briefs.dec11

Cubs trade Heredia for Alex Gonzalez

BOSTON -- The Chicago Cubs didn't take long to find their replacement at shortstop, acquiring Alex Gonzalez from Toronto on Monday for left-hander Felix Heredia and a player to be named.

Gonzalez takes over for free agent Ricky Gutierrez, who was not offered salary arbitration by the Cubs before last Friday's deadline.

The 28-year-old Gonzalez, who signed a $20 million, four-year contract during last year's winter meetings, batted .253 with career highs of 17 homers, 76 RBIs and 79 runs scored last year for Toronto. He had a .987 fielding percentage, fourth best in the majors among shortstops.

St. Louis drops its LPGA event for 2002

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis, say goodbye to Annika Sorrenstam.

The Michelob Light Classic in suburban St. Louis had drawn thousands of golf fans over the past eight years and made Sorrenstam a local favorite. But Gateway Sports Promotion Group announced Monday that it was unable to find a title sponsor after Michelob Light pulled out following the 2001 tourney.

As a result, the St. Louis stop has been removed from the 2002 LPGA schedule.

Gateway Sports president Mark Hersch said his company still hopes to find a sponsor in time for the 2003 LPGA tour.

NHL suspends four for roles in brawl

NEW YORK -- Anaheim's Kevin Sawyer, Calgary players Craig Berube and Scott Nichol and Flames coach Greg Gilbert were suspended by the NHL on Monday for their roles in a brawl at a game in Calgary on Saturday.

Sawyer was suspended for five games, Berube for three and Nichol and Gilbert for two.

A total of 279 penalty minutes were assessed in the final 85 seconds of the game, 182 of which went to Flames players. Calgary's 190 penalty minutes in the third period was an NHL record.

The brawl started after Berube was assessed charging and roughing penalties for skating into Ducks goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere at 15:44 of the third period.

Sawyer retaliated by striking Flames goalie Mike Vernon with his stick after Vernon made a save at 18:35. He was assessed a match penalty for attempt to injure.

Knicks make Chaney coach for rest of season

NEW YORK -- Don Chaney will be the head coach for the New York Knicks for the rest of this season. He has no guarantees beyond that.

Chaney officially was promoted Monday, taking over for the departed Jeff Van Gundy. Team president Scott Layden would not reveal contract terms, but Chaney was straightforward.

"I want to do the best I can do for the duration of this contract, which is this season," Chaney said. "You have to win to have longevity and to survive, but I've been around long enough and I've been in the last year of a contract before, and it doesn't bother me."

Chaney coached the Knicks to a victory over Indiana on Saturday night following Van Gundy's unexpected resignation.

OVC names Domercant player of the week

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. -- Henry Domercant of Eastern Illinois was honored Monday as the Ohio Valley Conference player of the week.

The junior guard had a career-high 36 points in the Panthers' win at Western Illinois and had scored 33 in a victory at Evansville earlier in the week.

For the two games, he pulled down 25 rebounds, made 12-of-14 free throws, shot 60 percent from the field and 56 percent from 3-point range.

Pam O'Connor of Eastern Illinois was the women's player of the week. The sophomore center had career highs of 26 points and 11 rebounds at Southern Illinois, then tied those marks with an identical effort at Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne.

-- From wire reports