SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco Giants landed the top-tier closer they have been seeking for months, agreeing to a $62 million, four-year contract with right-hander Mark Melancon on Monday.Its the richest contract ever for a closer, topping Jonathan Papelbons $50 million, four-year deal with the Phillies from 2012-15 and Mariano Riveras $15 million annual value total in 2011-12 by the Yankees.Really excited to have Mark, manager Bruce Bochy said in a text message. Got to know him on a trip to Taiwan in 2011. Fills an important need for us. Great to get one of the premier closers in the game.Pending a physical, the pitcher receives a $20 million signing bonus, $8 million of which is deferred, then salaries of $4 million for 2017, $10 million in 18 and $14 million in each of the `19 and 2020 seasons. He has a full no-trade clause and the chance to opt out after the first two years.Melancon has saved at least 30 games in each of the past three seasons, recording a majors-best 51 in 2015. He went 47 for 51 in save opportunities in 75 relief appearances last season with Pittsburgh and Washington, tied for second-most saves in baseball with Baltimores Zach Britton and Kenley Jansen of the Dodgers behind the Mets Jeurys Familia with 51.After San Francisco tried to acquire Aroldis Chapman at the trade deadline and missed out to the Cubs, finding a reliable ninth-inning option became top of the to-do list for the offseason. Melancon was dealt to the Nationals from the Pirates.Adding a premier closer was our main priority this offseason, general manager Bobby Evans said. Mark solidifies the back end of our bullpen and fills a critical role. He brings talent, leadership and experience to our pitching staff.Because the 31-year-old Melancon was traded during the season, the Giants dont have to give up their first pick in Junes amateur draft as compensation.The Giants blew 32 saves this past season, nine in September -- one fewer than Melancon had over the past three years -- and the last in a 6-5 Game 4 loss to the Cubs that ended San Franciscos season. Chicago scored four runs in the ninth as Bochy tried five relievers in the inning.Santiago Casilla and Sergio Romo, two reliable relievers in even-year championships of 2010, `12 and `14, were both inconsistent.Last offseason, the Giants made a splash by adding to their starting rotation, signing Johnny Cueto to a $130 million, six-year contract and Jeff Samardzija for $90 million over five years.Nationals GM Mike Rizzo, speaking at baseballs winter meetings in Oxon Hill, Maryland, said Washington made an offer.We gave him an offer that we felt was market value and what we were comfortable giving him. Youre talking about one of the elite closers in the game and a great teammate, Rizzo said. Conducted himself perfectly as a Washington National. At the end of the day, the Giants offered him more, and he took the deal. Thats what free agencys all about. ...Theyve got themselves a great citizen and a great pitcher.---AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum and AP Sports Writer Howard Fendrich in Oxon Hill, Maryland, contributed to this report. Wholesale Retro Jordans China .2 billion agreement with Rogers Communications for the leagues broadcast and multimedia rights. Wholesale Retro Jordans Cheap . It was Kerbers third final of the year after losing to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia in Monterrey in April and to Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic in Tokyo two weeks ago. The 10th-ranked German improved her record in finals to 3-5. http://www.cheapjordanfromchina.com/ . They reached the 100-point plateau for the fourth time in five games, bested the visiting Trail Blazers by 34 in the paint and scored 19 of the final 25 points in regulation. Cheap Retro Jordans For Sale . Scott won the Australian PGA last week in his first event in Australia since winning the U.S. Masters in April. American Matt Kuchar, ahead by two strokes with four to play and even with Scott with one to go, double-bogeyed the 18th after taking two shots to get out of a bunker. Cheap Jordan Wholesale Free Shipping . - After leading the Saints to a fourth playoff appearance in five seasons, Drew Brees expressed confidence in the direction of his team and, perhaps more importantly, showed a willingness to listen to contract proposals if the team needs his help getting under the NFLs salary cap. PARIS -- If Lyon wants to challenge for the French league title it must learn how to defend, because frailties at the back were glaringly exposed again in a 3-1 home loss to Bordeaux on Saturday.Monaco took full advantage to move top of the league with a 4-1 win at Lille, with three of the goals scored by defenders.Earlier, long-serving Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas watched glum-faced from the stands as former France winger Jeremy Menez scored the third goal in the 90th minute, by which point many fans were already leaving their seats. At the final whistle, goalkeeper Anthony Lopes sat slumped against the goalpost with his head in his hands.Top scorer Alexandre Lacazette, who was involved in the move that led to Aldo Kalulu giving Lyon a second-minute lead, limped off near the end with a thigh injury.Its a nightmare of an afternoon, Aulas said. The result was very disappointing and we have more bad news.Lacazette is expected to be out for several weeks with a thigh injury.He felt a really big pain when he made a run, Aulas said. The doctor will speak tomorrow but were expecting it to be a few weeks.But it all started going wrong long before Lacazette limped back to the dressing room.Lyon was not closing down high enough up the pitch and sat back after the opening goal, leaving Bordeaux too much room.Striker Malcolm equalized, and Lyons marking was awful when Gregory Sertic headed in to make it 2-1 in the 71st. Just moments earlier, Lyon went down to 10 men when captain Maxime Gonalons was red-carded for a heavy challenge on Malcolm.The loss follows a defeat away to Dijon in the previous round, when Lyon led 2-1 before losing 4-2.But the warning signs were already there when Lyon lost 4-1 to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions Trophy, Frances traditional preseason opener.Stilll, when Lyon won its opening two league games of the campaign -- with Lacazette scoring five goals -- this raised expectations that it could be a contender in the league eight years after winning the last of its seven straight French titles.dddddddddddd The signing of center half Nicolas NKoulou from Marseille was supposed to improve the defense, but the Cameroon international has struggled and was dropped for Saturdays match.To compound the defeat, midfielder Rachid Ghezzal was booked for diving late on to try and claimed a penalty.Although Aulas said he has total faith in coach Bruno Genesio, he added that solutions must be found ahead of Wednesdays Champions League game against Dinamo Zagreb.Bordeaux climbed up to second place with nine points, one behind Monaco.Heres what else happened in the French League:MONACO 4 LILLE 1Monaco welcomed back striker Radamel Falcao from injury, but he was not even needed.Right back Djibril Sidibe put Monaco ahead early on from a free kick, midfielder Adama Traore scored, and defender Fabinho made it 3-0 early in the second half before center back Kamil Glick added the fourth.Monacos hopes of a clean sheet were dashed when Lille defender Julian Palmieri scored in injury time.OTHER RESULTSGuingamp missed the chance to move level at the top when it drew 1-1 at home to Montpellier, needing an equalizer from midfielder Marcus Coco.Nancy climbed off the bottom with a 2-0 win at Lorient, which dropped to last, while Angers also grabbed its first win of the season against Dijon by 3-1, and Corsican side Bastia beat Toulouse 2-1.On Sunday, much-traveled striker Mario Balotelli could make his Nice debut at home to Marseille. cheap falcons jerseys cheap ravens jerseys cheap bills jerseys cheap bears jerseys cheap bengals jerseys cheap cowboys jerseys cheap lions jerseys cheap texans jerseys cheap colts jerseys cheap jaguars jerseys cheap chiefs jerseys cheap rams jerseys cheap dolphins jerseys cheap vikings jerseys cheap saints jerseys cheap giants jerseys cheap jets jerseys cheap eagles jerseys cheap steelers jerseys cheap 49ers jerseys ' ' '