Melvin extended; Brewers reject Sveum

Doug Melvin will get a three-year contract extension as the general manager of the Milwaukee Brewers, but the team also said yesterday Dale Sveum is no longer under consideration to become manager. Sveum was promoted from his coaching position and served as interim manager after Ned Yost was fired with 12 games left in the regular season. Melvin said he would recommend to the next manager that Sveum stay on the coaching staff. Ruling out Sveum "allows us to widen our search to experienced managerial candidates," Melvin said. Sveum told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel by phone from his Scottsdale, Ariz., home that he was shocked by the news. "Basically, my heart was ripped out of my chest," he said, adding the odds are against his returning to coach under a new manager . . . Scott Boras won a $550,000 decision against Detroit Tigers outfielder Gary Sheffield when an arbitrator decided the agent should be paid for eliminating a 2004 option that allowed Sheffield to become a free agent.

The NHL cut Michael Peca's suspension for making contact with an official to five games after the Columbus Blue Jackets center met with officials about the Oct. 10 season opener in which he grabbed an official by the arm. Peca will forfeit more than $35,000 in pay . . . The Washington Capitals recalled forward Chris Bourque, son of Bruins Hall of Famer Ray Bourque, from Hershey . . . St. Louis Blues backup goaltender Chris Mason is expected to miss two weeks after emergency appendectomy surgery Thursday.

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer stayed on track to meet in another final by winning their quarterfinals at the Madrid Masters. Top-ranked Nadal downed Feliciano Lopez, 6-4, 6-4, and second-ranked Federer eliminated ninth-seeded Juan Martin del Potro, 6-3, 6-3. Nadal will meet Gilles Simon, who outlasted Ivo Karlovic, 7-6 (7-1), 4-6, 7-6 (7-2). Federer will face fourth-seeded Andy Murray, who beat Gael Monfils, 6-2, 6-2 . . . Venus Williams beat Francesca Schiavone, 6-3, 6-3, in the quarterfinals of the Zurich Open. Williams, seeded third, next faces second-seeded Ana Ivanovic, who defeated Petra Kvitova, 6-1, 6-4.

Marc Turnesa holed out from 159 yards for eagle on the par-4 18th hole to offset a 17th-hole double bogey and maintain a share of the lead in the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas. Turnesa shot 64 to match Matt Kuchar (63) at 18-under 126 - one off the PGA Tour's 36-hole record for score in relation to par . . . Brittany Lang shot a 1-under 71 for a share of the second-round lead at 4-under 140 with Suzann Pettersen (72) in the inaugural Kapalua (Hawaii) LPGA Classic . . . Andy Bean finished with a 7-under 65 to take the first-round lead at the Administaff Small Business Classic in Woodlands, Texas, on the Champions Tour.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Delonte West contemplated quitting before leaving the team's training camp to seek help for depression and "a mood disorder" he has been battling his entire life. West, who recently signed a two-year contract with Cleveland, said he removed himself from the team to "get my thoughts back together." . . . Wladimir Klitschko will defend his International Boxing Federation heavyweight title against Alexander Povetkin of Russia Dec. 13 in Mannheim, Germany. Povetkin is undefeated in 16 fights with 12 knockouts . . . Former Tour de France champion Alberto Contador is ready to welcome disgraced cyclist Alexandre Vinokourov back to the Astana team but remains guarded about Lance Armstrong's return. Contador said having two riders fighting for the same Tour title would create a "delicate" situation.