WNBA player Griner injured slightly in knife attack
A man wielding a knife cut WNBA center Brittney Griner’s elbow during an attack in China, but she was not seriously injured, according to her agent.
Griner did not require hospitalization to treat the injury, which was considered superficial. She was wearing a winter coat when a man ran at the players swinging a knife and yelling at them while they were on the way from a practice arena to the team bus.
A teammate also was stabbed, but she was protected by jackets and not injured.
The man chased the team onto the bus and it reportedly took five minutes before he left on his own. The motive for the attack was not immediately known.
Griner, a member of the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, is in her second season playing in China for Beijing Great Wall.
Angels sign Cuban infield prospect
The Los Angeles Angels signed Cuban middle infielder Roberto Baldoquin to a contract with a bonus of $8 million, MLB.com reported Tuesday.
Baldoquin, who defected from Cuba in February and has been living in the Dominican Republic, is expected to begin his American baseball career in the minor leagues but could be a potential replacement for Angels second baseman Howie Kendrick in 2016.
The deal won’t be finalized until Baldoquin completes a physical. The Angels have yet to confirm the agreement.
The 20-year-old Baldoquin played three seasons for Las Tunas in Cuba’s Serie Nacional, the top league on the island.
Domestic assault trial for Panthers’ Hardy moved to 2015
The jury trial of Carolina Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy on domestic violence charges has been postponed until early 2015, the Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, District Attorney’s office announced Tuesday.
Hardy, 26, has been awaiting a jury trial on charges of assaulting his ex-girlfriend and threatening to kill her.
He was found guilty of those charges by a district court judge in July but, under North Carolina law, has the right to appeal with a jury trial.
The trial had been set to begin Nov. 17 but was delayed due to a crowded docket, the district attorney’s office said, adding that no exact date for the trial has been set.
Sandoval declines qualifying offer
Third baseman Pablo Sandoval rejected a $15.3 million qualifying offer from the San Francisco Giants, Fox Sports reported Tuesday.
The 28-year-old Sandoval was a key player in the Giants’ run to the World Series championship. He was one of 12 free agents in Major League Baseball who were extended qualifying offers on Monday.
Sandoval batted .279 with 16 home runs and 73 RBIs this past season.
He has a career .294 batting average with 106 home runs and 462 RBIs in seven seasons with the Giants. In the postseason, Sandoval has batted .344 with six home runs and 20 RBIs in 39 games.
Sandoval reportedly rejected a three-year, $40 million contract extension offer in March from the Giants. He made $8.25 million this season.
Ducks’ Gibson could be out six weeks
The Anaheim Ducks could lose goaltender John Gibson for up to six weeks after he sustained a groin injury during warmups before Sunday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche.
The 21-year-old was scratched from his start against the Avalanche. He is 2-2-0 this season in four games with a .927 save percentage and a 2.28 goals-against averge.
Gibson’s injury, which is not expected to be a long-term issue, adds to the Ducks’ sudden goalie woes. Frederik Andersen is day to day with muscle tightness, leaving veteran Jason LaBarbera as the No. 1 option for the moment.
LaBarbera filled in Sunday against the Avalanche and won his only NHL start this season with 16 saves. Last year, he played seven games for the Edmonton Oilers.