Red Sox, Ortiz strike $26M, 2-year deal. Almost!

The Red Sox and designated hitter David Ortiz have agreed to a two-year deal worth $26 million that could allow one of the breakout stars of the franchise's cathartic 2004 World Series victory to retire in a Boston uniform. A baseball official with knowledge of the negotiations said Friday night that the deal, with incentive bonuses, could bring Ortiz as much as $30 million in the 2013 and '14 seasons. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been signed. Red Sox president Larry Lucchino said the team had nothing to announce. Ortiz's agent, Fern Cuza, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Speaking at the Celtics' home opener against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night, Ortiz said, ''We haven't finished it up yet.'' ''It's coming,'' he said as he walked back to his courtside seat at the TD Garden ''It's coming.''

NYC Mayor Bloomberg does the right thing, cancels the NYC Marathon

With the runners ready but ravaged residents still recovering from Sandy, this weekend's New York City Marathon was canceled Friday when Mayor Michael Bloomberg reversed himself and yielded to mounting criticism that this was no time to run a race.

The death toll in the city stood at 41 and thousands of shivering people were without electricity, making many New Yorkers recoil at the idea of assigning police officers to protect a foot race and evicting storm victims from hotels to make way for runners.

Bloomberg, who as late as Friday morning insisted that the world's largest marathon should go on as scheduled Sunday, changed course hours later after intensifying opposition from the city controller, the Manhattan borough president and sanitation workers unhappy that they had volunteered to help storm victims but were assigned to the race instead. The mayor said he would not want ''a cloud to hang over the race or its participants.''

''We cannot allow a controversy over an athletic event - even one as meaningful as this - to distract attention away from all the critically important work that is being done to recover from the storm and get our city back on track,'' the mayor said. Around 47,500 runners - 30,000 of them out-of-towners, many of them from other countries - had been expected to take part in the 26.2-mile event, with more than 1 million spectators usually lining the route.

The race had been scheduled to start in Staten Island, one of the storm's hardest-hit places, and wind through all of the city's five boroughs. The nationally televised race has been held annually since 1970, including 2001, about two months after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Angels and Cubs swap pitchers - Haren for Marmol

The Los Angeles Angels agreed to trade pitcher Dan Haren to the Chicago Cubs for closer Carlos Marmol on Friday, according to a person familiar with the deal. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade had not been completed. The deal was first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times. A spokesman for the Cubs declined to comment. Marmol's contract gives him the right to submit a list of up to five teams he can't be traded to without his consent. Haren, a three-time All-Star from 2007-09, would be the second starting pitcher traded by the busy Angels in three days. Los Angeles shipped Ervin Santana to the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday for minor league left-hander Brandon Sisk. The Angels had until midnight EDT on Friday to exercise Haren's $15.5 million option for next season. He had a $3.5 million buyout. The 32-year-old right-hander went 12-13 with a career-worst 4.33 ERA in 30 starts this year and was on the disabled list for the first time. Marmol, an All-Star in 2008, had 114 saves for the Cubs over the past five years. Yet he lost his job as the team's closer several times due to ineffectiveness and a lack of control. The 30-year-old righty was 3-3 with a 3.42 ERA in 61 appearances this year. He had 20 saves in 23 chances but walked 45 in 55 1-3 innings. Marmol is set to make $9.8 million next season and then can become a free agent. He had a career-best 38 saves in 2010, when he struck out 138 in 77 2-3 innings and finished an NL-high 70 games.

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - NOVEMBER 2ND

1938 - Babe Ruth applies for the manager job of the St. Louis Browns.

1960 - Roger Maris nips Mickey Mantle as AL MVP, 225-222.

1969 - An NFL record of 12 passing touchdowns in a game is accomplished by quarterbacks Billy Kramer, New Orleans, and Charlie Johnson, St. Louis.

1970 - Cleveland Cavaliers lose by the biggest NBA margin, 54 points, of 141-87 to Philadelphia.

1972 - Steve Carlton of the Philadelphia Phillies wins the NL Cy Young Award by a unanimous decision.

1974 - The Atlanta Braves trade future Home Run King Hank Aaron to the Milwaukee Brewers for Outfielder Dave May.

1977 - Phillies' Steve Carlton wins his 2nd Cy Young Award.

1988 - A Mexican radio station erroneously reports Mike Tyson dies in a car crash.

1990 - The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Dallas Mavericks 98-85 in the first NBA game to be played at the Target Center in Minnesota.

1991 - Nevada makes the biggest comeback in NCAA football history, overcoming a 35 point deficit in the 3rd Quarter and rallying to beat Weber State 55-49.

Ex-Penn State president charged in Sandusky case

The ''conspiracy of silence'' that protected Jerry Sandusky extended all the way to the top at Penn State, prosecutors said Thursday as they charged former university President Graham Spanier with hushing up child sexual abuse allegations against the former assistant football coach. Prosecutors also added counts against two of Spanier's former underlings, Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, who were already charged with lying to a grand jury. ''This was not a mistake by these men. This was not an oversight. It was not misjudgment on their part,'' said state Attorney General Linda Kelly. ''This was a conspiracy of silence by top officials to actively conceal the truth.'' Spanier's lawyers issued a statement that asserted his innocence and described the new charges as an attempt by Gov. Tom Corbett to divert attention from the three-year investigation that began under his watch as attorney general.

Mike Redmond is hired as Marlins 5th manager in three years

The Miami Marlins' celebrity manager was a bust, so they're calling one up from the minors. Mike Redmond, who spent the past two years managing Class A teams in the Toronto Blue Jays' system, was hired Thursday by the Marlins to replace Ozzie Guillen. A former major league catcher, Redmond had not interviewed for a big league job until he met with the Marlins last week. He received a three-year contract and will be introduced as the Marlins' fifth manager since mid-2010 at a news conference at their ballpark Friday.

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - NOVEMBER 1ST

1924 - The first US NHL franchise is founded, the Boston Bruins.

1946 - Cleveland Indians owner Bill Veeck's right foot is amputated.

1946 - The New York Knick defeat the Toronto Huskies in their first game, 68-66.

1950 - Charles Cooper, Boston Celtics, becomes the first negro league basketball player.

1951 - Brooklyn Dodger's catcher Roy Campanella wins his first of three NL MVP awards.

1959 - Jacques Plante becomes the first goalie to wear a hockey mask.

1959 - Jim Brown scores 5 TDs as the Cleveland Browns sneak by Baltimore, 38-31.

1964 - George Blanda of Houston throws an NFL-record 37 passes in 68 attempts.

1966 - The NFL awards New Orleans its 16th franchise.

1982 - Major leagues vote note to renew Commissioner Bowie Kuhn's contract.