BASEBALL

Howard seeking $18M from Philadelphia Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard asked for $18 million in salary arbitration Tuesday, the third-highest figure submitted since the process began in 1974.

Philadelphia offered $14 million to the 2006 NL MVP, a raise of $4 million. Howard had 48 homers and 146 RBI last year for the World Series champions.

Houston pitcher Roger Clemens set the record for highest request in arbitration at $22 million in 2005. Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is second at $18.5 million in 2001. Milwaukee first baseman Prince Fielder ($8 million) had the second-highest request this year.

• Forty-two players reached one-year agreements Tuesday just before figures were exchanged. Among them were Seattle lefthander Erik Bedard ($7.75 million), Pittsburgh first baseman Adam LaRoche ($7.05 million), Yankees outfielders Xavier Nady ($6.55 million) and Melky Cabrera ($1.4 million), and Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon ($6.25 million).

• Former Twins righthander Juan Rincon agreed to a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers. Rincon was 3-3 with a 5.86 ERA in 47 appearances last season for the Twins and Cleveland.

• Shortstop Jason Bartlett, 29, and the Tampa Bay Rays agreed on a one-year contract worth $1,981,250.

• All-Star catcher Russell Martin and reliever Jonathan Broxton avoided arbitration and agreed to one-year contracts worth $3.9 million and $1.825 million, respectively, with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

COLLEGES

Stanford considering major athletics cuts Stanford's athletic department, projecting a $5 million loss in revenue over the next three years, is considering cutting staff and eliminating some teams, The Associated Press has learned.

The school is expected to decide in coming weeks on staff cuts, a Stanford employee familiar with the issue told the AP on condition of anonymity.

Stanford has 35 sports teams, 19 for women, 15 for men and one coed squad. Last year, the university captured its 14th consecutive Division I U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup, for the top overall programs for each NCAA division.

• Former Syracuse head coach Greg Robinson was hired as Michigan's defensive coordinator, replacing Scott Shafer. Robinson was fired from Syracuse in November after going 10-37 in four seasons.

FIGURE SKATING

Russian teams lead in ice dancing, pairs Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov edged world champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy to post high score in the pairs short program at the European championships in Helsinki, Finland.

Mukhortova and Trankov scored a personal-best 69.62 points, nearly three points ahead of Savchenko and Szolkowy, who are seeking their third consecutive European pairs title.

Jana Khokhlova and Sergei Novitski lead after the compulsory dance. Defending champions Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin of Russia were fifth.

AROUND THE HORN

Golf: Anthony Kim withdrew from this weekend's Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in La Quinta, Calif., because of a sore left shoulder.

ASSOCIATED PRESS