Guarantees

ST. LOUIS - As the New York Yankees face the prospect of holding a clearance sale on backup third baseman Alex Rodriguez, the St. Louis Cardinals need not worry whether a bad breakup with an aging star might be in their future. They have Albert Pujols to thank for that. The Cardinals tried to retain their franchise player last year, offering him contracts of varying amounts and lengths, including one believed to have seven guaranteed years and three more at Pujols' option. The Angels guaranteed 10 years and added another 10 in a personal service contract, at a minimum value of $250 million.

NASCAR on Tuesday announced competition changes for 2013 that include the elimination of the top-35 qualifying rule and a reduced field size in the Nationwide Series. Starting next season, the top 35 cars in owners points will no longer be guaranteed a spot in the Sprint Cup field. NASCAR will use a 36-6-1 format in which the fastest 36 cars make the race on speed. The next six highest-ranking cars in owners points not already qualified then earn a starting spot, followed by the most recent eligible past champion driver.

SACRAMENTO - It was starting to look as though there would be no serious campaign against Gov. Jerry Brown's tax plan until two groups lobbed direct hits at the measure in recent days with millions of dollars' worth of television ads. The attacks against Brown's plan to temporarily boost levies on state sales and upper incomes are coming from taxpayer groups and from backers of another tax-increase proposal on the ballot. They're funded by a pair of siblings with very different political goals.

CAIRO - Eman Mostafa, a village girl from southern Egypt, was shot and killed last month when she dared to spit in the face of the man who groped her. Ramadan Salem told authorities he mistakenly shot Mostafa, 16, after she cursed him. It is uncertain whether Salem will be convicted: The only witness willing to testify - Mostafa's friend, Sahar Mamdouh - has been threatened in a society that often blames women and girls for provoking sexual crimes...

ARLINGTON, Texas - Torii Hunter added a page to his free-agent resume Sunday. For the first time in his career, he will be a .300 hitter. With seven hits in Sunday's doubleheader - including the game-winning double in the first game - he lifted his batting average to .313. If he were to go 0 for 5 in each of the remaining three games, he still would finish at .304. Hunter has hit at least 21 home runs in every full season in the major leagues - until this one. He has 16 home runs this season, but his average and on-base percentage are on pace for career highs.

Mike Scioscia traded blown saves, tough baserunning decisions and a jeopardized playoff position for success and stability Saturday night. The Angels manager received a guarantee from owner Arte Moreno that he and General Manager Jerry Dipoto will return next season. The Angels then claimed a 4-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox to move to within 21/2 games of the Oakland Athletics for the American League's second wild-card spot with 10 games remaining. "We know what we need to do," Scioscia said in the manager's office he has occupied for 13 years at Angel Stadium.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I like my football. I like my football so much that I'm not sure I want an NFL team in downtown L.A. For one thing, they'll probably just break our hearts and leave - or just leave. Just as the Rams did, lighting out for Anaheim, then St. Louis. Just as the Raiders did, toying with us until they, like the Rams, played to empty seats and finally left. And now, after a Planning Commission decision , the city will move this much closer to NFL football in downtown L.A. next week, thanks to a decision about a stadium yet to be built as home to a team yet to be named.

WASHINGTON — The Republican-controlled House approved a bill Friday that would limit the Energy Department's power to issue loan guarantees for new green-energy projects, a move stemming from the controversy over the failure of California solar equipment maker Solyndra. The so-called No More Solyndras Act is the Republicans' response to the collapse of Solyndra two years after it received a $535-million loan guarantee from the Obama administration. The measure was approved 245 to 161, mostly along party lines.

The Lakers signed second-round draft pick Darius Johnson-Odom to a non-guaranteed contract and extended an invitation to training camp. “They're a little guard heavy so he has to play really well to make the team,” said Lance Young, Johnson-Odom's agent. The Lakers were high enough on Johnson-Odom to pay the Dallas Mavericks about $500,000 so they could move up and select the shooting guard from Marquette with the 55 th pick in the draft. But Johnson-Odom struggled with his shooting touch in summer league games and the Lakers signed Jodie Meeks to become their primary backup shooting guard.

In a rare victory for proponents of principal reduction, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac said they will immediately allow their borrowers to participate in Keep Your Home California and other states' Hardest Hit Fund programs that shrink the mortgages of troubled borrowers using taxpayer funds. California officials made a significant change to the program last year, dropping a requirement that banks match taxpayer funds when homeowners receive mortgage reductions through the program. That means Fannie and Freddie will not have to incur further losses on their loans.