Pettitte declines $16-million option but could stay Yankee

Left-hander Andy Pettitte declined his $16-million option with the New York Yankees, still uncertain whether he wants to pitch next season.

“I have spoken with Brian Cashman, who has reiterated what Hank Steinbrenner said about the Yankees wanting to give Andy all the time he needs to decide about next season,” Pettitte’s agent, Randy Hendricks, said Monday in an e-mail to the Associated Press. “Accordingly, we are declining to exercise the option for 2008 and Andy will declare free agency in order to free up a roster spot for the Yankees.

“If Andy decides to play, I am confident we can reach an agreement with the Yankees within 24 hours. The only options, as Andy has stated, are the Yankees or retirement. He appreciates the Yankees’ willingness to give him the time he feels he needs. I do not expect him to make a decision for quite some time.”

Pettitte, 35, went 15-9 with a 4.05 earned-run average this year, including 11-3 after the All-Star break. He was their most effective starter in the postseason, pitching 6 1/3 scoreless innings in Game 2 of New York’s first-round loss to Cleveland.

Pettitte had until Wednesday to decide on his option, part of the contract he agreed to last December when he returned to the Yankees after three seasons with the Houston Astros.

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Greg Maddux will be back as the San Diego Padres’ No. 3 starter next season after agreeing to a $10 million, one-year contract.

Maddux went 14-11 with a 4.14 ERA this year. Maddux, who turns 42 on April 14, had a player option for $8.75 million. The new deal reportedly contains award bonuses, a no-trade clause and a suite on trips.

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As major league general managers arrived in Orlando, Fla., for their annual meetings, the New York Mets’ Omar Minaya said he won’t hesitate to pursue players because they could be listed in George Mitchell’s report as drug users.

Mitchell’s report, the culmination of an investigation the former Senate majority leader began in March 2006, is expected before the end of the year.

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As expected, John Russell succeeded Jim Tracy with his hiring as manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Russell, 46, had managed the Philadelphia Phillies’ triple-A team since being fired as the Pirates’ third base coach in 2005.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Freshman impresses in Memphis’ opener

Freshman Derrick Rose had 17 points, six rebounds and five assists in his college debut and No. 3 Memphis beat visiting Tennessee-Martin, 102-71, in the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic.

Chris Douglas Roberts tied his career-high with 28 points and grabbed eight rebounds for Memphis, which plays Richmond tonight.

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Kentucky sophomore forward Ramon Harris is sidelined indefinitely after suffering a stress fracture in his left foot in an exhibition game Saturday.

Sophomore point guard Derrick Jasper remains sidelined while recovering from microfracture knee surgery.

TENNIS

Haas criticizes nameless rumors of match-fixing

Tommy Haas said it’s time to name names after an unidentified German player accused another of match-fixing during a television interview.

Talk of match-fixing has swirled around tennis for weeks. The latest accusation came from the unnamed German in a TV interview who said he was approached by someone who wanted to place a five-figure bet for him. Some German tennis officials and players, including Haas, were skeptical of Sunday’s interview.

“It’s time people start naming names,” said Haas, Germany’s highest ranked player at No. 13. “Every day someone says something: Andy Murray, Werner Eschauer, Michael Llodra, Arnaud Clement, now someone anonymous. I’m telling them, be concrete -- then we can undertake something concrete. All this talk isn’t bringing us further.”

The four major governing bodies of tennis have been discussing ways to keep the sport clean since the match-fixing rumors began in earnest in August.

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Top-ranked Justine Henin might not defend her gold medal at the Beijing Olympics, fearing the city’s air pollution could trigger her asthma. She withdrew from the China Open in September for the same reason.

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Bob and Mike Bryan, the world’s No. 1-ranked doubles team, pulled out of next week’s Tennis Masters Cup doubles tournament because Mike has an elbow injury.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Texas A&M; says coach will be evaluated later

Despite reports to the contrary, Texas A&M; said it will wait until the end of the season before deciding the future of Coach Dennis Franchione, who was rebuked this year for letting boosters buy information about his players.

The Houston Chronicle and CBS Sports.com reported that Franchione and the school were working on a buyout deal that would take effect at the end of this season.

Franchione’s contract pays him more than $2 million annually and runs through 2012.

Franchione, 56, has a 31-28 record at A&M; and is 2-12 against main rivals Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma.

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Texas senior center Dallas Griffin will miss the rest of the season after tearing a ligament in his right knee in Saturday’s victory over Oklahoma State.

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Connecticut junior backup tailback Lou Allen was suspended indefinitely for an unspecified rules violation, Coach Randy Edsall said.