Trial against Angels begins

SANTA ANA, Calif. - Angels owner Arte Moreno violated a 10-year-old contract with Anaheim and the city lost $100 million in tourism revenue and publicity when he changed the team's name last year, a city attorney said Friday.

A packed courtroom watched as the much-anticipated trial pitting the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim against the city of Anaheim began. Curious fans were on hand, some wearing T-shirts that read "We Are Not L.A."

The city sued the Angels after Moreno changed the club's name from the Anaheim Angels last January.

The city alleges the 2002 World Series champions breached a contract that promised the word "Anaheim" would be prominently displayed in the Angels' name and on all team merchandise and advertising.

BRAVES: Right-hander Jeff Bennett agreed to a minor league contract with Atlanta, giving him a chance to compete for a spot in their revamped bullpen during spring training.

Bennett appeared in 60 games for Milwaukee in 2004, going 1-5 with a 4.79 ERA. He spent last season with the Brewers' Triple-A Nashville farm team, where he was 2-3 with a 3.03 ERA and 13 saves.

LINDBLAD DIES: Paul Lindblad, a middle reliever who pitched in the World Series for the New York Yankees and Oakland, has died after a long bout with Alzheimer's disease.

Lindblad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 1993 and spent the last nine years in a nursing home. He died on New Year's Day. He was 64.

DIAMONDBACKS: Brandon Webb and Arizona agreed to a four-year contract with a club option for 2010.

The 26-year-old right-hander set a career high with 14 wins last season, his third in the big leagues. He finished the season at 14-12 with a 3.54 ERA and 172 strikeouts in 229 innings.

Webb was an eighth-round selection in the 2000 draft out of the University of Kentucky.

NATIONALS: Former major league manager Davey Lopes has joined Washington as its first-base coach.

Lopes was hired along with new hitting coach Mitchell Page and third-base coach Tony Beasley. Pitching coach Randy St. Claire and bench coach Eddie Rodriguez were retained from manager Frank Robinson's 2005 staff.

The team still needs to hire a bullpen coach.

As a player, Lopes helped the Los Angeles Dodgers win the 1981 World Series and he led the National League in steals twice. The Nationals had an NL-low 45 steals last season and were caught stealing a league-high 45 times.