Touch 'Em All: Magic’s group set to buy the Dodgers

Magic Johnson made the biggest score of his career late Tuesday night when Dodgers owner Frank McCourt announced an agreement to sell the team for $2 billion to a group including the former Lakers star.

The price would be a record for a North American sports franchise.

Mark Walter, chief executive officer of the financial services firm Guggenheim Partners, would become the controlling owner. The group includes former Braves and Nationals president Stan Kasten.

As part of the agreement, McCourt, who in 2004 paid $430 million for the team, and "certain affiliates of the purchasers" would acquire the land surrounding Dodger Stadium for $150 million.

Morgan helps pets

Nyjer Morgan describes himself as an "alpha-male silverback gorilla."

But recently he admitted to having developed a soft side, humorously cautioning fans to not let anybody know.

This revelation came in a video the Brewers outfielder made for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, encouraging fans to adopt pets from animal shelters.

Morgan said Slick Willie, a cat he adoped from a shelter last year, "kind of stole my heart."

Lackey apologizes

Red Sox pitcher John Lackey has apologized for using "a thoughtless choice of words" during an interview on the unending "beer and fried chicken" affair this week.

Speaking with a Boston Globe columnist, Lackey said it was "retarded" to make too much of reports about some Red Sox starters drinking beer and eating fried chicken in the clubhouse last year when they weren't pitching.

"I apologize for my thoughtless choice of words that appeared in print earlier today." Lackey said in a statement released by the team. " I meant no harm, and I am sorry to all I offended," he said.

A's view disaster area

A's pitchers Tom Milone, Tyson Ross, and Evan Scribner visited the coastal Japanese town of Ishinomaki to help with a youth baseball clinic in an area still reeling from last year's tsunami.

The 16-foot high wave ripped through Ishinomaki last March, killing nearly 5,000 - including 70 of the 108 children in Okawa elementary school.

Milone said he was amazed by the resilient spirit of the people. "We can't be in their shoes," Milone said. "We can't feel what they felt a year ago when the tsunami hit. But you can get a feeling for the kind of people they are. They come out here and they're still smiling even though something devastating like that happens."

The clinic was scheduled in conjunction with the season-opening series against the Mariners that begins Wednesday at the Tokyo Dome.