Briefs | Baseball: Free-agent talks to heat up winter meetings

Baseball

No K-Rod talks, says agent: Francisco Rodriguez's agent won't start detailed discussions with teams until the winter meetings open in Las Vegas on Dec. 8.

Paul Kinzer, who represents the free-agent closer, doesn't expect the marketplace to get busy for another 10 days.

"I'll probably see the Mets at the winter meetings. I don't have anything else planned," he said Wednesday.

After saving a major-league-record 62 games for the Los Angeles Angels, K-Rod is seeking a five-year contract averaging about $15 million per season. The Mets, needing a closer following Billy Wagner's elbow operation, are viewed as a key suitor.

Kinzer doesn't expect Rodriguez to reach an agreement in the next week or two.

"I think it will be after the winter meetings. I don't know how long after," he said. "It doesn't take long after you get this started and everybody starts talking."

Scott Boras' clients usually sign later in the offseason, and his deals could help set market prices. Among the free agents he represents are outfielders Manny Ramirez and Garret Anderson; first baseman Mark Teixeira; catchers Jason Varitek and Ivan Rodriguez; third baseman Joe Crede; and pitchers Derek Lowe and Oliver Perez.

Rangers waive Loe: Kameron Loe was put on unconditional-release waivers by Texas, freeing him to sign with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks of Japan's Pacific League.

Tennis

Nadal, Federer to play at Qatar Open: Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will open the 2009 ATP season by playing at the Qatar Open. Qatar tennis federation president Nasser al-Kholiafi says Andy Murray and Andy Roddick will also take part in the hardcourt tournament, which begins Jan. 5.

Connors charged: Jimmy Connors, an eight-time Grand Slam champion, has been charged with disrupting campus activities, a misdemeanor, for an altercation last week before a basketball game between UC Santa Barbara and top-ranked North Carolina.

Auto racing

Ecclestone stumps for gold: Bernie Ecclestone is unhappy with the way the Formula One drivers' title was settled, and he says awarding gold medals to race winners is a way to create more drama.

The suggestion by the F1 boss comes after Lewis Hamilton clinched this year's title by finishing fifth at the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix. Ecclestone said he does not like that "someone can win the world championship without trying to win the race."

Under the proposed system, the driver with the most gold medals during a season would win the title. In that format, Felipe Massa would have won the title this year because he beat Hamilton 6-5 in race wins.

Soccer

Ching lifts Dynamo: Brian Ching, a former Gonzaga and Seattle Sounders standout, scored in the 13th minute for the Houston Dynamo, which held on for a 1-0 win over CD Luis Angel Firpo in the CONCACAF Champions League Group B. With the win, Houston advanced to the quarterfinal round of the CONCACAF Champions League tournament.

Hockey

Ex-player, coach dies: Armand "Bep" Guidolin, who at 16 became the youngest player to skate in an NHL game and later coached Hall of Famer Bobby Orr, has died. He was 82.

Guidolin was 16 years, 11 months when he made his NHL debut with the Boston Bruins on Nov. 12, 1942. The Bruins needed help because of players serving in World War II. He went on to play nine seasons in the NHL, recording 107 goals and 171 assists in 519 games with Boston, Detroit and Chicago.

After his playing career ended in 1961, Guidolin turned to coaching and was behind the Oshawa Generals' bench when Orr starred for the junior club. He coached Orr again in Boston.

Skiing

Miller tops in training: Defending overall champion Bode Miller was fastest during the opening day of training for the season's first World Cup downhill in Lake Louise, Alberta. He finished in 1 minute, 47.22 seconds on the men's Olympic downhill course.

The downhill is Saturday and the opening super-giant slalom is Sunday.

Vonn gets thumbs-up: World Cup overall champion Lindsey Vonn was cleared by a U.S. team doctor to compete this weekend in Copper Mountain, Colo., after bruising her left knee in a training fall last week.

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