Elvis sidelined by a tattoo

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Texas Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus has been scratched because of what the club called "sensitivity in his left arm" -- apparently caused by a tattoo.

Andrus spent nine hours the two days before Thursday's spring training game against the Indians under a needle. He wanted a likeness of his late father, Emilo Andrus, who died in 1996 when Elvis was 7.

Andrus tells the Fort Worth Star-Telegram he'll be ready to play Friday. He says: "It's a memory of my dad. I'm really proud that it's going to be on myself forever."

The tattoo covers most of Andrus' left arm from the elbow to shoulder. It will apparently be his last. He says "I'm done with this, too much pain."

Jurickson Profar replaced Andrus at shortstop against Cleveland. Andrus will leave the Rangers on Saturday to join Venezuela for the World Baseball Classic.

Canadians win silver

MILAN, Italy -- Margaret Purdy of Strathroy, Ont., and Michael Marinaro of Sarnia, Ont., won the silver medal in pairs on Thursday at the world junior figure skating championships.

Haven Denney and Brandon Frazier of the U.S. took the gold with 155.83 points, followed by the Canadians, who finished with 154.70 points.

Russia's Lina Fedorova and Maxim Miroshkin posted the best score in the free skate to climb from seventh to third.

Villegas a fan of Honda

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- With one bold swing, Camilo Villegas turned a solid round at the Honda Classic into his lowest start in more than a year.

Villegas drilled a three-wood from 263 yards over the water to about eight feet for an eagle on the par-5 18th hole at PGA National for a 6-under 64 that gave him a one-shot lead and another jolt of confidence as he tries to regain his status on the PGA Tour.

Branden Grace was bullish when it came to the "Bear's Trap" by making birdie on all three holes of the notorious stretch late on the back nine. He made it four in a row with a birdie on the 18th hole and was at 65 with Rickie Fowler, Robert Streb and Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask.

NFL salary cap $123M

THE NFL salary cap for the 2013 season will rise to $123 million from $120.6 million in 2012, an NFL Players Association official familiar with negotiations over the figure told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The official spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because no formal announcement had been made.

The increase, which is larger than some in the NFL had anticipated, is a result of greater-than-expected revenues last season -- primarily from NFL Properties -- and a jump in projected league revenues, according to the official.

The league and the union work together to establish a cap number, based on parameters established under their collective bargaining agreement. The current 10-year CBA was signed in August 2011.

One of the main areas of contention during that labour dispute was how to divide the more than $9 billion in annual league revenues, a figure that will keep rising

-- The Associated Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 1, 2013 C8