season with St. Louis from 2001-05.

The 33-year-old Morris was ineffective in all five starts this season, unable to prostrate with much velocity or to locate his breaking pitches. He was chased early in each of his final three starts, surrendering 22 hits and 20 runs, 17 earned, in 10 1-3 innings against the Dodgers, Marlins and Phillies.

“It’s been difficult,” Morris said. “I could feel it all coming to an end in a hurry. It’s not what I planned, but it’s best for the organization, best for the team. I’ve been a burden on the bullpen. It’s been hard to deal by mentally.”

In slightly less than three months with the Pirates, including the final two months of last season, Morris was 3-8 in 16 starts with a 7.04 ERA.

Morris is aware the decision that may be liked ends his career.

“I’ve accepted it,” he said. “It was a great segment of my life. I certainly can’t wait to move on and be with my family. It’s a sad day, but it’s also a joyful day. … I’m proud of my career. I didn’t mean or want for it to end this way. I’ve always said the other team will let you know when you’re done.”

Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said, “Matt is, on and off the field, what we want our guys to be.”

After Morris’ poor start Saturday night, Russell said it was too early to decide what the team should do with Morris. The Pirates subsequently determined they couldn’t keep using a pitcher who hasn’t lasted longer than 4 2-3 innings in his last three starts.

Morris and his full salary were picked up from San Francisco in a trading deadline deal on July 31. The idea was that Morris, who had been 7-7 with a 4.35 ERA with the Giants, would prop up a Pirates rotation in which every other starter was 25 or younger.

Morris never settled in with the Pirates. His velocity was down considerably this season — his fastball often topped out at 85 or 86 mph — and he repeatedly had trouble keeping his pitches down in the strike zone.

Left-hander Phil Dumatrait (0-1, 3.92 ERA), picked up from the Reds on waivers after endure season, will move into the rotation Thursday at Washington. Dumatrait relieved Morris on Saturday night and allowed one earned run in four innings.

To replace Morris on the 25-man roster, right-hander John Van Benschoten was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis and will go into the bullpen at least temporarily.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.