Braves swap starter Hanson for Angels reliever Walden

(Reuters) - The Atlanta Braves borrowed from their starting rotation to boost their bullpen by trading Tommy Hanson to the Los Angeles Angels for hard-throwing reliever Jordan Walden, the Major League Baseball teams said on Friday.Both young pitchers have shown glimmers of greatness but slipped back last season.Hanson, 26, who broke into the majors midway through the 2009 season and went 11-4 with...

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Angels land slugger Hamilton in $125 million deal

(Reuters) - The Los Angeles Angels grabbed Major League Baseball's prized free agent for a second consecutive year on Thursday by signing slugger Josh Hamilton to a five-year, $125 million contract.Hamilton, a five-time All-Star who overcame drug and alcohol addictions to become one of Major League Baseball's most feared hitters, powered the Texas Rangers to consecutive World Series appearances in...

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Yankees sign former rival Youkilis to one-year deal

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former Red Sox rival Kevin Youkilis officially joined the New York Yankees on Friday when he signed a one-year contract to fill a void left by the absence of Alex Rodriguez, the American League team said.The three-time All-Star, 33, will serve as the starting third baseman with slugger Rodriguez expected to be sidelined until midseason after having surgery on his left hip.The...

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UPDATE 2-Baseball-MLB, players agree to expand drug testing

* HGH and testosterone testing to be used this season* WADA-accredited lab hails toughness of new MLB testing (Adds USADA comment in paras 5-7)Jan 10 (Reuters) - Major League Baseball and the players' union have agreed to expand their drug program to include random in-season blood testing for human growth hormone and a new test for testosterone, they said on Thursday.The advanced testing will start...

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MLB, players agree to expand drug testing

(Reuters) - Major League Baseball and the players' union have agreed to expand their drug program to include random in-season blood testing for human growth hormone and a new test for testosterone, they said on Thursday.The advanced testing will start this season, in what will be the sternest doping program in major North American professional sports."This agreement addresses critical drug issues...

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NFL's Junior Seau had disease from hits to head - report

Jan 10 (Reuters) - NFL linebacker Junior Seau, who committed suicide last year, had a debilitating brain disease, likely from 20 years of hits to the head, ABC News and ESPN reported on Thursday, citing researchers and his family as sources.Seau, 43, died in May after shooting himself in the chest. He had played for the San Diego Chargers and had a 20-year career in the National Football League.A...

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Golf-Rose, Dufner, Olazabal add more stardust to Qatar Masters

Jan 8 (Reuters) - Twice U.S. Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal, Briton Justin Rose and American Jason Dufner will join several other big names at this month's Qatar Masters, organisers said on Tuesday.World number four Rose and ninth-ranked Dufner join former world number one Martin Kaymer and Ryder Cup teammates Sergio Garcia and Paul Lawrie, who announced on Monday they would play in the $2.5...

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Rose, Dufner, Olazabal add more stardust to Qatar Masters

(Reuters) - Twice U.S. Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal, Briton Justin Rose and American Jason Dufner will join several other big names at this month's Qatar Masters, organizers said on Tuesday.World number four Rose and ninth-ranked Dufner join former world number one Martin Kaymer and Ryder Cup teammates Sergio Garcia and Paul Lawrie, who announced on Monday they would play in the $2.5 million...

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European events as strong as any in world: Tour chief

(Reuters) - Europe's economic plight has not affected the continent's premier golf circuit and the tour still has some of the best events in the world, chief executive George O'Grady said on Tuesday.The European Tour is increasingly spreading its wings beyond Europe to the Far East in terms of venues and O'Grady is full of optimism for this season despite the move to the U.S. PGA Tour of top performers...

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Japan's Abe set for second term, to tap allies for cabinet

 Shinzo Abe will be voted in as prime minister by parliament's lower house on Wednesday, giving the hawkish lawmaker a second chance at Japan's top job as the country battles deflation and confronts a rising China.Abe, 58, has promised aggressive monetary easing by the Bank of Japan and big fiscal spending by the debt-laden government to slay deflation and weaken the yen to make Japanese exports...

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U.S. moves to sell advanced spy drones to South Korea

 The Obama administration formally proposed a controversial sale of advanced spy drones to help South Korea bear more of its defense from any attack by the heavily armed North.Seoul has requested a possible $1.2 billion sale of four Northrop Grumman Corp RQ-4 "Global Hawk" remotely piloted aircraft with enhanced surveillance capabilities, the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency said...

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Pope's Christmas message focuses on Mideast, China

 In his Christmas message to the world Tuesday, Pope Benedict XVI called for an end to the slaughter in Syria and for more meaningful negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, while encouraging more religious freedom under China's new leaders.Delivering the traditional speech from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, Benedict also encouraged Arab spring nations, especially Egypt,...

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Daiwa CEO sees 2013 Nikkei rally on Abe economy boost

 Japan's Nikkei stock average could rally nearly 30 percent in 2013 due to an aggressive push to reflate the economy under the country's new premier, the chief executive of Daiwa Securities Group told Reuters in an interview.While securities executives are known for their bullish market predictions, the comments from Takashi Hibino reflect an optimism among business leaders that the policies...

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Obama to cut vacation short to deal with fiscal crisis

President Barack Obama is cutting short his Hawaiian holiday to leave for Washington on Wednesday to address the unfinished "fiscal cliff" negotiations with Congress, the White House said on Tuesday.As the clock ticks toward a January 1 deadline, efforts to avert a sharp rise in taxes and deep spending cuts have stalled, worrying world financial markets.Obama and congressional lawmakers left Washington...

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Reuters U.S. Sports Schedule at 2 p.m. EDT on Thursday, Dec. 20

Dec. 20 (Reuters) - Reuters U.S. sports schedule at 2 p.m. EST on Thursday:- - - -The duty editor is Steve Ginsburg, 202-898-8427- - - -National Football LeagueEnvelopes, pleaseAdrian Peterson or Peyton Manning? The worthiest NFL Comeback Player of the Year candidates could also be debated as the league's MVP. (FBN-COLUMN/, expect by 0100 GMT/8 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, by Frank Cooney, 500 words)-...

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AP Source: Jets will consider options with Sanchez

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Mark Sanchez is the former face of the franchise. He could soon be a former member of the New York Jets.The team will consider all their options regarding the beleaguered and benched quarterback in the offseason, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Thursday.The person, who requested anonymity because the team's personnel plans are private,...

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Barring setback, Redskins' RG3 looks good to go

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Robert Griffin III looks good to go.The Washington Redskins rookie had a full practice Thursday for the second straight day as the team prepares for this week's game against the Philadelphia Eagles."I like what I see," coach Mike Shanahan said. "If there is no setback, he should be ready to go."Griffin missed Sunday's win over the Cleveland Browns with a sprained right knee. On...

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NFL-Youtube video wins Norwegian kicker tryout with NY Jets

STOCKHOLM, Dec 20 (Reuters) - A Norwegian whose Youtube clip of spectacular trick shots has been watched over half a million times could be on the verge of a National Football League (NFL) contract as a kicker.The video caught the attention of professional teams in the United States, and Norwegian state broadcaster NRK has reported that its star, Havard Rugland, had a tryout for the NFL's New York...

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AP IMPACT: Steroids loom in major-college football

WASHINGTON (AP) — With steroids easy to buy, testing weak and punishments inconsistent, college football players are packing on significant weight — 30 pounds or more in a single year, sometimes — without drawing much attention from their schools or the NCAA in a sport that earns tens of billions of dollars for teams.Rules vary so widely that, on any given game day, a team with a strict no-steroid...

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Saints' suspensions tossed out in bounty case

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Finding fault with nearly everyone tied to the New Orleans Saints' bounty case, from the coaches to Roger Goodell, former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue tossed out the suspensions of four players Tuesday and condemned the team for obstructing the investigation. In a surprising rejection of his successor's overreaching punishments, Tagliabue wrote that he would "now vacate all...

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