Baseball Capsules: Manny's return expected to be a spectacle

SAN DIEGO - Manny Ramirez will be back in big leagues on Friday night after a 50-game suspension for violating baseball's drug policy. His return should be nothing short of a spectacle.

It'll be the start of the Fourth of July weekend, and thousands of blue-clad Los Angeles Dodgers fans are expected to be at sold-out Petco Park to support the dreadlocked slugger in the opener of a three-game series against the San Diego Padres.

Harry the Heckler will be there, too.

"Oh, it's going to be a lot of fun," said Harry Maker, who for years has been ragging on opponents from his seat in left field. "I was hoping that we could have at least one slugger in the game that wasn't tainted. Now Manny has just disappointed me, and he's going to have to pay for it. I am not going to let up all weekend long."

Ramirez's ban was based on evidence he used human chorionic gonadotropin, a fertility drug that's banned by baseball, a person familiar with the suspension told The Associated Press after the suspension was announced on May 7, speaking on condition of anonymity because those details were not released.

HCG is popular among steroid users because it can mitigate the side effects of ending a cycle of the drugs.

Ramirez, who playfully said, "I'm baaaaack!" after re-signing with the Dodgers during spring training, largely avoided reporters during his minor league rehab assignment. It's uncertain whether he'll formally address the media before Friday night's game.

When he visited Dodger Stadium in early June, he said he was ready to move on and didn't want to be a distraction.

"I didn't kill nobody, I didn't rape nobody, so that's it, I'm just going to come and play the game," Ramirez said.

"Manny's used to distractions, anyway, but I think the players will be happy to have him back and I think they understand what goes with that," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said Wednesday. "But this game is full of distractions. And if we don't win games, we're certainly not going to use that as an excuse. That's for sure."

Regardless of how Ramirez does at the plate, Padres fans will boo and Dodgers fans will cheer.

"I think the Dodger-Padre series down here always brings a little bit more energy but I think this will be heightened because of Manny, because he is one of the true lightning rods in the game today," San Diego manager Bud Black said. "I guess our fans and the game itself will benefit from that."

There's always plenty of Dodgers fans in the ballpark when the two NL West rivals play at Petco Park.

"I wouldn't be lying to say that when he steps to the plate here he's going to probably feel like he's at home," said Padres reliever Cla Meredith, who's been disappointed with the dwindling crowds during San Diego's dismal season. "There's no doubt about it."

Meredith seems fascinated by what he called "one of these rare occasions" in which a player has drawn interest "over this event that's really negative and detrimental to himself and the game. It's really kind of taken on a new life of its own. I've never seen, really, something like this.

"Fans like him," the sidearmer said. "And so he's never really had too much negative stuff about him. He's kind of done his own thing in his career ... And fans are drawn to him. I can see why."

San Diego has provided several footnotes during the steroid era.

Padres fans loved to hate Barry Bonds, who routinely punished San Diego pitchers during his pursuit of Hank Aaron's record. Bonds is under federal indictment and says he never knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs.

Bonds tied Hammerin' Hank's record of 755 at Petco Park on Aug. 4, 2007, when he homered off right-hander Clay Hensley. Two years earlier, Hensley was one of four Padres farmhands who were suspended for 15 games for using performance-enhancing substances.

In April 2006, a fan tossed a syringe near Bonds as he came off the field in between innings at Petco Park. The syringe apparently did not have a needle. Bonds picked it up with his glove.

In 2002, Ken Caminiti told Sports Illustrated he used steroids during his MVP season in 1996 with the Padres. He estimated half the players in the big leagues were using them.

Caminiti died in October 2004 of a drug overdose at age 41.

"Ken Caminiti broke my heart," Maker said.

Last November, former AL MVP Jose Canseco was in federal court not far from Petco Park to plead guilty to a misdemeanor of trying to bring HCG across the Mexican border into the United States illegally. He was sentenced to 12 months' unsupervised probation. He said he needed HCG to boost his testosterone level, low after years of admitted steroid use.

On June 3, reliever J.C. Romero returned to the Philadelphia Phillies following his 50-game suspension for testing positive for a banned substance.

Cubs GM understands the criticism

CHICAGO - Cubs general manager Jim Hendry understands the frustrations of fans as the team he put together struggles, adding Thursday that any criticism for the disappointing performance should start with him.

The Cubs, the two-time defending NL Central champions, began a crucial 11-game homestand before the All-Star break against the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday night. Chicago was in fourth place, a game under .500 - not what was expected of a team with a payroll between $135 million and $140 million.

Milton Bradley, the team's major offseason acquisition at three years and $30 million, has struggled, as has Alfonso Soriano. Fans are upset that the Cubs traded away versatile Mark DeRosa in the offseason and that after a short stint with Cleveland, he's ended up with arch rival St. Louis.

Hendry is the target of many of the critics.

"I've heard a lot of great things said about me and written that I didn't believe. I try not to go too far in the down column when it's not going well," Hendry said.

"It's OK. I think it's part of the job. If it doesn't go well, it ought to start with me. That's how I usually try to approach it for myself. I'm OK with that. I'm as disappointed as anybody else we're not playing better."

The Cubs have been without last year's RBI leader, Aramis Ramirez, for nearly two months because of a shoulder injury. He is headed out this weekend on a rehab assignment for Class A Peoria.

They've struggled offensively, batting just .245 and their 311 runs scored were the second fewest in the NL. All of that and the Cubs were still only 3½ games out of first in the division.

"You can't panic," Hendry said. "And you've got to let the players know that as long as they give you a good effort, you're not jumping the ship on them just because they're not performing up to their normal standards."

Lou Piniella, who's also been criticized for not being the same fiery manager he was while skippering Seattle, got kicked out of a game Wednesday night in Pittsburgh.

But he's said numerous times that temper tantrums won't get his team going. And the Cubs have had a few blowups this season. Pitcher Carlos Zambrano drew a suspension after losing his cool in late May in an argument with an umpire, throwing a ball into the outfield and taking a bat to a drink dispenser.

And when the emotional Bradley fired his helmet down and went after a cooler in the dugout last weekend at U.S. Cellular Field, Piniella sent Bradley home after using an expletive to criticize the struggling outfielder.

But the theatrics were magnified by the losing the Cubs didn't expect.

"It hasn't been easy for us to win baseball games. It's been a struggle. It really has," Piniella said. "We've played a lot of close games, a lot of extra inning games. We're fortunate in that the division is competitive and even though we're one game below .500, we're still in the race."

Hendry said the pressure of expectations are no greater than the ones he puts on himself.

"I'm sure that's the way it will continue. I can't control what other people might think of me. It's not something I worry about," he said.

"We've got a job to do here, and Lou and I, we work good together. I like our relationship. Nobody likes to lose less than him," he added. "It's a very strange business. We're two weeks away from being right back on track to having a good year."

-- Rick Gano

Neal Cotts has Tommy John surgery

CHICAGO - Left-hander Neal Cotts, who pitched in 19 games this season for the Chicago Cubs before being sent to the minors on May 27, underwent Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery Thursday.

Cotts was 0-2 with a 7.36 ERA for Chicago this season before being sent to Triple-A Iowa. The surgery was performed by Dr. Timothy Kremchek of Cincinnati.

Cotts, 29, has pitched in the majors for seven seasons. The left-hander was a key member of the Chicago White Sox's bullpen in 2005 when they won the World Series.

In eight postseason appearances, including six with the White Sox, Cotts has not allowed a run over four innings. He appeared in all four games of the 2005 World Series.

He was traded to the Cubs on Nov. 16, 2006, for pitchers David Aardsma and Carlos Vasquez.

Cotts has a 10-12 record and 4.63 ERA in 284 major league games, including five starts.

Cubs get Baker from Rockies

CHICAGO - The Chicago Cubs have acquired infielder Jeff Baker from the Colorado Rockies for minor league right-handed pitcher Al Alburquerque and designated infielder Ryan Freel for assignment.

Baker was activated off the Rockies' 60-day disabled list and was to join the Cubs for their Thursday night game at Wrigley Field against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Baker batted .268 with 12 home runs and 48 RBI in 104 games last year for the Rockies and can play several infield positions and the outfield. He's played only 12 games this season because of a sprained left hand that sent him to the disabled list April 29.

Baker is a career .257 hitter over five major league seasons with 22 homers and 88 RBIs.

Alburquerque was 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA in 24 relief appearances for Single-A Daytona this season. Freel, acquired by the Cubs from Baltimore for Joey Gathright on May 8, batted .143 in 14 games with Chicago.

Cardinals sign highly regarded Latin teen 

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic - The St. Louis Cardinals gave a $3.1 million signing bonus to 16-year-old outfielder Wagner Mateo, considered to be among the top amateur free agents from Latin America.

The New York Yankees on Thursday also gave a $3 million bonus to a 16-year-old Dominican prospect, catcher Gary Sanchez.

Cardinals vice president Jeff Luhnow announced details of their signing at a news conference in Santo Domingo.

"We have a tradition of competing and winning and Dominicans have been a big part of that success. We hope that one day soon, Wagner joins Albert Pujols and helps us win," Luhnow said.

General manager John Mozeliak said in St. Louis that if Mateo had been in last month's draft, he'd have been a top 10 pick.

"I think it's really hard to handicap, but given what he's accomplished so far I do think he'll be a quick mover," Mozeliak said. "He's advanced for 16."

Mateo, who is from Santo Domingo, is 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds. He throws and bats left-handed. He represented the Dominican Republic in Major League Baseball's RBI World Series in 2007 and 2008.

"I am proud to sign with the Cardinals, a team with so much history," he said.

The signing is contingent on Mateo passing a physical in St. Louis this summer. General manager John Mozeliak calls the signing "a significant step" in the organization's effort to obtain the best talent in Latin America.

Yankees vice president Mark Newman said the 190-pound Sanchez is one of the top talents in the region.

Sanchez said he always hoped to sign with the Yankees.

-- Dionisio Soldevila

American League

Twins swap lefties in bullpen, Henn for Duensing

MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota Twins have made another move with their bullpen, bringing up Brian Duensing and sending down Sean Henn.

The Twins said Thursday they will recall the left-handed Duensing from Triple-A Rochester before Friday's game against Detroit. The left-handed Henn was assigned to Rochester, where he'd been pitching before his contract was purchased on May 19.

Henn had a 7.15 ERA for the Twins in 14 appearances, walking eight batters in 11 1-3 innings.

Duensing was on Minnesota's opening day roster and made one appearance before being sent back a week later to make room for the return of starting pitcher Scott Baker. Duensing was a third-round draft pick in 2005.

Indians acquire RHP Abreu from Rays

CLEVELAND - Right-hander Winton Abreu has been acquired by the Cleveland Indians from the Tampa Bay Rays for minor league right-hander John Meloan.

The 32-year-old Abreu was brought up by Tampa Bay on June 14 and had a 2.45 ERA in two appearances. He was then designated for assignment on June 27.

Abreu was 3-0 with 10 saves and a 1.41 ERA in 23 games at Triple-A Durham.

Meloan, who turns 25 on July 11, was 0-0 with a one save and a 5.52 ERA in two starts and 23 relief appearances at Triple-A Columbus.

Red Sox's Jason Bay to become U.S. citizen

BOSTON - Red Sox left fielder Jason Bay married an American, has two American daughters and makes his living playing America's pastime.

Now he can say he's an American, too.

The 30-year-old from Trail, British Columbia, was among 360 people to become U.S. citizens Thursday in a naturalization ceremony at Faneuil Hall.

Dressed in a suit, Bay blended into the diverse group of immigrants holding postcard-sized flags who took the oath administered by U.S. District Court Judge Leo Sorokin.

Bay joined two military men and about a dozen children of newly sworn-in citizens to lead the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance. One little boy donned a special Red Sox T-shirt with Bay's No. 44 decorated with red and white stripes and blue and white stars.

"I already knew it but I wanted to make sure I didn't mess it up in front of all those people," Bay said, admitting some jitters. "I didn't want the kids to upstage me."

Bay is the first Red Sox player to be naturalized since Dominican Republic-born David Ortiz was sworn in last summer.

"He gave me a little bit of what to expect," Bay said.

Like the Red Sox designated hitter, the new American citizen is still proud of his heritage from across the border.

"I don't denounce being Canadian at any point, but I'm definitely proud to be an American," Bay said.

Bay, who is batting .262 this season, came to Boston from the Pittsburgh Pirates last season. He was joined by his wife, Kristen, at the ceremony.

"Obviously it's something a lot of people dream of and my wife and both my girls are Americans, so it's a pretty proud day for me," Bay said.

-- Jeannie Nuss

Ex-Yankee Leyrtiz accused of battery in Fla.

DAVIE, Fla. - Former major leaguer Jim Leyritz was arrested Thursday in South Florida on charges of domestic battery against his ex-wife, just two months before his trial on a DUI manslaughter charge was set to begin.

Leyritz, 45, was arrested at his home in Davie, a Fort Lauderdale suburb, a police report said. He was being held in the Broward County Jail.

Leyritz's ex-wife, Karrie, gave conflicting reports of what happened, according to a police officer who responded to a domestic disturbance at the house. She first told police they were arguing over child support when he struck her twice in the face and pushed her to the ground for writing a check without his permission. She later said her ex-husband dragged her out of bed and pushed her against the wall.

He told police she was drunk and hurt herself to get back at him for trying to evict her from the house they share.

The couple has three children who were sleeping when officers arrived, the report said.

Leyritz's attorney, J. David Bogenschutz, did not immediately return a message.

Leyritz is scheduled to go on trial on the manslaughter charge Sept. 14. Police have said Leyritz was drunk when he caused a fatal car crash in December 2007.

Leyritz played for six teams in 11 seasons. During a stint with the New York Yankees, he hit a memorable home run in the 1996 World Series to help the Yankees win Game 4 against Atlanta.

Elsewhere

Report: Top prospect defects from Cuba

A top Cuban pitching prospect with a 100 mph fastball has defected from the national team while playing in a tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

ESPN The Magazine reports that several unidentified sources confirmed that Aroldis Chapman walked out of his hotel room and did not return.

Champman's defection was first reported on the Spanish-language Web site cubaencuentro.com. He told the site that he was in Europe, but refused to reveal his location.

A source told ESPN that Chapman was scheduled to fly to Miami on Thursday.

The 21-year-old Chapman is considered by many scouts to be the No. 1 left-handed prospect in the world. He would be the most prominent Cuban baseball defector since Jose Contreras left during a tournament in Mexico in 2002.