Uribe, Dodgers finalize 3-yr., $21M deal
November 30, 2010
LOS ANGELES (AP)—Infielder Juan Uribe(notes) and the Los Angeles Dodgers havefinalized a $21 million, three-year contract.
The 31-year-old hit .248 with 24 homers and 85 RBIs in 2010 while playing in148 games, including 103 at shortstop. He homered and drove in five runs duringthe World Series for the Giants, who won in five games against the TexasRangers, and had nine RBIs in all during the postseason. San Francisco won thecity’s first championship since moving West in 1958.
The versatile Uribe gives new manager Don Mattingly plenty of options forthe Dodgers, whose owners, Frank and Jamie McCourt, are embroiled in a nastydivorce dispute largely regarding who will assume ownership of the team. Dodgersgeneral manager Ned Colletti has said the Dodgers will have a budget that willallow them to compete in 2011.
At 80-82, Los Angeles finished fourth in the NL West in manager Joe Torre’sfinal season after reaching the NL championship series the previous two years.It marked the club’s first losing season since 2005.
Astros sign C Quintero to 1-year deal
November 30, 2010
HOUSTON (AP)—The Houston Astros have signed catcher Humberto Quintero(notes) to aone-year contract for $1 million.
Quintero played in a career-high 88 games for Houston last season and hit.234 with four home runs and 20 RBIs.
The 31-year-old has hit .232 with 13 homers and 69 RBIs in 300 career gameswith San Diego and Houston since 2003. He has been in the Astros’ organizationsince 2005.
Quintero was the backup to Jason Castro(notes) last season.
Dodgers trade INF Theriot to Cardinals
November 30, 2010
ST. LOUIS (AP)—Faced with a surplus of infielders, the Los Angeles Dodgerstraded Ryan Theriot(notes) to the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday for pitcher BlakeHawksworth(notes).
The Dodgers made the move while also announcing they had signed free agentinfielder Juan Uribe(notes) to a three-year contract.
The Cardinals completed another deal, too, signing free agent pitcher BrianTallet(notes). Theriot and Tallet were teammates on the 2000 LSU team that won the NCAAtitle.
Theriot hit .270 with 29 RBIs last season while with the Chicago Cubs andDodgers. He primarily plays second base and shortstop.
Theriot, who turns 31 next week, was traded with pitcher Ted Lilly(notes) from theCubs to the Dodgers last July 31.
“Ryan is a perfect complement to our roster,” Cardinals general managerJohn Mozeliak said in a statement. “He’s a highly competitive player with awinning approach to the game. We expect him to be a key contributor to ourmiddle infield.”
Theriot batted a career-high .307 in 2008 and is a lifetime .284 hitter in663 games. He is third among middle infielders in multihit games over the pastthree seasons, trailing only Derek Jeter(notes) and Robinson Cano(notes), and has stolen atleast 20 bases in each of the last four seasons.
Theriot became expendable when the Dodgers signed Uribe. The 31-year-oldUribe hit a career-best 24 home runs last season for the World Series championSan Francisco Giants, mostly playing shortstop.
Hawksworth went 4-8 with a 4.98 ERA in 45 games, including eight starts. The27-year-old righty went 4-0 as a rookie in 2009.
Hawksworth’s season ended when he was hit in the face by a line drive inlate September. He needed about 20 stitches after being struck by the liner offthe bat of the Cubs’ Sam Fuld(notes).
Tallet, who signed a one-year deal, spent the last five years with Toronto.The 33-year-old lefty was 2-6 with a 6.40 ERA in 34 games, five of them starts.
Tallet is 16-23 with a 4.65 ERA in 223 games with Toronto and Cleveland.
Tulowitzki to get $157.5M through 2020
November 30, 2010
NEW YORK (AP)—Troy Tulowitzki(notes) and the Colorado Rockies have agreed to a newcontract that guarantees the All-Star shortstop an additional $132 million overseven seasons through 2020.
Tulowitzki already had been guaranteed $25.75 million through 2013 under the$31 million, six-year contract he agreed to in January 2008.
With the new contract, which includes a club option for 2021, Tulowitzki isguaranteed $157.75 million over 10 seasons, according to contract informationobtained Tuesday by The Associated Press.
Colorado scheduled a news conference for later Tuesday to announce the deal.
Tulowitzki receives $5.5 million next year, $8.25 million in 2012 and $10million in 2013 as part of his previous contract, which contained a $15 millionteam option for 2014 with a $2 million buyout.
Under the new deal, he receives $16 million in 2014, $20 million in each ofthe following five seasons and $14 million in 2020. Colorado gets a $14 millionoption for 2021 with a $4 million buyout.
In both 2020 and 2021, if it’s exercised, Tulowitzki’s salary could escalateby up to $6 million annually depending on his finish in MVP voting, whether heis an All-Star or earns Gold Glove or Silver Slugger awards and other criteria.
Tulowitzki won his first Gold Glove and NL Silver Slugger awards this year,when he hit .315 with 27 homers and 95 RBIs despite missing 33 games with abroken wrist.
Japanese reliever Tateyama joins Rangers
November 30, 2010
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP)—Japanese free-agent pitcher Yoshinori Tateyama hasagreed to a one-year contract with the AL champion Texas Rangers that includesclub options for each of the two seasons after that.
Tateyama, a sidearm thrower who turns 35 on Dec. 26, is looking to pitch inthe United States for the first time.
Texas announced the signing Tuesday.
Tateyama has spent his entire career (1999-10) with the Nippon Ham Fightersin Japan’s Pacific League. Primarily a reliever, he has a 3.43 ERA in 438appearances.
In 58 games last season, Tateyama had a career-low 1.80 ERA. He was 1-2 withfour saves and held opposing hitters to a .213 average. He struck out 59 andwalked 11.
A’s to meet with free agent Berkman
November 30, 2010
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)—The Oakland Athletics, searching this winter for a bigbat for the middle of their order, are set to meet with free agent Lance Berkman(notes)on Tuesday.
The A’s certainly could use the 34-year-old switch-hitter, who batted .248with 14 home runs and 58 RBIs this season between Houston and the New YorkYankees.
In late October, New York declined to exercise a $15 million contract optionfor Berkman, most recently a first baseman-designated hitter who also has playedextensively in the outfield during 12 major league seasons. Berkman received a$2 million buyout.
One of A’s general manager Billy Beane’s priorities this offseason is tofind a reliable hitter who can help the club score more runs for its talentedpitching staff.
The A’s stayed in the AL West chase until late in the season—losing out tothe AL champion Texas Rangers—and finished 81-81 for second place in thedivision. That was despite using the disabled list 23 times, two shy of thefranchise record set in 2008.
Reports: Rockies to extend Tulowitzki
November 30, 2010
DENVER (AP)—The Colorado Rockies have scheduled a news conference for Tuesdayamid reports they’ve agreed to a seven-year extension with All-Star shortstopTroy Tulowitzki(notes) and are close to re-signing free-agent pitcher Jorge De La Rosa(notes)to a three-year deal.
MLB.com and the Denver Post reported that Tulowitzki had agreed in principleto an extension that would keep him under contract with Colorado for anotherdecade. General manager Dan O’Dowd didn’t return messages Monday night.
Tulowitzki won his first Gold Glove and NL Silver Slugger awards this year,when he hit .315 with 27 homers and 95 RBIs despite missing 33 games with abroken wrist.
De La Rosa is one of the most coveted left-handers on the open marketdespite an injury-plagued 2010 season in which he went 8-7 with a 4.22 ERA. Hesaid he wants to stay in Denver and the Rockies said they’d love to have himback for a three-year deal.
Former Yankees INF McDougald dies at 82
November 30, 2010
NEW YORK (AP)—Gil McDougald, an All-Star baseball infielder who helped the NewYork Yankees win five World Series championships during the 1950s, has died. Hewas 82.
The Yankees released a statement Monday saying McDougald died Sunday ofprostate cancer at his home in Wall Township, New Jersey.
McDougald spent his entire 10-year major league career with the Yankees andplayed a key role on one of baseball’s greatest dynasties. He was the AmericanLeague Rookie of the Year in 1951 and teamed with Hall of Famers such as MickeyMantle, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford and manager Casey Stengel to lead New York toeight American League pennants from 1951-60.
A versatile infielder who played second base, third base and shortstop,McDougald batted .276 with 112 home runs and 576 RBIs.
Jeter agent hasn’t made formal proposal
November 30, 2010
NEW YORK (AP)—Derek Jeter(notes) and the Yankees haven’t held contract talks in morethan a week and the shortstop’s agent has yet to make a formal proposal,according to a baseball executive familiar with the negotiations.
Jeter, agent Casey Close and Yankees officials met in Tampa, Fla., about twoweeks ago to start discussions. At that time, without making any proposals,Close suggested Jeter was seeking a deal averaging about $25 million for sixyears, the executive said Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity becauseneither the team nor Jeter’s side have publicly disclosed details of theirdiscussions.
FILE – In this Sept. 21, 2010,… AP – Sep 30, 1:48 pm EDT FILE – In this Aug. 21, 2010, … AP – Sep 30, 1:48 pm EDT
FILE – In this Aug. 14, 2010, … AP – Sep 30, 1:48 pm EDT
FILE – In this Sept. 17, 2010,… AP – Sep 30, 1:48 pm EDT
Toronto Blue Jays general mana… AP – Sep 29, 11:18 pm EDT
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The executive said the numbers were suggested loosely by Close and shouldnot be interpreted as a precise request by the Yankees captain.
New York then made a $45 million, three-year offer to the shortstop. Jeter’sside hasn’t made a counterproposal, the executive said, but Close followed bysuggesting a contract averaging about $23 million for four or five seasons.
The 36-year-old Jeter just completed a $189 million, 10-year deal that wasthird in total value to Alex Rodriguez’s(notes) deals of $252 million and $275 million,both over a decade. Jeter hit .270 with 10 homers this year, down from a .334average and 18 homers in 2009.
While talks with Jeter have slowed, the Yankees are more confident atamicably reaching an agreement relatively quickly with Mariano Rivera(notes), whoturned 41 on Monday. The closer is coming off a $45 million, three-yearcontract, and New York thinks it can strike an agreement on a one- or two-yeardeal at a similar salary or a slight raise.
Fern Cuza, Rivera’s agent, has not told the Yankees what Rivera is seeking,the baseball executive said.
Rivera had 33 saves in 38 chances with a 3-3 record and 1.80 ERA lastseason, maintaining his decade-plus dominance.
New York also expects negotiations with Cliff Lee(notes) to intensify as the wintermeetings approach next Monday. The Yankees have made signing the 2008 AL CyYoung Award winner their No. 1 priority among free-agent additions. Texasobtained Lee from Seattle in July and hopes to re-sign him after reaching theWorld Series for the first time.
Rangers, Torrealba agree to 2-year deal
November 29, 2010
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP)—Free agent catcher Yorvit Torrealba(notes) (yor-VEETtohr-EE-all-buh) has agreed to a two-year contract with the Texas Rangers,filling one of the biggest offseason needs for the AL champions.
The Rangers also agreed Monday to a $1.2 million, one-year contract withright-hander Mark Lowe(notes), the reliever acquired from Seattle with Cliff Lee(notes) inJuly.
Torrealba hit .271 with seven homers and 37 RBI in 95 games with San Diegolast season. He started 89 games, and the Padres’ pitchers had a 3.14 ERA inthose games.
Lowe made only three appearances for Texas the last week of the regularseason before pitching in the World Series.
Lowe had a 3.48 ERA in 11 appearances for Seattle before being placed on theDL in May with lower back inflammation.
