Taveras to fill Reds’ hole in center field

Willy Taveras and the Cincinnati Reds have agreed to a two-year contract, filling the team’s need for a center fielder and leadoff hitter.

The speedy Taveras is coming off a disappointing season with the Colorado Rockies. He batted .251 with a paltry .308 on-base percentage, though he did lead the major leagues with 68 stolen bases.

Reds General Manager Walt Jocketty announced the move Saturday.

Taveras, who turned 27 on Christmas, became a free agent when the Rockies decided not to offer him a contract by the Dec. 12 deadline. He spent two injury-plagued seasons in Colorado after he was acquired from Houston in December 2006.

Taveras has a .283 career batting average with seven homers, 109 runs batted in and 169 stolen bases. He finished second for National League rookie of the year in 2005 to Philadelphia Phillies slugger Ryan Howard.

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WINTER SPORTS

Hedrick edges rival Davis

Chad Hedrick edged rival Shani Davis in a 5,000-meter race after Davis had beaten him earlier in the 500 at the U.S. Long Track Speedskating National Championships at West Allis, Wis.

Skating in the same pairing, Hedrick won the 5,000 in 6 minutes, 26.76 seconds, well off his Pettit Center record of 6:16.23 set Oct. 26. Davis was second in 6:28.07.

Davis and Hedrick were also paired in the 500, which Davis won in 36.03. Hedrick was second in 36.61.

Nancy Swider-Peltz Jr. of Wheaton, Ill., won the women’s 3,000 in 4:17.21. Three-time Olympic champion Catherine Raney-Norman of Salt Lake City was second in 4:19.25. Kelly Gunther of Waukesha, Wis., won the 500 in 40.89. Ashlee Barnett of Lino Lakes, Minn., was second in 41.55.

Defending champion Bode Miller was fined after deliberately skipping the public bib draw for today’s World Cup downhill so he would get a later start position and hopefully better light on the Stelvio course at Bormio, Italy.

Miller was the only competitor to miss Saturday’s compulsory draw, and was fined $933 by the International Ski Federation, event organizers said.

Top racers like Miller are usually drawn to start from 15th to 25th, but by missing the draw he will become the 46th starter.

The toughest section of the two-mile Stelvio is at the bottom, where it is icy and shaded. With the race to start at 11:45 a.m. local time, the bottom should be well lit by the time Miller goes off.

Todd Lodwick made an impressive return to Nordic combined skiing’s top circuit, finishing second to Magnus Moan of Norway in a photo finish at Oberhof, Germany, in the American’s first World Cup event in nearly three years.

Moan finished seventh in the morning ski jumping portion and then edged Lodwick and overall leader Anssi Koivuranta of Finland in the 10-kilometer cross-country race to finish in 25 minutes, 22.8 seconds.

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HORSE RACING

Gomez injured in Santa Anita spill

Garrett Gomez, the nation’s leading rider for a third straight year, was transported to Arcadia Methodist Hospital after his mount, Back At You, ducked into the rail during the stretch run of Santa Anita’s $78,070 Eddie Logan Stakes for 2-year-olds.

Gomez was conscious and moving his extremities after the sudden action of his mount, who was leading in mid-stretch. Back At You was not seriously injured.

According to his agent, Ron Anderson, Gomez had several teeth knocked out, sustained a gash on his left knee and a swollen left hand.

Indian Blessing won the Grade I, $250,000 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, beating longshot Ginger Pop by 1 1/2 lengths. John Velazquez rode Indian Blessing, 2007’s 2-year-old filly champion, for trainer Bob Baffert.

Indyanne took a bad step and was pulled up nearing mid-stretch in the La Brea. Track veterinarian Dr. Jill Bailey said there was a possibility the gray filly might be saved. Jockey Russell Baze was not injured.