Andy Pettitte back in Yanks rotation

Andy Pettitte and the Yankees agreed to a one-year, $5.5 million contract yesterday that brings the left-hander back to New York.

Pettitte can make an additional $6.5 million on performance bonuses and bonuses based on time on the active roster.

“There was never another team brought up,I wanted to come back to the Yankees.” Pettitte said during a conference call.

Late last year, New York had offered a deal that would have guaranteed Pettitte $10 million, down from the $16 million he earned last year. The Yankees withdrew that offer after agreeing to an eight-year, $180 million deal with first baseman Mark Teixeira.

Meanwhile,Right-hander Zack Greinke and the Kansas City Royals agreed to a four-year, $38 million contract that avoided an arbitration hearing.

Coach Kay Yow dies at 66

North Carolina State's Kay Yow, the Hall of Fame women's basketball coach who won more than 700 games while earning fans with her decades-long fight against breast cancer, died Saturday. She was 66.

Yow, first diagnosed with the disease in 1987, died in the morning at WakeMed Cary Hospital after being admitted last week, university spokeswoman Annabelle Myers said.

"Everyone who had the privilege of knowing Kay Yow has a heavy heart today,She faced every opponent, whether on the basketball court of in a hospital room, with dignity and grace. She will be greatly missed." N.C. State athletic director Lee Fowler said in a statement.

Born March 14, 1942, Sandra Kay Yow originally took up coaching to secure a job teaching high school English at Allen Jay High School in High Point in the 1960s. Her boss, along with the boys' coach, agreed to help her plan practices and to sit on the bench with her during games. Midway through the season, Yow was on her own.

She spent four years there followed by another year in her hometown at Gibsonville High, compiling a 92-27 record. She moved on to Elon, going 57-19 in four seasons before being hired at N.C. State in 1975.

Her original cancer diagnosis came the year before coaching the United States to the gold in the Seoul Olympics. She had a mastectomy as part of her treatment, then discovered a lump in November 2004 close to where cancer was first discovered. She had surgery that December and started on a regimen of radiation and daily hormone therapy. Still, the cancer came back again and again.

Yow had a record of 737-344 in 38 years ,34 years with the Wolfpack in a career filled with milestones. She coached the U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal in 1988, won four Atlantic Coast Conference tournament championships, earned 20 NCAA tournament bids and reached the Final Four in 1998.

She also was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2002, while the school dedicated "Kay Yow Court" in Reynolds Coliseum in 2007.

She served on the board of the V Foundation for Cancer Research, which was founded by ESPN and her friend and colleague, former N.C. State men's coach Jim Valvano, who died of cancer in 1993.

There were moments of silence to honor Yow before several basketball games Saturday, including before the N.C. State-Boston College men's game in Boston. Duke — one of N.C. State's closest ACC rivals also honored Yow before the men's game against Maryland.

In her final months, Yow was on hormonal therapy as the cancer spread to her liver and bone. But she never flinched or complained, relying on her faith as the disease progressed. She commonly noted there were other patients with "harder battles than I'm fighting" and said it was inspiring for her to stay with her team.

Yow announced earlier this month that she would not return to the team this season after she missed four games because of what was described as an extremely low energy level.

Ramon Harris Release From Hospital

Kentucky guard Ramon Harris collapsed outside the team's locker room at halftime of its 61-51 victory over Alabama on Saturday and was taken by ambulance to a hospital.

Wildcats coach Billy Gillispie said after the game Harris hadn't been feeling well, then fainted. A teammate called for the trainer as they were coming out of the locker room.

"It's a serious deal when a guy faints,He threw up and they said after that they started thinking he was feeling a little bit better. They had a little shortness of breath to start, and that's what concerned them the most." Gillispie said.

However,Ramon Harris was released tonight from the DCH Medical Center and returned to Lexington, Ky., on the team charter.

Harris' vital signs were normal when he arrived at the medical center shortly after passing out just outside UK's locker room. Harris had shortness of breath and vomited at the arena.

Markakis' secured $66.1M deal

Right fielder Nick Markakis',secured a $66.1 million, six-year contract with Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday.

The agreement covers three years the 25-year-old would have been eligible for arbitration and the first three after he would have been eligible for free agency.

Markakis hit a career-high .306 with 20 homers and 87 RBIs for the Orioles last season, his third in the majors. He played in 157 games, drew 99 walks and led all AL outfielders with 17 assists.

His deal including for a $2.1 million signing bonus, $1 million upon approval and $1.1 million in April 2010.

Based on the contract,Markakis will alot of money.The star will gets $3 million this season, $6.75 million in 2010, $10.25 million in 2011, $12 million in 2012 and $15 million each in 2013 and 2014.

The deal includes a $17.5 million mutual option for 2015. He would get a $2 million buyout if the club declines but no buyout if he turns it down.

Howard seeks $18M in arbitration

The Philadelphia Phillies first baseman,Ryan Howard asked for $18 million in arbitration Tuesday, the third-highest figure submitted since the process began in 1974.

Philadelphia offered $14 million to the 2006 NL MVP, who is not eligible for free agency until after the 2011 season. Howard had a major league-leading 48 homers and 146 RBIs last year, helping the Phillies win their first World Series title since 1980. Before the season, he was awarded $10 million in arbitration rather than Philadelphia's $7 million offer.

Houston pitcher Roger Clemens set the record for highest request in arbitration at $22 million in 2005. Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is second at $18.5 million in 2001.

Howard's $4 million gap was the largest among players who exchanged figures with their teams. Tampa Bay and third baseman Willy Aybar had the smallest margin at $150,000, with the player asking for $1.05 million and the club offering $900,000.

Meanwhile, 111 players filed for arbitration last Thursday, just 46 exchanged figures with their teams. That group included Baltimore right fielder Nick Markakis, who has a tentative agreement on a $66 million, six-year deal.

Markakis, Madson get big deals

Nick Markakis reached a preliminary agreement on a $66 million, six-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles, meanwhile Ryan Madson struck a $12 million, three-year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies as players and teams rushed Monday to settle salary arbitration cases.

The deals with Markakis and Madson were contingent on the players passing physicals, a pair of separate people familiar with the agreements said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreements weren't final.

Markakis' deal, the second-richest in team history, covers three years he would have been eligible for arbitration and the first three after he would have been eligible for free agency. Markakis hit a career-high .306 with 20 homers and 87 RBIs for the Orioles last season, his third in the majors. He played in 157 games, drew 99 walks and led AL outfielders with 17 assists.

Madson was 4-2 with a 3.05 ERA in 76 games in 2008. The right-hander played a key role in a strong bullpen, helping the Phillies win their first World Series championship since 1980. Madson finished the season as the primary setup man for closer Brad Lidge, who was 48-for-48 in save chances, including the postseason.

The deal calls for Madson to receive a $1 million signing bonus, $2 million this season, $4.5 million in 2010 and $4.5 million in 2011. He would have been eligible for free agency after next season, and the deal is unusual because many of agent Scott Boras' clients opt to become free agents before agreeing to long-term contracts.

Myles Brand undergoing cancer treatment

The president of the NCAA,Myles Brand said Saturday that he had pancreatic cancer and that his long-term prognosis was not good.

Brand, 66 years old, has led the N.C.A.A., the governing body of college sports, since year 2003. He disclosed his condition in a written statement to colleagues on the final day of the N.C.A.A. convention in Oxon Hill, Md., which he was unable to attend. He said he learned of the diagnosis “very recently.”

“I am currently undergoing chemotherapy, and I am receiving excellent care.I will know in the next several months the success of this treatment.” Brand said in the statement.

Thursday’s state of the N.C.A.A. speech was delivered by Wally Renfro, the organization’s vice president. Renfro said Brand would remain in charge with no change in duties. Brand, the former president of Indiana, is perhaps best known for his dismissal of Bob Knight in 2000 for violating a “zero-tolerance” policy for misbehavior.

Henderson and Rice Elected to Hall

A baseball star,Rickey Handerson career is glorious by a speed and a success he had achieved.Because of that, Henderson was elected into the Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot.

While Henderson rumbled into the Hall with 94.8 percent of the vote, Jim Rice are going through a closing door. He notched 76.4 percent of the vote; he was on 412 of the 539 ballots cast, meaning he got seven more votes than the required 405.outfielder Andre Dawson, who played 21 seasons, mostly with the Expos and Cubs, finished with 67 percent of the vote, and pitcher Bert Blyleven received 62.7 percent.Meanwhile, Mark McGwire whose career has been clouded by suspicions of steroid use, saw his percentage drop to 21.9 percent from 23.6 percent.

In order to be elected into the Hall,every players or competitor need 75 percent of the vote from 10-year members of the Baseball Writers Association of America.

“I feel great about it,It’s been a long time coming. I played baseball because I loved the game. I wanted to continue playing. It came to a time that I had to stop. And now that it has been five years, they have chosen me to go into the Hall of Fame. I cannot be any more pleased or thrilled about it.” Henderson said.

In his career as a baseball player,Henderson had played in 25 seasons and with nine teams, including four stints with the Oakland Athletics. He helped the A’s win a World Series title in 1989 and was voted the most valuable player a year later.

Rice, the feared hitter from the Boston Red Sox, was never a slam dunk with voters. It took Rice 15 ballots to get elected. But now Rice will share a stage with Henderson in Cooperstown. Unlike the traveling Henderson, Rice played his entire 16-year career with the Red Sox. He had 382 homers, 1,451 runs batted in, hit .298 and won one M.V.P. award.

Sports baseball club owner,Pohlad dies at 93

A billionaire and a sports baseball club Minnesota Twins owner,Carl Pohlad, died on Monday.He was 93 years old.During his time, Minnesota Twins won two World Series titles

The Twins and Major League Baseball each issued statements confirming his death. Pohlad was a "true leader in our sport for the past 25 years,Since the day Carl Pohlad entered Major League Baseball, he made significant contributions to our game,His devotion to the Minnesota Twins, the Twin Cities and Major League Baseball was remarkable. In my long career, I have never met a more loyal and caring human being. We will miss Carl and all of baseball joins me in sending our deepest condolences to the Pohlad family for the loss of our friend and partner." commissioner Bud Selig said.

"We've loved and respected him and are enormously proud of his accomplishments. And we will all miss him deeply" Sain Bob, Jim and Bill, a Pohlad's son