The Dodgers reliever says he was barred from entering the U.S. last year after failing a drug test. He is with the team now, looking forward to the season and says he does not have a drug problem.

Reporting from Phoenix — Back with the Dodgers after a yearlong absence, reliever Ronald Belisario said Wednesday that he was prevented from entering the United States last year because he tested positive for cocaine.

As the world of sports keeps moving faster, we need the comfortable insignificance of baseball's tuning-up period more than ever.

I always swore I would not be one of those aging sportswriters who, about the third week in February, starts waxing poetic about spring training.

Attorneys for the injured San Francisco Giants fan ask that court to yield to Los Angeles Superior Court.

The Dodgers should not be allowed to use the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to minimize their liability to Bryan Stow, attorneys for the injured San Francisco Giants fan argued Wednesday.

Sports section gets top-10 nods for daily and Sunday editions. David Wharton, Baxter Holmes, Gary Klein and Bill Shaikin get individual honors.

For the second consecutive year, The Times has been recognized as one of the nation's top 10 Sports sections for daily and Sunday editions among papers with circulations of 175,000 and above in the annual judging by the Associated Press Sports Editors.

Woods needs a tough par on the 18th hole to defeat Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano. Els routs the top-ranked Donald, 5 and 4.

MARANA, Ariz. — Defending champion and top-ranked Luke Donald crashed out of the Match Play Championship in the first round Wednesday, beaten by Ernie Els on another predictably crazy day at Dove Mountain.

First baseman is not crazy about marketing campaign by the Angels in which he is referred to in Spanish as 'The Man.' He first objected to it in St. Louis out of respect for Stan Musial, the Cardinals great who was known by the moniker.

Reporting from Tempe, Ariz. — Albert Pujols is the focal point of the Angels' 2012 marketing campaign, which kicked off in late January with 70 billboards throughout Southern California, 20 of which refer to the former St. Louis Cardinals star as "El Hombre," The Man.