Maddon Is a Devil Ray Finalist

Angel bench coach Joe Maddon on Tuesday was named one of three finalists for the Tampa Bay managerial job and will meet with Devil Ray executives for a second round of interviews at next week’s general managers meetings in Palm Springs.

The other finalists whittled from a list of nine who interviewed are Tampa Bay bench coach John McLaren and former New York Met manager Bobby Valentine, who is considered a longshot candidate at best.

Tampa Bay executives Matt Silverman and Andrew Friedman, who are conducting the search for Lou Piniella’s successor on behalf of new principal owner Stuart Sternberg, said they hope to make a decision within 10 days to two weeks.

Maddon, 51, recently completed his 31st year in the Angel organization, the last 12 in the big leagues. He spent six years as a minor league manager. In three stints as an Angel interim manager, in 1996, 1998 and 1999, Maddon compiled a 33-26 record.

“I’m excited -- there’s so much about this job that I like,” Maddon said. “The people I’ve interviewed with ... I really think they’re going to do a good job. I think my strong points fit the needs of this group. They’re trying to build something, and I’m fired up about that. And athletically, this team is exciting. There are things that need to be done, but it’s an exciting group of players.”

Among the finalists who did not make the cut were former Detroit manager Alan Trammell and Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt.

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Though the Angels plan to bid for free-agent slugger Paul Konerko of the World Series-champion Chicago White Sox, General Manager Bill Stoneman is expected to spend time during next week’s GM meetings exploring a possible trade for Boston slugger Manny Ramirez.

-- Mike DiGiovanna

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The Angels lost a key legal motion when Orange County Superior Court Judge Peter Polos ruled that the city of Anaheim could argue that the team’s marketing strategy is in violation of the stadium lease.

In return for its $30-million investment in Angel Stadium renovations, the city contends that the Anaheim name should be prominent, not only in the team name but on jerseys, tickets, advertisements and so forth. Polos ruled that a provision in the lease granting the Angels sole discretion over marketing did not necessarily trump the provision that requires the team name to “include the name Anaheim therein.”

-- Bill Shaikin

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Oakland third baseman Eric Chavez, Seattle right fielder Ichiro Suzuki and Minnesota center fielder Torii Hunter won their fifth consecutive Gold Gloves awards. Boston catcher Jason Varitek, Texas first baseman Mark Teixeira and Toronto second baseman Orlando Hudson were first-time winners. New York Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter and Blue Jay outfielder Vernon Wells won for the second straight season. Texas pitcher Kenny Rogers won for the fourth time overall and second in a row.

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Pitching coach Jim Colborn and bench coach Jim Lett are following former Dodger manager Jim Tracy to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The hirings had been expected since Tracy was hired as Pittsburgh’s manager Oct. 11.

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As expected, Larry Bowa agreed to a deal to become third base coach for the Yankees.... Florida declined its option on reliever Antonio Alfonseca.... Pitcher John Thomson’s $4.75-million option for 2006 was exercised by the Atlanta Braves.

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SOCCER

Pumas UNAM Fires Sanchez

Pumas UNAM fired Hugo Sanchez as coach, dismissing the former national team star less than a year after he won unprecedented consecutive Mexican first-division titles for the Mexico City club.

The 47-year-old Sanchez, who has openly criticized Mexican national team coach Ricardo Lavolpe and campaigned for the job, was fired two days after Pumas was beaten, 2-1, at home by cross-town rival America. The loss left the club with the third-worst record in the league and in last place in Group 2 with three victories in 14 games.

San Jose’s Dominic Kinnear was selected MLS coach of the year and Michael Parkhurst of the New England Revolution won rookie-of-the-year honors. The awards were determined in a vote by media, MLS players, coaches and general managers.

Real Betis upset English champion Chelsea, 1-0, in the knockout stage of the Champions League.

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COLLEGE BASKETBALL

UCLA’s Farmar to Miss Exhibition Opener

UCLA sophomore guard Jordan Farmar will miss Friday night’s exhibition opener against Carleton University at Pauley Pavilion because of a strained right groin muscle. Farmar has shown significant improvement since suffering the injury in practice Thursday, according to men’s basketball sports information director Bill Bennett.

The availability of Arron Afflalo, another sophomore guard, for the Carleton game won’t be decided until Friday. He is recovering from a bruised left thigh, an injury suffered in Saturday’s practice.

Freshman forward Alfred Aboya, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery three weeks ago, won’t be allowed to practice for at least two more weeks.

-- Steve Springer

Arizona forward Jawann McClellan appealed his academic ineligibility to the NCAA and is hoping for a chance to play in the Wildcats’ season opener.

McClellan was declared academically ineligible last month after the sophomore struggled to handle school issues after the death of his father in June.

A decision by the NCAA is expected by Nov. 8, McClellan said.

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TENNIS

Blake Loses to Ljubicic at Paris Masters

James Blake lost to Ivan Ljubicic, 6-3, 6-4, in the second round of the Paris Masters. Blake missed two chances to break when Ljubicic served for the match at 5-4 before Ljubicic rallied.

Tomas Berdych upset second-seeded Guillermo Coria, 6-4, 6-2, to reach the third round.

Top-seeded Lindsay Davenport and Maria Sharapova withdrew from the Advanta Championships at Villanova, Pa. Davenport has flu and Sharapova has a sprained right thumb.

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MISCELLANY

Bunning, McCain to Unveil New Steroids Bill

Aiming to spur baseball and other sports to adopt tougher steroid policies, Sens. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) are reintroducing legislation that would standardize drug testing and penalties for professional leagues.

The new bill combines two already proposed separately by Bunning and McCain. Bunning, a former major league pitcher who was elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1996, said the new legislation would be introduced this week.

Like the earlier bills proposed by Bunning and McCain, this one is based on the Olympic model, calling for a two-year suspension for an athlete who fails a steroids test for the first time and a lifetime ban for a second offense.

Bill Walsh will serve as Stanford’s interim athletic director while the school searches for Ted Leland’s replacement.

Walsh, who won three Super Bowl as coach of the San Francisco 49ers and was twice a football coach at Stanford, has served as a special assistant to Leland since 2004.

Leland announced last month that he would leave at the end of the year to become vice president for university advancement at Pacific.

Former NHL star Pavel Bure was selected as general manager of Russia’s Olympic hockey team.

The Los Angeles-based Major League Lacrosse franchise, which will begin play next spring, selected 13 players in the 2005 MLL expansion draft.

With their first-round pick (first overall), the club selected midfielder Michael Watson, an attackman who previously played with the Boston Cannons.

The L.A. team will open play in the 2006 season as one of four expansion teams, alongside Chicago, Denver and San Francisco, all of whom will compete in the newly created Western Conference.

They join the original six teams in Baltimore, Boston, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Rochester.