In Brief

BASEBALL

'Great ride' comes to an end;
McLane puts Astros up for sale

Houston Astros owner Drayton McLane is putting his franchise up for sale.

McLane, 74, said he has retained the New York investment firm Allen and Company to help him unload the team he purchased in November 1992 for about $117 million.

Houston's KRIV-TV first reported McLane's agreement with the firm. Steve Greenberg, son of Hall of Fame slugger Hank Greenberg, is the firm's managing director.

McLane met with team employees Friday before making a formal announcement at a news conference at Minute Maid Park.

"It's time to change and move forward," McLane said. "It's been a wonderful experience and a great ride."

Greenberg said McLane has not settled on an asking price, nor does he have a specific buyer in mind.

Also: The Detroit Tigers completed a $16.5 million, three-year contract with right-handed reliever Joaquin Benoit.

Benoit, who gets $5.5 million a year, reached a preliminary agreement during the general managers' meetings this week in Orlando, Fla.

He had a 1.34 ERA as a setup man for Tampa Bay last season and held opponents to a .147 batting average.

Larry Rothschild has been hired as the New York Yankees' pitching coach. Rothschild, who has been the Chicago Cubs' pitching coach after spending 1998 to 2001 as the first manager in Tampa Bay Devil Rays history, replaces Dave Eiland.

In other Yankees news, Jonathan Albaladejo was released, allowing the right-hander to sign with a Japanese club. The 28-year-old Albaladejo had spent the last three seasons with the Yankees and had a 3.97 ERA in 10 games and 11 1/3 innings this year.

The Indians expect Shin-Soo Choo to be exempted from military service for leading South Korea to Asian Games gold and are hoping to put the outfielder in a Cleveland uniform for as long as possible.

New Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said he will discuss a long-term deal with Choo's agent, Scott Boras. Choo, 28, won't be a free agent for three years but is eligible for salary arbitration this winter.

The Indians have not received official word on Choo's status, but South Korean players have received exemptions after winning similar international events.

Right-handed pitcher Barret Loux, selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the sixth overall pick in the June draft, agreed to a contract with the Texas Rangers.

Loux became a free agent Sept. 1 as part of an agreement approved by commissioner Bud Selig, instead of having to re-enter the draft next summer. The Diamondbacks didn't sign him because of concerns they had about his health.

In other Rangers news, the American League champions signed catcher Kevin Cash, outfielder Doug Deeds and infielder Esteban German to minor league contracts with invitations to major league spring training. Cash appeared in 49 games for Houston and Boston last season.

Jurors said they are deadlocked in the Florida DUI manslaughter case against former major league baseball player Jim Leyritz.

After jurors signaled the stalemate, a judge in Fort Lauderdale ordered them to return today to try to reach a verdict. If they can't, a mistrial would be declared. Prosecutors said there would be a second trial.

Prosecutors said Leyritz was driving drunk in December 2007 when he ran a red light and crashed into a vehicle driven by 30-year-old Fredia Ann Veitch, who was killed. The defense claims Veitch ran the light and that blood tests of Leyritz were unreliable.

Leyritz faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

MISCELLANEOUS

Condors wallop Wranglers
with five-goal second period

Rylan Kaip scored two of Bakersfield's five second-period goals as the Condors routed the Wranglers 7-1 in an ECHL hockey game in Bakersfield, Calif.

Las Vegas goalie Joe Fallon gave up all seven goals, facing 32 shots, including 19 in the second period.

Vince Bellissimo scored the Wranglers' goal to make the score 3-1 midway through the second.

Also: Former NHL coach Pat Burns, who led the New Jersey Devils to the 2003 Stanley Cup title, died Friday at age 58.

Devils president Lou Lamoriello said Burns died of cancer in Sherbrooke, Quebec.

Gaye Stewart, a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs' Stanley Cup championship teams in 1942 and 1947, died in Toronto. He was 87.

In 1943, Stewart became just the second Maple Leafs player to win the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year.

John Mallinger, coming off a 133rd-place finish on the money list that cost him fully exempt status on the PGA Tour, shot a 7-under-par 65 at Pebble Beach to take a one-stroke lead in the Pebble Beach Invitational.

Mallinger had nine birdies and two bogeys in the second round to reach 9-under 135 in the 76-player California event that features male and female professionals.

PGA Tour winner and first-round leader Matt Bettencourt had a 72 at Spyglass Hill to drop into a tie for second with two-time Champions Tour winner Russ Cochran and four-time LPGA Tour champion Candie Kung. Cochran had a 65 and Kung shot a 68, both at Del Monte.

Ian Poulter shot a spectacular 60 to take a one-shot lead over Anthony Kang through two rounds of the Hong Kong Open. Poulter moved to 13-under 127.

The Englishman's second-round performance eclipsed by one stroke the Fanling course record of countryman Simon Yeats -- but with the preferred-lie ruling in effect, Poulter's mark will not officially stand as a record.

Rafael Nadal, who sat out the Paris Masters last week with shoulder tendinitis, said his body is "perfect" as he approaches his first match against Andy Roddick on Monday in the ATP World Tour Finals in London.

Nadal, 24, described the eight-player tournament as one of the hardest for him to win. But he shouldn't have much of a problem improving on last year's result. Nadal said it was "not a nice feeling" to have left London with three straight losses in the group stage of the season-ending event.

Julien Benneteau of France will miss the Davis Cup final because he has not recovered in time from a left wrist injury sustained at the U.S. Open. France will play Serbia in the Davis Cup final next month.

David Ferreira of FC Dallas was voted the Most Valuable Player of Major League Soccer. The Colombian playmaker, who finished with eight goals and 13 assists this season, beat out Edson Buddle of the Los Angeles Galaxy and Chris Wondolowski of the San Jose Earthquakes.

Former Indiana basketball player A.J. Moye is still undergoing tests after suffering a stroke in Frankfurt, Germany, and it's too early for doctors to determine a prognosis. Moye's team, Deutsche Bank Skyliners Frankfurt, said the former Hoosiers swingman remains hospitalized but is no longer in intensive care.

The 18th-ranked UNLV men's swimming team won two events on the second day of the Arena Invitational in Long Beach, Calif., both in times that are currently the fastest in the nation.

Cody Roberts won the 100-yard butterfly in 47.45 seconds, and the Rebels' 200 medley relay team won in 1:27.66.

Katelyne Herrington had the UNLV women's highest finish, fourth in the 100 butterfly in 53.58.