Fanfare 11/25/02

Baseball

Third baseman David Bell agreed to a $17-million, four-year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.

Bell hit .261 with 20 homers and 73 RBIs last season, helping the San Francisco Giants reach the World Series.

The free agent will replace All-Star third baseman Scott Rolen, traded by Philadelphia to St. Louis in July. Bell chose the Phillies over the Giants, where he played one year after 3 1/2 seasons with the Seattle Mariners.

Bell will get $3 million in 2003, $4.2 million in 2004, and $4.5 million in 2005 and 2006, plus a signing bonus of $800,000, the Phillies said.

Colleges

Murray State's Shane Andrus was named Sunday as the Ohio Valley Conference special teams player of the week.

Andrus kicked a 52-yard field goal as time expired Saturday to give the Racers a 37-35 win over Eastern Illinois and the conference's automatic bid to the Division I-AA playoffs.

Andrus hit all three field goals attempted as well as four extra points.

Teammate Tyrone Parks won the defensive award. The junior linebacker had 10 tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception.

Jason Ballard of Tennessee Tech was the conference's offensive player for the week. He ran for 184 yards and four touchdowns in Tech's 68-7 win over Tennessee-Martin.

Eastern Illinois' Nick Eller was newcomer of the week. Eller, a tight end, caught 10 passes for 75 yards and a touchdown.

Gymnastics

American Ashley Postell won the balance beam, and teammate Samantha Sheehan finished third in the floor exercise Sunday at the 36th Gymnastics World Championships in Debrecen, Hungary.

-- From wire reports