Zeile, Burnitz Are Part of Trade

Continuing their off-season overhaul, the New York Mets on Monday sent Todd Zeile and Benny Agbayani to the Colorado Rockies and Glendon Rusch to the Milwaukee Brewers, and acquired Jeromy Burnitz from the Brewers in a three-team, 11-player trade.

Burnitz will provide the Mets with the slugging outfielder they had been seeking. He will be in a revamped lineup with newcomers Roberto Alomar, Mo Vaughn and Roger Cedeno.

New York also received pitcher Jeff D’Amico, infielder Lou Collier, outfielder Mark Sweeney and cash from Milwaukee. The Mets got two minor leaguers from Colorado.

The Brewers, who added a left-handed starter in Rusch, also obtained outfielder Alex Ochoa from Colorado and infielder Lenny Harris from New York.

Zeile, who batted .266 with 10 home runs and 62 runs batted in last season, will fill Colorado’s void at third base.

Burnitz batted .251 with 34 homers and 100 RBIs.

D’Amico was 2-4 with a 6.08 earned-run average in 10 starts last year. He had arm surgery July 2.

Rusch was 8-12 with a 4.63 ERA last season.

Ochoa batted .276 with eight homers and 52 RBIs, and Agbayani batted .277 with six homers and 27 RBIs.

Harris is the career leader in pinch-hits with 151.

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San Diego Padre reliever Rob Ramsay, 28, will undergo surgery Wednesday in San Francisco to remove a brain tumor, the team said.

Ramsay began having severe headaches soon after the Padres claimed him off waivers from the Seattle Mariners on Nov. 20.

Olympics

Sixteen cross-country skiers were nominated to compete for the United States at the Salt Lake City Games next month.

The group includes four-time Olympian Nina Kemppel, two-time Olympians Justin Wadsworth and John Bauer, and newly crowned U.S. sprint champion Kikkan Randall.

The skiers were selected based on international results, U.S. Nordic Director Luke Bodensteiner said.

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Anita DeFrantz of Los Angeles was among U.S. Olympic officials appointed to commissions by the International Olympic Committee.

DeFrantz and U.S. Olympic Committee President Sandra Baldwin were appointed to a commission that will review the reforms enacted after the Salt Lake City bid scandal.

Soccer

Nigeria defeated Algeria, 1-0, in an African Cup of Nations game at Bamako, Mali.

Tunisia, which like Nigeria is headed to the World Cup in Japan and South Korea, played to a scoreless tie with Zambia.

The Women’s United Soccer Assn. agreed to a contract with the Canadian television network WTSN, which will broadcast 28 games next season.

Miscellany

Offensive specialist Travis Hannah and quarterback Jim Druckenmiller were waived by the Avengers of the Arena Football League.

Hannah was the team’s leading receiver last season, with 76 catches for 995 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Hannah and Druckenmiller are former NFL players.

Temple Athletic Director Dave O’Brien said he will resign effective Feb. 15.

O’Brien said that after nearly six years in the position, he decided to look for a new professional challenge.

He also said personal responsibilities following his son’s death in 1997 were a factor in his decision to resign, Temple President David Adamany said.

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Purdue linebacker Ladrelle Bryant was arrested in Muncie, Ind., as a suspect in a theft.

Bryant is accused of helping a woman steal items from a Kmart store on Sunday. Police said the suspect waited in a car for the woman and struck a parked car as he drove away.

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Italian driver Max Papis, released after last season by Team Rahal, will drive in the CART series with Sigma Autosport.