Irsay: Manning welcome to come back
INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 14 (UPI) -- Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay said Tuesday he's willing to have quarterback Peyton Manning back next year, if a deal can be worked out.
Irsay indicated Manning can return to finish his likely Hall of Fame career with the same team he began it with, but only if the signal-caller is willing to renegotiate his contract after sitting out the 2011 season with a neck injury.
"We can make it work if he wants to be here," Irsay told The Indianapolis Star. "We'd be excited to have him back and finish his career with us.
"I want him to be able to make the choice. We would love to have him back here if he can get healthy and we can look at doing a contract that reflects the uncertainty of the … healing process with the regeneration of the nerve."
Manning's contract calls for a $28 million club option bonus by March 8, which if accepted by the Colts, would lock him into the rest of a five-year, $90 million deal.
If Irsay declines the option, Manning becomes a free agent.
The newspaper said it is believed the quarterback has not yet regained full strength in his right arm.
Report: Rays give Maddon 3-year extension
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Feb. 14 (UPI) -- Tampa Bay Rays Manager Joe Maddon has agreed to a three-year contract extension with the American League club, The Tampa Tribune reported Tuesday.
The Rays have scheduled a Wednesday morning news conference to announce the deal, the newspaper aid.
Maddon, 58, has been named the AL Manager of the Year twice (2008 and 2011) since becoming the Rays' manager in 2006. After two losing years, he guided the Rays to the first winning season in team history (97-65) that ended with a loss to Philadelphia in the 2008 World Series.
The Rays have averaged 90-plus wins over the past four seasons, making three playoff appearances. The Rays went 91-71 in 2011.
Hurricanes' Ruutu to miss three weeks
RALEIGH, N.C., Feb. 14 (UPI) -- Carolina Hurricanes forward Tuomo Ruutu, the subject of recent trade rumors, will miss three weeks with an upper-body injury, the team said Tuesday.
The Hurricanes, who have little chance of making the playoffs, were believed to have been shopping the high-scoring Finn to contending teams in the run-up to the Feb. 27 trade deadline.
But they said Tuesday a magnetic resonance imaging exam revealed Ruutu suffered an unspecified injury in the first period of Monday's game in Montreal.
The forward, who will be an unrestricted free agent following the season, leads the Hurricanes with 17 goals and has added 13 assists for 30 points.
Orioles, Jones avoid arbitration with deal
BALTIMORE, Feb. 14 (UPI) -- Center fielder Adam Jones and the Baltimore Orioles avoided arbitration with the signing of a one-year deal, the team said Tuesday.
Terms of the deal weren't announced but sports broadcaster MASN reported it was worth $6.15 million.
Jones is coming off his best year in the majors in 2011, when he bashed 26 doubles and 25 homers and drove in 83 runs over 151 games.
The 26-year-old posted a .280 batting average but struck out 113 times and drew only 29 walks.
Over six years in the majors with Seattle and Baltimore, Jones is a career .275 hitter with 100 doubles, 75 homers and 291 RBI.
