| For Mariners, it's Erik Bedard at No. 1
PEORIA, Ariz. — Even filling out medical forms, lean-and-mean Felix Hernandez was the center of attention. Hernandez had already lost his job as the Mariners' No. 1 starter before the first pitch of spring training had been thrown. As he sat quietly at a clubhouse table Wednesday, patiently handling paperwork in triplicate, he kept being interrupted by teammates, coaches and trainers. "Did you lose more weight?" they asked. Yes, the 21-year-old would nod with a smile. Hernandez says he's down to 218 pounds, nine less than last February, when his weight loss generated headlines across baseball. "I was working out like I did last year," Hernandez said. "It gets easier." Weight-loss stories are about as common to spring training as palm trees and soon-to-be-broken promises.
Ford's new green-er engine isn't a hybrid
Kudos for Ford for taking the lead and rolling out a new generation of advanced gasoline engine technology. The move is fresh evidence that Detroit has more mileage boosting tricks up its sleeve than you may have guessed. The Detroit Free Press is reporting that Ford is set to unveil a new internal combustion gasoline engine that takes a big leap forward in gasoline engine efficiency. It's not some new advanced hybrid. Rather the engine combines a pair of off-the shelf technologies of the sort long called for by auto experts such as the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). Called EcoBoost, Ford's advancement combines turbo-charging and direct fuel injection technology to achieve up to 20% better mileage. The first model to get the green treatment will be the 2009 Lincoln MKS (photo).
Seahawks gearing up for stiff competition
The surprise was evident on the faces of the Myrtle Beach girls basketball players as they came to the bench for a timeout. For a team used to dominating every opponent from beginning to end, even Timberland's 6-3 advantage after three minutes of Friday's second-round playoff game was a shock to Myrtle Beach. The Seahawks answered with a 6-0 run to regain the lead and they never trailed again, but coach Mickey Hunter believes those three minutes of adversity could make a huge difference in the outcome of this season. "I think it helped us to be down three in the first quarter," he said. "We kind of realized Timberland is pretty good and we have to lace them up and be ready to play. We kept our composure when we did have a little adversity. That's something we haven't had to do." The Seahawks (24-2) have basically been on cruise control since Christmas, when they suffered their only two losses in the Crescent Bank Holiday Invitational.
United Airlines flight makes safe unscheduled landing at KCI
A United Airlines transcontinental flight made an emergency landing at Kansas City International Airport this morning after officials reported smoke in the cabin.</p><p>No one was injured.</p><p>Flight 871, a Boeing 767 jet traveling from Washington D.C. to San Francisco and then Taiwan, landed safely about 10:10 a.m., said KCI spokesman Joe McBride. There were 226 persons — 215 passengers and 11 crew members — aboard the plane, which was carrying 38,000 pounds of fuel.</p><p>Kansas City fire personnel and equipment gathered near the KCI runway area as the flight landed.</p><p>The plane will remain grounded at KCI as officials conduct a thorough inspection, said United Airlines spokeswoman Megan McCarthy. She said it was uncertain how long the plane would be at KCI.</p><p>After landing, the plane taxied to the United Airlines gate at Terminal A.
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