BASEBALL

BASEBALL

American League

CLEVELAND INDIANS—Optioned RHP Edward Mujica to Buffalo (IL).

KANSAS CITY ROYALS—Claimed INF Jason Smith off waivers from Arizona (NL). Designated INF Fernando Cortez for assignment. Called up RHP Luke Hochevar to Omaha (PCL).

LOS ANGELES ANGELS—Waived RHP Hector Carrasco. Released INF Shea Hillenbrand. Purchased the contracts of INF Jeff LaRue from Long Beach and RHP Alex McRobbie from Orange County of the Golden Baseball League and assigned them to Rancho Cucamonga (California).

American Association

ST. JOE BLACKSNAKES—Released C Jacob Wallis.

ST. PAUL SAINTS—Released LHP Jason Cierlik. Sold the contract of OF Brent Krause to the Baltimore (AL).

SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS—Released RHP Jon Koch.

Can-Am League

NORTH SHORE SPIRIT—Agreed to terms with C Chris Wood.

Northern League

WINNIPEG GOLDEYES—Released RHP Brett Lawson.

BASKETBALL

National Basketball Association

DETROIT PISTONS—Signed G Chauncey Billups to a five-year contract.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS—Signed G-F Thaddeus Young and F Jason Smith.

PHOENIX SUNS—Agreed to terms with F Grant Hill on a two-year contract. Traded F James Jones and the draft rights to G Rudy Fernandez to Portland for $3 million.

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS—Bought out the contract of G Steve Francis.

SEATTLE SUPERSONICS—Signed F Rashard Lewis and traded him to Orlando for a conditional second-round draft pick.

TORONTO RAPTORS—Signed F Jamario Moon to a two-year contract.

FOOTBALL

National Football League

BALTIMORE RAVENS—Signed OL Marshall Yanda.

DENVER BRONCOS—Signed DT Marcus Thomas.

NEW YORK GIANTS—Signed WR Kevin McMahan.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS—Signed RB Larry Croom and WR Dan Sheldon.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS—Signed LB Will Herring, OL Mansfield Wrotto, WR Jordan Kent and WR Courtney Taylor. Released CB Rich Gardner.

TENNESSEE TITANS—Agreed to terms with CB Ryan Smith.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS—Named Janice Schmidt as senior vice president of marketing.

HOCKEY

National Hockey League

ATLANTA THRASHERS—Re-signed LW Eric Boulton.

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKET—Signed C Derek MacKenzie and D Dan Smith to one-year contracts.

LOS ANGELES KINGS—Agreed to terms with D Lubomir Visnovsky on a five-year contract extension. Signed F Scott Parse to two-year entry level contract.

MINNESOTA WILD—Re-signed G Josh Harding to a multiyear contract.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS—Named Lane Lambert coach of Milwaukee (AHL).

NEW YORK RANGERS—Agreed to terms with G Henrik Lundqvist on a one-year contract.

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS—Signed D Alex Goligoski.

WASHINGTON CAPITALS—Signed G Simeon Varlamov to a three-year contract.

ECHL

CHARLOTTE CHECKERS—Agreed to terms with D Mark Smith and F Brandon Cullen.

JOHNSTOWN CHIEFS—Agreed to terms with LW Randy Rowe.

MOTORSPORTS

NASCAR—Suspended Aaron Fike, craftsman truck series driver, and Cassandra Davidson, crew member, indefinitely for actions detrimental to stock car racing.

COLLEGE

NCAA—Announced the addition of two years to Oklahoma’s current probationary period, expiring on May 23, 2010; a reduction in allowable financial aid, and a vacation of records for the 2005 season including a bowl game victory for major violations within its football program.

BIG EAST CONFERENCE—Named Mia Brickhouse and Robert Weygand, Jr., directors of sport administration and Benjamin Fairclough director of marketing and web development.

BINGHAMTON—Announced the resignation of women’s lacrosse coach Emily Edmonston.

DELAWARE—Named B.J. Cashman supervisor of intercollegiate events.

DUKE—Announced men’s lacrosse A Collin Finnerty will transfer to Loyola of Maryland.

FLORIDA STATE—Announced that the contract of Dave Hart, Jr., athletic director, will not be renewed.

MOUNT OLIVE—Named Tim Dunford men’s and women’s assistant tennis coach.

N.J. CITY—Named Alice De Fazio interim director of athletics.

OAKLAND, MICH.—Named John Musachio baseball coach.

OKLAHOMA STATE—Named Gavin Lang associate media relations director.

ST. JOHN’S—Named Brian Jacovina men’s assistant lacrosse coach.

SYRACUSE—Named Katie Ely women’s assistant soccer coach.

TEMPLE—Named Jennifer Wong women’s assistant lacrosse coach.