Sports Shorts

MLB: Johnny Damon to sign with Cleveland

Johnny Damon agreed to a one-year, $1.25 million deal plus incentives with the Indians. Damon, 38, is 277 hits from 3,000 and was looking to catch on with a team to prolong his career. He can make another $1.4 million in performance bonuses based on plate appearances. He played for Tampa Bay last year.

The Justice Department, embarrassed by an error that caused a mistrial of Roger Clemens last July, has added more prosecutors in hopes of containing any missteps as it seeks to convict the famed pitcher of lying to Congress when he said he never used performance-enhancing drugs.The prosecution team has more than doubled from two lawyers to five. U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton declared a mistrial after prosecutors showed jurors evidence that had been ruled inadmissible. The new trial begins Monday with jury selection.

Former Phillie Pat Burrell will sign a one-day minor league contract next month and retire with the organization.

NFL: Karras lends name to concussion suit

To a generation of TV and film fans, Alex Karras will forever be the loving adoptive dad on the 1980s sitcom “Webster” or the big guy who punched a horse in 1974’s “Blazing Saddles.” Before his acting days, he was a football star, a three-time All-Pro defensive tackle for the Lions in the 1960s.

Now 76, and diagnosed with dementia, Karras is taking on the role of lead plaintiff: He is one of 119 people who filed suit yesterday in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia, the latest complaint brought against the NFL by ex-players who say the league didn’t do enough to protect them from head injuries.

Karras and 69 other ex-players named in yesterday’s suit are among more than 1,000 former NFL players suing the league, lawyers involved say. The cases say not enough was done to inform players about the dangers of concussions in the past, and not enough is done to take care of them today.

GOLF: Schwartzel holds one-stroke lead

In Kuala Lumpur, South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel shot an 8-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead over India’s Jeev Milkha Singh after the first round of the Malaysian Open.

Chad Campbell, Vaughn Taylor and Colt Knost shot 4-under 67 to share the first-round lead at 4-under 67 in the RBC Heritage in Hilton Head, S. C.

In Hayward, Calif., Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice was 8-over par after eight holes when first-round play was suspended because of darkness in the Nationwide Tour’s TPC Stonebrae Championship. The tournament host missed the cut the last two years.

Johnny Damon, Damon, Alex Karras, Roger Clemens, District Judge Reggie Walton, Justice Department, Pat Burrell, NFL, Jeev Milkha Singh, Tampa Bay, Charl Schwartzel, Karras

Nypost.com