The Houston Astros have agreed to a minor league contract with former World Series MVP Livan Hernandez. The 36-year-old pitcher was invited to major league spring training. Hernandez was the opening day starter for Washington last season and started 29 games for the Nationals, going 8-13 with a 4.47 ERA.
The Indians have added an MVP to their roster, and a possible replacement at first base. Cleveland acquired versatile Russ Canzler, the top player in the International League last season, on Tuesday from the Tampa Bay Rays for cash. The 25-year-old Canzler played four positions — right and left field, third and first base — last season for Triple-A Durham, where he batted .314 with 18 homers and…
Reliever Jose Arredondo will receive $2 million under his two-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds. The deal, announced by the Reds last week, calls for the right-hander to receive salaries of $800,000 this year and $1.2 million in 2013. Arredondo made $480,000 last season, when he went 4-4 with a 3.23 ERA in 53 appearances around two stints on the disabled list.
Right-hander Chad Qualls has signed a one-year, $1.15 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. The deal, announced on Tuesday, includes performance and awards bonuses. The 33-year-old Qualls went 6-8 with a 3.51 ERA in 77 games for San Diego last season. Since 2005, Qualls has made more appearances (512) than any other pitcher and ranks second in relief wins (34), trailing only Jesse Crain…
Ron Washington felt he was the right guy for the job when the Texas Rangers hired him as their manager, despite his inexperience in that role and the rebuilding effort that was just getting started. “I knew that through time things would fall into place,” Washington said Monday after getting another two-year contract extension.
Victor Martinez had knee surgery and will need a second operation, another indication he is likely to miss the entire 2012 season. The Detroit Tigers star had microfracture surgery Friday to repair the medial and lateral meniscus in his left knee. “I don’t want to say it was a surprise,” team president and general manager Dave Dombrowski said.
Justin Morneau’s latest recovery is “right on schedule” for him to start this season at first base for the Minnesota Twins. The former American League MVP, been beset by all kinds of injuries the last two years, said on Friday night he’s “hopeful” he’ll be fully healthy in 2012.
The Boston Red Sox are going to a new digital ticketing system for the cheapest seats at Fenway Park to keep them out of the hands of scalpers. Fans with seats in the $12 upper bleacher section for high-demand games will receive only digital tickets. They will be required to swipe the credit card used to purchase them at the gate.
San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum has passed his physical and officially signed his $40.5 million, two-year contract. The two sides reached a verbal agreement on the deal on Tuesday and the Giants said Lincecum signed the contract Friday after taking his physical. The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner gets a $500,000 signing bonus and salaries of $18 million this year and $22 million in 2013.
Commissioner Bud Selig expects baseball to expand its playoffs this season. Players and owners have already agreed to add an additional wild-card team in each league, but are still deciding whether it would take effect this year or in 2013. Selig said there are scheduling issues to be worked out — once they are, the new 10-team format would begin with a one-game playoff.
Commissioner Bud Selig will decide what compensation the Boston Red Sox will receive for Theo Epstein’s move to the Chicago Cubs. Epstein left as Boston’s general manager with a year left on his contract to become president of baseball operations for the Cubs. Epstein got a five-year, $18.5 million deal in late October.
Right fielder Hunter Pence and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed Friday to a $10.4 million, one-year contract. The deal was at the midpoint between the $11.8 million he had asked for in arbitration last week and the $9 million the Phillies had offered. He can earn additional award bonuses. Pence hit .314 with 22 homers and a career-high 97 RBIs for Houston and Philadelphia last season, when he made…
Juan Pierre can’t torment the Philadelphia Phillies any longer. The outfielder agreed to a minor league contract with the Phillies on Friday, getting an invitation to spring training with a club he’s been a nemesis to for years. The 34-year-old hit .279 with two homers, 50 RBIs and 27 steals for the Chicago White Sox last season, starting 152 games in left field.
Free agent infielder Jeff Keppinger has signed to a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Rays. The 31-year-old Keppinger who plays shortstop as well as second and third base split last season between the Houston Astros and San Francisco Giants, combining to bat .277. A .281 career hitter in seven seasons with the Mets, Royals, Reds, Astros and Giants, the right-handed batting Keppinger has a .324…
The Giants have reached agreement on a $1.25 million, one-year contract with utility infielder Ryan Theriot to give them depth at shortstop and second base. San Francisco said Friday the deal is non-guaranteed and is pending a physical next week. Theriot, 32, batted .271 with one home run and 47 RBIs in 132 games for the World Series champion St.
The Minnesota Twins will retire former manager Tom Kelly’s uniform number. President Dave St. Peter revealed the decision late Thursday at an annual awards banquet at Target Field, where the 61-year-old Kelly became emotional after the announcement. Kelly’s No. 10 will be formally retired during a ceremony before a game against Cleveland on Sept.
Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik remains extremely optimistic about the bounty of young talent the Mariners possess. He also knows the abundance of youth means another challenging season lies ahead in the Pacific Northwest. “I think we have some very talented young kids. I think this is going to be a challenging year at the big league level for us.
Prince Fielder was born in 1984, the last time Detroit won the World Series. After luring Fielder to Michigan with the fourth-largest contract in baseball history, the Tigers are hoping he will help usher in a new championship era for the Motor City. “This is awesome,” Fielder said Thursday after finalizing a $214 million, nine-year deal with Detroit.
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Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw accepted the Warren Spahn Award on Thursday night as the best left-handed pitcher in baseball. “It’s the biggest trophy I’ve ever gotten,” Kershaw said, laughing. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to carry it on the plane.” Kershaw, the National League Cy Young winner, led the NL with a 21-5 record, 248 strikeouts and a…
Free-agent right-hander Clay Hensley and the San Francisco Giants have reached agreement on a $750,000, one-year contract. The Giants said Thursday it is a non-guaranteed big league deal for Hensley, who still must pass a physical before the club makes a formal announcement. Hensley was with San Diego when he gave up Barry Bonds’ 755th career home run on Aug.
The Boston Red Sox on Thursday confirmed the signing of outfielder Cody Ross to a one-year contract and said right-hander Scott Atchison was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster. The $3 million deal for Ross was first reported on Monday, when he told The Associated Press in a text message he still needed to take a physical.
Jonny Gomes takes pride in his versatility. He can play the corner outfield, and he’s an experienced designated hitter. That certainly will be helpful for Oakland manager Bob Melvin with a young roster. The A’s and Gomes finalized a $1 million, one-year contract Thursday after reaching a preliminary agreement last week.
Ichiro Suzuki might begin his final guaranteed season with the Seattle Mariners somewhere other than the leadoff spot that he’s locked down for the past decade. Seattle manager Eric Wedge said Thursday during the Mariners’ pre-spring training luncheon that he’s leaning toward moving Suzuki out of the leadoff spot as a way to try to bolster the Mariners’ anemic offense.
The Indians made a move with the pitcher they’ve only known for the last 11-plus years as Fausto Carmona. Arrested last week in the Dominican Republic on false identity charges, Carmona was placed on baseball’s restricted list Thursday by the club. The Indians had to apply to the commissioner’s office in order to have Carmona placed on the list due to his unusual legal entanglement.
The Yankees settled their final salary arbitration case, agreeing with left-hander Boone Logan on a one-year contract worth $1,875,000. The agreement Thursday was just below the midpoint between the $2.1 million he had asked for last week in arbitration and the $1.7 million New York had offered. But Logan can earn a $25,000 bonus if he appears in 55 games this season.
Free-agent reliever Brad Lidge has agreed to a one-year contract with the Washington Nationals. Last season, the right-hander only threw 19 1-3 innings for the Philadelphia Phillies, going 0-2 with a 1.40 ERA and one save. He didn’t pitch until late July because of elbow and shoulder problems in his right arm.
Outfielder Michael Morse has agreed to a two-year contract worth about $10.5 million with the Washington Nationals, avoiding arbitration. The Nationals announced Friday they had reached a deal with Morse before arbitration figures were exchanged this week, but it was contingent on his completing a physical exam, which he’s now done.
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With the future of the starter they knew only as Fausto Carmona unclear, the Indians made a move to protect their rotation. Cleveland traded for right-hander Kevin Slowey, acquiring the right-hander from Colorado on Friday for minor league reliever Zach Putnam and cash considerations. Indians general manager Chris Antonetti claimed the deal was not a direct reaction to Carmona’s arrest in the…
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The Texas Rangers signed veteran first baseman and outfielder Brad Hawpe to a minor league contract. The Rangers announced Friday that they are also inviting the Fort Worth, Texas, native to their major league camp this spring. The 32-year-old alumnus of LSU and Boswell High School in the Fort Worth suburb of Saginaw batted .231 with four homers and 19 RBIs in 62 games with the San Diego Padres…
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Right-handed relief pitcher Sergio Romo and the San Francisco Giants have settled on a $1,575,000, one-year contract to avoid an arbitration hearing. The 28-year-old earned himself a nice raise after making $450,000 last year. He had asked for $1.75 million and the club had offered $1.3 million. Romo went 3-1 with a 1.50 ERA in 65 outings and 48 innings last season for the 2010 World Series…
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Time for fantasy baseball