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■ BASEBALL
Valentine nears deal
Chiba Lotte Marines manager Bobby Valentine said Thursday he is close to signing a new contract with the Pacific League club. "We've had very good meetings about going forward," Valentine said. "The terms offered were very good but nothing has been signed." Valentine, who has been mentioned as a candidate to fill managerial openings with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Devil Rays, just completed his second season with the Marines. He guided the team to their first Japan Series championship in 31 years last month. Lotte owner Akio Shigemitsu told reporters earlier Thursday that the team was close to reaching an agreement with Valentine. "We have basically agreed on a new three-year contract," said Shigemitsu.

■ FOOTBALL
Paul Tagliabue eyes LA
The National Football League and city of Los Angeles officials have reached a preliminary agreement on terms to bring a pro gridiron team back to the Los Angeles Coliseum. Commissioner Paul Tagliabue made the announcement Thursday on the steps of City Hall. But he didn't identify a potential tenant or speculate when Los Angeles might get the team. He also spoke positively about a team playing at a facility proposed for the parking lot of the Major League Baseball's Angel Stadium in Anaheim and didn't rule out the Rose Bowl in Pasadena as a possible home field, either. As Tagliabue entered a limousine, he was asked if he could assess the significance of what he had just announced. He replied, "I'd rather not try." The commissioner did say: "It's the first time we've had agreement on term sheets. We're one step closer, two or three steps closer. Whether it's 2009, 2010, or 2000-whatever, our goal is to have definitive agreements on all subject matters well before our league meetings in March."

■ SOCCER
MLS awards Twellman
New England Revolution foward Taylor Twellman, who led MLS with 17 goals this season, was selected as the league's most valuable player on Thursday, three days before he'll play in the MLS Cup championship game against the Los Angeles Galaxy in Frisco, Texas. The 25-year-old Twellman becomes only the third US-born player to claim the honor and first in five years, joining Tony Meola and Jason Kreis, and adds to the All-Star Game MVP award he won in July. This is the second time Twellman has led the league in scoring, matching the feat of his 2002 rookie season when he scored 23 goals and six assists. Twellman also scored his first goal for the US national team this year, tallying in a 2-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Panama last month. He played in five games for the national team this year. Twellman's father, Tim, and uncle Steve played in the old North American Soccer League. His uncle Jay Delsing is a member of the US PGA Tour, and his grandfather Jim Delsing played in Major League Baseball, pinch-running for 1.09m Eddie Gaedel in 1951.

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