Brewers owner may push for salary cap

Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark Attanasio said baseball may need to impose a salary cap to preserve competition after the New York Yankees spent $424 million to sign three players, capped by yesterday's signing of Mark Teixeira to an eight-year, $180 million deal. New York also signed lefthander CC Sabathia for seven years and $161 million and got pitcher A.J. Burnett for five years and $82.5 million. "At the rate the Yankees are going, I'm not sure anyone can compete with them," Attanasio said. "Frankly, the sport might need a salary cap." Baseball is the only one of the major US professional sports that operates without a salary cap . . . One of the losers in the Teixeira sweepstakes, the Los Angeles Angels, said they don't plan to pursue Manny Ram??rez. General manager Tony Reagins said the club is "going to give our younger players an opportunity to play." Along with returning outfielders Vladimir Guerrero, Torii Hunter, Reggie Willits, and Gary Matthews Jr., the Angels re-signed Juan Rivera to a $12.75 million, three-year deal last week . . . Another team that failed to land Teixeira, the Washington Nationals, signed five players to minor league contracts: outfielder Corey Patterson, righthander Jorge Sosa, lefthander Gustavo Chacin, infielder Jose Castillo, and catcher Gustavo Molina.

Jacksonville Jaguars personnel chief James "Shack" Harris resigned, taking the fall for a franchise that flopped this season to a 5-10 record. Team owner Wayne Weaver promoted Gene Smith to the position. Smith previously served as the team's executive director of college and pro personnel. Harris received most of the blame after the disappointing play of two free agents, receiver Jerry Porter and cornerback Drayton Florence. Porter finished with 11 catches for 181 yards and a touchdown while Florence was relegated to playing mostly in nickel and dime situations . . . New York Jets defensive end Shaun Ellis was fined $10,000 by the NFL for throwing snow at fans following the team's loss at Seattle last Sunday . . . Crew chief Ed Hochuli, whose blunder helped decide the first game between the Broncos and Chargers - in favor of Denver - will not be working Sunday night's rematch between the teams that will determine the AFC West champion . . . The Broncos signed running backs Cory Boyd and Alex Haynes, both of whom were recently cut by the team, after losing Selvin Young (back) and P.J. Pope (hamstring) to season-ending injuries last week.

Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Haywood was hired as the coach at Miami (Ohio), becoming the sixth black coach among the 119 Bowl Subdivision schools. He replaces Shane Montgomery, who resigned last month. The RedHawks went 17-31 during his four seasons, 2-10 this season . . . Alabama's Nick Saban, who led the Crimson Tide to a 12-1 season and a spot in the Sugar Bowl, was selected the Associated Press Coach of the Year . . . Fresh off its first bowl win in 10 years, Arizona said it is close to finalizing a deal to extend coach Mike Stoops's contract by three years, through 2013 . . . Texas wide receiver Jordan Shipley, who leads the No. 3 Longhorns with 79 catches for 982 yards and 11 TDs, has been granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA. He missed the 2004 and 2005 seasons because of knee and hamstring injuries.

Basketball standout Candace Parker was selected Female Athlete of the Year by The Associated Press. Parker, 22, led Tennessee to a second straight national championship in women's basketball, was the first pick in the WNBA draft, took the league's MVP and Rookie of the Year awards, and helped the United States win its fourth straight Olympic gold medal . . . Boston College assistant Kevin Anderson has been named head men's soccer coach at Columbia . . . The Los Angeles Galaxy have signed goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, a veteran of the Jamaican national team.