HOCKEY

UNION REJECTS NHL’S LATEST PROPOSAL

The NHL’s latest salary-cap proposal to end the season-long lockout was rejected yesterday by the players’ union, which came back with its own idea: Bring commissioner Gary Bettman to the bargaining table. Bettman accepted, and is set to rejoin the talks today for the first time since December 14. He’ll meet with union head Bob Goodenow.

In turning down the league’s offer, the union reiterated it won’t accept a salary cap as a solution.

“If we’re trying to meaningfully and reliably reduce player costs, we believe there are a number of ways that you can do that and it’s not only through a salary cap,” NHLPA senior director Ted Saskin said.

The sides met for four hours in Newark, N.J., the fifth time in two weeks they’ve talked. The NHL proposed a six-year deal that contained a cap that would force teams to spend at least $32 million on player costs but no more than $42 million – including benefits. Both figures would be adjusted each year to reflect changes in league revenues.

DEVILS SIGN ARENA DEAL IN NEWARK

After more than six years of aborted plans and on-again, off-again negotiations, Newark city officials and the New Jersey Devils signed an agreement yesterday to build an 18,000-seat arena that is scheduled to be completed in time for the start of the 2007-08 NHL season.

Calling it “one of the greatest days in the history of New Jersey’s largest city,” Mayor Sharpe James put his signature on the agreement with Devils owner Ken Vanderbeek. The city will pay $210 million; the team will pay $100 million toward the cost of the arena and any cost overruns during the construction, Vanderbeek said.

BASEBALL

SOSA JOINS ORIOLES

Sammy Sosa joined the Orioles yesterday after commissioner Bud Selig approved the deal and the slugger passed his physical. Chicago received second baseman Jerry Hairston Jr. and two minor leaguers.

Baltimore is responsible for just $8.85 million of Sosa’s $17 million salary this year, with the Cubs paying the rest. Because Sosa is paid on a 12-month basis and already had received $1,307,692 of his salary this year, that amount was credited to what the Cubs owe Baltimore, meaning the Orioles will receive $6,842,308 in cash from Chicago.

CUBS SIGN BURNITZ TO ONE-YEAR DEAL

The Chicago Cubs didn’t waste any time finding a replacement for Sammy Sosa, agreeing yesterday to a $5 million, one-year contract with Jeromy Burnitz. Burnitz led the Colorado Rockies with 37 home runs last season and was second with 110 RBI.

CARDINALS GM JOCKETTY SIGNS NEW DEAL

Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty agreed yesterday to a three-year contract, less than a month after manager Tony La Russa also accepted a new deal that runs through 2007.

Jocketty, 53, who received two awards as major league baseball’s executive of the year in 2004, had been without a contract since December 31.

– Associated Press