Newsmakers

Agreed Reliever Kyle Farnsworth and second baseman-outfielder Kelly Johnson have finalized one-year contracts with the Tampa Bay Rays. Farnsworth agreed to a base salary of $1.25 million for this season. Johnson ageed to a $2.45 million deal.

• Right-hander Jon Rauch has agreed to a $1 million, one-year contract with the Miami Marlins. The 6-foot-11 Rauch went 3-7 last year for the New York Mets.

• Outfielder Gerardo Parra and the Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to a $2.35 million, one-year contract, settling the team’s last salary arbitration case of the year.

Awarded Mississippi State’s Johnthan Banks was presented the Thorpe Award in Oklahoma as college football’s best defensive back. He finished last season with four interceptions, running his career total to 16 to tie the school record.

Released The Cleveland Browns have released defensive end Frostee Rucker after one season. A top free-agent signing by Cleveland last year, Rucker is the first casualty of the team switching from a 4-3 to multi-front defensive scheme under first-year coach Rob Chudzinski. Rucker made $6 million last season, when he started all 16 games and finished with 48 tackles.

• The Detroit Lions have released two veteran starters, cutting defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch and guard Stephen Peterman.

Retired Two-time Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington has retired from competitive swimming at 23. The Briton won in the 400 and 800 meters at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and collected two bronze medals at the London Games last year.

Announced Emirates airlines announced a five-year sponsorship deal with Formula One in the latest sign of the growing influence of the oil-rich, Gulf nations on the sport. Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone says the Dubai-based airline’s sponsorship deal includes 15 races this season starting in Malaysia. It will not sponsor the Australian, Monaco, Bahrain or Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Ecclestone did not disclose the value of the sponsorship deal.