Free-agent reliever Tavarez agrees to deal with Red Sox
Julian Tavarez and the Boston Red Sox reached a preliminary agreement Wednesday on a $6.7 million, two-year contract as Boston added another newcomer to its rebuilt bullpen.
The reliever must pass a physical for the deal to be finalized, a person familiar with the negotiations said, speaking on condition of anonymity because Boston has not yet announced the agreement. The physical is likely to take place today.
Tavarez, a 32-year-old right-hander, gets a $500,000 signing bonus and salaries of $3.1 million in each of the next two seasons. The agreement also includes a club option for 2008 of $3.85 million. That option would become guaranteed if Tavarez appears in a total of 125 games in the next two seasons or 65 games in 2007.
The Red Sox also agreed with infielder Tony Graffanino on a $2.05 million, one-year contract that avoids a salary arbitration hearing.
“Outfielder Milton Bradley and right-hander Kiko Calero agreed to one-year contracts with the Oakland Athletics, avoiding arbitration.
Bradley, hoping to return to his top form after a season-ending left knee injury Aug. 23 that required surgery, will receive $3 million with the chance to earn an additional $200,000 in performance bonuses. Calero receives an $850,000 salary.
Bradley also filed for divorce during the day, seeking to end an 11-month marriage during which police went to his home at least three times to investigate reports of domestic violence.
“Mike Maroth agreed to a $5.25 million, two-year contract with the Detroit Tigers, and third baseman Brandon Inge agreed to a $3 million, one-year deal.
“Joaquin Benoit and the Texas Rangers agreed to a one-year contract worth $775,000.
“The Tampa Bay Devil Rays agreed to a $1.4 million, two-year contract with Japanese relief pitcher Shinji Mori. The agreement is the team’s first with a player from the Japanese leagues, Devil Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said.
“Outfielder Marlon Byrd avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $800,000 contract with the Washington Nationals.
Colleges
Young wins Manning Award
Vince Young, who led Texas to the national championship in a comeback victory over two-time defending champion Southern California in the Rose Bowl, was this season’s winner of the Manning Award.
The award, given to the nation’s best quarterback, is the only one that takes into consideration the candidate’s bowl performance.
Young passed for 267 yards and ran for another 200 in the Longhorns’ victory over Southern Cal. For the year, he completed 212 of 325 passes for 3,036 yards and 26 touchdowns, and he rushed for 1,050 yards.
“College football is likely to get one set of rules for instant replay instead of the conference-by-conference formats that led to confusion, frustration and mistakes during the bowl season. Officials with the American Football Coaches Association decided to poll all 119 coaches next month to get a better grasp on what everyone thinks would be best.
“Florida two-sport athlete Gavin Dickey has given up football to concentrate on baseball.
“Georgia Tech athletic director Dave Braine is retiring because he has Crohn’s disease, a chronic gastrointestinal ailment.
“A judge in Waco, Texas, denied former Baylor basketball player Carlton Dotson’s request to appeal his murder conviction for the 2003 shooting death of teammate Patrick Dennehy.
Olympics
Miller finishes 5th in training
Relaxed and smiling but not talking, Bode Miller finished fifth during World Cup downhill training while teammates, sponsors and officials awaited his response to criticism of comments he made about skiing and drinking.
Miller finished in 2 minutes, 31.06 seconds in an opening training run won by Olympic champion Fritz Strobl on the classic Lauberhorn course in 2:30.79. He left without speaking to reporters.
Miller has avoided the media since excerpts of a CBS interview were released last week. He is scheduled to make a statement today.
“Eric Namesnik, who won silver medals in men’s 400-meter individual medley swimming at the 1992 and ‘96 Olympics, died in Ypsilanti, Mich., following a car accident last week. He was 35.
Tennis
Karatantcheva banned for doping
Bulgaria’s Sesil Karatantcheva, who beat Venus Williams in the third round at the French, was punished after twice testing positive for the steroid nandrolone, the International Tennis Federation said.
Golf
PGA signs new TV deal
There won’t be as much channel-surfing to find the PGA Tour next year, the start of a six-year deal that includes only two major networks and gives The Golf Channel exclusive cable rights for 15 years.
The announcement culminates a major shake-up in the structure of the PGA Tour, which also revamped its schedule to create a season-long points race and a blockbuster finish designed to get Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and other stars to play together more often.