Report: Redskins hire Shanahan as coach
WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Mike Shanahan has reached an agreement to become the new head coach of the Washington Redskins, sources say.
Citing sources close to the deal, The Denver Post reported Tuesday the Redskins would announce Shanahan's signing to a five-year contract Wednesday.
He would replace Jim Zorn, who was fired Sunday immediately after the Redskins finished the season with a 4-12 record.
The newspaper said the former Denver Broncos coach will be paid approximately the same amount he was getting from the Broncos -- about $7 million per year -- when he was fired by Denver nearly a year ago with three years remaining on his deal.
The Post said the Broncos will pay about $3.5 million of Shanahan's Redskins salary in 2010 and 2011.
Shanahan, 57, led the Broncos to back-to-back Super Bowl victories in 1997 and 1998. In 13 years as Denver's coach, he compiled a 138-86 record.
Pitcher Randy Johnson announces retirement
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Pitcher Randy Johnson, a five-time winner of the Cy Young Award, announced his retirement from baseball Tuesday.
Johnson, 46, who notched his 300th win last season with the San Francisco Giants, told reporters he "wanted to go out on my terms.
"I definitely wanted to make the decision wholeheartedly and that I would stick to (retirement) ... I didn't want to make a hasty decision. I'm at peace with it," Johnson said.
With 22 years in the major leagues, the left-handed Johnson trails only Roger Clemens (six) in career Cy Young Awards. He ended last year 8-6 with a 4.88 ERA for the Giants, but suffered a tear in his rotator cuff and missed more than a month before returning in a relief role late in the season.
Johnson, at 6-feet-10 and sporting an intimidating scowl, won a World Series in 2001 with Arizona and played in eight Division Series and two League Championship Series. He used a blazing fastball from a unique sidearm delivery to record 37 shutouts and notch 4,875 strikeouts, second all-time to Nolan Ryan (5,714).
OF Holliday signs 7-year deal with Cards
ST. LOUIS, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- The St. Louis Cardinals and outfielder Matt Holliday have agreed on a multiyear contract, the team announced Tuesday.
Cardinals officials didn't reveal the terms of the deal, but Holliday indicated in a radio interview with ESPN it is for seven years and is worth $120 million.
A no-trade clause and a club option is also reportedly part of the contract.
Holliday, 29, gave the Cardinals a big lift in 2009 after coming to the team in July in a trade with Oakland. In just 63 games for the National League Central champs, Holliday batted .353 with 13 homers and 55 runs batted in. St. Louis went 39-24 with the outfielder in the lineup.
Holliday began last season with Oakland after spending the first five years of his career with Colorado. He was considered a disappointment with the Athletics, for whom he batted just .286 with 11 homers and 54 RBI in 93 games.
From 2004-08 with Colorado, Holliday played in 698 games, batted .319 with a .386 on-base percentage and blasted 128 homers with 483 RBI.
ESPN announces 3D television network
BRISTOL, Conn., Jan. 5 (UPI) -- U.S sports broadcaster ESPN announced Tuesday it will launch the television industry's first 3D network.
ESPN and ABC Sports President George Bodenheimer said in a statement the service, to be called ESPN 3D, will showcase a minimum of 85 live sporting events during its first year, beginning with the first 2010 FIFA World Cup match June 11 featuring South Africa vs. Mexico.
Bodenheimer said other events to be produced in 3D include as many as 25 2010 FIFA World Cup matches, Summer X Games, college basketball and college football, including the BCS National Championship game in Glendale, Ariz., Jan. 10, 2011.
"This will be a meaningful step to drive adoption of 3D television sets and afford opportunities for our affiliates to create value through new product offerings, and our advertisers, who want fresh sponsorship opportunities," said ESPN marketing Vice President Sean Bratches.
Last fall, ESPN produced a 3D telecast of the USC-Ohio State college football game which was shown in select theaters as well as to 6,000 fans on USC's campus.
