BASEBALL
TORONTO'S TOP DRAFT PICK SUSPENDED FOR 50 GAMES : NEW YORK (AP) — Toronto Blue Jays prospect Marcus Stroman, the No. 22 pick in this year's amateur draft, was suspended 50 games Tuesday for violating baseball's minor league drug program.
Stroman, a right-hander with Double-A New Hampshire, tested positive for Methylhexaneamine, a banned stimulant. Stroman, who played college ball at Duke, received a $1.8 million bonus when he signed with Toronto last month.
In a statement, the Blue Jays said Stroman tested positive while playing for Class-A Vancouver.
2014 MLB ALL-STAR GAME GOES TO MINNESOTA: MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins will host the 2014 All-Star game at Target Field.
A person with knowledge of the decision, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the Twins nor Major League Baseball had announced it, confirmed the news on Tuesday. The decision was first reported by the Star Tribune.
The Twins scheduled a news conference for Wednesday afternoon to make an unspecified "major announcement regarding an upcoming event to be hosted at Target Field," which opened in 2010.
JAYS' BAUTISTA TO HAVE SEASON-ENDING WRIST SURGERY: NEW YORK (AP) — Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista will have season-ending surgery to stabilize a tendon in his left wrist.
Bautista said before Tuesday night's game against the New York Yankees that the recovery period is three to four months and he would be ready to play long before the start of spring training next year.
MLB, ESPN EXTEND TELEVISION CONTRACT : NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball and ESPN extended their television contract through 2021 on Tuesday, a deal that almost doubles the amount of money the network will pay annually for baseball content while also all but eliminating local blackouts for ESPN games on Monday and Wednesday nights.
The deal was announced on Tuesday. It combines rights for TV, radio, digital and international that had been separate. The new single contract adds new rights to air a wild-card game, along with additional rights to highlights and digital content. It also gives the network more flexibility to show games involving popular teams.
The previous contracts were worth close to $360 million a year combined. A person with knowledge of the new combined deal says it will be worth about $700 million a year over eight years. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the financial figures were not released.
CYCLIMG
GERMANY'S DEGENKOLB WINS 4TH STAGE AT VUELTA: SANXENXO, Spain (AP) — John Degenkolb won the 10th stage of the Spanish Vuelta on Tuesday for his fourth victory in this year's race.
Joaquin Rodriguez of Spain kept the overall lead on the eve of a crucial time trial.
The German rider outsprinted Nacer Bouhanni of France and Daniele Bennati of Italy to finish the 118-mile leg in 4 hours, 47 minutes, 28 seconds.
"The sprint was really hard and the final (part) was just (a fight)," said Degenkolb, who rides for Argos-Shimano. "The stage in general was not that hard, a small group took charge and we controlled the race the whole day."
There were no changes to the overall leading group after the ride through the western province of Galicia following the first rest day in the three-week race.
GYMNASTICS
GABBY DOUGLAS PREPARING TO LAUNCH GYMNASTICS TOUR: LOS ANGELES (AP) — Gabby Douglas has barely had time to enjoy her Olympic all-around gymnastics success and now it's time to get back to work.
Douglas and the rest of the U.S. women's team convened Monday night in Ontario, Calif., to begin rehearsals for the Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions. Nastia Liukin, the 2008 Olympic all-around champion, is participating and helping choreograph the three-month tour that opens Sept. 8 in San Jose.
Liukin said she's been impressed with how Douglas has handled herself since the 16-year-old wowed at the Olympics with a gold medal in the all-around. She's encouraged Douglas to enjoy every moment of her newfound success and fame.
"You have to have a really strong group of people surrounding you, your friends and family first and foremost, but then the team of people that work for you," Liukin said Tuesday.
