Report: Furcal, Dodgers agree to three-year deal
baseball
Rafael Furcal is staying with the Los Angeles Dodgers, reaching a preliminary agreement on a three-year, $33 million contract. Furcal finalized his decision late yesterday afternoon, a person familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press. A day earlier, Furcal had been close to accepting a three-year, $30 million offer from the Atlanta Braves, his original major league team, who accused the star shortstop of reneging on a deal they thought was agreed to earlier this week. The deal with the Dodgers includes a $13 million team option for 2012 with a $3 million buyout, and the option could become guaranteed depending on his performance. Furcal, 31, hit .357 with five homers and 16 RBIs last season but was limited to 36 games and 143 at-bats and had back surgery July 3.
Padres: : Outfielder Brian Giles is being sued by former girlfriend Cheri Olvera for more than $10 million, alleging he battered her while she was pregnant with his child and caused her to have a miscarriage. The lawsuit was filed in San Diego Superior Court on Dec. 5.
Mets: : Chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon said the family's holdings are diversified, and the money lost in Bernard Madoff's alleged Ponzi scam will not affect operations. Wilpon vehemently stated the team was "uncategorically, totally, completely not for sale." Madoff might have stolen $50 billion from clients, a group that included Sterling Equities, the real estate company of Mets owner Fred Wilpon.
Et cetera:: Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg will manage the Cubs' Double-A Tennessee Smokies in 2009. ... Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain had his arraignment on drunken-driving charges, scheduled for yesterday in Lincoln, Neb., delayed until Jan. 26. ... Free-agent catcher Ivan Rodriguez will play for Puerto Rico at next year's World Baseball Classic.
Breeders' Cup reinstates $4.5M in stakes cuts
et cetera
The Breeders' Cup has reversed its decision to cut financial support of $4.5 million for stakes races at about 40 North American tracks after a barrage of complaints from the industry. Although the organization is making no long-term commitment to the stakes program, which currently affects 121 races, a news release announced that it would continue at least for one more year. The reduction wouldn't have affected the two-day Breeders' Cup.
