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■ Baseball
A-Rod declines contract talk
Alex Rodriguez declined to talk about his contract situation on Thursday, one day after New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said he would not discuss an extension with the third baseman. Rodriguez has four seasons left in the record US$252 million, 10-year agreement he signed with the Texas Rangers before the 2001 season, but he can opt out of the deal after this season. He is owed US$27 million in each of the final three seasons -- with the Yankees responsible for US$50.7 million and the Rangers owing US$30.3 million, including US$9 million in deferred money.

■ Baseball
Selig hedges on retirement
Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig hedged slightly on his retirement plans on Thursday, saying he intends to leave in 2009 but that he's learned "never to say never." The 72-year-old Selig has been in charge of MLB since 1992, when he became acting commissioner. Voted to the job full-time in 1998, Selig said last year he intended to leave after his current term ends in 2009 in order to write and teach. While acknowledging that some owners want him to accept another extension, Selig said he remains intent on leaving. "I really think that's what's going to happen," he said.

■ Baseball
Cuba calls to open Classic
Cuba thinks several countries, and not just the US, should organize the 2009 World Classic. "We are firmly convinced that there should be a committee of participants and that that committee should choose a group to discuss the organization, the dates, the rules of elimination, the participants and everything else," Cuban Olympic Committee president Jose Ramon Fernandez said on Thursday. Major League Baseball and its players' association jointly ran the first edition of the Classic last year, when Japan beat Cuba 10-6 in the final at San Diego. While a final decision hasn't been made, it appears the second Classic will be played in March 2009. Fernandez, also one of Cuba's vice presidents, was "worried" about the 2009 tournament.

■ Football
Faulk expected to retire
Marshall Faulk, one of the most versatile running backs in NFL history, has scheduled a news conference for Monday and is expected to announce his retirement. Faulk, 34, did not play last season for the St. Louis Rams after undergoing reconstructive knee surgery and was hired as an analyst by the NFL Network. A seven-time Pro Bowler, Faulk is ninth on the NFL's all-time rushing list with 12,279 yards and sixth in all-purpose yards with 19,190. But Faulk's last 1,000-yard rushing season was back in 2001 and he served primarily as a backup to Steven Jackson in 2004 and 2005.

■ Football
Archuleta traded to Bears
The Washington Redskins on Thursday traded Adam Archuleta to the Chicago Bears, one year after making him the highest-paid safety in NFL history. The 29-year-old Archuleta earned US$5.6 million last year but was benched for the second half of the season except for special teams duty. Archuleta became the symbol for the team's disappointing 5-11 season last year after owner Daniel Synder brought in a host of well-paid but under-performing players. "We wish things could have worked out better with Adam, but we feel the trade is positive for him, the Bears and the Redskins," Redskins coach Joe Gibbs said in a statement.


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