The Yankees agreed to trade much-maligned pitcher A.J. Burnett to Pittsburgh for two minor-leaguers, a deal that clears the way for New York to add former Phillie Raul Ibanez. Pittsburgh will pay $13 million of the $33 million salary due Burnett for 2012 and 2013, a source told AP. New York will receive righthander Diego Moreno, 25, and outfielder Exicardo Cayones, 20, both low-level prospects.
The Oakland Athletics still have strong interest in signing 39-year-old slugger Manny Ramirez, who presents a low-risk investment for the rebuilding franchise. If things come together, Ramirez must first serve a 50-game suspension for violating baseball's drug policy.
NFL: Former Oakland Raiders coach Hue Jackson has been hired as an assistant with the Cincinnati Bengals. On the staff with Cincinnati in 2004-06, Jackson will help with the secondary and special teams. Jackson was fired after the Raiders missed the playoffs with an 8-8 record last season.
COLLEGES: The Texas Supreme Court denied former Texas Tech football coach Mike Leach's appeal in his wrongful-termination lawsuit. The court rejected Leach's appeal without comment more than two years after he was fired by Texas Tech amid allegations he mistreated a player.
Leach, who denied the allegation and later sued the school, has said he suspects an $800,000 bonus he was due the day after his firing was behind his dismissal.
LOCAL: At the Atlantic 10 indoor track and field championships in Kingston, R.I., La Salle's Meghan McGlinchey finished first in the 5k with a time of 16:58.90. The men's distance medley relay team, Nick Ross, Wayne Bartholomew, David Laratta, and Nick Crits, finished first with a time of 10:06.03.
AUTO RACING: NASCAR confiscated part of five-time Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson's Daytona 500 car because of what it called illegal modifications.
- Wire reports
