The Minnesota Twins signed former A's right-hander Rich Harden on Friday to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training.

Harden, 31, sat out the 2012 season after surgery Jan. 31 to repair the rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder, his latest setback in a long line of arm problems.

He made his major league debut with the A's in 2003. Harden had a 5.12 ERA in 15 starts in his return to Oakland in 2011.

  • The Chicago Cubs said they agreed to a one-year, $2.25 million deal with Nate Schierholtz. The outfielder can earn an additional $500,000 in bonuses. The Giants traded Schierholtz to Philadelphia last July 31 in a deal that sent Hunter Pence to San Francisco. He hit .257 with six homers in 114 games. The Phillies declined to tender Schierholtz a 2013 contract offer, making him a free agent.

  • The Giants claimed reliever Sandy Rosario, 27, off waivers from the Cubs. On Oct. 17, Boston claimed Rosario off waivers from Miami. On Nov. 28, the Red Sox traded him to the A's. Boston reacquired Rosario through a waiver claim Dec. 10. Two days later, Rosario went from the Red Sox to the Cubs on a waiver claim. He had an 18.00 ERA in four appearances for Miami in 2012.

  • Francisco Liriano, 29, reportedly signed a two-year deal worth $13 million with Pittsburgh. Liriano, traded from the Twins to the Chicago White Sox in late July, was 6-12 with a 5.34 ERA in 2012.

  • Seattle signed Jeremy Bonderman,
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    30, to a minor league contract, hoping the right-hander can make a comeback from Tommy John surgery. Bonderman hasn't pitched in the majors since 2010, when he went 8-10 with a 5.53 ERA for Detroit.

  • A person familiar with the situation said catcher A.J. Pierzynski passed a physical, clearing the way for a one-year deal with Texas. Pierzynski, 35, hit .278 with a career-high 27 homers and 77 RBIs for the White Sox in 2012.

  • Milwaukee signed former Washington reliever Tom Gorzelanny, 30, to a two-year contract.

    Gymnastics

    Olympic champion Gabby Douglas, 17, was selected The Associated Press' female athlete of the year, edging out swimmer Missy Franklin in a vote by U.S. editors and news directors. Douglas won the all-around title in London, the first African-American to claim gymnastics' biggest prize. Douglas received 48 of 157 votes, seven more than Franklin, who won four gold medals and a bronze in London. Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion Serena Williams was third (24).

    Winter sports

    The San Francisco Bulls hosted the Ontario Reign in an ECHL game Friday night at the Cow Palace.

  • Lana Gehring and JR Celski swept gold medals in the 1,500 and 500 meters at the U.S. short track speedskating championships in Kearns, Utah.

    Soccer

    The Iraqi Football Association denies it's negotiating with Argentine Diego Maradona to take over as a coach of the national team. A day earlier, an Argentine official said Maradona was a leading candidate for the job. Former Brazil great Zico resigned last month.

    Running

    Nearly two months after it canceled the New York City Marathon in the days after Hurricane Sandy, New York Road Runners said runners registered for the Nov. 4 race could either get a full refund or entry into the race in one of the next three years.

    Cycling

    Spain's Supreme Court ruled Roberto Heras must be reinstated as the winner of the 2005 Spanish Vuelta after it upheld a lower court's decision to clear him of a doping ban that had stripped him of the title. Spain's highest court rejected an appeal brought by the Spanish federation against last year's decision to retroactively clear Heras of a two-year ban.