BASEBALLOXON HILL, Md. -- The reloading Boston Red Sox pulled off the biggest deal yet at the winter meetings, acquiring ace pitcher Chris Sale from the Chicago White Sox for a package of four prospects.Sale joins an already talented rotation with the AL East champions, now pitching alongside 2016 AL Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello, former winner David Price and knuckleballer Steven Wright.The 27-year-old lefty has been an All-Star in each of the last five seasons, finishing high in Cy Young voting every time. To get him, Boston traded four minor leaguers: high-priced third baseman Yoan Moncada, considered by many the top young talent in baseball, along with pitchers Michael Kopech and Victor Diaz, and outfielder Luis Basabe.Sale was 17-10 with a 3.34 ERA and 233 strikeouts this year, a season after he led the majors by fanning 274. He also comes with this benefit: a team-favorable contract that calls for a $12 million salary next year and includes club options for 2018 at $12.5 million and 2019 at $15 million.A few hours earlier, Boston got setup man Tyler Thornburg from the Milwaukee Brewers for a package that included infielder Travis Shaw, minor league infielder Mauricio Dubon, minor league right-hander Josh Pennington and a player to be named or $100.The 28-year-old Thornburg will become Bostons eighth-inning guy, setting up closer Craig Kimbrel. Thornburg was 8-5 with 13 saves and a 2.15 ERA in 67 games for the Brewers last season, striking out 90 in 67 innings.NEW YORK -- Derek Jeters No. 2 is being retired, the last of the New York Yankees single digits.The Yankees said the number will be retired on May 14 before a Mothers Day game against Houston, and a plaque in Jeters honor will be unveiled in Monument Park during the ceremony.Jeters number is the 21st retired by the team. He won five World Series titles and was a 14-time All-Star during a 20-season career that ended in 2014. The shortstop ranks sixth in major league history with 3,465 career hits.OXON HILL, Md. -- Claire Smith became the first woman to win the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for meritorious contributions to baseball writing and will be honored during the Hall of Fames induction weekend next July in Cooperstown, New York.The 62-year-old Smith covered the New York Yankees for the Hartford Courant for five years starting in 1983 and was a columnist for The New York Times from 1991-98 and The Philadelphia Inquirer from 1998-2007. She currently is ESPNs news editor of remote productions.COLLEGE FOOTBALLBaylor hired Matt Rhule as head coach after his highly successful run at Temple, hoping he can rebuild the Big 12 Conference program hit hard by scandal and suddenly struggling on the field.Rhule becomes the full-time replacement for two-time Big 12 champion coach Art Briles, who was dismissed after a scathing report over the universitys handling of sexual assault complaints, including some against football players. Rhule will be introduced on the Waco campus Wednesday.Former Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe had been out of coaching two years when he put his retirement on hold in May to serve as Baylors acting head coach this season. The Bears are 6-6 and headed to the Cactus Bowl despite a six-game losing streak.The 41-year-old Rhule is a former Penn State linebacker who has a monumental task ahead of him in putting together a coaching staff and a recruiting class at Baylor. With a monthlong quiet period in recruiting starting Saturday, Baylor has only one firm verbal commitment.PRO FOOTBALLEDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Mike Zimmer was back at practice with the Minnesota Vikings, not quite a week after surgery to repair a detached retina.Zimmer wore a white patch that was taped over his right eye as he roamed the indoor field and instructed players as usual. The 60-year-old coach had to miss the game against Dallas last week because of the emergency operation, one of multiple procedures hes had over the last six weeks. The Vikings announced that Zimmer is expected to travel with the team for Sundays game at Jacksonville.HARVEY, La. -- The man who fatally shot ex-NFL player Joe McKnight was arrested and jailed on a charge of manslaughter.Jail records show 54-year-old Ronald Gasser was arrested late Monday.Gasser was released last week without charges pending further investigation of McKnights death. Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand said Thursdays shooting was the result of an apparent road-rage incident. When deputies arrived, the sheriff said Gasser handed them his gun and confessed to killing McKnight.TENNISNovak Djokovic and coach Boris Becker are splitting up after three successful seasons together.Djokovic posted a statement on Facebook, saying the duo jointly decided to end our cooperation. He has won six of his 12 career Grand Slam singles titles while working with Becker. Djokovic also was the runner-up at three other Grand Slam tournaments during his time with Becker, meaning the Serb made it to the finals at nine of the 12 majors during their partnership.SOCCERNEW YORK -- David Villa earned Major League Soccers Most Valuable Player award after scoring 23 goals for New York City in his second season with the team. Villa received the award, named after Landon Donovan, from MLS Commissioner Don Garber.FRISCO, Texas -- FC Dallas signed MLS defender of the year Matt Hedges to a four-year contract.GOLFThomas Bjorn was appointed captain of Europes 2018 Ryder Cup team, a reward for his long and successful association with the event as a player and vice-captain as well as his commitment to the European Tour.The 45-year-old Dane became the first Scandinavian to lead the European team, which will look to regain the cup at Le Golf National in Paris in 2018 after its 17-11 loss to the United States at Hazeltine in October.BOXINGCANASTOTA, N.Y. -- Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield and three-division champion Marco Antonio Barrera of Mexico highlight a list of nine people selected for induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.Also to be inducted June 11 in Canastota, New York are: super flyweight champion Johnny Tapia; Australian trainer Johnny Lewis; judge Jerry Roth; journalist-broadcaster Steve Farhood; broadcaster Barry Tompkins; and posthumous honorees Eddie Booker and ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Sr. Sneakers Shop Ireland .ca look back at each of the Top 10 stories of 2013. Today, we look back at Boston Strong - a citys recovery from tragedy. Wholesale Sneakers Ireland . Patrice Bergeron and Daniel Paille scored 20 seconds apart a few minutes after Stamkos was taken off the ice on a stretcher with a broken right leg, and the Bruins beat the Lightning 3-0 on Monday afternoon. http://www.cheapsneakersireland.com/ . Belfort (24-10) needed just 77 seconds to down Henderson in the headlining bout of Saturdays "UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Henderson" event at Goiania Arena in Goiania, Brazil. The fight served as a rematch of the pairs 2006 meeting, which Henderson won by decision. Discount Sneakers Ireland . The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling "puts an end to my dreams of being a top player," the 27-year-old Troicki said in a statement. "I worked my entire life for it, and it has been taken away from me in one afternoon by a doctor I didnt know," said Troicki, whose ranking peaked at No. Buy Sneakers Online Ireland . Nathan MacKinnon, Jamie McGinn and Jan Hejda also scored for the Avalanche, who won despite being outshot 38-23. MacKinnons goal, also on the power play, came with just over a minute remaining. BEIJING -- Seeking to dismiss lingering doubts, a top Chinese sports official says the country has committed to a zero-tolerance stance on doping ahead of the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.Vice Director of the General Administration of Sports Gao Zhidian told the official Xinhua News Agency on Thursday that Olympics-bound athletes and coaches are required to sign pledges not to cheat, saying violators would be severely punished.Gao said athletes, coaches and team doctors must also pass a written exam on banned substances with only those scoring 80 percent or more permitted to go to Rio.China has been firmly against doping and has a zero-tolerance approach to this particular problem, said Gao, who is also deputy chef de mission of Chinas 711- member Olympic delegation. We have made it very clear that we want to ensure fair play and the well-being of athletes.China has sought to shake off a reputation for doping, particularly in ddistance running and swimming that gave rise to multiple scandals in the 1990s.ddddddddddddThat resolve was questioned when it emerged that officials waited six months before revealing that champion swimmer Sun Yang served a three-month suspension after testing positive in May 2014.Sun, the gold medalist in the 400- and 1,500-meter freestyle at the 2012 London Olympics, was named male swimmer of the meet at the world championships in Kazan, Russia, last August.China is sending 416 athletes to Rio, including 35 former Olympic champions. China topped the table at the 2008 Games and won the second largest number of medals in London, including 38 golds.Based on recent performances by Chinese athletes, some studies predict the country could return to the top of the table at Rio with as many as 39 golds. ' ' '