Padres’ Cameron gets 25-game ban over stimulant

Mike Cameron, the San Diego Padres’ Gold Glove center fielder, was suspended for the first 25 games of next season Wednesday after testing positive a second time for a banned stimulant.

Cameron, who plans to file for free agency, says he believes he took a tainted supplement.

“The one thing I wanted to make sure was explained is, no steroids,” Cameron told AM 1090, the Padres’ flagship radio station. “I never took nothing like that before in my life. That would be 50 games, and that would affect me a whole lot more.”

Padres CEO Sandy Alderson expressed disappointment in Cameron, saying the team supported baseball’s policy.

Cameron issued a statement through his agent, saying doctors for the players’ association helped him narrow down what triggered the positive test.

“After all of the analysis and testing, I can only conclude that a nutritional supplement I was taking was tainted,” he said.

Players who initially test positive for a stimulant receive counseling. Suspensions begin only with a second positive test.

In his second season with the Padres, Cameron’s offensive numbers fell off this season, with him hitting only .242 and striking out 160 times. He hit 21 homers.

The only other player suspended for testing positive for stimulants was Detroit Tigers infielder Neifi Perez.

The St. Louis Cardinals hired John Mozeliak as their general manager, promoting him to replace the fired Walt Jocketty.

Mozeliak, 38, the assistant GM for the last five years, received a three-year contract.

Although his first choice remains Boston, free-agent Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling, 40, said on his blog that he would consider 12 other teams, including the Dodgers and Angels, for a “last year” based on quality of life and playoff chances.

Left fielder Adam Dunn, 27, became the Cincinnati Reds’ highest-paid player when the team picked up his contract option for $13 million next season.

In addition, the Reds picked up the $1.85 million option for first baseman Scott Hatteberg, 37, and a $1.35 million option for catcher Javier Valentin, 32. They declined a 2008 option for reliever Eddie Guardado, 37, trying to come back from reconstructive elbow surgery.

The Colorado Rockies picked up the $4.5 million option on pitcher Aaron Cook, 28, and declined their option on reliever LaTroy Hawkins, 34.

The New York Mets exercised their $7.5 million option on outfielder Moises Alou, 41. The Mets also re-signed infielder-outfielder Damion Easley, 37, to a one-year, $950,000 deal.

The Chicago White Sox declined club options on infielder-outfielder Darin Erstad, 33, and left-hander Mike Myers, 38.

Ria Cortesio, pro baseball’s only female umpire, was released by the minor leagues after becoming the first woman in nearly 20 years to call a major league exhibition game in March.

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TENNIS

Federer sets up rematch

with Nalbandian in Paris

Top-seeded Roger Federer beat Ivo Karlovic, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, to reach the third round of the Paris Masters and earn a chance to avenge a recent loss to David Nalbandian.

Nalbandian beat Federer for the Madrid Masters title on Oct. 21 and has won both times the two have met in a tournament final. Nalbandian ended 14th-seeded Carlos Moya’s bid for one of the final spots in the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai with a 6-4, 6-4 victory.

Only two of eight spots remain open, and James Blake and Richard Gasquet are still in contention. They will meet in the third round today after the sixth-seeded Blake beat Nicolas Mahut, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (4), 6-1, and the 10th-seeded Gasquet topped Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 7-5, 7-6 (3).

Weakened by dental medication, third-seeded Novak Djokovic lost to Fabrice Santoro, 6-3, 6-2. Second-seeded Rafael Nadal defeated Volandri and 15th-seeded Andy Murray beat Jarkko Nieminen, 7-6 (5), 6-3, to stay in the Masters Cup race.

Responding to recent controversies, Tennis Australia will hire a security consultant to investigate potential illegal gambling on matches and player conduct at next year’s Australian Open.

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SOCCER

Chivas’ Guzan named

goalkeeper of the year

Chivas USA goalie Brad Guzan was named Major League Soccer’s goalkeeper of the year.

Guzan led the league with 13 shutouts (second-best single season total) and had a 0.93 goals against average (fourth-best all-time).

It’s a big turnaround for the third-year player; in his rookie season Guzan gave up 46 goals, second most in the league.

Guzan’s play has also caught the attention of English Premier League club Arsenal, which may be interested in acquiring him.

Guzan, 23, is the second player in Chivas’ history to win a postseason award -- the first was defender Jonathan Bornstein (rookie of the year) last season. Defender and team captain Claudio Suarez is also a finalist for defender for the year and Preki is up for coach of the year, both awards will be announced next week.

-- Jaime Cardenas

Two days after FIFA scrapped its policy of rotating World Cup among its confederations, England confirmed its bid to host the 2018 tournament. England won the 1966 title at home.

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HORSE RACING

Lava Man installed

as favorite in return

Lava Man, attempting a comeback after two subpar performances, was installed as the 7-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s $250,000 California Cup Classic, which highlights the 10-race Cal Cup card at Santa Anita at Oak Tree.

North America’s leading active money-winning horse with more than $5.2 million, Lava Man finished sixth in his last two races -- the Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 19 and the Oak Tree Mile at Santa Anita Oct. 7.

The Tin Man, a 9-year-old who won 13 races in 31 starts with eight of those wins coming in stakes, is in guarded condition after suffering a broken knee in the Santa Anita stables, trainer Richard Mandella told the Daily Racing Form.

The Tin Man, who last raced Oct. 6, finishing second in Oak Tree’s Clement Hirsch Turf Championship, was recovering from exploratory surgery on the ankle when he sustained the injury, according to Mandella and veterinarian Jeff Blea.

The injury means The Tin Man has retired, Mandella said.

-- Larry Stewart

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MISCELLANY

Jefferson, Timberwolves

reach $65-million deal

Forward Al Jefferson, acquired from the Boston Celtics in the Kevin Garnett trade, agreed to a five-year, $65-million contract extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jefferson, 22, averaged 16 points and 11 rebounds last season.

Flyweight Rau’shee Warren overcame a sore shoulder and bloody nose to become the first American boxer since 1976 to earn a second trip to the Olympics by beating Violito Payla of the Philippines, 25-11, to reach the quarterfinals of the World Boxing Championships.

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Derian Hatcher will undergo surgery to repair cartilage damage in his right knee and will miss two to four weeks.

The California State Athletic Commission’s appeal hearing for UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk was continued until Nov. 13.

Sherk’s attorney questioned the handling of the fighter’s urine sample, which tested positive for a steroid after a July fight. Sherk claims he unknowingly ingested a contaminated product.

-- Lance Pugmire

PASSINGS

Baker, former Rams

defensive lineman, 72

Former Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman John H. Baker Jr. died of complications from a stroke in Raleigh, N.C. He was 72. Section B.

William Condren, co-owner of Kentucky Derby winners Strike the Gold and Go for Gin, died in Boston at 74. Section B.