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Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
Ryan Callahan scored for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
Kobe Bryant hit a baseline jump shot with 4.2 seconds left and the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up a six-game road trip by holding on to beat the Raptors 94-92 on Sunday, their eighth victory in nine meetings with Toronto
Arc's five up, five down: After No. 11 Michigan State's 58-48 upset of No. 3 Ohio State, you'd be a fool to discount the Spartans' national title chances now.
Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
Eleven shots separated Phil and Tiger Sunday at Pebble Beach as Lefty secured his 40th Tour win. Jason Sobel had hole-by-hole reports.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
Tessa Worley of France fought off gusting winds to win a second consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday in the Andorran Pyrenees. Overall leader Lindsey Vonn was more than a second behind and finished eighth.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
Orioles signed RHP Luis Ayala to a one-year, $925,000 contract with a $1 million club option for 2013.
Ayala had to settle for a minor league deal last offseason, but he's getting a guaranteed contract after posting a 2.09 ERA and a 39/20 K/BB ratio over 56 innings with the Yankees last season. The 34-year-old right-hander will give O's manager Buck Showalter another experienced late-inning option setting up for projected closer Jim Johnson.
Orioles designated OF Matt Angle for assignment.
He was cleared to make room for the newly-signed Luis Ayala on the 40-man roster. Angle, 26, batted .177/.293/.266 with one home run, seven RBI, 11 stolen bases and a .559 OPS over 95 plate appearances with the O's last season. He can play all three outfield positions, has plus-speed on the basepaths and some patience from the left side of the plate, so he could draw some interest on waivers.
Indians avoided arbitration with SS Asdrubal Cabrera by agreeing to a one-year, $4.55 million contract.
Cabrera had asked for $5.2 million when figures were exchanged, while the Indians countered at $3.75 million, so they settled a little above the midpoint. Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported earlier Friday that little progress had been made between the two sides, but evidently they closed ground in a hurry, allowing the Tribe to avoid their first arbitration hearing since 1991. Both sides are interested in a long-term extension, but for now they'll settle for the one-year pact. Cabrera is slated to hit free agency after the 2013 season.
Red Sox signed RHP Sean White to a minor league contract.
It's not clear whether he'll receive an invitation to spring training. White spent all of 2011 at Triple-A in the Rockies organization, posting an ugly 5.68 ERA and 1.85 WHIP over 53 appearances. He'll serve as minor league depth.
White Sox signed RHP Mitch Mustain to a minor league contract.
A former college quarterback at Arkansas and USC, Mustain hasn't pitched since high school but said he hit 90 mph on the radar gun during a recent tryout in front of a White Sox scout. At 23 years old and not having played baseball since 2005, obviously the odds are long that Mustain's baseball career will ever amount to anything. It's an interesting little story, though, at least. He'll report to spring training on March 8.
Nationals signed RHP Mitch Atkins to a minor league contract.
We're assuming the deal includes a spring training invite. Atkins, 26, had an 8.44 ERA over three starts with the Orioles last season and a 5.44 ERA over 17 starts with Triple-A Norfolk. He's a longshot to win a bullpen spot on the Nationals' Opening Day roster.
Orioles signed 1B Nick Johnson to a minor league contract.
Johnson will also get a spring training invite. The oft-injured 33-year-old returned from wrist surgery last season and batted just .201/.316/.332 with six home runs, 13 RBI and a .648 OPS over 216 plate appearances with the Indians' Triple-A affiliate. While he's obviously no sure thing, he could find himself in the mix at first base if Chris Davis struggles.
Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.
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