UCLA lab is testing Brian McNamee’s syringes in Roger Clemens case

The UCLA doping lab is testing syringes and vials Roger Clemens’ former personal trainer gave federal investigators to determine whether the items contain traces of performance-enhancing drugs, a person close to the case told the Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is still ongoing into whether Clemens lied under oath to Congress last year when he denied using steroids or human growth hormone.

Prosecutors have asked a federal grand jury in Washington to decide whether to indict the seven-time Cy Young Award winner. The trainer, Brian McNamee, has told federal agents, baseball investigator George Mitchell and a House of Representatives committee that he injected Clemens more than a dozen times with steroids and HGH from 1998 to 2001.

Now, according to the person close to the case, the UCLA lab has in hand the physical evidence McNamee turned over to federal prosecutors in early 2008 that his side says will link Clemens to drug use.

UCLA declined the AP’s request to speak to the head of the lab.

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WINTER SPORTS

Vonn extends her lead in standings

Lindsey Vonn won a World Cup slalom in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, extended her overall lead in the standings and moved within one win of tying Tamara McKinney’s American record of 18 victories.

Vonn earned her 17th career World Cup win in a combined time of 1 minute, 47.17 seconds. Maria Riesch of Germany finished second.

Ryan St. Onge of the United States won for the first time in two years and Li Nina of China won the women’s aerials in the Freestyle World Cup in Park City, Utah.

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BASEBALL

Varitek, Red Sox have one-year deal

The Boston Red Sox and catcher Jason Varitek reached a preliminary agreement on a $5-million, one-year contract, two people familiar with the talks said. The deal contains player and team options that allow him to earn $8 million to $10 million over two seasons, the people said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the agreement was not yet final.

Reliever Brian Bruney and the New York Yankees agreed to a $1.25-million, one-year contract, settling the team’s last salary arbitration case. The deal raised New York’s projected opening-day payroll just above $198 million for 18 players with agreements.

Pitcher John Maine and the New York Mets avoided salary arbitration, agreeing Friday on a $2.6-million, one-year contract. . . . Catcher Paul Bako and the Chicago Cubs agreed to a one-year contract worth $725,000. . . . The Texas Rangers signed outfielder Marlon Byrd to a one-year deal worth $3.06 million, the last of the team’s players eligible for arbitration.

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ETC.

Lagat wins again at Millrose Games

Bernard Lagat won the Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games in New York for the seventh time to tie Eamonn Coghlan’s record. Lagat finished in three minutes, 58.44 seconds. He beat New Zealand’s Nick Willis, the Olympic bronze medalist in the 1,500 meters.

Also at Madison Square Garden in the 102nd edition of the meet, Terrence Trammell, the two-time Olympic silver medalist in the 110-meter hurdles, won the 60 hurdles in his first meet since a left hamstring strain knocked him out of the Beijing Games. Minutes later, he finished second in the 60 dash to fellow American Michael Rodgers.

Kara Goucher, who posted the fastest marathon debut ever by an American woman in New York in November, defended her mile title, winning in a personal-best 4 minutes, 33.19 seconds.

Dallas Rutherford, a Cal State Northridge player charged in an alleged theft along with leading scorer Deon Tresvant and the son of Coach Bobby Braswell, pleaded guilty to one count of misdemeanor grand theft and was sentenced to three years’ probation and 200 hours of community service, Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Jeff Stodel said.

Rutherford, a freshman guard who is the son of Dudley Rutherford, pastor of Shepherd of the Hills Church in Porter Ranch, has appeared in six games and averages less than a point a game.

Tresvant, Northridge’s leading scorer, and Jeffrey Braswell, a Northridge student, remain scheduled for arraignment Feb. 26, along with co-defendant Phannuel Gbewonyo, an actor.

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PASSINGS

Boxer Johansson, defeated Patterson

Ingemar Johansson, the Swede who stunned the boxing world by knocking out Floyd Patterson to win the heavyweight title in 1959, has died, a longtime friend said. Johansson was 76. Section B.