Angels pull Teixeira offer, re-sign Rivera
ANAHEIM, Calif., Dec. 21 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have withdrawn their offer to free-agent Mark Teixeira and re-signed outfielder Juan Rivera, the team announced.
Fox Sports reported Sunday the Angels withdrew their offer to the highly prized free agent Teixeira. Team spokesman Tim Mead confirmed the report, the Los Angeles Times said.
The Angels acquired the slugging first-baseman last summer in a swap for first-baseman Casey Kotchman with Atlanta. Teixeira hit .358 in 54 games for LA.
With the Angels pulling out of the bidding, Teixeira appears headed to Boston, Baltimore or Washington.
Angels General Manager Tony Reagins has said the team offered Teixeira, 28, an eight-year deal. It was reported to be more than $160 million.
The Red Sox offered Teixeira eight years for a reported $170 million, while the Nationals are said to have offered eight years and $160 million and the Orioles reportedly offered seven years for $150 million.
The Angels signed Rivera to three-year contract worth $12.75 million.
Rivera, 30, was one of several marquee Angels free agents this off-season. He got only tepid interest during baseball's winter baseball meetings this month.
A career .284 hitter, he batted .246 in 2008 with 12 home runs and 45 RBI. He recorded a strong second half, but was still recovering from the broken leg he suffered in 2006 while playing winter ball, an injury that forced him to miss the 2007 season.
"It's good to have him back," Reagins told The Orange County Register. "He's going to be an important part of what we're trying to accomplish."
Other reports have said the Angels will not re-sign outfielder, Garret Anderson, a free agent who has spent his entire big league career with Anaheim.
Singh takes Chevron World Challenge title
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Vijay Singh shot a 5-under-par 67 Sunday, winning the Chevron World Challenge in California by a stroke over Steve Stricker.
Singh completed the event at 11-under 277 at the Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks.
Stricker closed with a 68, finishing at 10-under 278.
Hunter Mahan (68) and Anthony Kim (73) tied for third at 7-under 281.
"I really played solid. I hit a lot of greens, a lot of fairways and did not make too many mistakes," Singh said.
Lacerated thigh sidelines Teemu Selanne
ANAHEIM, Calif., Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Veteran Anaheim Ducks forward Teemu Selanne will miss up to six weeks after an MRI examination revealed he has a lacerated left quadriceps (thigh) muscle.
He suffered the injury when his own right skate sliced his left leg during a collision along the boards with Oilers defenseman Denis Grebeshkov in the opening minutes of Friday's 3-2 shootout win at Edmonton.
As he was trying to go to Anaheim's bench, the 38-year-old Selanne bled profusely and was helped off the ice.
"It was scary how much blood was coming out," he said on the Ducks' Web site. "It was all over. You couldn't even stop it."
The freak injury occurred in his 1,100th NHL contest.
After Saturday's MRI, Anaheim recalled center Andrew Ebbett from the American Hockey League's Iowa Chops to fill its vacant roster spot.
In 33 games this season, Selanne has 14 goals and 13 assists. He has compiled 1,185 career points (566 goals, 619 assists).
Report: Manny expects offer from Yankees
NEW YORK, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- A source has told the New York Daily News that free-agent slugger Manny Ramirez is confident the Yankees will offer him a contract of at least three years.
The newspaper reported Sunday that, if the offer is made, it would be one year longer than most team officials have said they would want to go to sign the colorful outfielder, who was a Yankee nemesis during past American League stints at Cleveland and Boston.
He finished last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The newspaper added that the source said Yankees' principal owner Hank Steinbrenner is leading the charge for the signing, while General Manager Brian Cashman isn't too high on the idea.
In 7,610 at-bats, the 36-year-old Ramirez has a career .314 batting average with 527 home runs, 1,725 RBI and 2,392 hits.
Other reports have said the Yankees also are monitoring developments in the battle to sign coveted free-agent slugger Mark Teixeira.
Pitcher Dock Ellis dies at 63
PITTSBURGH, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Former major league pitching star Dock Ellis died of a liver ailment at a Los Angeles hospital, his former agent said Sunday. He was 63.
"Dock Ellis was my first client in baseball, and he gave me as much joy as anybody outside of my family," the agent, Tom Reich, told ESPN.com.
Reich said Ellis died Friday at the USC Medical Center.
The agent lived in Pittsburgh when Ellis broke in with the Pirates in 1968.
"He was a very special person and he had an absolute army of fans and friends," Reich said. "I was proud to be his friend and stand with him."
Ellis, who once proclaimed he tossed his 1970 no-hitter in San Diego while on the hallucinogen LSD, retired in 1979 with a 138-119 career record.
He battled cirrhosis of the liver in retirement and had been placed on a waiting list for a liver transplant seven months ago.
The free-spirited right-hander often clashed with management during his career. The Pirates once fined him for wearing his hair in curlers.
"When I played baseball, I was a damn fool. I'm still a damn fool but I just don't get high anymore," Ellis told Sports Illustrated last year, the New York Daily News reported.
