Baseball Capsules: Rangers add RHP Colby Lewis to 40-man roster
ARLINGTON — The Texas Rangers have added right-hander Colby Lewis to their 40-man roster, clearing space for the former supplemental first-round pick by designating infielder Joe Inglett for assignment.
The move came Monday, six days after the Rangers signed Lewis to a two-year deal worth at least $5 million. The contract includes a club option for 2012.
The 30-year-old Lewis was the 38th pick of the 1999 draft. A promising start to his Texas career was cut short by a shoulder injury in 2004. He spent the past two seasons in Japan.
Inglett was acquired on a waiver claim from Toronto last month. The Rangers have 10 days to trade, release or outright the 31-year-old to the minor leagues.
Ankiel will play center field for K.C.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals are reshaping their entire outfield and making Jose Guillen their full-time designated hitter.
While introducing newcomer Rick Ankiel on Monday, general manager Dayton Moore said the injury-prone Guillen would be replaced in right field by David DeJesus, last year's left fielder. Ankiel will play center and Scott Podsednik, another newcomer, will be in left.
The Royals opened last year with Coco Crisp in center field but he got hurt and the position mostly belonged to Mitch Maier after that.
"We feel that right now, going into spring training, this is the best way to position our outfield defense," Moore said. "These three guys are all capable of playing center field. We felt Rick's best use is to put him in center field at this time."
Guillen is slated to make $13 million this season. He was bothered by leg injuries much of last year and has been a streaky, spotty hitter since signing a $36 million free agent contract two years ago.
Ankiel agreed to a free agent contract last week after a novel career in St. Louis, where he came up as a pitcher but converted to the outfield in 2006. He was doing well until running into an outfield wall last May, and his production declined.
"That was tough," he said. "Just coming back was a long process, getting over the stiffness and soreness. I think I probably tried to come back and do some things I probably wasn't capable of doing."
He was carted off the field but gave the crowd a thumbs-up sign and was put on the disabled list on May 7. He returned on May 24 against the Royals but hit just .231 for the year, with 38 RBIs and 11 home runs in 372 at-bats. In 2008, he hit .264 with 71 RBIs and 25 home runs in 413 at-bats.
"It seems like I never got in a groove after I hit the wall," Ankiel said. "But that's all behind me now and I'm just looking forward to starting the season. I don't know if I came back too early. But being an athlete, sometimes you think you can overcome things when things aren't right. It's part of what we do sometimes. Unfortunately, I just wasn't able to get back to where I wanted to go and it just didn't turn out the way I wanted it to be."
Ankiel, who will turn 31 in July, said the Royals were not the only club that expressed interest.
"At first, it seemed like there was tons of interest everywhere. Toward the end, it was the Marlins, Washington, Yankees and here," he said.
"Me and my wife and family, we weighed out the options and this seemed like the best fit," he said. "The opportunity to play center, and the up-and-coming organization, where I think they're headed and what they're doing and all the good things I've heard about the front office. It just seemed like a good situation for me."
-- Doug Tucker
Guillen says no to bringing back Thome
CHICAGO — White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen told veteran slugger Jim Thome he won't be asked to rejoin the team as a designated hitter.
Thome, who played three-plus seasons with the White Sox before he was traded to the Dodgers on Aug. 31, was interested in returning to Chicago.
General manager Ken Williams gave Guillen the final call on the move, and Guillen decided he couldn't give Thome enough at-bats to justify bringing him back.
"I play him once a week or twice a week. I don't think it was fair for him," Guillen said Monday. He talked to Thome on Sunday and said the veteran slugger understood the situation.
Guillen has made it clear as the new season approaches that he wants a rotating DH. Backups, such as Mark Kotsay and Andrew Jones, could get a chance to keep their batting eyes sharp while regulars like Paul Konerko and Carlos Quentin could have a day off from the field.
And he wants a team that's more aggressive on the bases and can create some runs with speed rather than relying on the longball.
During the team's winter convention last weekend, Williams said he would leave it up to Guillen to decide if the popular Thome would be a good fit to return.
Chicago also did not re-sign right fielder Jermaine Dye, another longball threat who slumped in the second half last season.
"It's a tough conversation when you release somebody. We didn't release Jim, we just don't have him back," Guillen said. "He's a friend. He's a respect player. The way we feel about him. It's not easy."
Thome, who will be 40 in August, has 564 career homers, including 134 in his three-plus seasons with the White Sox. He hit 23 a year ago for Chicago before he was traded to the Dodgers. With Los Angeles, he was 4 for 17 in 17 games.
The Twins are reportedly interested in signing Thome.
Izturis, Angels agree on $10 million, 3-year deal
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Infielder Maicer Izturis and the Los Angeles Angels have reached agreement on a $10 million, three-year contract and avoided going to arbitration.
The 29-year-old Izturis set career highs last season by hitting .300 with eight home runs and 65 RBIs. He has mostly split his time between shortstop and second base.
Izturis made $1.6 million last year with the AL West champions. He asked for $3 million and the Angels offered $2.3 million.
The deal Monday provides a $500,000 signing bonus, with salaries of $2.6 million this year, $3.1 million in 2011 and $3.8 million in 2012.
National League
Mesa OKs spring training deal with Cubs
MESA, Ariz. — An agreement that would help keep the Chicago Cubs' spring training home in Arizona cleared a hurdle Monday, winning approval from city officials in the Phoenix suburb of Mesa.
Under the deal, Mesa would build an $84 million stadium and training facility for the Cubs, and the team would stay in Arizona for at least another 25 years. State lawmakers still need to approve legislation to finance and build the stadium, and Mesa voters will need to approve it in November. But city officials see those as minor hurdles.
"The Cubs, they have a 50-year history with the city," Mesa City Manager Chris Brady said. "Everyone knows them and we're pretty optimistic we'll get the support."
The Cubs also must decide to give Mesa exclusive negotiating rights by the end of the week for the deal to move forward, Brady said.
City officials in Naples, Fla., are trying to lure the Cubs away from Mesa, where the team first trained in 1952 and has played almost every spring since.
As the top draw during spring training in Arizona, the Cubs routinely attract overflow crowds to their current 12,623-seat training facility.
To keep the Cubs in Mesa, city officials plan to build a 15,000-seat stadium and a 50,000-square-foot clubhouse with locker rooms, a nutritional center and other amenities. Also under the proposed deal, the team would manage the stadium, have naming rights and control of signage, and wouldn't have to share the facility.
Cubs President Crane Kenney has said the team's long history in the desert will be a factor in the decision.
"It is very important," he said. "In a lot of ways, tradition is what the Cubs organization is about."
Brady said keeping the Cubs in Mesa is important for the city and the state.
"We've done the economic-impact studies that show there's over a $50 million economic impact annually to the state of Arizona," he said. "And more intangible, but significant, is the branding — the idea that Mesa, Arizona, can associate itself with the strength of the brand of the Cubs, and use it to attract tourists and businesses."
As part of the agreement, Mesa wants to use tourist taxes to pay for the stadium.
Councilman Scott Somers said Mesa's ability to recover from the current economic slump is dependent on the Cubs remaining in Arizona.
"It's not going to happen if we retreat, if we go back into the closet and we hide in our shelves and we stick our head in the sand and we don't make a plan," Somers said.
Seven residents addressed the council before the vote, with those against the agreement arguing that no tax should be used to attract private business. Those who supported the deal said the Cubs would provide a much-needed economic engine for Mesa.
One resident, Gary Sievers, sang in support of the agreement, tweaking the words to the team's song, "GO CUBS, GO."
"Stay Cubs, stay," he sang. "Mesa has the drier heat, Naples causes sweat and sleet. ... Mesa makes Chicago glad. Naples — one big hanging chad."
-- Amanda Lee Myers
Santana set to throw, Mets hope for healthy 2010
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — New York Mets ace Johan Santana is set to throw off a mound, hoping his left elbow has recovered from surgery late last season.
Santana is scheduled to pitch Tuesday during the Mets' three-day minicamp at their spring training complex. He expects to ready for opening day after having bone chips removed Sept. 1.
"I'm feeling good. Time will tell, but I am feeling good," the two-time Cy Young winner said Monday. "We did a pretty good job with the offseason, working out and doing all the rehab, and I'm feeling good. Everything is on schedule."
Santana went 13-9 with a 3.13 ERA in 25 starts. He struggled after June, going 6-7 with a 4.02 ERA before the Mets shut him down in late August.
Pitcher Oliver Perez, who had scar tissue removed from his right knee last season, also was optimistic.
"Right now I don't feel anything," Perez said of his knee. "I think that's why I'm really happy."
Mets general manager Omar Minaya said the team's health was the key to this season. Depleted by injuries, the Mets went 70-92 last year.
"Two weeks ago we were confident in Carlos Beltran being in the lineup, and now he's not going to be for the start, so that's why we went out and got Gary Matthews," he said. "I think a healthy Mets team will contend for a playoff spot. I think the Phillies have really improved themselves, so we have a lot of work to do."
"I don't think we are a joke but I do believe when you lose and you have a situation where — let's be honest — we didn't have a good year. In New York, for people to pay more attention, you have to win," he said.
The Mets quickly fell out of contention last year. In the two previous seasons, they doomed themselves with late collapses.
"It wasn't like last year was something that happened three or four years," Minaya said. "We all feel disappointed by how the year turned out last year, but the good thing about it is it's a new year."
Minaya said the Mets were still exploring their choices at catcher. They lost out on free-agent Bengie Molina, who re-signed with San Francisco, and currently have four options: Henry Blanco, Omir Santos, Chris Coste and young Josh Thole.
"If we need to go with the guys we have we will. But we are still talking to some other teams and looking at some free agents," Minaya said.
Mets manager Jerry Manuel ranked Santos as the early favorite to play a lot.
"Omir did a good job for us last year, he got off to a good start. The start is going to be very critical for us. We need to get off to a good start but understand that there are 162 games," he said. "He has some familiarity with the pitching staff, so he will probably be the guy, if you had to rank them."
Loretta retires, is hired by Padres
SAN DIEGO — Mark Loretta retired as a player on Monday and was hired by the San Diego Padres as a special assistant to baseball operations.
Loretta's playing career spanned 15 big league seasons. He played with the Padres from 2003-05. Loretta most recently was with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The two-time All-Star played with the Red Sox in 2006, when new Padres general manager Jed Hoyer was in Boston's front office.
"It was clear to me that he could have a great impact on an organization in a front-office role once he finished his playing career," Hoyer said. "I feel fortunate that the timing of my arrival in San Diego and Mark's retirement coincided and I was eager to bring Mark on board to help in all aspects of the department."
Loretta, who played mostly at second base during his career, also played for Milwaukee and Houston. He hit .295 with 76 homers and 629 RBIs in 1,726 career games.
Brewers, Bush agree to 1-year deal for $4,215,000
MILWAUKEE — Dave Bush and the Milwaukee Brewers have agreed to a one-year contract for $4,215,000.
With the deal Monday, the sides averted an arbitration hearing. Bush can make an additional $110,000 in performance bonuses.
The right-hander went 5-9 with a 6.38 ERA in 21 starts and one relief appearance last season, when he made $4 million. He struggled after being hit with a line drive on June 4 against the Marlins, going 2-7 with a 9.27 ERA in his final 10 starts.
Bush asked for $4.45 million in arbitration, while Milwaukee offered $4,125,000.
The Brewers have two players remaining in arbitration: right-hander Carlos Villanueva and outfielder Corey Hart. General manager Doug Melvin has never gone to an arbitration hearing since taking over in Milwaukee in 2002.
AP source: Phillies and Ruiz agree to 3-year deal
PHILADELPHIA — A person familiar with the negotiations says catcher Carlos Ruiz and the Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to an $8.85 million, three-year contract that avoids salary arbitration.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday because the team had not yet announced the deal. The contract includes a $5 million club option for 2013 with a $500,000 buyout.
Ruiz batted .255 with 43 RBIs and a career-high nine homers last season. He has a .303 postseason average after starting every Phillies playoff game the last two years for a team that reached the World Series twice, winning in 2008.
Ruiz was the last Philadelphia player in arbitration. His deal was first reported by MLB.com.
-- Rob Maaddi
Brewers to make at least 6 national TV appearances
MILWAUKEE — The Brewers will play at least six times on national television this season, beginning on their opening homestand when they take on the St. Louis Cardinals.
The start times for the games against the St. Louis Cardinals on April 10-11 have been changed. Saturday's game will be at 2:10 p.m. on FOX, while Sunday's game will move to 7:05 p.m. on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball.
The times of home games on the weekend of May 15-16 against the Philadelphia Phillies have also changed. The Brewers will play Saturday's game at 3:10 p.m. on FOX and Sunday's game at 7:05 p.m. on ESPN.
Two road games in St. Louis have new times for national TV. The games between the Brewers and Cardinals on June 5 and July 3 will be televised by FOX and start at 3:10 p.m.
