Newsmakers
Signed Slugger Jim Thome signed his contract with Minnesota. Thome agreed to terms with the Twins on a one-year, $1.5 million contract last week, but he needed to take a physical and the Twins needed to make a roster move before making it official.
Agreed Detroit ace Justin Verlander and the Tigers finalized an $80 million, five-year contract. Verlander’s deal includes a $500,000 signing bonus, $6.75 million this season, $12.75 million next year and $20 million in each of the following three seasons.
Hired The tenure of Florida Gators defensive coordinator George Edwards sure didn’t last long. Less than a month after joining Urban Meyer’s staff, Edwards left one of the nation’s top college programs to become the Buffalo Bills’ defensive coordinator and be reunited with newly hired head coach Chan Gailey. Edwards was a part of Gailey’s first staff in Dallas in 1998.
Out New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul will be out about four to six weeks after having arthroscopic knee surgery. The team announced that Paul would start rehabilitating immediately and will be on crutches for two or three weeks.
Suspended Baltimore Orioles pitcher Brian Parker has been suspended for the first 50 games of the season after a second positive test for a drug of abuse. Parker, a 24-year-old right-hander, is on the roster of Double-A Eastern League’s Bowie farm team.
Chosen The Anaheim Ducks’ Ryan Whitney and Tim Gleason of the Carolina Hurricanes were chosen to replace injured defensemen Paul Martin and Mike Komisarek on the U.S. Olympic hockey team. The moves to replace Martin and Komisarek were made less than two weeks before the United States’ opening game in Vancouver against Switzerland on Feb. 16.
Died Hall of Famer Bill Dudley, who in 1946 with the Pittsburgh Steelers led the NFL in rushing, punt returns and interceptions, died. He was 88. Dudley had a stroke Saturday and was admitted to Lynchburg (Va.) General Hospital, son Jim Dudley said. He said his father had not been ill before the stroke and died in his wife’s arms. “Bullet” Bill Dudley was a runner, passer, punter, kicker and defensive back during his nine-year NFL career.