Newsmakers

Agreed Second baseman Skip Schumaker and the St. Louis Cardinals have agreed to a $4.7 million, two-year contract, avoiding an arbitration hearing. Schumaker will earn $2 million this season and $2.7 million in 2011. The deal also contains performance bonuses that could bring the total value to $5 million over two years. Schumaker, who turned 30 on Wednesday, hit .303 with four homers and 35 RBIs while playing in 153 games last year. He also switched from the outfield to second base. Schumaker, who was arbitration eligible for the first time, had asked for $2.75 million while the Cardinals offered $1.45 million. He made $430,000 last season.

Named The Oakland Raiders have hired longtime NFL defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast as an assistant. The team did not say what Pendergast’s role would be when announcing his hiring. Pendergast was let go last month as defensive coordinator in Kansas City. Pendergast had spent the previous five years as defensive coordinator in Arizona, helping the Cardinals make it to the Super Bowl a year ago. He had previously worked as an assistant with the Houston Oilers, Dallas and Cleveland. Oakland still has not announced whether Tom Cable will return as head coach.

Employed Former major league manager Bob Melvin has been hired as a professional scout by the New York Mets, who also brought back Mookie Wilson as their minor league outfield and base running coordinator. Melvin was the N.L. Manager of the Year in 2007 with Arizona. He managed the Seattle Mariners from 2003-04 and then the Diamondbacks from 2005 until he was fired last May 8 and replaced by A.J. Hinch.

Signed The Minnesota Lynx have signed two-time WNBA All-Star Seimone Augustus to a multi-year contract. The Lynx disclosed the signing without releasing terms. Augustus is the WNBA’s all-time leader at 21.2 points per game. The 6-foot forward was a restricted free agent, coming off a major injury. Augustus tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee in a game last June, cutting short her fourth season in the league after only six games.

Out Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Clint Mathis will miss four to six weeks after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. The team said that Mathis was hurt in training last week and had the surgery Friday in Santa Monica, Calif. The 32-year-old midfielder, in his third stint with the Galaxy, has already started rehabilitation and could return to full training before the end of preseason. Mathis is expected to be ready for the March 27 season opener against New England.