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Briefly

Baseball

It took the Yankees just eight days to sign their top pick in the amateur draft, with New York agreeing Wednesday to a minor league contract with Eric Duncan that gives the high-school third baseman a $1,275,000 signing bonus. The 18-year-old graduate of Seton Hall Prep in New Jersey is to report Friday to the Yankees' Tampa rookie team in the Gulf Coast League.

The Royals have purchased the contract of Jose Lima, who won 21 games for the Astros in 1999 and spent the last two months with the Newark Bears of the independent Atlantic League. The Royals assigned the right-hander to Triple-A Omaha of the Pacific Coast League on Wednesday.

Weighing crucial family time against another All-Star Game appearance, Barry Bonds said that he'd rather skip the July 15 event to spend the three days off with his father, who is seriously ill with lung cancer. Bonds, who leads all National League votegetters for the All-Star Game, continues to play well despite Bobby Bonds' illness dominating his thoughts.

Mariners closer Kazuhiro Sasaki is making his second trip to the disabled list after injuring his ribs while carrying a suitcase up a flight of stairs in his home. Seattle placed Sasaki on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to last Friday, before Wednesday night's game with the Expos.

Indians shortstop Omar Vizquel will have arthroscopic surgery on his right knee today, and will likely miss at least three weeks.

Former Cardinals player Danny Sheaffer was announced as the new Memphis Redbirds manager. Sheaffer took over for Tom Spencer beginning with Wednesday night's game against Fresno.

Basketball

Lakers guard Kobe Bryant will undergo surgery today in New York City to repair a tear in the tissue around his right shoulder socket. The surgery is scheduled to be performed at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center by Dr. Louis Bigliani, a shoulder specialist, the Lakers said.

The Pistons are set to take 7-foot-1 Darko Milicic with the second pick in the NBA draft. Carmelo Anthony, the other player most considered in the running to follow Cleveland's selection of LeBron James in the draft order, canceled his scheduled workout with the Pistons.

Jeff Van Gundy was pleased with his appearance. He promised it wouldn't last. Van Gundy, whose hard-driving approach to coaching often causes him to look haggard, was introduced as coach of the Rockets on, less than two years after he abruptly left the Knicks.

Colleges

A high-ranking official at the University of Washington said that football coach Rick Neuheisel's status hadn't changed and that an investigation, opened when NCAA officers visited campus last week, was continuing. Neuheisel has been scrutinized since disclosing last week that he participated in gambling pools with neighbors on the NCAA basketball tournament. The NCAA bans gambling on college sports by coaches, athletic staff or athletes.

Hockey

Ed Olczyk was teary-eyed minutes after being hired as the Penguins' coach, and it wasn't because he is taking over a team that could easily be the NHL's worst next season. Olczyk understands the tremendous gamble the Penguins are taking by hiring such an inexperienced coach. A Penguins broadcaster for three years, Olczyk hasn't coached at any organized level since ending his NHL playing career in 2000.

Grant Fuhr made his living as the last line of defense on one of hockey's great offensive powerhouses. He did it so well that he was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame. The goaltender became the third player from the Oilers' dominating teams of the 1980s to make the Hall. He won five Stanley Cups with Edmonton while the Oilers were playing a wide-open style.

Oilers coach Craig MacTavish signed a three-year contract extension. The Oilers have a 115-82-35-16 record and two playoff appearances in MacTavish's three seasons as coach. Edmonton was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Stars this season.

Defenseman Ken Daneyko is seriously considering ending his 18-year NHL career on a high note after the Devils' third Stanley Cup title in nine years. Daneyko, 39, planned to discuss the situation with his family and Devils chief executive Lou Lamoriello during the offseason, but he indicated he was leaning toward retirement.

Motorsports

Owner-driver Brett Bodine will race Sunday with Hooters as a sponsor for the last time after the company said it no longer wanted to back the unsuccessful team. Hooters was the team's primary sponsor last season and through the first half of this season.

On the air

GolfU.S. Open Championship, 10 a.m., ESPN, 2 p.m., WPSD, 4 p.m., ESPN

MLB

Houston at N.Y. Yankees, noon, ESPN2

St. Louis at Boston, 6 p.m., Fox-Midwest, KZIM-960, KBXB-97.9

NHL

NHL Awards, 7 p.m., ESPN2

CHARTER CABLE KEY:CNBC (ch. 53), ESPN (42), ESPN2 (43), Lifetime (49)Fox-Midwest (45), Fox-Central (352), Fox-Pacific (353), Fox-Sunshine (351), Fox-World (350), FX(50), KBSI (9), KFVS (7), MSNBC (55), Outdoors (38), Outdoor Life Network (74), Oxygen (75), Speed Channel (44), TBS (10), The Golf Channel (46), TNT (48), WDKA (17), WPSD (6), WQWQ (33), WSIL (3). Listings and times are provided by the networks and individual stations and are subject to change.

Area events

BaseballJackson Sr. Legion vs. Sheridan (Ark.), Jonesboro (Ark.) Tournament, 1 p.m.

Cape Sr. Legion vs. Sylvan Hills (Ark.), Jonesboro (Ark.) Tournament, 2:15 p.m.

Dexter American at Cape Sr. Babe Ruth A's (2), 6 p.m.

Jackson Jr. Legion at Sikeston (2), 6 p.m.