Selig sidesteps plans for Bonds

Barry Bonds might get a telephone call from baseball Commissioner Bud Selig instead of a handshake if the San Francisco slugger breaks Hank Aaron’s home run record.

Selig wouldn’t say Thursday whether he would attend any Giants games if and when Bonds closes in on the mark.

Selig insisted that Major League Baseball would celebrate Bonds’ feat exactly as it does any other major milestone, such as a pitcher’s 300th victory. Last year, Selig telephoned San Diego closer Trevor Hoffman when he became the career saves leader.

“I wasn’t there when Roger Clemens won his 300th game. That’s a matter I’ll determine at some point in the future,” Selig said. “Let me say it, and I’m not going to say any more. That’s it.”

Right-hander Bronson Arroyo got a two-year extension that will pay him an additional $25 million and keep him under contract with the Cincinnati Reds through at least 2010. There’s a team option for the 2011 season. Arroyo, 29, went 14-11 and had a 3.29 earned-run average last season.

Shannon Stewart and the Oakland Athletics agreed to a $1-million, one-year contract, giving the club the additional backup outfielder it sought before spring training. Stewart can earn an additional $1.5 million in performance bonuses under the deal.

Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals, who grew up in the Dominican Republic, became a U.S. citizen.

TENNIS

Clijsters won’t play

at Indian Wells

Former U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters said she would skip the Pacific Life Open at Indian Wells from March 5-18 and may miss the French Open to further reduce the risk of injury.

Clijsters, ranked fourth in the world, pulled out of this week’s Open Gaz de France in Paris because of a sore hip to ensure she could play in next week’s Diamond Games in Antwerp -- her last tournament in her Belgian homeland before retiring at the end of the year.

Australian Open champion Serena Williams will join her sister Venus in the United States’ Federation Cup match against Belgium in April, U.S. captain Zina Garrison announced.

Defending champion Amelie Mauresmo battled past Nathalie Dechy, 6-3, 6-2, to reach the Gaz de France quarterfinals.

Martina Sucha upset top-seeded Marion Bartoli, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Pattaya Women’s Open at Bangkok, Thailand.

WINTER SPORTS

Albrecht wins combined;

Miller finishes sixth

Daniel Albrecht won the combined at the world championships at Are, Sweden, with Bode Miller finishing sixth after leading the downhill portion of the event.

Albrecht was seventh after the downhill but delivered a clutch slalom run for a combined time of 2 minutes 28.99 seconds.

Defending champion Benjamin Raich was second, 0.08 seconds behind.

Olympic champion Ted Ligety’s slalom run was interrupted when course workers got in his way. The American was given another run but skied off course.

Canadian pairs skater Jessica Dube underwent surgery to repair a cut on her left cheek and nose after being hit by partner Bryce Davison’s skate in the free skate competition at Four Continents at Colorado Springs, Colo. After being struck by Davison’s skate, Dube fell and clutched at her face as blood pooled on the ice.

OLYMPICS

Turin Games losses

set at $32 million

The 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, posted a deficit of $32 million on an operating budget of $1.58 billion, believed to be one of the first Olympic deficits in decades.

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge downplayed the deficit, saying the Olympics had left an “enormous legacy” for Turin, the Piedmont region and Italy as a whole.

“I think that every city in the world would love to have the facilities, the infrastructure, the environmental improvement for $25 million,” Rogge said. “Every city in the world would sign for this.”

A Reno-Tahoe coalition has begun building support for a possible 2018 Winter Olympics bid around Lake Tahoe.

MISCELLANY

Price to keep MLS

in Utah: $35 Million

Hoping to keep a team in Major League Soccer’s smallest market, the Utah House endorsed a $35-million plan that pays for a parking garage and land for a stadium in Sandy, ending days of debate over whether the project deserves public aid.

In response, Real Salt Lake owner Dave Checketts said the franchise, now entering its third season, would stay in Utah.

Art Peterson of Cathedral City will open defense of his extreme late model stock car title Saturday night at Perris Auto Speedway. Super stocks, street stocks, modifieds and cruisers also are on the program, with racing starting at 6:30.

The Amp’d Mobile Invitational, a three-day event on the Built Ford Tough Series of professional bull riders, begins tonight at the Honda Center. The event is the eighth stop on the tour, which awards a $1-million bonus to the champion at the end of the season. Competition begins tonight at 7:30, Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

PASSINGS

Hewitt, 83, was Rams

equipment manager

Don Hewitt, who retired in 1995 as the St. Louis Rams’ senior equipment manager, has died after a long illness. Hewitt was 83 and resided in Huntington Beach.

Tommy James, a defensive back who played for Paul Brown in high school, college and two professional leagues, died in Massillon, Ohio. He was 83.