CLEVELAND — Phil Savage is out as general manager of the Cleveland Browns after four seasons, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Sunday night.

Savage, who joined the Browns in 2005, will no longer be with the team after the organization decided to go in another direction, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because there were still details of the move to work out. Savage had four years left on a contract extension he signed in May.

It is unclear whether Savage resigned or was fired by owner Randy Lerner.

Browns coach Romeo Crennel is expected to be dismissed on Monday. Crennel, who was hired shortly after Savage, is 24-40 in four seasons in Cleveland. He dropped to 0-8 against Pittsburgh after the Browns were blanked 31-0 by the Steelers in their season finale.

Savage's ouster is the first move in what promises to be a busy offseason for Lerner.

Lerner was not happy with Savage's overall management this season, which began with the Browns expecting to make the playoffs after going 10-6 in 2007. While Savage was able to significantly upgrade Cleveland's talent during his tenure — the Browns had six Pro Bowlers last season after having none since 2002 — he seemed to mishandle several situations.

First, he put added pressure on Cleveland's coaching staff by declaring the team's Week 2 matchup with the Steelers as "a critical game" and "the biggest in my time here." He also got into an ugly exchange with tight end Kellen Winslow over the player's hospitalization for a staph infection and later embarrassed the Browns by sending a profane e-mail to a fan following a win over Buffalo.

CINCINNATI — Willy Taveras and the Cincinnati Reds agreed to a two-year contract Saturday, plugging the team's hole in center field.The speedy Taveras is coming off a down season with Colorado. He batted .251 with a paltry .308 on-base percentage in 133 games, though he did lead the major leagues with 68 stolen bases.

SAN FRANCISCO — Jed York began the final day of the San Francisco 49ers' season with a new job title. The 27-year-old team president ended it with another big move, making sure Mike Singletary will be his coach well into the future.York, the son of 49ers owner John York, made the announcement just a few minutes after the 49ers' 27-24 victory over the Washington Redskins on Sunday, praising Singletary's nine weeks of interim work for the long-struggling club.San Francisco improved to 5-4 since Singletary replaced Mike Nolan on Oct. 20,.

OTTAWA — University of Minnesota freshman Jordan Schroeder had two goals and an assist to help the United States beat the Czech Republic 4-3 on Sunday night in the world junior hockey championship.Schroeder, eligible for the 2009 NHL draft, leads the United States (2-0) with three goals and four assists.New Hampshire's James van Riemsdyk, the second overall pick in the 2007 draft by Philadelphia, added a goal and an assist. Michigan's Matt Rust also scored, and Thomas McCollum made 24 saves.

WASHINGTON — Hall of Famer Mike Gartner's No. 11 was retired by the Washington Capitals on Sunday night before their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, another of his former NHL teams.Alex Ovechkin and the other current Capitals all took to the ice for pregame warmups wearing white throwback uniforms with Gartner's number in blue, although each player had his own last name on the back.Gartner — known for his speed and scoring ability, as well as his mustache — is the fourth member of the Capitals to have his number retired.