Sexson Joins Mariners; Renteria, Red Sox Close

The Seattle Mariners added power to one of the weakest lineups in baseball Wednesday, agreeing to a $50-million, four-year contract with free-agent first baseman Richie Sexson.

Sexson, a .271 hitter, is coming off an injury-shortened season with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He hurt his left shoulder twice and did not play after May, batting .233 with nine homers and 23 runs batted in.

Still, his proven power made him an attractive free agent. Sexson, who turns 30 on Dec. 29, hit 45 homers for Milwaukee in 2001 and 2003, and he has four 100-RBI seasons.

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All-Star shortstop Edgar Renteria has agreed in principle to a $40-million, four-year contract with the Boston Red Sox.

The agreement, which contains a team option for 2009, was confirmed by a baseball official, who told Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Renteria must pass a physical, expected to be given Friday, for the deal to be finalized.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox officially added left-hander John Halama to their pitching staff after he passed a physical. Contract terms were not disclosed. Halama played for Tampa Bay last season.

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Right-hander Pedro Martinez passed his physical, and the New York Mets finalized their $53-million, four-year contract with him. A news conference is scheduled today.

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The San Francisco Giants released catcher A.J. Pierzynski, 27, two days after signing three-time Gold Glove winner Mike Matheny.... Shortstop Craig Counsell returned to the Arizona Diamondbacks, agreeing to a $3.1-million, two-year contract. Arizona traded Counsell to the Milwaukee Brewers after the 2003 season.... Former Angel right-hander Ben Weber and right-hander David Weathers agreed to one-year contracts with the Cincinnati Reds.... The Brewers traded infielder Keith Ginter to the Oakland Athletics for right-hander Justin Lehr and minor league outfielder Nelson Cruz.... Former Boston Red Sox manager Grady Little was promoted to special assistant in player development by the Chicago Cubs.

Pro Football

The St. Louis Rams expect to make a decision Friday on quarterback Marc Bulger’s availability for Sunday’s game against Arizona after he tested his sprained right shoulder for the second time this week during a throwing drill.

Bulger sat out Sunday’s loss to Carolina in which backup Chris Chandler had a career-worst six interceptions.

Quarterback Carson Palmer was still on crutches and resigned to sitting out the Cincinnati Bengals’ next game because of a sprained left knee. Jon Kitna would replace him. Palmer was injured in Sunday’s loss to New England.

Pittsburgh Steeler running back Jerome Bettis, who turns 33 in February, said his health and not whether the team wins the Super Bowl will determine whether he plays next season.

“I’m not getting any younger,” said Bettis, who lost significant playing time in 2001 and 2002 because of groin and knee injuries but hasn’t sat out a game since. “Every time we win it means a lot more because it could be the last one.”

Bettis has 647 yards and a career-high 12 touchdowns this season.

Green Bay Packer linebacker Na’il Diggs, whose 62-game starting streak ended last Sunday because of a bruised kidney, returned to practice and hoped to play Sunday against Jacksonville.... Brian Urlacher sat out practice, and his latest hamstring injury is expected to keep the Chicago Bear linebacker out of Sunday’s game against Houston.... Seattle receiver Darrell Jackson is away from the team because of the death of his father in Tampa, Fla., but is expected to play Sunday against the New York Jets.... Washington Redskin kicker John Hall will sit out the rest of the season because of a torn right quadriceps. The Redskins signed Jeff Chandler to replace him.

Boxing

Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, 38, had a disorderly conduct charge, stemming from a brawl last year with two men outside a Brooklyn hotel, dismissed after completing 100 hours of community service and six months of counseling ordered by the judge.

Brian Viloria (15-0, nine knockouts), the North American Boxing Federation flyweight champion, will face Angel Priolo (30-1, 20) tonight at Olympic Auditorium.

Viloria is a late replacement for Fernando Montiel, who has flu.

In the semi-main event, super-middleweight Librado Andrade (20-0, 14) faces Thomas Reid (33-13-1, 13).

Miscellany

The U.S. Soccer Federation is threatening to drop all experienced players from the roster for its next World Cup qualifier unless the union agrees to a new labor contract by Feb. 1.

The USSF’s deal with the U.S. National Team Players Assn. expired in December 2002. If the USSF follows through in the dispute, which centers on payments to players, it would damage the U.S. team’s chances to win at Trinidad and Tobago on Feb. 9 and possibly to qualify for the 2006 World Cup. Because of the dispute, the federation did not finalize exhibitions Jan. 22 against South Korea at the Home Depot Center and Jan. 30 against Sweden at a site that never was determined.

The Berger Foundation has given NorthStar golf course to the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic and it will become one of the courses in the Hope rotation, possibly as soon as 2006.

An Arnold Palmer design, the 7,536-yard layout is under construction on unincorporated land near Palm Desert and will be called the Classic Course at NorthStar.

Indian Wells Country Club drops out of the rotation for the 2005 Hope, when the four tournament courses will be the Palmer Course at PGA West, Bermuda Dunes, La Quinta Country Club and Tamarisk.

Jeff Carter shot a 2,007 nine-game pinfall to qualify for a Professional Bowlers Assn. Tour event for the fourth time this season, finishing third in the PBA Tour Qualifying Round at Fountain Bowl in Fountain Valley. He earned a spot in the Orange County Classic, beginning today.