MLB: Red Sox trade for Bucs closer Hanrahan
The Pirates and Red Sox are close to completing a trade that would send All-Star closer Joel Hanrahan to Boston for a handful of prospects, according to a person familiar with the talks.
Pittsburgh would ship Hanrahan and another player to the Red Sox in exchange for four players, including outfielder-first baseman Jerry Sands and minor league pitcher Stolmy Pimentel.
The 31-year-old Hanrahan has been one of baseball’s best closers the last two years, saving 76 games and making the NL All-Star team in both seasons.
He made $4,135,000 this year and is eligible for arbitration.
Adam Greenberg, the 31-year-old who returned to the major leagues for one at-bat as a Marlin in October, more than seven years after he was hit in the head by a pitch in his debut, signed a minor league deal with the Orioles.
NBA: Cousins suspended indefinitely by Kings
DeMarcus Cousins was suspended indefinitely by the Kings for “unprofessional behavior and conduct detrimental to the team.”
Cousins and Kings coach Keith Smart exchanged words in the locker room during halftime of Sacramento’s 97-85 loss at the Clippers on Friday night. Smart benched Cousins for the entire second half and ordered him to remain in the locker room.
“What happens in the locker room stays in the locker room. But I was wrong. I was wrong,” Cousins said.
Cousins, a 22-year-old center drafted fifth overall in 2010, is averaging a team-high 16.6 points and 9.5 rebounds.
He was suspended by the league twice earlier this season.
The Mavericks waived Derek Fisher at the request of the veteran guard. The 38-year-old Fisher strained a tendon in his right knee in a game earlier this week.
ETC.: Messi finishes year with 91 goals
Lionel Messi polished off his record year with his 91st and final goal of 2012 in Barcelona’s 3-1 win at Valladolid in the Spanish league.
Messi scored in the 59th minute by dribbling between a defender’s legs.
The team dedicated the victory to ailing coach Tito Vilanova, who had throat surgery Thursday to remove a tumor from a saliva gland.
Jose Mourinho’s surpising decision to bench goalkeeper Iker Casillas backfired as Real Madrid lost 3-2 at Malaga to fall 16 points behind.
Gareth Barry struck in stoppage time to give second-place Manchester City a 1-0 victory over last-place Reading in the English Premier League.
Arsenal climbed to third after Mikel Arteta’s penalty clinched a 1-0 victory at Wigan.
In Bethlehem, Pa., Tomasz Adamek (48-2) outpointed Steve Cunningham (25-5) in a split decision in their IBF heavyweight title eliminator.
The fight was a rematch of a 2008 cruiserweight bout that Adamek also won.