Sports in Brief: Matsui, Damon now free agents
World Series MVP Hideki Matsui became a free agent yesterday along with New York Yankees teammates Johnny Damon, Eric Hinske, Jose Molina, and Xavier Nady.
Matsui and Damon both said last week that they would like to stay with New York. The Yankees said it was too early to project their team for 2010.
Also among the 31 players filing were Minnesota shortstop Orlando Cabrera, New York Mets outfielder Gary Sheffield, Milwaukee centerfielder Mike Cameron, and Colorado pitcher Jose Contreras.
There are 151 players who have filed, and 28 more are eligible to file by the Nov. 19 deadline.
Boston prevented Victor Martinez from filing for free agency by exercising a $7.7 million option on the catcher-first baseman. The Red Sox declined a $6 million option on shortstop Alex Gonzalez, who received a $500,000 buyout as he became a free agent.
Boston declined a $5 million option on captain Jason Varitek, and the catcher now must decide whether to exercise a $3 million player option. Rather than exercise its $4 million option on Tim Wakefield, the Red Sox agreed to a $5 million, two-year deal with the 43-year-old knuckleballer.
Tampa Bay blocked Carl Crawford from becoming eligible for free agency by exercising a $10 million option on the all-star leftfielder.
Angel Villalona, a top prospect for the San Francisco Giants, has been freed on bond after the family of the man he is accused of killing Sept. 19 in a bar asked a judge in the Dominican Republic to drop the case.
Norge Luis Vera, the pitcher who helped Cuba defeat the Baltimore Orioles, 12-6, in the United States in 1999, tried to stop a fight in Santiago, Cuba, and was struck in the face with a blunt object. His injuries are not life-threatening but he will need reconstructive surgery.
Vera, 38, plays for Santiago in Cuba's top baseball league.
FIGURE SKATING: Sasha Cohen, who has tendinitis in her right calf, withdrew from Skate America, which begins Friday in Lake Placid, N.Y. She will be replaced by 2006 Olympian Emily Hughes.
TENNIS: Marat Safin, 29, beat French qualifier Thierry Ascione, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (3), at the Paris Masters. The Russian will retire after the tournament.
SOCCER: Temple's J.T. Noone is the Soccer Six player of the week.
The Kixx re-signed midfielder Ptah Myers, a native of Cape May, N.J., and forward Anthony Maher for the indoor soccer season. Terms were not disclosed.
League officials in Rhode Island are investigating a fight Sunday between members of the Woonsocket and Tolman girls' high school soccer teams who threw punches, pulled hair, and sparked a brawl in the bleachers.
- Staff and wire reports
