In Brief
BASEBALL
Torre leaves MLB, joins group trying to buy Dodgers
Joe Torre resigned Wednesday as Major League Baseball's executive vice president for baseball operations to join a group trying to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Torre managed the Dodgers from 2008 to 2010, then retired and was hired by MLB in February as a top aide to commissioner Bud Selig. He is part of a group headed by real estate developer Rick Caruso.
"In Rick I found a partner who understands consumers and fully appreciates that the Dodgers are a treasured LA institution," Torre said in a statement. "Since moving to Los Angeles, I have seen firsthand Rick's dedication to business and the people of Los Angeles."
The Dodgers were put up for sale by owner Frank McCourt in November, five months after the team filed for bankruptcy. After months of bickering and accusations of mismanagement, an agreement between McCourt and MLB said the team is to be sold by April 30, which coincides with the deadline for McCourt to pay former wife Jamie a $131 million divorce settlement.
Initial bids for the team are due by Jan. 23 with the Blackstone Group, Frank McCourt's investment banker. The price likely will break the record for a baseball franchise, topping the $845 million paid by the Ricketts family for the Chicago Cubs in 2009.
Also: The Chicago Cubs reached a deal to trade pitcher Carlos Zambrano to the Miami Marlins for pitcher Chris Volstad, a source close to the negotiations told The Associated Press. The swap is pending physicals and approval by Major League Baseball.
Zambrano wore out his welcome with the Cubs after repeated meltdowns. The former ace cleaned out his locker and talked about retiring after being ejected during a loss to Atlanta on Aug. 12. He was suspended without pay, then it was decided he would sit out the rest of the season.
Zambrano went 9-7 with a 4.82 ERA and has a year left on a $91.5 million, five-year deal.
Pitcher Chad Gaudin said he has reached agreement on a minor league deal with the Miami Marlins.
Gaudin, 28, said in an email that he is joining the Marlins for the 2012 season. The well-traveled right-hander, who joins his eighth team entering his 10th season, went 1-1 with a 6.48 ERA in 10 outings and only 8 1/3 innings in an injury-shortened 2011 season.
The Cincinnati Reds signed right-hander Andrew Brackman to a one-year deal, uniting him with his hometown team.
Brackman was the New York Yankees' first-round pick in 2007 even though they knew he needed reconstructive elbow surgery. He had the operation nine days after signing. He went 15-29 in 58 starts and 31 relief appearances in the minors from 2009 to 2011.
Reliever Fernando Rodney signed a $2 million, one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Rays. Rodney was 3-5 with three saves and a 4.50 ERA in 32 appearances with the Los Angeles Angels last season.
TENNIS
Serena Williams to give sprained ankle time to heal
One thought entered Serena Williams' mind as she sprawled across the baseline after injuring her ankle: "Not again!"
The 13-time Grand Slam winner pulled out of a tournament in Brisbane, Australia -- a warm-up for the Australian Open -- shortly after twisting her left ankle and crashing heavily to the court in a match against Bojana Jovanovski of Serbia.
Yet another Australian Open campaign is in doubt due to injury -- Williams missed the 2002, 2004 and 2011 editions because she was hurt. In between, she has won five Australian titles and lost only twice at Melbourne Park.
Williams withdrew from the Brisbane tournament after having medical scans that confirmed a sprained ankle "that I probably shouldn't play on."
"I'm going to take a couple of days off -- not too many -- and see how I feel," Williams said in a statement. "I'm still hopeful of playing the Australian Open."
Also: Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer eased into the Qatar Open quarterfinals in Doha.
Nadal routed German qualifier Denis Gremelmayr 6-2, 6-2, and Federer overwhelmed Slovenia qualifier Grega Zemlja, 6-2, 6-3. Federer won his 19th straight match dating to his U.S. Open semifinal loss to top-ranked Novak Djokovic.
Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and teammate Tomas Berdych won their singles matches in straight sets to give the Czech Republic an insurmountable 2-0 lead over the United States at the Hopman Cup in Perth, Austrlia.
Kvitova opened with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Bethanie Mattek-Sands, and Berdych beat Mardy Fish, 6-3, 6-3.
MISCELLANEOUS
Penn State officials sought PR spin on sex scandal
Penn State's board of trustees and president focused on repairing the school's tarnished image in the immediate aftermath of the child sex-abuse scandal that erupted two months ago, going so far as to recommend reminding any outraged donors that they wouldn't get their money back, according to internal memos obtained by The Associated Press.
Four memos sent Nov. 14 to 18 and released to the AP this week describe the school's scrambling response less than two weeks after former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was arrested on child molestation charges. Two Penn State administrators also were charged with lying to a grand jury and failing to properly report suspected child abuse.
In the first memo, issued nine days after the charges were filed, new school president Rodney Erickson told the 47-member Board of Trustees that the public-relations teams of the university and the athletic department had met to "align our messages" and that he had received positive feedback after two network TV interviews.
Also: Boise State's Chris Petersen is now among the college coaches making at least $2 million a year after Idaho's State Board of Education unanimously approved a $375,000 pay raise for 2012.
In six seasons at Boise State, Petersen has led the Broncos to a 73-6 record, two BCS bowl victories and membership in the Big East Conference starting in 2013.
Basic High School senior offensive tackle J'Ondray Sanders made an oral commitment to UNLV's football program, immediately accepting a scholarship offer from the Rebels.
"I feel like I'll be a great help to what they want to achieve," Sanders said. "I can run block and pass block. I'm balanced with either one."
The 6-foot-5-inch, 250-pound Sanders said Southern Utah also showed interest.
Sanders was a first-team All-Southeast League pick as a senior, helping pave the way for the Wolves (6-5) to reach the Sunrise Region semifinals.
UNLV also landed a commitment from 6-3, 170-pound senior receiver Michael Thomas of Cosumnes Oaks in Elk Grove, Calif., according to Scout.com.
A federal grand jury indicted former NFL wide receiver Sam Hurd on drug conspiracy and possession charges after he and another man were accused of trying to establish a drug-dealing network.
The indictment in Dallas accuses Hurd and co-defendant Toby Lujan on single counts of cocaine possession and conspiracy to possess cocaine. It also seeks forfeiture of $88,000 in cash by Lujan and a 2010 Cadillac Escalade by Hurd.
Rapid Redux extended his winning streak to 22 straight races with a three-quarters-length win over Awesome Rhythm at Maryland's Laurel Park.
The 6-year-old gelding took the lead just after the start and held off a challenge by Awesome Rhythm for the second straight race. The horse ran despite trainer David Wells reporting a cut on his right foot on Tuesday.
Richard Petty Motorsports hired Aric Almirola to drive the famed No. 43 in NASCAR's elite Sprint Cup Series.
Almirola is leaving a job driving for JR Motorsports in the Nationwide Series to take over the car seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty made famous.
