Rams showing early results under Fisher

ST. LOUIS — Jeff Fisher began rebuilding the St. Louis Rams' confidence when he was hired in mid-January. Now they've got the results to back it up.

Heading into a three-day break and a 10-day gap between games, the Rams (3-2) have more to savor than just knocking off previously unbeaten Arizona. They've already topped their win total from the dismal 2011 season with 11 games to go, and they're 3-0 at home for the first time since 2003.

"To be in this position and to have this franchise above .500 is a beautiful thing," middle linebacker James Laurinaitis said. "I'm happy to be a part of it."

Far from satisfied, too. Never too early to start thinking about next weekend's game at Miami.

Cornerback Cortland Finnegan and Laurinaitis, an Ohio State alum, are driving to Columbus, Ohio for the Ohio State-Nebraska game on Saturday.

"But I'm downloading all the Dolphins stuff," Finnegan said. "So, football won't be too far away from me."

The key to the 17-3 victory over the Cardinals was a fast-improving defense that sacked Kevin Kolb nine times, the Rams' best total in 14 years, with very little blitzing. Defensive End Robert Quinn, one of three first-round picks on the line, had a career day with three sacks.

The Rams, who totaled six sacks the first four games, stopped Arizona twice inside the 20 in the final minutes.

"It's a new mindset overall," Quinn said. "We knew we had it in us, it's just really fitting the pieces and getting them to click together. Everything is starting to jell."

On his third sack, Quinn stripped Kolb and William Hayes recovered at the Arizona 47 with less than two minutes to go to stop the Cardinals' final chance.

"We knew they were going to come," Fisher said. "I hope (they) keep coming."

Rookie corner back Janoris Jenkins had his best game of the year with three pass breakups, and also filled in ably on punt returns after reveiver Danny Amendola was injured in the second quarter.

"He's just coming right along," Finnegan said. "It's just exciting to have somebody like that you can mentor to, but doesn't really need it."

The defense took the pressure off an offense that's scuffled lately. Tight end Lance Kendricks' first-quarter touchdown reception was the first TD for the offense in three games.

Bradford had one of the worst days of his career, completing only 7 of 21 passes for 141 yards and enduring an 0-for-12 funk that included an end zone interception by Patrick Peterson. There were some drops, but he also threw too high, led receivers by too much, or not enough.

"A lot of little things. It was nothing major," Bradford said. "We just never really got ourselves in rhythm. Fortunately, our guys up front were able to get the run game going in the second half when we needed it."

Bradford emerged in time to hit rookie Chris Givens, the fastest player on the team, in stride on a 51-yard touchdown pass that put St. Louis up by 14 points early in the fourth quarter. Givens had a few drops earlier in the game.

"I told him I was going to come back to him," Bradford said. "I'm never going to lose confidence in those guys. He's young, he's learning.

"Obviously, he made a great play for us when we needed it."

ST. LOUIS — St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher had little to say about the condition of Danny Amendola, calling it a "competitive issue" after the receiver was injured during Thursday night's win over Arizona.

"If Danny's going to miss a game, I'll discuss it at a time at which I'm sure that he's going to miss a game," Fisher said Friday.

The Rams reported a shoulder injury during the game. Amendola was pointing to his right collarbone after coming to the sideline after just missing a diving catch in the second quarter.

The receiver told AP in a telephone interview he didn't know how long he would be sidelined.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and ESPN, both quoting sources, said Amendola had a separated sternoclavicular joint where the collarbone meets the breastbone and likely would be out about six weeks but could return earlier.

A TV camera caught Amendola flinging his helmet into a wall with his left hand while walking in a tunnel to get X-rays. He had the arm in a sling after the game, but the Rams did not make him available to reporters.

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WBC skipper search under way

Fukuoka Softbank Hawks chairman Sadaharu Oh on Wednesday said the number of potential candidates to manage Japan at the 2013 World Baseball Classic is currently being narrowed down. Oh, who managed Japan in 2006 to the first WBC title, is a special advisor to Nippon Professional Baseball Commissioner Ryozo Kato.

"We've cast a very wide net, but at this time, we are gradually narrowing the field," Oh said.

The commissioner, who has the final say on selecting a manager, has said he would not rule anyone out regardless of whether they are active or not or have past managing experience. Kato has also said he hopes to see some movement on the selection process this month.

In the case of candidates with managing experience, Oh said he preferred some who has managed recently.

"It would be hard if you have been away from the game for 10 years," he said.

That qualification would leave the door open to select former skippers Katsuya Nomura and Koji Yamamoto, both of whom have been talked about as candidates for the job. Nomura, 77, last managed in 2009, while the 65-year-old Yamamoto's last year as a manager was 2005.

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NBA union under federal probe

NEW YORK — The federal government is investigating the business practices of the NBA players' association.

The union confirmed Friday it has received a subpoena for documents from the U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan and says it will cooperate with the investigation.

The NBPA also said in a statement that it has appointed a special committee to oversee an internal inquiry, including a financial audit.

Recent reports have questioned the NBPA's finances and spending practices, largely having to do with the hiring of family members and firms that employ relatives of executive director Billy Hunter. Hunter says he will cooperate with the internal inquiry, but will not be in involved in the effort so it remains independent.

The special committee, consisting of members of the NBPA executive committee and other player representatives. The special committee has retained Theodore V. Wells, Jr. and the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP to conduct the inquiry.

The NBPA said in the statement it looks forward to putting the matters to rest.

Carly Sullivan, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan, said: "We have no comment. We don't confirm or deny investigations."

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Japanese baseball finally ready to get season under way

A patch with those words will be worn on the sleeve of every member of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles this year while the rest of the NPB will wear a patch that reads, "Gambaro Nippon," subtle reminders of the important things in life.

Professional baseball returns Tuesday, poised to follow the example set by the high schoolers at the National High School Invitational Tournament at Koshien Stadium last month and provide a distraction while restoring a small bit of normalcy to the nation.

NPB teams have been mostly out of sight recently, playing practice games in empty stadiums and venturing into the public eye only for 12 charity games April 2-3.

Tuesday marks an Opening Day that was supposed to have happened 18 days ago, before real life intervened.

The devastation of March 11 won't soon be forgotten, but the Eagles are hoping to give their battered region something to feel good about.

They'll likely be the sentimental choice of many as they try to follow in the footsteps of the 1995 Orix BlueWave.

The BlueWave that season were led by a sweet-swinging star named Ichiro Suzuki and helped galvanize the Kansai region after the Great Hanshin Earthquake with a triumphant march to the Pacific League pennant.

Eagles manager Senichi Hoshino has a pair of aces in his hand in Hisashi Iwakuma and Masahiro Tanaka. His lineup got an injection of fresh blood over the winter in Kazuo Matsui and Akinori Iwamura, who return to Japan after lengthy MLB sojourns that saw both play in the World Series.

The Fukuoka Softbank Hawks look more equipped to win the PL title, having beefed up their lineup with Seiichi Uchikawa and Alex Cabrera to match a pitching staff led by reigning PL MVP Tsuyoshi Wada and Toshiya Sugiuchi.

Yu Darvish and the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters should also make their presence felt while the defending Japan Series champion Chiba Lotte Marines will try to work their way into the mix.

In the Central League, the triumvirate of the Chunichi Dragons, Hanshin Tigers and Yomiuri Giants are expected to battle it out for supremacy.

All three have question marks, however, and the Tokyo Yakult Swallows will be waiting to take advantage of any missteps to claim a spot in the Climax Series, if not the outright pennant, for themselves.

The NPB made the right call in delaying the season, but it's important the game returns.

Baseball is ingrained into the fabric of Japan and touches many parts of the nation's culture and psyche.

Still, compared to relief efforts, determining the Japan Series winner isn't really that important.

The important thing is going to be the journey to that point, during which the sport can do its part to help the country heal through fundraising or just by giving people something to smile about.

Because in the end, a small patch on every sleeve, will signify more than the banner the eventual Japan Series champions unfurl in November.

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