Sports briefs 6/7/05

Update Olympics

Baseball

* Colorado Rockies rookie sensation Clint Barmes will miss at least three months after breaking his left collarbone in a fall while carrying groceries, the team said Monday.

Barmes hurt himself going up a flight of stairs at home Sunday night. The 26-year-old shortstop will have surgery Tuesday.

Barmes was leading NL rookies in nearly every offensive category, including batting average (.329), runs (40), hits (74), doubles (16), home runs (8) and RBIs (34).

He was seventh overall in the league in batting average, tied for fourth in hits and tied for fifth in runs scored.

* The Atlanta Braves placed third baseman Chipper Jones on the 15-day disabled list Monday and still aren't sure how long their team leader will be out.

Jones left Sunday's game in Pittsburgh when he re-injured his left foot. He was examined by Dr. Joe Chandler, the team orthopedist, on Monday and was scheduled for an MRI Tuesday.

Jones collapsed in the batter's box in the eighth inning and needed help leaving the field Sunday.

* Four minor leaguers were suspended Monday for 15 games by the commissioner's office for violating baseball's drug policies.

That brings to 70 the number of minor leaguers penalized for violations under the minor league program. Five have been suspended under the major league policy.

The four players suspended were Angel Rocha, a pitcher in the Arizona organization; Mario Delgado, a first baseman with Baltimore; Felix Romero, a pitcher with Boston; and David Smith, an outfielder with Toronto.

Cycling

* Lance Armstrong finished 79th and in the chasing pack Monday in the first stage of the Dauphine Libere, which was won by Thor Hushovd of Norway.

Armstrong is tuning up for his bid for a seventh straight title in Tour de France, which will be his final race before retirement. The Texan was fifth in the prologue Sunday and is expected to excel in Wednesday's time trial and the mountain ascents later in the week.

George Hincapie, the prologue winner who rides for Armstrong's Discovery Channel team, was 26th in the 139-mile stage but remained in first place overall.

Football

* Deion Sanders' return to the Baltimore Ravens hit a minor snag Monday when a surgeon was unavailable to complete the cornerback's physical.

The seven-time Pro Bowler is expected to learn the results of an MRI on Tuesday, according to team spokesman Chad Steele.

Sanders, who turns 38 in August, underwent minor toe surgery after playing only nine games because of toe and hamstring injuries after coming back from a three year retirement.

* The Miami Dolphins hired former New Orleans general manager Randy Mueller as their GM on Monday to help first-year coach Nick Saban rebuild the franchise that slid to an embarrassing 4-12 last season.

Mueller replaces Rick Spielman, who left the Dolphins last week after five seasons helping oversee their personnel moves.

Mueller served as a general manager for the Saints in 2000 and 2001. The Saints captured the NFC West title and earned their first-ever playoff win in Mueller's first season with the team.

He has served as an ESPN analyst for the past three seasons after being released from his Saints contract in 2002.

Hockey

* The NHL and the players' union will hold three more days of talks, beginning today in yet another small-group setting.

The sides will be getting together in New York, marking the sixth straight week they will hold negotiations. Both the league and the players' association are committed to keeping that kind of schedule until a new collective bargaining agreement is worked out.

Last week, the sides held 34 hours of talks over three days in Toronto.

Miscellaneous

* New York City's bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympics suffered a setback Monday when a powerful state board rejected critical public funding for a $2 billion stadium on Manhattan's West side.

The financing board failed to approve $300 million in state money for the stadium that would also serve as home to the New York Jets. The plan, which needed unanimous approval from the three-member board, received only one vote.

New York is in competition with Paris, London, Madrid and Moscow for the 2012 Games. Earlier Monday, the International Olympic Committee released a report ranking Paris highest among the finalists and indicating that construction of the stadium is crucial to New York's chances.

The state board could reconsider the issue again later. But without the support of member Sheldon Silver -- the state Assembly Speaker who came out against the plan less than an hour before vote was taken -- the state funding cannot move forward.

-- From wire reports