BASEBALL

MADDUX, THREE CARDINALS WIN NL GOLD GLOVES

Greg Maddux won his 14th Gold Glove award yesterday and three members of the NL champion St. Louis Cardinals were honored as the top-fielding players at their positions. Maddux is closing in on Jim Kaat’s record for pitchers of 16 Gold Gloves.

Center fielder Jim Edmonds won his fifth straight Gold Glove and seventh overall, third baseman Scott Rolen won his fifth in a row and sixth overall, and catcher Mike Matheny got the award for the second straight year and third time overall.

Los Angeles outfielder Steve Finley won his fifth Gold Glove, his first since 2000, and Dodgers shortstop Cesar Izturis was the only first-time winner, taking over from the Cardinals’ Edgar Renteria. Atlanta outfielder Andruw Jones won for the seventh straight season, Colorado first baseman Todd Helton won his third award, and Florida’s Luis Castillo repeated at second base.

PAVANO BECOMES FREE AGENT

Carl Pavano became a free agent yesterday after meeting with Florida Marlins’ management and telling the team he wanted to test the market.

A 28-year-old right-hander who went a career-best 18-8 with a 3.00 ERA this season, Pavano is likely to be among the most coveted free agents, which could put him in the middle of a bidding war between the World Series champion Boston Red Sox and the Yankees, baseball’s biggest spenders. Other free-agent pitchers include Pedro Martinez, Brad Radke, Russ Ortiz, Eric Milton, Matt Morris, Derek Lowe, and Kevin Millwood. Players can start negotiating money terms with all teams starting November 12.

Pavano has a 57-58 record in seven seasons with the Expos and Marlins. He was drafted by Boston in 1994, then was sent to Montreal after the 1997 season with Tony Armas Jr. for Martinez. He had surgery to remove elbow chips in 2000 but has been healthy since. Pavano allowed one run in nine innings against the Yankees in the 2003 World Series and went 2-0 with a 1.40 ERA in two postseason starts and six relief appearances.

PHIL GARNER WILL REMAIN ASTROS MANAGER

In a move that was expected for weeks, manager Phil Garner was retained by the Astros yesterday, two days after Tim Purpura replaced Gerry Hunsicker as general manager.

Garner, 55, took over on an interim basis after Jimy Williams was fired during the All-Star break and guided the Astros within a victory of their first World Series berth.

Garner and other Astros officials are making plans to visit free-agent outfielder Carlos Beltran in his native Puerto Rico later this week in an effort to get him to re-sign. Improving team speed and upgrading the defense are also top priorities, along with straightening out the pitching staff.

MANUEL WILL MANAGE PHILLIES

Charlie Manuel will be the next manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, replacing the fired Larry Bowa, baseball officials told the Associated Press last night. Manuel will be introduced at a news conference today or tomorrow.

The 60-year-old Manuel managed the Cleveland Indians from 2000-02. He takes over a talented but underachieving club that hasn’t reached the playoffs since 1993.Manuel spent the last two seasons working as a special assistant to Phillies general manager Ed Wade. Bowa was fired with two games remaining in a disappointing season in which the Phillies finished 10 games behind first-place Atlanta in the NL East.

Manuel, Jim Leyland, and Jim Fregosi were the three finalists for the job, according to one of the sources.

FOOTBALL

PATRIOTS’ LAW OUT FOR AT LEAST A MONTH

Ty Law’s foot injury could not have come at a worse time for the New England Patriots. Coach Bill Belichick confirmed yesterday that Law will not play Sunday against the St. Louis Rams, and a representative for the Pro Bowl cornerback said he’ll miss four to six weeks with a broken bone in his left foot.

SEAU OUT FOR SEASON, MAYBE FOREVER

Junior Seau avoided a major injury for 15 NFL seasons – until now. A torn pectoral muscle has ended Seau’s season, and perhaps his career. The Dolphins linebacker will undergo an operation today in San Diego, and he’ll decide later whether to return in 2005.

Seau, 35, has missed only nine games during his career. In an emotional farewell speech to his teammates, the former Pro Bowl linebacker said he regretted leaving when the Dolphins (1-7) have the NFL’s worst record.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

MISSOURI PLACED ON PROBATION

Missouri’s basketball team was placed on three years’ probation yesterday for NCAA recruiting violations but avoided a ban on postseason play. The school also will lose one scholarship next year and two in 2006-07, the NCAA infractions committee said. The committee found the Tigers violated NCAA recruiting rules from 1999-2003 and rejected the school’s explanation that most of the violations were inadvertent.

The case came to light when former point guard Ricky Clemons accused ex-assistant coach Tony Harvey of paying him $250. Harvey later resigned.

University officials already said they were putting the program on probation for two years, but the NCAA decided to extend the punishment through 2007. Coaches also will be prohibited from off-campus recruiting through November 2005, and they must reduce the number of official paid visits from 12 to nine this year and next year.

SOCCER

JUVENTUS, LYON ADVANCE IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Alessandro Del Piero’s injury-time goal gave Juventus a 1-0 victory at Bayern Munich in Champions League play yesterday, which allowed the Italian side to advance into the 16-team knockout stage. Lyon also advanced from Group D with two late injury time goals from substitute Nilmar to beat Turkey’s Fenerbahce 4-2. Chelsea and Inter Milan advanced on Tuesday.

In other action, Ruud Van Nistelrooy scored all four goals during Manchester United’s 4-1 win over Sparta Prague. Olympiacos defeated Monaco 1-0; Liverpool topped Deportivo 1-0; Dynamo Kiev tied Real Madrid 2-2; AS Roma and Bayer Leverkusen played to a 1-1 draw; and Maccabi-Tel Aviv upset Ajax 2-1. A record 23 goals were scored in eight games yesterday.

– Associated Press