RANGERS-SALE
Rangers seek bankruptcy protection to spur sale
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - The Texas Rangers have sought bankruptcy protection in hopes of getting their $575 million sale to a team of investors cleared by midsummer.
The 21-page filing, made Monday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Texas, includes a list of unsecured creditors headed by Alex Rodriguez, who's owed $24.9 million in deferred compensation dating to his days with the team.
Other players on the list include Michael Young, Kevin Millwood and Vicente Padilla.
The team called the filing a "voluntary" plan that will fully pay the club's debt tied up in Tom Hicks' financially strapped ownership group. Hicks has agreed to sell assets to the new ownership group led by Pittsburgh attorney Chuck Greenberg and team president Nolan Ryan.
The team says the sale proceeds will be enough to satisfy all the Hicks Sports Group debt guaranteed by the Rangers.
Commissioner Bud Selig said the proposed deal "serves the best interests of the team, its fans, MLB and all other parties involved."
The filing is not the first in baseball.
ASTROS-MATSUI
2B Kaz Matsui clears waivers, becomes free agent
HOUSTON (AP) - Kaz Matsui, who was waived by the Houston Astros last week, has cleared waivers and is an unrestricted free agent.
The 34-year-old Matsui was batting .141 this season and hadn't had a hit in his last 20 at-bats. He was in the final season of a three-year contract worth $16.5 million.
Matsui struggled with injuries in his time with the Astros and was placed on the disabled list four times. His best season in Houston came in 2008 when he hit .293 with 33 RBIs.
Matsui played for the New York Mets and Colorado Rockies before joining the Astros.
NFL MEETINGS
NFL meeting's agenda: 2014 Super Bowl, new OT rule
IRVING, Texas (AP) - Ready for an outdoor Super Bowl in cold, possibly snowy weather? Thinking that new overtime rule adopted for playoff games should be used in the regular season, too?
NFL owners will discuss those things and more on Tuesday during meetings in the Dallas area.
The owners will pick the site of the 2014 Super Bowl. It will be either Miami, Tampa or the new $1.6 billion Meadowlands stadium that will become home to the Jets and Giants next season. That stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., won't have a roof and a February Super Bowl would probably be a cold one.
The league actually has a rule requiring a minimum expected temperature of 50 degrees in the host's area or a stadium with a roof, but it was waived for this bid.
COWBOYS-STAUBACH
Staubach throws Cowboys advice on winning it all
IRVING, Texas (AP) - Roger Staubach showed up at Dallas Cowboys headquarters for a photo shoot with Tony Romo. He wound up speaking to the entire team.
Coach Wade Phillips asked Staubach to offer some words of wisdom Monday, and the Hall of Fame quarterback gave the group a history lesson.
He told them about the 1971 club that won Dallas' first Super Bowl title. They were 4-3 at midseason, then put aside their personal agendas and won their next 10 games.
Staubach is head of the committee in charge of the upcoming Super Bowl, which will be played at Cowboys Stadium. He said he didn't remind them of the chance to be the first-ever home team to play in the big game.
TEXANS-SCHAUB
Schaub wants Texans to finish games better
HOUSTON (AP) - Matt Schaub led the NFL in yards passing last season to help the Houston Texans to their first winning record.
But after failing to make the playoffs once again, Schaub and the Texans are looking at ways to improve. Schaub says the top task for the team is to become better closers.
He laments several games last season where the Texans had a chance to win in the fourth quarter, but couldn't put games away. He says everyone needs to figure out a way to "finish better."
Last season was the first time Schaub started all 16 games for the Texans. Top target Andre Johnson believes that was key in his success in 2009 and he expects even more from him this season.
TEXANS-JOHNSON-AGENT
Texans WR Johnson hires agent
HOUSTON (AP) - Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson is no longer relying solely on his uncle for contract advice.
Johnson said Monday he has hired Kennard McGuire as his agent, but his uncle Andre Melton will remain a trusted adviser.
Johnson says he has known McGuire, whose clients include Brandon Marshall and Javon Walker, since college. He says he and his uncle both trust him and feel comfortable with him.
Johnson sat out the first three days of Houston's voluntary offseason practices because he wants a new contract, though he returned last week. He has five years remaining on an eight-year deal worth $60 million.
Johnson says he's "not really worried" about if or when he'll get a new deal.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
