Sports briefs 1/6/04

Baseball

The Expos traded pitcher Scott Stewart to the Indians on Monday for a pair of minor leaguers, outfielder Ryan Church and infielder Maicer Izturis. Stewart, 28, was 3-1 with a 3.98 ERA in 51 relief appearances last season. He missed 47 games from mid-July thru Sept. 1 after an emergency appendectomy. Church, 25, hit .261 with 13 homers and 52 RBIs in 99 games at Double-A Akron last season. Izturis, 23, batted a combined .270 in 138 games with Akron and Triple-A Buffalo.

The Mariners have reached agreement to trade third baseman Jeff Cirillo to the Padres for pitcher Kevin Jarvis, catcher Wiki Gonzalez and infielder Dave Hansen, The Associated Press learned. The deal was to be announced today, according to a baseball source who spoke on condition of anonymity. Cirillo, who has struggled mightily since joining the hometown Mariners, blocked a deal last month to the Mets that would have sent outfielder Roger Cedeno to Seattle.

The Kansas City Royals appear to have the inside track on signing free-agent slugger Juan Gonzalez, the player's agent said. Agent Alan Nero said Royals' general manager Allard Baird had traveled to Phoenix to meet with Gonzalez, 34, and that Royals manger Tony Pena had also been in personal contract with him.

The Rangers added some depth to their infield, signing free agent Eric Young to a one-year contract. Primarily a second baseman, Young batted .250 with 20 doubles, a career-high 15 home runs and 34 RBI in 125 games with the Brewers and Giants in 2003. He also stole 28 bases and is fifth among active players.

Danys Baez, who lost his closer's job with the Indians at midseason, apparently will get a chance to save games for the Devil Rays. Tampa Bay has agreed to terms with the free agent reliever, who passed a physical Monday.

Basketball

Stephon Marbury is returning to his hometown as part of a blockbuster trade between the Knicks and Suns. The Knicks acquired Marbury, Penny Hardaway and Cezary Trybanski from Phoenix for Antonio McDyess, Howard Eisley, Charlie Ward, Maciej Lampe, the rights to Milos Vujanic, two first-round draft picks and cash, Suns owner Jerry Colangelo confirmed.

Colleges

Eastern Kentucky's Jon Bentley was named the Ohio Valley Conference's player of the week after he averaged 11.8 points and 4.8 rebounds in four games over the holiday. Southeast Missouri's Dainmon Gonner was the newcomer of the week. The junior forward scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds in an Indians' win over North Texas.

Southern Illinois point guard Jamaal Tatum will be suspended for one game after being charged with breaking a window at a police station, coach Matt Painter said. Tatum, 19, will sit out Wednesday's game against Indiana State. Tatum, of Jefferson City, Mo., was arrested Saturday after refusing to show police officers his identification, said interim Carbondale Police Chief Steve Odum. After Tatum was released, Odum said he broke a window at the station. He was booked again, this time for damaging state property, a class four felony, Odum said.

Paperwork for Arkansas coach Houston Nutt's new contract had not been completed Monday and Nutt had yet to sign his updated $1.5 million deal. University attorney Scott Varady said he was still waiting for instructions on what to draw up for signatures by Nutt and university officials. Nutt turned down a $2 million offer to coach at Nebraska, instead opting for a fresh contract with Arkansas.

Arkansas junior cornerback Ahmad Carroll announced that he will forgo his final year of eligibility, becoming the fourth Razorback to leave early for the NFL draft. Carroll earned first team All-Southeastern Conference honors after recording 43 tackles, including six for losses.

Football

Brian Westbrook, the Eagles' leading scorer with 13 touchdowns, will miss the playoffs because of a torn triceps muscle. The Eagles had hoped Westbrook could play out the season before having surgery, but a second opinion ruled out the possibility. Westbrook split time with Correll Buckhalter and Duce Staley this season, and was Philadelphia's main punt returner.

Hockey

Mike O'Sullivan may not have taken the shot, but he will be credited with a historic goal for the United States. O'Sullivan had a pair of goals in the third period as the United States rallied from a two-goal deficit and claimed its first gold medal at the World Junior Hockey Championships with a 4-3 victory over Canada.

-- From wire reports