- Claudio Vargas - Vargas agreed with the Los...
- Andruw Jones - According to a source with...
- Royce Ring - Ring became the third...
- Casey Daigle - Daigle agreed to a minor...
- Elizardo Ramirez - Ramirez agreed to a...
- Derrick Turnbow - Turnbow agreed to a minor...
- Milton Bradley - The Cubs and free agent...
- Jason Smith - Smith agreed Monday to minor...
Claudio Vargas
Vargas agreed with the Los Angeles Dodgers on a one-year contract Monday. The 30-year-old went 3-2 with a 4.62 ERA in 11 appearances last season for the New York Mets, including four starts. Vargas averaged 11 wins per season from 2005-07 and won a career-high 12 games for Arizona in 2006. The following year, he was 11-6 with a 5.09 ERA for Milwaukee.
Andruw Jones
According to a source with knowledge of the discussions, the Dodgers have agreed to trade or release Jones in exchange for the center fielder deferring much of the $22 million remaining on his contract. The agreement is expected to cut $12 million off the Dodgers' payroll. If Los Angeles releases Jones, it would owe him all but the minimum $400,000 salary. Jones agreed to a $36.2 million, two-year contract in December 2007. He hit .158 with three home runs in 75 games last season.
Royce Ring
Ring became the third left-hander in the St. Louis Cardinals' bullpen, agreeing Monday to a $475,000. one-year contract. The 28-year-old was 2-1 with an 8.46 ERA in 42 games for the Atlanta Braves last season after making an opening-day roster for the first time in his career. He was 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA through June, then faded and was cut by the Braves in early August. In addition to his salary, Ring can earn $25,000 in performance bonuses based on games.
Casey Daigle
Daigle agreed to a minor league contract with the Rangers. Daigle, 27, was 1-5 with a 3.78 ERA at Triple-A Rochester in the Minnesota organization.
Elizardo Ramirez
Ramirez agreed to a minor league contract with the Rangers. The 25-year-old Ramirez had one appearance out of the bullpen last season for the Rangers. He spent most of the season at Triple-A Oklahoma, going 10-7 with a 4.50 ERA. He has appeared in the majors in each of the last five seasons with Philadelphia, Cincinnati and Texas.
Derrick Turnbow
Turnbow agreed to a minor league contract with the Rangers. The 30-year-old Turnbow was an All-Star in 2006 and was with the Milwaukee organization for the past four seasons. He has a career 17-16 record with a 4.30 ERA with the Brewers and Angels. He spent most of the 2008 season with Triple-A Nashville, where he was placed on the disabled list in July for the duration of the season with right shoulder tendinitis.
Milton Bradley
The Cubs and free agent Milton Bradley reached a preliminary agreement Monday on a $30 million, three-year contract, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. The deal is subject to a physical scheduled for Thursday, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been finalized. Adding Bradley was one of the top priorities this offseason for the Cubs, who got swept out of the playoffs for the second-straight year after a lineup loaded with right-handers struggled against the Dodgers. A switch-hitter Bradley, batted .321 with 22 homers for Texas while leading the American League with a .436 on-base percentage. He made the All-Star team while serving primarily as the designated hitter.
- Pat Burrell - The Rays added a big bat for...
- Reggie Abercrombie - Abercrombie agreed...
- Clay Hensley - Hensley agreed Monday to...
- Mark Teixeira - The Yankees scheduled a...
- Tony Clark - Clark will return to the...
- Josh Bard - Bard signed a non-guaranteed...
- Scott Proctor - Proctor has agreed to a...
- Aaron Miles - The Cubs and Miles have...
Pat Burrell
The Rays added a big bat for the middle of their batting order, agreeing to a $16 million, two-year contract with Burrell. The 32-year-old spent the past nine seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, who defeated the Rays in the World Series a little over two months ago. He hit .250 with 33 homers, 33 doubles and 86 RBIs last season and has averaged 31 homers, 99 RBIs and 103 walks over the past four seasons. A left fielder throughout his career, Burrell is expected to be used mostly as the designated hitter with Tampa Bay.
Reggie Abercrombie
Abercrombie agreed Monday to minor league contract with the Astros. The 27-year-old Abercrombie hit .309 with two home runs and five RBIs in 34 games with the Astros last season. He is a career .223 hitter in 180 games with Houston and the Florida Marlins.
Clay Hensley
Hensley agreed Monday to minor league contract with the Astros. Hensley, 29, went 1-2 with a 5.31 ERA in 32 games last season with the San Diego Padres. He is 15-18 with a 4.09 career ERA in 106 games over four seasons with the Padres.
Mark Teixeira
The Yankees scheduled a news conference Tuesday to announce Teixeira's $180 million, eight-year contract has been finalized. The deal was agreed to Dec. 23, but the sides had to complete contract language, and the first baseman had to pass a physical. The news conference will be one of the final events at the old Yankee Stadium. The team moves into the new $1.3 billion Yankee Stadium, across 161st Street, next season.
Tony Clark
Clark will return to the Arizona Diamondbacks after agreeing to a one-year, $800,000 contract Friday. The 36-year-old hit .255 with three home runs and 24 RBIs in 108 with San Diego and Arizona last season. He is a career .263 hitter with 247 homers and 831 RBIs over parts of 14 seasons.
Josh Bard
Bard signed a non-guaranteed one-year contract with Boston, giving the Red Sox additional depth behind the plate. The deal announced Friday includes a club option for 2010. No other terms were announced. Bard played seven games for the Red Sox in 2006, when he struggled to catch Tim Wakefield's knuckleball and was traded to San Diego. The 30-year-old Bard batted .202 with a homer and 16 RBIs in 178 at-bats for the Padres last season, spending time on the disabled list with a sprained left ankle and a strained right triceps. Boston's starting catcher last season, Jason Varitek, is a free agent.
Scott Proctor
Proctor has agreed to a $750,000, one-year contract with the Marlins that includes $250,000 in incentives, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Friday. The person didn't want to be identified because the deal is contingent on Proctor passing a physical Monday. Proctor, who turned 32 Friday, underwent surgery in October on a partially torn flexor tendon and is expected to be healthy for spring training. He missed two months of the 2008 season and was left off the Dodgers' postseason roster.
Aaron Miles
The Cubs and Miles have agreed to a two-year contract. The switch-hitting Miles batted .317 with four homers and 31 RBIs in 134 games for the St. Louis Cardinals last season. Last season Miles played mostly at second base with 85 appearances. He also played short, third and all three outfield positions.
