Dodgers, Jeff Weaver agree to minors deal

The Dodgers signed veteran right-hander Jeff Weaver to a minor league deal Monday that includes an invitation to spring training. Weaver, 32, will compete for a spot in the bullpen and can earn $500,000 if he makes the major league roster.

A starter for most of his career, Weaver pitched for the Dodgers in 2004-05, posting a 27-24 record and 4.14 earned-run average. He began pitching out of the bullpen last season, which he spent with the triple-A affiliates of the Milwaukee Brewers and Cleveland Indians. Weaver has a record of 93-114 with a 4.72 ERA over nine seasons.

-- Dylan Hernandez

The St. Louis Cardinals released Adam Kennedy, leaving the second base job up for grabs with only a week to go before spring training.

The team requested waivers on Kennedy that will expire Wednesday, when he’ll become an unrestricted free agent. Kennedy is due to make $4 million next season. His new club would have to pay him only the $400,000 minimum while the Cardinals would be responsible for the rest.

PRO FOOTBALL

Roethlisberger had broken ribs

The Pittsburgh Steelers said they had no knowledge that Ben Roethlisberger played the Super Bowl with two broken ribs, as the quarterback told a website.

According to SI.com, Roethlisberger said his broken ribs did not show up on X-rays taken before he led the Steelers to a 27-23 win over Arizona, but were revealed only during an MRI exam he had last week.

“Luckily, in the game, I didn’t take any big hits to make ‘em hurt,” Roethlisberger told SI.com.

“There’s not a whole lot to say,” Steelers spokesman Dave Lockett said. “Ben was fine to go. He was cleared to play.”

Troubled cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones was released by the Dallas Cowboys, making him a free agent. The Cowboys said last month they planned to release Jones, and Monday was the first day teams could make waiver requests. . . . The New York Giants re-signed David Carr to back up Eli Manning at quarterback while cutting three veterans who finished the 2008 season on injured reserve: defensive backs Sam Madison and Sammy Knight, and running back Reuben Droughns. . . . Quarterbacks Ken Dorsey and Bruce Gradkowski, who both started games for Cleveland last season, were cut by the Browns.

ETC.

Margarito to speak to board

Former boxing welterweight world champion Antonio Margarito will appear today before the California State Athletic Commission in an effort to lift the temporary suspension against him for having a foreign substance in his hand wrappings before fighting Shane Mosley last month at Staples Center.

Margarito’s attorney, Daniel Petrocelli, said he’ll argue the Tijuana fighter was unaware of any suspicious material being put on gauze pads placed above his knuckles.

“My major point is that he didn’t know anything about this,” Petrocelli told The Times. “He was just sitting there in a chair, holding his hands up to be taped. . . . Antonio did absolutely nothing wrong.”

-- Lance Pugmire

Former Atlanta Falcons running back Jamal Anderson has been released from an Atlanta jail after his arrest on drug charges.

Anderson is charged with felony cocaine possession and misdemeanor marijuana possession.

Chivas USA forward Atiba Harris will be out two to four weeks because of a mild ligament sprain in his right knee.

The Washington Huskies announced that offensive coordinator Jim Michalczik was leaving to take a job with the Oakland Raiders.

PASSINGS

Kaufman, former NFL linebacker

Mel Kaufman, a linebacker who played in three Super Bowls with the Washington Redskins and was a former scout for the NFL team, has died in San Luis Obispo. He was 50.

He played on Washington’s victorious Super Bowl teams in 1983 and 1988, and in the 1984 title game, when the Redskins lost to the Los Angeles Raiders.

Kaufman had been working as linebackers coach at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo since last spring.