Off the wire

BASEBALL Rangers pick up Choo

The Rangers have made another Texas-sized deal to improve their offense. Free-agent outfielder Shin-Soo Choo agreed to a $130 million, seven-year contract with the Rangers, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Saturday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because there was no official announcement about the deal that is pending a physical for Choo. That person said the physical is expected to be done before Christmas, and that any formal introduction in Texas likely wouldn’t come until after the holiday Wednesday. The deal came a month after the Rangers acquired five-time All-Star first baseman Prince Fielder in a trade with Detroit for second baseman Ian Kinsler, their primary leadoff hitter. Texas gets the best offensive player left in free agency, with both additions to be under contract through the 2020 season.Choo’s deal, worth about $18.6 million per season, is the third-highest this offseason. Second baseman Robinson Cano received $240 million over 10 years from Seattle and outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, like Choo, a client of agent Scott Boras, signed a $153 million, seven-year contract with the New York Yankees. Choo could be at the top or in the middle of the Texas lineup. He was Cincinnati’s leadoff hitter for 143 games last season, when he had a .423 on-base percentage with 20 stolen bases and 21 home runs.

BASKETBALL Harris needs team

Damontre Harris is on the move again. The former South Carolina starter has left No. 16 Florida and been granted permission to transfer anywhere he would like. After two years with the Gamecocks, Harris joined the Gators in 2012 and sat out last season under NCAAtransfer rules. He was suspended this fall and never played for Coach Billy Donovan. Donovan said Harris wasn’t disrespectful. “He was a nice kid and never blamed anybody for what was happening,” Donovan said. “We tried to help him off the court and help him with some of thechallenges he was dealing with, but there was never this reciprocation of wanting to be helped or wanting to do the things necessary.” Florida said Harris completed the semester in good academic standing.

Center Brook Lopez has broken a bone in his right foot again, leaving the Brooklyn Nets without their leading scorer as they try to turn around a disappointing season. The team said Saturday that Lopez was hurt during its 121-120 overtime loss at Philadelphia on Friday. The Nets said they would issue another update this week after consultation with their doctors. Lopez had the same injury, a fractured fifth metatarsal, when he was limited to five games in the 2011-2012 season. He underwent surgery following last season to replace a bent screw in the foot. Lopez is averaging 20.7 points and 6.0 rebounds in 17 games.He has missed nine games with a sprained left ankle. There was no indication he was seriously injured Friday, when he played 44 minutes. The 7-footer from Stanford didn’t miss a game during his first three seasons in the NBA but hasn’t made it through a full season since. He missed seven games last season when he sprained the same foot. The Nets are just 9-17 after entering the season with huge expectations. They have Andray Blatche and Reggie Evans as possible replacements on the bench, or could move Kevin Garnett to the center position, as the Boston Celtics did last season.

Marv Wolfenson, one of the two businessmen who brought the NBA back to Minnesota, has died.Timberwolves spokesman Brad Ruiter told The Associated Press on Saturday that Wolfenson died in La Jolla, Calif. Ruiter did not know any other details. The Star Tribune in Minneapolis reported that Wolfenson died Saturday morning. He was 87. Wolfenson and Harvey Ratner were the Timberwolves original owners when the NBA granted them and Minnesota an expansion franchise that began play in 1989. They also owned a series of Twin Cities health clubs. They were responsible for building Target Center. They sold the team to Mankato businessman Glen Taylor in 1994. Ratner died in 2006. The team released a statement Saturday,saying the organization was deeply saddened and that Wolfenson will be remembered as a mentor, friend and “incredible” businessman.

HORSE RACING Groom wins handicap

Strapping Groom drew off to a 6½-length victory in the $98,000 Gravesend Handicap on Saturday at Aqueduct. The 6-year-old trained by David Jacobson and ridden by Junior Alvarado took charge turning for home, rolling to his ninth victory in 26 starts. Palace, the 3-5 favorite who had won three consecutive stakes, closed for second but was no match for the winner. The time was 1:09.74 for six furlongs on the track rated good. Strapping Groom paid $5.40, $2.50 and $2.10 as the 8-5 second choice. Palace returned $2.10 and $2.10, and Abra returned $3.60 to show after setting the pace.

SWIMMING U.S. takes Pool Duel

In the tightest finish yet, the United States preserved its 100 percent winning Duel in the Pool record Saturday by beating the European All Stars in a tiebreaker race. Both teams were locked on 131 points after 30 events over two days at the Tollcross Swimming Centre in Glasgow, Scotland, after the U.S fought back from 68-54 down on Friday. In the extra, final race - a mixed 4x50-meter medley relay - Simone Manuel anchored the U.S. to victory, finishing 0.2 seconds ahead of British swimmer Francesca Halsall. The U.S. team has won all six Duels in the Pool - billed as the Ryder Cup of swimming - facing Australia in the first three editions before taking on the Europeans. The tight finish was in contrast to the first U.S.-Europe encounter in Manchester in 2009 when the Americans claimeda 185-78 victory.

HOCKEY Gaborik out again

In his first game back after missing 17 games with a sprained left knee, Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Marian Gaborik has sustained a broken collarbone. Gaborik was injured when sandwiched between Philadelphia Flyers Braydon Coburn and Zac Rinaldo while taking a shot midway through the first period of their game Saturday night. Gaborik’s shot went just wide, where teammate Nick Foligno collected it and passed to Ryan Johansen for the game’s first goal. Gaborik, 31, who has 341 goals and 345 assists in 787 career NHL games, immediately skated off the ice and went to the dressing room.

SOCCER

Bayern Munich wins Cup

Bayern Munich capped the greatest year in club history by beating Raja Casablanca 2-0 to win its first Club World Cup on Saturday. The European champions added a record fifth title to their trophy cabinet at the tournament of continental champions to go with the Champions League, Bundesliga, German Cup, and European Super Cup triumphs in 2013. Dante scored early to deflate the Moroccan hosts at Marrakech Stadium, and Thiago Alcantara put the Bavarians in command with his 22nd-minute goal. Unheralded Raja, which beatCopa Libertadores champion Atletico Mineiro in the semifinals, used its speed on the break and came close to scoring but ultimately couldn’t keep up with the German champions.

SKIING Vonn reinjures knee

Lindsey Vonn’s comeback hit another bump on the slope Saturday. After hitting a small compression rise during Saturday’s downhill at Val d’Isere, France, she came down hard on her damaged right knee and pulled out of the race by skiing off the course. Vonn told reporters she had “not hurt herself more than I’m already hurt” and felt she could still make it to February’s Sochi Olympics by cutting back on racing until then. In a tweet posted several hours after the race, Vonn suggested her entire anterior cruciate ligament is damaged again. Saturday’s race was her fourth World Cup race since undergoing reconstructive knee surgery after a crash last February and reinjuring the knee in an early November crash.