Gooden, Cavs agree on 3-year deal

Basketball Betting Lines

08/14/2006 -

CLEVELAND (AP) -Free agent forward Drew Gooden agreed to terms on a three-year, $23 million contract to re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers, agent Bill Duffy said Monday.

Gooden, the team's top rebounder last season, has been a solid complementary player to All-Star forward LeBron James, who committed to a three-year contract extension with the Cavaliers in July.

Duffy said fellow agent Calvin Andrews handled the bulk of the negotiations with Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry.

``We're ecstatic,'' Duffy said. ``Drew is very happy. He likes where Cleveland is headed.''

The 24-year-old Gooden averaged 10.7 points and 8.4 rebounds last season. His inside presence and energy helped Cleveland go 50-32 in the regular season and make the playoffs for the first time since 1998.

The Cavaliers eliminated Washington in the first round and pushed defending Eastern Conference champion Detroit to seven games. Gooden averaged 8.8 points and 9.3 rebounds against the Wizards.

``We have said from the beginning that we wanted to keep Drew in a Cavaliers uniform, and although I'm not going to comment on specifics of the negotiations, things have moved in a good direction,'' Ferry said.

Other than getting James' signature and commitment for the future, re-signing Gooden was the Cavs' top offseason priority. The Cavaliers have had a relatively quiet summer, one year after their 2005 free agent spending spree when they signed guard Larry Hughes and Damon Jones and re-signed center Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

The sides only need to finalize some details before Gooden signs his deal.

Gooden, a restricted free agent, was hoping for a deal similar to the six-year, $60 million contract that Nene signed with the Denver Nuggets. However, Gooden found a limited market and decided to stay with the Cavs, who acquired him in a 2004 trade with Orlando.

Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

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Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.

Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.

MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .

''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''

Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.

He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.

''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''

Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.

Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.

With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.

Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

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