Sports

• YU DARVISH, TEXAS RANGERS AGREE TO DEAL AT DEADLINE (WED.-SUN., JAN. 18-22, 2012)
  The two-time defending American League champion Rangers and the 25-year-old Darvish agree on a $60 million, six-year deal just before the end of a 30-day negotiating window. (SJ Mercury News)
• NEW RANGER DARVISH, ACTRESS DIVORCE (WED.-SUN., JAN. 18-22, 2012)
  While negotiating a six-year, $60 million contract with the Texas Rangers, starting pitcher Yu Darvish still managed to find time to divorce his wife, actress and TV celebrity Saeko, the pair’s management office says. (Japan Times)
• HIDEKI MATSUI SEEN AS DH OPTION FOR YANKS (WED.-SUN., JAN. 18-22, 2012)
  U.S. media report the New York Yankees have contacted the Japanese slugger about a possible return to the Bronx as designated hitter. (Japan Times)
• KOSUKE KITAJIMA CLAIMS FIRST VICTORY OF YEAR (MON.-TUES., JAN. 16-17, 2012)
  The two-time double Olympic breaststroke champion wins his first race of 2012 in taking the 200 meters at a time-trials meet in Fullerton, Calif. (Japan Times)
• RYO ISHIKAWA MULLING U.S. MEMBERSHIP (MON.-TUES., JAN. 16-17, 2012)
  The Japanese golfer is interested in taking up U.S. PGA Tour membership. (Japan Times)
• GOLFER ISHIKAWA FAILS TO MAKE SONY CUT (MON.-TUES., JAN. 16-17, 2012)
  Ryo Ishikawa misses the cut by two strokes in his first start of 2012 at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Ishikawa shot an even-par 70 to finish at 1-over 141. Asian amateur champion Hideki Matsuyama also failed to advance. (Japan Times)
• JAPANESE PLAYERS CHASE NFL DREAM (MON.-TUES., JAN. 16-17, 2012)
  Former Dallas Cowboys scout Larry Dixon believes that there will one day be a Japanese player in the National Football League — though he can’t guarantee when. “It’s just a matter of time …” Dixon says in Tokyo. (Japan Times)
• MARINERS, A’S GET SET FOR SEASON-OPENER IN JAPAN (MON.-TUES., JAN. 16-17, 2012)
  Ichiro Suzuki is coming home. His major league contemporary Hideki Matsui, however, probably won’t be along for the ride. (Japan Times)
• KIMIKO DATE-KRUMM PLAYS TO HER STRENGTHS (MON.-TUES., JAN. 16-17, 2012)
  When Kimiko Date-Krumm played her first professional match in 1988, today’s top three women’s tennis players weren’t even born. Now she reckons she’s developed a game that is still competitive. (WSJ)
• KEI NISHIKORI UPSETS STAR ANDY RODDICK (MON.-TUES., JAN. 16-17, 2012)
  The Japanese tennis player Kei Nishikori ends his Australian Open warmup in style with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over former world No. 1 Andy Roddick at the Kooyong Classic. (Japan Times)
• KAWASAKI SIGNS MINOR LEAGUE DEAL (FRI., JAN. 13, 2012)
  Former Fukuoka Softbank Hawks shortstop Munenori Kawasaki signs a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners, which includes an invitation to major league spring training, the club says. (Japan Times)
• NITAKE, FUJIOKA LEAD WEST TORRANCE PAST MIRA COSTA (THURS., JAN. 12, 2012)
  The West Torrance High Warriors girls basketball team cruises to a 54-33 victory over Mira Costa; Nicole Nitake scores a game-high 18 points for the Warriors. Teammate Kylie Fujioka was the next leading scorer with seven points. (Daily Breeze)
• YAO MING APPOINTED TO SHANGHAI GOVERNMENT’S TOP ADVISORY BODY (THURS., JAN. 12, 2012)
  Former Chinese basketball star Yao Ming is appointed a member of the Shanghai municipal government’s top advisory body, the official Xinhua News Agency reports. (Bloomberg)
• JAPAN'S WOMEN SCOOP FOOTBALL TREBLE (WED., JAN. 11, 2012)
  Almost six months after Japan's women gave the country a much-needed boost by winning the football World Cup, the team was again celebrating after scooping a hat-trick of prestigious awards. (CNN)
• RANGERS, DARVISH REPORTEDLY NOT CLOSE TO DEAL (WED., JAN. 11, 2012)
  With the deadline for an agreement slightly more than a week away, the Texas Rangers and Japanese righthander Yu Darvish aren’t close on a contract, CBSSports.com reports, citing an unidentified source. (Sporting News)
• FREE AGENT KURODA TURNS DOWN CARP (WED., JAN. 11, 2012)
  Free agent pitcher Hiroki Kuroda has decided to stay in the major leagues for the 2012 season, a senior official of his former Japanese club says. (Japan Times)
• ICHIRO WELCOMES IWAKUMA TO SEATTLE (WED., JAN. 11, 2012)
  Ichiro Suzuki welcomes Hisashi Iwakuma to the Seattle Mariners with open arms, saying the right-hander's addition to the team was a "pleasant surprise." (Japan Times)