South Korean baseball club Nexen Heroes announced Monday they’ve re-signed their 20-game winner Andy Van Hekken for his fourth season.The Seoul-based Korea Baseball Organization team said Van Hekken will return for $650,000 in salary, along with a $50,000 signing bonus and $100,000 in options. He made $350,000 this year.The 35-year-old left-hander is coming off his best KBO season, after going 20-6 with a 3.51 ERA and 178 strikeouts in 187 innings. (Yonhap)

BaseballDec. 1, 2014

BARCELONA (AP) ― Barcelona needed a stoppage-time goal by Sergio Busquets to secure a 1-0 win at Valencia on a day Spanish football was rocked by the death of a fan after a violent clash between rival supporters.A 43-year-old fan of Deportivo La Coruna died of injuries sustained Sunday in a street fight that broke out between Deportivo and Atletico Madrid supporters hours before their match in Madrid.Elsewhere in Europe, the defending champions in England and Italy both earned victories.Manchest

SoccerDec. 1, 2014

The national governing body of professional football said Monday it will retain the same structure for the top-flight competition next season, with clubs to be divided into two tiers in the fall.The K League said the 12 teams in the first-division K League Classic will each play 38 matches. They will first play 33 games from March 7 to Oct. 4, and then they will be split into the upper tier, or Group A, and the lower tier, or Group B, based on their records at that point.Teams will then play fiv

SoccerDec. 1, 2014

 Veteran striker Lee Dong-gook of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors was voted the MVP of South Korean professional football on Monday. The 35-year-old garnered 101 out of 112 votes to claim the top individual award in the first-division K League Classic, easily beating out FC Seoul defensive back Cha Du-ri, with six votes, and Suwon Bluewings' forward Santos, who had five. Lee finished second in the league to Santos with 13 goals and helped Jeonbuk win their third championship in six seasons.   Lee became

SoccerDec. 1, 2014

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors were the runaway champion as the 2014 K League Classic football season ended last weekend with some late drama.The 12 clubs each played 33 matches before they were divided into upper and lower tiers. They played five more matches within their group, and Jeonbuk clinched their championship on Nov. 8, with three matches remaining on the schedule.Jeonbuk finished with 81 points on 24 wins, nine draws and five losses, a whopping 14 points ahead of the runner-up, Suwon Bluewing

SoccerDec. 1, 2014

ROME (AP) ― Former figure skating world champion Carolina Kostner faces a proposed lengthy ban in the doping case involving her former boyfriend and Olympic race walking gold medalist Alex Schwazer.The Italian Olympic Committee’s antidoping prosecutor recommended that Kostner be banned for four years and three months ― longer than the 3 1/2-year ban that Schwazer is serving.The request was made as part of a widespread doping inquiry set off when Schwazer tested positive for EPO before the 2012 L

More SportsNov. 30, 2014

MANCHESTER, England (AP) ― Tottenham was among nine teams to qualify for the knockout stage of the Europa League on Thursday after beating Partizan Belgrade 1-0 in a match that was briefly suspended because of three separate pitch invasions.Inter Milan and Napoli also advanced to ensure there will be at least three Italian clubs in the last 32 of Europe’s secondary competition. Spurs’ victory, secured by Benjamin Stambouli’s 49th-minute winner, was overshadowed by a succession of pitch invasions

SoccerNov. 28, 2014

SAO PAULO (AP) ― Brazilian great Pele said Thursday he is not seriously ill, easing fears that his health deteriorated while being treated for a urinary tract infection.The 74-year-old Pele used his official Twitter account to deny widespread reports that said his condition worsened and that he was put in intensive care.“I want to take this opportunity to let you know that I am doing fine,” he said. “I was not put into intensive care today, I was simply relocated to a special room within the hos

SoccerNov. 28, 2014

MANCHESTER, England (AP) ― As the world of cricket reels from the death of Australian batsman Phillip Hughes, it’s hard to imagine that less than 40 years ago the first player to wear a full helmet during a cricket test match was booed by the crowd for his apparent cowardice.On that day in 1978, Australian left-hander Graham Yallop walked to the crease in Barbados to a backdrop of jeers, wearing an improvised motorcycle helmet ― complete with plastic visor ― to protect him from the short-pitch b

More SportsNov. 28, 2014

Cuban outfielder Yasmany Tomas is in the process of agreeing to a $68.5 million, six-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.The person spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the deal had not yet been completed. The person said several additional steps were necessary but the agreement was likely to be finalized in the next few days.MLB.com reported Wednesday a deal had been agreed to.Tomas, 24, hit .375 (6 for 16) for Cuba with

BaseballNov. 27, 2014

LONDON (AP) ― A criminal investigation into allegations of World Cup bidding corruption could be opened in Britain, with authorities urging whistleblowers to come forward with information.The Serious Fraud Office is pursuing “every reasonable line of inquiry, including working closely with appropriate overseas authorities,” the government department said according to a letter sent to a British legislator.The Swiss attorney general has already received a criminal complaint from FIFA against possi

SoccerNov. 27, 2014

SANTA CLARA, California (AP) ― Richard Sherman’s leaping deflection of a pass headed for Michael Crabtree in the corner of the end zone was the defining moment to seal last January’s NFC championship game that sent the Seattle Seahawks on their way to a Super Bowl win.The tip landed right in the hands of Malcolm Smith for the interception. Sherman’s mouthy response afterward ― along with a choking gesture toward Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers bench ― will certainly fuel San Francisco as the NFC

More SportsNov. 27, 2014