Humongous Web Sports Blog

The Arizona Diamondbacks exercised the 2010 contract option on reliever Jon Rauch on Friday. The 6-foot-11 right-hander will make $2.9 million in 2010. The Diamondbacks would have had to pay $100,000 to buy out the contract. The Diamondbacks could have declined Rauch’s option for 2010 and still controlled his rights, but he would have been [...]

Tim Wakefield’s $4 million option for 2009 was exercised by the Boston Red Sox on Friday. The 42-year-old knuckleballer was 10-11 with a 4.13 ERA in 30 starts this year, his 14th season with Boston. He is second in club history with 1,797 strikeouts and has 164 wins for Boston, 28 behind Roger Clemens and [...]

Chiefs running back Larry Johnson was suspended for Week 10 of the NFL season by commissioner Roger Goodell for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Johnson already was deactivated the last two weeks by Kansas City and also won’t play this Sunday against Tampa Bay. He will miss the Chiefs’ game at San Diego next [...]

Chiefs running back Larry Johnson was suspended for Week 10 of the NFL season by commissioner Roger Goodell for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Johnson already was deactivated the last two weeks by Kansas City and also won’t play this Sunday against Tampa Bay. He will miss the Chiefs’ game at San Diego next [...]

Chiefs running back Larry Johnson was suspended for Week 10 of the NFL season by commissioner Roger Goodell for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Johnson already was deactivated the last two weeks by Kansas City and also won’t play this Sunday against Tampa Bay. He will miss the Chiefs’ game at San Diego next [...]

Receiver Torry Holt, his production down from years past, said Friday he feels “at times” like he is being phased out from the St. Louis offense. Holt has 26 catches for 289 yards and a touchdown to lead the Rams (2-5), who will host the Arizona Cardinals (4-3) on Sunday. With three catches last week [...]

(Recasts with Atletico reaction, changes dateline, byline)

Atletico Madrid must play its next Champions League home match in an empty stadium because of its fans’ racist abuse of opposing players. UEFA imposed the punishment Friday after investigating allegations Atletico fans were racist and violent at an Oct. 1 match against French club Marseille. A UEFA appeal panel said Atletico must play Dutch [...]

Diego Maradona, expected to
be confirmed as Argentina’s new coach on Tuesday, has likened
his future team to a grimy Rolls Royce.

Benjamin Monterroso was hired as Guatemala’s national soccer coach for the third time Friday, taking over a team on the brink of elimination during qualifying for the 2010 World Cup. He replaces Ramon Madariaga, a Honduran who was fired after a 2-1 loss to Cuba. Guatemala’s only chance of advancing to the final round of [...]