Associated Press
FOOTBALL
AP source: Flacco agrees to Ravens deal
A person with knowledge of the deal tells The Associated Press that Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco has agreed on a new contract with the Baltimore Ravens.
Flacco played out his rookie contract last season for $6.76 million and led Baltimore to the NFL championship. He cashed in Friday with the new deal, although terms were not immediately available.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement has not officially been announced.
Fox Sports first reported the new deal.
The 28-year-old Flacco is the only quarterback to win a postseason game in each of his first five pro seasons. He had a spectacular playoffs and Super Bowl this year, throwing for 11 touchdowns with no interceptions.
He also holds the record for playoff road wins with six.
BASEBALL
Reds sign RHP Prior to minors contract
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Pitcher Mark Prior has joined the Cincinnati Reds in his latest comeback bid.
The Reds signed the 32-year-old righty to a minor league contract. This is the fourth straight spring that the oft-injured pitcher has tried to make it back to the majors.
Prior pitched for Boston in Triple-A last season, making 19 relief appearances with a 3.96 ERA.
The move reunites Prior and Reds manager Dusty Baker. They were together with the Chicago Cubs several years ago, and Prior was an All-Star in 2003 when the team came close to reaching the World Series.
Baker said Friday that he's kept up with Prior since their days in Chicago.
Rangers' Cruz cleared after chest discomfort
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Texas Rangers right fielder Nelson Cruz was cleared of more serious issues Friday after team doctors diagnosed a muscle strain in his chest.
Assistant general manager Thad Levine said Cruz was sent to a hospital to rule out anything else. The Rangers later said in a statement that several tests were negative and Cruz was being released after a stress test, which general manager Jon Daniels said he passed.
Cruz can resume baseball activities Saturday.
"I think our guys made the right call," Daniels said. "Better safe than sorry to have him checked out."
Daniels said Cruz's status for the World Baseball Classic will depend on how he feels Saturday. Cruz was set to leave Sunday to join the Dominican Republic for the WBC.
The 32-year-old Cruz leads the Rangers with five RBI this spring training, although he's hitting just .214. He played a career-high 159 games last season, hitting .260 with 24 home runs and 90 RBI.
ICE HOCKEY
Blue Jackets recall defenseman Prout
COLUMBUS -- The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled defenseman Dalton Prout from their American Hockey League affiliate in Springfield, Mass.
He may fill in for defenseman John Moore, who sustained an upper-body injury during Friday's morning skate.
The 22-year-old Prout, who is scoreless in five NHL games, had a goal, eight assists and 73 penalty minutes in 40 games at Springfield this season.
He was Columbus' sixth-round pick, 154th overall, in the 2010 draft.
BASKETBALL
NBA receives bid for Kings from group
The NBA has received an official offer from 24 Hour Fitness founder Mark Mastrov and billionaire Ron Burkle to buy the Sacramento Kings and keep the team from moving to Seattle.
NBA spokesman Tim Frank confirmed the league received the bid Friday.
Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson had announced the Mastrov-Burkle bid during his State of the City address Thursday night. Johnson tweeted Friday: "The proposal is IN!! A proud day for Sacramento!!"
Mastrov is hoping to become the majority owner of the team. Burkle will lead the effort to build a new downtown arena that he hopes will lure back a WNBA franchise.
A Seattle group has a signed agreement to buy the Kings from the Maloof family. The NBA Board of Governors is expected to vote by mid-April on the bid.
If the league blocks the Seattle deal, the Maloofs would still have to agree to sell the team to any prospective buyers.
Shock make trades for ex-Stanford stars
TULSA, Okla. -- The Tulsa Shock acquired two former All-Americans from Stanford on Friday, picking up guard Candice Wiggins in a trade with the Minnesota Lynx and forward Nicole Powell in a deal with the New York Liberty.
Tulsa sent a 2014 second-round draft pick to Minnesota for Wiggins. The Liberty received second- and third-round picks in this year's draft plus the rights to veteran Deanna Nolan, who refused to continue playing for the Shock after the team relocated from Detroit to Tulsa.
Nolan hasn't played in the WNBA since 2009.
The Shock also received New York's third-round pick in the 2013 draft.
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