Sports Briefs

■ BASEBALL

Yankees sign Hawkins

The New York Yankees have signed right-handed relief pitcher LaTroy Hawkins on a one-year deal, the team said on Thursday. The 35-year-old moves to the Yankees after making 62 relief appearances for the Colorado Rockies last season. Hawkins is likely to take the mid-innings slot left vacant by Luis Vizcaino's move to the Rockies. The Yankees will be Hawkins' sixth Major League team. He has has also featured for the Minnesota Twins, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants and the Baltimore Orioles.



■ BASEBALL

Olivo joins Royals

Catcher Miguel Olivo signed a one-year deal with the Kansas City Royals on Thursday. Olivo had been the Florida Marlins No.1 catcher the last two years and batted .237 with six home runs and 60 RBI in 122 games this year. "Miguel is a talented catcher with a power bat and a very strong throwing arm," Royals general manager Dayton Moore told MLB.com. "With him and John Buck, they form one of the most powerful catching duos in baseball." The 29-year-old Dominican has also had stints with the Chicago White Sox, Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres during six major league seasons producing a career batting average of .239 with 61 homers and 224 RBI.



■ BASKETBALL

Boylan to lead Bulls

The slumping Chicago Bulls on Thursday named assistant coach Jim Boylan to replace the fired Scott Skiles to lead the team for the remainder of the season. Skiles was fired on Monday during his fifth season as the Bulls' coach, and the team subsequently suffered its fourth loss in five games, 94-79 to the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs. The team, which was expected to contend this season after three straight playoff appearances under Skiles, has a 9-17 record and is in last place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. Boylan, 52, was named the team's Interim Head Coach for the remainder of this season. He has been Skiles' lead assistant since 2004, and previously served as an assistant coach on four other NBA teams including the Skiles-led Phoenix Suns in 2000-2001. "Jim has paid his dues as an assistant coach and has his own ideas on the way he wants us to play," Bulls' executive vice president John Paxson said in a statement. "Many top assistants never get the chance to be a head coach in the NBA and Jim has assured me he will provide the necessary energy and commitment this position requires," Paxson said.



■ BASKETBALL

Marbury may not return

Stephon Marbury might not return to the New York Knicks this season, coach Isiah Thomas said on Thursday, a day after saying he expected the star point guard to be back. Marbury was expected to return from bereavement leave on Wednesday following the death of his father on Dec. 2 but missed a team flight to Orlando. He has missed eight of the Knicks' past nine games. Asked if Marbury would be back this season, Thomas said, "I don't know." A Knicks club spokesman later said he spoke with Marbury, 30, and was told that he plans to return some time after the new year. Marbury has been a question mark since leaving the team on Nov. 13 after Thomas told him that he was being dropped from the starting lineup. Missing a game against Phoenix, Marbury returned two days later and played as a reserve in the Knicks' next three games.