PRO BASKETBALL

Leslie will return to Sparks in 2008

Lisa Leslie will return to the Los Angeles Sparks in May for the start of the 2008 season after sitting out last summer to give birth to a baby girl.

The team announced Leslie's return on Thursday, along with its summer schedule.

Leslie, who gave birth to Lauren Jolie Lockwood on June 25, resumed playing basketball with the U.S. national team in late October. The WNBA will take a break July 28-Aug. 27 so league players can represent their countries at the Beijing Olympics.

The league MVP in 2006, Leslie won gold medals with the U.S. team in the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympics.

BASEBALL

Rodriguez finalizes deal with Yankees

Alex Rodriguez set another record for baseball's highest contract, finalizing his $275 million, 10-year agreement with the New York Yankees on Thursday.

A-Rod set the previous mark with his $252 million, 10-year deal with Texas in December 2000. Traded to the Yankees in 2004, he opted out of that contract Oct. 28, during the final game of the World Series.

Blue Jays sign Eckstein: Shortstop David Eckstein agreed to terms with the Toronto Blue Jays on a one-year, $4.5 million contract.

Eckstein had a career-high .309 batting average for the St. Louis Cardinals last season with three homers, 31 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.

Eckstein was the MVP of the Cardinals' World Series triumph in 2006.

Everett signs with Twins: Adam Everett, cast aside the day before when Houston acquired All-Star Miguel Tejada, agreed to a $2.8 million, one-year contract with the Minnesota Twins to be their regular shortstop.

Nationals sign Mackowiak, Harris; avoid arbitration with Colome: Free-agent utility players Rob Mackowiak and Willie Harris agreed to 2008 contracts with the Washington Nationals, who also avoided arbitration with reliever Jesus Colome by settling on a $1.25 million, one-year deal.

TENNIS

U.S. to play Fed Cup quarterfinal in La Jolla

The United States will play Germany in the Fed Cup quarterfinals Feb. at La Jolla.

The matches will be in a temporary stadium at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club, the U.S. Tennis Association announced. The deadline for announcing teams is 10 days before the matches.

The club also hosted a first-round Fed Cup match against Romania.

AUTO RACING

McLaren apologizes for F1 spy scandal

The McLaren team apologized for its role in the Formula One spy scandal.

In a letter to FIA's World Motorsport Council, McLaren chief operating officer Martin Whitmarsh expressed his embarrassment that secret Ferrari documents were widely spread through his team.

McLaren was fined a record $100 million in September by the WMSC for unauthorized possession of confidential Ferrari materials. The team was also kicked out of the constructors' championship.

SWIMMING

Jedrzejczak, Cseh set world records

Otylia Jedrzejczak of Poland and Laszlo Cseh of Hungary set world records at the European Short Course Swimming Championships at Debrecen, Hungary.

Jedrzejczak's time in the women's 200-meter butterfly event was 2 minutes, 03.53 seconds, beating the previous record of 2:04.94, set on Dec. 7, 2006, in Helsinki, Finland.

Cseh finished the men's 200-meter individual medley in 1:52.99. He bettered the record of 1:53.14 set by Thiago Pereira of Brazil on Nov. 18 at the World Cup in Berlin.