Off the wire

LITTLE ROCK — BASEBALL

Huff stays with Giants

First baseman/outfielder Aubrey Huff is staying put with San Francisco just as he’d hoped, agreeing to a $22 million, two-year contract with the World Series champions Tuesday. The Giants matched a similarly structured offer from another club - knowing full well Huff wanted to stay. Huff receives $10 million in each of the next two seasons, and the Giants have a $10 million club option for 2013 with a $2 million buyout. Huff hit .290 with a team-leading 26 home runs and 86 RBI while playing in 157 games, then batted .268 with 1 home run and 8 RBI in the postseason as the Giants won their first title since 1954. The 33-year-old Huff reached the playoffs for the first time in his 11-year big league career in his first year with the Giants. He hit a two-run home run in a 4-0 Game 4 World Series victory, then laid down his first career sacrifice bunt in the clincher.

Victor Martinez is joining the Detroit Tigers, bringing another powerful bat to a lineup that already includes slugger Miguel Cabrera. Martinez and the Tigers reached a preliminary agreement on a $50 million, four-year contract, a person familiar with the agreement told The Associated Press on Tuesday.The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal, which was subject to a physical, had not yet been announced. In 127 games this year with Boston, Martinez hit .302 with 20 home runs and 79 RBI. Although he started 106 games at catcher and can play first base, the Tigers might use him as a designated hitter. The Red Sox did offer Martinez arbitration.

The Texas Rangers have offered salary arbitration to Cliff Lee (Benton, Arkansas Razorbacks), meaning the American League champions will be compensated with draft choices if the free-agent lefthander signs with another team. Others offered arbitration included Washington first baseman Adam Dunn, Philadelphia outfielder Jayson Werth, Chicago White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko and pitcher J.J. Putz, New York Yankees pitcher Javier Vazquez and Tampa Bay outfielder Carl Crawford and closer Rafael Soriano.Among those not offered were Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter and pitchers Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera and Kerry Wood, Texas catcher Bengie Molina and designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero, Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Hideki Matsui, Atlanta utility man Eric Hinske (Razorbacks), outfielder Rick Ankiel and first basemen Troy Glaus and Derrek Lee, Phillies reliever Chad Durbin and White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski and designated hitter Manny Ramirez.

Baseball agent Scott Boras’ company supplied tens of thousands of dollars in loans and payments to the families of needy prospects in the Dominican Republic, The New York Times reported Tuesday. The report cited people with ties to Boras. The Times said the loans and payments raise questions about whether his company broke Major League Baseball Players Association rules governing the conduct of agents. Boras is perhaps baseball’s most powerful agent. The Times said that in a statement he declined tosay whether any loans were made, but he acknowledged his company had “aided” players and families in the past. Boras said such assistance has always been “consistent with” players’ union rules, which are in place to prevent prospects from becoming financially obligated to agents, The Times said. According to union regulations, loans of more than $500 per year made by agents to players and their families are forbidden unless the reason for the loan is revealed to the union, The Times said. A spokesman for the players’ association declined to comment about whether the loans made by Boras’ company had been disclosed to the union, The Times said.

MOTOR SPORTS

Hendrick shuffles lineup

Hendrick Motorsports made sweeping changes to its organization Tuesday, shuffling its lineup for every team except five-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson. Although the three-team crew chief swap likely was spurred by the ongoing struggles of Dale Earnhardt Jr., team owner Rick Hendrick was not pleased with the performance of three of his four race teams this season. It opened the door for the swap that sends crew chief Steve Letarte to Earnhardt’s team and moves Earnhardt into the same building with Johnson, who won his fifth NASCAR championship on Sunday. Lance McGrew now will be paired with Mark Martin (Batesville), and Alan Gustafson will work with four-time champion Jeff Gordon. Johnson won six races this season and earned his fifth title in Sunday’s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The other three drivers were winless, and only Gordon made the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship, finishing ninth in the final standings. The slump comes a year after Johnson, Martin and Gordon swept the top three spots in the final series standings.

BASKETBALL

Collison signs extension

Center Nick Collison has signed a multiyear contract extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder.General Manager Sam Presti announced the new deal Tuesday but did not disclose the terms. Collison has spent his entire career with the franchise since being drafted 12th overall in 2003 by the Seattle SuperSonics, who later relocated to Oklahoma City. Collison was a parttime starter for three seasons and is now the Thunder’s backup center. He has averaged 7.7 points and 6.6 rebounds in his career.

TENNIS

Federer tops Murray

Roger Federer beat Andy Murray 6-4, 6-2 Tuesday at the ATP World Tour Finals in London. Federer stretched his record to 2-0 at the season-ending tournament for the world’s top eight players. Robin Soderling defeated David Ferrer 7-5, 7-5 in the other Group B match, meaning all players still have a chance to advance. In doubles, Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski of Poland defeated top-ranked Bob and Mike Bryan of the United States 2-6, 7-6 (4), 10-8 in the late Group A match.

HOCKEY Wild claim O’Sullivan

The Minnesota Wild have claimed left wing Patrick O’Sullivan off waivers from the Carolina Hurricanes. The Wild also announced Tuesday that left wing Guillaume Latendresse needs two surgeries: for a torn labrum in his hip and for a bilateral sports hernia. In acquiring O’Sullivan, the Wild brought back their second-round draft pick in 2003. He was traded in 2006 to the Los Angeles Kings for Pavol Demitra before appearing in a game for Minnesota. O’Sullivan has bounced around since, appearing in 290 games over the last five seasons with Los Angeles, Edmonton and Carolina. The 25-year-old had one goal in 10 games for the Hurricanes this season.

The Phoenix Coyotes have placed center Kyle Turris on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. Turris was injured in Friday’s game against Edmonton and goes on the injured list retroactive to then. The team listed him as week-to-week.

The Carolina Hurricanes acquired center Ryan Carter from the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday in exchange for two prospects. The 27-year-old Carter has one goal and two assists in 18 games this season with Anaheim and is in his fifth NHL season. The Ducks will receive minor league forwards Stefan Chaput and Matt Kennedy. Both Chaput and Kennedy were with the Hurricanes’ American Hockey League affiliate in Charlotte. N.C.

FOOTBALL

Appeals court sides with NFL

A federal appeals court in Atlanta sided with the NFL and its players union Tuesday and upheld a judge’s ruling against six former NFL players who claimed $20 million in losses to an investment scheme fronted by a hedge fund manager later convicted of fraud. A three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the lower court’s ruling “in all respects,” handing the league and the National Football League Players Association a key legal victory. An attorney for the players - most of them former Denver Broncos - said no decision has been made about an appeal yet. The lawsuit claimed the NFL and the union should be held liable for the losses because of investments with hedge fund manager Kirk Wright, who the ex-players claim was endorsed by the union even though he had liens against him. It was filed by Steve Atwater (Arkansas Razorbacks), Ray Crockett, Al Smith, Blaine Bishop, Carlos Emmons (Arkansas State) and Clyde Simmons. Wright hanged himself in a suburban Atlanta jail in May 2008, days after he was convicted of leading an investment scheme that cost his clients - from the football players to his mother - millions of dollars. Prosecutors say he spent the money on jewelry, real estate and a $500,000 wedding.