Baseball

Replay in, collisions out? — Home plate collisions could become a thing of the past, along with blown calls on the bases. As the offseason market for trades and free-agent signings gets underway, Major League Baseball is considering some pretty radical changes for next season. Expanded instant replay for umpires’ calls is virtually certain to be in place by opening day, and there’s a chance a rule could be adopted to prevent runners from bowling over catchers at the plate. “There’s a pretty good possibility that something eventually will happen,” MLB Executive Vice President Joe Torre said Tuesday on the second day of the annual general managers’ meetings. “Whether it’s going to be soon enough to have it done this coming year, that remains to be seen. But I don’t think it’s impossible.”

Byrd to Phillies — Marlon Byrd is cashing in on his comeback season. Byrd and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed Tuesday to a $16 million, two-year contract, a deal that comes less than a year after he was playing in Mexico’s winter league. The 36-year-old outfielder hit a career-high 24 homers last season for the New York Mets and Pittsburgh, which acquired him on Aug. 27. He batted .364 with one homer and five RBIs in six playoff games after hitting .291 during the season with 88 RBIs, one short of his career best.

Football

High school player dies after injury — A high school football player in Arizona died from an injury suffered in the fourth quarter of a blowout playoff game loss, serving as another tragic reminder of the dangers of head trauma in youth sports. Hopi High School senior Charles Youvella died of a traumatic brain injury Monday at a hospital, the Arizona Interscholastic Association said. He was injured Saturday in Hopi’s 60-6 loss to Arizona Lutheran in a first-round playoff game. Youvella scored his team’s only touchdown in the game.

Texans release Reed — The Houston Texans released nine-time Pro Bowl safety Ed Reed and put running back Arian Foster on injured reserve Tuesday, the latest blows in a disaster of a season. Reed missed the first two games after hip surgery and was recently relegated to a backup role. On Friday, he expressed his displeasure at not starting. On Sunday, after Houston’s seventh straight loss, he publicly criticized the team and said they had been outplayed and outcoached in the team’s first full game without coach Gary Kubiak, who is recovering from a mini-stroke.

Niners’ Smith pleads not guilty — San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith has pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of illegal possession of an assault weapon, stemming from a party at his home last year. Deputy District Attorney Brian Buckelew says the 24-year-old San Jose resident appeared in Santa Clara County Superior Court on Tuesday with his lawyer and parents. The charges stem from a June 2012 party at Smith’s home. Investigators say several shots were fired, two partygoers were injured and Smith was stabbed.

Motor sports

NASCAR’s Bayne has multiple sclerosis — NASCAR driver Trevor Bayne said Tuesday that he has multiple sclerosis and he does not expect it to impact his racing career. Bayne, who in 2011 became the youngest winner in Daytona 500 history, will still compete as scheduled at Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend in the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series finales. Bayne’s younger sister, Sarah, also has multiple sclerosis.

Golf

Lewis leads LPGA to title — Stacy Lewis shot 7-under 65 to lead the LPGA Tour team to the championship of the 3Tour Challenge on Tuesday in Henderson, Nev. The LPGA Tour combined for a score of 17 under, edging the Champions Tour by one stroke and beating the PGA Tour by nine strokes. Lewis (31-34) had eight birdies, including six birdies on the first nine holes at the Rio Secco Golf Club, and one bogey to pace the LPGA Tour toward its first 3Tour win since 2009. Kenny Perry missed a 7-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th hole that would have sent the match into a playoff with the LPGA Tour team for the Champions Tour Team. Perry and Bernhard Langer didn’t score on all 18 holes for the Champions Tour, who were led by Fred Funk at 4 under. Billy Horschel and Boo Weekley paced the PGA Tour team, which also included Jason Day, by having their scores count on 17 of 18 holes.

— From wire reports