Red Sox ace Josh Beckett agrees to extension
The Boston Red Sox appear to have the top of their rotation set for the next five years. The rest of it is in pretty good shape too.
The Red Sox agreed Monday to a $68-million, four-year contract extension with No. 1 starter Josh Beckett, a deal that figures to keep him in Boston pitching alongside free-agent acquisition John Lackey through 2014. Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz are also under the team’s control for five more seasons.
The 29-year-old Beckett, earning $12.1 million this season in the option year of an extension he signed in 2006, gets a $5-million signing bonus and annual salaries of $15.75 million. Beckett, who has been a World Series most valuable player and Cy Young Award runner-up, said he did not press for a fifth year like the Red Sox gave Lackey because he was happy to stay with a team that will be competitive.
The MVP of the 2003 World Series for Florida and a key part of Boston’s 2007 title, Beckett was tabbed to start Sunday night’s major league opener against the New York Yankees. He gave up five runs and eight hits in 42/3 innings in Boston’s 9-7 victory.
BASKETBALL
Bogut has surgery on hand
Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut had surgery to repair his broken right hand Monday, two days after he suffered the injury — plus a sprained wrist and dislocated elbow — in an arm-wrenching crash to the court during Saturday’s victory over Phoenix.
Team officials said Bogut is expected to need six weeks to recover before he can begin full rehabilitation, essentially ruling him out for the season.
Bogut was having a breakout season before the injury, averaging 15.9 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game.
Forward Mike Moser is leaving UCLA after one season.
Moser played in 15 of the Bruins’ 32 games as a freshman, scoring nine points while apparently struggling with the Bruins’ defense-minded style. The former high school star from Portland, Ore., originally committed to Arizona.
PRO FOOTBALL
Rams release Bulger
The St. Louis Rams released quarterback Marc Bulger, perhaps clearing the way for them to take Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford with the first pick of the draft.
Coach Steve Spagnuolo said in a release that it was difficult to make the move and he wished the 33-year-old Bulger well. Last month the Rams signed A.J. Feeley, presumably as next year’s backup on a team that was 1-15 in 2009.
A police report says a gun that Cleveland Browns player Shaun Rogers allegedly tried to carry through airport security was cocked with a bullet in the chamber.
The Plain Dealer reported that the police report states the cocked semiautomatic handgun was on safe mode with seven bullets in the magazine and one in the chamber.
Rogers has pleaded not guilty to a concealed weapons charge after authorities say he tried to carry the handgun through airport security in a carry-on bag.
The 31-year-old nose tackle has apologized to his fans and his team, saying he didn’t mean to take the gun into Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
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