Jays sign Maroth, Barrett to minor league deals

TORONTO -- Pitcher Mike Maroth, catcher Michael Barrett and two other players signed minor league contracts with the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday and were invited to spring training.

Catcher Raul Chavez and infielder Randy Ruiz also joined the Blue Jays.

The 32-year-old Barrett hit .202 with two home runs and nine RBIs in 30 games with San Diego. He has played 11 seasons in the majors with Montreal, the Chicago Cubs and the Padres.

The 31-year-old Maroth is 50-67 with a 5.05 ERA in six seasons with Detroit and St. Louis. The left-hander pitched three games this year for Kansas City's Triple-A Omaha team in an injury-shortened season.

Ruiz, 31, made his major league debut with Minnesota this year, hitting .274 with one homer and seven RBIs in 22 games. At Triple-A Rochester, he hit .320 with 17 home runs and 68 RBIs.

Chavez, 35, hit .259 with one homer and 10 RBIs for Pittsburgh and has spent parts of 10 seasons in the majors.


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Rays sign reliever Nelson to one-year contract

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Right-handed reliever Joe Nelson signed a $1.3 million, one-year contract with the AL champion Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday.

Nelson, who agreed to terms last week, was 3-1 with one save in 59 appearances for the Florida Marlins last season. His 2.00 ERA was third-best among NL relievers behind Hong-Chih Kuo's 1.69 and Brad Lidge's 1.95.

"We feel like Joe can really help our bullpen," Rays executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. "He had a tremendous season in 2008 and has been very effective against both left-handed and right-handed hitters."

The 34-year-old Nelson allowed 42 hits while striking out 60 in 54 innings for the Marlins last season.


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Source: Snyder, D-backs agree on extension

The Arizona Diamondbacks have reached preliminary agreement on a three-year, $14.25 million guaranteed contract extension with catcher Chris Snyder, a baseball source told ESPN.com.

The deal, the completion of which is pending the physical exam, includes a fourth-year club option that could bring the overall value to more than $20 million.

Snyder has four years of major league service, so Arizona is buying out two years of salary arbitration and his first year of free agency with the three guaranteed years. If the Diamondbacks exercise their club option for 2012, they'll buy out a second year of free agency as well.

Snyder, 27, was Arizona's second-round pick in the 2002 first-year player draft. He's a .238 hitter with 46 home runs in five seasons as a Diamondback. Last year Snyder put up his best career power numbers, hitting 16 homers and driving in 64 runs in 115 games.


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Cabrera passes physical, signs with Nationals

WASHINGTON -- Pitcher Daniel Cabrera formalized his one-year, $2.6 million contract with the Washington Nationals after passing a physical Monday.

Cabrera

Cabrera and the Nationals reached a preliminary agreement one week earlier, contingent upon Cabrera proving his health. The 6-foot-7 right-hander underwent MRI exams on his throwing shoulder and elbow as part of his physical.

Cabrera went on the disabled list with the Baltimore Orioles in September after experiencing pain and tingling in his right elbow during a side session.

The Orioles, who called the injury a sprained elbow, declined to offer the pitcher a contract for 2009, making him a free agent.

Cabrera went 48-59 with a 5.05 ERA in 147 games over five seasons in Baltimore. He went 12-8 as a rookie in 2004 but has had four consecutive losing seasons since, including 8-10 with a 5.25 ERA in 30 starts this year.


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Pirates reach 3-year agreement with Doumit

The Pittsburgh Pirates have reached an agreement on a three-year deal with catcher Ryan Doumit that will take him through his salary arbitration years.

Doumit

The deal was announced Monday.

Doumit gets a $300,000 signing bonus, $2.05 million next season, $3.55 million in 2010 and $5.1 million in 2011. The deal includes a $7.25 million club option for 2012 with a $500,000 buyout, and exercising that option also triggers an $8.25 million option for 2013.

The price of option years could escalate by up to $1 million each depending on whether he makes All-Star teams or is voted Silver Slugger awards.

Pittsburgh must decide after the 2011 season whether to exercise the option covering both 2012 and 2013.

Doumit, 27, hit .318 with 15 home runs and 69 RBIs in 116 games for the Pirates last season. He was Pittsburgh's second round pick in the 1999 first year player draft.

The Pirates have also been trying to sign center fielder Nate McLouth to a multi-year contract, but those negotiations recently reached a stalemate.

In 152 games with the Pirates, 27-year-old McLouth hit .276 with 26 home runs and 94 RBIs and was a first-time gold glove winner.


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Reds sign free-agent Taveras to two-year deal

CINCINNATI -- Willy Taveras and the Cincinnati Reds agreed to a two-year contract Saturday, plugging the team's hole in center field.

Taveras

The speedy Taveras is coming off a down season with Colorado. He batted .251 with a paltry .308 on-base percentage in 133 games, though he did lead the major leagues with 68 stolen bases.

"Willy Taveras fills two significant needs for our ballclub, a speed base-stealing threat at the top of the order and superior defense in center field," Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said in a statement.

Taveras, who turned 27 on Christmas, became a free agent when the Rockies decided not to offer him a contract by the Dec. 12 deadline. He spent two injury-plagued seasons in Colorado after he was acquired from Houston in a December 2006 trade.

Cincinnati had been looking for a center fielder with speed, allowing the team to keep promising young slugger Jay Bruce in right. Corey Patterson became a free agent after starting 82 games in center last season, and the Reds traded Ryan Freel to Baltimore this month in a deal for catcher Ramon Hernandez.

"With the addition of Willy Taveras and Ramon Hernandez, along with Alex Gonzalez and Brandon Phillips, our defense substantially improves up the middle," Jocketty said.

Taveras has a .283 career batting average with seven homers, 109 RBIs and 169 stolen bases. He batted .320 with a .367 on-base percentage for Colorado in 2007, helping the Rockies reach the World Series.

Taveras, who finished runner-up for NL Rookie of the Year in 2005 to Philadelphia slugger Ryan Howard, was caught stealing only seven times last season for a major league-best .907 stolen-base percentage.


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Houston hospital to remove Clemens' name

HOUSTON -- The Roger Clemens Institute for Sports Medicine, which opened in January 2007, will no longer carry the embattled pitching great's name.

The Memorial Hermann Hospital Health Care System announced Saturday that Clemens' name will be removed, effective Thursday, as the fallout from the Mitchell report continues to haunt the winner of 354 major league games and seven Cy Young awards.

The facility will be renamed the Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute.

In its statement, the hospital said the decision to take off Clemens' name was made "to better reflect its commitment to all sports and athletes" and that "the move reflects the desire to promote the broad range of sports medicine services and programs offered by Memorial Hermann."

In November, the New York Daily News reported that Clemens has been asked to end his involvement with a charity golf tournament in Houston that he has hosted for four years.

Although Clemens helped raise millions of dollars for the charities associated with the event, the Giff Nielsen Day of Golf for Kids was held Nov. 11 at Houston's Shadow Hawk Golf Club without him.

Despite its move to disassociate itself with the pitcher, Memorial Hermann Hospital said "Roger Clemens remains committed to working with us to champion youth sports and develop aspiring baseball players."

Clemens donated $3 million to Memorial Hermann for a pediatric wing at Memorial Hermann's Children's Hospital.

Clemens has denied using performance-enhancing drugs since he was identified in former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell's report on drug use in baseball. He filed a defamation lawsuit last January against his former trainer, Brian McNamee, who claims he injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone.

Federal prosecutors also are looking into whether Clemens committed perjury when he testified under oath in front of a congressional committee that he never used PEDs.

Clemens is eligible for Hall of Fame election in 2013, but McNamee's allegations may have irreparably damaged Clemens' chances of induction. Clemens has since filed a defamation lawsuit against McNamee.


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Nats agree to deal with starting pitcher Cabrera

WASHINGTON -- Starting pitcher Daniel Cabrera and the Washington Nationals have reached a preliminary agreement on a one-year contract, pending a physical that his agent said is slated for next week.

Cabrera went 8-10 with a 5.25 ERA in 30 starts last season for the Baltimore Orioles, who declined to offer the right-hander a contract for 2009, making him a free agent.

He went on the disabled list in September after experiencing pain and tingling in his right elbow during a side session. An MRI revealed no damage, and the Orioles called the injury a sprained elbow.

"He's healthy. He's fine," Cabrera's agent, Mike Powers, said in a telephone interview Monday. "He's already pitched a game down in Dominican winter ball."

The 6-foot-7 Cabrera was signed as a 17-year-old out of the Dominican Republic in 1999, and he went 12-8 for the Orioles as a rookie in 2004.

But he's had four consecutive losing seasons since, and his career record is 48-59 with a 5.05 ERA.

Powers would not reveal the financial terms of Cabrera's agreement with Washington. The (Baltimore) Sun said the deal is worth $2.6 million.

Nationals general manager Jim Bowden did not immediately respond to an e-mail requesting comment.


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Yankees re-sign Wang for one year, $5 million

NEW YORK -- Pitcher Chien-Ming Wang and the New York Yankees avoided salary arbitration when they agreed Monday to a $5 million, one-year contract.

Wang

The 28-year-old right-hander was 8-2 with a 4.07 ERA in 15 starts last season before injuring a foot while running the bases at Houston in mid-June. He did not return.

Wang made $4 million last season after losing in salary arbitration. He had asked for $4.6 million.

His agreement raises the Yankees' payroll to about $164 million for 15 players for next year. That includes pitcher Andrew Brackman and infielder Juan Miranda, who don't figure to be on the major league roster.

Outfielders Melky Cabrera and Xavier Nady, and reliever Brian Bruney remain eligible for arbitration.


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McNamee preserves right to sue Clemens in NY

NEW YORK -- Roger Clemens' former personal trainer filed paperwork preserving the right to sue the seven-time Cy Young Award winner in New York. Brian McNamee, who told federal investigators that Clemens used performance-enhancing drugs, contends the pitcher defamed him after McNamee spoke to investigators for former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell. The summons, filed in Queens Supreme Court last week, preserves McNamee's right to sue, Richard Emery, a lawyer for McNamee, said Tuesday. Clemens filed his own defamation suit against McNamee in January after the trainer said in the Mitchell Report that he regularly injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone. Clemens later told a congressional committee under oath he had never taken steroids. In the federal case in Texas, McNamee's attorneys say the trainer was forced to talk to investigators under threat of prosecution, rendering him immune from any defamation lawsuit. A federal prosecutor backed McNamee's claim, but a judge has yet to rule on his request to toss the case.


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Minor league pitchers suspended for PED use

NEW YORK -- New York Yankees catcher Damian Taveras and Baltimore Orioles pitcher Ambiorix Suero were suspended for 50 games each Monday after positive tests for banned performance-enhancing substances under baseball's minor league program.

Taveras tested positive for Stanozolol, and Suero for Boldenone. Both will serve their penalties at the start of next season.

Both players were in the Dominican Summer League. Forty-two of 69 suspensions announced this year under the minor league program have involved DSL players.


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Ex-Blue Jay Mench signs with Hanshin in Japan

OSAKA, Japan -- Former Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Mench signed a one-year deal with the Hanshin Tigers on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old Mench hit .243 in 51 games for Toronto last season. He has a career batting average of .269 with 89 homers and 330 RBIs in 702 major league games with the Blue Jays, Texas Rangers and Milwaukee Brewers.

Mench's contract is worth $1.8 million. He is expected to take the place of former major leaguer Lew Ford, who struggled last season with the Tigers in the Central League, hitting just three homers and batting .225 in 47 games.

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Yankees-Cubs bleacher seats to go for 25 cents

NEW YORK -- The price of a bleacher seat for the exhibition openers at the new Yankee Stadium will cost far less than a soda. The New York Yankees said Tuesday that bleacher seats for the games against the Chicago Cubs on April 3 and 4 will sell for 25 cents and grandstand tickets will be $1.10. That matches the prices for the opener of the original Yankee Stadium against Boston on April 18, 1923. Field level seats at the 52,325-seat ballpark will cost $45-$50, main level $20-$45 and terrace level $20-$35. Full season-ticket holders will get the seats for free, and those who bought partial season-tickets will be given a presale. The new ballpark has 5,000 bleacher and 11,000 grandstand seats. Because season tickets still are being sold, the Yankees don't know how many of the low-priced tickets will be available for individual sale. The regular-season opener is scheduled for April 16 against Cleveland. Tickets cost up to $2,500 a game during the regular season.


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Former Negro Leagues star Santiago dies at 82

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Carlos Manuel Santiago, a star infielder in the Negro Leagues during the 1940s, died Sunday. He was 82.

Santiago

He died of cardiac failure at his home in Mayaguez, son Carlos Manuel Santiago Feliciano said.

Santiago played second base and shortstop for the New York Cubans in 1945-46. He was invited to spring training by the Cleveland Indians in 1951 but was soon drafted into the U.S. Army and sent to Korea. He was honorably discharged as a sergeant about two years later.

This year, Santiago was among the former Negro leaguers invited to attend a ceremonial draft organized by major league baseball.

The Negro leagues lasted from the late 1800s until the mid-1950s, providing a professional outlet for black players. After Jackie Robinson broke the racial barrier in 1947, more blacks joined the majors and the Negro leagues faded.

During much of his retirement, Santiago worked as a coach and scout. He was a general manager for three seasons at Puerto Rico's Mayaguez Indians club, where he got his start playing in 1944. He was inducted into Puerto Rico's Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993.

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Furcal: He, agents never had deal with Braves

SANTIAGO, Dominican Republic -- Rafael Furcal denies he reneged on a deal with the Atlanta Braves before agreeing to a contract last week with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"We never gave the nod to the Braves," he said Sunday after arriving to play winter ball for the Aguilas of Cibaenas.

Braves president John Schuerholz and general manager Frank Wren were quoted in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution as saying Furcal's agent asked the Braves to send a signed letter of agreement, then reached a deal with the Dodgers.

"That is not true," Furcal said. "We never, not my agents nor me, agreed to anything with the Braves."

Furcal also had been negotiating with the Oakland Athletics.

"They offered $32 million for four years and later raised it to $35 million and told us to take it or leave it," Furcal said.

Furcal hit .357 with five homers and 16 RBIs last season, but was limited to 36 games. He had back surgery in July and was sidelined until the season's final week, but started each of the Dodgers' eight postseason games.


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Marlins, top starter Johnson agree to new deal

MIAMI -- The Florida Marlins and pitcher Josh Johnson have agreed to a one-year, $1.4 million contract.

Johnson, 23, returned from elbow surgery in July to post a 7-1 record and a 3.61 ERA. He is 19-11 in three seasons, including 0-3 in an injury-shortened 2007, with a career ERA of 3.54. According to the agreement, he would get a $25,000 bonus each for 31 and 33 starts. If the contract is signed, the sides would avoid arbitration.

The Minneapolis native is projected to be the Marlins' No. 1 starter in 2008.


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Yankees get $26.9 million tax bill from Selig

NEW YORK -- The New York Yankees not only failed to make the playoffs, they were hit with their highest luxury tax in three years.

The Yankees were assessed a $26.9 million tax by the commissioner's office on Monday, up from $23.9 million last year and their biggest bill since paying nearly $34 million for 2005.

The Detroit Tigers, who also failed to qualify for the postseason, are the only other team that must pay tax and owe $1.3 million to the commissioner's office.

Checks are due by Jan. 31.

Both teams got little for what they spent. The Yankees' streak of 13 consecutive playoff appearances ended, and they finished third in the AL East at 89-73, prompting them to spend nearly a quarter-billion dollars to sign pitchers CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett.

Detroit entered the year with lofty expectations after acquiring Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis but went 74-88 and finished last in the AL Central.

While the Yankees pay at a 40 percent rate for the amount over $155 million, the Tigers pay at a 22.5 percent rate because they exceeded the specified threshold for the first time.

This year's figure brings the Yankees' total tax to $148.3 million in the six seasons since it began -- 90 percent of the total.

Before this year, the only other teams to pay were the Boston Red Sox, who owed $13.9 million for exceeding the threshold in four seasons, and the Los Angeles Angels, who paid $927,000 in 2004.

New York's payroll was $222.2 million and Detroit was second at $160.8 million for the purpose of the luxury tax. To compute it, Major League Baseball uses the average annual values of contracts for players on 40-man rosters and adds benefits.

The threshold rose from $148 million last year to $155 million this season. It goes up to $162 million next year and rises by $8 million in each of the following two seasons.


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Former major league pitcher Dock Ellis dies

Dock Ellis, the former major league pitcher best remembered for his flamboyance and social activism as a member of the great Pittsburgh Pirates teams of the 1970s, died Friday of a liver ailment in California, his former agent, Tom Reich, confirmed. Ellis was 63. [+] Enlarge

AP Photo

Dock Ellis, seen here in 1974, won 138 games over 12 major league seasons.

Ellis spent 12 years in the majors with Pittsburgh, the New York Yankees, Oakland, Texas and the New York Mets. He retired in 1979 with a record of 138-119, but was best known for several colorful incidents on and off the field.

His wife, Hjordis, told The Assocaited Press he died at the USC Medical Center in Los Angeles.

"It's a tremendous loss to the family," she said. "He's been struggling for about a year with the end stages of liver disease."

In his autobiography, "Dock Ellis in the Country of Baseball,'' Ellis revealed that he threw a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres in June 1970 while under the influence of LSD.

In May 1974 -- in an effort to inspire a lifeless Pittsburgh team -- Ellis drilled Pete Rose, Joe Morgan and Dan Driessen in the top of the first inning. After walking Tony Perez, Ellis threw a pitch near Johnny Bench's head and was lifted from the game by manager Danny Murtaugh.

Ellis also gave up Reggie Jackson's memorable home run off the Tiger Stadium light tower in the 1971 All-Star Game in Detroit.

Off the field, Ellis spoke freely about racial issues, once telling reporters that he wouldn't start against Oakland's Vida Blue in the All-Star Game because Major League Baseball would never start "two soul brothers'' against each other. [+] Enlarge

Focus on Sport/Getty Images

Ellis went 19-9 in 1971 for the Pirates, who beat the Orioles in the World Series.

"Dock Ellis was my first client in baseball, and he gave me as much joy as anybody outside of my family," Reich said. "He was so unique. He was viewed by some people as an outlaw, but he was far from that. He was so ahead of his time. He was so intuitive and smart and talented and independent. And he wasn't about to roll over for the incredible prejudices that existed at the time.

"He was a very special person and he had an absolute army of fans and friends. He was at the cutting edge of so many issues, and he never backed down. I was proud to be his friend and stand with him."

Ellis suffered from cirrhosis of the liver and was placed on a list to receive a liver transplant in May. The Los Angeles Times wrote that Ellis had no health insurance, but received help paying his medical bills from friends in baseball.

Bill Scaringe, an agent who represented Ellis after he retired, said Ellis worked for years in the California department of corrections helping inmates transition from prison back to the community. He also ran a drug counseling center in Los Angeles.

"It's very disheartening," Scaringe said. "Dock was such a likeable person -- very gregarious, very outgoing. I would set up personal appearances for him, and after like 30 seconds, people were like relatives or neighbors. Dock was very easy to talk to. He was just a pleasure to be around."


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Sabathia gets $9.5M from Yanks before playing

NEW YORK -- CC Sabathia will receive $9.5 million from the New York Yankees before he throws his first official pitch in pinstripes.

His $161 million, seven-year contract includes a $9 million signing bonus. By the time the Yankees open at Baltimore on April 6, he already will have received $6 million of that bonus plus $3.5 million of next year's salary.

This is how it works:

With the economy being the way it is ... the huge amount of money, it was, you know, pretty crazy.

-- CC Sabathia

•The signing bonus is payable in three equal installments by Dec. 31; March 1, 2009; and July 31, 2009.

•He will get a $14 million salary in 2009 and $23 million in each of the final six seasons of the deal, the largest contract ever for a pitcher both in total dollars and average salary.

•While most players are paid semi-monthly during the six months of the regular season, Sabathia's salary will be paid in semi-monthly installments over all 12 months of the year. That means he will have received six payments of $583,333 before the opener.

Even Sabathia admitted this week that "with the economy being the way it is ... the huge amount of money, it was, you know, pretty crazy."

"But that's our game, I guess," he said.

Sabathia's deal calls for him to get a suite on road trips, a provision also in the contracts of several other major leaguers. He can void the contract after the 2011 season and file for free agency.

New York finalized Sabathia's contract on Thursday along with pitcher A.J. Burnett's $82.5 million, six-year agreement. Burnett receives annual salaries of $16.5 million and, like Sabathia, has a no-trade provision.

With the agreements, New York has committed about $159 million to 14 players for next year. That includes pitcher Andrew Brackman and infielder Juan Miranda, who don't figure to be on the major league roster.

New York still hopes to re-sign Andy Pettitte and has several players eligible for salary arbitration: pitchers Chien-Ming Wang and Brian Bruney, and outfielders Melky Cabrera and Xavier Nady.


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Mets introduce Putz at team news conference

NEW YORK -- J.J. Putz was honest: He would like to be closing games next season rather than setting up someone else's saves.

Still, the big reliever insisted he's enthusiastic about his eighth-inning job with the New York Mets, who landed record-setting closer Francisco Rodriguez last week just before acquiring Putz.

Putz

"It wasn't the ideal situation. I really loved closing. But I'm just going to take it an inning earlier, so it's not going to be that big of an adjustment," Putz said Thursday. "I'm fine with the role. Like I said, bottom line, I just want to win. I hadn't had a chance to really do that in Seattle. To come to a team that's built to win right now, I'll pitch in the sixth, seventh -- whatever it takes to get us a championship."

The Mets held a news conference to introduce Putz in their plush, empty clubhouse at new Citi Field, still under construction adjacent to Shea Stadium.

Before fielding questions, the 6-foot-5, 250-pound right-hander pulled on a blue cap and No. 40 jersey while posing for pictures with general manager Omar Minaya and chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon. Putz's face was posted on video boards at Citi Field with a sign that read: "Welcome J.J."

Few setup men receive such fanfare when joining a new team, but Putz is no average reliever. He saved 76 games for the Mariners from 2006-07, earning an All-Star berth and establishing himself as one of baseball's most dominant closers.

"It doesn't change the way I'm going to pitch or it doesn't change my job," he said. "My job is to get guys out in the eighth inning right now. Nobody's perfect. I know everything's a little heightened here, but I've never had a problem with dealing with failures -- just bounce back the next day."

Hampered by injuries this year as Seattle sank to 61-101, Putz knew he might be traded in the offseason by the Mariners' new front-office regime.

Due to earn $5.3 million, he was aware the Mets were interested in him as a replacement for injured All-Star Billy Wagner. But when they agreed to a $37 million, three-year contract with Rodriguez at the winter meetings, Putz was sure he'd wind up elsewhere.

Hours later, New York completed a three-team, 12-player deal that included the Cleveland Indians. The Mets traded seven players in all -- six to Seattle -- for Putz, center fielder Jeremy Reed and reliever Sean Green.

"When they signed Frankie, I was like, well, New York's done. I'm not going there," Putz said. "And then you hear a lot of talk about Cleveland and Detroit. Growing up in Detroit, I had all my buddies from home calling me. I mean, it happened so fast. I thought for sure I was going to be a Detroit Tiger, and then got the phone call -- going to the Mets. And I was like, well, that's weird."

Immediately, the 31-year-old Putz knew he'd have to adjust to a less glamorous role.

"You don't sign Frankie Rodriguez to a three-year deal and then bring in another closer to close. And you know, that's fine," Putz said. "I'm excited to just be a part of this bullpen."

Before taking over as closer, he was a setup man in Seattle for Eddie Guardado, who taught Putz his nasty splitter.

He's not bothered by playing second fiddle to K-Rod, either.

"I'm just glad I don't have to watch him on the other side anymore because he killed us," Putz said. "It's going to be great. He's a lot of fun to watch, I'll tell you that. He's been as dominant as anybody in this game the last few years. He's not a bad guy to have to set up, I guess."

After the trade, third baseman David Wright and catcher Brian Schneider soon called Putz to welcome him to the Mets, who have overhauled their relief corps after blowing 29 of 72 save chances last season. Their 4.25 bullpen ERA ranked 13th in the NL, a big reason New York missed the playoffs again following its second consecutive September collapse.

"I know what's happened here the last couple years has been disappointing," Putz said. "Hopefully, having Frankie and myself here can change that. I'm looking forward to it. I think it's going to be a blast to be able to come here and be contending for the championship."

Putz made the AL All-Star team in 2007, when he was 6-1 with 40 saves and a 1.38 ERA. He went 6-5 with a 3.88 ERA and 15 saves in 23 chances this year, missing long stretches with ribcage and elbow injuries. But he said he's been working out since November and throwing for a couple of weeks.

"Everything feels great," Putz said. "I'm ready to go."

About an hour after Putz finished his interviews, the Yankees held a news conference across town to introduce two big acquisitions: CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett.

One city, three pitchers, six initials.

Of course, it's Putz's last name that could provide easy fodder for headline writers at the New York tabloids if he struggles. But he's not worried about that.

"I've been dealing with this for years," he said. "I can handle it."

Probably took some heat in high school, though, right?

"Dude, I was bigger than everybody in high school," Putz said.


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Braves, pinch-hit specialist Norton agree to deal

ATLANTA -- Greg Norton and the Atlanta Braves agreed Friday to an $800,000, one-year contract, a deal that keeps the pinch-hit specialist in Atlanta.

The 36-year-old Norton led the major leagues with three homers, 18 RBIs and 17 walks as a pinch-hitter last season. A switch-hitter, he ranked second with 18 pinch hits.

Norton was acquired from Seattle in May and played first base, left field and right field with the Braves. He hit .262 with seven homers and 35 RBIs in 117 games with Atlanta and Seattle, including .323 with five homers after the All-Star break.

Norton ranks second among active players with 85 career pinch hits.

In addition to his salary, Norton can earn about $300,000 more in performance bonuses.


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Free agent Boone signs 1-year deal with Astros

HOUSTON -- Free agent Aaron Boone agreed Thursday to a $750,000, one-year contract with the Houston Astros.

Boone played for the Washington Nationals last season, hitting .241 with six homers and 28 RBIs.

"Aaron gives us another veteran who can share time at third base and also help us with his overall versatility," Wade said in a statement. "We believe that Geoff Blum, Aaron and Chris Johnson give us good depth at third."

Houston decided last week not to offer third baseman Ty Wigginton a contract, allowing him to become a free agent. Wade said the decision was made to save money.

Boone has a .264 career average in 11 seasons with 126 homers and 555 RBIs for Cincinnati, the New York Yankees, Cleveland, Florida and Washington.


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Padres agree on one-year contract with Gerut

SAN DIEGO -- Outfielder Jody Gerut agreed Friday with the San Diego Padres on a one-year contract worth $1,775,000.

The 31-year-old hit .296 with 14 homers and 43 RBIs in 100 games for the Padres last season -- his first in the big leagues since 2005. He also hit .308 with five homers and 18 RBIs in 27 games for Triple-A Portland.

Originally a second-round pick of the Colorado Rockies in the 1998 amateur draft, Gerut has a .271 average with 48 homers and 183 RBIs in 420 games over parts of four major league seasons with the Cleveland Indians, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates and Padres.


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Swindled Mets say operations, payroll are intact

NEW YORK -- Jeff Wilpon's phone rang last Thursday and his father was on the line.

"He said, 'Bernie was arrested by the FBI.' I'm like, 'No way,' " the New York Mets chief operating officer recalled Wednesday.

What's in a number?

Mets manager Jerry Manuel joked that new closer Francisco Rodriguez, right, should save as many games as his new uniform number: 75. K-Rod's previous number with the Los Angeles Angels, 57, is worn by Johan Santana. "The only challenge that I see over here is the weather," Rodriguez said at his introductory news conference Wednesday.

-- Associated Press

So Wilpon started searching the Internet for details on how his family was allegedly swindled by Bernard Madoff, perhaps out of hundreds of millions of dollars.

"Completely blind-sided," Wilpon said. "Mainly disbelief, I think. You know, somebody you trusted for this long."

He had attended Roslyn High School along with Mark Madoff, son of the alleged scam artist, and said he considered Mark Madoff "one of my close friends for 30 years."

Bernard Madoff may have stolen $50 billion from clients, a group that included Sterling Equities, the real estate company of Mets owner Fred Wilpon.

Still, Jeff Wilpon said the family's holdings are diversified and that the loss will not affect operations of the high-spending team, whose $138 million Opening-Day payroll was third in Major League Baseball.

"The individual partners lost some money at Madoff. It doesn't affect the Mets. It doesn't affect the Citi Field project. It doesn't affect SNY or any of our other operating businesses," Jeff Wilpon said.

He vehemently stated the team was "uncategorically, totally, completely not for sale."

"Not a piece of it, not a part of it, none of it," he said.

MLB has been swimming in money, taking in $6.5 billion this year. When new Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez was introduced at a news conference Wednesday, his cufflinks sparkled and the French cuffs were embroidered in silver thread with his nickname "K ROD."

Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, said that to the sport's knowledge, no other MLB owners had invested with Madoff.

Wilpon said the millions of dollars the team set aside to fund deferred payments owed players such as Mo Vaughn, as required by Article XVI of the sport's collective bargaining agreement, were safe. It is with the family's investment company, Sterling Stamos Capital Management, LP, which did not invest with Madoff.

Wilpon said the family will make sure that any funds lost by its charitable foundations will be replenished.

"We're going to continue to do that. There's no change," he said.

Because the Mets are profitable, the Wilpons anticipate rebuilding whatever money disappeared.

"It's just not affecting the business," Jeff Wilpon said. "The best thing is for the business to continue going and help with cash flow to replenish, you know, what was lost."

Wilpon conducted a meeting Tuesday with other Mets executives and said the team's baseball operations will not be impacted. Rodriguez received a $37 million, three-year deal to join the team. Setup man J.J. Putz, who has a $5.3 million salary next year, was acquired from Seattle.

General manager Omar Minaya is pursuing other players. He may re-sign left-hander Oliver Perez to a pricey deal or add another starter.

"It's an unfortunate situation, but the baseball, it's totally separate from that. I know it's not going to have an affect," Minaya said. "Our plans have not changed."

Wilpon said his family was in better position to move forward than other Madoff investors.

"We weren't the only ones that were cheated, robbed, defrauded," he said. "We have an opportunity with our operating businesses to replenish it. There are other people out there, and you haven't even heard of the small investors that are out there that have no chance of doing that, who are really down and out."

Wilpon compared looking back to how the fraud went undetected to a pitcher regretting throwing a curve instead of a fastball.

"A lot of other people with a lot more money than we had in there were taken advantage of in this situation. So I'm not sure how everybody missed it," he said. "It was missed. It's unfortunate."


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Brewers, Nixon agree to minor league contract

MILWAUKEE -- Outfielder Trot Nixon agreed to a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers that includes an invitation to the major league training camp.

The 34-year-old Nixon has a .274 career batting average with 137 home runs and 555 RBIs in 12 seasons with Boston, Cleveland and the New York Mets.

Nixon was a member of the 2004 Red Sox team that won the World Series.

General manager Doug Melvin says Nixon is a veteran who will bring energy and experience to the Brewers and will provide another much needed left-handed bat to the lineup.

Milwaukee also agreed to a minor league contract with outfielder Chris Duffy.

Duffy spent parts of three seasons with the Pirates from 2005 to 2007, but was limited following shoulder surgery last year.


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Sandberg to manage Cubs' Double-A team

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. -- Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg will manage the Chicago Cubs' Double-A Tennessee Smokies in 2009.

The Southern League team announced Wednesday that Sandberg is moving up from the Cubs' Class A Peoria Chiefs, which Sanberg has managed the past two seasons.

Sandberg calls the Smokies "an excellent opportunity" and he is "looking forward to the challenges in taking this next step and being successful in Tennessee."

Sandberg, a star second baseman with the Cubs inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005, will be joined by pitching coach Dennis Lewallyn, hitting coach Tom Beyers and trainer Nick Frangella.


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Pudge commits to play for Puerto Rico in WBC

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Star catcher Ivan Rodriguez will play for Puerto Rico at next year's World Baseball Classic.

The 14-time All-Star signed an agreement Wednesday to play in the 2009 tournament, Puerto Rico general manager Lou Melendez said.

Rodriguez recently ended a more than decade-long absence to return home to play in the island's winter league.

Rodriguez, St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina and Phillies reliever J.C. Romero were the first three players to sign up for their Caribbean homeland's team, Melendez said.

"Here we are all major leaguers and all deserve to play. I am prepared to play any position," the 37-year-old Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez was traded from Detroit to the New York Yankees during last season and hit .276 overall with seven home runs and 35 RBIs. He is currently a free agent.

Melendez said Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltran of the New York Mets were expected to sign up in coming days.


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Padres hire Goldman Sachs to search for buyer

SAN DIEGO -- Padres owner John Moores has hired Goldman Sachs to search for a potential buyer as he goes through a divorce from his wife, Becky.

"Goldman will look at offers and make recommendations," Moores said in an e-mail Monday to The Associated Press. "I have been told that, because these are difficult economic times, I should be prepared for a wide range of interest and offers.

"Needless to say, San Diego is a very attractive place to own a baseball team," he said.

The hiring of Goldman Sachs was first reported by MLB.com.

The owner didn't say what percentage of the team would be up for sale.

John Moores, who made a fortune in computer software, bought a controlling stake in the Padres for approximately $80 million in 1994 from a 15-member group headed by TV producer Tom Werner. Werner later became a co-owner of the Boston Red Sox.

The Mooreses reportedly own 90 percent of the team. Because of community property laws in California, Becky Moores shares 50 percent of that asset and must agree to any sale. Their daughter, Jennifer, owns five percent and the other five percent is owned by Glenn Doshay, a San Diego businessman, mlb.com reported.

The Padres are going through a salary dump in large part because of the divorce. They're trying to pare their player payroll from about $72 million last year to around $40 million this year.

San Diego, which lost 99 games last year, has tried unsuccessfully to trade ace Jake Peavy, who is due to make $11 million in 2009. San Diego shed $6.5 million by trading shortstop Khalil Greene to St. Louis and pulled a $4 million offer to all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman.


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Phillies announce three-year deal with Ibanez

PHILADELPHIA -- Raul Ibanez watched the World Series from his home in Florida and immediately liked what he saw in Philadelphia.

Ibanez

"You could feel the energy coming through the television," Ibanez said. "And as a professional, I can't remember the last time I watched something on television and got goose bumps.

"Even when I talk about it right now -- it was tremendous. I can't imagine being a part of it," he said.

Ibanez no longer has to imagine.

The free-agent outfielder and the Phillies have finalized their $31.5 million, three-year contract. The deal, agreed to on Friday, was subject to a physical and was announced Tuesday. Ibanez will take over in left from Pat Burrell, who became a free agent.

"I can't thank Pat enough for the services he provided for our club here in Philadelphia," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro said of Burrell, who has spent his entire nine-year career in Philadelphia. "He's a professional, he went through some ups and downs and he handled it extremely well.

"Pat's a friend. I consider him a friend. [But] one of the fears I had, and some of the people in our organization had, was that we would stay the same [and] we didn't want to be stagnant. This is not a knock to Pat Burrell. This is more a celebration of bringing in a quality player and a quality person to our organization and we had an opportunity to do that with Raul. We all felt like it was the right fit for us," he said.

The 36-year-old Ibanez hit .293 last season with 43 doubles, 23 home runs and 110 RBIs for the Seattle Mariners. Ibanez adds yet another dangerous left-handed bat to the Phillies lineup behind Ryan Howard and Chase Utley.

Ibanez has a .286 career average with 182 home runs and 794 RBIs for the Mariners and Kansas City Royals. He gets a $2 million signing bonus, payable this year, a $6.5 million salary next season and $11.5 million each in 2010 and 2011.

Although several other teams were interested in his services, Ibanez looked at the Phillies as a perfect fit after he filed for free agency.

"I had ties to [former teammate] Jamie Moyer and a couple of the other guys on the club," Ibanez said. "But most importantly, this is a franchise that is committed to winning. It's obvious they just won the World Series last year. That didn't hurt at all. And the team is pretty much intact.

"They weren't only concerned with winning this season but with winning over the next several seasons. That was a great approach and it sold me on Philadelphia," he said.

Amaro isn't concerned about the number of lefties in the middle of the Phillies' lineup.

"A lot of people have talked about [that], but the reality is we have a really balanced lineup," Amaro said. "We only have three pure left-handed hitters in our lineup.

"We have a lot of versatility with two switch-hitters and we have others in [Pedro] Feliz and [Carlos] Ruiz. Yes we are heavy from the left side, but we're heavy-good. And in my mind, it's more important to be a good hitter than what side you're hitting from," he said.

Ibanez batted .305 against left-handed pitchers last season. He's also one of five major league outfielders to drive in at least 100 runs in each of the past three seasons, joining Bobby Abreu, Carlos Beltran, Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Lee.

Ibanez's deal was negotiated by agents Sam and Seth Levinson.


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Phils keep Moyer, 46, for 2 years, add RHP Park

PHILADELPHIA -- Jamie Moyer understands the importance of timing.

Moyer

The veteran left-hander's return to his native Philadelphia resulted in his first World Series title. And, last season's success led to Monday's agreement on a $13 million, two-year contract that keeps the durable 46-year-old with the champion Phillies.

"I feel based off of last season, the security of a two-year contract pushes and drives me," Moyer said. "In my estimation, I don't think the negotiations dragged on. Both sides had a stance which they believed to be right. Things moved along smoothly and it's all about timing.

"I'm happy to be with the Phillies and look forward to defending the World Series championship."

Philadelphia also confirmed it has a preliminary agreement with Chan Ho Park, a one-year contract worth $2.5 million.

And on a busy day of Phillies' news, All-Star second baseman Chase Utley said he is recovering well from hip surgery and hopes to be ready for opening day.

Moyer went 16-7 with a 3.71 ERA in 33 starts last season and pitched six strong innings as the Phillies won Game 3 of the World Series.

He is 35-21 with a 4.33 ERA in 74 starts since the Phillies acquired him from Seattle in August 2006, and the Souderton, Pa., native has 246 career wins.

"I'm sure if you ask Jamie, he'll say that he will play out a few more contracts," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Monday. "I know on paper it probably says this is his last contract, but it will be fun to see how it plays out."

Amaro is confident Moyer will find a way to win at an age when some players are in their second decade of retirement. Moyer depends on pinpoint control and offspeed pitches.

"If his stuff does go backward, he'll try to figure it out and how to pitch through it," Amaro said. "That's the beauty of Jamie Moyer."

Possibly the oldest player to receive a guaranteed multiyear contract, Moyer would earn $20 million over the two years if he pitches 190 innings and makes 31 starts each season.

He will receive base salaries of $6.5 million in each of the next two seasons, and he can make an additional $1.25 million in performance bonuses each year: $250,000 each for 150, 160, 170, 180 and 190 innings pitched.

In addition, his 2010 base can escalate by up to $4.5 million: $250,000 each for 150 innings and 23 starts, and $500,000 each for 160, 170, 180 and 190 innings, and 25, 27, 29 and 31 starts.

Moyer has a limited no-trade provision that allows him to block trades to six teams, no more than four in a league.

Park

Park was quoted by the Korea Times as saying the Phillies considered him a starter, but Amaro declined to say whether Park will compete for a starting spot or pitch in relief. The 35-year-old went 4-4 with a 3.40 ERA in 54 appearances for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season, going 1-0 with a 2.16 ERA in five starts. He could compete with Kyle Kendrick, J.A. Happ and prospect Carlos Carrasco for the fifth spot in the rotation.

Park can earn an additional $2.5 million in performance bonuses.

Utley walked into his news conference with an exaggerated limp, but said he hoped to be ready for the start of the season April 5.

Utley

"I'm feeling good," said Utley, whose right hip was operated on Nov. 24. "I don't see any reason why I won't be ready for the start of the season barring any setbacks."

Utley acknowledged that he played through much of the 2008 season with a bad right hip. He hit .292 with 33 homers and 104 RBIs, but appeared to wear down as the season progressed.

His next evaluation is scheduled to take place in about a month.

"I'm young and I think it was the best course of action," he said. "It's a problem that I've probably had for a long time. I don't play soft and I think it worked out pretty well."


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Embree guaranteed $2.25 million by Rockies

DENVER -- Reliever Alan Embree was guaranteed $2.25 million in his one-year contract with a the Colorado Rockies.

Embree has a $2 million salary next year, and the deal contains a $3 million team option for 2010 with a $250,000 buyout. If the option is exercised, Embree can void it and still would get the buyout.

In addition to his base salary, Embree can earn $800,000 in performance bonuses: $200,000 each for 40, 45, 50 and 55 games finished.

Embree was 2-5 with a 4.96 ERA in 70 games last season for the Oakland Athletics, who declined a $3 million option.

The 38-year-old left-hander has played on nine major league teams including Oakland. He pitched in two World Series, with Cleveland in 1995 and Boston in 2004.


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Orioles cut ties with inconsistent RHP Cabrera

BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Orioles have evidently given up on waiting for right-hander Daniel Cabrera to live up to his potential.

The Orioles declined Friday to offer the arbitration-eligible starter a contract for 2009, making him a free agent.

Cabrera, 26, went 8-10 with a 5.25 ERA this year -- his fourth straight losing season. The 6-foot-7 pitcher went 12-8 as a rookie in 2004 but lost 38 games over the past three years, including 18 in 2007.

He has a career record of 48-59 with a 5.05 ERA.

Cabrera was signed as a 17-year-old out of the Dominican Republic in 1999. The Orioles thought they had a star after his impressive rookie season in the big leagues, but Cabrera never ended up mastering the strike zone and often turned one mistake into another, leading to a big inning.

Cabrera unveiled a changeup last season and on May 20 was 5-1 with a 3.48 ERA. But he began to decline from that point, and failed to go more than six innings in his 11 of his last 12 starts.

In 2008, Cabrera lead the American League with 15 wild pitches and 18 hit batters. He finished second with 90 walks and served a six-game suspension for intentionally throwing at New York's Alex Rodriguez.

The Orioles also failed to offer a contract to reliever Lance Cormier, who was 3-3 with a 4.02 ERA in 45 games this year.


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Dodgers decline to offer closer Saito contract

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Dodgers made Takashi Saito a free agent on Friday when they did not tender the closer a contract for next season.

Saito

Other players not offered contracts include Scott Proctor, Mario Alvarez, Yhency Brazoban and Angel Berroa.

Saito, who had 18 saves and a 2.49 ERA this year, was coming off an elbow injury that sidelined him for two months. Jonathan Broxton filled in as closer in his absence.

Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said the club still may sign Saito, "but right now there's just a difference of opinion on his contract."

The right-hander would have been eligible for salary arbitration and a raise from $2 million if he was tendered a contract.


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Dodgers GM says he's ready to wait out Manny

LAS VEGAS -- Ned Colletti is prepared to wait out Manny Ramirez.

"This is like watching the San Andreas Fault," the Dodgers general manager said Thursday on the final day of the winter meetings. "Some days you can see it move probably, and other days it's going to sit there. And in a week or two it may move a lot. It's a slow process. It speeds up and it slows back down."

The NL West champions made the free-agent slugger an offer this fall but haven't heard whether he will accept it. Colletti said he last spoke with Ramirez's agent, Scott Boras, on Monday night.

"There's not necessarily a deadline with Manny," Colletti said.

On Friday, Ramirez rebuffed a recent newspaper report that said he was so upset by his lack of potential suitors that he would consider retirement if an attractive offer didn't come soon.

"My goal is to hit at least 700 home runs after which I will consider retirement," Ramirez told ESPNdeportes.com's Enrique Rojas in a telephone interview, speaking from his home in Miami. "I just worry about being in shape and ready for when I go out to the field to play ball; my agent is taking care of the business side.

"I'm not aware of any negotiations that my agent might be having but I'm sure of something: I'll play next season. I think I have proven that I can play."

The 36-year-old Ramirez, who came to the Dodgers from Boston at the July 31 trade deadline, batted .396 with 17 home runs and 53 RBIs in 53 games for Los Angeles.

He is coming off a $160 million, eight-year contract he signed with the Red Sox before the 2001 season and said after the season he wanted to test his value in free agency.

"I want to see who is the highest bidder. Gas is up and so am I," Ramirez said at the time.

In addition, Colletti said he exchanged text messages Wednesday night with Paul Kinzer, the representative for free-agent shortstop Rafael Furcal. It's no secret Furcal wants a four-year deal, but the Dodgers aren't necessarily willing to make such a commitment to a player who was limited to 36 games last season because of back problems that required surgery.

Furcal was activated from the 60-day disabled list during the final week after being sidelined since May 6. He batted .357 with five home runs and 16 RBIs in 2008 and has already turned down the Oakland Athletics.

Colletti said the timetable to determine whether Furcal will be in the mix is "approaching" and there are a few other choices on the market the Dodgers might pursue.

"We're focusing on Raffy. At some point in time we're going to have to open ourselves up to some other ideas," Colletti said. "Our desire is Furcal, but it has to be creative from our perspective."

Colletti already added two infielders this week, bringing back third baseman Casey Blake on a $17.5 million, three-year deal and agreeing to a $1.25 million, one-year contract with utilityman Mark Loretta.


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Indians, Wood close 2-year deal for $20.5M

CLEVELAND -- Kerry Wood wasn't concerned the Cleveland Indians would find a red flag in his massive medical records.

He was certain the elbow X-rays, MRI exam results on his shoulder and confidential documents would meet approval, clearing him to sign his first free-agent contract.

"With what I've gone through and what I've come back from, there was no doubt in my mind," Wood said. "I was just worried they would need a dolly or two to get it over to them.

"You play for 10 years and a lot can happen."

Wood would know.

The former Cubs right-hander, who has revived his injury-riddled career as a reliever, finalized a $20.5 million, two-year deal on Saturday with the Indians, whose high expectations in 2008 crashed in a succession of early-season blown saves by an underachieving and unpredictable bullpen.

In 10 years, Wood, who saved 34 games in his first season finishing for Chicago, has gone from rising star to a question mark, from the front of the rotation to the back of the bullpen, and now from one league to the other.

The closer is starting over.

The 31-year-old gets $10 million next year and $10.5 million in 2010. An $11 million option kicks in if Wood has 55 games finished in either of the next two years.

Cleveland's investment is being viewed by some as risky. After all, Wood has been on the disabled list 12 times. But his only visit last season was for a blister on his right index finger, and the Indians are confident they're making a sound move after scouting Wood and giving him a physical.

Kerry Wood

Relief Pitcher
Chicago Cubs

Profile

2008 Season StatsGMWLBBKERA655418843.26

"Not only did he hold up for the season, but he was able to pitch three days in a row multiple times," Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said. "He was dominant as he as ever been in his career."

After pitching in 22 games as a setup man in 2007, Wood went to spring training and won the closer's job -- vacated when the Cubs made Ryan Dempster a starter -- over Carlos Marmol and Bob Howry. He went 5-4 with a 3.26 ERA and made the All-Star team.

But he fell out of Chicago's plans this winter, when the Cubs acquired reliever Kevin Gregg from Florida as a setup man and moved Marmol to closer. Wood has no resentment toward the team that gave him his pro start by drafting the 6-foot-5 Texan in 1995.

"I understand it," Wood said. "That's part of the game and it's time to move on."

Moving into the closer's role seemed to suit the hard-throwing Wood, who can still pump his fastball into the mid-90s. He now has a nasty curve to go with it. He said the adjustment to closing took him only three weeks, a transition made easier because of his background as a power pitcher.

"I could come in and let it go," he said from his home in Arizona . "The thing I impressed myself with was the walks and command. My command was a lot better coming in for a short time."

Wood's statistics back that up. He struck out 84 batters and walked just 18 in 66 1/3 innings over 65 appearances.

More importantly, Wood felt as if his arm had been reborn.

"I've talked to relievers who said they felt better the morning after they throw," Wood said. "I could never understand that, as a starter. Because it would take me every bit of four days to be able to go again. After making the transition and coming out of the bullpen, I saw there's a lot of validity to it. The more I threw, the better I felt and the better I did."

Wood also relished the opportunity to take the mound several days in a row instead of just once per week.

"I enjoy coming to the park every day with a chance to get in the game," he said.

The Indians went into the offseason with a closer as their top priority. The market was deep and included Francisco Rodriguez, Brian Fuentes and Trevor Hoffman, the career saves leader.

In Wood, though, Cleveland saw more than a big arm. The Indians coveted Wood because of his experience and a presence that can be felt in the middle of the diamond and clubhouse.

"Kerry was our No. 1 choice," Shapiro said. "I'm not sure there was anyone available who we would want to pitch the ninth inning for us. He fits our culture perfectly. We get the best of both worlds with Kerry."

The Indians haven't had a right-handed closer with stuff similar to Wood's since Jose Mesa in the 1990s.

"We've had some guys who have been unconventional, but still effective," Shapiro said. "What Kerry does is give us that prototypical closer, as well as the temperament that Joe Borowski and Bob Wickman brought."

Wood is not the same pitcher who struck out 20 Houston Astros in his fifth major league start in 1998, but the Indians don't need him to do anything more than get the last three outs.

Cleveland's courtship of Wood was helped by the club's recent opening of a new year-round training facility in Goodyear, Ariz. The Indians' new spring home is not far from Wood's in Scottsdale.

But what mattered most to Wood was the Indians, more than the other teams he and his agent talked to recently, made it clear that they wanted him.

"They came at me hard from Day 1," he said. "That was something I looked at. I looked at the records of the teams, and they had one of the best records in the second half. The talent is there. It's a great city, a great town, solid fans and a beautiful stadium."


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Reds bolster bullpen, sign 39-year-old Rhodes

CINCINNATI -- The Cincinnati Reds strengthened their bullpen Friday by agreeing to a $4 million, two-year contract with left-hander Arthur Rhodes.

The 39-year-old free agent, a 16-years major league veteran, went 4-1 with a 2.04 ERA and two saves and 61 relief appearances last season for Seattle and Florida.

Rhodes has a 79-61 record, 4.23 ERA with 32 saves and 714 appearances in his major league career.


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Ex-A's 1B Neel charged in child support case

Neel

AUSTIN, Texas -- Former Oakland Athletics first baseman Troy Neel has been charged with fleeing to a tiny South Pacific island to avoid paying about $725,000 in child support.

The 43-year-old Neel, who used to live in Austin, has been out of the country since he was ordered in 1998 to pay $5,000 a month for his son and daughter, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said Neel owes $724,325, the largest amount of back child support owed in Texas in recent years.

"While living on a private island in the South Pacific, the defendant ignored his legal obligation to support his children," Abbott said in a statement.

We're elated that he's now in custody. He has been living a life of luxury and neglecting his children. ... The day of reckoning will come.

-- Attorney general's office spokeswoman Janece Rolfe

Neel was being held by the U.S. Marshals Service in California on Friday and could not be reached for comment. He was to be transferred back to Texas. If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

"We're elated that he's now in custody," said Janece Rolfe, a spokeswoman for the attorney general's office. "He has been living a life of luxury and neglecting his children. ... The day of reckoning will come."

Federal authorities arrested Neel at Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday as he exited a flight from Sydney, Australia. Authorities said he was forced off the island because his passport had expired.

Neel played for Oakland from 1992 to 1994 and also played in Japan and Korea before purchasing a 16-acre resort island in the Republic of Vanuatu, where he has lived since 2000.

Remarried, he and his wife own a 21-room resort that features a restaurant overlooking a lagoon and the country's only full-service spa, according to their Web site. Vanuatu is a small chain of islands about 1,000 miles east of Australia.

Federal and state officials have been working on the Neel case for eight years. A San Antonio federal grand jury indicted Neel in 2005 on a charge of foreign travel to evade child support obligations, but it was kept under seal until now.


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Reports: D-backs agree with Lopez to play 2B

The Arizona Diamondbacks seemingly closed the door on bringing back veteran second baseman Orlando Hudson, reportedly agreeing to a one-year deal with free agent Felipe Lopez.

SI.com reported that Lopez will be paid $3.5 million for 2009. The East Valley (Ariz.) Tribune also reported that Lopez had agreed to a deal.

Lopez, 28, split time last season between the Washington Nationals and St. Louis Cardinals. He excelled after signing with St. Louis, batting .385 with four home runs and 21 RBIs in just 43 games.

Hudson, the 2006 NL Gold Glove winner at second base, batted .305 for the Diamondbacks last season, but played in just 107 games after a broken wrist ended his season. He is seeking a long-term contract on the free agent market.

On Wednesday, the Diamondbacks also agreed on a $712,500, one-year contract with Augie Ojeda, keeping the utility infielder in Arizona for a third season.

The 33-year-old Ojeda, who was pressed into a greater role when Hudson injured his wrist, played a career-high 105 games last season for the D-backs and batted .242 with no home runs and 17 RBIs. Ojeda split time between second, shortstop and third base.

The most games he'd played previously was 78 in 2001 for the Chicago Cubs.


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Nationals take Reds' Young first in Rule 5 draft

LAS VEGAS -- The Washington Nationals selected right-hander Terrell Young with the first pick of the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings Thursday, plucking him from the Cincinnati Reds.

The 24-year-old Young went a combined 2-5 with a 2.88 ERA at two levels of Class A ball in 2008, his fifth professional season.

The Padres and Mets each made two picks during the major league phase of the draft. San Diego selected shortstop Everth Cabrera third overall from Colorado and right-hander Ivan Nova at No. 20 from the New York Yankees.

The Mets, seeking more help for their revamped bullpen, chose relievers Darren O'Day from the Los Angeles Angels and Rocky Cherry from Baltimore.

"We'll bring 'em into camp and see what happens," Mets general manager Omar Minaya said. "Gives us flexibility."

Players chosen in the Rule 5 draft must stay on the active major league roster with their new club all season or be offered back to their old team for $25,000.

Current major league stars who were Rule 5 picks include Johan Santana, Josh Hamilton and Shane Victorino.

There were 21 selections made during the major league phase. The Yankees had four players poached from their Triple-A roster while the Angels lost three.

The Kansas City Royals chose left-hander Jose Lugo ninth overall and then traded him to the Seattle Mariners for cash.


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Blake, Loretta reach agreements with Dodgers

Casey Blake is staying put in L.A.

Blake

That's because the Los Angeles Dodgers signed the third baseman to a three-deal with a club option for the 2012 season on Tuesday.

"We are excited to bring back a player whose performance on the field and leadership off the field contributed so much to our division championship this year," general manager Neil Colletti said. "Our club changed when Casey arrived, and we are thrilled that he wants to continue his career with the Dodgers."

Blake's deal is worth $17.5 million, with escalator clauses and an option year that could bring the total package to as much as $23.75 million if he remains with the Dodgers, or $24.5 million if he's traded during the life of the contract.

He'll earn $5 million next year, $6 million in 2010 and $5.25 million in 2011. There is a $6 million club option for 2012, or a $1.25 million buyout.

But Blake's salary also could increase by $500,000 a year in the final two seasons and the option year if he reaches 600 plate appearances per season. He also would receive an additional $750,000 if the Dodgers trade him.

It's believed the Minnesota Twins had offered him a two-year contract in the neighborhood of $14 million.

The Dodgers also are expected to announce the signing of Mark Loretta, who has agreed to a one-year, $1.25 million contract, according to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark.

Loretta figures to be the Dodgers' primary backup at all four infield positions.

Loretta

The additions will fill two of Colletti's top offseason priorities as he waits to hear whether Manny Ramirez will accept an offer from Los Angeles and to determine how seriously CC Sabathia might be interested in joining the Dodgers.

Settling the infield with two veterans will only help a young Los Angeles roster.

"Obviously they're great players," manager Joe Torre said at the winter meetings. "We had Casey last year. In Loretta's case, I'm used to him beating my brains in with the Red Sox. Every time you thought you'd get him out, he'd get a base hit to right field."

Blake, whom the Dodgers acquired from the Cleveland Indians just before the trade deadline, batted .250 in 211 plate appearances for the Dodgers and .274 overall last season. He's a career .264 hitter with 128 home runs and 447 RBIs in 10 major league seasons.

Loretta hit .280 in 261 at-bats for the Houston Astros last season with four homers and 38 RBIs. He appeared at four infield positions and hit .330 against left-handers.

A 13-year veteran and two-time All-Star, Loretta was not offered arbitration by the Astros, so the Dodgers won't have to surrender any draft picks to sign him.

Torre said he's been a fan of Loretta for years.

"I like the type of player he is," Torre said. "He looked like a guy who handled the heat of the game really well."

Even with Loretta, the Dodgers will likely make a push to bring back shortstop Rafael Furcal, who is seeking a four-year deal.

The 31-year-old Furcal was sidelined for all but 36 games last season with Los Angeles because of back problems that required surgery. He was activated from the 60-day disabled list during the final week after being sidelined since May 6.

Furcal batted .357 with five home runs and 16 RBIs. He turned down such an offer from the Oakland Athletics on Friday.


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Rays send RHP Jackson to Tigers for OF Joyce

LAS VEGAS -- The Detroit Tigers acquired right-hander Edwin Jackson from the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday for outfielder Matt Joyce, Detroit's second trade in three days at the winter meetings.

Jackson is set to join a rotation alongside Justin Verlander, Armando Galarraga and Jeremy Bonderman, who had surgery in late June to correct a condition that caused a blood clot in his pitching arm.

Detroit general manager Dave Dombrowski has filled two of the Tigers' biggest offseason needs after trading for catcher Gerald Laird on Monday from the Rangers in a swap that sent right-handed pitching prospects Guillermo Moscoso and Carlos Melo to Texas.

Jackson went 14-11 with a 4.42 ERA in 31 starts and 32 appearances for the AL champion Rays this season, pitching a career-best 183 1-3 innings. He spent three seasons with Tampa Bay following three for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Tigers also were working to complete a one-year contract worth about $1 million for shortstop Adam Everett after he worked out for the team last week.

Everett batted just .213 with two home runs and 20 RBIs in 48 games for the Minnesota Twins last season, limited by a shoulder injury. He appeared in only 66 games the previous year for Houston, but the Tigers believe Everett will be a reliable option at shortstop.

The addition of the 31-year-old Everett would help settle some instability manager Jim Leyland faced in the infield this season. With Everett, Brandon Inge can return full-time to his natural spot at third base after catching 60 games in 2008, playing 51 at third and 15 in the outfield, including 13 in center.


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