briefly nov25

Baseball

• Three-time All-Star catcher Jason Kendall was close to being traded from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Oakland Athletics for a pair of pitchers, a baseball official told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The Pirates would get left-handed starter Mark Redman, who went 11-12 with a 4.71 ERA, and left-handed reliever Arthur Rhodes, who was 3-3 with nine save and a 5.12 ERA, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity,

Kendall, a 30-year-old California native, has a no-trade clause. His agent informed the Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield on Wednesday that he would waive the clause to play for the A's, a person close to Kendall said, also on the condition of anonymity.

Basketball

• Former Chicago Bulls star Scottie Pippen won an $11.8 million judgment against a Chicago financial adviser who sank the basketball player's money into questionable investments, according to court papers.

Pippen entrusted Robert Lunn and his firm, Lunn Partners LLC, with $17.5 million, the Chicago Tribune reported in Wednesday's editions.

The seven-time All-Star was referred to Lunn by other advisers, Pippen attorney Bob Cummins said. He added that Pippen was considering legal action against others involved in managing his affairs.

Colleges

• University of Colorado officials have spoken with former Naval Academy athletic director Jack Lengyel about serving as interim athletic director at CU, but said Wednesday that no final agreement had been reached.

The Daily Camera of Boulder reported that Lengyel would begin work Dec. 1, the day after athletic director Dick Tharp officially resigns, and that Neinas Sports Services would help look for a permanent replacement.

CU-Boulder Chancellor Richard Byyny confirmed Wednesday that Lengyel was among potential candidates and that CU was considering using a consultant to find a permanent hire, but said there were no final agreements.

Lengyel, former president of both the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and Division I-A Athletic Directors, could not be reached for comment.

High school

• A Springfield basketball coach will have to watch his team from the sidelines after receiving a season-long suspension for allegedly contacting a player who had been registered to attend a rival high school.

The Illinois High School Association delivered the sanction Tuesday to Springfield High School boys coach Pat McGuire.

McGuire denied any wrongdoing and said he planned to appeal.

Tennis

• Defending champion France and Russia easily won opening singles matches Wednesday to take 2-0 leads in the Fed Cup semifinals.

France's Nathalie Dechy defeated Spain's Maria Sanchez Lorenzo 6-2, 6-4 after Tatiana Golovin won the opener 6-3, 6-3 over Anabel Medina Garrigues.

In the second semifinal at the top team event in women's tennis, U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia defeated Yvonnes Meusburger of Austria 6-1, 6-1, and French Open champion Anastasia Myskina routed Patricia Wartusch 6-0, 6-0.

The best-of-five semifinals resume Thursday with singles and doubles. The finals are this weekend.

-- From wire reports