Yankees get $26.9m bill, sign Wang

On the day they were hit with their highest luxury tax bill in three years ($26.9 million), the Yankees weren't reluctant to shell out another $5 million for Chien-Ming Wang. The 28-year-old righthander and the Yankees avoided salary arbitration yesterday when they agreed to a one-year contract. Wang was 8-2 with a 4.07 ERA in 15 starts last season before injuring a foot while running the bases at Houston in mid-June. He did not return. Wang made $4 million last season after losing in salary arbitration. The Yankees, whose streak of 13 consecutive playoff appearances ended last season, received their biggest tax bill since paying nearly $34 million for 2005. They were assessed a $23.9 million tax last year. The Detroit Tigers, who also failed to qualify for the postseason, are the only other team that must pay tax and owe $1.3 million to the commissioner's office. New York's payroll was $222.2 million and Detroit was second at $160.8 million. The threshold, $155 million, rises to $162 million next year . . . Shortstop Rafael Furcal denied he reneged on a deal with the Atlanta Braves before agreeing to a contract last week with the Los Angeles Dodgers . . . Catcher Ryan Doumit and the Pittsburgh Pirates agreed to an $11.5 million, three-year contract that includes a club option that could make the deal worth $26.5 million over five seasons . . . Pitcher Daniel Cabrera and the Washington Nationals reached a preliminary agreement on a one-year contract . . . Yankees catcher Damian Taveras and Baltimore Orioles pitcher Ambiorix Suero were suspended for 50 games each after positive tests for banned performance-enhancing substances under baseball's minor league program.

Carmelo Anthony's sore right elbow will keep him out of the Denver Nuggets' next three games. Anthony said he has two bone spurs - one in each elbow - and the team hopes resting him for a week will help. Anthony has been hampered by the injury since training camp . . . The Oklahoma City Thunder signed former Nets center Nenad Krstic to an offer sheet. The Nets' 2002 first-round pick has been playing in Russia this season after receiving a qualifying offer from New Jersey. The Nets have seven days to match the offer or the 7-foot Serbian would be free to join the Thunder. The offer is believed to be slightly more than $15 million for three years, the Star-Ledger of Newark reported . . . Team doctor Steve Lombardo recommended surgery for Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar, who hurt his left knee last week. Farmar has not decided whether to have surgery . . . Yi Jianlian is being investigated by a Chinese-language magazine that claims he is one of many of the country's athletes guilty of lying about their age on official documents. Yi, who plays for the New Jersey Nets, reportedly is older (born in 1984) than his records show (born in 1987).

Two New Hampshire skiers were happy to bid good riddance to the Gran Risa slalom course. In a World Cup race originally scheduled for Val d'Isere, France, earlier this month that was postponed because of heavy snowfall and made up in Alta Badia, Italy, Bode Miller and slalom specialist Jimmy Cochran were disqualified during the opening run. With a two-leg combined time of 1 minute 39.83 seconds, Ivica Kostelic of Croatia won for his second podium in two days in Alta Badia. He was second in Sunday's giant slalom. Jean-Baptiste Grange of France finished second - 0.20 seconds behind. The top American was Ted Ligety in 12th. Grange retained his lead in the slalom standings with 180 points. Kostelic is next with 145, and defending overall winner Miller, who cut a gate too close for his second unfinished race in two days, is third with 80.

Ron English became the fifth black coach at the 119 Football Bowl Subdivision schools, taking over for the fired Jeff Genyk at Eastern Michigan. English was Louisville's defensive coordinator this season after spending five years at Michigan on Lloyd Carr's staff. The other black coaches in the FBS are Buffalo's Turner Gill, Miami's Randy Shannon, Houston's Kevin Sumlin, and New Mexico's Mike Locksley . . . Sophomore quarterback Sam Bradford of Oklahoma was voted the Associated Press college football player of the year, beating out the same two quarterbacks he beat in capturing the Heisman Trophy - Colt McCoy of Texas and Tim Tebow of Florida . . . Boston University senior Marisha Schumacher-Hodge was named to the All-America soccer team by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

The MIAA state girls' hockey championships will be held at TD Banknorth Garden for the first time this season. The Division 1 final and the boys' Division 2 final will take place the evening of March 7. The Division 2 girls' final will precede the boys' 1A, 1, and 3 finals March 15 . . . Robert Warzycha is the new coach of the MLS champion Columbus Crew. Warzycha, a Crew assistant the past six seasons, takes over for Sigi Schmid, who was recently hired as coach of the expansion Seattle Sounders FC . . . Norwegian rider Tony Andre Hansen was stripped of his Olympic bronze medal in team jumping after his horse tested positive for a banned pain-relieving medication at the Beijing Games . . . The International Cycling Union asked the Court of Arbitration for Sport to prevent Alexandre Vinokourov from making a comeback before the Tour de France. The UCI believes the 35-year-old rider should have been banned for two years for blood doping during the 2007 Tour.