IN BRIEF

BASEBALL

Giambi finalizes deal to return to Athletics

Jason Giambi is returning to his professional baseball roots with the Oakland Athletics.

Giambi and the A's finalized a $5.25 million, one-year contract with an option Wednesday, bringing the free-agent designated hitter and first baseman back to the place he began his big league career.

The sides had reached a preliminary agreement earlier this week, but Giambi, 38, still needed to complete a physical for the deal to get done.

Also: Jerry Hairston Jr. stayed with the Cincinnati Reds, agreeing to a $2 million, one-year contract.

The 32-year-old infielder-outfielder played six positions in 80 games for the Reds last season, hitting .326 while mostly batting leadoff.

Former Pirates managing general partner Kevin McClatchy sold his remaining shares in the team, ending a 13-year relationship that began with the newspaper heir ensuring that the club remained in Pittsburgh.

BASKETBALL

Lakers' Odom suffers minor knee injury

Tests showed Lamar Odom's right knee injury is not serious, and the Los Angeles Lakers forward is listed as day to day.

Odom was injured in Tuesday's 116-105 loss to New Orleans. He could return Friday, when the Lakers host Indiana.

Also: Shaun Livingston, the No. 4 overall draft pick in 2004, was traded by the Miami Heat to the Memphis Grizzlies for a conditional second-round pick in the 2012 draft. Memphis then waived Livingston.

The Grizzlies also waived forward Darius Miles, who was trying to make a comeback after a two-year absence following knee surgery.

The Oklahoma City Thunder acquired another first-round draft pick and guard Chucky Atkins in a trade that sent seldom-used center Johan Petro to the Denver Nuggets.

Los Angeles Sparks star Candace Parker is expecting her first child this spring, but the reigning WNBA Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year said she will keep working out leading to the 2009 season.

Parker's husband is Shelden Williams of the Sacramento Kings.

MISCELLANEOUS

Davydenko will miss Aussie Open with injury

Nikolay Davydenko will miss the Australian Open because of a heel injury that bothered him last season and has caused "unbearable" pain the past two weeks.

The fifth-ranked Russian also pulled out of this week's Chennai Open in India, where he was seeded first.

Also: Jacksonville Jaguars defensive assistant Tom Williams was officially introduced as the head coach at Yale, making him the first African-American to hold the job and only the second black coach in the Ivy League.

Louisville football coach Steve Kragthorpe said in a news release that quarterback Matt Simms, son of former NFL star Phil Simms, will transfer from the program.

Ottawa Senators forward Jarkko Ruutu was suspended by the NHL for two games without pay for biting the thumb of Buffalo enforcer Andrew Peters during the Sabres' 4-2 victory Tuesday.

Colorado Avalanche star Joe Sakic underwent surgery for a herniated disk and will need about 10 weeks to recover.

The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired hard-hitting forward Brad May from the Anaheim Ducks for a conditional 2010 sixth-round draft pick.

UNLV sophomore soccer standout Daniel Cruz signed a three-year contract with Major League Soccer and will attend the league's Jan. 15 draft in St. Louis.