Major League Baseball

TEAHEN OFFICIALLY A SOX, WHO DECLINE OPTION ON DYE: Mark Teahen has a new team and a new city. Happily for him, he's got his old position back.

The Kansas City Royals sent Teahen to the White Sox on Friday and Chicago will find a home for him at third base.

"That's really my comfort position," Teahen said. "It's huge. The past three years I haven't known where I'm going to play and the past 24 hours I haven't know what city I'm going to play in."

The Royals got Chris Getz and Josh Fields from the White Sox in exchange.

Teahen was established at third base in Kansas City, but three years ago the Royals called up Alex Gordon, who'd been the No. 2 overall draft pick two years earlier.

Thus began a trip around the diamond for Teahen and he never really settled in at any position.

Teahen batted .271 with a 12 home runs and 50 RBIs in 144 games with the Royals in 2009, battling a sore back in the final month of the season. He made 99 starts at third base, 31 in right field and three at second base.

Chicago general manager Ken Williams said Teahen would be the White Sox's starting third baseman and last year's rookie star, Gordon Beckham, would be switched from third to second. Williams said Beckham, who was a star shortstop at the University of Georgia before being a first-round pick in 2008, was OK with the change.

Teahen said he can handle the outfield but prefers to play the position where he broke in with the Royals in 2005.

"It is tough when you are coming to the ball park every day just kind of checking the lineup card and seeing where you're playing and figuring out where you are hitting in the lineup," Teahen said.

"I've always produced better when I've just been left alone," he said. "And playing third base I've been most productive there. My hope is settling back in there I can put up some bigger offensive numbers and not have to worry about as much stuff."

The trade was announced shortly after the White Sox said they had declined a 2010 option on right fielder Jermaine Dye.

Williams said he talked with Dye on Friday and there was no way at this time to fit him in. The White Sox gave the veteran a $950,000 buyout instead of $12 million in salary next season.

But Williams did not rule out the possibility of Dye returning, saying it would be a long offseason. He said the White Sox were still in the market for another outfielder and that it likely will not be Scott Podsednik, who rejoined the White Sox last season and gave them a lift from the leadoff spot.

"Money is tight all over the world and certainly on the South Side," Williams said. "We're going to spend whatever we have available, but it's not much."

Pro hockey

BLACKHAWKS LOSE IN SHOOTOUT: Chris Stewart scored in the eighth round of the shootout, helping the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche remain unbeaten at home with a 4-3 victory over the Blackhawks on Friday night.

Dustin Byfuglien had a chance to tie, but sent his slap shot just wide. The two teams engaged in a nine-round shootout earlier this season.

Ryan O'Reilly scored twice for Colorado in regulation, while David Jones added a short-handed goal.

Byfuglien, Duncan Keith and Andrew Ladd scored for the Blackhawks, who lost for the second straight night.

College football

VU'S RUNDH A FINALIST FOR ARA AWARD: Valparaiso University's Adam Rundh has been named as one of the top-10 finalists for the fifth annual Sportsmanship Award. It's handed out by the Awards and Recognition Association (ARA). The award, which will be announced in December, is given to one outstanding NCAA Division I collegiate football player who best personifies the spirit of sportsmanship. He is one of only two finalists from NCAA Division I-FCS schools.

On the field, Rundh has been a three-year starter for the Crusaders, making over 100 tackles in his career. He has 30 tackles for loss, including 12 quarterback sacks, has blocked three kicks, forced a fumble, and recovered another.

In the classroom, the senior international business and finance double major carries a 3.94 cumulative grade-point average.

College softball

WHEELER'S PARKS SIGNS WITH PNC: Wheeler pitcher Lanay Parks signed with Purdue North Central on Thursday.

Parks helped the Bearcats make their initial Class 2A state semifinal appearance last season. She was 20-2 overall with a 0.31 ERA and 206 strikeouts in 136 2/3 innings. She hit .366 with 29 RBIs.

"We're trying to get quality athletes from the area, and she fits that mold," PNC assistant/recruiting coordinator Denny King said of Parks. "She's a great all-around athlete, and she helps put us in the right direction."

Women's basketball

CALUMET COLLEGE WINS AGAIN: Calumet College of St. Joseph improved to 2-0 after beating Harris-Stowe University 83-76 on Friday. Lisa Upshaw (E.C. Central) led the Crimson Wave with 21 points.