Astros Fail to Sign Beltran Before Midnight Deadline

Carlos Beltran let Saturday night’s deadline to re-sign with the Houston Astros pass without an agreement, leaving the New York Mets in position to sign the 27-year-old center fielder.

While Houston had to sign him by midnight EST or lose rights until May 1, the Mets and other teams did not have that restriction.

Just after the deadline passed, Beltran’s agent, Scott Boras, said he was still negotiating with the Mets. The commissioner’s office confirmed there was no agreement with the Astros.

The Mets, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2000, were trying to pull off a coup for the second time this off-season. They lured three-time Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez from the Boston Red Sox last month with a $53-million, four-year deal.

By allowing the deadline to pass without an agreement, Beltran, who is seeking a contract in excess of $100 million, could be hoping other clubs, such as the New York Yankees, resume their pursuit.

*

Kevin Millwood finalized a $7-million, one-year contract with the Cleveland Indians, who hope the right-hander’s elbow problems are over and that he can stabilize a young starting rotation.

Millwood, 30, has three seasons with at least 17 wins and has pitched more than 200 innings four times. If healthy, he would be the third starter behind C.C. Sabathia and Jake Westbrook.

*

Tony La Russa agreed to a three-year contract extension with the St. Louis Cardinals after managing them to their first World Series in 17 years. La Russa led the Cardinals to 105 victories and the National League pennant. The new contract runs through 2007.... Designated hitter Ruben Sierra, 39, agreed to terms on a $1.5-million, one-year contract to stay with the Yankees.... The Dodgers failed to reach agreement on a new contract with catcher Brent Mayne before the deadline, meaning they can’t negotiate with him until May 1.

Tennis

Top-ranked Roger Federer began 2005 the way he finished 2004 -- with a victory. He needed only 63 minutes to defeat sixth-seeded Ivan Ljubicic, 6-3, 6-1, in the Qatar Open final for his 21st consecutive match win.

Fifth-seeded Taylor Dent and second-seeded Joachim Johansson reached the final of the Australian men’s hard-court championships at Adelaide. Dent defeated Juan Ignacio Chela, 6-1, 6-1. Johansson beat Olivier Rochus, 6-1, 7-6 (5).

Katarina Srebotnik upset Shinbou Asagoe, 5-7, 7-5, 6-4, to win the ASB Classic at Auckland, New Zealand. Srebotnik fell behind, 4-0, in the second before rallying to beat the fourth-seeded Asagoe in two hours 20 minutes.

Mark Philippoussis confirmed today that he would not play in the Sydney International this week because of a groin injury. His Australian Open hopes also remain in doubt, but he will receive ongoing treatment in a bid to be ready for the first Grand Slam tournament of the year in Melbourne starting Jan. 17.

Passings

Bud Brooks, an All-American defensive lineman for Arkansas who won the Outland Trophy in 1954, died at 74. His son Randy told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette his father died Thursday at home in Bauxite, Ark..... Bernard “Buddy” Diliberto, a New Orleans sports commentator who originated the tradition of fans wearing bags on their heads to lament losing teams, has died at the age of 73. He died of a heart attack Friday at his home in Metairie, La.

Winter Sports

Tina Maze of Slovenia won a World Cup giant slalom at Santa Caterina Valfurva, Italy, for her second victory this season. She was followed by Canadians Genevieve Simard and Allison Forsyth.

Maze covered the two runs in a combined time of 2 minutes 36.78 seconds. Simard was 1.16 seconds back, and Forsyth was 1.22 seconds behind. Julia Mancuso of Olympic Valley, Calif., was fourth in 2:38.23 for the best result of her career.

Toby Dawson led an American sweep at a freestyle World Cup moguls event at Mont-Tremblant, Canada. Dawson scored 25.50 points for the victory. Jeremy Bloom (25.34) was second and Luke Westerlund (25.19) third.

Hannu Manninen of Finland won his second World Cup Nordic combined event in three days, using a strong cross-country race to hold off Ronny Ackermann of Germany at Seefeld, Austria.

Manninen was 19th after the ski jumping portion, but he won a sprint with Ackermann on the last straightaway of the 7.5-kilometer race.

Manninen won in 19 minutes 57.6 seconds. Ackermann was a half-second behind.

Soccer

English Premier League power Manchester United was held to a 0-0 draw by Exeter in the third round of the FA Cup.

Exeter, relegated to the Nationwide Conference two years ago from England’s third-division, ranks about 100 teams below the defending FA Cup champion in English soccer.

Miscellany

Germany’s Olympic team show-jumping gold medal will go to the United States after the International Equestrian Federation announced that it had disqualified rider Ludger Beerbaum and horse Goldfever for a doping offense.

Sweden will be awarded the silver, and Germany will drop to the bronze because the sport’s governing body erased Goldfever’s results from the Athens Games.

T.J. Simers, in mourning after the Chargers’ loss, has the day off.