Sports

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Report scores and results to 425-339-3470 or 1-866-6-SCORES (Call after 4:30 p.m.) E-mail information including items for Tuesday's Communities Sports Roundup and Thursday's Outdoor Calendar, to sports@heraldnet.com Kevin Brown, Sports Editor kbrown@heraldnet.com   Published: Tuesday, December 2, 2008 Sabathia among those offered arbitration Associated Press NEW YORK -- CC Sabathia, likely to command the largest contract among this year's free-agent pitchers, was offered salary arbitration Monday by the Milwaukee Brewers. Teams had until midnight to make the offers to free agents. If a club offers arbitration to a top free agent, as determined by a complex statistical formula, and he then signs with another club, his former team receives extra selections in next June's amateur draft as compensation. Milwaukee also offered arbitration to pitchers Ben Sheets and Brian Shouse. Most teams had not revealed their arbitration decisions by early evening. Players offered arbitration have until Sunday to accept the offers. The New York Yankees declined arbitration with pitcher Andy Pettitte, right fielder Bobby Abreu, first baseman Jason Giambi and five others. Kansas City offered it to second baseman Mark Grudzielanek. Heading into Monday, just two of the 171 players who filed for free agency last month had agreed to contracts. Pitcher Ryan Dempster stayed with the Chicago Cubs for a $52 million, four-year contract, and reliever Jeremy Affeldt left Cincinnati for an $8 million, two-year deal with San Francisco. Left-hander Mike Hampton and the Houston Astros reached a preliminary agreement on a $2 million, one-year contract that would contain an additional $2 million in performance bonuses. He must pass a physical for the deal to be finalized. Clubs were expected to pick up the pace of signings and trade discussions heading into the winter meetings, which open next Monday in Las Vegas. Type A free agents are among the top 20 percent of players at their position, as defined by the formula created in the 1981 strike settlement, and Type B are from 21-40 percent. Teams losing receive two extra draft picks if they lose a Type A player and one if they lose a Type B. Before 2006, players not offered arbitration could not re-sign with their former clubs from Dec. 8-April 30, but that provision was eliminated in the latest collective bargaining agreement. Note Henderson on Hall of Fame ballot NEW YORK -- Career steals leader Rickey Henderson heads 10 first-time candidates on this year's Hall of Fame ballot, joining holdovers Mark McGwire and Jim Rice -- eligible for the final time. Other newcomers are Jay Bell, David Cone, Ron Gant, Mark Grace, Jesse Orosco, Dan Plesac, Greg Vaughn, Mo Vaughn and Matt Williams. Just 23 players are on the ballot, the smallest group ever. Holdovers include Harold Baines, Bert Blyleven, Andre Dawson. Tommy John, Don Mattingly, Jack Morris, Dale Murphy, Dave Parker, Tim Raines, Lee Smith and Alan Trammell. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

1. Teen dies after Granite Falls crash 2. Bikini coffee stands to be regulated as adult entertainment 3. Sultan brothers plead guilty in death of rival gang member 4. Body found after house catches fire north of Bothell 5. Gregoire unveils budget with deep cuts, will press for tax hikes 6. Grief and gratitude expressed for four slain officers 7. Two teenagers hurt in crash near Granite Falls 8. Friends and family honor Clearview couple who loved always 9. Roe appointed interim county prosecutor 10. Arlington's budget is ‘bare bones' 2 - Top 10 Stories Most Talked about 3 - Top 10 Stories Most Emailed

• Zambian woman thanks students for their help • Food banks see rise in use • ‘Making Spirits Bright’ in Edmonds • Wolfpack takes aim at state • Seahawks help students smile • 95 and still volunteering • Sno-King joined by local TV king • Veterans back for Wildcats • Lynnwood seeks to plug $2 million budget gap • Boeing will build, flight test and deliver 787s in South Carolina to spe ... • Snohomish County EDC promoting job growth in key industry clusters • $4 million grant to advance brain tumor research has Everett links • Providence medical center construction tops off its 12-story steel frame ... • Tulalip affordable housing project to be financed by KeyBank, Raymond Ja ... • Arlington's Lak of Ink has a growing following for Luke Kooyman's creati ... • Bank of the Northwest formed • Cascade Bank earns $1.6 million