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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Sabathia at top of Yankees’ list for signing period

From staff and wire reports

Joe Girardi said this week he’d enjoy showing free agents around the new Yankee Stadium. CC Sabathia is one of the players the New York manager has in mind for a tour of the spacious clubhouse, players lounge, indoor batting cage and underground hot tub.

Free-agent season opened Friday with the Yankees planning to give Sabathia a record offer for a pitcher.

The Yankees formulated a proposal to the big lefty that would exceed Johan Santana’s $137.5 million, six-year contract with the New York Mets both in total and average, a baseball official familiar with the negotiations said. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to divulge details.

Sabathia went a combined 17-10 for Cleveland and Milwaukee this year after winning the 2007 A.L. Cy Young Award, and is considered the best starting pitcher in this year’s free-agent class.

The 171 players who filed for free agency after the World Series could start negotiating money with all teams starting at 12:01 a.m. EST Friday.

Outfielder Manny Ramirez and first baseman Mark Teixeira are among the top free-agent sluggers. Francisco Rodriguez tops the available relief pitchers, a group that also includes Brian Fuentes and Kerry Wood.

Auto racing

Johnson qualifies 30th

Carl Edwards got the jump on Jimmie Johnson in qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway at Homestead, Fla.

Edwards, facing a daunting 141-point deficit heading into Sunday’s Ford 400, qualified fourth, trailing only first-time pole winner David Reutimann, rookie Scott Speed and Roush Fenway Racing teammate Matt Kenseth. Johnson, who needs only to finish 36th or better on Sunday to wrap up his third straight Cup title, will start a disappointing 30th.

•Benson wins trucks title: A two-tire stop and a late decision to stay on track during a caution period were just enough to give Johnny Benson the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series title by seven points over Ron Hornaday in a race that went to overtime. Todd Bodine won the race, with Benson seventh and Hornaday eighth.

NFL

Rams’ Jackson out

St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson will not play Sunday against San Francisco because of his injured right thigh, and coach Jim Haslett said he won’t even make the trip.

Orton may play: Quarterback Kyle Orton was listed as probable for the Chicago Bears’ game at Green Bay on Sunday.

Orton sat out a 21-14 loss to Tennessee last week with a sprained right ankle.

Portis questionable: Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis did not practice and will be used only “in a limited fashion” if he is able to play Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys.

College basketball

UW signs Gaddy

Washington has made it official that top national recruit Abdul Gaddy backed out of his commitment to Arizona and signed a national letter of intent with the Huskies.

Coach Lorenzo Romar also announced his team has signed California junior college forward Charles Garcia, Gig Harbor, Wash., product Clarence Trent and Utah prep scoring leader C.J. Wilcox to play for UW next season.

Miscellany

Stanford takes lead

Angela Stanford shot a 6-under-par 66 in the second round of the Lorena Ochoa Invitational to take a two-stroke lead over LPGA Championship winner Yani Tseng.

Stanford had a 10-under 134 total on the Guadalajara (Mexico) Country Club course. Tseng, No. 2 in the world behind Ochoa, shot her second straight 68. Ochoa followed her opening 73 with a 71, leaving her 10 strokes behind.

Murray topples Federer: Defending champion Roger Federer was eliminated from the Masters Cup at Shanghai, China, with a 4-6, 7-6 (3), 7-5 loss to Andy Murray.

Murray, who had his left hand iced during the match, will play Nikolay Davydenko in the semifinals. Gilles Simon will play Novak Djokovic in the other semi.

Cincinnati on top: Tony Pike threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns and No. 22 Cincinnati remained in the hunt for the Big East title with a 28-20 win over Louisville (5-5, 1-4).

The win gives the Bearcats (8-2, 4-1) a half-game lead over West Virginia and No. 21 Pittsburgh in the conference title race.