In Brief

BASEBALL

Red Sox keep Ortiz; Giants let
Renteria go into free agency

The Boston Red Sox kept designated hitter David Ortiz by exercising a $12.5 million club option Thursday, and the San Francisco Giants declined a $9.5 million option on World Series Most Valuable Player Edgar Renteria.

Teams had until 9 p.m. PDT to exercise options under the new rules agreed to by the commissioner's office and players' association in September. Under the fast-track timetable, free agents such as Cliff Lee, Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth can start negotiating with all teams this Sunday, the sixth day after the World Series.

Rather than exercise Miguel Olivo's option, Colorado traded the catcher to Toronto for a player to be named or cash. The Blue Jays had until the deadline to exercise the catcher's $2.5 million option or pay a $500,000 buyout.

Ortiz wanted a new multiyear contract, but the Red Sox didn't want to make a longer commitment to a player who turns 35 in two weeks. While he made his sixth American League All-Star team, he got off to his second straight slow start. Ortiz finished with a .270 average, 32 homers and 102 RBIs.

Boston exercised its option on reliever Scott Atchison at $40,000 above the minimum, which will be $400,000 plus a cost of living adjustment. The Red Sox declined their $9.25 million option on infielder-outfielder Bill Hall, who gets a $500,000 buyout, and their $2.5 million option on infielder Felipe Lopez, who gets a $15,000 buyout.

Renteria is uncertain whether to retire after his three-run homer off Lee on Monday gave the Giants a Series-winning 3-1 victory over Texas in Game 5. The 34-year-old, a five-time All-Star shortstop, was on the disabled list three times during the season. He hit .412 (7 for 17) with two homers and six RBIs in the Series after hitting three homers with 22 RBIs during the regular season.

His option carries a $500,000 buyout.

Colorado declined a $7 million option on left-hander Jeff Francis, and Philadelphia turned down a $4.5 million option on left-hander J.C. Romero, who receives a $250,000 buyout.

Toronto decided to pay right-hander Kevin Gregg a $750,000 buyout, declining a $5.25 million option for next year and options for 2011 and 2012 together that could have been exercised at $4.75 million annually.

The Dodgers said outfielder Scott Podsednik declined his half of a $2 million mutual option the team had exercised a day earlier. In addition, Los Angeles agreed to a one-year contract with outfielder Jay Gibbons for the major league minimum.

Also: Manager Ron Washington agreed to a new two-year contract with the American League champion Texas Rangers. The deal through the 2012 season was completed three days after the end of the Rangers' first World Series. Washington has a 331-317 record in his first managerial job.

The Milwaukee Brewers officially hired Ron Roenicke as manager, giving the 54-year-old longtime Los Angeles Angels coach a two-year contract with a club option for 2013. It is Roenicke's first manager's job at the major league level.

Rangers hitting coach Clint Hurdle interviewed for the Pittsburgh Pirates' manager's job. The Pirates hadn't interviewed a candidate since speaking with Braves bench coach Carlos Tosca on Oct. 14.

The Tampa Bay Rays said senior adviser Don Zimmer will return in 2011 for an eighth season with the American League East champions and his 63rd year in professional baseball. Rays executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman described the 79-year-old Zimmerman as a "constant resource for coaches and players alike."

The Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League are heading to Tucson, Ariz. A group headed by San Diego Padres owner Jeff Moorad is buying the Triple-A club. It will play in Tucson for at least the 2011 season.

GOLF

Westwood, Woods, Mickelson
trail Molinari at HSBC tourney

Francesco Molinari ran off four straight birdies toward the end of his round for a 7-under 65 to grab the lead in the HSBC Champions in Shanghai and take some of the spotlight off the battle for No. 1 in the world.

Lee Westwood, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson were all in the mix, though.

In his first tournament as the new No. 1, Westwood played like it. He made birdie on some of the toughest holes at Sheshan International, and his only bogey came at the seventh when he had a clump of mud on his ball in the fairway. He shot 66.

Woods was right behind after a 68, which included one unlikely par. From behind the bushes with sprigs in front of his ball, he carved out a 4-iron to just left of the green on the 15th, then jumped into contention with three straight birdies. He had a 68.

Defending champion Mickelson, at No. 4 in the rankings, shot a 69.

Also: Defending champion John Cook shot a 7-under 64 to take the first-round lead in the Champions Tour's season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship in San Francisco. Cook had a one-stroke lead over Fred Funk and Tom Pernice Jr.

MISCELLANEOUS

Heat's James wants to play
on U.S. Olympic team in 2012

LeBron James has made another decision: He wants to be an Olympian again.

The Miami Heat forward said he would "love to be a part" of the 2012 U.S. men's basketball team at the London Olympics and help defend the gold medal the Americans won in the Beijing Games. And if U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski wants him back, James says he's just a phone call away.

"Coach K has my number. I have his number," James said.

Also: Forward Marvin Williams of the Atlanta Hawks has only a bone bruise on his right knee and might miss just one game -- today's contest at Minnesota.

The fifth-seeded UNLV women's soccer team lost 2-1 to No. 1 seed New Mexico in the semifinals of the Mountain West Conference tournament in San Diego. New Mexico's Kate Wyrick scored in the second overtime to end the Rebels' season at 11-8-1.

UNLV's Lucia Batta lost to No. 5-ranked Allie Will of Florida 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 in the first round of the USTA/International Tennis Association National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships in White Plains, N.Y.

No. 14 Colorado State (20-2, 10 Mountain West Conference) defeated UNLV (8-17, 3-8) in volleyball action at Colorado State. CSU won 25-14, 25-17, 22-25, 27-25.

The PBA World Series of Bowling will conclude today and Saturday with stepladder finals in five events at South Point. Finals begin at 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. today, and 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday. PBA champion Jason Belmonte of Australia and Dan MacLelland of Canada have qualified for two of the final rounds.