PHILADELPHIA -- In a need of a lift in the rotation, the Phillies are taking a chance on Carlos Zambrano. The three-time All-Star agreed to a minor league contract with Philadelphia on Wednesday and will report this week to Clearwater, Fla., for extended spring training. Zambrano is known as much for his volatile outbursts and dugout confrontations with teammates as he is for his 132 wins over 12 seasons and a no-hitter. With Roy Halladay and John Lannan on the disabled list, the slumping Phillies turned to Zambrano, even though he hasnt pitched in the majors since last September with Miami. "No promises are made. Its just an opportunity to add some starting pitching," Phillies assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said. Zambrano, 31, is 132-91 with a 3.66 ERA, including 11 seasons with the Chicago Cubs. He was 16-17 with a 4.66 ERA the last two years. Zambrano has the right to terminate the deal if he is not added to the major league roster by July 1. Philadelphia was among the teams with representatives who watched Zambrano throw Monday in Miami. He pitched in winter ball and played for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. "Its low risk, hopefully, high reward," Proefrock said. When healthy, Zambranos talent has rarely been an issue. Its his temper. Hes feuded with teammates, management and umpires in a number of high-profiles blowups. Chicago placed Zambrano on the disqualified list with no pay and no part in team activities for 30 days in 2011. He then told team personnel he might retire. Zambrano was placed on the restricted list for six weeks and sent to anger management in 2010 after a verbal altercation with then-teammate Derrek Lee. In 2009, he was suspended following a tirade against an umpire in which he threw a baseball into the outfield and slammed his glove against the dugout fence. "He has a competitive temper," Proefrock said. "Hes not that way in social settings." With Halladay and Lannan out, the Phillies have turned to Tyler Cloyd and Jonathan Pettibone to fill the void. Halladay, Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee have a combined seven wins this season. Proefrock said Zambrano was sincere in wanting to prove he keep his emotions in check -- and get batters out. "We got positive feedback from everyone who has interacted with him recently," Proefrock said. "Were just looking to add some depth and some experience." Robin Ventura Jersey . Catch all the action on TSN2 at 11pm et/8pm pt. The nine-time Big 12 champion Jayhawks are positioning themselves for another title, as they have run out to a flawless 6-0 mark in conference play thus far. Bobby Jenks Jersey . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. http://www.whitesoxteamshop.com/ .J. -- Seven games into a disappointing season, New York Giants defensive catalyst Jason Pierre-Paul is getting the feeling hes back. Nellie Fox Jersey .ca NHL Power Rankings for the second straight week, ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche. Carlton Fisk Jersey . -- Ohio States Urban Meyer has never had any issue acclimating to the biggest stages in college football. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The problems that have bogged down Ohio States offense put the Buckeyes in a bind again. J.T. Barrett and Ohio State did enough in the fourth quarter against Northwestern to avoid a second consecutive upset loss.Curtis Samuel ran for a 3-yard touchdown with 9:43 left to give No. 6 Ohio State a lead, and Barrett converted two third downs on the game-sealing drive in a 24-20 victory Saturday.After being upset by Penn State last week, the Buckeyes offense struggled against another multi-touchdown underdog. Ohio State (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten) punted on five straight drives in one stretch, but responded to Northwestern tying it at 17 with a touchdown drive, capped by Samuels run.Northwestern (4-4, 3-2) then got to the Ohio State 3, but settled for a 33-yard Jack Mitchell field goal to close to 24-20 with 3:31 left. The Buckeyes mounted a final clock-eating drive. Barrett hit Noah Brown for 16 yards on third-and-8 and then took off on a 35-yard run to convert a third-and-10 and put the Buckeyes in the clear.It was a pretty good chess match back and forth, and I just loved the way we finished it off, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said.Barrett, who has struggled finding open receivers and whose offensive line had difficulty protecting him last week, was 21 for 32 for 223 yards, but he didnt complete a pass over 19 yards until the fourth quarter when K.J. Hill turned a sideline completion into a 34-yard gain.Im comfortable where were at, Barrett said. I know theres things we can absolutely be better at as far as our offense. Were executing.Mike Weber rushed 14 times for 87 yards and two touchdowns, the first coming on Ohio States opening drive. He found the end zone again in the second quarter, chugging around the right end for a 23-yard score.Samuel ran the ball seven times and caught seven passes for 99 total yards.Clayton Thorson was 25 for 42 for 256 yards with a touchdown and a first-quarter interception for Northwestern. Austin Carr, the Big Tens leading receiver, caught eeight passes for 158 yards.dddddddddddd.It obviously didnt start the way we wanted it to, spotting them a couple scores, but the guys didnt flinch and kept swinging, Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said. And, you know, we ended up one punch short.THE TAKEAWAYNorthwestern: The Wildcats continue to improve and showed their Big Ten wins werent a fluke. They nearly pulled off another one in Ohio Stadium. Still, the Wildcats have not won in Columbus since 1971.We came here to win, and not getting it done is bitterly disappointing, Fitzgerald said.Ohio State: Smarting from last weeks upset, the Buckeyes at least escaped with a win over a big underdog. But problems with their passing game persist, and they need to improve to get through the rest of the schedule unscathed.Were a project, were still working things out, Meyer said. But I promise you, Im going to enjoy this win.POLL IMPLICATIONSOhio States effort might cost it a spot or two in the AP Top 25.AT THE DOOR STEPNorthwestern had a chance to take the lead with first-and-goal on the Ohio State 3 with 4:36 left in the game. But a 2-yard loss on a keeper by Thorson, a holding penalty and two incomplete passes forced a field goal try from the Ohio State 15. Fitzgerald said it was a long fourth-and-goal so he opted to kick the field goal and try to stop the Buckeyes on the next drive, which backfired.We had two chances to get stops on long third downs, and we didnt get it done, he said.INJURY REPORTStarting Ohio State wide receiver Parris Campbell left the game after he was injured blocking for Samuel in the fourth quarter. Meyer said hes got a sprained ankle. X-rays showed its not broken.UP NEXTNorthwestern: The Wildcats return home to play No. 11 Wisconsin.Ohio State: The Buckeyes host No. 7 Nebraska.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.orgFollow Mitch Stacy at http://twitter.com/mitchstacy ' ' '