BASEBALL

Yankees Sign Igawa To Five-Year Deal

Japanese pitcher Kei Igawa and the Yankees completed their $20 million five-year contract yesterday, a deal that was in the works for weeks.

The Yankees had until today to fi nalize an agreement with Igawa after bidding $26,000,194 last month for the right to negotiate with him. The left-hander went 14–9 with a 2.97 ERA and 194 strikeouts for the Han shin Tigers last season. The Yankees now must pay the bid fee to the Tigers within five business days.

The 27-year-old Igawa figures to fit at the back end of a rotation that includes Chien-Ming Wang, Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte, and Randy Johnson — though the Yankees are exploring trade offers for Johnson.

New York also has oft-injured right hander Carl Pavano and a couple of touted pitching prospects in Philip Hughes and Humberto Sanchez.

Igawa gets $4 million each year and can earn $500,000 annually in performance bonuses. He can earn $125,000 each for 180, 190, 200, 210 innings pitched. He would be eligible for arbitration after the 2011 season, and free agency after the 2012 season.

FOOTBALL

Delhomme Practices, Could Play

Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme practiced yesterday for the first time in more than three weeks and could play in the Panthers’ regular-season finale against New Orleans. Delhomme was sidelined since suffering ligament damage in his right thumb in Carolina’s loss to Philadelphia on December 4. He was able to throw yesterday and worked with the first team. The Panthers must beat the Saints to have a chance to reach the playoffs.

The Panthers would qualify for the playoffs with a win against the Saints, combined with losses by the Giants against Washington on Saturday and Green Bay against Chicago on Sunday night.

Bucs Re-Sign Simms

Rather than test free agency at the end of the season, injured Tampa Bay quarterback Chris Simms is remaining with the Buccaneers. Simms, sidelined since the third week of the season after having his spleen removed, signed a two-year contract extension yesterday and looks forward to trying to regain his starting job in 2007.

Terms of the contract were not released, but Simms described the deal as “starter’s money” that shows coach Jon Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen are committed to him leading the offense.

“It’s definitely a load off my shoulders,” Simms, said.

— Associated Press