By The Associated Press

Published: Monday, April 13, 2009
Updated: Monday, April 13, 2009 10:09 AM CDT

Here's a look at weekend sports in brief around the world.

BASEBALL

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Alex Rodriguez will report Monday to the New York Yankees’ spring training complex in Tampa, Fla., to continue his rehabilitation from right hip surgery.

Rodriguez had surgery March 9 in Vail, Colo., to remove an impingement in the joint and drain a cyst in the hip.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Rodriguez would stretch, do agility work, light jogging, take some grounders, hit off a tee and take soft toss swings on Monday.

With the Yankees opening a series Monday night at Tampa Bay, Girardi said he expects Rodriguez to be at the game.

Rodriguez hit .302 with an American League-leading .573 slugging percentage last season. The three-time MVP is expected to return to the lineup in May.

NEW YORK (AP) — Tom Seaver enjoyed many of his greatest moments on the mound at Shea Stadium. Now, he’ll help the New York Mets christen Citi Field.

The Hall of Fame right-hander is slated to throw out the ceremonial first pitch to former New York catcher Mike Piazza when the Mets open their new ballpark Monday night with a game against San Diego.

Seaver was on hand for the closing ceremonies at Shea Stadium last September. He and Piazza, perhaps the two biggest stars in team history, shut the center-field gate together, ending the festivities with a symbolic gesture.

Seaver pitched for the Mets from 1967-77 and again in ’83. “The Franchise” owns club records for wins, ERA, strikeouts and innings pitched.

FOOTBALL

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Buffalo Bills defensive back Donte Whitner was shocked with a stun gun and arrested by officers trying to control a rowdy crowd outside a Cleveland nightclub, police said.

Whitner, 23, was jailed early Saturday for aggravated disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, Lt. Thomas Stacho said. The former Ohio State star was released later Saturday and hadn’t been charged, police said. A prosecutor was to decide whether to file charges.

Police shocked and handcuffed Whitner outside the House of Blues after he forced his way past them and then broke free from officers trying to restrain him, Stacho said.

Stacho said police heard reports that Miami Dolphins wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. was having a birthday party at the downtown venue but couldn’t confirm whether Whitner was attending. Whitner and Ginn were high school teammates and played for the Buckeyes.

Whitner is the third Bills player to run into trouble with the law this year.

HOCKEY

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jacques Lemaire is stepping down after eight seasons behind the bench, leaving the Minnesota Wild to say goodbye to the only coach they’ve ever known.

Lemaire made the announcement after a 6-3 victory over Columbus in the season finale on Saturday night. The Wild have scheduled a news conference for Monday morning to make the news official.

General manager Doug Risebrough hired his former Montreal teammate and good buddy Lemaire to preside over the expansion team, which began play in 2000. Lemaire used his superior strategic sense and defensive acumen to lead the team to the Western Conference finals in 2003 and to a Northwest Division title last season.

Lemaire was 291-256-107 with the Wild, including winning records in his last six seasons.

HAMEENLINNA, Finland (AP) — The United States won its second straight women’s World Hockey Championship title Sunday, beating Canada 4-1 behind defenseman Caitlin Cahow’s two goals.

Goaltender Jessie Vetter made 39 saves and the U.S. played a penalty-free game to secure its third title in the last four world championships.

The Americans moved ahead of Canada in the IIHF women’s world rankings for the first time since they were introduced in 2004. It is also the first time the U.S. defeated Canada in back-to-back finals at the women’s worlds. The United States won its first world title in Sweden four years ago.

In the bronze-medal game, Finland defeated Sweden 4-1 on Michelle Karvinen’s two goals.

TENNIS

HOUSTON (AP) — Lleyton Hewitt of Australia held on to win his first tournament in two years Sunday with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Wayne Odesnik of the United States in the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships.

Hewitt won his 498th career match and moved closer to joining Roger Federer and Carlos Moya as the only active players with 500 or more victories. Hewitt also won his first clay court tournament since he took the Delray Beach tournament in 1999.

Hewitt ranks 35th on the career victories list. He failed to win a tournament last year for the first time in his career while recovering from hip surgery.

TRACK & FIELD

BERLIN (AP) — Three-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt said he tried marijuana as a kid, the German newspaper Bild reported Sunday.

“In Jamaica, you learn as a child how to roll a joint. Everyone here has tried it. I did too — but I was real young then,” Bolt told the paper. “My family and my friends don’t smoke and I don’t hang out any longer with people who smoke.”

Bolt set world records in the 100 and 200 meters at the Beijing Olympics and was part of the Jamaican team that broke the world mark in the 400-meter relay.