Baseball

MARTINEZ SIGNS: Dennis Martinez has signed with the Cleveland Indians for the 1996 season, which would be his 20th in the major leagues.

Martinez signed a two-year, $9 million deal in 1993 with a $4.125 million option for the 1996 season. Terms of Tuesday's agreement were not disclosed, but it will supercede the earlier contract.

The 40-year-old right-hander is 9-2 this season with a 2.82 ERA that ranks among the AL leaders. He has lasted six or more innings in 16 consecutive starts and 18 of 19 this season.

MARINERS IN RED INK: The Seattle Mariners continue to be swamped in red ink and expect to lose $30 million in 1995, team executives say.

Losses by the end of this year will total $67 million since the current owners bought the team in 1992, according to financial records released Tuesday. That's $17 million more than the owners expected.

The audited financial statements show that in a 10-month fiscal year in 1994, the Mariners lost $15 million, spending almost $10 for every $6 of income the team took in. Much of the loss was traced to the effects of last year's baseball strike and its impact on national television income.

The Mariners also continue to suffer at the turnstiles. The team is on track to draw just 1.3 million fans this year, down by more than a third from 1993.

WITT TRADED: The Florida Marlins traded right-hander Bobby Witt back to the Texas Rangers for two players to be named by Oct. 31. Witt, who won 68 games with the Rangers from 1986-92, was 2-7 in 19 starts for the Marlins, and will be a free agent at season's end.

DUNCAN RELEASED: Utility infielder Mariano Duncan, who hit .345 with 10 hits in the 1993 World Series, has been released by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Duncan, 32, was claimed on waivers by his former team, the NL Central Division-leading Cincinnati Reds. The Phillies acquired infielder Brian Koelling from Double-A Chattanooga as compensation.

Duncan, who played three seasons in Cincinnati before signing as a free agent with the Phillies in 1991, hit .286 with three homers and 23 RBI in 52 games this year.

LIND CALLED UP: Second baseman Chico Lind, who left the Kansas City Royals without explanation on June 2, was called up from Triple-A Vancouver by the California Angels.

Lind, 31, signed with the Angels as a free agent and reported to Vancouver on July 24. In 10 games, he batted .222 with five RBI. He hit .268 with the Royals with six RBI.

Golf

LANGER PULLS OUT: Two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer of Germany withdrew from the PGA Championship because of back problems.

Langer, the leading European Tour money winner, joins Britain's David Gilford as likely members of the European team in next month's Ryder Cup to pull out of the PGA because of a back injury.

Tennis

ATP CHAMPIONSHIP: Extended to a second-set tiebreaker, second-ranked Pete Sampras rediscovered his overpowering serve to beat Petr Korda 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) in the second round of the $1.8 million ATP Championship.

11th-seeded Jim Courier beat Vince Spadea 7-5, 7-6 (9-7); Sandon Stolle of Australia upset 12th-seeded Stefan Edberg of Sweden 6-3, 6-1 in a first-round match; No. 9 Sergi Bruguera of Spain topped Byron Black of Zimbabwe 7-6 (8-6), 4-6, 6-2, and No. 14 Andrei Medvedev of Ukraine beat Tommy Ho 6-1, 6-2.

ACURA CLASSIC: Second-seeded Conchita Martinez tuned up her hardcourt game with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Germany's Christina Singer in the $430,000 Acura Classic.

Third-seeded Gabriela Sabatini struggled in her first hardcourt tournament since March before beating Kristie Boogert of the Netherlands, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-2).

In other matches, No. 12 Amanda Coetzer routed Francesca Lubiani of Italy 6-2, 6-1; No. 15 Julie Halard beat Barbara Rittner of Germany 6-4, 6-2; and eighth-seeded Naoko Sawamatsu of Japan was upset by Italy's Nathalie Baudone, 6-3, 6-1.

Other winners were Gigi Fernandez, Mana Endo of Japan, Rita Grande of Italy, Florencia Labat of Argentina and Anke Huber of Germany.

SELES' RETURN: Monica Seles will return to tournament action next week in the Canadian Open for her first competition since being stabbed 28 months ago.

Seles, who began her comeback with an exhibition against Martina Navratilova July 29, will compete in the outdoor hardcourt tournament along with Steffi Graf, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Mary Pierce and other top 10 players.

The one-week, $800,000 event opens Monday, and Seles will share the No. 1 ranking and top seed with Graf.

Auto racing

ALLISON RULING: Davey Allison would have survived the crash of his helicopter if he was wearing his shoulder harness, a federal judge ruled as he threw out a $25 million lawsuit against the craft's manufacturer.

The suit was filed against McDonnell Douglas Helicopter by the race car driver's estate and racer Red Farmer, who was a passenger in the helicopter when it crashed July 12, 1993.

Allison, piloting the helicopter, died the next day from head injuries. Farmer broke his collarbone and a rib. The suit alleged that the manufacturer was liable for the death and injuries.

Basketball

RIDER'S WOES: Attorneys for Minnesota Timberwolves guard Isaiah Rider said they will try to get him into an anger-management counseling program prior to an Aug. 23 court hearing.

A warrant for his arrest was rescinded Monday on the condition he show up for the court hearing in Minneapolis.

Rider's appearance, however, might not keep him from serving a jail sentence for violating terms of his probation for a fifth-degree assault conviction last September.

The Timberwolves' leading scorer last season at 20.4 points per game has yet to complete an anger-violence counseling program, considered by Bloomington city attorney Sandra Johnson to be the "most important part" of his two-year probation.

RHODES IS USC BOUND: Former Kentucky forward Rodrick Rhodes announced he plans to finish his college career at Southern California.

He entered the NBA draft after last season, but after a lackluster showing in the pre-draft camp, withdrew his name after it appeared he would not be a high pick.

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Rhodes averaged 12.9 points and 3.6 rebounds and was Kentucky's co-most valuable player last season. He finished his career with 1,208 points.

Rhodes will have to sit out next season, but can practice with the Trojans. He will complete his eligibility during the 1996-97 season for coach Charlie Parker.

Local sports

WEBER HIRINGS: Weber State athletic director Dutch Belnap announced the hiring of Chad Gerrety as director of marketing/promotions for the Wildcats. He will be assisted by David Ridpath. They replace Michael Hogan and Albert Vicario who left the Department last spring.

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