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Pac-12 extends Commissioner Larry Scott’s contract

Larry Scott is set to continue his role as Pac-12 Commissioner through the 2017-18 academic year.
(Reed Saxon / Associated Press)
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Pac-12 Conference Commissioner Larry Scott is sticking around for at least five more years.

The Pac-12’s university presidents and chancellors extended Scott’s contract Monday through the 2017-18 academic year. As part of the extension, Scott also was named the executive chairman of Pac-12 Enterprises.

Since taking over on July 1, 2009, Scott has overseen the conference’s expansion to include Utah and Colorado and created a league title game in football. He also negotiated a landmark 12-year television contract — which began last fall — with Fox and ESPN worth about $3 billion and helped form the Pac-12 Networks and Pac-12 Digital Network.

BASEBALL

Red Sox make offers to trio

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The World Series champion Boston Red Sox made $14.1-million qualifying offers to free agents Jacoby Ellsbury, Mike Napoli and Stephen Drew on Monday, the first deadline day of baseball’s off-season.

Thirteen free agents received the offers, up from nine last year. The New York Yankees also extended offers to a trio of players: second baseman Robinson Cano, outfielder Curtis Granderson and pitcher Hiroki Kuroda.

Players accepting are signed for next season. If a player signs elsewhere, his former team gets an extra draft pick at the end of the first round next June as compensation.

Others receiving the offers were Atlanta catcher Brian McCann, Cincinnati outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, Cleveland pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez, Kansas City pitcher Ervin Santana, St. Louis outfielder Carlos Beltran, Seattle designated hitter Kendrys Morales and Texas outfielder Nelson Cruz.

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The Angels, as expected, did not extend a one-year, $14.1-million qualifying offer to pitcher Jason Vargas by Monday’s deadline, so they will not receive draft-pick compensation if the free-agent left-hander signs elsewhere.

The decision does not preclude the Angels from pursuing a multiyear deal with Vargas, who had a 9-8 record and 4.02 earned-run average in 24 starts during an injury-plagued 2013 season, and there appears to be interest in such a deal on both sides. But beginning Tuesday, Vargas can negotiate with all 30 teams.

Mike DiGiovanna

Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers was voted the outstanding pitcher in the National League by major league baseball players. The Players Choice Award was the second for Kershaw, who also won the prize in his Cy Young Award season, 2011.

Kershaw was also a finalist for player of the year in all of baseball, which was won by Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers, and outstanding player in the National League, which was won by Andrew McCutchen of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Dylan Hernandez

Retired managers Joe Torre, Tony La Russa and Bobby Cox will join holdovers George Steinbrenner and Marvin Miller on the Hall of Fame expansion era committee ballot next month.

Dave ConcepcionSteve GarveyTommy JohnBilly Martin Ted Simmons Dave Parker Dan Quisenberry Vida BlueRon GuidryAl Oliver Rusty Staub

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The committee will gather at the winter meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., and its vote will be announced there Dec. 9.

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Alex Rodriguez tested positive for a banned stimulant in 2006, the New York Times reported, an accusation denied by a representative of the legal team for the New York Yankees third baseman.

The newspaper cited two unidentified people involved with baseball’s drug-testing program.

Rodriguez’s legal team accused Major League Baseball of leaking the allegation of a positive test, using a statement and making a filing to arbitrator Fredric Horowitz.

ETC.

Smart leads All-Americans

Oklahoma State sophomore guard Marcus Smart is the only unanimous selection to the Associated Press’ preseason All-American basketball team.

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Creighton senior forward Doug McDermott was named on all but two of the 65 ballots from the national media panel. Louisville senior Russ Smith, Kansas freshman Andrew Wiggins and Michigan sophomore Mitch McGary were the rest of the first team.

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Juan Martin del Potro got past Richard Gasquet to win his opening round-robin match in the ATP World Tour Finals at London.

Stanislas Wawrinka grabbed the spotlight with a win in his maiden appearance at the season-ending tournament.

After Wawrinka defeated Tomas Berdych, 6-3, 6-7 (0), 6-3, in Group A, Del Potro beat Gasquet, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 7-5, to secure crucial points in a tough Group B that also includes Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

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