he trade would have to be official by Wednesday for Crisp to be

JOHN SAUNDERSNEW YORK -- John Saunders, the versatile sportscaster who has hosted ESPNs The Sports Reporters for the last 15 years, has died, the network announced. He was 61.Saunders joined ESPN in 1986. The Canadian did play-by-play, led NHL Stanley Cup and World Series coverage on ESPN and ABC, and hosted studio shows for baseball, college football and college basketball.A cause of death was not announced.Saunders took over as host of The Sports Reporters, a Sunday morning staple of ESPN programming, after Dick Schaap died in 2001. Saunders played the role of calm traffic cop on the panel show that features three sports journalists volleying opinions on the top sports news of the day.Saunders was also a founding member of the board of directors for The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a charity started by the network after former college basketball coach and ESPN announcer Jim Valvano died of cancer in 1993.OLYMPICSRIO DE JANEIRO -- Military police in Rio de Janeiro are stepping up security at the Olympics after a bus carrying journalists had two of its windows shattered by a projectile and a bullet flew into the stables area of the equestrian venue.Two large windows on the media bus were shattered Tuesday by what Rio organizers said was a rock. But a passenger disputed the account, saying she was sure it was gunfire. There were no serious injuries.Security has been a major concern surrounding the Olympics as Rio is plagued by rampant crime, including frequent murders, gun battles and muggings. Police near the Olympic beach volleyball venue in Copacabana found body parts on the shore last month, and an off-duty bodyguard for Rios mayor was shot to death around the same time in an apparent mugging. Adding to the anxiety is terrorism fears about the Islamic State.Rio is deploying about 85,000 soldiers and police to secure the games, twice as many as London did four years ago. Soldiers in military fatigues and carrying guns have been a common sight around Olympic venues.RIO DE JANEIRO -- It seems everywhere you turn in track and field right now theres bad news.Two days before the track competition starts at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, IAAF President Sebastian Coe said that hes not confident there will be full crowds.Are we going to have full houses? I dont know the answer to that, Coe said.The Rio crowds could have given Coe a rare positive to highlight in a news conference that was almost completely about the negatives: Doping, banned athletes, previously banned dopers being able to compete in Rio, and what the IAAF is doing to change the way it works after 12 months that rocked the sport and its governing body to the core. Along with the huge doping scandal in Russia -- Coe called it cataclysmic -- corruption crept into the IAAF, too, under former president Lamine Diack.RIO DE JANEIRO -- Justin Gatlin, the sprinter considered the best threat to stop Usain Bolt in the 100-meter final Sunday, told The Associated Press hes not paying attention to what people are saying about him, and is not concerned with those who think he doesnt belong here because of past doping scandals.At the end of the day, the time has been served. Ive served that time, the 34-year-old Gatlin told AP on Wednesday. Ive dealt with that punishment. Ive moved forward.Gatlin, who won gold at 100 meters at the 2004 Olympics, has been caught using banned substances twice. The first was for amphetamines, though arbitrators determined he didnt use them for doping but to treat attention deficit disorder. The second came for excessive testosterone in 2006 and resulted in a four-year ban.His name almost always comes up in the debate over how past dopers should be treated. In Rio, it surfaced in the wake of American swimmer Lilly Kings finger-wagging display toward Yulia Efimova, the Russian who was allowed to compete after a last-minute appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.Like Gatlin, Efimova has served a doping ban but was reinstated.Gatlin does not see himself as a villain -- and does not buy into the now-hackneyed portrayal of him vs. Bolt as tracks version of Good vs. Evil.People want to label people and thats all they want to do, Gatlin said. They dont want to get to know them, they dont want to understand the story, in-depth.BASEBALLARLINGTON, Texas -- Prince Fielder will not be able to come back after a second neck surgery.The Texas Rangers slugger choked up and shed tears as he said health issues are forcing him to end his 12-season major league career. He was still wearing a neck brace 12 days after his second cervical fusion in just over two years.The 32-year-old Fielder says its going to be tough not being able to play again after being around the majors since he was a kid with his father, Cecil, a slugger who played 13 seasons for five different teams. Princes two young sons sat with him, also shedding tears.All of his Rangers teammates, along with coaches and staff, filled the interview room at their home ballpark to support him. Seattle Mariners Store . Listen to the game live on TSN Radio 1050 at 7pm et. The Raptors traded Rudy Gay, Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray to the Sacramento Kings on Monday, in exchange for Greivis Vasquez, John Salmons, Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes. Seattle Mariners Pro Shop . The quest begins with what is supposed to be an easy one, although Germany has traditionally been a stubborn opponent to Canadian teams at international tournaments. https://www.cheapmariners.com/ . Defenceman Yannick Weber scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and the Canucks breathed a sigh of relief with a 2-1 win on Saturday night. Wholesale Mariners Jerseys . Miller finished in two minutes, 6.09 seconds, one day before the first medal race on the Alpine schedule. The 36-year-old American also turned in the top time in Thursdays opening training session. Seattle Mariners Gear . The head of USA Boxing came out swinging Tuesday with an open letter to Tyson -- a former Olympic hopeful himself -- that accuses the former heavyweight champion of trying to poach fighters who might be candidates for the U. HOUSTON -- Colby Rasmus used his bat and his arm to make a big difference in his return to the lineup Tuesday night.Collin McHugh threw six scoreless innings, Rasmus and Evan Gattis homered and the Houston Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 3-1.Rasmus put Houston up 1-0 with a homer in the second inning in his first at-bat since returning from the 15-day disabled list.Its about as good a feeling as you can have being a baseball player, Rasmus said. I was just glad to be able to get out there and contribute and do some good for the team in a time where we needed a little spark.Rasmus went on the DL on Aug. 5 with a cyst in his right ear. He has a scar behind his upper right ear.We all said welcome back to him, Houston manager A.J. Hinch said. That was a nice way to get back on the active club. Thats exactly why you want him in the lineup.In the second, Oakland put runners on the corners with one out, but Rasmus caught Max Muncys flyout and threw home in time to get Ryon Healy and end the inning.That was a really big hit tonight for the team, but also for him to be able jump back in and pick up right where he left off was huge, McHugh said. Hats off to him. Then he made that great play in the field. I think he made that either right before or right after that, so that was in my opinion, the play of the game. It was his game.Gattis hit a solo homer in the seventh to make it 3-0.McHugh (9-10) allowed four hits and struck out five. He had allowed at least three runs in each of his previous six starts.It feels good to have a good outing to help the team, McHugh said. Especially in a game where their guy was throwing good, too. It was a tight game. Our guys put us on the board early, and to be able to hold steady was huge.Houston remained two games behind Baltimore for the second AL wild card.Alex Bregman had an RBI single in the third for Houston.Will Harris threw a perfect seventh, and Luke Gregerson allowed an unearned run in the eighth before Ken Giles pitched the ninth foor his sixth save.ddddddddddddMarcus Semien cut the lead to 3-1 with an RBI groundout to short in the eighth.Kendall Graveman (10-9) allowed three runs and four hits in seven innings. Graveman had allowed one run in his previous two starts.He was great, Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. Up until the second home run, they hit three balls hard the whole game off of him. We just didnt do enough offensively to give him support. Well take that stuff every night.AS DEAL CRISPOakland is nearing a deal to trade outfielder Coco Crisp to the Cleveland Indians, according to a person familiar with the trade. The exchange has been agreed to by both teams, said the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade has to be approved by Major League Baseball.The trade would have to be official by Wednesday for Crisp to be eligible for the postseason.The 36-year-old Crisp is batting .234 with 11 homers and 47 RBI in 102 games this season.FRONT OFFICE PROMOTIONSThe Astros promoted Mike Elias to assistant general manager, scouting and player development. Elias had been the director of amateur scouting. In addition to Elias promotion, the Astros promoted Pete Putila to director of player development and Armando Velasco to assistant director of player development.TRAINING ROOMAthletics: LHP Sean Manaea (left rhomboid strain) will likely miss his next start, Melvin said.Astros: The Astros optioned RHP Brad Peacock to Triple-A Fresno to make room on the roster for Rasmus.UP NEXTAthletics: LHP Ross Detwiler (1-3, 5.74) takes the mound Wednesday in the finale of the three-game series. Detwiler has allowed 14 runs in his last three starts, covering 14 innings.Astros: RHP Mike Fiers (9-6, 4.40) makes his 25th start of the season Wednesday. Fiers pitched into the seventh in his last outing Friday against Tampa Bay, allowing three runs. ' ' '