BASEBALL
PLAYER GETS 2ND CHANCE IN MAJORS AFTER BEANING: MIAMI (AP) — Only hours before getting his second chance in the big leagues, Adam Greenberg admitted he was nervous. Not about facing one of baseball's best pitchers — but about some pregame antics his new Miami Marlins teammates had in store for him.
Greenberg signed a one-day contract to play Tuesday night as a pinch-hitter in the Marlins' game against the New York Mets, who planned to start 20-game winner R.A. Dickey.
The game was Greenberg's first since he stepped to the plate for his major league debut in 2005 and was hit in the back of the head by the first pitch he saw — a 92-mph fastball that derailed his career.
Greenberg, 31, took part in batting practice and said he was overwhelmed by the positive reception from his new teammates, who planned to treat him like any other rookie. Catcher John Buck said Greenberg would don a USA Speedo, blue tennis shoes and pink goggles for a pregame performance in the clubhouse.
The 5-foot-9 Greenberg said he hoped the game marks only the beginning of a career comeback.
MLB COMPLETES 8-YEAR DEAL WITH FOX, TURNER SPORTS: NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball agreed with Fox and Turner Sports on eight-year contracts that will run through 2021 and keep the World Series on Fox.
The amount baseball receives from the two networks will double to an average of about $800 million annually, with Fox's share averaging about $500 million.
"Both networks are passionate about baseball and are committed to covering, promoting and growing the sport, and I want to thank them for their continued support," Commissioner Bud Selig said Tuesday.
Fox also will retain rights to the All-Star game and a league championship series every year, and adds coverage of two division series starting in 2014. Fox broadcast the World Series in 1996 and 1998, and has had exclusive rights in 2000.
SWIMMIMNG
GERMANY WINS 1ST MIXED-GENDER SWIM RELAY IN DUBAIL DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Stroke by stroke, they were coming after her. Britta Steffen of Germany had the lead, but it was quickly shrinking, with two elite male swimmers in pursuit.But on this day — when top-level swimming featured its first male vs. female racing — Steffen made sure it was ladies first.
She held off the fast-charging men from Hungary and Ukraine to anchor her country to victory in a 4x50-meter medley relay at a short-course World Cup meet. She was embraced by smiling teammates as she jumped out of the pool.
Germany gambled by putting Steffen — a world record-holder in the 50 freestyle — on the final leg. But it proved a successful tactic when her teammates gave her a lead of half a pool length. Hungary's Krisztian Takacs and Ukraine's Sergii Frolov closed the gap, but Steffen guided Germany home by a comfortable margin.
Germany finished in 1 minute, 43.21 seconds — 2.10 seconds faster than Hungary. Ukraine was another 0.58 seconds back.
GOLG
OLAZABAL WON'T RETURN AS 2014 RYDER CUP CAPTAIN: LONDON (AP) — Describing the role as "torture" at times, victorious Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal ruled out the possibility of staying on for the 2014 competition at Gleneagles.
The Spaniard returned to Europe on Monday night, cradling the gleaming golden trophy and still reveling in Europe's stirring rally over the United States at Medinah on Sunday.
Spain's King Juan Carlos and tennis star Rafael Nadal were among those who sent Olazabal messages of congratulations after the 14½-13½ win that kept the cup in European hands.
But after seven matches as a player — during which he teamed up so effectively with the late Seve Ballesteros — and now another as a winning captain, he has come to the end of his 25-year Ryder Cup career.
TENNIS
AUSSIE OPEN PRIZE MONEY AT $31M, RICHEST IN TENNIS: MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australian Open organizers have increased prize money to a record $31.1 million for 2013 in response to player concerns about compensation at Grand Slam tournaments, making it the richest in tennis history.
Tournament director Craig Tiley said the $4.15 million increase announced Tuesday was the largest from one year to the next for the tournament and should attract the strongest available players.
Tiley also said he'd been in contact with Rafael Nadal, who indicated he was still targeting the Australian Open for his return to Grand Slam tennis from a left knee injury that has sidelined him since Wimbledon.
"Expect Rafa to be one of many great stories in January, including a formidable title defense from our brilliant reigning men's champion, Novak Djokovic, and some major challenges from the great Roger Federer, U.S. Open 2012 champion Andy Murray ..." Tiley said in a statement.
