Sports Briefs

BASEBALL

Lincecum accepts two-year, $40 million deal with Giants

SAN FRANCISCO — Giants executive Bobby Evans says the team and ace Tim Lincecum have reached verbal agreement on a two-year contract worth about $40 million.

The deal, subject to a physical, avoids an arbitration hearing. Lincecum had asked for a near-record $21.5 million in salary arbitration and had been offered $17 million by the club.

Lincecum, 27, the winning pitcher in the Game 5 World Series clincher at Texas in 2010, earned $13.1 million last season when he completed a two-year deal worth $23.2 million.

• The Toronto Blue Jays signed pitcher Brandon Morrow to a three-year contract worth $20 million. Morrow, 27, was 11-11 last season with a 4.72 ERA. But the right-hander also set career highs in wins (11), innings pitched (179 1/3) and strikeouts (203)…. Infielder Omar Vizquel, 44, and Toronto agreed to a minor league contract that includes an invitation to spring training.

• Infielder Wilson Betemit and the Baltimore Orioles agreed to a two-year, $3.25 million contract. The switch-hitting Betemit batted .285 with eight homers and 46 RBI in 97 games for Kansas City and Detroit last season.

• Cody Ross agreed to a one-year, $3 million deal with the Boston Red Sox, giving them an experienced bat to help replace J.D. Drew in right field. Ross, 31, batted .240 with 14 home runs and 52 RBI for the San Francisco Giants last season.

AUTO RACING

Mayfield takes banishment to federal appeals court

RICHMOND — Attorneys for former race car driver Jeremy Mayfield are asking a federal appeals panel to reinstate his lawsuit against NASCAR over his suspension for failing a random drug test at Richmond International Raceway in 2009.

A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond heard arguments Tuesday over whether a lower court judge erred in dismissing Mayfield’s suit in 2010 because Mayfield had twice — as a driver and an owner — signed documents in order to race that waived his right to sue. At issue also was the district court’s refusal to let Mayfield amend his complaint to bolster his case.

Following Mayfield’s 2009 suspension, he sued NASCAR, its owner, Brian Zachary France, and the drug testing company for defamation, unfair and deceptive trade practices, breach of contract and negligence.

PRO BASKETBALL

Ankle sidelines Wade for fifth straight game

MIAMI — Heat guard Dwyane Wade missed his fifth consecutive game Tuesday night with a sprained right ankle, sitting out Miami’s matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Wade remains listed as day-to-day and will travel with the Heat to Detroit for their game there Wednesday. The Cleveland game was the eighth he’s missed this season, including three earlier this month with a sore left foot.

• From wire dispatches and staff reports