Report: Tigers put Sheffield on waivers

Tigers slugger Gary Sheffield, who has been complaining about playing time, was placed on waivers yesterday, according to ESPN.com in a report that cited a major league source. Teams would have until Thursday afternoon to place a claim on Sheffield, who has one year remaining on his contract (at $14 million) beyond this season. If he clears waivers, he could be traded to any of the other 29 teams. If he's claimed, the Tigers then would have 48 hours to deal him to the club that claims him. In other moves by the Tigers, pitcher Freddy Garcia, who had shoulder surgery last August and has been out of the majors since June 2007, agreed to a minor league contract, and struggling lefthanded starter Dontrelle Willis was promoted to Triple A Toledo.

The Dodgers activated infielder Nomar Garciaparra from the 15-day disabled list and placed center fielder Andruw Jones (sore left knee) on the DL, retroactive to Aug. 10. Garciaparra missed 14 games because of a strained medial collateral ligament in his left knee, which he injured while making a tag play covering third base against Washington. It was the third time he has been on the DL this year, the sixth time in three seasons with the Dodgers, and the 12th time in his 13-year career . . . The Reds called up outfielder Chris Dickerson from Triple A Louisville to fill the spot left by Adam Dunn's trade to the Diamondbacks Monday . . . Minor leaguers Victor Jorge of the Royals and Winfild De La Rosa and Ramon Mariano of the Diamondbacks were suspended for 50 games each after testing positive under baseball's minor league drug program.

Former Boston College star and longtime Rangers defenseman Brian Leetch joined forward Brett Hull and goaltender Mike Richter as inductees in the 2008 class of the US Hockey Hall of Fame. The four-member group also includes Cammi Granato, the all-time scoring leader for the US women's hockey team with 343 points in 205 games. Hull, one of the leading goal-scorers in NHL history with 741, recorded 1,391 points in a 20-year career that included Stanley Cup titles in Dallas and Detroit. Leetch, who played for the Bruins in 2005-06, was an 11-time All-Star in 18 NHL seasons. He won two Norris Trophies as the league's best defenseman and was a Stanley Cup playoff MVP. Richter was a three-time All-Star in a 14-year career with the Rangers.

Defending champion Harvard joined Yale as runaway picks to vie for the title in the Ivy League preseason media poll, each receiving eight first-place votes of the 17 cast and 124 total points. The Crimson (8-2, 7-0 Ivy in 2007) return 11 All-Ivy players. Brown (99 points) was the third pick followed by Penn (85), Princeton (58), Cornell (54), Dartmouth (47), and Columbia 21 . . . Dartmouth High senior tight end Arthur Lynch-Fontaine will play for Georgia in 2009, reneging on a verbal commitment to Boston College . . . Georgia offensive lineman Trinton Sturdivant will have season-ending reconstructive surgery after injuring his left knee in the team's first preseason scrimmage Monday. Sturdivant started all 13 games as a freshman in 2007 . . . Pittsburgh has lost starting defensive end Doug Fulmer to a knee injury, the third year in a row injuries have ended Fulmer's season.

Luke Donald had surgery on his left wrist Monday and will miss the remainder of the season, ending hopes of playing on the Ryder Cup team for Europe. Donald, who missed the British Open and PGA Championship, had surgery in New York to repair a tendon injury. He had hoped that rest would allow the wrist to strengthen, but there was little progress. The 30-year-old Englishman has played on the last two Ryder Cup teams and has a 5-1-1 record . . . Tiger Woods said he's begun riding a stationary exercise bike, but won't start swinging his clubs until next year. Woods said things are getting a "lot better," seven weeks after surgery on his left knee. He's also regained some weight after dropping 10 pounds since his June 24 surgery to reconstruct his torn anterior cruciate ligament . . . Todd Ezold of Westford GC drained a par putt on the first playoff hole to beat Daniel Falcucci of Cyprian Keyes and claim the Mass. Public Links title at Blissful Meadows GC in Uxbridge. Ezold fired a 2-under 70 to tie Falcucci (74) at 3-under 141.

The 76ers and restricted free agent Andre Iguodala have agreed to a six-year, $80 million contract, according to a report on ESPN.com citing NBA sources . . . The Detroit Shock have acquired six-time All-Star Taj McWilliams-Franklin from the Washington Mystics for forwards Tasha Humphrey and Shay Murphy and a 2009 second-round draft pick . . . The Court of Arbitration for Sport imposed a two-year ban on Spanish cyclist Iban Mayo for doping at the 2007 Tour de France. The verdict ended a yearlong investigation . . . Suspended middleweight boxer Joey Gilbert agreed to pay a $10,000 fine for a positive steroid test as part of a settlement with the Nevada Athletic Commission that will allow him to return to the ring next month . . . Boston College, the defending Atlantic Coast Conference champion, is ranked fourth nationally in a preseason poll by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Brown held the 11th spot and Massachusetts the 13th.