Maddon Is Hired as Manager of Tampa Bay

Angel bench coach Joe Maddon will leave the organization he has spent all 31 years of his professional baseball career with to become manager of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Maddon, 51, on Sunday accepted an offer to replace Lou Piniella, beating out Devil Ray bench coach John McLaren for the job, and will be introduced Tuesday at a news conference in St. Petersburg, Fla. Terms of Maddon’s three-year contract were still being finalized.

“It’s almost like leaving home for the first time,” said Maddon, who spent 12 years on the Angels’ big league staff and was 33-26 in three stints as interim manager. “My time here has been really special. I’ve never subscribed to the grass-is-greener-somewhere-else theory, but this is different because it gives me an opportunity to do what I’ve always wanted to do, manage.”

Maddon could not comment on his potential coaching staff, but according to a baseball source, Mike Butcher, the Angels’ roving pitching instructor, and Bobby Ramos, the Angels’ roving catching instructor, will join Maddon in Tampa Bay.

Among the candidates to replace Maddon are former Colorado and Chicago Cub manager Don Baylor, former Milwaukee third base coach Rich Donnelly, Angel triple-A Manager Dino Ebel and former San Diego third base coach Rob Picciolo.

“It’s going to be a huge loss for us, and we are not going to be able to replace Joe for all the things he does,” third base coach Ron Roenicke said.

Tampa Bay was 67-95 in 2005, but Maddon compared the Devil Rays, with a new owner and front office and a nucleus of talented young players, to “Cleveland, Minnesota and the Angels before they got good. They’re going to be successful in time.”

Mike DiGiovanna

*

GOLF

Howell Holds Off Woods at Shanghai

David Howell won the HSBC Champions tournament at Shanghai by three strokes, holding off Tiger Woods, who needed to make up three shots in the last three holes, but hit his tee shot into the water on the 16th hole.

Howell closed with a four-under-par 68 that left him at 20-under 268. Woods had a 70 for 271.

Christina Kim won her second career title, closing with a five-under 67 for a one-stroke victory over Rachel Hetherington (68) in the LPGA Tournament of Champions at Mobile, Ala. Kim finished at 15-under 273.

Kenny Perry and John Huston won the Franklin Templeton Shootout, at Naples, Fla., combining for a 13-under 59 in the scramble format for a one-stroke victory over Fred Couples and Adam Scott.

*

COLLEGE SPORTS

No. 9 Kentucky Is Off to a Quick Start

Rajon Rondo had 17 points and No. 9-ranked Kentucky started the season with a 71-54 victory over South Dakota State at Lexington, Ky., in the first round of the Guardians Classic.... Kevin Pittsnogle scored 19 points to lead No. 14 West Virginia (2-0) to a 61-41 victory over Wofford (1-1) at Morgantown, W.Va., and a berth in the semifinals of the Guardians Classic.... Guard Nick Young scored a game-high 21 points for host USC in an 80-72 men’s exhibition victory over Cal State San Bernardino.

In women’s games, Seimone Augustus had 32 points to lead No. 3 Louisiana State over No. 13 Texas Tech, 76-68, in the Tip-Off Classic at Lubbock, Texas.... Sophia Young scored 30 points and helped No. 6 Baylor rally from an 18-point second-half deficit to defeat No. 8 Georgia, 84-72, in the Tip-Off Classic.... Courtney Paris had 19 points and 20 rebounds at Norman, Okla., to lead No. 25 Oklahoma over Southern Methodist, 80-43, in the second round of the Preseason Women’s NIT.

Jenesa Bradshaw, Marlene Sandoval and Lauryn Welch scored in the second half and host Cal State Fullerton (19-3) reached the round of 16 by defeating USC, 3-1, in an NCAA Division I women’s soccer second-round playoff game. Jocelyn Leche scored for USC (13-6-2)....Host and top-seeded UCLA (19-1-2) tied school season records for consecutive games unbeaten (17) and shutouts (15) with a 3-0 victory over Colorado (14-7) behind two goals by Kara Lang. ... Senior forward Megan Woods scored two goals and Pepperdine (15-3-3) defeated Samford, 2-0, at Nashville.

*

MISCELLANY

Baffert and Gomez Win Another Stakes

Trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Garrett Gomez combined to win a stakes race at Hollywood Park for the second consecutive day when Pussycat Doll, a 3-5 shot, powered to a 6 1/4 -length win in the $72,150 Audrey Skirball-Kenis for 3-year-old fillies.

Baffert and Gomez won Saturday’s Bien Bien Stakes with Chips Are Down

-- Bill Christine

Apolo Anton Ohno won the 3,000 meters for his second gold medal in the World Cup short track speedskating meet at Bormio, Italy.