Lakers' Jordan Hill charged

HOUSTON -- Los Angeles Lakers forward Jordan Hill faces a felony assault charge after an incident with his girlfriend in Houston.
Hill is charged with allegedly shoving and choking 28-year-old Darlene Luna, about 1 p.m. on Feb. 29 at his Houston apartment. Luna told police that the two had been dating for about two years. He was charged by Harris County prosecutors in March.
Hill will have to make an appearance in Houston to face the charge -- third-degree felony for assault on a family member by choking -- the Houston district attorney's office said.
The district attorney's office said that Hill faces a sentence of two to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. After paperwork is complete, a warrant for his arrest will be issued.
The Lakers have an off day in their first-round playoff series against the Nuggets before hosting Denver Tuesday.

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Hill was part of the trade that sent Derek Fisher to Houston March 15. The Rockets had a game the date of the incident but Hill did not dress for that game.
As word of the charge began to spread, two messages were posted on Hill's Twitter account: "Wowwwww," and "Unbelievable!!!!!!!!"
Hill later issued a statement.
"I'm saddened to learn of the accusations that were filed against me today," he said. "At this time I cannot comment further other than to say that my attorneys are working to gather all of the facts and evidence and I plan to cooperate completely with the authorities.
"I'd like to apologize to the Lakers organization and to all of their fans for the untimeliness of these accusations. I promise to keep my focus and attention on the playoffs during this time and to helping my team win another championship."
The Lakers also issued a statement later Monday.
"We are aware of the media reports alleging an incident involving Jordan Hill from two months ago when he was a member of the Houston Rockets," the statement read. "We do not have any details regarding these reports and therefore, as well as due to the personal and legal aspects, it would not be appropriate for us to comment. Any further inquiries regarding this should be directed to Jordan's representative."
Hill participated in Lakers practice Monday after meeting with Lakers coach Mike Brown and Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak to discuss the allegations.
"It's not that we were worried about his mental focus, we just told him we're behind him and let the legal process handle it however it needs to be handled," Brown said.
Brown said that, from his understanding, Hill would be available to play in Game 2 and did not anticipate Hill's role as the first big man off the bench in the Lakers' rotation changing moving forward.
Both Hill and Brown said they did not expect Hill to be absent from any games or practices as the case unfolds.
"But again, it's something that's not in my control and if he has to miss, then he has to miss," Brown said.
Hill is in his third year in the league out of Arizona. He has career averages of 5.3 points and 4.2 rebounds per

Ryan Madson’s injury could serve as warning for Phillies’ Cole Hamels

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Cole Hamels’ eyes widened and his forehead crinkled when he heard the news.
“No,” he said, drawing out the syllable in disbelief.
Yes, he was told. Ryan Madson, a teammate of his for the previous six seasons, was scheduled to undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery after tearing a ligament less than two months into his tenure with the Reds
The news is relevant to Hamels, not just because of the personal relationship and professional kinship that he and Madson share, but also because both pitchers are less than eight months away from the potential riches of free agency. Madson signed a one-year, $8.5 million deal with the Reds after a multiyear extension with the Phillies failed to materialize. Now, he is a vivid reminder of the risks a player takes when he sacrifices security in favor of a bigger payday down the road.
Hamels could very well find himself in a similar position this year. While both he and the Phillies profess optimism about the prospects of reaching an agreement on a long-term contract extension, the 28-year-old lefty is now just 11 days away from entering the season without any guaranteed money beyond the $15 million he is due to earn in 2012.
Hamels’ agent, San Diego-based John Boggs, visited Clearwater earlier this month to talk business with Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. But if the two sides have made any progress, they have done an admirable job of keeping it under wraps.
You might expect that the prospect of seeing a payday evaporate would intimidate a player, particularly one who could easily command a deal in excess of $100 million on the open market. But if there is one thing that we have learned about Hamels, who has already won a World Series MVP and is coming off a season in which he went 14-9 with a 2.79 ERA and 194 strikeouts in 216 innings, it is that he does not scare easily.
“I’ve had some serious injuries with broken arms and herniated discs,” he said Saturday after throwing four innings against the Red Sox [team stats] in a 10-5 win at JetBlue [JBLU] Park. “So what? You lose a year, but you kind of gain a year because you are not putting the wear-and-tear. Hopefully Madson can look at it like that. If you’ve ever overcome an injury, then you can overcome anything.”
As he heads into his seventh season in the majors, an injury is probably the only thing that can prevent Hamels from becoming one of the highest-paid pitchers in the sport. Since breaking into the majors in 2006, he ranks eighth among major-league starters in strikeouts (1,091), 16th in innings (1,1611/3), and 15th in ERA (3.39, minimum of 700 innings). Over the last two years, he has propelled himself into the realm of the elite, posting a 2.92 ERA and averaging 212 innings, 202 strikeouts, and just 52 walks while starting a total of 64 games.
This year, Hamels will start the Phillies’ home opener for the first time in his career. Pitching coach Rich Dubee made the decision Friday after opting to pitch second-year righthander Vance Worley in the team’s season-opening series in Pittsburgh.
“It’s a great honor. Just to be able to be out there in front of your home fans,” he said. “It’s the start of their season, because it’s at home. I’ve been able to be here for quite a few years and be able to see the sort of excitement that everybody has having that first game in Philadelphia, and now to be able to pitch it, it’s kind of like leading off a postseason series.”
In a perfect world, Hamels will have a healthy new contract by the time October rolls around. Then again, Madson’s injury is another reminder that an athlete’s earning potential can change in an instant.
“I feel sorry for him,” manager Charlie Manuel said. “I never want to see anybody get Tommy John. Especially Madson