SPORTS BRIEFS: Royals sign Kris Medlen to two-year deal

Royals, Medlen agree to $8.5 million, two-year contract

Former Atlanta right-hander Kris Medlen has agreed to an $8.5 million, two-year contract with the Kansas City Royals after missing last season while he recovered from Tommy John surgery.

Medlen will make $2 million next year and $5.5 million in 2016 under the agreement announced Thursday and could earn up to $10 million in performance bonuses based on starts and innings. The deal includes a 2017 option with a $1 million buyout.

The 29-year-old went 14-12 with a 3.11 ERA in 2013, his only full season as a starter, and went 4-0 with a 1.00 ERA in his last five starts.

Medlen, who hurt his elbow in spring training, also missed most of the 2011 season while he was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.

Darton hoops beats Baton Rouge

The Darton State College women’s basketball team won their fifth straight and improved to 12-1 on the season with a 67-50 victory over Baton Rouge Community College late Wednesday at the Gulf Coast Classic in Panama City, Fla.

Shanea Armbrister led the way with 33 points, while Tamarah Fisher added 11. B’Kiya Webb finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

The Lady Cavaliers played host Gulf Coast on Thursday. The Lady Cavaliers are off before returning to action on Jan. 2. Darton will play host to Fort Benning in the Darton Military Classic at 2 p.m.

Georgia paid more than $40,000 for Gurley’s legal help

The University of Georgia paid an attorney more than $40,000 to represent Todd Gurley while he sought reinstatement from the NCAA after he was suspended for accepting money for autographs.

Details obtained through an open records request filed by the Athens Banner-Herald (http://bit.ly/1vYXM04) show the school paid Alabama attorney William King $43,301 for the star running back’s legal help.

UGA Athletic Director Greg McGarity says the school may pay for student-athletes’ legal representation if they don’t have the money to pay the expense on their own.

Gurley received a four-game suspension for selling his autograph. He returned from suspension for Georgia’s Nov. 15 game against Auburn University and went down with a season-ending knee injury.

Padres could nix Kemp trade over physical

Outfielder Matt Kemp could be headed back to the logjam in Los Angeles after his physical with the San Diego Padres revealed arthritis in both hips.

According to multiple reports, Kemp’s Tuesday physical created pause from the Padres, who pulled the trigger Wednesday on a separate trade to bring Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Wil Myers to San Diego.

The Dodgers agreed to ship Kemp to the Padres along with more than $30 million of his remaining $107 million salary in exchange for catcher Yasmani Grandal, pitcher Joe Wieland and right-handed pitcher Zach Eflin. Kemp and catcher Tim Federowicz were to land with the Padres.

Kemp, 30, hit .287 with 25 home runs last season in a crowded outfield that included Andre Ethier, Yasiel Puig and and Carl Crawford. He was second in the MVP balloting to Ryan Braun of the Brewers in 2011 with 39 home runs, 40 steals and 126 RBIs.

New team president Andrew Friedman was busy in his first winter meetings with the Dodgers, and the Kemp deal was his 10th trade in two months on the job. Since then, the team designated reliever Brian Wilson for assignment, which will cost the Dodgers $9.5 million in 2015.