NEW YORK — Tom Brady, the league's Most Valuable Player added The Associated Press 2007 Offensive Player of the Year honors to his collection, easily outdistancing his main weapon on the unbeaten New England Patriots, Randy Moss.

Indeed, of the four players who received votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the NFL, three were Patriots. Brady, of course, led the way, just as he did through the first 16-0 regular season in league history.

He collected 35Z\x votes to 12Z\x for Moss. Wes Welker, the Patriots' other starting receiver, got one, as did Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre.

NEW YORK — Goose Gossage became only the fifth relief pitcher elected to the Hall of Fame Tuesday, earning baseball's highest honor in his ninth try on the ballot.Known for his overpowering fastball, fiery temperament and bushy mustache, the Goose received 466 of 543 votes (85.8 percent) from 10-year members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.Jim Rice was passed over yet again in his next-to-last year on the ballot, getting 392 votes (72.2 percent), 16 short of the 75 percent needed.Mark McGwire, a casualty of the Steroids Era in some writers' minds, received just 128 votes — the exact total he had last year.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Chris Duffy, the Pittsburgh Pirates' opening-day center fielder last season, is still healing from shoulder surgery and may miss part of spring training.Duffy didn't play after June 27 because of a badly sprained left ankle. He had nearly recovered from that problem in late August when pain in his left shoulder prompted surgery to repair damage in his labrum and rotator cuff.Before being hurt, Duffy hit .249 with three homers and 22 RBI in 70 games.Also, the Pirates signed Japanese pitcher Masumi Kuwata to a minor-league contract.Kuwata made his major league debut with the Pirates on June 10 and had a 0-1 record with a 9.43 ERA in 19 relief appearances. He was designated for assignment in mid-August.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Joe Gibbs is apparently headed back to NASCAR following his resignation Tuesday as coach of the Washington Redskins.Gibbs formed his NASCAR team in 1992 during his first retirement, but turned control of the three-car organization to son J.D. when he returned to the Redskins four years ago.Although he may stay on with the Redskins as an adviser, he's now free to be directly involved again in racing. Gibbs gave no clear indication what role he'll take with the race team, which has won three championships since 2000, during a news conference in Virginia.