Former analyst suing ESPN

Former major league player Harold Reynolds, who claims ESPN did an inadequate investigation before firing him as a baseball analyst on July 24, filed a lawsuit Tuesday against his former employer seeking at least $5 million in compensation.

The wrongful-termination suit claims ESPN hand-delivered a letter to Reynolds informing him that he was being terminated for cause but giving no further explanation.

It has been reported that the termination stemmed from a sexual harassment charge, and the lawsuit touches on that.

“As he truthfully has stated publicly, in July 2006 he gave a brief and innocuous hug to a female intern,” the suit states. It also states the two had dinner later the same evening but have not had any contact since then.

Reynolds, in a phone interview, said, “I’ve never signed a written warning and never been suspended in my 11 years at ESPN.”

Of filing the lawsuit, Reynolds, who had signed a new six-year contract with ESPN in March, said he regretted having to take “this drastic measure.” But, he added, “I need to set the record straight and clear my name.”

ESPN, in a statement, said, “The suit is without merit. We stand by our decision and have no further comment now that litigation has begun.”

-- Larry Stewart

TENNIS

Safin advances to third round at Paris

Three-time champion Marat Safin rallied from a set down to defeat Robin Soderling, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, to reach the third round of the Paris Masters.

Fourth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko routed Christophe Rochus, 6-0, 6-0. Davydenko is the only player at the Paris Masters to have qualified for this month’s Masters Cup.

Top-ranked Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Ivan Ljubicic and Andy Roddick -- the top four in the ATP race -- all withdrew from the event.

Ashley Harkleroad upset third-seeded Sofia Arvidsson, 7-6 (5), 6-3, in the first round of the Bell Challenge at Quebec City.

Seventh-seeded Jamea Jackson quit while trailing Anastassia Rodionova, 6-2, 2-1. It was Jackson’s first match since retiring because of a strained right thigh muscle at Bangkok two weeks ago.

Second-seeded Francesca Schiavone eliminated Meghann Shaughnessy, 6-2, 6-1, at the Gaz de France Stars in Hasselt, Belgium.

Third-seeded Ana Ivanovic defeated Andrea Petkovic, 6-3, 7-5.

BASEBALL

Zito and Maddux fire for free agency

Oakland’s Barry Zito, who could be the most sought-after pitcher in this year’s free-agent market, filed for free agency.

Zito, a 28-year-old left-hander with a coveted, looping curveball, was 16-10 with a 3.83 earned-run average in 34 starts this season. He never missed a start because of injury in his first seven major league seasons with the Athletics.

Dodgers right-hander Greg Maddux, a four-time Cy Young Award, also filed. Injured Dodgers closer Eric Gagne filed provisionally -- the team has a $12 million option with a $1 million buyout. Even if it is exercised, Gagne can void the option and receive a $250,000 buyout.

Also filing were former Angels and Dodgers pitcher Jeff Weaver, who won the fifth and final game of the World Series for the St. Louis Cardinals last Friday and Detroit first baseman Sean Casey, who hit .529 with two homers in the World Series.

Jeff Bagwell’s $18-million option was declined by the Houston Astros, who will give their career home run and runs batted in leader a $7-million buyout to complete an $85-million, five-year contract.

Bagwell, 38, missed last season because of an arthritic right shoulder, and the Astros tried to recoup about $15.6 million in insurance.

The final three games of the World Series failed to crack the top 10 in prime-time ratings.

The St. Louis Cardinals’ Game 5 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Fox was the most-watched of the three games last week, finishing 12th with 16.28 million viewers in prime time, Nielsen Media Research said.

Pitcher Carlos Silva’s $4,325,000 option was exercised by the Minnesota Twins. The 27-year-old right-hander was 11-15 with a 5.94 ERA with 32 walks and 70 strikeouts in 36 games.

New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was hospitalized for the second time in three years after becoming ill while watching his granddaughter perform in a play in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Steinbrenner was taken by paramedics to UNC Hospitals on Sunday and released Monday morning and returned to Tampa, Fla., spokesman Howard Rubenstein said.

SOCCER

Chivas’ Bradley and Bornstein are honored

Chivas USA Coach Bob Bradley and defender Jonathan Bornstein won Major League Soccer awards.

Bradley was chosen coach of the year, and Bornstein was selected rookie of the year. They helped the second-year club to a third-place finish in the Western Conference and a playoff spot one season after finishing last in the West with a 4-22-6 mark. Chivas was 10-9-13 this season.

Kristine Lilly scored a goal and assisted on another in a 2-0 victory over Australia that moved the United States within a win of qualifying for the Peace Queen Cup final in Cheonan, South Korea.

The United States now leads Group B with four points, with one preliminary round left in the friendly tournament seen as a last tuneup for the Americans ahead of regional qualifiers for the 2007 World Cup in China.

Didier Drogba scored in the third minute of injury time to give Chelsea a 2-2 tie with FC Barcelona in a Group A match in the European Champions League. The Ivory Coast striker chested a headed pass from John Terry in the area before shooting under Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Texas Tech guard dismissed from team

Texas Tech dismissed leading scorer Jarrius Jackson from the team because of academic reasons. Red Raiders Coach Bob Knight said that Jackson, who led the Big 12 Conference in scoring last season with 20.5 points a game, was removed “for failure to fulfill academic requirements that we have for our men’s basketball team.”

San Diego State junior center Jerome Habel, a probable starter, and teammate Brett Hoerner were suspended indefinitely for violating unspecified team rules.

Coach Steve Fisher said the two will practice but won’t play until he decides to lift the suspensions.

MISCELLANY

U.S. women’s volleyball defeats Kazakhstan

The United States needed five games to beat Kazakhstan on the opening day of the women’s world volleyball championships, defeating an opponent making its debut at the sport’s highest international level.

The Americans recovered from a slow start in Kobe, Japan, to win, 19-25, 25-19, 25-19, 26-28, 16-14. Nancy Metcalf had 25 points and Tayyiba Haneef had 21 for the Americans.

Defending champion Italy was upset by Serbia-Montenegro, 25-18, 25-22, 19-25, 27-25.

Prosecutors in Tampa, Fla., dropped charges against a man accused of killing Vanderbilt football player Kwane Doster, the Tampa state attorney’s office said.

Rodney Roman was charged with first-degree murder in Doster’s shooting death on Dec. 26, 2004. State Atty. Mark Ober said Doster’s slaying is still being investigated. His office released no other information.