More sports

Yankees exercise option on ailing Sheffielf

By TIMES WIRES
Published November 6, 2006

BASEBALL

Gary Sheffield's $13-million option was exercised Sunday by the New York Yankees, who plan to trade the outfielder rather than keep him.

By exercising the option, the Yankees prevented Sheffield, a Tampa native, from becoming a free agent and blocked him from perhaps signing with the rival Boston Red Sox.

Sheffield, who turns 38 on Nov. 18, was an All-Star during his first two seasons with the Yankees but missed most of last season after injuring his wrist April 29 against Toronto during a collision at first base. The wrist didn't get better and Sheffield had surgery June 13.

Sheffield did not want the Yankees to exercise the option, preferring to control his own destiny. His contract does not contain a no-trade clause. 

TENNIS

Former No. 1 Clijsters wins title at home

Former No. 1 Kim Clijsters won her comeback tournament before an adoring home crowd in Hasselt, Belgium, when she beat Kaia Kanepi 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 to retain the Gaz de France title. After missing 10 weeks with a left wrist injury, Clijsters earned a jolt of confidence heading into the WTA Championships starting Tuesday in Madrid. ... Nikolay Davydenko routed Dominik Hrbaty 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 to win the Paris Masters for his fifth title of the season. The fourth seed dropped only one set in the tournament - to Tommy Robredo in the semifinals - in winning his 10th career title.

ET CETERA

MLS: Paul Dalglish scored twice in the first half and Brian Mullan added a goal in the 71st minute to help the host Houston Dynamo advance to the MLS Cup with a 3-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids in the Western Conference final. Houston faces New England in the title game Sunday in Frisco, Texas. ... Taylor Twellman, the reigning league MVP, scored in the fourth minute, and Matt Reis made eight saves to lead the New England Revolution to a 1-0 victory over D.C. United in the Eastern Conference final in Washington.

FIGURE SKATING: World champion Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland rallied from seventh place after the short program to win the Skate Canada title Saturday night in Victoria, British Columbia. American Johnny Weir was third. Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon won the ice dancing competition of the Grand Prix event Sunday.

VOLLEYBALL: The United States beat Puerto Rico in straight sets in Tokyo to finish the first stage of the women's world championships in second place in its group. The Americans, in Group C, bounced back from Saturday's loss to tournament favorite Brazil to win their fourth match 25-14, 25-16, 25-15.

BASEBALL

Gary Sheffield's $13-million option was exercised Sunday by the New York Yankees, who plan to trade the outfielder rather than keep him.

By exercising the option, the Yankees prevented Sheffield, a Tampa native, from becoming a free agent and blocked him from perhaps signing with the rival Boston Red Sox.

Sheffield, who turns 38 on Nov. 18, was an All-Star during his first two seasons with the Yankees but missed most of last season after injuring his wrist April 29 against Toronto during a collision at first base. The wrist didn't get better and Sheffield had surgery June 13.

Sheffield did not want the Yankees to exercise the option, preferring to control his own destiny. His contract does not contain a no-trade clause.

Elsewhere

Ryan Howard hit a three-run homer and the MLB All-Stars defeated the stars of Japanese baseball 11-4 in Tokyo for a 3-0 lead in a five-game tour.

BOXING

Mayweather gets little resistance from Baldomir

LAS VEGAS - Floyd Mayweather deflated the tires on the Cinderella Man's coach before it turned into a pumpkin at the Mandalay Bay on Saturday night. Mayweather brought a screeching halt to a wonderful yearlong welterweight ride by Carlos Baldomir with a masterful display of offensive speed and defensive genius to take a lopsided 12-round unanimous decision for the welterweight title.

Mayweather's victory sets up a possible megafight next year against Oscar De La Hoya.

Baldomir (43-10-6, 13 KOs) must have felt like a man trying to catch a butterfly in a windstorm as Mayweather (37-0, 24 KOs) would appear in front of him to land punches and disappear when Baldomir tried to counter.

"I hurt my hand in maybe the sixth round," said Mayweather, who earned $8.01-million for the victory. "But my team rooted me on and the fans rooted me on."

[Last modified November 6, 2006, 02:23:52]