MLB: Surgery for Jays’ Romero
Blue Jays left-hander Ricky Romero has undergone arthroscopic surgery on his left elbow and is expected to need six weeks to recover. Dr. Lewis Yocum operated after the regular season, Toronto said. Romero also received platelet rich plasma treatments in both knees to enhance recovery of quadriceps tendinitis. Romero was 9-14 with a 5.77 ERA and left his final start, on Sept. 30, after three innings because of a left leg injury.
Jake Peavy and the White Sox agreed to a $29 million, two-year contract. The right-hander went 11-12 with a 3.37 ERA in 32 starts this year after three injury-riddled seasons. The White Sox also exercised a $9.5 million option on right-hander Gavin Floyd, declined a $10 million option on right-hander Brett Myers and turned down a $13 million option on third baseman Kevin Youkilis.
The Tigers said manager Jim Leyland’s contract had been extended through the 2013 season.
Brian Butterfield was hired as third-base coach for the Red Sox, the same position he held under new Red Sox manager John Farrell the past two years with the Blue Jays.
The A’s allowed left-hander Dallas Braden and right-hander Joey Devine to become free agents. The pair, who missed 2012 because of injuries, refused minor league assignments.
The Rangers declined a $9.25 million club option for Scott Feldman and a $1.2 million option for Yoshinori Tateyama, making both right-handers free agents. Texas also reinstated right-hander Neftali Feliz from the 60-day disabled list and purchased the contract of right-hander Justin Miller from Triple-A Round Rock.
The Dodgers are bringing Brandon League back to their bullpen, signing the free agent right-hander to a three-year deal.
The Cubs hired Vanderbilt assistant Derek Johnson as their minor league pitching coordinator. He spent the past 11 seasons as the Commodores’ pitching coach.
HOOPS: Five more years for Pitino
Louisville has given Rick Pitino a five-year contract extension that will keep the coach with the Cardinals through the 2021-22 season. His $3.9 million base salary remains the same, but he will earn a $600,000 retention bonus every other year from 2014 to 2022. The deal includes incentives for being chosen AP national coach of the year ($100,000) and winning the Big East Conference regular season title ($50,000).
HOCKEY: Fans hassle Simmonds
The Czech Republic’s ice hockey federation said it has fined a club after its fans aimed racist chants toward Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds, who is playing in the top Czech league during the NHL lockout. Last year, a banana was thrown at Simmonds from the stands during an NHL preseason game in London, Ontario.
ETC.: Lance stripped of honor
The Australian city of Adelaide has stripped Lance Armstrong of its highest honor — the key to the city — following the removal of his seven Tour de France titles.
Former LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson is in a Louisiana jail after a judge revoked his bond in a 2011 simple battery case. The judge’s action follows Jefferson’s arrest last week on a marijuana charge. Jefferson has been accused of beating a man in a fight outside a bar in 2011. He has pleaded innocent.
Afghan boxer Hamid Rahimi won the first professional bout in his war-torn country by stopping Said Mbelwa of Tanzania in the seventh round.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga reached the third round of the Paris Masters with a 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (2) win over Julien Benneteau.