Giant signing: S.F. brings on Big Unit

Randy Johnson and the San Francisco Giants agreed to an $8 million, one-year contract yesterday, meaning the 45-year-old pitcher will go for his 300th win with a new team. He can earn an additional $5 million in performance bonuses. The Giants offered several things on the Big Unit's wish list: spring training in the Phoenix area, and a chance to stay on the West Coast and in the NL West so he can pitch near his current home in Arizona. The 21-year veteran and five-time Cy Young Award winner has 295 victories after going 11-10 with a 3.91 ERA in 30 starts last season with the Diamondbacks. He also is in reach of 5,000 career strikeouts, needing 211. Johnson fortifies a Giants rotation that includes 2008 Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and Barry Zito.

University of New Hampshire sophomore James van Riemsdyk scored twice and Boston University's Colin Wilson added a goal and two assists for the United States, which opened the World Junior Hockey championship with an 8-2 rout of Germany in Ottawa. Drayson Bowman also scored twice and Jordan Schroeder had a goal and three assists for the US team. "No matter who you are playing, you want to have a good start to the tournament and get the ball rolling," van Riemsdyk said. "We wanted to play well. We got rid of some nerves out there and we got better as the game went on." In other action on the first day of the tournament, Russia topped Latvia, 4-1, Sweden beat Finland, 3-1, and host Canada blasted the Czech Republic, 8-1. The US team faces the Czechs tomorrow . . . Mikko Lehtonen and Martins Karsums scored in the shootout, giving the Providence Bruins a 3-2 win over the Sharks in an AHL game in Worcester. Tuukka Rask stopped 46 of 48 shots for the Bruins and allowed only a score by Ryan Vesce in the shootout.

Cal Poly's Rich Ellerson was hired as Army's coach, joining a team that hasn't had a winning record since 1996. He replaces Stan Brock, who was fired Dec. 12 after a pair of 3-9 seasons. Under Ellerson, Cal Poly made it to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs twice and was ranked as high as No. 3 this season. He was 56-34 in his eight years at Cal Poly. Ellerson, 55, was defensive coordinator at Arizona from 1997 to 2000 and his nearly 30 years of college coaching include a stint as head coach at Southern Utah. Ellerson grew up with Army football - his father and two brothers were West Point graduates . . . Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio got a new contract, a deal that will pay him a $2 million bonus if he remains with the program into 2016. The revised contract was announced in Orlando, Fla., where the No. 19 Spartans (9-3) are preparing to play No. 16 Georgia (9-3) on New Year's Day in the Capital One Bowl. Dantonio's overall compensation will rise to $1.8 million per year, up from $1.13 million. Dantonio has a 16-9 record in two seasons with the Spartans.

Utah Jazz forward Paul Millsap will miss 7-10 days because of a sprained knee ligament. He injured his left knee Tuesday night in Milwaukee, but returned to play the second half in a brace. Millsap is scheduled for another MRI Monday . . . The MLS champion Columbus Crew re-signed defender Chad Marshall to a multiyear contract. The 2008 MLS defender of the year helped the Crew defense allow the third-fewest goals (36) in the league . . . Jockey Sam Thompson Jr. died Christmas Day, five days after he was thrown from a quarter horse following a race in Los Alamitos, Calif. The 36-year-old rider had been on life support at Los Alamitos Medical Center since the Dec. 20 accident . . . Mixed martial arts fighter Justin Eilers was shot to death during a domestic disturbance in Canyon County, Idaho. He was 30.