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Sports in brief

Sheffield spars with Dodgers

Outfielder Gary Sheffield is unhappy with the Dodgers. Again.

The subject of numerous trade rumors recently, Sheffield said he either wants to be dealt before spring training or be assured he will remain with the Dodgers until his contract expires after 2004.

Sheffield, a Tampa native, said he has lost trust in the team in the wake of a recent conversation with Dan Evans in which the general manager told him he didn't try to trade him to Oakland.

"When somebody tells you something and then they hang up the phone and you know it's not the truth, it's one of those things where you wonder to yourself what you have to do to get the truth," Sheffield was quoted as saying in Wednesday's editions of the Los Angeles Times.

"You try to be a man about it and make phone calls to the organization, just to get a direct answer, and you basically don't get a straightforward answer," he said. "It becomes frustrating to the point where you ask yourself, 'Do I really want to be with this organization?' "

MORE BASEBALL: The Mets spoke to the representative for Juan Gonzalez, but general manager Steve Phillips reiterated that financial restrictions make it unlikely the team will sign the free-agent outfielder. ... Reliever Mike Williams returned to the Pirates, agreeing to a two-year contract worth $7-million. Williams, 33, began last season with the Pirates, then was traded to Houston in July. ... Tigers right-hander Brian Moehler, who missed most of last season with an injured shoulder, agreed to a one-year contract worth $2.4-million.

SOCCER: A decision on contraction has not been made, MLS commissioner Don Garber said, but he expects to make an announcement in "the next few weeks." The Mutiny, a league-owned team since 1996, is considered a prime candidate for contraction. "We're working on finalizing a way that there are no changes," Garber said during a conference call announcing a new agreement with ABC and ESPN to broadcast MLS and World Cup matches. "We're not at that point yet. We're still evaluating where we are. I'd say the fact that we haven't made a decision is positive for now." ... U.S. captain Claudio Reyna will be sidelined for up to six weeks after bruising his left ankle in an English League game.

TENNIS: Qualifier Radek Stepanek beat second-seeded Goran Ivanisevic 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 in the second round of the Qatar Open for his first ATP Tour victory. ... Alex Calatrava saved two match points in the second set and rallied to upset sixth-seeded Dominik Hrabaty 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 in the second round of the TATA Open in Madras, India. ... Mary Pierce beat Barbara Schett 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) in the Hong Kong Challenge. ... Top seed Venus Williams beat Patty Schnyder 6-0, 6-4 on a sweltering day at the Australian women's hard-court championships in Gold Coast. ... Former world No. 1 Pete Sampras began 2002 by losing to Todd Martin in the first round of the Australian men's hard-court championships in Adelaide. ... World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt defeated Mariano Zabaleta 6-3, 6-4 before teaming with Alicia Molik for a doubles victory as host Australia beat Argentina 2-1 in the Hopman Cup. Francesa Schiavone overcame a hamstring injury to upset Monica Seles 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 and give Italy a 1-0 lead over the United States, and David Sanguinette beat Jan Michael Gambill 7-6 (7-1), 6-3. Monica Seles and Jan Michael Gambill came back to win the mixed doubles 6-1, 6-3 to make the final margin 2-1. The top-seeded Americans and Italy have 1-1 records in Group A. The Americans likely will need to beat Belgium on Friday to qualify from Group A in Saturday's final.

COLLEGES: Dave Maggard, former athletic director at Miami and California, was hired to head the athletic department at Houston.

HOCKEY: Steve Ott scored twice as Canada beat Switzerland 4-0 in the semifinals of the World Junior Championships in Pardubice, Czech Republic. Canada meets Russia, a 2-1 OT winner against Finland, in Friday's title game.

TRACK AND FIELD: Four-time Olympian Connie Price-Smith, a silver medalist in the shot put in the 1995 World Indoor Championships, retired.

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