Sports briefs 10/29/05

Baseball

• Boston Red Sox assistant general manager Josh Byrnes was hired Friday as general manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The 35-year-old Byrnes replaces Joe Garagiola Jr., who resigned to become senior vice president of baseball operations in the commissioner's office.

College

• Former Iowa basketball star Pierre Pierce was sentenced Friday to four years in prison for assaulting a former girlfriend last January. Pierce, originally from Westmont, Ill., pleaded guilty in August to third-degree burglary, assault with intent to commit sexual abuse, false imprisonment and fourth-degree criminal mischief.

Iowa coach Steve Alford dismissed Pierce from the team days after police confirmed the player was the focus of a criminal investigation. He was the Hawkeyes' leading scorer at the time.

Hockey

• St. Louis Blues wing Keith Tkachuk will be out three to five weeks with cracked ribs, the team said Friday.

Tkachuk had an MRI exam Thursday that revealed the injury. It came after two previous tests did not find the damage to Tkachuk's rib cage, the Blues said.

Tkachuk, who has appeared in just two games this season, was hit by a stick in the midsection during a 4-1 loss to Nashville on Oct. 15.

-- From wire reports