In Sports from United Press International
Mets get Vaughan from Angels
NEW YORK, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- The New York Mets made another dramatic move to improve baseball's worst offense on Thursday night, acquring first baseman Mo Vaughn from the Anaheim Angels for righthander Kevin Appier and cash.
The Mets have scheduled a Noon EST news conference at Shea Stadium on Friday to introduce Vaughn.
The acquistion of Vaughn continues an aggressive offseason for the Mets, who already have added All-Star second baseman Roberto Alomar and outfielder Roger Cedeno. The club also is reportedly interested in signing slugging outfielder Juan Gonzalez as a free agent.
It looked the deal hit a snag earlier this week, when the Mets wanted Vaughn to agree to defer a portion of the $50 million left on his contract. But Vaughn's agent Jeff Moorad and Mets general manager Steve Phillips, the Players Association and the commissioner's office were able to sign off on a deal that reworked the slugger's contract.
Vaughn is due to make $10 million in 2002 and $15 million each of the following two years, with a club option for $14 million in 2005 or a $2 million buyout. He also has $8 million remaining from a deferred signing bonus.
A three-time All-Star and the 1995 American League Most Valuable Player, Vaughn comes to the Mets after missing the entire 2000 season with a ruptured left biceps tendon.
Vaughn, 34, is a lifetime .298 hitter with 299 homers and 977 RBI in 1,346 career games. He had 69 home runs and 225 RBI in two years with the Angels after spending eight seasons with the Boston Red Sox.
One season after going to the World Series, New York went just 82-80 in 2001. They finished with the fewest runs in the major leagues and also ranked near the bottom of the National League in batting average and homers. The Mets particularly struggled at first base last season, where Todd Zeile batted just .266 with 10 homers and 62 RBI. Vaughn has hit at least 33 homers in each of last seasons.
Zeile, who recently underwent elbow surgey and has one-year remaining on his contract, is expected to be traded before Opening Day.
A native of Norwalk, Conn., Vaughn reportedly had become unhappy in Anaheim and was seeking a return to the East Coast.
Appier, a 13-year veteran, went 11-10 with a 3.57 ERA in 33 games in his only campaign with the Mets last season. He worked 206 2/3 innings, the eighth time in his career that he reached the 200-inning mark in a season.
Georgia Tech wins inaugural Seattle Bowl
SEATTLE, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- George Godsey engineered scoring drives of 97 and 81 yards in the first half Thursday as the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets upset No. 11 Stanford, 24-14, in the inuagural Seattle Bowl.
Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Chan Gailey reportedly will be named Georgia Tech coach on Friday or Saturday, although the school has not confirmed it. If Gailey is hired, he would be the third Yellow Jackets' coach in less than a month.
Georgia Tech (8-5) likely played its first and only game under Mac McWhorter, the Yellow Jackets' offensive coordinator who was named coach on an interim basis when George O'Leary took the Notre Dame job on December 9. O'Leary resigned the Notre Dame post only days later due to biographical innaccuracies in his resume.
Godsey completed 23-of-37 passes for 266 yards and a touchdown, while Sean Gregory rushed for 91 yards on 19 carries replacement for suspended leading season rusher Joe Burns.
Looking for a spark, Stanford coach Tyrone Willingham benched Randy Fasani and went with Chris Lewis in the fourth quarter. Lewis, who has come off the bench to rally Stanford to three wins in his career, tossed a four-yard touchdown pass to Teyo Johnson, then hit Ryan Wells with the conversion pass to bring the Cardinal within 17-14 with 11:39 remaining.
Stanford (9-3) failed to cash in earlier opportunities, managing just two field goals on three trips inside Georgia Tech's 10. Fasani completed 11-of-21 passes, but threw for only 115 yards. Lewis was 6-of-13 for 110 yards.
Alabama wins Independence Bowl
SHREVEPORT, La., Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Andrew Zow, playing with a bruised calf, threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Terry Jones with 4:44 remaining Thursday night as the Alabama Crimson Tide ended coach Dennis Franchione's first season with a 14-13 victory over Iowa State in the Independence Bowl.
Iowa State's defense dominated throughout, but Alabama free safety Waine Bacon blocked Tony Yelk's punt, giving the Crimson Tide possession at the Cyclones' 29-yard line.
Two plays later, Zow connected with Jones for the winning score, enabling Alabama (7-5) to finish the season with a winning record. It was a four-game improvement from last season, when the Tide went 3-8.
Iowa State (7-5) had a chance to regain the lead in the final minute, but Yelk's 47-yard field goal was wide right with 51 seconds left. It was his third miss of the game.
The Cyclones were trying to win consecutive bowl games for the first time in school history. Last season, they defeated Pittsburgh in the Insight.com Bowl.
Stone off Kentucky cage team
LEXINGTON, Ky., Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Kentucky junior forward Marvin Stone was dismissed from the team on Thursday, the first player let go in coach Tubby Smith's five seasons.
Stone, a McDonald's All-American, has not returned from the holiday break and there have been rumors that the Huntsville, Ala., native is considering a transfer.
"Marvin has been dealing with some issues outside of basketball and we just want to wish him the best in whatever he decides to do," Smith said. "We're going to be releasing him and he'll be moving on. With that comes opportunities for other players. We'll have to step up on our front line to make up for his departure."
Stone is averaging 5.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game this season but has received just 19.3 minutes of playing time. Stone and Smith have had a contentious relationship during the 6-10 forward's tenure and Stone has often been chided for failing to live up to expectations.
Kentucky is already shorthanded after Wednesday's announcement that senior guard J.P. Blevins would be out four to six weeks due to a broken wrist. Blevins underwent successful surgery Thursday.
NFL fines Hines Ward
NEW YORK, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- The NFL on Thursday fined Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Hines Ward $10,000 for his second taunting offense of the season.
Ward was fined this time for taunting safety Rod Woodson in a December 11 game against the Baltimore Ravens which resulted in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty against Ward.
Ward, who is Pittsburgh's leading receiver with 87 receptions for 929 yards, was earlier fined $5,000 for taunting during a November 11 game against Cleveland.
Tulsa quarterback switching to E. Washington
CHENEY, Wash, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Quarterback Josh Blankenship,who played in 31 games for Tulsa and passed for more than 5,000 yards, has transferred to Eastern Washington.
By moving from a NCAA Division I-A school to a I-AA program, Blankenship will not have to sit out a year, making him eligible for the 2002 season.
Blankenship was a three-year starter at Tulsa and passed for 5,273 yards and 21 touchdowns with 31 interceptions.
Eastern Washington lost two senior quarterbacks--Fred Salanoa and Chris Samms--who combined to start all 33 of the team's games the past three seasons.
Blankenship played 10 games as a true freshman in 1999, finishing with 1,416 yards, seven touchdowns and 15 interceptions. As a sophomore, he led Tulsa to its best finish in nine years -- 5-7 -- by passing for 2,507 yards, nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions. In nine games last season, he threw for 1,350 yards, five touchdowns and six interceptions.
Wings center out 1-2 weeks
DETROIT, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Detroit Red Wings center Steve Yzerman will miss one to two weeks with a left ankle injury, the team announced Thursday.
Yzerman suffered the injury when he blocked a shot in the second period of the Red Wings' 3-3 tie against Minnesota on Wednesday. Prior to getting hurt, Yzerman scored a pair of power-play goals against the Wild. An MRI on Thursday revealed the Red Wings' captain suffered no broken bones and that he would be sidelined as a precautionary measure.
Last season, Yzerman missed the final three games of Detroit's Western Conference quarterfinals series against the Los Angeles Kings with a left ankle injury. The Red Wings lost that series in six games.
Yzerman, 36, is second on the team in scoring this season, collecting 11 goals and 25 assists in 36 games.
Sierra signs 1-year contract with Seattle
SEATTLE, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Ruben Sierra's comeback caught the attention of Lou Piniella and the Seattle Mariners after he spent 1999 with an independent minor league team.
Sierra, who has spent parts of the last two seasons with the Texas Rangers, agreed Thursday to a one-year contract with the Mariners.
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is reporting Sierra will make $1.8 million.
The 36-year-old Sierra was a four-time All-Star and one of the top hitters in the major leagues during his tenure with the Oakland Athletics and Texas from 1986-95. He bounced between five teams from 1996-98 and spent the 1999 season with an independent minor league team in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Sierra started 2000 in the Mexican League before signing a minor league deal with Texas and hitting .326 with 18 home runs and 82 RBI in 112 games with Class AAA Oklahoma. He was recalled late in the season and hit .233 with one homer and seven RBI in 20 games.
Bowl parade continues
The parade of bowl games continues Friday with three contests up for grabs.
The 9th ranked Texas Longhorns (10-2), who briefly had a shot at the national championship before losing to Colorado In The Big 12 title game, will play instead in the Holiday Bowl for the second straight year. Their opponent is No. 20 Washington (8-3).
First-year Georgia Coach Mark Richt hopes to continue the bowl success enjoyed by his predecessor when the 19th-ranked Bulldogs (8-3) face Boston College (7-4) in the Music City Bowl Frida in Nashville. Georgia has won four straight bowlgames.
Two former Southwest Conference rivals clash for the first time in six years when Texas A&M (7-4) takes on Texas Christian (6-5) in the second annual Galleryfurniture.com Bowl at the Houston Astrodome.
Dilfer gets call against Chargers
KIRKLAND, Wash., Dec. 28 (UPI) -- With starting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck nursing a separated left shoulder, Seattle Coach Mike Holmgren will turn to a Super Bowl-winning quarterback. The call goes to Trent Dilfer, who has won his last 13 starts, to lead the Seahawks Sunday against the San Diego Chargers.
Hasselbeck aggravated the shoulder injury when he was sacked in the first half of last Sunday's 27-24 loss to the New York Giants, but never came out of the game. He originally hurt the shoulder in a Sept. 23 game against Philadelphia and suffered a groin injury the following week in a loss at Oakland.
Dilfer, who won 11 straight starts and helped the Baltimore Ravens win Super Bowl XXXV last January, stepped in and won both of his starts with the Seahawks--home victories over Jacksonville on Oct. 7 and Denver on Oct. 14 -- before going back to the bench.
By the start of Sunday's game at 4:15 pm EST, the Seahawks (7-7) may be eliminated from the playoff race. Seattle is two games behind Baltimore (9-5), the New York Jets (9-5) and Miami (9-5) for the AFC wild card berths.
