Soriano, Rangers Agree to Deal for $7.5 Million

Alfonso Soriano agreed to a $7.5-million, one-year contract with the Texas Rangers, who avoided salary arbitration with the All-Star second baseman.

Soriano came to Texas in a trade that sent Alex Rodriguez to the New York Yankees. Although Soriano had an American League-high 23 errors, he hit .280 with 28 homers and 91 runs batted in before sitting out the last 16 games last season because of a strained left hamstring.

Soriano will receive a $2.1-million raise from last season, when the Rangers’ payroll was about $63 million.

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St. Louis Cardinal pitcher Jason Marquis agreed to a $3-million, one-year contract. Marquis, 26, was 15-7 with a 3.71 earned-run average last year. He won 11 decisions in a row from May 31 to Sept. 4. He pitched six innings and took the loss in the Boston Red Sox’s clinching Game 4 World Series victory.

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Outfielder Jeff DaVanon agreed to terms of a one-year, $950,000 contract with the Angels, avoiding arbitration.

DaVanon, a 31-year-old switch-hitter, played in 108 games for the Angels last season, hitting .277 with seven homers, 34 RBIs and a career-high 18 stolen bases.

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Roberto Alomar, a 12-time All-Star second baseman, agreed to a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays after sitting out two months last season because of a broken right hand and hitting only .263 in 56 games for Arizona and the Chicago White Sox.

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Shortstop Rafael Furcal agreed to a $5.6-million, one-year deal with the Atlanta Braves and new closer Dan Kolb has a $3.4-million contract for 2005. The Braves also reached a $1.65-million, one-year deal with reliever Chris Reitsma.

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The Cincinnati Reds agreed to a $4.6-million, one-year contract with outfielder Adam Dunn.... The San Francisco Giants agreed to a $6.1-million, two-year contract with utilityman Pedro Feliz.... Florida Marlin right-hander A.J. Burnett agreed to a $3.65-million, one-year contract, and closer Guillermo Mota accepted a one-year deal worth $2.6 million.

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Paul Molitor is returning to the Minnesota Twins as a roving minor league instructor, the same job he held before a one-year stint as Seattle’s batting coach.

College Football

Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick was cleared to rejoin the team after being suspended because of a night of drinking with underage girls.

Former Auburn defensive coordinator Gene Chizik joined Texas’ staff as co-defensive coordinator and assistant head coach. Chizik replaces Greg Robinson, who will coach Syracuse. Texas also hired Oscar Giles to coach defensive ends, replacing new San Jose State Coach Dick Tomey.

Soccer

Hector Hugo Hurtado scored in the 84th minute to give Colombia a 1-1 tie with Guatemala in an exhibition at the Coliseum.

Hurtado headed David Ferreira’s corner kick inside the right post from six yards. The Galaxy’s Carlos Ruiz put Guatemala ahead in the fourth minute with a 13-yard volley that bounced inside the right post.

Tim Vom Steeg of UC Santa Barbara was named coach of the year by the National Soccer Coaches Assn. of America. Vom Steeg led the Gauchos to their first NCAA championship match in December.

The U.S. women’s deaf national team defeated Russia, 3-0, to win the gold medal at the 2005 Deaflympics in Melbourne, Australia, on Sunday.

Miscellany

Michelle Wie accepted an invitation to play in the LPGA Championship, making it likely the 15-year-old golfer will compete in all four of the women’s majors this year.

Chicago White Sox and Bull owner Jerry Reinsdorf, 68, had artery-clearing angioplasty after routine tests found minor blockage, the White Sox said. He was expected to stay at Northwestern Memorial Hospital for a few days.

Pedro Rico of Pepperdine beat Roger Matalonga of Arizona, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, to win the National Collegiate Tennis Classic on Sunday at Indian Wells.