Buhner Gets Extension

The Seattle Mariners and outfielder Jay Buhner have agreed on a $13-million, two-year contract extension.

The $6.5 million-a-year extension covers the 1998 and 1999 seasons and has a club option for the 2000 season. Buhner is in the last year of a $15.5-million, three-year contract.

Buhner set career highs in 1996 with 107 runs scored, 29 doubles, 44 home runs and 138 RBIs.

“My family and I are extremely happy to be staying in Seattle,” Buhner said.

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The Baltimore Orioles said they will pay second baseman Roberto Alomar during his five-game suspension at the start of the season. Alomar was given the suspension for spitting into the face of umpire John Hirschbeck during a game in Toronto on Sept. 26.

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American League most valuable player Juan Gonzalez of the Texas Rangers, injured last month, may be hurt more severely than first suspected. Gonzalez suffered a strained ligament in his left thumb when he slipped on wet artificial turf while running after a line drive during a winter league game in Puerto Rico.

Today, doctors will decide if he’ll need surgery that could sideline him for the start of the regular season.

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Jose Malave homered Thursday as Venezuela defeated Puerto Rico, 14-7, in the Caribbean Series at Hermosillo, Mexico. Alomar homered for Puerto Rico.

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Cincinnati Red owner Marge Schott, accused by General Motors Corp. of faking sales at her Chevrolet-Geo dealership to meet sales quotas, has sold the dealership.

National League President Len Coleman has said baseball would investigate GM’s allegations against Schott when she and the automaker resolved their differences.

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Jeff Russell of the Rangers has retired, ending a 12-year career during which he recorded the most saves and appearances in club history. The 35-year-old right-hander had 134 saves in 445 appearances. . . . Outfielder Geronimo Berroa and the Oakland Athletics agreed on a $3.3-million, one-year contract. . . . The Chicago Cubs agreed to terms with pitcher Steve Trachsel on a one-year contract.

Pro Football

NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue will meet with Bill Parcells, the New York Jets and the New England Patriots next week in New York to determine if Parcells’ “consultant” status violates his contract with New England.

Tagliabue is to be advised by the Jets of the specific arrangements with Parcells and if they are consistent with his initial ruling. Tagliabue ruled that Parcells could not coach or serve in a comparable position for any NFL team other than the Patriots for the 1997 season.

WBZ-TV in Boston reported that Tagliabue probably will approve Parcells’ deal.

Winter Sports

Kjetil Andre Aamodt of Norway won his third world title this season with a first in the men’s combined of the Alpine world championships at Sestriere, Italy. . . . Darcy Downs of Canada won the men’s combined title in the freestyle ski world championships at Nagano, Japan. . . . Magdalena Forsberg of Sweden won the 15-kilometer women’s individual event at the world biathlon championships at Osrblie, Slovakia. . . . Frenchman Fabrice Becker reclaimed his world championship in acro-skiing, defeating American and ex-world champion Ian Edmondson by a half-point in the Freestyle World Championships at Nagano, Japan. Oksana Kushenko of Russia took the women’s title.

Miscellany

In the first Women in Sports Awards announced by the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission, Julie Rousseau of Washington High received the coach-of-the-year award, Special Olympian Jenny Skinner received the Donna de Varona Spirit of Sport Award and Michele Himmelberg of the Orange County Register the journalist award. . . . The widow of late Tampa Bay Buccaneer owner Hugh Culverhouse reached a settlement that provides $3 million each to three trustees she accused of cheating her out of her share of Culverhouse’s $380-million estate. . . . Former Citadel football coach Charlie Taaffe was acquitted of drunk driving in Mount Pleasant, N.C.