In Brief

BASEBALL

Yankees ace Sabathia to have
minor surgery on right knee

New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia will have arthroscopic surgery Friday to repair a small meniscus tear in his right knee, the team announced Wednesday.

Sabathia is to begin his pre-spring training routine three to six weeks after the operation.

He was 21-7 with a 3.18 ERA in his second season with the Yankees, then was 2-0 with a 5.63 ERA in three postseason starts.

The Yankees also declined 2011 options on first baseman-designated hitter Lance Berkman, reliever Kerry Wood and oft-injured first baseman Nick Johnson, and exercised their option on pitching prospect Andrew Brackman.

Berkman's option was for $15 million, Wood's for $11 million and Johnson's for $5.5 million. Berkman gets a $2 million buyout because of Wednesday's decision, and Johnson receives a $250,000 buyout.

Also: Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Placido Polanco will have surgery on his left elbow Friday and is expected to be ready for spring training. He hit .298 with six homers and 52 RBIs for the National League East champions.

The Toronto Blue Jays exercised their $1.2 million option for catcher Jose Molina, keeping him with the team through the 2011 season.

Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker, 75, left a Milwaukee hospital, eight days after his second heart surgery this year. The latest surgery repaired a tear from the valve replacement performed in April.

TENNIS

Former U.S. standout Courier
lands Davis Cup coaching post

Jim Courier, a four-time Grand Slam champion, was hired by the U.S. Tennis Association to lead the country's Davis Cup team, replacing Patrick McEnroe, who resigned last month.

Andy Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion and highest-ranked American man, tweeted: "jim courier new davis cup captain.... great choice!" Courier said Roddick told him he was committed to playing Davis Cup next year.

McEnroe served as U.S. captain for 10 years, winning the 2007 Davis Cup to end the country's 12-year drought. Saying he wanted to dedicate time to his family and his other jobs, McEnroe abruptly announced during the U.S. Open -- where Courier was working as an analyst for CBS Sports -- that he was stepping down.

Also: Sam Stosur upset top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-3 in group play at the WTA Championships in Doha, Qatar, keeping alive the race for the No. 1 ranking for at least one more day.

Wozniacki would have secured the top ranking for 2010 with a victory. Second-ranked Vera Zvonareva -- who beat Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (4), 6-4 -- can still overtake Wozniacki, but would have to reach the final to do so.

MISCELLANEOUS

UNLV women's golf team takes 10th in home tourney

The UNLV women's golf team finished 10th as host of the Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown at Boulder Creek Golf Club.

UNLV struggled in the final round, shooting 19-over-par 307 after shooting 296 and 292 in the first two rounds. The Rebels had a 31-over 895 total.

Arkansas rolled to the title at 18-under 846, 23 strokes ahead of second place Kent State in the 17-team field. The Razorbacks' Emily Tubert took the individual title at 11-under 205.

Therese Koelbaek paced the Rebels, finishing at 3-under 213 to tie for sixth.

Also: Iowa men's basketball coach Fran McCaffery said junior guard Matt Gatens has torn a tendon in his left hand and is out indefinitely. Gatens was the team's leading scorer last season at 12.3 points per game.

Pittsburgh basketball player Nasir Robinson had surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right knee and is expected to be sidelined up to six weeks. Robinson, a forward, started all 34 games last season, averaging 6.6 points and 5.6 rebounds.

Student-athletes are earning degrees at record rates, graduating at higher rates than other students, and football players and black men's basketball players are making big gains in the classroom, the NCAA said in releasing its annual Graduation Success Rate figures.

The report shows 79 percent of all Division I athletes entering school from 2000-01 to 2003-04 earned a degree within six years. That matches last year's record number.

Jeff Gordon will be sponsored next season by the AARP Foundation's "Drive To End Hunger" campaign. The four-time NASCAR champion said the sponsorship agreement is for three years.

IBF light heavyweight champion Tavoris Cloud will return to the ring Dec. 17 in Miami, where he will defend his title against Fulgencio Zuniga. Promoter Don King announced the fight, along with the main event between former Cuban Olympic gold medalist Odlanier Solis and Ray Austin in a WBC heavyweight eliminator.