In brief: Mariners talking with Japanese ace

The Seattle Mariners have made their pitch to Hiroki Kuroda. Now they are waiting to see whether the Japanese ace will do the same for them next season.

Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi and manager John McLaren led a contingent to Japan this week that met with Kuroda and tried to persuade that country’s top free-agent pitcher to sign with Seattle.

“The Mariners are interested in Kuroda and have just returned to Seattle from Japan where they met with our client,” agent Joe Urbon wrote in an e-mail to the Associated Press on Wednesday.

Kuroda, a 32-year-old right-hander with a fastball in the mid-90 mph range and excellent control, would fill one of the Mariners’ biggest off-season needs. He was 12-8 with a 3.56 ERA in 26 starts last season for the Hiroshima Carp of the Central League. In 2006, he had a league-best 1.85 ERA. The year before that he led the Central League with 15 victories.

In 11 seasons with Hiroshima, he is 103-89 with a 3.69 ERA.

Bavasi and McLaren no doubt emphasized to Kuroda the opportunity to play with countrymen Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle’s superstar outfielder and franchise cornerstone, and Kenji Johjima, a catcher who would ease Kuroda’s transition into the major leagues. Johjima has one season remaining on a $16.5 million, three-year contract.

“Catcher Jason Kendall and the Milwaukee Brewers reached a preliminary agreement on a one-year contract, pending a physical.

Track and field

HOF to induct 5

Former 100-meter world record holder Calvin Smith, two-time Olympian Jane Frederick and three others will be inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame at Indianapolis next month.

Also chosen were 1936 Olympic decathlon winner Glenn Morris, shot-put champion George Woods and longtime UCLA coach Elvin C. “Ducky” Drake.

Smith set the 100-meter record of 9.93 seconds in 1983, breaking the 9.95 mark of Jim Hines that had stood for 15 years. Carl Lewis topped Smith’s mark with a 9.92 run in 1988.

Smith won a gold meal in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles as part of the 4x100m relay as he, Lewis, Sam Graddy and Ron Brown set the then-world record of 37.83. Smith also won the 100 meters bronze medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Frederick won the U.S. heptathlon national title a record nine times and was a two-time Olympian in the pentathlon and heptathlon, with a best finish of seventh at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal.

Miscellany

LB suspended

The Big Sky Conference suspended Weber State linebacker J.D. Folsom for a half-game to start next season after kicking an Eastern Washington player during the regular-season finale last Saturday.

“North Carolina and football coach Butch Davis agreed to a one-year contract extension through the 2014 season.

“The English soccer team lost to Croatia 3-2, keeping it out of next year’s European Championship, likely costing coach Steve McClaren his job.