SanLuisObispo.com: Baseball

A's don't offer arbitration to Thomas

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:51 PST

By By Sports Network -- The Oakland Athletics declined to offer salary arbitration to any of their four free agents, including designated hitter Frank Thomas.

Left-handed pitcher Alan Embree, right-handed pitcher Keith Foulke, and outfielder Emil Brown were also not offered arbitration. The A's can continue to negotiate with all four players, but won't receive compensation if any of the free agents signs with another team.

The 40-year-old Thomas was signed as a free agent on April 24 after his release by Toronto and hit .263 with five home runs and 19 RBI in 55 games with Oakland. He also had two stints on the DL and missed a total of 81 games while earning $12.56 million.

Rangers offer Bradley salary arbitration

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:46 PST

By By Sports Network -- The Texas Rangers want draft picks if Milton Bradley does not return next season, as the club offered the outfielder salary arbitration on Monday.

Bradley, the Type-B free agent, batted .321 with 22 homers and 77 runs batted in during 126 games last season. If he declines arbitration and signs elsewhere, the Rangers will be rewarded with a supplemental first-round pick in the June 2009 draft.

The club also announced that pitchers Jason Jennings and Jamey Wright along with infielder Ramon Vazquez were not offered salary arbitration.

Red Sox offer arbitration to Varitek and Byrd

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:56 PST

By By Sports Network -- The Boston Red Sox have offered salary arbitration to free agent catcher Jason Varitek and right-handed pitcher Paul Byrd.

The Red Sox would be eligible to receive compensation for Varitek, a Type A free agent, and Byrd, a Type B free agent. Players offered salary arbitration have until the conclusion of this Sunday to accept or decline that offer.

Varitek posted a .220 batting average with 13 home runs and 43 runs batted in over 131 games last season, while Byrd combined for an 11-12 record and a 4.60 earned-run average in 30 starts with Cleveland and Boston.

Rockies offer Fuentes arbitration

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:36 PST

By By Sports Network -- The Colorado Rockies offered left-handed relief pitcher Brian Fuentes salary arbitration on Monday.

The Rockies will receive two draft picks should Fuentes decline arbitration and sign elsewhere.

Fuentes has until midnight (et) Sunday to accept or decline arbitration. The Rockies career saves leader finished with 30 saves in 34 opportunities with a 2.73 earned run average over 67 games last season. Fuentes has 115 career saves, all during his seven seasons with Colorado.

Dodgers offer arbitration to Manny, Lowe and Blake

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:17 PST

By By Sports Network -- The Los Angeles Dodgers offered salary arbitration to outfielder Mann Ramirez, starting pitcher Derek Lowe and infielder Casey Blake on Monday.

Ramirez and Lowe are Type-A free agents, which means that the Dodgers will receive compensatory picks in the 2009 amateur draft if either player declines arbitration by the December 7 deadline and signs elsewhere.

If Blake, a Type-B free agent, declines arbitration and signs with another team, the Dodgers will receive a supplemental pick between the first two rounds.

Burnett offered arbitration by Blue Jays

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:11 PST

By By Sports Network -- The Toronto Blue Jays offered salary arbitration to star right-handed hurler A.J. Burnett on Monday.

Burnett finished second to ace Roy Halladay in wins for Toronto a season ago, going 18-10 with a 4.07 earned-run average and an American League best 231 strikeouts in 221 1/3 innings over 34 starts.

Since the 31-year-old is a Type-A free agent, the Jays would get two compensatory picks should Burnett sign with another team.

Yankees decline salary arbitration with Pettitte, others

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:51 PST

By By Sports Network -- Pitcher Andy Pettitte and right fielder Bobby Abreu were both not offered salary arbitration by the New York Yankees prior to a midnight (et) deadline on Monday.

Both players earned $16 million last season, but because the Yankees declined to offer arbitration they won't receive compensation in the form of draft picks should the two choose to sign with another team this winter.

Other players who were not offered arbitration were first baseman Jason Giambi; pitchers Sidney Ponson, Carl Pavano and Mike Mussina; and catchers Ivan Rodriguez and Chad Moeller.

Royals offer arbitration to Grudzielanek

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:31 PST

By By Sports Network -- The Kansas City Royals have offered arbitration to second basemen Mark Grudzielanek.

The 38-year-old Grudzielanek has until the conclusion of Sunday to accept the offer. If he rejects the offer and signs with another team the Royals would receive compensation in next June's amateur draft.

Last season, Grudzielanek hit .299 with three homers and 24 RBI over 86 games, his third consecutive year with the Royals. During his career, he's batted .290 with 90 homers and 356 RBI while also playing for the Expos, Dodgers, Cubs and Cardinals.

Angels offer Teixeira, K-Rod, Garland arbitration

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:11 PST

By By Sports Network -- The Angels offered salary arbitration to first baseman Mark Teixeira, closer Francisco Rodriguez, starting hurler Jon Garland and southpaw Darren Oliver on Monday.

Teixeira, Rodriguez and Oliver are Type-A free agents, which means that the Angels will receive compensatory picks in the 2009 amateur draft if any of the three players decline arbitration by the December 7 deadline and sign elsewhere.

If Garland, a Type-B free agent, declines arbitration and signs with another team, the Angels will receive a sandwich round draft pick (between the first two rounds).

Astros agree to deal with Hampton pending a physical

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:06 PST

By By Sports Network -- The Houston Astros have reportedly come to an agreement on a deal with free agent starting pitcher Mike Hampton pending a physical.

According to MLB.com, the 36-year-old Hampton will travel to Houston to be examined in the coming days with an offical announcement expected as early as Tuesday.

It would be Hampton's second stint in Houston, where he enjoyed some of the best years of his career. A career-high, 22-win season in 1999 saw him finish second to Randy Johnson in the Cy Young Award voting. A successful six-year stint with the club ended after that season with Hampton joining the Mets for one season.

Brewers offer arbitration to Sabathia, Sheets

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:06 PST

By By Sports Network -- The Milwaukee Brewers have offered salary arbitration to free agent pitchers C.C. Sabathia and Ben Sheets.

The decision to offer arbitration is mostly procedural, as both will likely command multi-year deals on the open market. If the players sign elsewhere, the Brewers will receive compensatory draft picks.

Sabathia has already been offered a six-year, $140 million contract by the New York Yankees.

Henderson among first-timers on 2009 Hall of Fame ballot

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:11 PST

By By Sports Network -- Rickey Henderson, the all-time leader in runs scored and stolen bases, headlines the list of 10 first-time candidates on the 2009 baseball Hall of Fame ballot.

Other new candidates include former AL MVP Mo Vaughn and former AL Cy Young winner David Cone. The 10 first-timers join 13 holdovers from the 2008 election, making the 23 names on the ballot the smallest in history.

Jim Rice and Andre Dawson again highlight the list of holdover candidates. Rice came up 16 votes short of induction last year, while Dawson fell 50 votes shy.

Report: Japanese P Tazawa and BoSox agree to contract

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 07:18 PST

By By Sports Network -- Japanese pitcher Junichi Tazawa has reportedly agreed to a three-year contract with the Boston Red Sox.

The Boston Globe, citing a source in baseball, said the 22-year-old will arrive in Boston later this week and will undergo a physical to complete the deal, which is reported to be around $3 million.

The newspaper also stated that Tazawa rejected offers from three other major league teams, including the Texas Rangers, who offered him more money.

Madonna, Alex Rodriguez in Mexico City

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 18:33 PST

By By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ -- A-Rod and Madonna were together - in the same city, anyway.

New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez was in the Mexican capital on the same weekend the pop star was performing there. It wasn't immediately known if the All-Star third baseman and Madonna met while in Mexico City.

When asked what he thought about being in the city at the same time as Madonna, Rodriguez said it was "very good," without elaborating.

Nats P Redding has surgery on toe

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 22:43 PST

By By Sports Network -- Washington Nationals right-hander Tim Redding had surgery on his left foot on Friday.

The procedure was performed by Dr. Wiemi Douoguih and Dr. Lew Schon, who repaired the bone in the joint at the base of the second toe. Redding is expected to be ready for spring training.

Redding went 10-11 with a 4.95 ERA in 33 starts for the Nats in 2008.

Tazawa moves closer to deal with Red Sox

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 21:33 PST

Japanese pitcher Junichi Tazawa moved a step closer to signing with the Boston Red Sox after rejecting offers from three other major league teams.

The 22-year-old right-hander contacted the Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners and Atlanta Braves on Friday to reject their offers, Kyodo News agency reported Friday.

Tazawa is expected to hold a news conference early next week to announce his decision. He reportedly received offers from the Rangers, Braves, Mariners and Red Sox.

Red Sox acquire RHP Littleton from Rangers

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 16:43 PST

By By Sports Network -- The Boston Red Sox acquired right-handed relief pitcher Wes Littleton from the Texas Rangers on Friday for two players to be named later or cash considerations.

Littleton, Texas' fourth-round pick in the 2003 draft, spent a majority of last season with Triple-A Oklahoma, going 7-1 with six saves and a 4.01 earned-run average in 44 appearances.

Over his three-year career in the big leagues, the 26-year-old has compiled a 5-3 record with three saves and a 3.69 ERA in 80 games -- which included 12 appearances in 2008 with the Rangers.

Judge lifts restrictions on BALCO testimony

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:48 PST

By By TERRY COLLINS -- Thousands of pages of grand jury testimony related to the long-running steroids investigation of Barry Bonds and other athletes were unsealed Wednesday by a federal judge.

U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston signed an order that allows prosecutors to share grand jury transcripts, medical lab reports and search warrant affidavits with Bonds' lawyers. It came in response to a request from the U.S. Attorney's office last week that the protective order on the documents be lifted to avoid possibly delaying Bonds' trial, scheduled to begin March 2.

Prosecutors also wanted to avoid "ambiguity" regarding their ability to disclose the documents to Bonds' attorneys. Prosecutors noted that much of the testimony had already been leaked to news media.

K-Rod's agent: No talks until winter meetings

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:18 PST

By By RONALD BLUM -- Francisco Rodriguez's agent won't start detailed discussions with teams until the winter meetings open in Las Vegas on Dec. 8.

Paul Kinzer, who represents the free-agent closer, doesn't expect the marketplace to get busy for another 10 days.

"I'll probably see the Mets at the winter meetings. I don't have anything else planned," he said Wednesday.

Orioles hire former Reds GM Krivsky as a special assistant

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 11:07 PST

By By Sports Network -- The Baltimore Orioles hired Wayne Krivsky as a special assistant to the president of baseball operations on Wednesday .

Krivsky, who brings over 30 years of baseball experience with him, most recently served as a special assistant to New York Mets general manager Omar Minaya. Prior to that, he had spent over two years as executive vice president and general manager of the Cincinnati Reds.

The 54-year-old Krivsky started his career in January 1977 in the ticket department of the Texas Rangers and was eventually promoted to assistant general manager of the team in 1980. He worked in that capacity until leaving for the Minnesota Twins organization in December 1994.