IN BRIEF

BASEBALL

Athletics deal pitcher Gonzalez
to Nationals for top prospects

The Athletics and Nationals on Friday completed a six-player trade that sends All-Star pitcher Gio Gonzalez from Oakland to Washington.

The deal was announced after the players involved passed physicals. A day earlier, Gonzalez said in a phone interview the trade was just about done.

The Nationals acquired Gonzalez and minor league right-hander Robert Gilliam in exchange for four players, including three top prospects: catcher Derek Norris, right-handers A.J. Cole and Brad Peacock, and left-hander Tommy Milone.

Gonzalez, 26, went 16-12 last season -- a career high for wins -- with a 3.12 ERA in 32 starts and was selected to his first All-Star Game. He has reached 200 innings the past two seasons.

Also: Cincinnati acquired left-handed reliever Sean Marshall from the Chicago Cubs for young left-handed starter Travis Wood and two other players.

It was the second time in a week the Reds gave up several prospects for pitching help. They earlier sent four players, including Edinson Volquez, to San Diego for starter Mat Latos.

The 29-year-old Marshall, who stands 6 feet 7 inches, was 6-6 with five saves and a 2.26 ERA last season.

A U.S. District Court judge in Delaware dealt a significant blow to the Los Angeles Dodgers' plans to sell the media rights to future games, halting the sales process while he consider an appeal by Fox Sports.

Judge Leonard Stark also said he likely will agree with Fox's position that a bankruptcy judge who authorized the sale process erred when he determined that certain protections granted to Fox in its existing contract with the Dodgers were unenforceable in bankruptcy.

MISCELLANEOUS

Charity's insurance seeks pass
on Sandusky's legal expenses

An insurance company for the charity founded by Jerry Sandusky says it should not have to pay any future legal expenses for the former Penn State assistant football coach now accused of molesting children.

Federal Insurance Co. filed a complaint in federal court claiming it would be wrong for it to pay for any civil judgments against Sandusky because he is accused of conduct that did not involve his position as an executive of The Second Mile charity.

Sandusky is charged with sexually abusing 10 boys over more than a decade. He has denied the allegations.

One accuser has sued Sandusky and the charity for troubled youth.

Sandusky lawyer Joe Amendola said he hadn't seen the complaint.

Also: Illinois starting tailback Jason Ford will miss the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl because of academic problems.

School officials said Ford is academically ineligible for the bowl on New Year's Eve against UCLA.

Interim coach Vic Koenning said earlier in the week that the Illini might be without Ford. Sophomore fullback Jay Prosch is sidelined with a staph infection.

Illinois will have only two running backs who played during the season. Troy Pollard and Donovonn Young played behind Ford and combined for 868 yards rushing.

Purdue extended the contract of football coach Danny Hope for two years, through Dec. 31, 2016. The Boilermakers (6-6) play Western Michigan in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl on Tuesday at Ford Field in Detroit.

Mike Milbury, a former Boston Bruins player and coach and NHL television analyst, won't face criminal charges for a confrontation he had with a 12-year-old boy after a youth hockey game.

The decision came at a hearing in Brookline District Court, where police and witnesses appeared.

Police had sought to have Milbury charged with assault and battery, making threats and disorderly conduct. They said he grabbed, shook and threatened a boy who was fighting with his 12-year-old son on Dec. 9.

But Milbury said he grabbed the player's uniform to stop the fight but never assaulted or threatened the boy.

Former middleweight boxing champion Kelly Pavlik pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor count charging him with driving an all-terrain vehicle while drunk. Deputies said Pavlik, 29, was arrested Wednesday night at his home outside Youngstown, Ohio, after a neighbor reported he crashed the ATV into a telephone pole and lamppost.

Maria Sharapova withdrew from the Brisbane International because of her continuing recovery from a left ankle injury. Sharapova was hurt at the Pan Pacific Championships in Tokyo in September.

Bettye Danoff, one of 13 founding members of the LPGA Tour, died at 88 on Thursday in Texas.

At 5 feet 2 inches and barely 100 pounds, Danoff earned the nickname "Mighty Mite" and was the first grandmother to play on the tour. Before the formation of the LPGA Tour, she defeated Babe Zaharias 1-up as an amateur in the final of the 1947 Texas Women's Open to end Zaharias' 17-tournament winning streak.