IN BRIEF

BASEBALL

Cubs agree to terms with Byrd on three-year, $15 million deal

The Chicago Cubs found the center fielder they'd been searching for, agreeing Thursday to a $15 million, three-year contract with Marlon Byrd.

Byrd hit .283 with 20 homers and 89 RBIs last season for Texas. He will take over in center from Kosuke Fukudome, who will move to right field full time after the trade of the troubled Milton Bradley to Seattle.

Also: The Philadelphia Phillies reached a two-year deal with free-agent reliever Danys Baez, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.

The 32-year-old right-hander has 114 career saves. He was 4-6 with a 4.02 ERA in 59 games with Baltimore last year.

Mike Lowell is expected to be ready for spring training after having surgery on a thumb injury that derailed his trade from the Boston Red Sox to the Texas Rangers.

The operation to repair a radial collateral ligament in his right thumb that was torn late last season was done in Phoenix on Wednesday by Dr. Donald Sheridan, the Red Sox said.

Detroit Tigers catcher Gerald Laird and his younger brother, New York Yankees infield prospect Brandon Laird, were arrested following a brawl in the lounge area of Phoenix's NBA arena, U.S. Airways Center.

Phoenix police said Gerald Laird, 30, was cited for assault Wednesday night and 22-year-old Brandon Laird was cited for disorderly conduct after the fight during the Phoenix Suns-Boston Celtics game.

BOXING

L.A. prosecutors won't charge Tyson, photographer for scuffle

Mike Tyson and a photographer won't face charges after their scuffle last month at Los Angeles International Airport, city prosecutors said.

The decision prompted authorities in Arizona to say they won't pursue any probation violations against Tyson in a 2007 drug case.

Los Angeles prosecutors found insufficient evidence to charge Tyson or photographer Tony Echeverria after they were arrested on Nov. 11, spokesman Frank Mateljan said.

Echeverria said a blow by the former heavyweight champion knocked him to the ground, and he was treated for a cut on his forehead.

Also: Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield will challenge Francois Botha for the lightly regarded WBF title in Uganda on Jan. 16.

Organizers of the fight in Kampala's Nambole Stadium said both fighters had signed contracts.

The 47-year-old Holyfield (42-10-2) has not fought since losing a points decision to Nikolai Valuev a year ago.

MISCELLANEOUS

Texas Tech aide offers support to player in Leach controversy

A Texas Tech assistant who criticized Adam James in hopes of saving Mike Leach's job says he has offered James his support since the Red Raiders fired their head coach.

Acting offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley said he told James he knows "we're on different sides of the fence" but that the sophomore wide receiver still is his player. Riley stopped short of saying whether he wants James back next year.

Texas Tech fired Leach on Wednesday after allegations that he mistreated James' concussion.

Also: Texas Christian coach Gary Patterson won college football's Bobby Dodd coach of the year award.

The award was announced at halftime of the Chick-fil-A Bowl game between Tennessee and Virginia Tech.

The award is selected from a vote of all previous winners and a panel chosen by the Bobby Dodd Foundation. Patterson was an unanimous selection.

Patterson has taken TCU (12-0) to a No. 3 ranking and a Fiesta Bowl matchup against Boise State.

Arkansas suspended three players, including two defensive starters, for unspecified violations of team rules. The Razorbacks face East Carolina in the Liberty Bowl in Memphis., Tenn.

Linebacker Wendel Davis, safety Matt Harris and wide receiver Marques Wade are not expected to play. Davis is the team's second-leading tackler. Harris is third.

Montana promoted wide receivers coach Robin Pflugrad to head coach, a week after Bobby Hauck left for UNLV.

The 52-year-old Pflugrad also was an assistant coach for the Grizzlies from 1986 to 1994.

Alex Turner hit four free throws to spark a 6-2 run, and Anson Winder hit the go-ahead basket in the final 30 seconds as Bishop Gorman's boys basketball team defeated Columbia (Ga.) 54-52 in the title game of the Beach Ball Classic tournament in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Johnathan Loyd had 17 points and Winder 15 for Gorman (10-1).

Columbia was ranked in USA Today's Super 25 earlier this season.