Briefs | Baseball: Mets make $36M offer to Derek Lowe

Baseball

Mets offer Lowe three-year deal: After methodically studying the starting pitchers left on the free-agent market, the New York Mets have determined that Derek Lowe would be the best addition to their club. The Mets have shown that by offering Lowe a three-year contract for about $36 million, according to The New York Times.

Lowe, a durable pitcher with a superb sinker, was 14-11 with a 3.24 earned-run average for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season.

Blue Jays sign Maroth, three others: Pitcher Mike Maroth, catcher Michael Barrett and two other players signed minor-league contracts with the Toronto Blue Jays and were invited to spring training. Catcher Raul Chavez and infielder Randy Ruiz also joined Toronto.

Rays sign reliever Nelson: Right-handed reliever Joe Nelson, 34, signed a $1.3 million, one-year contract with the AL champion Tampa Bay Rays.

Nelson was 3-1 with one save in 59 appearances for the Florida Marlins last season. His 2.00 ERA was third best among NL relievers.

Snyder agrees to deal with Diamondbacks: Catcher Chris Snyder, 27, and the Arizona Diamondbacks reached agreement on a three-year contract with a club option for the 2012 season.

Swimming

Auburn coach diagnosed with brain tumor: Richard Quick, Auburn's men's and women's swimming and diving coach, has been diagnosed with an inoperable cancerous brain tumor.

Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs said assistant coach Brett Hawke would serve as acting men's coach and co-head women's coach Dorsey Tierney-Walker will run the women's team while Quick, 65, seeks treatment.

Quick was the head coach of the U.S. team at the 1988, 1996 and 2000 Olympics.

Quick has also coached at Stanford, where he picked up seven NCAA titles, and at Texas, winning five NCAA titles.

Hockey

Carter lifts Flyers past Canucks: Jeff Carter had a goal and an assist for the Philadelphia Flyers, who earned a 3-2 victory over the host Vancouver Canucks but lost top forward Simon Gagne just 15 seconds into the game with an undisclosed upper-body injury.

Scott Hartnell and Jon Kalinski also scored for the Flyers. Daniel Sedin and Ryan Kesler netted Vancouver's goals.

Sundin joins practice: Center Mats Sundin, 37, practiced for the first time with the Vancouver Canucks after signing as a free agent before Christmas.

The Canucks, still missing top goalie Roberto Luongo, added some netminder insurance by acquiring Jason Labarbera from the Los Angeles Kings for a seventh-round pick in the 2009 draft.

Labarbera will join Curtis Sanford and rookie Cory Schneider, who have been sharing goaltending duties since Luongo was placed on the injured list Nov. 23 because of a groin injury. Luongo has resumed skating but isn't expected to be ready for game action for at least three weeks.

United States rolls past Kazakhstan: The United States coasted into the world junior championship playoffs with a 12-0 rout of Kazakhstan in Ottawa. The U.S. will play Canada in a matchup of 3-0 teams today.

Tennis

Sharapova withdraws from event: Defending Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova has withdrawn from a Hong Kong exhibition tournament because she is still recovering from a shoulder injury just weeks ahead of the first Grand Slam of the year.

Soccer

Aston Villa triumphs: Aston Villa won 1-0 at Hull, moving into fourth place in the Premier League on an own-goal by Kamil Zayatte in the 88th minute.

Liverpool backs Gerrard: Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, charged with assault in connection with a bar fight, received the support of his team, which expects him to remain a vital part of the club as it bids for its first English league title since 1990.

Speedskating

Richardson, Davis win first sprint titles: Heather Richardson and Shani Davis won their first sprint national titles on the final day of the U.S. Long Track Speedskating National Championships in West Allis, Wis.

Richardson, from High Point, N.C., repeated Monday's sweep in the 500- and 1,000-meter races. Davis, from Chicago, swept the 1,000 and was second in the 500 both days.

Boxing

WBA reviewing Valuev's win over Holyfield: The WBA is reviewing Nikolai Valuev's win over Evander Holyfield by majority decision in a Dec. 20 heavyweight title bout.

Seattle Times news services