Briefs

Rangers, ace Millwood agree to $60M, 5 years

By wire services
Published December 27, 2005

ARLINGTON, Texas - Free-agent pitcher Kevin Millwood reached a preliminary agreement Monday on a $60-million, five-year contract with Texas, giving the Rangers a top-line starter they sought.

Texas can void the fifth year if Millwood doesn't pitch enough innings in earlier years of the contract. Millwood is expected to have a physical today, and the deal likely will be final Wednesday.

Millwood had a 2.86 ERA to lead the American League last season, his only one with Cleveland. The right-hander, who turned 31 Saturday, rejected a salary arbitration offer from the Indians.

Hours before, the Indians went about replacing Millwood by signing former Devil Ray Jason Johnson , who agreed to a $4-million, one-year deal. Johnson went 8-13 with a 4.55 ERA in a career-high 210 innings last season for Detroit.

Also, in hopes of boosting revenue and competing with the big spenders, the Indians made a deal to start a cable television network. Cleveland's $42-million payroll last season was barely one-fifth that of the New York Yankees, who started their TV network years ago.

SOCCER

U.S. shines in Europe

Goals from Arouna Kone and American DaMarcus Beasley enabled PSV Eindhoven to take the lead in the Dutch league with a 2-0 win over NEC Nijmegen. Beasley, who played in the 2002 World Cup for the U.S. national team, headed in a cross from Jason Culina in injury time. Feyenoord beat former leader AZ Alkmaar 2-0 to move into a tie for second with 38 points, three behind PSV.

In London, American Brian McBride scored for Fulham, which lost 3-2 to city rival and English Premier League leader Chelsea. It was the sixth goal of the season for the striker from Arlington Heights, Ill.

DI STEFANO UPDATE: Heart bypass surgery for Real Madrid's honorary president and former star, Alfredo Di Stefano , must wait until his condition improves. La Fe Hospital in Valencia, Spain, said his condition was destabilized Sunday night by an irregular heartbeat and a fever. Di Stefano, 79, had a heart attack Saturday.

OLYMPICS

Russians: We'd spend big

If Sochi, Russia, is awarded the 2014 Winter Olympics, the country is prepared to spend $6.75-billion to upgrade the Black Sea area into an international resort. The area is popular among Russian tourists but little known around the world. The 2010 Games are in Vancouver. The other candidates for 2014 are Pyeongchang, South Korea; Almaty, Kazakhstan; Borjomi, Georgia; Jaca, Spain; Salzburg, Austria; and Sofia, Bulgaria.

ET CETERA

TENNIS: Australian Open champion Marat Safin withdrew from the Hopman Cup mixed team tournament with a knee injury. He was replaced on the Russian team by 20-year-old Teimuraz Gabashvili . The event, in Perth, Australia, starts Friday with a qualifying match between China and the Netherlands.

SAILING: Alfa Romeo overtook Wild Oats as the boats headed south in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race off of Australia. An estimated 400,000 watched. New Zealand-owned Alfa Romeo led by more than 2.3 miles.

HORSES: Kicking King held off a late challenge by Monkerhostin and won the King George VI Chase for the second straight year in Sandown, England. ... A bomb threat forced evacuation of thousands from a track in Northern Ireland. Acting on an anonymous call, police ushered about 8,000 fans from the Down Royal facility after the first race.

[Last modified December 27, 2005, 02:30:20]