Ryan Howard just wanted to concentrate on baseball this spring. No squabbles over his contract. No daily questions about his future.

The big slugger got his wish -- and a hefty raise, too.

Howard and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed to a $54 million, three-year contract yesterday, avoiding a potentially contentious arbitration hearing.

The 2006 NL MVP will earn $15 million this season, $19 million next year and $20 million in 2011. Howard led the majors with 48 homers and 146 RBIs last season while helping the Phillies win their first World Series title since 1980. He batted just .251, struck out 199 times and made 19 errors at first base, but also was runner-up to Albert Pujols for MVP.

Howard asked for $18 million in salary arbitration, the third-highest figure submitted since the process began in 1974. Philadelphia offered him $14 million, a raise of $4 million.

Mark Teahen and the Kansas City Royals agreed to a one-year contract worth $3,575,000 and avoided salary arbitration.

• Left-hander Scott Olsen has agreed to a $2.8 million, one-year contract with the Washington Nationals, avoiding arbitration.

Former Atlanta Falcons running back Jamal Anderson has been charged with felony cocaine possession and misdemeanor marijuana possession after being arrested at an Atlanta nightclub early yesterday.

Julie Ditty and transplanted South African Liezel Huber defeated Gisela Dulko and Betina Jozami, 6-2, 6-3, in the deciding match to give the United States a 3-2 come-from-behind victory against Argentina in the Fed Cup quarterfinals in Surprise, Ariz.

The triumph sends the United States into a semifinal matchup against the Czech Republic.

Teenager Melanie Oudin rallied to beat Jozami in the earlier second singles match to send the competition to the deciding doubles.

Oudin, 17, a fiesty player from Marietta, Ga., defeated Jozami, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2. Argentina took a 2-1 lead in the first match when Dulko defeated Jill Craybas, 6-1, 6-3, in a meeting of the top two players in the competition.

• Defending champion Russia, Italy and the Czech Republic advanced to the semifinals of the Fed Cup, all completing their wins in reverse singles. Russia, which has won four of the past five Fed Cup titles, routed China, 5-0, with Anna Chakvetadze and Alisa Kleybanova winning before the doubles team of Elena Dementieva and SvetlanaKuznetsova finished it off on indoor hard courts in Moscow.

Italy eliminated France, 5-0, taking an unbeatable lead when Flavia Pennetta defeated a crying Alize Cornet, and the Czechs knocked out 2008 runner-up Spain, 4-1.

Norway's team qualified for the Vancouver Olympics, getting three goals from Patrick Thoresen to twice rally from a goal down for a 5-3 victory against rival Denmark in Oslo, Norway. Norway has not qualified for an Olympic tournament since it was the host of the 1994 Winter Games at Lillehammer. It will face Canada, the United States and Switzerland in the opening group play in next year's Olympic tournament.

Coming off a disappointing 39th-place finish in a tournament two weeks ago, PBA Hall of Famer Norm Duke defeated Michael Fagan, 278-168, in the championship match to win the Dick Weber Open in Fountain Valley, Calif. Duke's win was the 32nd of his career tying him for fifth all time with fellow Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III.