Fast Break

BASEBALL

Hamels cashes in on his success

Cole Hamels has about everything an ace pitcher could want after only three years in the major leagues.

The Phillies left-hander was the MVP of the World Series, he’s earned a reputation as a big-game pitcher, he’s been an All-Star and he’s married to a former Playboy playmate.

Now, Hamels has a hefty three-year, $20.5 million contract to go with the championship he’s still savoring.

While the Phillies partied with a parade, Hamels planned a low-key celebration.

“I’m not going to Vegas any time soon,” Hamels said on Sunday.

He could afford the trip and even a seat at the high-rollers table.

The deal avoids an arbitration hearing and keeps the 25-year-old Hamels in Philadelphia through the 2011 season. Hamels went 4-0 in the postseason with a 1.80 ERA as the Phillies claimed their first championship since 1980. He won the first game in three playoff series and took the MVP award in the N.L. championship series against the Dodgers.

Football

Linehan rejects 49ers’ offer

Scott Linehan has declined the San Francisco 49ers’ offer to become their offensive coordinator.

Linehan was fired four games into his third season as the St. Louis Rams’ head coach last September. The veteran offensive mastermind says he wasn’t ready to move his family to the West Coast to resume his coaching career with the 49ers, who are looking for their seventh offensive coordinator in seven seasons.

Linehan was offered the job Thursday, leading a field of four finalists that included Cleveland offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, Denver offensive coordinator Rick Dennison and Indianapolis receivers coach Clyde Christensen. Dennison was retained by new Broncos coach Josh McDaniels last week.

Associated Press Football Bucs fire six assistants  The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fired six members of former coach Jon Gruden’s staff.

Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen were fired Friday, three weeks after the Bucs completed one of the biggest collapses in NFL history by losing four straight to miss the playoffs following a 9-3 start.

The team promoted Raheem Morris to head coach and appointed Mark Dominik the new GM on Saturday.

The fired assistants were offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Bill Muir, defensive quality control coaches Johnny Cox and Ejiro Evero, offensive assistant Jay Gruden, strength and conditioning coach Mike Morris and assistant offensive line coach George Yarno, a Ferris High School graduate who played at Washington State.