Staff report

According to Chris Mortensen of ESPN, Redskins' Albert Haynesworth has been fined $7,500 by the NFL for his blindside block Sunday on Bears offensive lineman J'Marcus Webb.

The unnecessary roughness infraction game away from the play during DeAngelo Hall's 92-yard interception return.

The New York Times reports: Giants OF Jose Guillen was kept off the team's postseason roster shortly after federal authorities informed MLB that he was tied to an investigation into shipments of performance-enhancing drugs, according to several lawyers briefed on the matter.

Despite slumping late in the season, he was expected to be named to the playoff roster, and it came as something of a surprise when ex-White Sox player Aaron Rowand was named instead.

Get the full story at nytimes.com.

Tribune News Services

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State is reinstating defensive back Chris L. Rucker after his completion of an eight-day jail stint.

Coach Mark Dantonio says it's Rucker's decision whether he travels with the team when the No. 5 Spartans play Saturday at No. 18 Iowa.

Tribune News Services

SAN FRANCISCO -- The World Series' television ratings are off to a slow start.

The Giants' 11-7 win over the Rangers in Game 1 on Fox on Wednesday night earned an 8.9 rating and 15 share. That's down 25 percent from the 11.9 for last year's Yankees-Phillies opener. It's also down 3 percent from the 9.2 for Phillies-Rays Game 1 in the 2008 World Series, which went on to average a record-low rating.

Fox said Thursday that the rating peaked at 10.4/16 at 8:30 p.m. CT before declining after the Giants pulled away with a six-run fifth inning.

Tribune News Services

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- Pedro Martinez began training in the Dominican Republic for a possible return to pitching in this Caribbean nation's winter league.

Martinez, who did not pitch in the major leagues this year, said Thursday he wants to see how he feels before making a final decision on whether to join the Licey Tigers.

By Mark Gonzales

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Shortstop Eduardo Escobar is generously listed at 5-foot-10 and 150 pounds, but he's making a favorable impression with his bat in the Arizona Fall League.

Escobar, a White Sox prospect, went 2-for-4 with an RBI triple and two walks in leading the Peoria Saguaros to a 15-1 win over Phoenix in a game that was called after 7 1/2 innings.

Phoenix used six pitchers, and Desert Dogs manager Don Mattingly had a lengthy discussion with the umpires before the game was stopped.

Escobar leads the league with three home runs. He hit six home runs at Class-A Winston Salem and Double-A Birmingham in 2010.

"I don't know about the home runs," said Escobar, a native of Venezuela. "I work on my hitting every day."

(Photo by Mark Gonzales)

By Teddy Greenstein
 
Commissioner Jim Delany wants the names of the Big Ten's new divisions to "conjure up the right feelings in people -- a positive, emotional response."
 
Wouldn't "Stars" and "Stripes" fit the bill?
 
"Not bad," Delany replied. "Good suggestion. It's there with everything else."

By Phil Rogers

SAN FRANCISCO -- Ron Washington has changed his mind about playing Vladimir Guerrero in right field.

The Rangers' lineup for Game 2 of the World Series has Nelson Cruz moving from left field to right and David Murphy in left field, with Guerrero available off the bench.

"I did it the first day, so tonight I decided to go with Murphy,'' Washington said. "It had nothing to do with anything that happened out there that I have never seen another baseball player do in right field ... it had nothing to do with it ... Part of the reason was to make sure that I get Murphy continuously engaged. He's been a big part of our success, and just as I didn't want to sit Vlad for two days, I certainly don't want to sit Murphy for two days.''

By Mark Gonzales

PEORIA, Ariz. -- The White Sox would receive four draft picks should free agents Paul Konerko and A.J. Pierzynski turn down salary arbitration and sign elsewhere.

That's according to the Elias Sports Bureau's Rankings that were posted by MLBTradeRumors.com. According to the rankings, Konerko and Pierzynski were each ranked Type A free agents.

Photo galleries: Paul Konerko | A.J. Pierzynski

By Teddy Greenstein
 
Northwestern will announce late Thursday or Friday a comprehensive plan to renovate and develop new on-campus athletic facilities, the Tribune has learned.
 
The school has commissioned Populous Architects (formerly HOK) to create a "master plan" that likely will call for upgrades to Welsh-Ryan Arena and Ryan Field and perhaps new offices for football coaches and a new weight room, among other things.