BASEBALL

CREDE, WHITE SOX AGREE TO $4.94 MILLION, 1-YEAR DEAL

Third baseman Joe Crede and the Chicago White Sox agreed yesterday to a $4.94 million, one-year contract and avoided arbitration.

The 28-year-old batted .283 last season with 30 home runs, 94 RBIs, and had a .978 fielding percentage in 150 games.

The deadline for exchanging salary-arbitration figures was yesterday, and there has been speculation that Crede’s time with the White Sox might be nearing an end. He is eligible for free agency after the 2008 season.

RODRIGUEZ AGREES TO $7M CONTRACT WITH ANGELS

Francisco Rodriguez, who had a major league-leading 47 saves last season, avoided arbitration with the Los Angeles Angels yesterday by agreeing to a one-year, $7 million contract.

The Angels also agreed to terms with reliever Scot Shields and infielder Robb Quinlan — their other arbitration-eligible players.

Rodriguez, a 25-year-old righthander, went 2–3 with a 1.73 ERA last year. He allowed only 52 hits in 73 innings while walking 28 and striking out 98.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

CAL’S TEDFORD TO GET CONTRACT EXTENSION

California coach Jeff Tedford has agreed to a four-year contract extension that will keep the two-time Pac-10 coach of the year with the Golden Bears through 2013, the Associated Press learned yesterday.

The UC Board of Regents was scheduled to discuss the deal at a closed meeting yesterday, and athletic department spokesman John Sudsbury said approval is expected tomorrow.

Tedford is 43–20 in five seasons, leading the Bears’ longest sustained period of excellence in a half-century. He led Cal to a 10–3 record, a Pac-10 co-championship, and a victory over Texas A&M in the Holiday Bowl in the just-completed season.

FOOTBALL

MIKE SHULA A CANDIDATE FOR DOLPHINS JOB

The latest candidate to emerge for the Miami Dolphins’ coaching job has a big edge in name recognition: He’s a Shula.

Mike Shula interviewed for the job Saturday and is one of at least five candidates still under consideration, the Dolphins said yesterday. Shula’s dad, Don, coached the Dolphins for 26 years, holds the NFL record with 347 victories, and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Hiring the younger Shula would mean a swap of coaches with Alabama. He was fired by the Crimson Tide in November and replaced by Nick Saban, who left the Dolphins on January 3 after two seasons.