Sports briefs

White Sox strike deal with Cuban star The White Sox have reached a tentative agreement with young Cuban star Dayan Viciedo.

The 19-year-old infielder/outfielder must pass a physical for the contract to be finalized, according to the player's agent, Jaime Torres.

"He has agreed to a deal and is flying to Chicago," Torres said Friday.

The White Sox have been successful in signing Cuban players. Last offseason they landed infielder Alexei Ramirez, who eventually became their starting second baseman and batted .290 with 21 homers and 77 RBI.

White Sox pitcher Jose Contreras is also Cuban.

Torres said the White Sox have told Viciedo he would get a chance to play his preferred position of third base.

Viciedo had 36 homers and 162 RBI with a .287 average over four years while playing 327 games in Cuba's top league.

• Experts presented recommendations to baseball that they hope will decrease the frequency of broken bats in major league games. Details of the recommendations have not been disclosed but will be soon, baseball spokesman Pat Courtney said. Commissioner Bud Selig has expressed concern over the increase in broken bats among maple models.

Obama seeks to bring Games to Chicago Chicago presented its 2016 Olympics bid with a taped video message from President-elect Barack Obama that was played to the general assembly of European Olympic Committees in Istanbul, Turkey.

Chicago is attempting to bring the Summer Games back to the United States for the first time since the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Chicago is competing against Madrid, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro, which also made presentations Friday to the European body. The International Olympic Committee will vote on the host city Oct. 2 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Spain ties Argentina Feliciano Lopez upset Juan Martin del Potro 4-6, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4), 6-3 Friday, allowing Spain to tie Argentina 1-1 in Mar Del Plata, Argentina, on the first day of the Davis Cup final.

David Nalbandian beat David Ferrer 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 in the opening singles match.

Spain was playing without top-ranked Rafael Nadal, who is sidelined because of knee tendinitis.

Curlin to stand at stud Reigning Horse of the Year Curlin will stand at stud next year at Lane's End, the Versailles horse farm in Kentucky owned by Will Farish, a former U.S. ambassador to Britain. Curlin will command a stud fee of $75,000 his opening year.

• Deweycheatumnhowe has a throat abscess, jeopardizing his appearance next weekend in the Breeders Crown on Nov. 29 at the Meadowlands. The Hambletonian winner is heavily favored in the 3-year-old Colt Trot.

Caballero tops Molitor Panama's Celestino Caballero (31-2) stopped Canada's Steve Molitor (28-1) 52 seconds into the fourth round at Rama, Ontario, to retain the WBC superfeatherweight title and take Molitor's IBF crown.

FROM NEWS SERVICES