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Placido Polanco is back with Philadelphia

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Staff And Wire Reports

Placido Polanco returned to the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday, agreeing to an $18-million, three-year contract. The 34-year-old free agent won Gold Gloves at second base for the Detroit Tigers in 2007 and this year but will shift to third base, which hasn’t been his primary position since 2002. He replaces Pedro Feliz, who became a free agent after the Phillies declined his $5.5 million.

The Oakland Athletics acquired third baseman Jake Fox, second baseman Aaron Miles and cash considerations from the Chicago Cubs for three players. The Cubs got right-handed pitcher Jeff Gray, minor league outfielder Matt Spencer and minor league right-hander Ronny Morla.

The trade gives Oakland added depth in an infield that has been injury plagued in recent seasons, and Fox’s big bat to boot. While General Manager Billy Beane hopes six-time Gold Glove third baseman Eric Chavez will be healthy after season-ending back surgery, the A’s knew they needed a contingency plan.

The Braves agreed to a $3.2-million, one-year contract with right-handed reliever Takashi Saito. Saito, 39, has 83 saves in four major-league seasons after a long career in Japan. He made the NL All-Star team in 2007, when he had 39 saves for the Dodgers.

The Mets have agreed to a one-year contract with Chris Coste, adding a backup catcher while they search for a starter. The 36-year-old Coste hit .224 with two homers and 18 RBIs in 205 at-bats last season with Philadelphia and Houston.

Dick Enberg was introduced as the San Diego Padres’ TV play-by-play announcer during a news conference at home plate at Petco Park. He signed a multiyear deal to call from 110 to 120 games per season.

Two groups have emerged as finalists to take over ownership of the Texas Rangers. The new owner could be revealed as early as next week’s winter meetings. A person with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed to the Associated Press several media reports that groups headed by Pittsburgh attorney Chuck Greenberg and former sports agent Dennis Gilbert are finalists.

BASKETBALL

Donaghy says mob made threats

Disgraced ex-NBA referee Tim Donaghy tells “60 Minutes” the mob threatened his family to ensure he provided his insider picks to inform betting on games. Donaghy says he bet on games based on his knowledge of other officials’ biases for and against certain players and teams. Donaghy says he was winning 75% of the time, which drew the attention of the mob.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love says he may play as soon as Saturday after missing the first 18 games of the season with a broken left hand. He was injured in the preseason and required surgery.

COLLEGES

UCLA women to face Stanford

UCLA’s women’s soccer team will open play in its seventh consecutive NCAA College Cup today, in a rematch against Stanford at 2:30 p.m. at College Station, Texas, a game that will be televised on ESPN2 and ESPNU. The Bruins are 21-2-1, but Stanford is 24-0 and has a 2-0 victory over UCLA Oct. 18 at Stanford.

The winner will play either Notre Dame or North Carolina for the national championship on Sunday at 10 a.m.

UCLA and Long Beach State will play a first-round NCAA women’s volleyball playoff match at 8 tonight at Pauley Pavilion. Georgia Tech and Baylor will play at 5:30. USC will face Oklahoma at 7 tonight at the Galen Center.

ETC.

Mauresmo retires from tennis

Former top-ranked player Amelie Mauresmo retired from tennis. The 30-year-old Frenchwoman, who finished the season ranked No. 21, said Thursday she was quitting the sport for good.

The U.S. Ski Team says TJ Lanning had surgery in Vail, Colo., to fuse two vertebrae in his neck to stabilize a fracture he sustained when he crashed in a World Cup downhill.

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency says cyclist Kenneth Williams has accepted a two-year suspension for using an anabolic agent.

Anne Donovan, who finished the 2009 season as the interim head coach of the New York Liberty, was hired on a permanent basis. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

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