Icebreakers

BaseballExpos: Fired Jim Tracy, bench coach; Jim Benedict, minor-league pitching coordinator and Phil Favia, advance scout. Named Brent Strom minor-league pitching coach, Alex Agostino Canadian supervisor, Mike Berger East Coast supervisor and Dave Dangler area scout.Padres: Named Mike Basso manager, Don Alexander pitching coach, Jim Bowie coach and Jason Haeussinger trainer of Double-A Mobile.Tigers: Named Alan Trammell and Lance Parrish coaches.CollegeBig 12 Conference: Announced that the league has renewed its association with the Holiday Bowl.

BaseballMets: Named Terry Tripp Midwest scouting supervisor.Pirates: Named Marty Brown manager and Jeff Treadway hitting coach for Single-A Augusta.Red Sox: Re-signed P Bret Saberhagen.CollegeAtlantic Central Football Conference: Announced formation of conference with members Salisbury State, Frostburg State, Chowan, Ferrum, Methodist and Wesley.Capital Athletic Conference: Salisbury State junior F Mike Guiffrida was named all-conference first team. Teammates Darren LaRocque, Lou Petrovia, Andrew Rogers and Kyle Eberhardt each made second team.

BaseballBlue Jays: Agreed to terms with IF Ryan Freel and OF Luis Saturria.Mariners: Claimed P Maximo de la Rosa off waivers from Cleveland. Designated P Edwin Hurtado for assignment.Royals: Agreed to terms with P Scott Service, IF Shane Halter, P Jaime Bluma, P Brian Bevil, OF Ryan Long and IF Mendy Lopez on one-year contracts.Yankees: Sent former Oriole P Joe Borowski outright to Triple-A Columbus. Signed P Ricardo Aramboles.Basketball76ers: Activated G Anthony Parker.CollegeAmerica East: Named Towson senior F Ralph Biggs to the third team.

BaseballAngels: Agreed to terms on a one-year contract with P Pep Harris.Marlins: Claimed P Kirt Ojala off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks.BasketballNBA: Announced Tom Hammonds of the Minnesota Timberwolves was fined $7,500 by the NBA for a flagrant foul against Orlando's Derek Harper. Announced the resignation of referee Mike Mathis.Celtics: Activated C Pervis Ellison from the injury list.Heat: Signed C Marty Conlon for the rest of the season.Hornets: Activated G Bobby Phills.Kings: Placed G Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf on the injured list with the flu. Activated F Lawrence Funderburke.

Every Tuesday, blogger Matt Vensel breaks down a critical play, sometimes with the help of Ravens players, from that week's game. Today he looks at Anquan Boldin's ice-breaking catch in the fourth quarter Sunday. For a span of about two quarters Sunday, the Ravens offense, which had started the game with two efficient touchdown drives on their first two possessions, went ice cold. In five straight possessions, the Ravens failed to pick up a first down. Not so suddenly, in the fourth quarter, they trailed the Cleveland Browns by a point.

— For watermen who require safe passage to Chesapeake Bay oyster bars and fishing grounds each winter, the appearance of one of the state's four ice-breaking ships means money in the bank. Like giant plows on an asphalt road, icebreakers have been carving channels from piers to open waters, clearing away dangerous sheets of ice that can idle the commercial fleet, or worse, punch through the hull of a fishing boat. "Any ice at all is a real hazard for them," Capt. Shawn Orr said Tuesday morning as he guided the 80-foot M/V Sandusky through a row of watermen's boats tied up at Kent Narrows.

After 11 years in Division I, Loyola grabbed the big victory it has been looking for.Xavier, a team that has been to six straight NCAA tournaments, was the victim last night at Reitz Arena, along with Pete Gillen, its highly regarded coach.The underdog Greyhounds rallied from a 10-point, first-half deficit to defeat Xavier, 68-52, before 2,179."This is the kind of victory that should make people around here realize that we can beat the good teams and make them want to come out and watch us play," Loyola coach Tom Schneider said.

The Orioles' in-house home run race picked up speed yesterday when Chris Richard came off the disabled list after a 15-day absence from the lineup. Richard hadn't played since June 19 because of swelling in his right knee that resulted from running into the center-field fence. He had fluid drained from the knee on Monday before testing it with some pain-free sprints in the outfield that eased any concerns over his availability this week. To make room for Richard on the active roster, the Orioles optioned rookie outfielder Larry Bigbie to Double-A Bowie after five starts, the last coming against five-time Cy Young winner Roger Clemens during Wednesday's loss to the New York Yankees.

The numbing, record-breaking cold wave that has Maryland in its grip brought discomfort and inconvenience to many yesterday as pipes froze and burst, engines stalled and exposed skin felt the sting of winter.But the residents of the islands in the Chesapeake Bay were truly in a bind, cut off from the mainland by ice that prevented the arrival of boats that regularly deliver mail and provisions. Ice-breaking cutters came to the rescue yesterday, bringing much-needed deliveries of staples such as food, milk and medicine.

FLOATING RESORTS. YOU CAN KEEP THEM. You know the kind of cruises I mean: tropical cocktails, gift-shop islands, sun-and-deck chair afternoons. When I'm at sea, I want adventure. Cresting waves, puffs of wind, the works. This is why I find myself onboard a Russian icebreaker that is hardened to cut through icebergs and glaciers and is churning north. Next stop: the Arctic Circle and the coast of Greenland. Polar bears will be there, I hope, and maybe some whales and snowy owls. If we make it, I will down a shot of Smirnoff with the crew, not a pina colada.