MLB Capsules: Darvish motivated to become world's best pitcher

SAPPORO, Japan (AP) — Yu Darvish's desire to become the world's best pitcher prompted his decision to leave Japan and sign with the Texas Rangers.

"I want to become the kind of pitcher that will make people say 'Darvish is the No. 1 pitcher in the world,'" Darvish said at a news conference on Tuesday.

The 25-year-old right-hander agreed last week to a six-year contract with the Rangers guaranteeing him $56 million.

Darvish had a 93-38 record with a 1.99 ERA in 167 games in the past seven seasons in Japan, where he was a two-time MVP of the Pacific League and a five-time All-Star.

He led the league in strikeouts three times and ERA twice, and averaged 205 innings pitched over the last five seasons.

Over 10,000 fans attended Tuesday's event at Sapporo Dome, where Darvish spent his entire professional career playing for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.

Early in his career, Darvish said he had no desire to go to Major League Baseball, saying it would be bad for Japanese baseball if all of the top players went overseas.

But after seven seasons in Japan, Darvish said he needed a new challenge.

"I want to feel the thrill of pitching against the world's best hitters," Darvish said. "It was becoming harder to stay motivated in Japan."

There is a lot of excitement in Texas, where fans are hoping Darvish is the missing piece that will help lift the Rangers to their first World Series title.

AP source: Fielder, Tigers agree on nine-year deal

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Tigers responded to a jarring injury with an audacious move.

Free-agent first baseman Prince Fielder and the Tigers agreed Tuesday to a nine-year, $214 million contract that fills the AL Central champions' need for a power hitter, a person familiar with the deal said.

Detroit boldly stepped up in the Fielder sweepstakes after the recent knee injury to star Victor Martinez. A week ago, the Tigers announced the productive designated hitter could miss the entire season after tearing his left ACL during offseason conditioning.

CBS first reported the agreement with Fielder.

The person told The Associated Press the deal was subject to a physical. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract was not yet complete.

The Tigers won their division by 15 games before losing in the AL championship series to Texas. Adding the 27-year-old Fielder gives the Tigers two of the game's premier sluggers, pairing him with Miguel Cabrera.

With Fielder now in the fold, general manager Dave Dombrowski and owner Mike Ilitch have a team that figures to enter the 2012 season as a favorite to repeat in the division — with an eye on winning the franchise's first World Series title since 1984.

"Everyone knew Mr. Ilitch and Mr. Dombrowski were going to make a move when Victor went down," outfielder Brennan Boesch said in a phone interview with the AP. "But I don't think anybody thought it would be this big."

The move also keeps Fielder's name in the Tigers' family. His father, Cecil, became a big league star when he returned to the majors from Japan and hit 51 home runs with Detroit in 1990. Cecil played with the Tigers into the 1996 season, and young Prince made a name for himself by hitting prodigious home runs in batting practice at Tiger Stadium.

A few years ago, when Prince returned to Detroit as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers, Tigers Hall of Famer Al Kaline recalled that power show.

"You can't ever say that you look at a kid that age and say that you know he's going to hit 40 or 50 home runs someday, but Prince was unbelievable," Kaline said then. "Here's a 12-year-old kid commonly hitting homers at a big league ballpark."

In an interview with MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM, Cecil Fielder said he was "shocked" by the news that Prince was heading to Detroit.

"He's been there in Detroit most of his young life so I think he'll be comfortable in that place," Cecil Fielder said. "I know Mr. Ilitch is probably excited because he's been wanting that kid since he was a little kid, so he finally got his wish."

With Cabrera and Fielder, Detroit will begin this season with two players under age 30 with at least 200 career homers. According to STATS LLC, that's happened only once before. At the start of the 1961 season, the Milwaukee Braves featured 29-year-old Eddie Mathews (338 homers) and 27-year-old Hank Aaron (219).

Several teams had shown interest this winter in Fielder, who had spent his entire career with the Brewers. He visited Texas, and the Washington Nationals also got involved in the discussions.

The beefy slugger hit .299 with 38 home runs and 120 RBIs last season. He is a three-time All-Star and was the MVP of last year's event in Phoenix.

Fielder has averaged 40 homers and 113 RBIs over the past five years. He's also been among the most durable players in the majors, appearing in at least 157 games in each of the last six seasons.

Fielder hits left-handed, while Cabrera is a righty. Manager Jim Leyland will get to decide where to put them in the batting order.

"I don't think there's a better right-left combo in any lineup in baseball," Boesch said. "I'm sure Skip's wheels are already turning on how to set them up."

The deal is only the fourth $200 million contract in baseball history, following Alex Rodriguez's $275 million, 10-year contract with the New York Yankees, A-Rod's $252 million, 10-year deal with Texas and Albert Pujols' $240 million, 10-year contract last month with the Los Angeles Angels.

Among current players, Fielder's $23.78 million average salary is behind only A-Rod ($27.5 million), Ryan Howard ($25 million), and Cliff Lee and Pujols ($24 million each).

Dombrowski indicated last week he'd probably seek a short-term solution to Martinez's injury, but he left himself some wriggle room, saying it depended who the replacement was.

Acquiring Fielder opens all sorts of possibilities. For now, Detroit has an opening at DH with Martinez out. But Martinez is in the second year of a $50 million, four-year contract.

One option could be to move Cabrera from first base to third. He played third base regularly for the Florida Marlins before the Tigers acquired him before the 2008 season.

Third baseman Brandon Inge has one year left on a two-year, $11.5 million deal with Detroit.

The Tigers reached the World Series in 2006, but they appeared to be in cost-cutting mode when they traded popular center fielder Curtis Granderson to the New York Yankees after the 2009 season.

It turned out they were simply re-allocating resources. They quickly signed ace Justin Verlander to a five-year deal in early 2010, then added Martinez and standout reliever Joaquin Benoit last offseason.

-- Noah Trister

Posada: 17 seasons, five titles and one team

NEW YORK (AP) — Jorge Posada was watching television when he saw speculation on which teams were interested in signing him as a free agent.

"They put my face on different uniforms," he said. "And it didn't look good."

He began a Yankee and ended as a Yankee, spending his entire career in pinstripes.

Flanked by his wife and children, with five World Series trophies sitting on a table to his right, the five-time All-Star catcher retired at age 40 on Tuesday after 17 major league seasons. He finished with a .273 career batting average, 275 home runs and 1,065 RBIs.

At a crowded Yankee Stadium news conference, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and CC Sabathia were among those who watched Posada fight off tears as he sat on a dais with wife, Laura, 12-year-old son Jorge Jr. and 9-year-old daughter Paulina. It was clear the rest of the family also wanted to be Yankees lifers.

"This is so cool," Paulina said to her dad as she picked up the cardboard in front of her seat with her name and the famous interlocking "NY" logo. "I'm going to keep this."

Posada joins Bernie Williams and Andy Pettitte in retirement, leaving only the 37-year-old Jeter and 42-year-old Rivera from the core group that led the Yankees to four World Series titles in five years from 1996-2000.

"Mariano said this is it. He says one more year. But Derek says he's got like three more to go. So we'll see," Posada said, adding he didn't expect the great closer to quit after next season.

"I don't think about it right now. But the time will come," Rivera said. "Definitely the time will come when I'll have to just admit it and hang (up) the glove and the uniform and move on. We all go through that."

Jeter, the Yankees' captain and leader, expects to outlast Rivera.

"Mo's still got to go first. He's a lot older than me," he said before adding with a laugh: "Mo's going to be here longer than all of us."

Shrieking at success and fuming over failure, Posada often was nuclear fission at the center of the Yankees and what became known as the Core Four. While Jeter and Rivera rarely reveals their feelings, and Pettitte does only on occasion, Posada has been a passionate open window into the Yankees, praising, strutting, venting and battling.

"We feel the same way; I'm just better at hiding it. But we feel the same way inside, and I think that's why we've gotten along so well throughout the years," said Jeter, who first played alongside Posada in the minors in 1992.

He has called him "Posado" for years, even since late Yankee Stadium announcer Bob Sheppard mispronounced his name when he pinch ran for Wade Boggs in Game 2 of the 1995 AL playoffs.

In the same room where Pettitte announced his retirement 11½ months ago, select season ticket holders were invited to sit in the audience.

Posada talked with great fervor about the team that drafted him on the 24th round in 1991.

"Every time I step through the Yankee Stadium doors," he began, "I quoted Joe DiMaggio and said, I want to thank the good Lord for making me a Yankee."

"I could never wear another uniform," he said. "I will forever be a Yankee."

Posada's voice broke up, especially when he spoke in Spanish. He thanked his teammates, rubbing his chin three times and wiping his eyes. He called Rivera "my brother" and praised Jeter "who helped me stay focused and positive."

"Hopefully you won't miss me that much," he said.

Diana Munson, wife of the late Yankees catcher Thurman Munson, spoke admiringly of Posada, who kept a quote from her husband in his locker: "Batting fourth and being in the lineup is important, but I think the stuff I do behind the plate is more important." One day at Yankee Stadium, Posada sat next to her and told her about his admiration for the former captain, who died in a plane crash when Posada was 7. She wound up following Posada in the box scores.

"He in fact is the one who brought me back to baseball again. After losing Thurman, I kind of lost my heart for baseball," she said. "He plays the game I think the way Thurman played it: a lot of grittiness, lot of toughness. ... I think he and Thurman would have been best buds. He definitely has the it factor. I can't describe it. I don't know what it is. But I knew immediately upon meeting him that he had it, and I think the Yankee fans also have realized that, and I imagine they're as sad today as we all are."

She was followed by a video of fan tributes and by Lisa and Brett Niederer from Bristol, Wis. She talked about the Jorge Posada Foundation and its emotional support and financial assistance to families affected by craniosynostosis, a disease that causes bones in the skull to fuse prematurely.

Jorge Jr. has had nine operations, and Lisa Niederer was watching on television when the father and son went onto the field together during the introductions for the 1992 All-Star game. Brett, then 2½, was diagnosed the disease around the start of that year, and they talked about the Posada family's assistance.

"I knew we were not alone anymore," said Lisa, who has become a mentor for the foundation.

When the focus returned to baseball, Posada recalled how he started his professional career as a shortstop, was moved to second base and was asked by the Yankees to move to catcher after the 1991 season.

"I felt like it was the worst decision ever," he said, remembering all the passed balls he allowed while catching top draft pick Brien Taylor. "It was not a pretty sight."

He went on to have one of the better offensive careers by a catcher. The switch-hitting Posada made the decision to retire during a season that turned tumultuous May 14 when he was batting .165 and was dropped to No. 9 in the batting order against Boston. He asked to be taken out of the lineup, saying he wasn't ready to play.

Posada rallied to hit .268 for the rest of the season, leaving him with a .235 average, 14 homers and 44 RBIs. And then on Sept. 21, his two-run pinch-hit single beat Tampa Bay to clinch the AL East and earn another huge ovation. He hit .429 (6 for 14) in the five-game loss to Detroit in the division series.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi and general manager Brian Cashman said that was just a blip in his career — part of Posada's fiery disposition, the one that drew fans to him, one that he may take with him into coaching or managing — after the Yankees likely honor him with a tribute this year.

That nature caused him to tell his agents not to negotiate with other teams.

"They kept saying that people are asking about you," Posada said. "I'm like — not interested."

-- Ronald Blum

Pena passes physical, officially rejoins Rays

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Slugger Carlos Pena is excited about returning to the Tampa Bay Rays, bolstering hopes for another run for the playoffs.

The 33-year-old first baseman officially rejoined the team he helped advance to the postseason in 2008 and 2010 after passing a physical Tuesday. He agreed to a $7.25 million, one-year deal last week after spending 2011 with the Chicago Cubs.

"I was extremely excited to even think about that the possibility existed," to play for the Rays again, Pena said during a news conference at Tropicana Field.

"I have so many great memories here. I look forward to creating even better ones," he added. "I'm very optimistic about what the future holds for me, but most importantly for the ballclub."

Pena played for the Rays for four seasons from 2007-2010, averaging 36 home runs, 102 RBIs and 93 walks. He was the AL comeback player of the year in 2007 and an All-Star in 2009

One of Tampa Bay's top offseason priorities was adding power to a lineup that was eighth in the AL in runs scored last year. Pena is the team's career home runs leader.

"I'm very excited about the team we have," said Pena, who left Tampa Bay as a free agent last winter, when the budget-conscious Rays slashed the payroll dramatically. "We have all the necessary tools and pieces in place to really make an impact."

Despite losing several key players, including Pena, Carl Crawford, pitcher Matt Garza and virtually the entire bullpen, Tampa Bay overcame a nine-game deficit in the wild-card standings in September to make the playoffs for the third time in four years.

Pena's return comes less than two weeks after the Rays stretched their already thin budget by acquiring another left-handed bat — free agent Luke Scott, who figures to be the team's primary designated hitter. The former Baltimore Oriole received a $6 million, one-year deal.

"I don't think anyone in our front office would have thought that we would committed 13 or 14 million to the combination of designated hitter and first baseman," team president Matt Silverman said.

"We extended ourselves in part because of who Carlos is as a clubhouse presence, as a leader, as a fan favorite, but really about his play on the field. He adds a dimension of power to our lineup that we were missing last year ... and we don't take a step back on defense."

Pena, who tied Mark Teixeira for the AL home run title with 39 three years ago, won a Gold Glove at first base in 2008.

The slugger's 172 homers over the past five seasons, are the sixth most in the majors. Only Ryan Howard, Prince Fielder, Albert Pujols, Teixeira and Miguel Cabrera had more during that stretch.

Pena had 144 homers and drove in 407 runs during his first stint with the Rays, then batted .225 with 28 homers and 82 RBI's while earning $10 million in Chicago last year.

Silverman said Pena is an ideal fit for the Rays, though not necessarily the final piece the club hopes to put into place to try to challenge for their fourth playoff berth in five years. The club still could be open to a possible trade.

"We're not going win the headline battle in the offseason, especially in the AL East," Silverman said. "But if we can go into the season with the expectations of a winning season, with a team that can compete with the Red Sox, Yankees, Blue Jays and Orioles, we're going to do that. ... We have a lot of hope, a lot of optimism."

-- Fred Goodall

A's agree to terms with right-hander Colon

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Athletics and free agent right-hander Bartolo Colon have agreed to terms on a $2 million, one-year contract, bolstering their depleted starting rotation.

The team made the announcement Tuesday. The sides had an agreement last week pending a physical. The 38-year-old Colon, a former A's nemesis during his four-year stint with the AL West rival Angels from 2004-07, went 8-10 with a 4.00 ERA in 29 appearances and 26 starts last year for the New York Yankees in his 14th big league season. He won the 2005 AL Cy Young Award.

Last month, the A's traded away starter Trevor Cahill to Arizona and All-Star lefty Gio Gonzalez to the Nationals. Oakland also sent All-Star closer Andrew Bailey to the Red Sox on Dec. 28. On Jan. 16, the A's acquired outfielder Seth Smith from Colorado in a swap that sent right-hander Guillermo Moscoso and left-hander Josh Outman to the Rockies. They were two other potential starters.

"We thought it was important to find another veteran starting pitcher who could give the group of younger arms a little breathing room as a number of them work toward making their first opening day rotation in the big leagues," assistant general manager David Forst said.

When healthy, the hard-throwing Colon has been impressive at Oakland Coliseum where he will now pitch regularly. He is 5-1 with a 2.14 ERA and an opposing batting average of .179 in seven appearances in the A's aging ballpark.

Oakland general manager Billy Beane is in a rebuilding mode with hopes that Commissioner Bud Selig will rule the franchise can relocate some 40 miles south to San Jose and build a new ballpark. But the San Francisco Giants hold the territorial rights to technology-rich Silicon Valley. Selig said at last week's owners meetings a resolution "is very much on the front burner."

He appointed a committee in March 2009 to study the situation.

Colon will join a rotation featuring Brett Anderson and Brandon McCarthy. Left-hander Dallas Braden, who pitched a perfect game on May 9, 2010, against Tampa Bay, is recovering from surgery on his pitching shoulder and it's unclear when he will be ready in 2012.

Braden received a $3.35 million, one-year contract in mid-December. He made three starts last season before being sidelined by a shoulder injury. He was 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA before going on the disabled list April 18. He had surgery to a repair a torn capsule in his left shoulder May 17.

The A's haven't been to the playoffs or posted a winning record since being swept by the Tigers in the 2006 AL championship series.

-- Janie McCauley

Indians manager: Carmona important to rotation

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Cleveland Indians manager Manny Acta says the pitcher known as Fausto Carmona is an important part of the rotation and the team is doing what it can to speed up his arrival.

Acta told The Associated Press late Monday that the team is making the necessary moves to get Carmona to the United States for the coming season but also will be prepared to go without him. Says Acta: "It doesn't matter that he was a little inconsistent last year. Fausto is an important part of our rotation."

Carmona is accused of using a false identity to play baseball in the U.S. and faces a judicial process in the Dominican Republic. He was released from jail on Friday. Carmona's real name is Roberto Hernandez Heredia. He's 31, three years older than he had claimed.

-- Dionisio Soldevila

Martin and Yankees agree at $7.5 million

NEW YORK (AP) — All-Star catcher Russell Martin and the New York Yankees avoided salary arbitration when they agreed to a $7.5 million, one-year contract.

The deal, announced Tuesday, was $100,000 under the midpoint between the $8.2 million he had asked for in arbitration and the $7 million the Yankees had offered when proposed salaries were exchanged last week. Martin also can earn performances bonuses.

Martin hit .237 with 18 homers and 65 RBIs last year for the Yankees, who signed him after the Los Angeles Dodgers failed to offer a contract. He had a $4 million base salary and earned $1,375,000 in performance bonuses. He is eligible for free agency after next season.

Lefty reliever Boone Logan is the last Yankees player still in arbitration.

Orioles sign Betemit to two-year contract

BALTIMORE (AP) — Infielder Wilson Betemit and the Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a two-year, $3.25 million contract. The Orioles announced the deal with the free agent Tuesday and say it includes a vesting option for 2014.

Betemit will receive a $500,000 signing bonus and earn $1 million this season and $1.75 million in 2013. A $3.2 million option for 2014 becomes guaranteed if he has a combined 700 plate appearances over the first two seasons.

The switch-hitting Betemit batted .285 with eight homers and 46 RBIs in 97 games for Kansas City and Detroit last season. In nine big league seasons with six teams, Betemit has hit .269 with 63 homers and 243 RBIs. To make room for Betemit on the 40-man roster, the Orioles designated RHP Rick VandenHurk for assignment.

Morrow and Blue Jays agree to $21M, three-year deal

TORONTO (AP) — Pitcher Brandon Morrow and the Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to a $21 million, three-year contract that avoided salary arbitration.

Morrow gets $4 million this year and $8 million in each of the following two seasons. Toronto has a $10 million option for 2015 with a $1 million buyout.

The 27-year-old Morrow was 11-11 last season with a 4.72 ERA. But the right-hander also set career highs in wins (11), innings (179 1-3) and strikeouts (203).

On Monday, the Jays announced the signing of 44-year-old infielder Omar Vizquel to a minor league contract. 

NL Capsules

Lincecum and Giants agree to $40.5M, two-year deal

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum and the San Francisco Giants reached a verbal agreement Tuesday on a two-year contract worth $40.5 million.

The deal includes a $500,000 signing bonus and salaries of $18 million this year and $22 million in 2013, a person familiar with the agreement said Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity because the terms were not announced. Lincecum still must take a physical, which the Giants hope will happen early next week to complete the deal.

Lincecum had asked for a near-record $21.5 million in salary arbitration and had been offered $17 million by the club. He remains eligible for free agency following the 2013 season.

The 27-year-old right-hander, the winning pitcher in the Game 5 World Series clincher at Texas in 2010, earned $13.1 million last season when he finished a two-year deal worth $23.2 million.

When the sides exchanged numbers last Tuesday, Lincecum's request neared the record amount sought in arbitration. Houston pitcher Roger Clemens asked for $22 million in 2005.

San Francisco's offer was the highest in arbitration history, topping the $14.25 million the New York Yankees proposed for shortstop Derek Jeter in 2001.

As Giants vice president Bobby Evans expected, they found common ground around the midpoint of the figures — and did so in only a week.

San Francisco's front office had hoped to lock up Lincecum and fellow starter Matt Cain with long-term deals, though Lincecum seemed set on keeping his options open in the near future on a shorter contract. A call to the pitcher was not immediately returned and his agent declined to comment.

With Lincecum earning a hefty contract, Evans joked last week, "I usually leave off the final three zeroes because it's easier to calculate."

In February 2010, Lincecum agreed to a $23 million, two-year contract ahead of the scheduled hearing. He had been set at that time to ask for $13 million.

That last contract was quite a raise for the undersized, hard-throwing pitcher his teammates call "Franchise" and "Freak" after he earned $650,000 in 2009.

Lincecum — the 10th overall draft pick out of Washington in 2006 — has been an All-Star in each of the past four seasons. He went 13-14 with a 2.74 ERA last year for his first losing record. The Giants scored no runs while he was in the game in seven of 33 starts, had one run six times and two runs five times, according to STATS LLC.

San Francisco, which sold out every game in 2011 but missed the playoffs, will have a payroll of around $130 million.

-- Janie McCauley

Sources: About 12 groups submit Dodgers bids

NEW YORK (AP) — About 12 groups submitted initial bids to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers from Frank McCourt, several people familiar with the process said Tuesday.

CINCINNATI (AP) — Utility player Willie Harris has agreed to a minor league deal with the Cincinnati Reds, who invited him to spring training with a chance to win a job off the bench.

Retired manager La Russa to manage NL All-Stars

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Tony La Russa will become the second retired manager to lead an All-Star team next summer, joining Hall of Famer John McGraw.

NEW YORK (AP) — Two minor league players have been suspended for violating baseball's drug policy. Former major league right-hander Steven Shell was suspended 50 games after testing positive for metabolites of Stanozolol. Last season, the 28-year-old pitched in Triple-A for Kansas City and Atlanta. Shell made 39 relief appearances for the Washington Nationals in 2008 and four in '09.

Right-hander Michael Hart was given a 50-game suspension after a second violation for a drug of abuse. Hart, now a free agent, played for two Class A teams in Oakland's organization last season.

The suspensions, announced Tuesday by the commissioner's office, will begin once the players sign with major league organizations.

International

Cuban outfielder Cespedes establishes residency

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — The agent for Yoenis Céspedes says the Cuban outfielder has established legal residency in the Dominican Republic, the final hurdle to becoming a free agent.

Edgar Mercedes confirmed the residency in a telephone interview Tuesday. Once Major League Baseball receives proof of Cespedes' residency, it will send a letter to all clubs verifying his status as a free agent.

Earlier this month, Cespedes said six major league teams — the Miami Marlins, Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians and the Chicago Cubs and White Sox — are interested in him.