Baseball: Grossman is Pirates’ top minor-leaguer

Robbie Grossman may not have been voted as the most valuable player for the Florida State League, but the Pittsburgh Pirates considered him their best minor-leaguer.

An outfielder with the high Single-A Bradenton Marauders, Grossman was named the Pirates’ Minor League Player of the Year for 2011.

Grossman batted .294 with 13 home runs and 56 RBI for Bradenton while becoming the first minor-leaguer since Nick Swisher in 2004 to draw 100 walks and score 100 runs in the same season. His 127 runs were the most by a minor-leaguer since Adam Piatt in 1999, and he was named to the FSL’s postseason All-Star team.

The Pirates chose Grossman during the eighth round of the 2008 draft out of Cypress-Fairbanks High in Texas.

Kyle McPherson, who began his season in Bradenton before receiving a promotion to Double-A Altoona, was named the organization’s top pitcher. He went 12-6 with a 2.96 ERA overall and led the organization’s prospects with 142 strikeouts. McPherson took a no-hitter into the ninth inning during his second-to-last start in Bradenton.

NBA: Camps idled, 43 preseason games cut

NEW YORK -- The NBA postponed training camps indefinitely and canceled 43 preseason games because it has not reached a new labor deal with players. All games from Oct. 9-15 are off, the league said. Camps were expected to open Oct. 3.

NBA.com’s schedule page, which has a banner across the top listing the number of games on each day, was changed to read “0 Games” for each date until Oct. 16, when there are four games. Those could be in jeopardy, too, without an agreement by the end of this month or very early October. The league scrapped the remainder of its preseason schedule on Oct. 6 in 1998, when the regular season was reduced to 50 games.

Motorsports: Newman wins pole at N.H.

LOUDON, N.H. -- Ryan Newman was the last car out and the fastest on the track, turning a lap of 135.002 mph to win the pole at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Newman won the pole for the second time at New Hampshire this season. He started first in July and went on to win his only race of the season. Newman is seventh in the points standings and has three total poles this year.

Newman almost didn’t take a qualifying run Friday. Rain delayed qualifying with five cars left. Red Bull Racing drivers Kasey Kahne was second and Brian Vickers was third. Greg Biffle and Kurt Busch round out the top five.

ELSEWHERE -- Michael Andretti’s team will run Chevrolet’s new V-6 twin turbocharged engines during the 2012 IndyCar season. The decision reunites Andretti with a manufacturer that has played a role in his family’s success. Michael Andretti and his father, Mario, combined for 20 wins using Chevys from 1987-91. Michael Andretti set the single-season record with eight wins in 1991 with Chevy when he also claimed the points title. Mario Andretti won Chevys first race in 1987. Roger Penske’s team also has signed on with Chevy. Target Chip Ganassi and A.J. Foyt Racing will stay with Honda. ... Formula One championship leader Sebastian Vettel set the fastest time in practice sessions for the Singapore Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver was two tenths of a second quicker than Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso in the second session. McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton third fastest ahead of Sunday’s race.

NHL: Shannon scores 2 as Lightning win

TAMPA -- Ryan Shannon scored two goals in the second period and Dwayne Roloson made 31 saves, leading the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 5-2 preseason victory over the Florida Panthers.

Mattias Ritola opened the scoring eight minutes into the game, lifting a backhander past Panthers goalie Jacob Markstrom with 7 seconds remaining on a power play. Shannon capitalized on another man-advantage situation at 6:31 of the second period, then scored again at the 12:55 mark. Carter Ashton and Vincent Lecavalier scored third-period goals for Tampa Bay.

NFL: Former Ravens tackle Orlando Brown dead

BALTIMORE -- Former Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Orlando “Zeus” Brown, 40, was been found dead at his Baltimore home.

The cause of death isn’t known. Authorities said there were no signs of trauma or suspicious activity. Brown began his career with the Cleveland Browns in 1993 and played twice for that team, as well as the Ravens, ending his NFL playing days in 2005. He started 119 of his 129 games.

ELSEWHERE -- Eagles quarterback Michael Vick practiced for a second consecutive day and pronounced himself ready to play against the Giants (1-1) in the Eagles’ home opener Sunday, seven days after he left a game against the Falcons with a concussion. ... Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo is still sleeping in a recliner, still not practicing and still not certain whether he’ll be able to play against the Redskins on Monday night. He’s also not ruling himself out. ... San Diego defensive lineman Antonio Garay has been fined $15,000 by the NFL for a hit below the knees of New England QB Tom Brady last Sunday. Patriots defensive end Andre Carter was fined the same amount for hitting Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers in the chest with his helmet. San Diego safety Eric Weddle was docked $15,000 for unnecessary roughness in the same game when he made helmet-to-helmet contact with Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski. Philadelphia defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins was also fined $15,000 for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Atlanta QB Matt Ryan. Also, Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson was fined $40,000 for leading with his helmet while crashing into Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin. ... Cleveland back Peyton Hillis missed practice because he felt sick, two days before Cleveland hosts winless Miami. Coach Pat Shurmur believes Hillis, who is talks with the Browns on a multiyear contract extension, will be available Sunday.

-- Herald staff and wire reports