Benson and Mets Finalize Contract

Right-hander Kris Benson took a physical and finalized a $22.5-million, three-year contract with the New York Mets on Monday.

The Mets had been trying to re-sign Benson since he was acquired from Pittsburgh on July 30, two months before the Mets hired Omar Minaya as general manager.

Benson, 30, was selected by the Pirates with the first pick of the 1996 amateur draft but has been sidelined by injuries for much of his career -- his 31 starts this year were his most since 2000.

Minaya called him “a pitcher who has not fulfilled his potential.”

Benson was 4-4 with a 4.50 earned-run average in 11 starts with the Mets. He was 12-12 with a 4.31 ERA overall.

*

Outfielder Gary Sheffield, 36, of the New York Yankees will have arthroscopic surgery today on his left shoulder.

Sheffield, second to Vladimir Guerrero of the Angels in the American League most-valuable-player voting, could not raise his left arm for much of the season and was forced to catch balls at his side.

*

Backup outfielder Gabe Kapler, 29, of the World Series champion Boston Red Sox agreed to a one-year contract with Japan’s Yomiuri Giants.... Backup infielder Damion Easley, 35, re-signed with the Florida Marlins, agreeing to a one-year contract.... The Red Sox raised ticket prices for next season by an average of 7%.

*

Miscellany

Colorado won the NCAA men’s and women’s cross-country championships at Terre Haute, Ind.

Simon Bairu of Wisconsin won the men’s individual championship with a time of 30 minutes 37.7 seconds in the 10-kilometer race. Kim Smith of Providence won the women’s individual title in 20:08.5 over a six-kilometer course and finished the season undefeated.

Wisconsin was second in the men’s division, followed by Arkansas, Butler and Brigham Young. Duke was second in the women’s division, followed by Providence, Notre Dame and Stanford.

Serge Savard, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, pleaded not guilty in Montreal to two charges of drunk driving.

The former Montreal Canadien star was arrested in September on suspicion of drunk driving after he was allegedly involved in two accidents. He is due back in court in March.

Alan I. Rothenberg has been elected to a second two-year term as chairman of the Los Angeles Sports Council.