Bell Decides to Play Third With Phillies

David Bell, who helped the San Francisco Giants reach the World Series, agreed to a $17-million, four-year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.

Bell batted .261 with 20 homers and 73 runs batted in last season. The free agent will replace All-Star third baseman Scott Rolen, who was traded to St. Louis in July.

Rolen and Manager Larry Bowa had opposite personalities and feuded often during their 1 1/2 seasons together. Bell and Bowa got along well when they were together in Seattle from 1999-01.

“I know Larry, and I really like Larry,” Bell said. “I look forward to playing for him.”

The Boston Red Sox will hire Theo Epstein as their general manager, a team source told the Associated Press.

Epstein, 28, will be the youngest general manager in baseball history when the team makes the announcement, which is expected to come today. Randy Smith was 29 when he was hired by the San Diego Padres in 1993.

Golf

Annika Sorenstam completed the best LPGA Tour season in 38 years with a four-under-par 68 to win the season-ending ADT Championship in West Palm Beach, Fla., her 11th victory of the year.

Sorenstam smiled and lightly pumped her fist several times when the final putt of another record-breaking year fell in for par.

Sorenstam finished at 13-under 275 for a three-stroke victory and earned $215,000, making her the first woman to exceed $11 million in career earnings. She ended the season with a 68.70 scoring average, shattering the record she set last year (69.42).

Mickey Wright in 1964 was the last player to win 11 times in one season. Wright set the record of 13 victories in 1963.

Tiger Woods shot a four-under 67 for his best round in the Dunlop Phoenix at Miyazaki, Japan, but finished six strokes behind winner Kaname Yokoo of Japan.

Lee Janzen hit an eight-iron from 157 yards to within three feet of the 18th hole and teammate Rocco Mediate tapped it in to win the Franklin Templeton Shootout at Naples, Fla.

Janzen and Mediate came into the final round with a three-shot lead in the unofficial PGA Tour event at Tiburon Golf Club.

Winter Sports

Austria’s Rainer Schoenfelder made an early lead hold up and beat France’s Pierrick Bourgeat by a tenth of second to win a World Cup slalom event at Park City, Utah.... Olympic silver medalist Georg Hackl of Germany had a combined time of 1:32.428 to finish first in a World Cup luge event at the Utah Olympic Park in Park City.... Cristian Zorzi used a strong finishing kick to help Italy win the men’s World Cup cross-country ski relay at Kiruna, Sweden.

Miscellany

Anthony Calvillo threw two touchdown passes as the Montreal Alouettes beat the Edmonton Eskimos, 25-16, in front of 62,531 at Edmonton, Canada, for their first CFL championship in 25 years.

Ashley Postell of the U.S. won the balance beam and teammate Samantha Sheehan finished third in the floor exercise at the 36th World Gymnastics Championships in Debrecen, Hungary.