Off the wire

BASEBALL

Former Series MVP arrested

John Wetteland, a former AllStar and World Series MVP, has been charged in Texas with continuous sex abuse of a child under age 14. Wetteland, 52, was arrested Monday and freed on $25,000 bond, according to Denton County jail records. Wetteland lives in the Dallas-area suburb of Trophy Club. Bartonville Police Chief Bobby Dowell said the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services contacted his office last week. After an investigation, an arrest warrant was issued for Wetteland, who was taken into custody by Denton County sheriff’s deputies. According to a consolidated complaint and probable cause affidavit, Wetteland is accused of having a child perform a sex act on him, beginning in 2004 when the child was 4. The accuser said it happened twice more during a two-year period. The Associated Press was not able to contact Wetteland or his attorney for comment. Wetteland was the Most Valuable Player of the 1996 World Series when he helped the New York Yankees beat the Atlanta Braves. He posted four saves in that Series, which remains a major league record.

FOOTBALL

Jets, Williams near deal The New York Jets are finalizing a deal with former Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator and interim head coach Gregg Williams to become their defensive coordinator, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Tuesday. The news comes a day after the Jets introduced Adam Gase as their head coach, but according to Schefter, Williams was the Jets’ primary defensive coordinator target no matter who the head coach was. Williams has been a defensive coordinator for six teams: the Titans, Redskins, Saints, Jaguars, Rams and, most recently, the Browns. He began the 2018 season as Cleveland’s defensive coordinator, ended it as the interim head coach and went 5-3 after taking over for Hue Jackson. The Browns fired Williams earlier this week after naming offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens their head coach.

Super Bowl crew named Referee John Parry will lead the seven-person crew of on-field game officials working the Feb. 3 Super Bowl in Atlanta. This will be the third Super Bowl that Parry has worked. He also worked the Super Bowls after the 2006 and 2011 seasons. The other members of the officiating crew for the game are Fred Bryan (umpire), Edgar Camp (down judge), Jeff Bergman (line judge), Steve Zimmer (field judge), Eugene Hall (side judge) and Terrence Miles (back judge). Bergman, Zimmer and Miles will make their second appearances in the title game. This will be the first Super Bowl for Bryan, Camp and Hall.

Wimbush transferring to UCF

Former Notre Dame quarterback Brandon Wimbush said he is transferring to Central Florida, where he will be eligible to play next season as a graduate transfer. Wimbush announced on social media Monday that he would attend UCF next season. He started 16 games for the Fighting Irish over the past two seasons, including the first three of 2018. Wimbush lost his starting job to Ian Book. Wimbush passed for 2,606 yards and 20 touchdowns and ran for 1,155 yards and 16 scores at Notre Dame. UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton suffered a severe leg injury in the regular-season finale last year and his return to football is uncertain. Pro Bowl coaches named The coaching staffs of the Los Angeles Chargers and Dallas Cowboys have been selected to lead the Pro Bowl teams. Anthony Lynn and his Chargers’ staff will coach the AFC team, while Jason Garrett and his Cowboys’ staff coach the NFC. The Chargers were 12-4 in the regular season and lost to the New England Patriots 41-28 in the divisional round Sunday. The NFC East champion Cowboys were 10-6 in the regular season and were defeated 30-22 by the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday. Each team also will have two “Legends Captains” — one offensive and one defensive. Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly (offense) and linebacker DeMarcus Ware (defense) will lead the AFC. Hall of Famers Emmitt Smith (offense) and Brian Urlacher (defense) will lead the NFC. The Pro Bowl is Jan. 27 in Orlando, Fla.

Colts fire O-line coach

A person with knowledge of the situation says the Indianapolis Colts have fired offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because no official announcement had been made. DeGuglielmo took over an offensive line that allowed a league-high 56 sacks in 2017 and helped a young, revamped line that allowed a league-low 18 sacks in 2018. Marlon Mack also rushed for more than 100 yards five times this season, the highest total by a Colts’ running back since Joseph Addai in 2007. DeGuglielmo was one of three coaches initially hired by Josh McDaniels last January before he changed his mind and returned to the Patriots.

MOTOR SPORTS

IndyCar gets title sponsor IndyCar has signed a multi-year title sponsorship deal with NTT, a global information technology and communications company based in Japan. The partnership was revealed Tuesday at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit and makes NTT the official technology partner of the IndyCar Series, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Brickyard 400. NTT replaces Verizon, which was title sponsor of the series from 2014 until it ended its partnership last season. NTT Data, a subsidiary of the parent company, already sponsors one of Chip Ganassi Racing’s cars. The company approached IndyCar before last year’s season finale about a broader deal and the entitlement package was completed in roughly three months. IndyCar officials made a November trip to Tokyo with Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato to make their winning pitch to NTT.

GOLF

Sanderson date moved The Sanderson Farms Championship is moving its tournament dates for next season and increasing its purse money in hopes of attracting a better field. The PGA Tour announced Tuesday that the tournament will have its own weekend on the schedule from Sept. 1922 and increase its purse to $6.6 million, which is up from last year’s $4.4 million. It will be the second week of the 2019-2020 season, one week after The Greenbrier Classic. The winner will also receive a full allotment of 500 FedExCup points and earn a spot in the field for the Masters. The Sanderson Farms Championship had previously been played in late October and was on the same weekend as the World Golf Championships, which attracted many of the world’s top players. The tournament has been played at the Country Club of Jackson since 2014.

SOCCER

Austin gains franchise Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber formally announced Tuesday that Austin will be an expansion franchise for the 2021 season. The move has been long expected as Austin became the target destination for efforts last year to move the Columbus Crew. The Crew instead will stay in Ohio under a new ownership group. Austin recently signed a lease with Austin FC majority owner Anthony Precourt, a California-based investor, to provide land for a privately-funded $225 million stadium. The Austin venue will be an open-air facility with a natural grass playing field on land that has been vacant for 25 years. Austin FC will become the 27th team in MLS and the first major league professional franchise in the Texas capital city.

WINTER SPORTS Shiffrin wins giant slalom

Mikaela Shiffrin took advantage of a massive first-run lead to win a World Cup giant slalom on Tuesday and earn her 10th victory of the season. Having established a 1.39-second advantage in the opening leg on the steep Erta slope, Shiffrin finished a comfortable 1.21 seconds ahead of Tessa Worley of France. Marta Bassino of Italy moved up from fourth after the first run to finish third, 1.57 back. Shiffrin was determined to win at Kronplatz after failing to reach the podium in her first two races there. The overall World Cup leader and Olympic champion in giant slalom, Shiffrin is within striking distance of the all-time record of 14 victories in a single season set by Swiss great Vreni Schneider in 1988-1989.