SAN DIEGO - San Diego Padres outfielder Seth Smith signed a $13 million contract extension through 2016 after being told by ownership that it is committed to winning. St.Louis Blues Pro Shop . The deal was announced before Wednesdays game against Cincinnati. It had been in the works since before general manager Josh Byrnes was fired on June 22 and it came together in the last few days. Smith will make $6 million in 2015 and $6.75 million in 2016. The Padres hold a $7 million option in 2017, or a $250,000 buyout. Smith is making $4.5 million this year. He was obtained in an off-season trade with Oakland. The Padres started the day in third place in the NL West at 37-47, 10 1/2 games behind San Francisco. The Padres havent had a winning season since 2010, when they won 90 games and still missed the playoffs. Since then San Diego has had seasons with 91, 86 and 86 losses. Theyre on their third ownership group since 2009 and the new general manager will be the third since Kevin Towers was fired late in the 2009 season. "I wouldnt have signed if i didnt think we could win now," Smith said. "I think this season has been tough but theres still a lot of season left, theres still a lot of good players here. "Ive been to the playoffs four times and all four times no one thought any of the teams would make the playoffs," added Smith, who reached the post-season twice with Colorado and twice with Oakland. "Ownerships committed to winning and thats what Im all about. That was my first question: Are we going to try to win and try to win now? And the answer was. Yes. So I was like, Im in. Assistant GM A.J. Hinch said talks were "tricky" because of Byrnes firing, but added that Smiths desire to stay with San Diego and ownerships commitment helped overcome that. Hinch is one of three people running the "office of the GM" until the Padres hire a replacement for Byrnes. Stitched Blues Jerseys .com) - Carmelo Anthony scored 31 points with eight rebounds to lead the New York Knicks to a 92-80 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Wholesale Blues Jerseys .Inter Milan and Napoli also advanced to ensure there will be at least three Italian clubs in the last 32 of Europes secondary competition.Spurs victory, secured by Benjamin Stamboulis 49th-minute winner, was overshadowed by a succession of pitch invasions that forced the referee to halt the game after 41 minutes. https://www.cheapblues.com/ . The Raptors have been outscored 88-66 in the opening quarter over a three-game span to begin the month of February. Their most recent loss, 109-101 in Sacramento on Wednesday, was eerily similar to Saturdays defeat at the hands of the Trail Blazers.ARLINGTON, Va. -- Alex Ovechkin apologized for Russias hockey performance at the Olympics, a sentiment put in perspective by the encouraging news that his father was on the way home after heart surgery. Far more upset was Nicklas Backstrom, who remains clearly miffed that an allergy medication hes taken for years cost him a chance to play for a gold medal. The Washington Capitals held their first post-Olympics practice Tuesday, a session overshadowed by residue from the Winter Games even as they tried to focus on the resumption of their NHL schedule. Ovechkin was one of the faces of Sochi, bent on winning the gold on home ice. Instead, the Russians were eliminated in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive Olympics. "First of all, I want to say sorry to the fans," Ovechkin said. "Because its once in a lifetime opportunity to represent your country in the Olympics, and you didnt get the results, you didnt get any medal. Of course the fans, the media and the people who support Russia, family, was upset, but life goes on." Ovechkin took the Olympic disappointment especially hard four years ago, but this time he had to immediately turn his attention to his family. His father, who has a history of heart problems, became ill following one of his sons games and required surgery. Ovechkin wasnt told until three days later, after Russia had been eliminated. "Soon as I found out that hes in hospital and hes feeling not that good and he could be dying, I just forget the game that we lose against Finland. ... Just go there and spend time with him and saw him," Ovechkin said. "It was great feelings to see whats happening and how hes feeling. Thats most important thing." Ovechkin said his father, mother and brother were flying home to Moscow on Tuesday. Ovechkin said he understands the criticism he received for his play during the Olympics -- "I didnt score lots of goals out there" -- but the 28-year-old three-time league MVP appears ready to refocus on the Capitals, who resume play Thursday at Florida. "This is a very tough loss for me and for Russia, but Im almost 30," Ovechkin said. "I have to handle it. I have to fight through it." The lingering Olympic sting was more evident on the face of Backstrom, who helped lead Sweden to the gold medal game but was pulled from the lineup shortly before faceoff because he had failed a doping test. Without one of its top players, Sweden lost 3-0 to Canadda. St.Louis Blues Gear. "Ive had allergies for seven years, since I got here," Backstrom said. "Everyone that lives in the Washington area knows how bad it is here. Ive been taking Zyrtec-D for the last seven years and I havent been doing anything differently. Ive been playing internationally, in the world championships (and) Olympics before, and so I havent done anything differently." An ingredient in the allergy medicine is on the list of banned substances for Olympic competition, but Backstrom said he was told by the Sweden team doctor that he could take one pill a day without triggering a positive test. "Who do I blame?" Backstrom said. "Well, I followed the doctors recommendation." Backstrom said he expects a two-week wait to find out whether he will be awarded his silver medal, which is being held at the International Ice Hockey Federation offices in Zurich. "Obviously, its not fun to deal with," Backstrom said. "I dont wish no one to have to go through this, if Im going to be honest with you. Its not fun. But Ive got to look forward to play next game on Thursday. Ive got to focus on Washington right now." Backstroms teammates, much like the international hockey community in general, were shocked at how his situation was handled. "Its just ridiculous that it can happen at a big tournament like this," forward Martin Erat said, "at the Olympics just before the finals when everybody is ready to go and you just want to enjoy the sport. It just happened because of some stupidity, and its just unbelievable that this can happen in the Olympics." The Capitals sent five players to Sochi, and four of them have dealt with some sort of unexpected life event that has derailed an attempt to return to normalcy after the Olympics. Ovechkin had the health scare with his father, Backstrom has the fallout from the doping test, Swedish forward Marcus Johansson is stuck in Stockholm because of an visa issue -- the Capitals expect him to join them in Florida for Thursdays game -- and Erat returned to his family in Nashville, Tenn., as soon as he could after the Czech Republic was eliminated. "We just finished our quarterfinal game, and I went for my phone, and our friend had called me and said your baby girl, Victoria Bella, is born," Erat said. "First we lost in the quarterfinal, it was hard to swallow, and when I got the news, it brought back a smile on my face." ' ' '