Vanhelg

WASHINGTON – Longtime Philadelphia Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas, who punctuated innumerable home runs with his "Outta here!" call, died Monday after being found passed out in the broadcast booth before a game against the Washington Nationals. He was 73.

"We lost our voice today," team president David Montgomery said, his voice cracking. "He has loved our game and made just a tremendous contribution to our sport and certainly to our organization."

Kalas was discovered by the Phillies director of broadcasting about 12:30 p.m. and taken to a local hospital, Montgomery said.

Kalas had surgery earlier this year for an undisclosed ailment that the team characterized as minor. He looked somewhat drawn last week as the Phillies opened the season at home.

Kalas joined the Phillies in 1971. Before that, he was a member of the Houston Astros' broadcast team from 1965-70. In 2002, he received the Baseball Hall of Fame's Ford C. Frick Award for his contributions to the game.

"Players come and go, but 'Outta here!' — that's forever," said Scott Franzke, a Phillies radio broadcaster.

Kalas lent his sonorous voice to everything from puppies to soup. He did work for NFL Films, was the voice for Chunky Soup commercials and Animal Planet's annual tongue-in-cheek Super Bowl competitor, the Puppy Bowl.

Kalas joined the Phillies radio and TV broadcast team the year the club moved into its former home, Veterans Stadium, replacing fan favorite Bill Campbell.

He wasn't immediately embraced by Phillies fans, despite being paired with Richie Ashburn, a Hall of Famer as a player, and longtime announcer. But Kalas evolved into a beloved sports figure in Philadelphia. He and Ashburn grew into a popular team, and shared the booth until Ashburn's death in 1997.

"Major League Baseball has lost one of the great voices of our generation," commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement. "Baseball announcers have a special bond with their audience, and Harry represented the best of baseball not only to the fans of the Phillies, but to fans everywhere."

Kalas fell in love with baseball at a young age, when his father took him to Comiskey Park to see the Chicago White Sox play the Washington Senators. It was a rainy night, and Kalas sat with his dad behind the Washington dugout.

"Because of the rains, the field was covered," he told the AP. "There was no batting practice, so the players really didn't have anything to do. Mickey Vernon popped out of the dugout, saw this wide-eyed kid — me — picked me up, took me in the dugout, gave me a baseball, introduced me to his teammates, and thus began my love of baseball and the Washington Senators."

He maintained that enthusiasm for the game throughout his career.

The son of a Methodist minister, the Naperville, Ill., native graduated from the University of Iowa in 1959 with a degree in speech, radio and television. He was drafted into the Army soon after he graduated.

In 1961, he became sports director at Hawaii radio station KGU and also broadcast games for the Hawaii Islanders of the Pacific Coast League and the University of Hawaii.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Jay Cutler grew up rooting for the Chicago Bears in Santa Claus, Ind. Now, after a stormy exit from Denver, he's the franchise quarterback for his once-favorite team.

One thing, though. Don't call him a savior.

"I don't see myself as that," Cutler said Friday.

The Bears dealt quarterback Kyle Orton along with two first-round draft picks and a third-rounder to the Broncos for Cutler and a fifth-rounder on Thursday. They also agreed to a three-year contract with free-agent Orlando Pace, filling a hole on the offensive line with a seven-time Pro Bowler for St. Louis.

Two big moves. One big statement.

The Bears showed they're serious about contending in the NFC after missing the playoffs the past two years, and in Cutler, they finally have a top-tier passer after a decades-long search.

"Time will tell if he's going to be a franchise player," general manager Jerry Angelo said. "We're certainly hoping that's the case. But what we do know is we got a winning quarterback and we feel very good about that."

The Bears are getting a Pro Bowl quarterback who threw for 4,526 yards, 25 touchdowns with 18 interceptions, yet got traded after a major blowup with management and new coach Josh McDaniels. Cutler wasn't happy when Mike Shanahan got fired or when his position coach, Jeremy Bates, left for Southern California.

And just when things were starting to smooth out, Cutler found out in late February that the Broncos were trying to trade him to Tampa Bay in a three-way deal that would have sent Matt Cassel from New England to Denver.

Cutler and his agent didn't think McDaniels was up front with them about the trade talks and asked to be dealt; McDaniels, however, insisted he informed Cutler the morning of those discussions. Cutler declined to discuss the timeline on Friday, saying, "This is kind of a new chapter for me and I'm excited to be here."

Either way, two meetings that were supposed to ease the tension in Denver only escalated the ill will, even though McDaniels insisted Cutler was his quarterback.

Cutler even said earlier this week that he didn't want to leave Denver, yet that's exactly what happened.

He initially figured he'd wind up with the Washington Redskins, but he got sent to Chicago, with a chance to repair his reputation.

"I think in time, everyone will get a clearer picture of what I'm about on and off the field," Cutler said. "Whenever you make this decision, you either have to go at it full speed or not at all because there's going to be some stuff out there that's said that might not be true."

If he performs as advertised, the Bears will finally have a mobile quarterback with a rocket arm who will bring an end to the long line of mediocrity at the position.

"He does for us what Ben Roethlisberger does for the Steelers," said tackle Chris Williams, Cutler's teammate at Vanderbilt.

In Denver, Cutler had to live up to the legacy of John Elway. In Chicago, he can create one of his own.

Twenty-three quarterbacks have started for the Bears since Jim McMahon in the mid-1980s, but the quarterback problems date back about six decades, since the days of Hall of Famer Sid Luckman.

"This is like my second draft day," Cutler said.

When he arrived in Denver, he couldn't escape the comparisons to Elway.

"It was, 'How are you going to fill his shoes? What are you going to do to be like John Elway?'" Cutler said.

In Chicago?

"I'm going to have to do some research on Sid," Cutler said, grinning.

He will certainly miss throwing to Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal and setting up behind a line that allowed him to be sacked just 11 times while throwing 616 passes. Cutler figures to be well-protected if Pace stays healthy and Williams performs as expected in his second season.

He also has a solid running back in Matt Forte — something the Broncos lacked — and two good tight ends, Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark. But the wide receivers? Well, Angelo is looking for help.

Devin Hester struggled with a bigger role on offense and saw his production on special teams drop after two record-setting seasons returning kicks. Rashied Davis struggled to hang onto the ball, and Earl Bennett didn't catch a pass as a rookie after being drafted in the third round out of Vanderbilt.

"I'm excited about what we have here," Cutler said.

NEW YORK – Gary Sheffield plans to go for No. 500 with the New York Mets.

One home run shy of the milestone, Sheffield reached a contract agreement with New York on Friday, three days after he was released by the Detroit Tigers in a surprising move.

Just hours before opening their beaming new ballpark Friday night with an exhibition game against Boston, the Mets made another splash by acquiring the outspoken Sheffield. He is expected to be in New York on Saturday and the deal is contingent on him passing a physical, general manager Omar Minaya said.

"Gary gives us another element in the lineup and he gives us a different intensity, just because of the competitive guy that he is," Minaya said at Citi Field.

The 40-year-old slugger provides the Mets with a right-handed power bat, something they need to help balance the batting order. But his role on the team will be tricky: New York was already set at the corner outfield spots with Ryan Church in right and Daniel Murphy in left — both left-handed hitters.

Mets manager Jerry Manuel said the team would give Sheffield time to get in shape to play the outfield, which he hasn't done regularly since getting hurt in 2006. Once he shows he's ready, Sheffield will probably see action in right, Manuel said.

"What this does for us, it really creates some depth in the team," Manuel said. "I believe that in the course of 162 regular-season games, depth is the one thing that is normally overlooked."

Manuel spoke to Sheffield and explained exactly what sort of role he envisions for the nine-time All-Star.

"If he can be close to something that he's been, that could be a tremendous, tremendous help," Manuel said. "He lengthens us out a bit with presence."

Church seemed comfortable with the move, too.

"He's more than welcome. He's a great player. He's just another piece for us," Church said. "I can't control what they do."

Sheffield is one big swing from becoming the 25th player to reach 500 home runs. The Tigers will have to pay $13.6 million of his $14 million contract this year while the Mets get him for the major league minimum of $400,000.

Minaya said Sheffield has always wanted to play for the Mets ever since his uncle, Dwight Gooden, was a star pitcher for them in the 1980s and 90s. Sheffield played across town with the Yankees from 2004-06, putting up two big seasons followed by an injury-shortened one before he was traded to the Tigers.

Sheffield was Detroit's designated hitter before he was released. Shoulder injuries and other problems limited him to 114 games and a .225 average with 19 homers and 57 RBIs last season. He hit .178 with five homers in 45 spring training at-bats this year.

When the Tigers released him, they said it was because they wanted to be a more versatile team. Now back in the National League, Sheffield will have to readjust to playing the field. How well he can do that remains to be seen.

"It's good. I hope he comes in with a good attitude," Mets first baseman Carlos Delgado said. "I'm sure he wants to prove to people that he can play."

Philadelphia, the Mets' biggest rival in the NL East, expressed interest in Sheffield soon after he was cut. The Phillies also could use a right-handed bat.

Cincinnati manager Dusty Baker, a longtime friend, called Sheffield to offer a part-time role with the Reds.

"Sheff just called me, too, left me a message," Baker said Friday in Zebulon, N.C., before the Reds' exhibition game against a collection of their top minor leaguers. "He told me he was going to sign with the Mets because he has a home in New York. He thought that was the best situation for him. I'm glad for him, and sad for us because I know him personally."

The addition of Sheffield could mean Marlon Anderson's days with the Mets are numbered. A pinch-hitting specialist, he batted .210 with a homer and 10 RBIs last year.

Sheffield has also played for Milwaukee, San Diego, Florida, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta. He is a .292 lifetime hitter and ranks 27th on the career list with 1,633 RBIs.

"He'll be a great asset. He plays hard every day," Delgado said.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Memphis has given Kentucky permission to speak to coach John Calipari about the Wildcats' head coaching position. Athletic director R.C. Johnson said in a statement Monday that Calipari could meet with Kentucky representatives, but stressed Memphis will do whatever it can to retain the coach.

Calipari did not immediately return a text message from The Associated Press. Several Memphis players did not respond to e-mail messages left by the AP.

Kentucky spokesman DeWayne Peevy would not confirm or deny an ESPN report that Wildcats officials had already met with Calipari and were prepared to offer him the job. Athletic director Mitch Barnhart did not respond to AP requests for comment.

The school fired Billy Gillispie Friday after two seasons.

The Commercial Appeal newspaper reported on its Web site that Calipari met with his players Monday morning.

Calipari just concluded his ninth season at Memphis and has a 137-14 record over the past four seasons in which the Tigers were the only team to earn either a No. 1 or 2 seed in the NCAA tournament. He guided Memphis to a national runner-up finish last season, and the Tigers (33-4) were ousted in the West Regional semifinal on Thursday night.

He currently has the top-rated recruiting class in the country headed to Memphis, but his latest recruit 6-foot-10 DeMarcus Cousins committed verbally within the past month and could follow Calipari to Kentucky if the coach leaves.

Landing Calipari won't be cheap. He has four years left on his contract paying him $2.35 million annually. He also has an annuity averaging $1 million over the deal through 2013.

Throw in whatever settlement Kentucky negotiates with Gillispie, the Wildcats could have near $10 million invested in the head coach of its basketball program next year.

That doesn't matter to one of college basketball's most ardent fan bases, which seemed to electrified by the possibility of getting Calipari. A Facebook group called "Bring John Calipari to UK" had swelled to more than 9,000 members as of Monday afternoon while a popular Kentucky message board had over 15,000 people on it during the lunch hour.

Barnhart stressed the need for finding a coach who can embrace all the things that come with leading college basketball's winningest program. Gillispie went just 40-27 in two seasons and seemed uncomfortable with the celebrity that came with the job.

Calipari, never one to shy away from a camera, would seem to have the charisma to match Louisville coach Rick Pitino. Pitino was named the Wildcats coach 20 years ago, winning a national championship in eight seasons at Kentucky.

Pitino and Calipari used to spar when the Cardinals battled the Tigers in Conference USA. Having two of the nation's most high-profile coaches 70 miles apart could add another layer to one of the country's most bitter rivalries.

The two met in the 1996 Final Four when Pitino was at Kentucky and Calipari was at Massachusetts. The Wildcats won 81-74 on their way to a sixth national championship.

Pitino left for the NBA a year later, and Kentucky has been in steady — if small — decline ever since.

Gillispie was hired to bring some of the swagger back and instead the Wildcats failed to make the NCAA tournament this year for the first time since 1991. He was let go last week after Barnhart said the match of coach and program wasn't a "good fit."

Barnhart stressed the need to find a leader who can thrive under the unique spotlight coaching the Wildcats provides. Calipari doesn't lack for charm, though his past NCAA transgressions could be problematic for a program still sensitive of its image following the recruiting scandal left behind by Eddie Sutton in the late-1980s.

Massachusetts had to vacate its '96 Final Four appearance after star Marcus Camby admitted to accepting gifts from a sports agent.

Calipari moved on to the NBA before landing at Memphis in 2000. The Tigers have not had any troubles during his tenure while developing into a national powerhouse.

Kentucky, however, is hardly the first program to flirt with Calipari, who often has received a bigger paycheck from Memphis as a result of the interest.

He signed a contract extension in April 2008 that pushed his deal through the 2012-13 season giving him a $500,000 a year raise with a $5 million bonus if he finishes the contract. That pushed his annual salary to $2.35 million.

He got that deal after taking Memphis to an NCAA Division I record 38 wins and the national championship game — the program's first Final Four since 1985 and first NCAA final since 1973. The Tigers lost 75-68 in overtime to Kansas.

"What this contract has done is wiped out 99 percent of that stuff, and I told them that I appreciate that. It's not only the base salary, but it's also the longevity bonus which wipes out the others. There are no other places. This is the place," Calipari said at a news conference when the contract was signed.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – One big man was last year's national player of the year. The other appears poised to take his place.

Now, Tyler Hansbrough and Blake Griffin will go head-to-head with a lot more at stake than any individual honor.

Hansbrough has led top-seeded North Carolina to within a victory of a second straight Final Four. But to get there the Tar Heels will have to go through Griffin and Oklahoma on Sunday in a clash of low post stars.

"You have everything that's right about college basketball with these two kids," Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel said. "Tyler staying in school for four years and breaking every record at North Carolina and in the ACC. And then Blake, you know, turning down the money last year and coming back. Both of them have been great ambassadors for college basketball."

Hansbrough was The Associated Press player of the year in 2008, and when he and three key teammates decided to stay in college another year, the Tar Heels became immediate favorites to win this season's national title. Along the way, some other contenders joined them — including Griffin and his Sooners, seeded No. 2 in the South Regional.

Griffin, a 6-foot-10 sophomore, is averaging 22.7 points a game and 14.4 rebounds after passing on last year's NBA draft. In Friday night's win over Syracuse, he was Boomer Sooner personified, plowing over Jonny Flynn en route to one layup, then rising so high for a dunk he hit his head on the bottom of the backboard.

"He's really explosive. You know, that's pretty obvious," Hansbrough said. "You watch some of his games and his highlights — he's pretty explosive, and he's a good offensive rebounder."

The 6-foot-9 Hansbrough can score inside as well, and he's improved his outside shooting. The result: He's now the Atlantic Coast Conference's career leader in scoring.

Hansbrough said he doesn't watch much college basketball when his team isn't playing, so he hasn't seen Griffin play much. Griffin, on the other hand, has seen plenty of Hansbrough, who has been hard to miss while playing four years at one of college basketball's most prominent programs.

"I've seen him play a lot since his freshman year," Griffin said. "I've seen him play a lot of games every season."

Both players sought to downplay their personal matchup, and with good reason. Their supporting casts are impressive. Tony Crocker scored 28 points against Syracuse, and guard Willie Warren can score in streaks.

As for the Tar Heels, Hansbrough might not even be their best player. Ty Lawson scored 19 points with nine assists in Friday night's win over Gonzaga, and backcourt mate Wayne Ellington has scored 67 in the team's three NCAA tournament wins.

Lawson has been bothered by a toe injury this month, but it didn't seem to slow him against Gonzaga.

"My toe is feeling good," Lawson said Saturday. "It didn't really swell up last night. It's not much pain in it. It's getting better."

Lawson, Ellington and Danny Green all decided to stay at North Carolina along with Hansbrough, setting aside the NBA for the time being. The Tar Heels (31-4) are now on the verge of a record 18th Final Four. UCLA has been to 18, but the Bruins' 1980 appearance was later vacated by the NCAA because of rules violations.

"Last year in late May, early June, whenever it was that we were anointed," North Carolina coach Roy Williams said. "I said at that time no team in college basketball is going to go undefeated anymore. It's just not going to happen. ... I couldn't be any happier — could not be one degree happier with the way our kids have tried to do things for our team and not be concerned about themselves."

Oklahoma (30-5) is trying for its first Final Four appearance since 2002. Capel made it clear the Sooners would not try to run with the speedy Tar Heels for 40 minutes.

"They're going to score," Capel said. "The thing we have to do is, as best we can, is try to control tempo. We can't play at their pace. No one can."

There's plenty of historic significance to this matchup. Capel grew up as a North Carolina fan but ended up playing for Duke. His buzzer-beating shot from about 35 feet tied a 1995 matchup between the Tar Heels and Blue Devils, but Duke lost in double overtime.