Sacramento Kings

BaseballNew York Yankees -- Assigned P Wade Taylor outright to Triple-A Columbus.Chicago Cubs -- Named Ed Ford scouting supervisor for New York, New England, New Jersey and Canada, and Preston Douglas scout for Northern Florida and Southern Georgia.Cincinnati Reds -- Named Tom Nieto manager and Mack Jenkins pitching coach of Charleston, W.Va. of the South Atlantic League, and Mark Berry manager and Derek Botelho pitching coach of Winston-Salem of the Carolina League.Colorado Rockies -- Signed 1B Andres Galarraga to a one-year contract.

The Washington Bullets, still playing without "six of my best eight players," according to coach Wes Unseld, will face several important roster decisions in the next few days.It seems certain that rookie guard LaBradford Smith, the No. 1 draft pick from Louisville who missed training camp and the first 10 games this season while nursing a sprained left ankle, will be activated this week, perhaps in time for tomorrow night's game against the Seattle SuperSonics at the Capital Centre.Less certain is whether the Bullets will want to sign Ralph Sampson, the 7-foot-4 veteran center who has been job-hunting after buying out the remainder of his contract with the Sacramento Kings.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- In the aftermath of perhaps their most humiliating loss of the season, Washington Bullets coach Wes Unseld was asked whether he could pinpoint what went wrong during the team's 114-88 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night."

Barack Obama may already have been officially inaugurated yesterday, but don't tell that to the people on Washington's National Mall this morning: A second, more outdoor ceremony today will give the public a view as Obama starts his second term. Some of that public will be recovering from not-fully-remembered AFC Championship viewing parties, as the Baltimore Ravens start preparing for the Super Bowl . Finally, Lebron James did not spare his thoughts as the Sacramento Kings sold for a princely sum. See full details via the links below.

Basketball Charlotte Hornets -- Signed F Earl Cureton to 10-day contract. Placed F Kenny Gattison on injured list.Houston Rockets -- Announced that C Akeem Olajuwon underwent successful surgery to repair damage to right eye sustained Jan. 3 when elbowed in the face by Chicago Bulls center Bill Cartwright.Philadelphia 76ers -- Announced that F Charles Barkley (30.8 ppg) will miss at least two more games with foot and ankle injuries.Sacramento Kings -- Placed leading scorer F Wayman Tisdale (20.9 ppg)

BaseballBaltimore Orioles -- Named Davey Lopes first-base coach, Dick Bosman pitching coach and Greg Biagini hitting coach for the 1992 season.California Angels -- Announced that they will not exercise the option of P Jeff Robinson (0-3, 5.37 ERA, 3 saves in 1991) for the 1992 season. Released IF Kent Anderson (.210 in 84 games with Class AAA Edmonton) and C Barry Lyons (.200 in 5 at-bats).Florida Marlins -- Named Cookie Rojas assistant to the GM and Richard Andersen VP of business operations.

BaseballPhiladelphia Phillies -- Activated 1B John Kruk from the DL. Sent OF Tim Marsh to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.Seattle Mariners -- Placed C Mackey Sasser on the 15-day DL, retroactive to April 10, with a sprained right knee. Purchased the contract of OF Darren Bragg from Triple-A Calgary. Designated C Chris Howard for assignment.Toronto Blue Jays -- Named Jerry Walker special assignment scout.BasketballPhoenix Suns -- Activated G Elliot Perry. Placed F Jerrod Mustaf (Maryland) on the injured list.

BaseballChicago White Sox -- Claimed OF Deion Sanders on unconditional-release waivers.Milwaukee Brewers -- Announced 1B Paul Molitor will miss rest of season with torn muscle in right forearm.Texas Rangers -- Announced team president Mike Stone's resignation, effective Nov. 30.BasketballHouston Rockets -- Traded G John Lucas (Maryland) and C Tim McCormick to Atlanta Hawks for G Kenny Smith and G Roy Marble.Los Angeles Clippers -- Signed F Cedric Ball.Miami Heat -- Signed Willie Burton, first-round draft choice from Minnesota, to five-year contract.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- At age 34 and a day, Bernard King found enough energy to carry the Washington Bullets on his shoulders for another game.King, who turned 34 Tuesday, scored 31 points, including 25 in the second half, to lead the Bullets (6-11) to a 104-98 victory over the Golden State Warriors last night. The victory ended a string of six straight road losses and completed a two-game season sweep of the Warriors in the space of eight days."We rely on him. We have no choice," Washington coach Wes Unseld said of his star.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Sacramento Kings coach Dick Motta had a simple answer to what turned out to be one of the worst defeats in National Basketball Association history."