Orioles, 1B Lee agree to 1-year contract
December 31, 2010
BALTIMORE (AP)—The Baltimore Orioles and free agent first baseman DerrekLee(notes) have reached an oral agreement on a one-year contract pending a physical.
Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail disclosed the dealFriday. He has been looking for a power-hitting first baseman since Ty Wigginton(notes)left as a free agent to sign with Colorado in mid-December.
The 35-year-old Lee split time with the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves lastseason, totaling 19 homers and 80 RBIs in 148 games.
Lee has 312 career home runs, highlighted by the 46 he hit in 2005. Hebrings much-needed punch to the Orioles, who were led in home runs last year byLuke Scott(notes) (27).
Lee has never played in the American League.
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Former MLB manager, player Boros dies
December 31, 2010
DETROIT (AP)—The Detroit Tigers say former major league manager SteveBoros has died. He was 74.
The Tigers say Boros died on Wednesday night in Deland, Fla., where he hadbeen in recent years. The team said it didn’t have any other details on hisdeath.
Boros managed the Oakland Athletics and San Diego Padres and also coachedand scouted for several other clubs. He made his big league debut in 1957 withDetroit and hit three home runs in a game for the Tigers in 1962.
Boros worked in baseball for more than four decades. He spent the last nineyears in the Tigers’ organization.
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M’s closer Aardsma to have hip surgery
December 30, 2010
SEATTLE (AP)—Mariners closer David Aardsma(notes) will have surgery to repair atorn labrum in his left hip, but the team expects him to be ready for the startof the regular season.
The Mariners said Thursday that Aardsma will have surgery next Monday inVail, Colo. Dr. Marc Phillipon will perform the operation.
Aardsma is expected to resume throwing in about four weeks. Seattle reportsfor spring training in the middle of February.
Aardsma has been bothered by the hip since the end of the 2010 season andafter consulting with trainers and doctors, the decision was made to have thesurgery.
Aardsma recorded 31 saves in the 2010 season after saving 38 games a yearearlier. His 69 career saves ranks fourth in team history.
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MLB, Anheuser-Busch renew sponsorship
December 30, 2010
NEW YORK (AP)—Anheuser-Busch and Major League Baseball have renewed theirsponsorship deal, ending a dispute that took the longtime partners to court.
The maker of Budweiser sued the league last month, contending MLB wasimproperly trying to back out of an April agreement to extend the company’sexclusive sponsorship agreement.
Lawyers for baseball’s promotional arm filed papers in federal court inManhattan this month challenging those claims.
The two sides announced Thursday that both were dropping litigation.Budweiser will be designated MLB’s official beer sponsor.
St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch has sponsored the league for more than 30years.
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Killebrew, 74, has esophageal cancer
December 30, 2010
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)—Hall of Fame slugger Harmon Killebrew has been diagnosedwith esophageal cancer.
The 74-year-old Killebrew released a statement through the Minnesota Twinson Thursday, saying he expects to make a full recovery from the “very serious”condition.
“With my wife, Nita, by my side, I have begun preparing for what is perhapsthe most difficult battle of my life,” Killebrew said.
Killebrew hit 573 home runs and made 11 All-Star appearances during his22-year career spent mostly with the Washington Senators and Twins. He wasinducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984 and was fifth on the career home run listwhen he retired in 1975 after one season with the Kansas City Royals.
Killebrew currently ranks 11th on the homer list, and his eight seasons with40 or more homers still is tied for second in league history to Babe Ruth.
Killebrew has maintained a regular presence with the Twins for years. He nowlives in the Phoenix area and said he is receiving treatment at the Mayo Clinicnearby. He was optimistic about his chances for recovery.
“The Mayo Clinic is one of the largest and most experienced medical centerstreating esophageal cancer in the world. In the past decade, they have madetremendous advances in the treatment of this disease,” he said. “Nita and Ifeel blessed to have access to the best doctors and medical care.”
The congenial heavy hitter is one of the most beloved players in Twinshistory, as much for his gentle and approachable nature off the field as for thetowering home runs he hit during his playing days.
Twins designated hitter Jim Thome(notes) passed Killebrew on the career home runlist in August, belting two at brand new Target Field. After the feat, Killebrewissued a gracious congratulatory message to Thome.
“I speak very highly of Jim Thome,” Killebrew said in September. “Notonly is he a great player, but he’s a great individual. I think he was a littleapprehensive about passing me up. I said, ‘Jim, I passed a lot of guys up myselfalong the way. I hope you hit 100 more.”’
Killebrew’s No. 3 jersey is retired, and he made several appearances at theTwins’ new outdoor ballpark last season, including during their playoff seriesagainst the Yankees.
He is one of the biggest draws at the team’s annual Twins Fest, a fanfestival in January that serves as a buildup to spring training.
“I thank everyone for their outpouring of prayers, compassion andconcern,” he said. “Nita and I ask for privacy during this difficultjourney.”
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Killebrew, 74, diagnosed with cancer
December 30, 2010
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)—Hall of Fame slugger Harmon Killebrew says he has beendiagnosed with esophageal cancer.
Killebrew released a statement through the Minnesota Twins on Thursdaysaying that he is receiving treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.
The 74-year-old calls his condition “very serious,” but says he expects tomake a full recovery.
Killebrew hit 573 home runs and made 11 All-Star appearances during his22-year career spent mostly with the Washington Senators and Twins. He wasinducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984 and was fifth on the career home run listwhen he retired in 1975.
Killebrew currently ranks 11th on the homer list.
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Killebrew diagnosed with cancer
December 30, 2010
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)—Hall of Fame slugger Harmon Killebrew says he has beendiagnosed with esophageal cancer.
Killebrew released a statement through the Minnesota Twins on Thursdaysaying that he is receiving treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.
He calls his condition “very serious,” but says he expects to make a fullrecovery.
Killebrew hit 573 home runs and made 11 All-Star appearances during his22-year career spent mostly with the Washington Senators and Twins. He wasinducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984 and was fifth on the career home run listwhen he retired in 1974.
Killebrew currently ranks 11th on the homer list.
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Palmeiro insists he never used steroids
December 29, 2010
Rafael Palmeiro insists he never used performance-enhancing drugs during hismajor league career despite having tested positive for a steroid just weeksafter he reached 3,000 hits.
Palmeiro told SI.com Wednesday that he hopes Hall of Fame voters willforgive his mistake of taking a tainted vitamin injection in 2005 while he waswith the Orioles and elect him to the Hall in his first year of eligibility.
Results of voting will be announced next week.
The four-time All-Star with 569 home runs and 3,020 hits famously wagged hisfinger at a congressional hearing in 2005 and asserted he never tookperformance-enhancing drugs. Several months later he tested positive for asteroid which he blamed on a vial of B-12 vitamins that was given to him byteammate Miguel Tejada(notes).
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Guillen’s son Oney calls Jenks ‘punk’
December 29, 2010
CHICAGO (AP)—White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen’s son Oney is firing back atBobby Jenks(notes) after the former Chicago closer criticized his father.
Jenks, who signed a two-year deal with Boston last week, expresseddisappointment to MLB.com that the White Sox decided not to re-sign him. He toldthe website he was “looking forward to playing for a manager who knows how torun a bullpen.”
Oney Guillen called Jenks an ungrateful “punk” in a series of Twitterposts. In one, he writes that Jenks “cried in the managers office bc u haveproblems now u go and talk bad about the sox after they protected u for 7years.”
Oney Guillen resigned from his job in the scouting department in March afterthe organization took exception to some of his tweets. He previously postedcritical comments of White Sox general manager Ken Williams.
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Former Tigers GM Lajoie dies at 76
December 29, 2010
DETROIT (AP)—Former Detroit general manager Bill Lajoie, whose eye fortalent helped build the Tigers team that won the 1984 World Series championship,has died. He was 76.
Tigers spokesman Brian Britten said Lajoie died Tuesday. Lajoie was workingas a special assistant to the Pittsburgh Pirates at the time of his death.
Tigers general manager David Dombrowski said Lajoie played a crucial role inbuilding up the team that made it to the pinnacle of Major League Baseball 26years ago.
Lajoie served the Tigers as scouting director and assistant general managerbefore coming general manager in 1984, a job he held till 1990.
After leaving Detroit, Lajoie served as an assistant for the Boston Red Sox,Los Angeles Dodgers and other baseball clubs.
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