ORIOLES GET OF JAI MILLER FROM OAKLAND FOR CASH: BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles have obtained outfielder Jai Miller from the Oakland Athletics, who parted with the part-time player for cash considerations.

Miller was designated for assignment by Oakland on Dec. 23 after the A’s received four players for pitcher Gio Gonzalez.

The 26-year-old Miller went 3 for 12 with a homer and two RBIs for Oakland last season after being called up in September. He played in 110 games with Triple A Sacramento, battiing .276 with 32 home runs and 83 RBIs. Miller also stole 16 bases without being caught.

Orioles president of baseball operations Dan Duquette says Miller will compete for a roster spot this spring.

In another deal Tuesday, Baltimore traded infielder Brandon Snyder to Texas for cash. Snyder played in six games with the Orioles last year.


Darvish visits Texas, where he could be pitching: ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Yu Darvish has arrived in Texas during the middle of a 30-day window that the AL champion Texas Rangers have to a agree to contract with the Japanese pitcher.

Rangers general manager Jon Daniels confirmed reports from Japanese media that Darvish was in the Dallas-Fort Worth area Tuesday.

Daniels, however, wouldn’t discuss the state of negotiations with Darvish or any plans for meetings during the pitcher’s visit.

The Rangers, who have won consecutive AL pennants, put in a record bid of about $51.7 million for the right to negotiate with Japan’s best pitcher. A 30-day negotiating window began when their bid was accepted Dec. 20 by the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters of Japan’s Pacific League.


Jagr has groin strain, could miss 10 days: PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Flyers forward Jaromir Jagr, who left the Winter Classic with a leg injury on Monday, has a mild left groin strain, and will miss seven to 10 days.

Jagr, 39, is in his first season with Philadelphia after three in Russia, and was one of this summer’s marquee free agents. The former Penguin, Capital and Ranger played only a minute of the second period at Citizens Bank Park in the Flyers’ 3-2 loss to the Rangers. He was replaced on Philadelphia’s top line by James van Riemsdyk.

Jagr has 12 goals, 31 points and is a plus-12 for the Flyers, who now trail the first-place Rangers by four points in the Atlantic Division. Philadelphia plays host to Chicago on Thursday at the Wells Fargo Center.


Classic was 5th most-watched NHL game since 1975: NEW YORK (AP) — The NHL Winter Classic between the host Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers was the fifth-most watched regular-season NHL game in 37 years.

New York’s 3-2 victory Monday at Citizens Bank Park, the fifth edition of the outdoor game, averaged 3.74 million viewers to NBC, according to fast national data provided by Nielsen Media Research on Tuesday.

The game produced a 2.1 rating and 4 share, tying the 2010 game. Last year’s prime time game had a 2.3 rating and 4 share. The rating this year grew every half hour from 5 p.m. EST until the end of the game.

The 2010 game, featuring the Flyers at Boston’s Fenway Park against the Bruins — the previous Winter Classic played during the afternoon — was watched by 3.68 million.


PSG president says Beckham won’t play in Paris: DOHA, Qatar (AP) — David Beckham will not join Paris Saint-Germain despite weeks of speculation that the 36-year-old former England captain was coming to play for the French club.

Team President Nasser al-Khelaifi, speaking to reporters Tuesday at the Qatar Open, confirmed the Beckham deal had fallen through.

“David Beckham is not coming. We feel a little disappointed,” al-Khelaifi said. “But both sides agreed it would be better that we not do the deal today. Maybe in the future.”

French media reports in recent weeks all pointed to Beckham’s arrival as a near certainty, with talk of an 18-month contract and an estimated monthly salary of $1.05 million. But then the French club’s sporting director Leonardo raised doubts, saying the deal might not happen due to family matters.

Leonardo has made no secret of his admiration for Beckham, but told a news conference that there are other factors that may influence whether Beckham joins when the transfer window opens next week.


Puebla says American Johnson will not join club: MEXICO CITY (AP) — Officials of Mexican club Puebla say American forward Eddie Johnson has failed a physical and will not be joining the first-division club.

Puebla spokesman Alfonso Sanchez Jimenez said Tuesday that Johnson trained with the team last week but then failed a fitness test.

Johnson has played for FC Dallas and the Kansas City Wizards in Major League Soccer. He has been without a team since leaving Fulham of the English Premier League in the summer. While in Britain, he also had stints on loan with Cardiff City and Preston North End.

Johnson had hoped to join fellow American DaMarcus Beasley at Puebla.


Motorcyclist found unconscious at Dakar Rally: SAN JUAN, Argentina (AP) — A French motorcyclist was in critical condition Tuesday after being found unconscious in remote sand dunes during the Dakar Rally.

Officials at Teodoro J. Schestakow Hospital said Sebastien Coue apparently crashed during the second stage and was exposed to temperatures above 104 degrees. It was unclear how long he had been exposed.

Joan Roma of Spain won the third stage while Krzysztof Holowczyc of Poland led overall. Frenchman Cyril Despres won the motorcycle stage to take first place overall.

The rally already has claimed three lives this year. Argentine bike rider Jorge Martinez Boero died in a crash Sunday. On the same day, the pilot of an ultralight plane and his son died when the aircraft went down while following the race.