Off the wire

BASEBALL D-Backs acquire Reed

Arizona General Manager Kevin Towers went into baseball’s winter meetings looking for a starting pitcher, not giving much thought to the back end of his pitching staff. When the Chicago White Sox called and asked if he’d be interested in closer Addison Reed, Towers jumped at the chance to improve a part of the team that’s struggled the past couple of seasons. The Diamondbacks bolstered their bullpen on Monday by acquiring Reed in a trade that sent third base prospect Matt Davidson to the White Sox. The Diamondbacks finished 81-81 for the second consecutive season, a total that clearly could have been higher if the bullpen didn’t tie Houston for the most blown saves in the majors with 29. Reed should give Arizona an upgrade at the back end and stability, with four years still left on his contract. The 24-year-old right-hander was seventh in the majors with 40 saves last season and finished 5-4 with a 3.79 ERA in 68 appearances. Opponents hit .215 against Reed, who had 72 strikeouts, 23 walks and eight blown saves. Towers said Reed, who has 69 saves since 2012, will be given every opportunity to be Arizona’s closer coming out of spring training. The Diamondbacks traded away two of their best young players in a three-way trade at the winter meetings, unloading outfielder Adam Eaton and left-hander Tyler Skaggs for slugger Mark Trumbo. Davidson, 22, was considered one of Arizona’s top prospects and hit .280 with 32 doubles, 17 home runs and 74 RBIs with Class AAA Reno last season. He hit .237 with 3 home runs in 31 games in the majors, but wasn’t expected to get many at-bats with the Diamondbacks’ infield depth. The White Sox used Conor Gillaspie and Jeff Keppinger at third base last season, and Davidson gives them a potentially big bat in the future.

The St. Louis Cardinals signed free-agent second baseman Mark Ellis to a one-year, $5.25 million contract, giving them insurance for rookie Kolten Wong. In a conference call after the deal was announced Monday, Ellis, 36, said he had some multi-year offers but chose the Cardinals because he wants to win a World Series. Ellis played for the Dodgers in the NL Championship Series last fall against St. Louis, which won the Series in 2011 and lost in six games to the Red Sox in 2013. The contract calls for an additional $125,000 at 250 plate appearances and for every 25 plate appearances after that up to 475 plate appearances. Ellis is a lifetime .265 hitter for three teams. He hit .270 with 6 home runs and 48 RBI for the Dodgers last season, and is considered a strong defensive second baseman. He’s had only spot duty at other infield positions during his career, but was open to that option, noting he played third base two years in college and was a shortstop growing up. Wong, a first-round pick in 2011, made his major league debut last year and is expected to get the starting shot at second base in 2014. Matt Carpenter moves to third base following the trade of David Freese to the Angels and Ellis provides a right-handed hitting option, plus he’s open to a mentor role.

The Cleveland Indians may have found their new closer. Free agent John Axford, who had 46 saves for Milwaukee in 2011 but has struggled the past two seasons, has agreed to terms on a one-year, $4.5 million contract with the Indians, pending a physical. Axford is expected to undergo a medical exam on Wednesday. As long as there are no issues, Axford will close for the Indians in 2014, replacing Chris Perez, who was released on Oct. 31. Axford can earn an additional $1.75 million if he reaches incentives. Cleveland initially considered moving either reliever Bryan Shaw or Cody Allen into the closer’s spot, but at last week’s winter meetings Manager Terry Francona said he preferred to keep the two reliable right-handers in their setup roles. Axford, 30, lost his closer’s job last year with the Milwaukee Brewers and was traded to St. Louis in August. He blew six save chances in 62 games last season with the Brewers before they dealt him to the Cardinals, who used him in a late-inning role. Axford had a 1.74 ERA in 13 games for St. Louis. The 6-foot-5 right-hander had his best season in 2011, when he went 2-2 with a 1.95 ERA and 46 saves in 74 appearances. Axford had 106 saves in five seasons with the Brewers. He has a 1.42 ERA in 12 postseason appearances.

FOOTBALL Malzahn wins award

Auburn’s Gus Malzahn is the winner of the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award presented by the Football Writers Association of America. Malzahn, from Fort Smith, led the Tigers (12-1) to the BCS Championship Game in his first season after taking over a team that went 3-9 in 2012. He is the third coach to win the award in the first season with a school, joining Ralph Friedgen of Maryland in 2001 and Tom Cahill of Army in 1966. Malzahn is also the second Auburn coach to win the award, along with Terry Bowden in 1993.

Eastern Illinois quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo won the Walter Payton Award, which is given to the Football Championship Subdivision’s top player. Garoppolo threw for a FCS-best 4,489 yards and 48 touchdown passes in 2013, leading the Panthers to the Ohio Valley Conference title. The Panthers lost to Towson in the FCS quarterfinals. North Dakota State Coach Craig Bohl captured his second consecutive Eddie Robinson Award (coach of the year), Bohl, who has accepted the Wyoming job, has led the Bison to two consecutive FCS national championships. The Bison host New Hampshire on Saturday in a FCS semifinal game. Eastern Washington wide receiver Cooper Kupp won the Jerry Rice Award (top freshman) and Montana State defensive end Brad Daly earned the Buck Buchanan Award (top defensive player).

HOCKEY Thornton appealing

Boston Bruins forward Shawn Thornton has decided to appeal his 15-game suspension for punching and injuring unsuspecting Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik on Dec. 7. Thornton’s agent, Anton Thun, confirmed in an email to the Canadian Press that his client was appealing. The NHL Players’ Association announced it had informed the league of that plan before the 48-hour deadline to do so ended. As per the collective bargaining agreement, the appeal first goes to Commissioner Gary Bettman. If Bettman upholds the suspension, Thornton and the NHLPA can then elect to appeal to a neutral arbitrator because it is for six or more games.

FOOTBALL Glendale, Tampa to get title games

Arizona will host the College Football Playoff championship in 2016 and Tampa, Fla., will be the site of the 2017 title game.

The conference commissioners who oversee the playoffs announced Monday their choices for the sites of the second and third championship games in the new postseason system that goes into effect next season.

“This was not an easy decision,” said Bill Hancock, executive director of the playoff. “It was a very competitive process. The decision was difficult because we received eight excellent proposals.”

The first championship game will played Jan. 12, 2015, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys.

The second title game is scheduled to be played Jan. 11, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz., at University of Phoenix Stadium, home of the Fiesta Bowl and the NFL’s Cardinals. The Fiesta Bowl is also part of the six-bowl semifinal rotation for the playoff, but it won’t host a semifinal until the 2016 season.

The other bidders for the 2016 game were Jacksonville, Fla., New Orleans and Tampa.

Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium, home of the Buccaneers, was a finalist to host the first championship game, and it was no surprise that it was awarded one of the next two. The national title game in Tampa is scheduled to be played Jan. 9, 2017.

“We had to learn to lose before we can learn to win,” said Rob Higgins, director of the Tampa Bay sports commission.

The other bidders for the 2017 game were Jacksonville; the San Francisco Bay Area; Minneapolis; San Antonio, Texas; and South Florida.