Red Sox give Varitek deadline

The Boston Red Sox have given catcher Jason Varitek until Friday to accept or reject a one-year, $5-million contract offer with options for 2010.

A person familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday the Red Sox, who begin spring training Feb. 12, want an answer by Friday. The person disclosed the deadline and details of the offer on condition of anonymity because the team does not publicly discuss negotiations.

The Boston Herald and Boston Globe reported earlier the offer was $5 million for 2009 with player and club options for 2010.

Varitek, who turns 37 on April 11, is coming off the worst of his 11 seasons with the Red Sox. In 131 games, he hit .220 with 13 home runs and 43 runs batted in.

Right-handed reliever Tanyon Sturtze agreed to a minor league contract with the Dodgers and was invited to spring training. Sturtze made three appearances with the Dodgers last August before being designated for assignment at the end of the month.

Free-agent outfielder Manny Ramirez should be signed by the start of spring training, his agent said. “I can’t put a timetable on this, but I know that spring training is a long time away,” Scott Boras said. “At this pace, I anticipate that we would have something done by then. Things are progressing for Manny.”

Players will start to report to spring training on Feb. 14.

-- Dylan Hernandez

First baseman Sean Casey is retiring after 12 major league seasons and will become a broadcaster with the fledgling MLB Network.

Ubaldo Jimenez and the Colorado Rockies agreed to a four-year contract that guarantees the right-hander $10 million. . . . Left-hander Chase Wright was designated for assignment by the New York Yankees to clear a roster spot for Andy Pettitte. The Yankees also agreed to a one-year contract with left-hander Phil Coke that pays him $403,300 while in the majors and $65,000 while in the minors.

FOOTBALL

Chargers hire Sullivan as a coach

Former NFL player Mike Sullivan was hired as offensive line coach by the San Diego Chargers. Sullivan played for Tampa Bay for four seasons and Dallas for one. He spent the last two seasons as the assistant offensive line coach in Cleveland. With the Chargers, he’ll work alongside Hal Hunter in coaching the offensive line.

The New England Patriots have hired former Tennessee Titans general manager Floyd Reese as part of a restructuring of the team’s front office. The team also announced that Nick Caserio will manage the daily operations of the personnel department after the departure of vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli. Caserio became director of player personnel a year ago.

Reese will have the title of senior football advisor.

The first 70,000 tickets for the NFL’s third regular-season game in London have been sold, with 20,000 bought in the first seven minutes of availability, the NFL said. New England will play Tampa Bay on Oct. 25 at Wembley Stadium.

Stanford hired Greg Roman as its new offensive line coach, one week after Chris Dalman resigned. Roman has coached as an assistant for 13 seasons in the NFL.

A Philadelphia man shot with a gun owned by Indianapolis Colts receiver Marvin Harrison is headed to trial today, accused of lying to police.

Dwight Dixon is scheduled to appear in a Philadelphia municipal court on a charge of making false sworn statements. Dixon initially told police he was shot during a robbery but later accused Harrison of shooting him. Dixon’s attorney, Robert Gamburg, said Dixon did not immediately identify Harrison because he was afraid of him.

Chargers General Manager A.J. Smith said he regrets making comments mocking running back LaDainian Tomlinson, whose eight-year stay with the team could be over because of salary-cap issues.

After Tomlinson said on his website last week that he wanted to stay in San Diego, Smith mocked the 2006 NFL MVP in comments to the San Diego Union-Tribune, mimicking the player’s comments practically word for word.

“I just answered a question and unfortunately my response was inappropriate,” Smith said.

Former San Francisco 49ers receiver Billy Wilson, a six-time Pro Bowl player who starred for the team in the 1950s, died in Southern California after a battle with cancer. He was 81.

ETC.

Donovan debuts with German team

Landon Donovan made his official debut for Bayern Munich, entering in the 67th minute of a 5-1 win at Stuttgart in a German Cup match. On loan from the Galaxy until mid-March, Donovan replaced Luca Toni in the 67th minute and narrowly missed scoring off a pass from Franck Ribery one minute into his debut for Bayern, coached by Juergen Klinsmann. Bastian Schweinsteiger scored twice for Bayern, the defending German Cup champion, which advanced to the quarterfinals.

Brazil and Manchester City forward Robinho was arrested by police investigating an alleged rape at a nightclub in northern England.

Mark Johnson, 51, was appointed coach of the U.S. Women’s Olympic hockey team for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Johnson, an 11-year NHL veteran, was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic gold-medal-winning team.