BASEBALL
Astros sign Fister
Doug Fister agreed to a $7 million, one-year contract Thursday with the Houston Astros. Fister, 31, was 5-7 with a 4.19 ERA in 15 starts and 10 relief appearances last season for Washington. He was 16-6 with a 2.41 ERA for the Nationals in 2014, when he finished eighth in NL Cy Young Award voting. The right-hander is 65-63 with a 3.42 ERA in 167 starts and 13 relief appearances in seven major league seasons that also included time with Seattle (2009-2011) and Detroit (2011-2013). His 1.77 walks per nine innings is the lowest among active pitchers with 1,000 or more innings. Coming off its first postseason appearance in a decade, Houston projects to have a starting rotation that includes AL Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel (Arkansas Razorbacks), Collin McHugh, Mike Fiers and Lance McCullers. Scott Feldman and Brad Peacock also are options.
GOLF
Brown, Loupe tied
Scott Brown finished with eight birdies over his last 11 holes for a 6-under par 66, giving him a share of the lead with Andrew Loupe in the PGA Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego. Brown and Loupe had a one-shot lead over five players, including Billy Horschel, who all played the North Course at Torrey Pines. Defending champion Jason Day, who missed the pro-am because of the flu, made his tee time but not a lot of birdies. He shot 72 on the North Course. That was one shot better than Rickie Fowler, who won Sunday in Abu Dhabi and couldn’t buy a putt on the North Course in his round of 73. Andrew Landry (Arkansas Razorbacks) shot a 76 on the South Course. Bryce Molder (Conway) struggled on the South Course, shooting a 77.
Michelle Wie was stung by a bee in the season-opening Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic, and second-ranked Inbee Park withdrew because of back pain after the second-worst round of her LPGA Tour career. Wie was stung on the palm of her right hand on the 16th hole, her seventh of the day at the windy Ocean Club. She finished with a 3-over 76 to fall eight strokes behind first-round leaders Paula Creamer, Charley Hull, Alison Lee, Ashlan Ramsey, Catriona Matthew, Mika Miyazato and Haru Nomura. Gaby Lopez (Razorbacks) shot a 71 and Stacy Lewis (Razorbacks) had a 73.
FOOTBALL
Wilcox new Wisconsin DC
Former Southern California assistant Justin Wilcox is poised to become the defensive coordinator at Wisconsin. Badgers Coach Paul Chryst on Thursday announced the hiring, which was pending approval from the university’s Board of Regents. Wilcox spent the last two seasons as USC’s defensive coordinator. He was fired after Clay Helton took over the Trojans’ head coaching job full time after the regular season ended and before USC faced Wisconsin in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 30. Wilcox’s defense struggled for stretches last season despite a wealth of five-star talent. In 2014, USC was in the top 20 in turnover margin, red zone defense and third-down conversion defense. Wilcox has 10 years of experience overall as a coordinator.
HOCKEY
Toews to miss All-Star Game
The NHL said Thursday that Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews won’t participate in All-Star festivities in Nashville after he left a game this week with an illness. That came one day after the Washington Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin pulled out of All-Star weekend with a lower-body injury that the team said had been bothering him since November. Ovechkin and Toews by rule are suspended for the first game after the All-Star break, the same punishment the Pittsburgh Penguins accepted last year with Sidney Crosby. The NHL’s rule was first used in 2009 against Detroit Red Wings stars Nicklas Lidstrom and Pavel Datsyuk, and now it has been levied against five of the league’s top players. Nashville Predators right wing James Neal will replace Toews on the Central Division team.
FOOTBALL
Missouri dismisses QB Mauk
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri dismissed quarterback Maty Mauk from the football program Thursday after a series of missteps that included three suspensions over the past four months.
New coach Barry Odom said he met with Mauk in December and gave him a fresh start. But Missouri suspended Mauk again this week after a brief video was posted to Twitter. It shows a person appearing to snort a white, powder-like substance and the tweet mentions Mauk by name.
Odom said Thursday he believed the video was from “a long time ago,” but it was clear Mauk had violated team rules in recent weeks and that was the reason for the dismissal. The decision to kick Mauk off the team came three days after the video was posted.
“I also made it very clear what our expectations would be moving forward,” Odom said of their December meeting. “After gathering information and speaking with a number of individuals this week, it is clear Maty has failed to live up to those expectations.”
Odom said the school would offer to help Mauk get his life and academic career straightened out.
“Our hope is that he will grow from this and we wish him the very best in his future endeavors,” Odom said.
Mauk, a junior, was suspended on Nov. 1 following an incident at a downtown bar not long after returning from a suspension on Sept. 29 for an undisclosed violation of team policy.
The move, coupled with the decision of backup Eddie Printz to transfer, leaves little doubt Drew Lock will be the starter next year. Lock was thrust into the job as a freshman last season after Mauk’s stumbles, and the Tigers offense was among the worst in the country, scoring in single digits in five of the last seven games.
Mauk was 17-5 as the starter. In 2014 he was sixth in the SEC in total offense while throwing for 25 touchdowns.