BASEBALL

RODRIGUEZ TO PLAY FOR AMERICA IN WORLD CLASSIC A-Rod plans to play for the USA. His allegiance torn between the Dominican Republic and United States, Alex Rodriguez finally made up his mind Tuesday night and decided he will participate in the World Baseball Classic as a member of the U.S. team.

“In recent weeks, following dialogue with caring friends and players, both Dominican and American, I reached the conclusion that if I played in the Classic, I would play for the United States and honor my American citizenship,” Rodriguez said in a statement on his Web site.

METS AVOID ARBITRATION WITH ZAMBRANO Mets pitcher Victor Zambrano agreed to a $3 million, one-year contract, a raise of $900,000. Zambrano, who agreed to the deal late Monday, was 7-12 with a 4.17 ERA in 27 starts and four relief appearances last year, his first full season with the Mets. Reserve infielder Chris Woodward also agreed to an $825,000, one-year contract with the Mets yesterday. He batted .283 with three homers and 18 RBI in 173 at-bats last season, when he earned $775,000.The Mets have no remaining players in arbitration.

FOOTBALL

REPORT: SAINTS HIRE PAYTON AS HEAD COACH The New Orleans Saints will hire Dallas Cowboys assistant Sean Payton to his first NFL head coaching job, a team official familiar with the decision said yesterday. The Saints’ official was speaking on condition of anonymity because the formal announcement wasn’t expected until today. Payton has been a quarterbacks coach for three seasons under Bill Parcells in Dallas. He also held the title of assistant head coach. Before that, he was a New York Giants assistant, a stint that included that team’s NFC Championship in 2000. Payton will succeed Jim Haslett, whose tenure lasted six years. The Saints were 3-13 in 2005, a season in which all of their “home” games were played on the road because of Hurricane Katrina.The Saints were a .500 team during Haslett’s first five seasons combined.

49ERS NAME TURNER OFFENSSIVE COORDINATOR Norv Turner is going back to what he does best, and his assistant-turned-boss is glad he chose the San Francisco 49ers. Turner, fired as coach of the Oakland Raiders two weeks ago, moved across San Francisco Bay to become the 49ers’ offensive coordinator yesterday.

Coach Mike Nolan hired his former boss with the Washington Redskins to replace Mike McCarthy, named the Green Bay Packers’ head coach last week after one terrible season with the Niners.

FAN HAD HEART ATTACK WHEN BETTIS FUMBLED Talk about a heart-stopping game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts.

Terry O’Neill, 50, of Pittsburgh, was watching the game at a bar and had a heart attack seconds after Jerome Bettis fumbled trying to score from the 2-yard line late in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger prevented the Colts’ Nick Harper from returning the recovered ball for a touchdown and the Steelers hung on for a 21-18 win. O’Neill said Bettis is his hero. “I wasn’t upset that the Steelers might lose,” he told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I was upset because I didn’t want to see him end his career like that. A guy like that deserves better. I guess it was a little too much for me to handle.”

O’Neill, who was recovering at a hospital, credits two firefighters with saving him.

– Associated Press