BASEBALL NOTEBOOK
Published 7:05 pm Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Garland agrees to $5.3 million deal with Padres
SAN DIEGO — Free agent right-hander Jon Garland and the San Diego Padres agreed to a $5.3 million, one-year contract on Tuesday.
Garland was 11-13 with a 4.01 ERA last year with Arizona and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Southern California native was with the Chicago White Sox when they won the 2005 World Series.
“Jon is a talented and reliable starting pitcher who has been an integral part of several winning organizations,” Padres general manager Jed Hoyer said. “His ability helps to solidify our pitching staff and his experience will be a great asset for our younger pitchers.”
Garland will make $4.7 million this season, with a mutual option for $6.75 million in 2011. If the Padres decline, he gets a $600,000 buyout. If Garland rejects it, the buyout is $300,000.
A’s sign free-agent RHP Sheets
OAKLAND, Calif. — The Oakland Athletics added another veteran arm to their young rotation, agreeing to terms Tuesday with free-agent righty Ben Sheets on a $10 million, one-year contract.
The 31-year-old Sheets has been plagued by injuries. The four-time NL All-Star didn’t pitch in the majors last season while recovering from elbow surgery but last week held a pitching session for several scouts in Louisiana.
The A’s sent two representatives to watch Sheets throw, director of player personnel Billy Owens and minor league roving pitching instructor Gil Patterson.
“They liked what they saw,” assistant general manager David Forst said in a phone interview. “Enough to lead us to think that we should pursue this.”
Sheets spent his first eight major league seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, going 86-83 with a 3.72 ERA. He struck out a career-best 264 batters in 2004.
Oakland, which recently re-signed two-time All-Star Justin Duchscherer, still had a spot to fill in the rotation. The A’s were set to formally introduce Sheets at a news conference later Tuesday.
Sheets will join Duchscherer, Brett Anderson and Dallas Braden — with the other rotation spot likely to be filled by either Gio Gonzalez or Trevor Cahill.
The A’s can’t be sure exactly what they’ll get from either Duchscherer or Sheets since neither pitched in 2009. Duchscherer underwent arthroscopic right elbow surgery on March 31 and later was treated for clinical depression.
GM Billy Beane brought Duchscherer back on an incentive-laden one-year contract.
Both pitchers have said they feel fine physically.
Sheets underwent elbow surgery last February to repair a torn flexor tendon that he hurt in 2008. So, by the start of spring training next month he will be about a year out from the procedure.
Sheets and the Texas Rangers had been in negotiations on a two-year contract last winter but a physical on the 2008 All-Star Game starter revealed the elbow problem.
Sheets joins an upgraded Oakland roster featuring new center fielder Coco Crisp and new third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff. The club also re-signed Jack Cust to be their primary designated hitter.
The A’s finished with 75 wins for the second straight season and in last place in the AL West, losing their final seven games.
Orioles and Tejada together again, for $6 million
BALTIMORE — Six years after signing Miguel Tejada to a top-dollar contract, the Baltimore Orioles welcomed back the 2002 AL MVP at a bargain price.
Tejada received a $6 million, one-year contract Tuesday after passing a physical. He was to be introduced in a news conference at the B&O Warehouse behind the baseball diamond at Camden Yards — the same room that was filled with hope in December 2003 when Tejada signed a six-year, $72 million contract.
Tejada played shortstop for four seasons with Baltimore before being traded to the Houston Astros for five players, a key deal in the Orioles’ effort to rebuild with youth.
Now, the 35-year-old Tejada will be asked to provide veteran leadership at a new position: third base.
Rangers, Francisco agree to $3.3M contract
ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Rangers closer Frank Francisco reached an agreement Tuesday on a one-year contract worth $3,265,000 to avoid an arbitration hearing.
Francisco was seeking $3.6 million and the Rangers had countered with $3 million when they swapped figures last week.
Francisco was 2-3 with a career-best 25 saves and a 3.83 ERA in 51 relief appearances last season, when he also had three stints on the disabled list. Opposing batters hit only .214 against Francisco, who had 57 strikeouts and 15 walks in his 49 1-3 innings.
The only remaining Texas player in arbitration is right-hander Scott Feldman, a 17-game winner last season who is seeking $2.9 million. The Rangers have offered $2.05 million.
Twins and Thome agree to deal
MINNEAPOLIS — A person familiar with the negotiations says slugger Jim Thome and the Minnesota Twins have agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract.
The person requested anonymity Tuesday because the team was not ready to make the announcement. Thome’s contract also includes performance bonuses.
The 39-year-old Thome will likely be more of a bench player for the Twins than the middle-of-the-lineup force he’s been for 19 seasons on his way to 564 career home runs.
Thome was traded by the White Sox to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Aug. 31. He was interested in returning to Chicago, but White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen recently told Thome he wouldn’t get enough at-bats to justify a return.
Cubs reach agreement with Nady
CHICAGO — A person familiar with the negotiations says outfielder Xavier Nady and the Chicago Cubs have reached preliminary agreement on a one-year, $3.3 million contract.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the team had not yet announced the deal.
Nady’s contract is contingent on him passing a physical. He underwent elbow reconstructive surgery for the second time in his career last July while with the New York Yankees. He played in only seven games.
Nady joins a Cubs outfield mix that includes Alfonso Soriano, Kosuke Fukudome and Marlon Byrd. Nady is a career .280 hitter with 87 homers in 679 major league games with the Padres, Mets, Pirates and Yankees.
In addition to the base salary, Nady could earn another $2.05 million in performance bonuses based on games played.
Phils sign Ruiz to $8.85 million, 3-year contract
PHILADELPHIA — Catcher Carlos Ruiz has signed an $8.85 million, three-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, avoiding salary arbitration.
Ruiz hit .255 last season with 26 doubles, a career-high nine home runs and 43 RBIs in 107 games. The Phillies went 57-43 (.570) when Ruiz started. He threw out 15 of 76 potential basestealers (19.7 percent).
The 31-year-old Ruiz batted a team-high .341 during the 2009 postseason, starting all 15 postseason games. He hit a three-run homer off Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.
Ruiz has a .246 batting average with 22 homers and 138 RBIs in four seasons. He was the last Phillies player eligible for arbitration.
