Carroll met with Redskins about coaching job

USC Coach Pete Carroll on Monday declined to address reports that he met with Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder about becoming the NFL team’s coach.

The NFL Network and the Associated Press said that Carroll met with Snyder in St. Louis following Joe Gibbs’ resignation but that it had been mutually decided he would not be a candidate.

Carroll has been mentioned as a candidate for NFL openings after each of the last six seasons at USC. He said before the Trojans’ victory over Illinois in the Rose Bowl that he would not comment on reports or rumors about a possible return to the NFL.

Carroll reportedly spoke with Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank while Carroll was on vacation in Hawaii this month.

Last year, while vacationing in Costa Rica, Carroll interviewed with Miami Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga.

USC has been approached by television networks about possibly moving the 2008 season opener at Virginia from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1, which is Labor Day, an athletic department official said.

The Trojans last played a Labor Day opener in 2002, when they defeated Auburn at the Coliseum.

USC is scheduled to open spring practice March 25. The annual “Trojan Huddle” scrimmage is scheduled for April 19 at the Coliseum.

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BASEBALL

Feliz agrees to two-year contract with Phillies

Free-agent third baseman Pedro Feliz and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed to an $8.5-million, two-year contract.

The deal includes a team option for 2010, a person familiar with the negotiations said. With the option and performance bonuses, the contract could be worth up to $15 million over three years.

Feliz batted .253 with 20 homers and 72 runs batted in for San Francisco last season. He’s an upgrade over the trio of Greg Dobbs, Wes Helms and Abraham Nunez. Philadelphia’s third basemen batted .255 with 11 homers and 76 RBIs last year. Dobbs and Helms remain on the roster.

Feliz had spent his entire eight-year career with the Giants. He has been a full-time starter since 2004, averaging 21 homers and 84 RBIs. Feliz, who turns 33 on April 27, is a career .252 hitter with a .288 on-base percentage.

Pitcher Todd Wellemeyer and the St. Louis Cardinals avoided arbitration, agreeing to a $1-million, one-year contract.

The deal includes performance bonuses that could be worth $100,000 more.

Wellemeyer was the last Cardinals player remaining in arbitration. He made $635,000 last season and was seeking $1.3 million. The Cardinals had offered $875,000.

The 29-year-old right-hander was 3-2 with a 3.11 earned-run average last season after St. Louis claimed him off waivers from Kansas City in May.

The Boston Red Sox obtained reliever David Aardsma from the Chicago White Sox for Willy Mota and Miguel Socolovich in a trade involving three right-handed pitchers.

Chuck Knoblauch, a four-time All-Star who played with Roger Clemens on the New York Yankees, agreed to speak to a House committee investigating drug use in baseball after initially failing to respond to an invitation to testify.

His silence prompted the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to issue a subpoena last week, but federal marshals were not able to track down Knoblauch right away. The 1991 American League rookie of the year eventually did make contact, and his meeting with committee staff members for a deposition or interview will be Friday.

MISCELLANY

Streelman invited to local PGA Tour event

Kevin Streelman, the 29-year-old former mini-tour player from Illinois who was the last alternate to make the field at the Buick Invitational and wound up playing with Tiger Woods in the last group Saturday, accepted a sponsor’s exemption into the Northern Trust Open.

The $6.2-million event will be played Feb. 14-17 at Riviera Country Club. Streelman began the Buick with rounds of 67-69 to earn his pairing with Woods but struggled over the weekend with rounds of 75-77 and tied for 29th at even-par 288, making $33,063.

Jacques Villeneuve has parted ways with longtime manager Craig Pollock, who guided most of the former world champion’s career.

Villeneuve, who has left open-wheel racing to pursue a career in NASCAR, said he no longer needed a manager to handle his affairs.

“I’m older, and probably no longer need a manager to perform those duties that Craig has covered so well before,” Villeneuve said.

Argentine midfielder Marcelo Gallardo signed with D.C. United. The Major League Soccer team also added Peruvian goalkeeper Jose Carvallo and Argentine defender Gonzalo Peralta as the team held its first preseason practice.

Former champion Guillermo Coria, competing in his first ATP-level match since the 2006 U.S. Open, lost to Pablo Cuevas, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, in the first round of the Movistar Open at Vina del Mar, Chile. Coria had quit the tour after struggling with his serve and confidence.