FOOTBALL

RAIDERS INTRODUCE MOSS, EYE JORDAN

Randy Moss joined the Raiders yesterday when Oakland completed a trade with the Minnesota Vikings for the star receiver. Moss was introduced by his new team in an afternoon news conference. The Raiders were working to restructure his base salary of more than $7 million for next season into a more cap-friendly signing bonus to be prorated over future years.

The Vikings receive linebacker Napoleon Harris, the no. 7 pick in April’s NFL draft and a late-round pick in the swap, which was completed a week ago but couldn’t be made official until yesterday.

Oakland also was in serious talks with free-agent running back LaMont Jordan, who spent his first four seasons with the Jets. He averaged 4.9 yards per carry in part-time duty but has never been a full-time back.

“We have a deal in principle that he should sign tomorrow morning – 99.9% sure he will be a Raider,” Jordan’s agent, Alvin Keels, said in an e-mail last night.

RAVENS SIGN WR MASON

Derrick Mason has agreed in principle to a five-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens, giving the team one of the most desirable receivers on the free agent market and filling the most glaring need of a team that ranked 31st in passing last season.

The 31-year-old Mason was second in the NFL with 96 receptions last season and has been a Pro Bowler twice. He was one of six Tennessee Titans released last month in a salary cap move. Mason’s 96 catches trailed just tight end Tony Gonzalez last year. He gained 1,168 yards and seven touchdowns.

Newsome didn’t rule out acquiring more help at the position – the Ravens were the only team in the league that had no one catch as many as 40 passes.

RAMS INK LB COAKLEY

The St. Louis Rams began restocking their most needy position yesterday, signing outside linebacker Dexter Coakley to a five-year contract.

Coakley, one of the smaller linebackers in the NFL at 5-foot-10 and 236 pounds, was on the free agent market for one day after being released by the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday. He would have been due for a $500,000 roster bonus if he was still on the roster by yesterday.

Coakley, 32, is a three-time Pro Bowl player and played his first eight NFL seasons with the Cowboys, who had made him a third-round pick in 1997 out of Appalachian State. He started all 16 games at weak side linebacker last year and finished third on the team with 91 tackles, while sharing the position with second-year player Bradie James .

REDSKINS REACH DEAL WITH RABACH

The Redskins reached a deal for a five-year, $13.75 million contract with Center Casey Rabach yesterday, according to an official within the league speaking on condition of anonymity. The deal includes a $2.5 million signing bonus for Rabach, who spent the last four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens .

The team re-signed defensive tackle Joe Salave’a to a three-year deal, agreed to terms to re-sign long snapper Ethan Albright and formally announced the re-signing of left tackle Chris Samuels to a seven-year, $47 million contract with a team-record $15.75 million signing bonus.

PATRIOTS’ ANDRUZZI JOINS BROWNS

The Super Bowl champions lost one more player when free agent guard Joe Andruzzi signed a four-year $9 million contract yesterday with the Browns, reuniting him with coach Romeo Crennel.

Andruzzi is the fourth player to leave the Patriots, following wide receiver/kick returner Troy Brown, linebacker Roman Phifer. and four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Ty Law.

Earlier, the Browns traded defensive tackle Gerard Warren to Denver for a fourth-round pick. The club also gave roster bonuses to defensive tackle Orpheus Roye and offensive tackle Ross Verba .

BASEBALL

VETERANS COMMITTEE KEEPS HALL DOOR CLOSED

Baseball’s Veterans Committee kept the door to the Hall of Fame closed for the second straight time, leaving Gil Hodges and Ron Santo on the outside and raising doubts whether anyone can gain election. Hodges and Santo fell eight votes shy of the necessary 75%, with each appearing on 52 ballots (65%) in totals announced yesterday. Tony Oliva (45) and Jim Kaat (43) were the only other players to be picked on more than half of the 80 ballots. It was the second straight shutout by the revamped committee, which includes all living members of the Hall and its writers’ and broadcasters’ wings, plus one holdover from the old Veterans Committee.

JOHNSON COULD THROW THIS WEEKEND

Yankees pitcher Randy Johnson, slowed by tightness in his left calf, could throw off a bullpen mound this weekend. Johnson was supposed to start the Yankees’ spring training opener today against Pittsburgh, but will sit out as a precaution. He is slated to pitch Tuesday against Atlanta. Johnson played catch and went through a stretching sessiion yesterday. He didn’t participate in fielding or running drills.

Also, closer Mariano Rivera pitched his second batting practice session in three days. The Yankees are taking a slow approach this spring with Rivera, who turned 35 during the off-season. He could pitch in a game next week and is expected to be ready for opening day.

BASKETBALL

BLAZERS FIRE COACH CHEEKS

Maurice Cheeks was fired yesterday as coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, who have dropped seven of nine games and are in danger of missing the playoffs for the second straight year. Kevin Pritchard, the team’s director of player personnel, was appointed interim head coach. Cheeks, near the end of a four-year contract estimated at $12 million, was popular with the players and fans. He leaves the Blazers with a 162-139 career record. He had his share of troubles with the Blazers on and off the court. Several players were cited for marijuana possession, and this season forward Qyntel Woods was accused of dog fighting.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

CHANEY’S FATE WILL BE DECIDED AFTER SEASON

Temple will wait until after the season to determine the future of coach John Chaney. While university President David Adamany knows Chaney made a terrible mistake for ordering rough play from one of his players, what he doesn’t know is how the black mark will affect the Hall of Fame coach.

Chaney’s explosive temper caught up with him last week when he ordered hard fouls that led to Saint Joseph’s senior forward John Bryant breaking his arm in a fall.Chaney,73,originally suspended himself for one game. When the extent of Bryant’s injury became known, Temple extended the suspension to the final three regular-season games, including Yesterday’s contest at Rhode Island. On Monday, Chaney announced he would keep himself out of the Atlantic 10 tournament.

– Associated Press