Polonia Signs With Yankees for $3 Million

Former Angel outfielder Luis Polonia signed a two-year contract for $3 million with his old team, the New York Yankees, on Monday.

Polonia, 29, batted .271 with one home run, 32 runs batted in and 55 stolen bases for the Angels last season. He is a .294 lifetime hitter. He was with the Yankees in 1989 and ’90.

“We needed a leadoff hitter, and Luis Polonia gives us that,” General Manager Gene Michael said. The Yankees stole only 35 bases last season.

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The Angels did not tender a contract to left-handed relief pitcher Steve Frey by Monday’s midnight deadline, making him a free agent.

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Gold Glove shortstop Omar Vizquel was traded by the Seattle Mariners to the Cleveland Indians for shortstop Felix Fermin, first baseman Reggie Jefferson and cash.

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The Florida Marlins agreed with closer Bryan Harvey on an option for the 1996 season. They also signed 45-year-old knuckleballer Charlie Hough and acquired shortstop Kurt Abbott from the Oakland Athletics for minor league outfielder Kerwin Moore.

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Left-hander Bruce Hurst signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers. Hurst, 35, was invited to the Rangers’ spring training camp. . . . Catcher Greg Olson signed a one-year contract with the New York Mets.

Pro Basketball

Sacramento King guard Bobby Hurley was removed from intensive care one week after suffering near-fatal injuries in a car crash, doctors at the UC Davis Medical Center said.

Officials said Hurley was moved to a regular nursing floor Sunday night. He has begun eating a normal diet and his condition has been changed from serious to fair.

Dennis Rodman of the San Antonio Spurs and Stacey King of the Chicago Bulls were suspended for one game each and fined for their actions during a game Saturday night. Rodman was fined $7,500 for head-butting King and for failing to leave the court in a timely and sportsmanlike manner after being ejected. King was fined $2,500 for retaliating by pushing Rodman in the face.

College Football

Karl Benson, commissioner of the Mid-American Conference, said he does not believe reports that commissioners of eight other conferences discussed a plan to eliminate the MAC from NCAA Division I-A football. The Dallas Morning News had reported that a new NCAA Division IV would exclude the Mid-American and Big West conferences.

Andre Patterson, defensive line coach at Washington State, has been hired as head coach by Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. . . . Ricky Hunley, assistant linebacker coach at USC the last two seasons under Larry Smith and John Robinson, has rejoined Smith at Missouri.

Miscellany

Jure Kosir of Slovenia beat Italian favorite Alberto Tomba by 0.09 seconds in winning a World Cup slalom at Madonna di Campiglio, Italy. . . . Peter Ferraro scored three goals and his twin brother, Chris, scored once, leading Team USA to a 9-4 victory over Team Czech in the Izvestia Cup hockey tournament in Moscow.

Troy Ockerman could become the first bowler to have three consecutive 300 games sanctioned by the American Bowling Congress. Ockerman, 24, bowled a 900 series Saturday to win the King of the Hill tournament at Corunna, Mich.

The Indiana state Court of Appeals ordered a hearing on boxer Mike Tyson’s claim that prosecutors didn’t tell his attorney what they knew about his accuser’s business relations with a private attorney. The former heavyweight champion has claimed that Desiree Washington, whom Tyson was convicted of raping, invented the charge in hopes of suing him for damages.

Chris Tidland of Placentia won the amateur qualifying for a spot in the Nissan Los Angeles Open golf tournament at Riviera Country Club Feb. 6-13.