Augusta Chronicle, The

Cubs Deal Maddux to Dodgers D-Rays Trade Lugo to L.A.

LOS ANGELES - The youngsters who have helped carry the Los Angeles Dodgers this season are about to get some veteran help. The Dodgers acquired four-time Cy Young Award winner Greg Maddux from the Chicago Cubs and shortstop Julio Lugo from Tampa Bay in trades Monday.

Saban Just Says No to President; Leinart, Brady Miss Practices

DAVIE, Fla. - When the White House called with an invitation to dine with President Bush, Dan Marino took it. But the coach of his former team said no. Miami Dolphins coach Nick Saban said Monday that his obligations at training camp took priority over a chance to meet the president.

Falcons Lose Finneran for Year

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. - The Atlanta Falcons got the bad news they expected Monday: receiver Brian Finneran is out for the season after tearing up his left knee in practice. Finneran, one of quarterback Michael Vick's favorite targets, went down during a workout Sunday night as he practiced a one-on- one drill with rookie cornerback Jimmy Williams.

Atlanta Focuses On Reaching .500 Mark

ATLANTA - The Atlanta Braves, swept out of the NL East division race by the powerful New York Mets, have reached an uncomfortable crossroads as they face the final two months of the season. The Braves were division champions in each of the past 14 completed seasons. If they were not in first place on Aug. 1, they at least were in the thick of a race they would win.

Lynx Filling in Gaps in Lineup

The Augusta Lynx continued to beef up their defense by signing a pair of big blue-liners Monday, and coach Bob Ferguson said more players should begin making decisions about the upcoming season this week. The Lynx announced Monday that they have agreed to terms with 6- foot-3, 200-pound Eric Lund-berg, who had a solid rookie season with Augusta in the ECHL last year, and 6-foot-1, 205-pound Mathieu Walthier from the United Hockey League.

Georgia Team Takes Title Game in Thriller

NORTH AUGUSTA - In all reality, the Nike Nationals championship game had to end at some point. However, according to the applause at contest's end Monday, not one of the hundreds of spectators at Riverview Park in North Augusta wanted to see the end of one of the best games of the year.

Spikes Is Back After Achilles' Tendon Injury

PITTSFORD, N.Y. - Shortly before the start of practice Monday, linebacker Takeo Spikes completed his individual workout and flashed a thumbs-up sign to a group observing him along the sideline. Already drenched in sweat as he prepared to join his Buffalo Bills' teammates, Spikes said: "It's an everyday ritual," referring to the 15 minutes he spent going over his footwork.

Jones Stays Put As Atlanta Trades Sosa to St. Louis

ATLANTA - The biggest deadline news for the Atlanta Braves on Monday was the trade that didn't happen. And now the idea of trading Andruw Jones is out there a bit more publicly. It's still unclear who contacted whom first, but the Braves and Boston discussed Sunday night the possibility of sending center fielder Andruw Jones to the Red Sox in exchange for Coco Crisp and a pair of young, talented pitchers, according to two sources familiar with the conversation.

Utley's Streak Hits 32 in Loss

PHILADELPHIA - Miguel Cabrera drove in three runs with a homer and two doubles and Josh Johnson pitched seven strong innings to lead the Florida Marlins over the Philadelphia Phillies 15-2 on Monday. Chase Utley extended his hitting streak to 32 games for Philadelphia, but Jon Lieber was roughed up in a terrible performance.

Gamecocks O-Linemen Earn Praise

COLUMBIA - Not every South Carolina player was lazy this offseason. Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier again bemoaned the level of commitment he's seen out of some of his players. He says, though, that South Carolina's offensive linemen have been a welcome bastion of work, effort and dedication during summer drills.

Newspaper: Synthetic Testosterone in Sample

NEW YORK - Tests show that some of the testosterone in Floyd Landis' system at the Tour de France was synthetic and not naturally produced by his body as he claimed, according to a newspaper report. The French antidoping lab testing the American cyclist's samples determined that some of the hormone came from an external source, The New York Times reported on its Web site Monday night, citing a person at the International Cycling Union with knowledge of the result.

Utley's Streak Hits 32 in Loss

PHILADELPHIA - Miguel Cabrera drove in three runs with a homer and two doubles, and Josh Johnson pitched seven strong innings to lead the Florida Marlins over the Philadelphia Phillies 15-2 on Monday. Chase Utley extended his hitting streak to 32 games for Philadelphia, but Jon Lieber was roughed up in a terrible performance.

Earnhardt Must Improve to Make Chase

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Dale Earnhardt Jr. spent his final off weekend at Will Ferrell's movie premiere, judged a Miss Hooters pageant in Las Vegas, then returned home to hold a get-together for his online racing league. Now it's back to work, with little time to play over the next six weeks.

Overtime

Minor League Baseball GreenJackets win in extra innings

Landis Asks for Backup Sample to Undergo Test

MADRID, Spain - Tour de France champion Floyd Landis officially requested the testing of his backup urine sample Monday in an effort to clear his name of doping allegations. "We've sent the fax to the UCI this afternoon," Jose Maria Buxeda, one of Landis' two Spanish lawyers, said of the Swiss-based International Cycling Union. "Now we'll have to adjust to their calendar."

Overtime

Golf Younger Ramsey wins national event

Players Watch What They Eat

LAS VEGAS - First, a disclaimer: This subject is ridiculous. Advancing the notion of poker as sport and its players as athletes will certainly get you laughed at in the real world - away from the gambling hall - and possibly slapped around by anyone who has ever made a living at basketball, golf or even bowling, for that matter.

Gamecocks O-Linemen Earn Praise

COLUMBIA - Not every South Carolina player was lazy this offseason. Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier again bemoaned the level of commitment he's seen out of some of his players. He says, though, that South Carolina's offensive linemen have been a welcome bastion of work, effort and dedication during summer drills.

Today in History

1945 New York's Mel Ott hits his 500th home run in a 9-2 victory over the Boston Braves at the Polo Grounds. Only Babe Ruth with 714 and Jimmie Foxx with 527 have more.

Trivia