Sports briefs 12/12/03

Baseball

The Kansas City Royals hope they filled one of their most pressing needs Thursday by signing catcher Benito Santiago. The veteran was signed to a two-year $4.3 million deal that calls for yearly salaries of $2.15 million.

Left-hander Mark Buehrle agreed to a three-year, $18 million deal with the Chicago White Sox. The contract includes a club option for 2007.

The Seattle Mariners agreed to multiyear contracts with two key contributors from last season, switch-hitting outfielder Randy Winn and right-hander Ryan Franklin.

Basketball

Bulls forward Scottie Pippen will have surgery on his left knee today with the intention of playing again. Pippen has missed eight of the team's first 20 games, all but one because of pain and swelling in his left knee.

Colleges

LSU coach Nick Saban received 22 votes in balloting by the panel of sports writers and broadcasters on the Associated Press football poll, beating out Southern California's Pete Carroll by five to win the AP's Coach of the Year award. Oklahoma's Bob Stoops and Tulsa's Steve Kragthorpe tied for third with four votes each.

Mississippi quarterback Eli Manning was one of four Heisman Trophy finalists to be honored, capturing the Maxwell Award as the nation's best all-around player. Oklahoma's Jason White won the Davey O'Brien Award as the top quarterback, Pittsburgh's Larry Fitzgerald got the Biletnikoff Award for best receiver, Michigan's Chris Perry earned the Doak Walker Award as top running back and Ohio State's B.J. Sander won the Ray Guy Award as top punter.

Football

The survivors of Korey Stringer owe the Vikings and other defendants in the family's lawsuit more than $47,000 in court fees, a judge ruled. In April, a judge threw out most of the lawsuit's claims and dismissed the allegations of negligence against the Vikings and their employees.

NFL owners may be asked to consider the possibility of two Monday night games each week to avoid the recurring problem of meaningless late-season games in the league's showcase telecast. Commissioner Paul Tagliabue floated the idea Thursday on HBO's "Inside the NFL."

Miscellaneous

Baseball's Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield, boxer Shane Mosley and Oakland Raiders teammates Bill Romanowski and Barret Robbins were among athletes to appear Thursday before a grand jury probing BALCO, a nutritional supplements lab. The federal investigation is focusing on possible drug and tax violations by BALCO.

-- From wire reports