PHILADELPHIA — Free agent infielder Abraham Nunez and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed to a $3.35 million, two-year contract.

Nunez started 77 games at third base for St. Louis last season, becoming the regular when Scott Rolen was sidelined for the year with a shoulder injury. Nunez hit .285 with five home runs and 44 RBIs in 139 games. He also started at second base and shortstop.

CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs and right-handed reliever Bobby Howry finalized terms of a three-year, $12 million contract.Howry was 7-4 with a 2.47 ERA in 79 relief appearances with the Indians last season, while holding batters to a .191 average.

WASHINGTON — Sen. Arlen Specter backed off a threat to have a Senate subcommittee investigate whether the NFL and the Philadelphia Eagles violated antitrust laws in their handling of Terrell Owens.Specter, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that he talked to lawyers in the Department of Justice about the issue but did not say whether the department will look into the matter.On Monday, Specter said it was "vindictive and inappropriate" for the league and the Eagles to prohibit the All-Pro receiver from playing and prevent other teams from talking to him, and he might refer the matter to the subcommittee.

ST. LOUIS — Rams coach Mike Martz wants to return to the field after missing the last six games with a heart ailment.Martz said he would ask his doctor for permission to return to his job. The Rams are 3-3 under interim coach Joe Vitt since Martz stepped down in October with endocarditis, a bacterial infection of the lining of the heart.

LONDON — Martina Hingis is returning to professional tennis — again.The former top-ranked player, who retired from the WTA Tour three years ago because of an ankle injury, is targeting a return in early 2006.The 25-year-old Swiss player made a brief comeback in February, losing in the first round of the Volvo Women's Open in Thailand. Her previous match was at Filderstadt in October 2002.Hingis won 40 singles titles and 36 doubles titles on the WTA Tour. She was only 161/2 when she took over the top ranking in March 1997.

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Penguins placed struggling goaltender Jocelyn Thibault on waivers Tuesday and plan to send him to their top farm club if he is not claimed by another team.Thibault could refuse the assignment, but that is unlikely since the team could suspend him and stop paying him.Thibault, expected to be the Penguins' starter when the season began, is 1-7-2 with a 4.38 goals-against average and an .880 save percentage in 12 games.The Penguins made the move one day after calling up goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury from their Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) farm club. Fleury was the No. 1 pick in the 2003 NHL draft.Thibault signed a $3 million, two-year contract after being traded to Pittsburgh by Chicago in August.

Knoch graduate Nicoler Reiser, a freshman guard on the Pitt-Greensburg women's basketball team, has been named Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Player of the Week.Reiser had 16 points and 11 rebounds vs. Waynesburg, followed by 16 points, four rebounds and three assists vs. Washington & Jefferson. The Bobcats lost both games.