YankeesGround.com | New York Yankees News, yankees Scores, Game Recaps & Commentary - <div>The New York Yankees declined salary arbitration with all eight of their former players who became free agents, a group that includes pitcher Andy Pettitte and right fielder Bobby Abreu. </div>Both made $16 million last season, so the move was not a surprise. By declining arbitration, the Yankees forfeited draft-pick compensation if they sign with other teams. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman didn't rule out re-signing the two. Also declined arbitration were first baseman Jason Giambi; pitchers Sidney Ponson, Carl Pavano and Mike Mussina; and catchers Ivan Rodriguez and Chad Moeller. Mussina has announced his retirement. More Baseball Free agents CC Sabathia, Ben Sheets and Brian Shouse were offered salary arbitration by the Milwaukee Brewers. * The Los Angeles Angels offered salary arbitration to free agents Mark Teixeira, Francisco Rodriguez, Jon Garland and Darren Oliver. The club declined to offer arbitration to longtime outfielder Garret Anderson. * Oft-injured left-hander Mike Hampton, 36, is set to return to the Houston Astros, reaching a preliminary agreement on a $2 million, one-year contract. * The Boston Red sox and Japanese pitcher Junichi Tazawa, 22, have agreed to a major league contract, according to reports. Tazawa, a right-hander, who has never played pro Baseball, agreed to a deal worth about $3 million. * A.J. Burnett, one of the top free-agent pitchers this offseason, was offered salary arbitration by Toronto . The Blue Jays declined to offer arbitration to catcher Gregg Zaun. Cycling Lance Armstrong will ride in the 2009 Tour de France, marking the first time he will compete in that race and the Giro d'Italia in the same year. "I'm committed to riding for the best guy," Armstrong said. The Giro runs May 9-31, and the Tour begins July 4. With such a quick turnaround between two grueling races, the seven-time Tour champion acknowledged his body might not perform at the same level it did when he won his most recent Tour in 2005. Auto racing Scott Speed will race full time next season in NASCAR's elite Sprint Cup Series, a move anticipated since Red Bull Racing released AJ Allmendinger to make room for the former Formula One driver. The team will change the Toyota from the No. 84 to No. 82 to accommodate Speed, who has been training for NASCAR since his summer 2007 release from Red Bull's F1 team. Jimmy Elledge will be his crew chief. Tennis The city of Surprise, Ariz., will play host to the 2009 Fed Cup quarterfinal Feb. 7-8 between the United States and Argentina. The five matches will be played in a temporary stadium at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex. The Americans have won a record 17 titles, though none since 2000. Pro basketball WNBA president Donna Orender says the franchise that won the league's first four championships is disbanding. She told a Houston TV station that the league-owned Houston Comets would be shut down because new owners couldn't be found. Soccer Major League Soccer, state and local officials broke ground on a planned $115 million soccer stadium in Chester, Pa.. Officials at the ceremony along the Delaware River, in the shadow of the Commodore Barry Bridge, said the stadium project in Chester is on schedule despite the nationwide economic downturn. The stadium will be home to a team that is expected to start play in 2010. Horse racing Ownership of reigning Horse of the Year Curlin remained divided after a judge's surprise ruling rejecting a proposed sale that would have consolidated control of the horse under winemaker Jess Jackson. Jackson's Stonestreet Stables owns 80 percent of the richest North American racehorse in history and had offered $4 million to buy out the remaining 20 percent interest from William Gallion and Shirley Cunningham Jr., two disbarred attorneys that are under a court order to pay $42 million to former clients they represented in a settlement over the diet drug fen-phen.

The New York Yankees declined salary arbitration with all eight of their former players who became free agents, a group that includes pitcher Andy Pettitte and right fielder Bobby Abreu.

Both made $16 million last season, so the move was not a surprise. By declining arbitration, the Yankees forfeited draft-pick compensation if they sign with other teams.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman didn't rule out re-signing the two.

Also declined arbitration were first baseman Jason Giambi; pitchers Sidney Ponson, Carl Pavano and Mike Mussina; and catchers Ivan Rodriguez and Chad Moeller. Mussina has announced his retirement.

More Baseball

Free agents CC Sabathia, Ben Sheets and Brian Shouse were offered salary arbitration by the Milwaukee Brewers.

* The Los Angeles Angels offered salary arbitration to free agents Mark Teixeira, Francisco Rodriguez, Jon Garland and Darren Oliver. The club declined to offer arbitration to longtime outfielder Garret Anderson.

* Oft-injured left-hander Mike Hampton, 36, is set to return to the Houston Astros, reaching a preliminary agreement on a $2 million, one-year contract.

* The Boston Red sox and Japanese pitcher Junichi Tazawa, 22, have agreed to a major league contract, according to reports. Tazawa, a right-hander, who has never played pro Baseball, agreed to a deal worth about $3 million.

* A.J. Burnett, one of the top free-agent pitchers this offseason, was offered salary arbitration by Toronto . The Blue Jays declined to offer arbitration to catcher Gregg Zaun.

Cycling

Lance Armstrong will ride in the 2009 Tour de France, marking the first time he will compete in that race and the Giro d'Italia in the same year.

"I'm committed to riding for the best guy," Armstrong said.

The Giro runs May 9-31, and the Tour begins July 4. With such a quick turnaround between two grueling races, the seven-time Tour champion acknowledged his body might not perform at the same level it did when he won his most recent Tour in 2005.

Auto racing

Scott Speed will race full time next season in NASCAR's elite Sprint Cup Series, a move anticipated since Red Bull Racing released AJ Allmendinger to make room for the former Formula One driver. The team will change the Toyota from the No. 84 to No. 82 to accommodate Speed, who has been training for NASCAR since his summer 2007 release from Red Bull's F1 team. Jimmy Elledge will be his crew chief.

Tennis

The city of Surprise, Ariz., will play host to the 2009 Fed Cup quarterfinal Feb. 7-8 between the United States and Argentina. The five matches will be played in a temporary stadium at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex. The Americans have won a record 17 titles, though none since 2000.

Pro basketball

WNBA president Donna Orender says the franchise that won the league's first four championships is disbanding. She told a Houston TV station that the league-owned Houston Comets would be shut down because new owners couldn't be found.

Soccer

Major League Soccer, state and local officials broke ground on a planned $115 million soccer stadium in Chester, Pa.. Officials at the ceremony along the Delaware River, in the shadow of the Commodore Barry Bridge, said the stadium project in Chester is on schedule despite the nationwide economic downturn. The stadium will be home to a team that is expected to start play in 2010.

Horse racing

Ownership of reigning Horse of the Year Curlin remained divided after a judge's surprise ruling rejecting a proposed sale that would have consolidated control of the horse under winemaker Jess Jackson. Jackson's Stonestreet Stables owns 80 percent of the richest North American racehorse in history and had offered $4 million to buy out the remaining 20 percent interest from William Gallion and Shirley Cunningham Jr., two disbarred attorneys that are under a court order to pay $42 million to former clients they represented in a settlement over the diet drug fen-phen.