The Angels are inviting nine nonroster players,...

The Angels are inviting nine nonroster players, including right-hander Steve Ontiveros and infielders Luis Alicea and Jack Howell, to spring training.

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New York Yankee slugger Cecil Fielder said he is willing to trade places with Hideki Irabu, the Japanese pitcher who has refused to negotiate with the San Diego Padres.

Fielder has demanded a trade by the Yankees, and if none is made by March 15 he can become a free agent. The Padres will meet with a four-man committee Monday in New York to press their claim that they have exclusive negotiating rights to Irabu.

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Left-hander Wilson Alvarez and the Chicago White Sox agreed to a one-year contract worth $4,662,500, a raise of more than $1.8 million. . . . Pitcher Roger McDowell and catcher Tony Pena were among 14 nonroster players invited to spring training by the White Sox. . . . Kenny Lofton’s agent has told the Cleveland Indians that the speedy center fielder will test the free-agent market after this season. . . . Free agent outfielder Derrick May and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed to a minor league contract. . . . The Yankees have rewarded Manager Joe Torre with a contract extension through the 1999 season. . . . Third baseman Chris Sabo agreed to a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners. . . . Ryan Minor, who has been playing with the Oklahoma City Cavalry of the CBA, will go to spring training with the Baltimore Orioles.

Tennis

Top-seeded Goran Ivanisevic struggled to an opening-round victory over Magnus Norman of Sweden, 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (4-7), 7-5, in the Croatian Indoor tournament in Zagreb. . . . Playing her first match since her father was sentenced to prison, Steffi Graf rebounded from her early exit at the Australian Open by beating Lisa Raymond, 6-3, 6-2, at the Toray Pan Pacific tournament in Tokyo.

Miscellany

China got goals from Hao Haidong and Li Tie and beat the United States, 2-1, in a a soccer match in Kumming, China. Eric Wynalda scored the U.S. goal.

Ohio State center Jermaine Tate is having tests on his heart and will miss tonight’s Big Ten Conference basketball game against Indiana at Columbus, Ohio. Tate had been complaining of a rapid heart beat.

China’s Han Xue broke her world record for the women’s short-course 50-meter breaststroke, with a clocking of 30.88 seconds at Glasgow, Scotland.

Brian Himmler bowled two perfect games to take the lead after the first two rounds of qualifying at the Columbia 300 Open at Austin, Texas.

Luc Alphand of France won the World Cup super-G event in 1 minute 25.23 seconds at Laax, Switzerland.