Dodgers to Interview McLaren

The Dodgers will interview former Tampa Bay Devil Ray bench coach John McLaren for their vacant manager position Monday.

A finalist for the Devil Ray job that went to Angel bench coach Joe Maddon, McLaren has worked under Lou Piniella for the last 14 seasons, in Cincinnati, Seattle and Tampa Bay. Piniella, whose contract was bought out last month, declined to be interviewed by the Dodgers.

“I’ve got a lot of Lou Piniella instilled in me,” McLaren said Friday night.

McLaren, 54, has interviewed to become a manager twice before, with the Mariners when Piniella left after the 2002 season and with the Reds after the 2003 season.

In addition to serving under Piniella in a variety of roles, McLaren managed extensively in the minor leagues and in the Colombian and Venezuelan winter leagues.

“In 14 years, I learned a lot from Lou,” he said. “It’s kind of the good, the bad and the ugly. But he’s a tremendous leader.”

Dodger General Manager Ned Colletti interviewed Jim Fregosi last Saturday, and this week Angel pitching coach Bud Black declined to pursue the position. Colletti could interview as many as three more candidates.

The Dodgers continue to track free agents Brian Giles, Rafael Furcal and several pitchers, including Kevin Millwood and their own Jeff Weaver, and Florida Marlin center fielder Juan Pierre, and shop Milton Bradley.

Dodger executives are telling other organizations they have about $18 million to spend, assuming they trade Bradley or don’t make him an offer.

-- Tim Brown

Left-handed relief pitcher B.J. Ryan and the Toronto Blue Jays have reached a preliminary agreement on a $47-million, five-year contract, a high-ranking baseball official said.... The Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago White Sox completed their deal that sent slugger Jim Thome to Chicago for center fielder Aaron Rowand after the players passed their physicals. Philadelphia also is giving Chicago $22 million as part of the deal, according to a baseball official who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.... John Hart has agreed to stay with the Texas Rangers as a consultant through 2013 and give up the opportunity to interview for general manager positions.

SOCCER

Adams Scores Four to Power UCLA

Danesha Adams scored four goals to lead the UCLA women’s team to a 5-0 win over visiting Virginia in the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament.

UCLA advances to the Women’s College Cup at College Station, Texas, and will play Florida State on Friday. Florida State upset No. 2 North Carolina, 5-4, on penalty kicks after the teams tied, 1-1, through regulation and overtime.

In other quarterfinal games: Tiffany Weimer scored on a header in the 81st minute to give Penn State a 2-1 win over Santa Clara at University Park, Pa.... Megan Rapinoe scored two goals to lead Portland to a 3-1 win over visiting Notre Dame.

GOLF

Wie Hopes to Learn From Mistakes

Michelle Wie said she promised to learn from her mistakes and keep playing in men’s tournaments after missing the cut by one stroke at the Casio World Open at Kochi, Japan.

She bogeyed the last two holes for a three-over-par 75, leaving her with a two-round total of four-over 148 in the Japanese tour event.

“I was a bit nervous walking up the 18th fairway,” she said. “I was just trying to play a good hole and make par, but it didn’t work out that way.”

Wie will next play in a men’s event at the PGA Tour’s Sony Open in Hawaii in January.

WINTER SPORTS

Miller Says He’s Target for Doping

Overall World Cup ski champion Bode Miller said he is being targeted for more doping tests since suggesting last month that regulations on banned substances be liberalized.

After telling reporters at the World Cup opener in Austria last month that he believes doping should be legalized -- or at least the accepted levels of banned substances should be increased -- Miller said he was required to submit to drug tests on three consecutive weekends.

“I can tell you this: Since I started talking out about the idea, I’ve been randomly tested three times, and nobody else on my team has been tested more than once,” Miller said.

Three-time figure skating world champion Evgeni Plushenko answered questions about his conditioning with a personal best to take a firm lead after the short program in the Cup of Russia at St. Petersburg.

Plushenko’s 87.20 score put him nearly nine points ahead of Switzerland’s Stephane Lambiel, the current world champion. American Johnny Weir was third in the short program.

World champion Irina Slutskaya of Russia was in front in the women’s event with a score of 67.58. Miki Ando of Japan is about seven points behind.

MISCELLANY

American Memmel Wins All-Around

Chellsie Memmel edged Nastia Liukin for an American gold-silver finish in the women’s all-around final in the gymnastics world championships at Melbourne, Australia. Memmel ended the world championships with a total score of 37.824.

Kansas City Chief defensive lineman Lional Dalton was jailed after an alleged fight with his estranged wife. Dalton, 30, was released on $2,500 bond after being arrested because his estranged wife accused him of grabbing her by the hair and pulling her down.

CVC Capital Partners Ltd., a British investment group, bought a controlling stake in Formula One in a move that is not expected to change the way the racing series operates on the track under Chief Executive Bernie Ecclestone.