Chicago ? Hoping to revitalize Alex Gordon’s offense, the Kansas City Royals are moving him on defense.

One day after the Royals optioned Gordon to Triple-A Omaha, Kansas City manager Trey Hillman said Gordon will shift from third base to left field in the minors.

“He’s played it before, a long time ago. It’s been a while,” Hillman said Monday. “If I had to guess, as long as it goes OK, the majority of it would be in left.”

Gordon, selected second overall in the 2005 amateur draft by the Royals, batted .194 with one homer and one RBI in 12 big league games this season. Hillman said he hopes changing positions will help Gordon at the plate.

The Royals moved Alberto Callaspo from second base to third when infielder Chris Getz was reinstated from the 15-day disabled list Friday.

If the 26-year-old Gordon finds his swing with Omaha, Hillman expects him to remain in left field.

“We need Alex to play. He is going to go down and do some work in left field, get some playing time in the field, some at first base,” Hillman said. “Not going to ditch third entirely, but I’m hoping that a change in position will give him an opportunity to swing the bat a little bit better. For right now, we’re better with Callaspo at third and with Getz at second. Hopefully both will contribute offensively.

“We will see how it goes.”

MLB

Braves closer to retire

Atlanta — Billy Wagner has given the Atlanta Braves early notice he plans to retire after the season to spend more time with his family. Wagner said he is making his plans known early this season so the Braves can have time to prepare for 2011.

Reliever needs surgery

Philadelphia — Phillies reliever Ryan Madson will have surgery Tuesday on the broken right toe he injured when he kicked a chair after blowing a save.

Ex-OF has lymphoma

Dave Roberts, whose stolen base for Boston in the 2004 playoffs sparked the Red Sox to an elusive World Series championship, is being treated for Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

College basketball

Boozer leaving ISU

Ames, Iowa — In a new headache for Iowa State’s new coach, reserve guard Charles Boozer said Monday that he will leave the team to seek treatment for unspecified problems after a woman told police he slapped and kicked her over the weekend.

Boozer, who would have been a senior for the Cyclones next season, made the announcement in a release sent out by the school. He did not return a message seeking comment.

Police commander Mike Brennan said Boozer was arrested and charged with simple assault, a misdemeanor, on Saturday in Ames. A complaint accused Boozer of slapping the woman in the face, pushing her to the ground and kicking her in the side.

NBA

Bulls fire Del Negro

Chicago — The Chicago Bulls fired coach Vinny Del Negro on Monday in a long anticipated move that comes after a late-season altercation with executive vice president of basketball operations John Paxson and another first-round playoff exit.

General manager Gar Forman is scheduled to discuss the firing at a news conference this morning. He did not return messages seeking comment, nor did Paxson or Del Negro.

Riley keeping door open

Miami — Pat Riley was adamant. He’s not thinking about coaching.

Unless he changes his mind.

Unlikely as it seems, the twice-retired Hall of Fame coach might contemplate un-retiring again.

Insisting his focus is on this summer’s NBA free-agent bonanza and nothing else, the Miami Heat president acknowledged Monday that it’s possible he could return to the sideline, despite saying when he stepped down in April 2008, “I don’t want to do this anymore.”

NFL

Jaguars’ PK trying golf

Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars place-kicker Josh Scobee, a scratch golfer, is trying to qualify for the U.S. Open. Scobee will tee off next Monday at Timuquana Country Club in Jacksonville for the first round of qualifying for the U.S. Open.

Sharper returning to Saints

New Orleans — All-Pro safety Darren Sharper is returning to New Orleans for chance to repeat as Super Bowl champion in 2010, his agent, Joel Segal, said.

Report: QB goes to clinic

Pittsburgh — The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Ben Roethlisberger spent the weekend in a clinic being evaluated as part of the sanctions handed down by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

The newspaper cited an unidentified team source in a report Monday saying the evaluation will take days rather than weeks. Goodell suspended the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback six games without pay last month.

College football

FedEx ends sponsorship

Miami — FedEx is ending its sponsorship of the Orange Bowl after two decades.

“This was a difficult decision but one that allows us to focus and redirect our marketing efforts toward our other sports properties and marketing initiatives,” the company said in a statement Monday.

LSU C suspended

Baton Rouge, La. — LSU head coach Les Miles says he is suspending center T-Bob Hebert indefinitely because of a drunken driving arrest over the weekend.

Lacrosse

Va. player charged

Charlottesville, Va. — A senior on the Virginia men’s lacrosse team was charged Monday with the slaying of a fellow student on the women’s team, stunning students at the picturesque campus.

George Huguely, 22, of Chevy Chase, Md., was charged with first-degree murder in the death of 22-year-old Yeardley Love, also a senior, of Cockeysville, Md., Charlottesville Police Chief Timothy Longo said.