Manny Ramirez Suspended for Positive Drug Test

Manny Ramirez joined a growing lineup of all-stars linked to drugs Thursday, with the dreadlocked slugger banished for 50 games by a sport that cannot shake free from scandal.

The Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder was suspended by Major League Baseball, adding a further stamp to what will forever be known as the Steroids Era.

Ramirez said he did not take steroids and was given medication by a doctor that contained a banned substance. A person familiar with the details of the suspension said Ramirez used the female fertility drug HCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the banned substance wasn't announced.

HCG is popular among steroid users because it can mitigate the side effects of ending a cycle of the drugs. The body may stop producing testosterone when users go off steroids, which can cause sperm counts to decrease and testicles to shrink.

Ramirez's suspension was based not on the test result but rather evidence obtained afterward, a second person familiar with the suspension said, speaking on condition of anonymity because those details were not released. MLB had concluded the spring test was positive, but the person said the players' association would have challenged the result because of "testing issues."

Ranked 17th on the career home run list with 533, Ramirez became the most prominent baseball player to be penalized for drugs. His ban came three months after Alex Rodriguez admitted using steroids, and at a time when Barry Bonds is under federal indictment and Roger Clemens is accused of lying to Congress about his own alleged steroid use.

No matter which way baseball turns, the legitimacy of many of its recent home run and pitching records are being questioned. Sluggers Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa have been tainted by steroid allegations, Rafael Palmeiro tested positive for a banned drug and Jose Canseco said he used them.

In every case, players once believed to be locks for the Hall of Fame may now be locked out.

"You can't have arguably the greatest pitcher of our era, arguably the two greatest players of our era and now another very, very good player be under this cloud of suspicion and not feel like it has ruined it for everybody," Atlanta star Chipper Jones said.

"But what are you going to do? You can't be born in a different era. It is the Steroid Era," he said.

And that prompted yet another apology from another ballplayer. The 36-year-old Ramirez told the Dodgers and fans he was sorry for "this whole situation."

"Recently, I saw a physician for a personal health issue. He gave me a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was OK to give me," Ramirez said in a statement issued by the players' union.

"Unfortunately, the medication was banned under our drug policy. Under the policy that mistake is now my responsibility. I have been advised not to say anything more for now. I do want to say one other thing; I've taken and passed about 15 drug tests over the past five seasons."

His suspension was first reported by the Los Angeles Times on its website.

While Ramirez had little to say, Canseco, who planned a news conference Thursday night in Los Angeles, was quick to explain why someone might use HCG.

"It could be that a player used it because he used steroids and went cold-turkey and needed HCG to get his levels back to normal. I had to use it when I quit steroids cold-turkey," said Canseco, who pleaded guilty last November to a misdemeanour of trying to bring HCG across the Mexican border into the United States illegally, told The AP.

"I had to go to a doctor to get it and get my levels back."

Because MLB imposed the suspension as required by the drug agreement, the Dodgers cannot further discipline Ramirez.

"We share the disappointment felt by our fans, our players, and every member of our organization," Dodgers chief executive officer Jamie McCourt said in a statement. "We will welcome Manny back upon his return."

Ramirez was not mentioned in the Mitchell Report in December 2007, MLB's official report on drug use, and there had not been whispers that he was among the sport's juiced players.

Rodriguez and Ramirez are the two highest-paid players in the majors. With this suspension, six of the top 17 home run hitters in history now have been covered by the cloud of performance-enhancing drugs.

"It's kind of shocking that he got caught up in anything, honestly. Manny likes to play stupid, but he's a pretty bright guy. And he's definitely aware of a lot of things that he tries to act like he's completely oblivious to," said Cincinnati pitcher Bronson Arroyo, Ramirez's former Boston teammate.

Baseball added HCG to its list of banned substances last year. HCG is prescribed to stimulate female fertility and testosterone production in men and to treat delayed puberty in boys.

"It's not infrequently part of the mix of the poly-drug approach to doping," said Dr. Gary Wadler, chairman of the committee that determines the banned-substances list for the World Anti-Doping Agency. "It typically is used most when people are coming off a cycle to restore to normal biophysiological feedback mechanisms."

Reaction to Ramirez's ban came swiftly, from major league clubhouses to the White House.

"It's a tragedy. It's a shame. My sense is, it's a great embarrassment on Major League Baseball," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said.

The penalty left the best team in the majors without its driving force and free spirit for nearly one-third of the season.

Ramirez's suspension began Thursday. Barring any postponements, he will be able to return to the Dodgers for the July 3 game at San Diego. Ramirez will lose US$7,650,273 of his $25 million salary.

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig couldn't comment on the suspension because of provisions of the management-union drug agreement, spokesman Rich Levin said.

Ramirez's agent, Scott Boras, and the players' association had gathered materials for a possible appeal to an arbitrator, but Ramirez decided not to file one because he didn't want to risk missing significant time in the second half of the season, the person familiar with details of the suspension said. The union said merely that he waived his right to contest the suspension.

Ramirez is batting .348 with six home runs and 20 RBIs through the first 27 games of the season.

His suspension comes a day after the Dodgers broke the modern major league record for a home winning streak to open a season with their 13th consecutive victory. They play Washington again Thursday night.

Losing Ramirez to suspension could be a huge blow financially for the Dodgers. The slugger has been single-handedly responsible for increasing attendance, merchandise sales and interest in the team, in addition to helping it win the NL West after his late-season arrival in 2008.

Los Angeles even renamed a section of seats in left field at Dodger Stadium "Mannywood" in his honour. Hours after the suspension, the team removed a reference to those seats from its website.

Ramirez's suspension came a day before Rodriguez was likely to rejoin the New York Yankees. Rodriguez has been on the disabled list since having hip surgery.

In his statement, Ramirez addressed Dodgers owners Frank and Jamie McCourt, and manager Joe Torre.

"I want to apologize to Mr. McCourt, Mrs. McCourt, Mr. Torre, my teammates, the Dodger organization, and to the Dodger fans," Ramirez said. "LA is a special place to me, and I know everybody is disappointed. So am I. I'm sorry about this whole situation."

Ramirez became the fourth player suspended this year under the major league program, following Philadelphia reliever J.C. Romero, Yankees pitcher Sergio Mitre and San Francisco pitcher Kelvin Pichardo.

In St. Louis, a clubhouse attendant stuck his head into manager Tony La Russa's office and said, "Manny Ramirez, 50 games, steroids."

La Russa's reaction: "You're kidding me."

Red Sox Beat Indians 13-3

The Boston Red Sox set an American League record by scoring 12 runs before an out was recorded in the sixth inning, on the way to a 13-3 win over the Cleveland Indians at Fenway Park.

Jason Bay's three-run homer capped the sixth-inning outburst for the Red Sox, who bounced back after having their nine-game home winning streak broken Wednesday in the opener of the two-game set. Bay also had an RBI double in the sixth, a frame in which the Red Sox sent 15 men to the plate.

The 12 runs in the sixth before an out broke the old record of 11 by the Detroit Tigers against New York Yankees on June, 15, 1925 in the sixth inning. It also tied the modern major league record, held by the Brooklyn Dodgers against the Phillies on May 24, 1953 in the eighth inning.

Dustin Pedroia knocked in three runs, including a two-run base hit in the sixth. Rocco Baldelli, activated off the disabled list earlier in the day, added a two-run single, while Jeff Bailey notched a two-run double in the sixth. George Kottaras singled home two runs during the big uprising.

Julio Lugo chipped in three hits and scored three times for Boston.

Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (4-1) allowed four hits and two runs over six innings to win his fourth consecutive decision.

Jeremy Sowers (0-1), who was called up from Triple-A Columbus as part of a bullpen shakeup for the Indians, was tagged with the loss after exiting with nobody out in the sixth, following a line of giving up seven hits and seven runs.

Masa Kobayashi came in and promptly gave up five hits and five runs without recording an out as the game turned into a blowout.

Ryan Garko and Asdrubal Cabrera each drove in a run for Cleveland, which lost for the fourth time in six games.

Lugo singled and Pedroia walked to start the sixth before Bay doubled to center, tying the game, 2-2. After Mike Lowell was intentionally walked, Baldelli singled up the middle for two more runs. J.D. Drew walked and Bailey hit Kobayashi's first pitch for a double to left field, making it 6-2.

"He just wasn't able to get anybody out in the sixth," Indians manager Eric Wedge said of Sowers. "He got behind the leadoff guy. He was able to get a base hit, walked the next guy and then it just dominoed along from there."

Nick Green legged out an odd infield hit. Garko dove for the ball, but second baseman Luis Valbuena got to it and then tried to beat Green to the base. Valbuena slid late, as Green made it to first.

Kottaras followed with a two-run single, and after Lugo reached on an infield hit, Pedroia roped a two-run base hit to left.

The Indians then went to Matt Herges from the bullpen, but Bay clubbed a 3-1 offering over the wall in right field for his eighth homer of the year.

"That inning you don't see that too often," said Francona. "Lugey starts off with a hit, Pedey works the walk and then Bay hits the ball in the gap. Then they have to make a decision and everyone from there came through and kept the line moving. It ends up being a good night."

Garko doubled in Josh Barfield in the eighth inning.

Lugo tripled to lead off the bottom of the first and scored on a Pedroia single, but the Indians, after wasting a bases-loaded opportunity in the fourth, went ahead in the fifth. Matt LaPorta singled and later scored on a wild pitch, and Cabrera lifted a sacrifice fly.

Blue Jays' Ricky Romeo on Disabled List

The Toronto Blue Jays' already thin starting pitching corps has suffered another loss.

The club announced on Thursday that left-hander Ricky Romero has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a right oblique muscle strain.

The 24-year old has had a great start to the season, post a 2-0 record with a 1.71 ERA in three starts.

The move is retroactive to April 20, and the team will make a roster move prior to Saturday's game at Chicago.

Romero was taken sixth overall by the Blue Jays in the 2005 first year player draft.

MLB Teams Declining in Value

One-third of Major League Baseball teams declined in value over the past year while the New York Yankees' worth increased 15 per cent to US$1.5 billion, according to the annual estimates by Forbes magazine.

The Washington Nationals took the biggest hit during the recession, down 12 per cent to US$406 million. The Atlanta Braves dropped 10 per cent and the Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners each were off nine per cent, the magazine said Wednesday.

The decline by 10 teams was the most since 2004, Forbes said.

Bolstered by their new US$1.5-billion stadium, the Yankees showed the top increase and remained the most valuable franchise in the majors. The New York Mets, also boosted by a new ballpark, were second in value ($912 million) and increase (11 per cent).

Boston (US$833 million), the Los Angeles Dodgers (US$722 million) and the Chicago Cubs (US$700 million) followed at the top.

The Florida Marlins' worth increased eight per cent, but the team ranked last in value at US$277 million. Pittsburgh (US$288 million) and Kansas City (US$314 million) were among the bottom three.

Overall, Forbes said the average value of the 30 MLB franchises increased one per cent to an all-time high of US$482 million.

Red Sox Josh Beckett Suspended

Boston right-hander Josh Beckett was stunned Tuesday after receiving a six-game suspension from Major League Baseball, which determined he intentionally threw a pitch near the head of the Los Angeles Angels' Bobby Abreu last week.

Beckett, who immediately appealed the ruling, also was fined an undisclosed amount and cited for "aggressive actions" after the pitch that led to the benches clearing Sunday, according to Bob Watson, vice president for discipline in the commissioner's office.

"We were pretty shocked," Beckett said before the Red Sox's game against the Athletics in Oakland, Calif. "I think the appeal speaks for everything that we feel. I respect the job they have to do, but I don't agree."

Any suspension wouldn't begin until after Beckett's appeal is decided, likely allowing him to make his next scheduled start on Saturday against Baltimore.

Angels hitting coach Mickey Hatcher also was angry after being suspended for one game and fined, although he served the penalty Tuesday night at Seattle. In addition, Watson fined Angels manager Mike Scioscia and players Torii Hunter and Justin Speier.

The incident began when Abreu was granted a timeout after a long pause on the mound by Beckett, who was holding Chone Figgins on second base.

Beckett finished his throwing motion in any pitcher's normal attempt to avoid injury from a sudden stop, but his throw went in the direction of Abreu's head.

Beckett insists the throw's direction was unintentional.

"It's what we're taught to do," Beckett said. "We have to kind of protect ourselves in those situations. That ball could have ended up anywhere, and that's unfortunate where it ended up.

"That's why I'm standing dealing with all this stuff."

The throw infuriated the Angels' bench and Abreu, who raised his arms and stared at Beckett. The pitcher then moved toward Abreu, causing both benches to clear, although no real fighting went on.

"I don't really feel like I've done anything," Beckett said. "I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do. Am I supposed to give him a hug? I wasn't really in a hugging mood right then.

"I really don't know what he wanted me to do."

Boston manager Terry Francona left Anaheim under the impression that the umpiring crew didn't feel Beckett or the Red Sox had done anything wrong.

"I didn't expect to hear from the league," Francona said. "Sounds like they overruled the umpires, and that's disturbing."

"I understand where the ball went, and I understand why they (Angels) were yelling," Francona added. "When guys are yelling at Beckett, you can't leave the field and just let him stand out there.

"I did not think he was the aggressor. I'm sure we'll have our say at some point. It's obvious he's going to appeal. I'm disappointed we're even going through this."

Hatcher also was unhappy he was suspended for what he said was merely yelling at the umpires.

"I think it's brutal," Hatcher said. "I've been in a lot of brawls and never been thrown out. Nobody should have been thrown out - except one person (Beckett). There were no punches, just a lot of words being said."

Scioscia was pleased with the outcome.

"It makes us feel good that Major League Baseball really supported our position, especially since we were somehow portrayed as the aggressors in that," Scioscia said.

"I think upon review, Major League Baseball determined Beckett's actions prompted this by approaching Bobby Abreu and shaking his finger at him. We didn't retaliate, and I think Major League Baseball appreciates that."

Red Sox Put Daisuke Matsuzaka on DL

The Boston Red Sox placed pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday with arm fatigue.

Matsuzaka, who started Tuesday's 6-5, 12-inning loss to the Athletics, pitched just one frame, allowing five hits and five runs on 43 pitches. He will be evaluated by team staff on Friday before deciding on a proper course of rehab.

Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, who will start Wednesday, is the early choice to replace Matsuzaka for his next scheduled start on Saturday. Justin Masterson is being considered to take Matsuzaka's place in the rotation until he returns from the DL.

To replace Matsuzaka on the roster, left-handed pitcher Hunter Jones has been recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket.

Phillies and Braves Open MLB Season

The Philadelphia Phillies begin defense of their World Series championship this evening, as they lift the lid off the 2009 season with the opener of a three-game set against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park.

After capturing its second straight National League East title, Philadelphia steamrolled its way through the postseason to capture its second World Series title in team history and its first since 1983 with a Game 5 victory over the surprising Tampa Bay Rays.

Behind a strong rotation, consistent hitting and one of the top bullpens in baseball, the Phils went 92-70 in the regular season before posting an impressive 11-3 mark in the playoffs.

The Phillies return basically the same squad that won it all a year ago, as they begin their quest to become the first NL team since the Cincinnati Reds (1975-76) to win back-to-back championships. The New York Yankees were the last team to win consecutive titles, capturing three straight from 1998-2000

Seven of the eight position players who saw significant playing time return for 2009, including Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins, and some will argue that swapping in Raul Ibanez for 2008 everyday left fielder Pat Burrell (now in Tampa Bay) will make the lineup more consistent.

Utley is back after offseason hip surgery, which initially was believed to keep him off the field for at least the first month of the season.

On the rubber, the rotation will be again anchored by ace left-hander and 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels, with closer Brad Lidge ready to lock things down in the ninth inning after a perfect season a year ago.

The Philly faithful, though, got a bit of a scare early on this spring when Hamels was sent back to Philadelphia for tests on his elbow. Luckily, everything was fine, but he is not expected to pitch in this series.

So, getting the call tonight will be right-hander Brett Myers, who will be making his third straight Opening Day start for the Phils. Myers, returning to the rotation last year after serving as the closer for the latter part of '07, was just 3-9 with a 5.84 ERA through his first 17 starts before he and the club worked out an agreement for him to go to the minors to work out of his funk.

Putting his ego in check, the 28-year-old returned with a vengeance in late July and went 7-4 with a 3.06 ERA and one shutout in 13 second-half starts.

Myers is just 4-8 lifetime against the Braves with four saves and a 4.60 ERA in 26 games, 19 of which have been starts. Last year he lost both of his starts against them, surrendering 14 runs (10 earned) in 8 2/3 innings.

Atlanta, meanwhile, enters a season without John Smoltz for the first time since 1987, as the former Cy Young Award winning right-hander signed a one- year, $5.5 million deal with the Boston Red Sox.

Armed with a new-look starting rotation, the Braves hope to bounce back from a fourth-place finish a year ago - their worst divisional finish since ending the 1990 season sixth in the West. The once-dominating franchise has now missed the playoffs in three straight years following 14 straight division titles.

Striking out on deals to land free agents A.J. Burnett and Rafael Furcal, as well as a decision not to pursue a trade for San Diego's Jake Peavy, the Braves looked as if they were going to get shut out this offseason.

But then the pieces started to fall into place. Though Smoltz left after spending 20 seasons with the Braves, the franchise slowly began to rebuild its pitching staff by adding Derek Lowe, Javier Vazquez and Japanese import Kenshin Kawakami.

The Braves did land a new left fielder, signing Garret Anderson, but he was the only significant addition to the offense from outside the organization.

Of course, the one constant in the Atlanta lineup continues to be third baseman Chipper Jones, who posted a career-high .364 batting average in 2008 to go with 22 homers and 75 runs batted in during 128 games.

Atlanta will turn to one of its new arms tonight, as Lowe makes his Braves debut. Lowe went 14-11 with a 3.24 earned run average last year for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Lowe, who will be making the fourth Opening Day Start of his career, went 0-1 in two postseason starts against the Phils last year, but is 4-1 lifetime against them with a pair of saves and a 3.02 ERA in 11 games (seven starts).

One player who has struggled in his career against Lowe is Howard, who has recorded just two singles in 16 career at-bats against him. However, Howard has owned the Braves over the course of his short career, hitting .342 with 24 homers and 71 RBI against them.

Philadelphia dominated the Braves a year ago, winning 14 of the 18 matchups, but was just 5-4 against them at Citizens Bank Park. Atlanta has actually split its last 18 matchups in the City of Brotherly Love.

Tigers Beat Blue Jays 5-1

Scott Richmond didn't appear to improve his chances of making Toronto's starting rotation, but manager Cito Gaston cut him some slack Saturday because of a gusting 50-km-h wind and a shaky Blue Jays defence.

The right-hander, in the mix along with left-handers Brad Mills and Ricky Romero for the last two spots in the rotation, gave up five runs -- three earned -- on six hits in a four-inning 80-pitch outing as the Detroit Tigers won 5-1.

"Overall, he didn't pitch that bad," Gaston said of Richmond.

"I don't think one start's going to ruin me," Richmond said. "I hope one outing's not the decision maker. If it is, there's nothing I can do about it."

The trouble started quickly for Richmond.

Detroit's Curtis Granderson struck out on a pitch in the dirt to start the game but was safe when Lyle Overbay missed catcher Michael Barrett's wide, but catchable throw to first.

Granderson then stole second, continued to third when Barrett's throw sailed into centre field, and scored on Miguel Cabrera's single.

It got worse in the second.

Left fielder Travis Snider misplayed Brandon Inge's windblown fly into a three-base error. Inge scored on Granderson's double, and Placido Polanco hit the next pitch into the wind for his second spring home run.

The wind tore the black covering off the batter's eye in centre field, leaving a gray see-through screen.

"Conditions are going to be like that," Richmond said. "I'm not a guy to make excuses or take credit for my outings.

"I just didn't get it done. When something bad happened behind me, I wasn't able to control the damage and prevent the run from scoring."

Added Gaston: "During the course of the season, if the guys make errors behind you, you've just got to pick it up for yourself and see what happens to the next hitter. Get the next hitter out.

"It tells you that they can deal with the pressure."

Polanco drove in two runs for the Tigers, and Edwin Jackson allowed one run and six hits in seven strong innings.

Toronto made it 4-1 off Jackson in the bottom of the second on doubles by Overbay and Scott Rolen.

In the third, Carlos Guillen singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch by Richmond, moved to second on a grounder and scored on Gerald Laird's sacrifice fly.

Inge made two spectacular diving catches at third base on line drives by Aaron Hill and Vernon Wells in the first two innings, and Jackson slipped a third strike past Overbay to leave the bases loaded in the third.

"We made some very good defensive plays," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "Tough day to play, tough day to pitch. He's just got to keep consistency. It looks like he gets better as the game goes on."

Astros Sign Ivan Rodriguez

Ivan Rodriguez's US$1.5 million, one-year contract with the Houston Astros was finalized Friday after the catcher passed his physical.

"We're very happy to have him here," general manager Ed Wade said. "Obviously it's a huge upgrade to our ballclub to have somebody with his ability and experience and we think it's another step in the direction we want to go to bring a World Series to Houston."

The 13-time Gold Glove winner hit .276 with seven homers and 35 RBIs in 115 games last season with Detroit and the Yankees, who acquired him in July. He expects to make his spring debut for the Astros on Sunday, and he should be in good shape after playing for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.

Houston needed a veteran catcher to replace Brad Ausmus, who became a free agent and signed with the Dodgers. Last year, the Astros used Ausmus, Humberto Quintero and J.R. Towles behind the plate.

The 37-year-old Rodriguez will likely start in Houston, moving Quintero, who had been projected to start, into the backup role. Rodriguez didn't play as much as he wanted to last season.

"I still can play this game on an everyday basis," he said "That's the reason that I came to the Astros, because it was the only team that offered me the everyday basis job."

Rodriguez said waiting to get a new team was difficult.

"I'm glad that it's over," he said. "Now it's official that I'm going to be with the Astros for this 2009 season, and I just look forward to having a great year and make this ballclub be in the playoffs. That's going to be my goal."

He will wear No. 14 during spring training and No. 12 for the season, the same number he wore in New York. His longtime No. 7 was retired by the Astros last year for Craig Biggio.

"I love No. 7, but I respect that No. 7 here is untouchable," he said. "Craig Biggio used this number for years, and I respect that. But No. 12, I like that number. But it doesn't matter to me the number. Right now I just look forward to play and use whatever number in the back and do my best in the field."

A-Rod Undergoes Hip Surgery

Alex Rodriguez will have arthroscopic hip surgery Monday and is expected to miss six to nine weeks. The Yankees slugger will need further surgery after the season.

The diagnosis by Dr. Marc Philippon on Sunday was yet another jolt to Rodriguez during a tumultuous month in which the three-time AL MVP admitted using steroids from 2001-03 while with Texas.

Philippon spoke from Vail, Colo., on a conference call with Yankees general manager Brian Cashman. Philippon, a noted hip specialist with the Steadman Hawkins Clinic, will perform the procedure. Also on the call was team physician Chris Ahmad.

Philippon is confident in the "85-90 per cent range" that Rodriguez will be able to play through the entire regular season.

"I firmly believe this approach will be successful and allow Alex to return," Philippon said. "We've had very good success with this approach. Short term, we feel the risk is very limited that he will re-tear his labrum during that six-, seven-month period."

The decision eliminates the option of Rodriguez treating the injury with rest and rehab and playing through the season without surgery. This operation will not completely correct the hip. More aggressive surgery would have sidelined Rodriguez three to four months.

"The surgery that will just repair the labrum tear right now would shorten his rehab," Cashman said. "Then following the conclusion of the season going in and repair the remaining aspects that need to be repaired."

Rodriguez has a torn labrum and a cyst in his right hip. The cyst was drained Wednesday, and he had additional tests Friday to test the hip's strength and flexibility.

His hip had been fine until he experienced stiffness during spring training this year. The injury forced the 12-time all-star to skip the World Baseball Classic, where he was to play for the Dominican Republic.

Philippon attributed the labrum tear to the rotational stress that Rodriguez - "a very strong hitter, strong batter" - places on his hip.

"Because of all the test findings, analysis, the function of Alex, I feel it's in his best interest to have his labrum repaired, remove part of his impingement and therefore stabilize his labrum," he said. "The goal here is to allow Alex to rehab rapidly in a safe manner."

Rodriguez will stay in Colorado for the foreseeable future.

"We'll keep Alex with us certainly for the first few weeks," said Philippon, who has treated several sports stars including golfer Greg Norman and figure skater Tara Lipinski. "The main reason being we're going to put him on the fast track so we will be very aggressive on his rehab. We'll check on Alex twice a day."

Rodriguez could swing a bat as a range of motion drill as soon as seven days after surgery.

On Thursday, Rodriguez's brother, Joe Dunand, told ESPNdeportes.com said the slugger was going to have surgery, with a projected 10-week recovery. But later that day Cashman said A-Rod would be treated conservatively in the hope of avoiding surgery.

Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon, speaking from Lakeland, where New York was to play the Detroit Tigers, said Rodriguez was doing the "right thing" in addressing this matter now.

"Now we know that we're going to lose him for a little bit of time. ... I think it's better to get it out of the way especially since he's going to be in New York for eight more years after this year, so you might as well take care of it," he said.

Rodriguez is in the second season of a record US$275-million, 10-year contract. Now, New York must try replace its third baseman and cleanup hitter, placing further responsibility in the batting order on new first baseman Mark Teixeira.

The leading candidate from the organization to take over at third is Cody Ransom, a 33-year-old who has a .251 average and 24 RBIs in 183 at-bats in six major league seasons.

"It's going to create something different for us, so we're going to have to take a look at some of these other guys," manager Joe Girardi said. "There's still four weeks left in camp, and it opens up an opportunity for someone."

Last year, Rodriguez was sidelined from April 28 to May 20 because of a strained right quadriceps - his fifth trip to the disabled list in his career. An MRI exam at that time showed what Cashman called an "irregularity" in the right hip.

The labrum is cartilage that lines the hip joint. It can be torn through injury or repetitive wear and tear. When arthroscopic surgery is recommended, the doctor makes small incisions to insert specialized instruments into the joint space and either removes the torn piece of labrum or repairs the cartilage with a suture.

Rodriguez's 138 games last season were his fewest since 1999, when he tore cartilage in his left knee during a spring training drill. He played in the first two games of that season with Seattle, then was put on the disabled list April 7 and missed 32 games until he returned May 14.

Since joining the Yankees before the 2004 season, Rodriguez has averaged 42 homers and 123 RBIs, with a .303 average.

Cubs Sign Corey Koskie

Canadian Corey Koskie has signed a minor-league contract with the Chicago Cubs and will report to the NL Central champion's training camp after playing for Canada at the World Baseball Classic.

The deal, confirmed Saturday by a Cubs spokesman, is the latest step in the third baseman's attempted comeback from severe post-concussion problems. It's also pending a physical.

The 35-year-old from Anola, Man., hasn't played since July 5, 2006 when he fell on his head chasing a fly ball with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Koskie began turning the corner last year and had been working out at the Minnesota Twins facility in Fort Myers, Fla., before Canada came calling for the Classic.

The Cubs' contract is his first deal since becoming a free agent after the 2007 season.

Koskie will join the Cubs once Canada is eliminated, good news for the national team who would have been in a tough spot if he was to pull out.

Manager Ernie Whitt envisions Koskie as a bat off the bench but would not rule out a larger role for him if he shows the physical ability to handle it.

Diamondbacks Sign Conor Jackson

The Arizona Diamondbacks re-signed Conor Jackson to a one-year contract Tuesday, thus avoiding arbitration with the infielder/outfielder.

The Arizona Republic reports the deal is for $3.05 million, which was the midpoint between what he was asking for ($3.65 million) and what Arizona was offering ($2.45 million).

Last season, Jackson hit .300 with 12 homers and 75 RBI, all while earning $419,500. He established career-highs in nearly every offensive category and struck out just once every 10 at-bats.

Arizona's first round draft pick in 2003, Jackson has a .287 career batting average.

A's Acquire Michael Wuertz

The Oakland Athletics have acquired pitcher Michael Wuertz from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for minor leaguers Richie Robnett and Justin Sellers.

Wuertz was 1-1 with a 3.63 earned run average in 45 relief appearances for the Cubs last season. He also spent part of the campaign at Triple-A Iowa and posted a mark of 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA and four saves in 17 games.

The 30-year-old right-hander has compiled a record of 13-7 with one save and a 3.57 ERA in 265 relief outings over five seasons with the Cubs. He has 270 strikeouts in 262 1/3 lifetime innings.

Robnett, a first-round pick by the Athletics in 2004, played at three different levels last season. The outfielder hit .240 with four homers and 27 RBI in 82 games for Single-A Stockton, Double-A Midland and Triple-A Sacramento in 2008.

Sellers, an infielder, spent the 2008 campaign at Midland and batted .255 with six homers and 46 RBI in 123 games.

Braves and Casey Kotchman Come to Terms

Casey Kotchman and the Atlanta Braves avoided salary arbitration, agreeing to a $2,885,000, one-year contract.

Kotchman could earn an additional $100,000 in performance bonuses under the deal agreed to last week and announced Monday.

He hit a combined .272 with 14 homers and 74 RBIs last season for the Braves and the Los Angeles Angels.

The first baseman, who turns 26 on Feb. 22, hit only .149 with no homers in his first 22 games after he was acquired by the Braves on July 29 in the trade that sent Mark Teixeira to the Angels.

Kotchman hit .305 with two homers and 15 RBIs in September. He has a .997 career fielding percentage with just eight errors in 357 games.

After making $1.45 million last year, Kotchman had asked for a raise to $3.25 million in arbitration. He had been offered $2,475,000.

Atlanta remains in arbitration with second baseman Kelly Johnson and right fielder Jeff Francoeur.

Colorado Rockies Sign Josh Fogg

The Colorado Rockies have agreed to a minor league contract with pitcher Josh Fogg for the 2009 season, the club announced Monday.

The deal includes an invitation to spring training, and terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Fogg, 32, played with the Rockies from 2006-07, going 21-18 with a 5.22 earned run average in 61 games. But last season with Cincinnati, he was just 2-7 with a 7.58 ERA and ended the season on the 60-day disabled list with a strained groin.

In eight MLB seasons with the White Sox, Pirates, Rockies and Reds, Fogg owns a career 62-67 record with a 5.08 ERA in 219 games -- 193 starts.

Cubs and Paul Bako Agree to Terms

The Chicago Cubs announced on Friday they have agreed to terms with catcher Paul Bako on a contract for the 2009 season. Terms of the deal were not announced.

Despite being a veteran of 11 seasons, Bako set career highs in home runs (6), runs batted in (35) and runs scored (30) last year while hitting at a .217 clip in 99 games with the Cincinnati Reds.

Bako is a career .231 hitter, totaling 21 homers, 186 RBI and 183 runs scored over 745 games. That includes a stint with the Cubs in 2003-04, as he was a member of a Chicago club that won the National League Central in 2003 on the way to an appearance in the NLCS.

The 36-year-old has played with 10 different clubs in his 11-year career, including the Tigers, Astros, Braves, Marlins, Brewers, Cubs, Dodgers, Royals, Orioles and Reds. In Chicago, Bako will backup 2008 NL Rookie of the year Geovany Soto.

Mets and John Maine Reach Deal

Pitcher John Maine and the New York Mets avoided salary arbitration, agreeing Friday on a US$2.6 million, one-year contract.

The figure was the midpoint of the $3 million Maine sought and the $2.2 million the Mets offered. The right-hander can earn an additional $25,000 if he pitches 200 or more innings. He made $450,000 last season.

Maine was 10-8 with a 4.18 ERA in 25 starts and 140 innings last year, missing the final five weeks of the season because of a shoulder injury. He had surgery Sept. 30 to remove a lesion from the back of his right shoulder socket and is expected to be ready for spring training next month.

"I feel great and ready to go," Maine said in a statement issued by the team. "I have been throwing bullpen sessions for a month now and things couldn't be going better. I can't wait to get to spring training."

Reliever Pedro Feliciano is the last Mets' player in arbitration. He asked for a raise from $1.04 million to $1.95 million, and the Mets offered $1.35 million.

Mets and Oliver Perez Come to Terms

Oliver Perez and the New York Mets reached a preliminary agreement Monday on a US$36 million, three-year contract.

The deal is subject to the pitcher passing a physical, two people familiar with the talks said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the agreement wasn't final. The physical is scheduled for Tuesday.

New York had offered Derek Lowe - another client of agent Scott Boras - a $36 million, three-year contract, but Lowe accepted a $60 million, four-year offer from Atlanta.

In addition to Lowe, the Mets also held talks with agents for Tim Redding and Randy Wolf, and agreed with Redding on a $2.25 million, one-year deal.

With the agreement, the Mets' projected rotation includes Johan Santana, John Maine, Perez, Mike Pelfrey and either Redding, Freddy Garcia or Jon Niese. New York has not ruled out re-signing Pedro Martinez, who may pitch in the World Baseball Classic before deciding where to sign.

Perez was 10-7 with a 4.22 ERA in 34 starts last year. He struck out 180 and also walked 105 in 194 innings. His 4.87 walks per nine innings were fourth-highest in the majors behind only Barry Zito, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Ian Snell.

Perez will receive $12 million in each of the three seasons, up from the $6.5 million he made last year after winning in salary arbitration.

Orioles Acquire Rich Hill

The Baltimore Orioles announced on Monday that they have acquired left-handed pitcher Rich Hill from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for a player to be named later.

Hill had a career year in 2007, notching an 11-8 record in 32 starts with a 3.92 earned run average and 183 strikeouts. However, he was slowed last season by a back injury and spent most of the year in the minor leagues. The 28-year- old made five starts with Chicago in 2008, going 1-0 with a 4.12 ERA. He fanned 15 batters over 19 2/3 innings but also walked 18.

A fourth-round draft pick in 2002, Hill went 18-17 with a 4.37 ERA in 64 games with the Cubs, 57 of those starts.

The departure of Hill to Baltimore likely leaves the Cubs' fifth rotation spot to either 26-year-old lefty Sean Marshall or the recently-acquired Aaron Heilman, a 30-year-old right-hander who has spent the majority of the last four seasons as a reliever for the New York Mets.

Meanwhile, Hill should be able to immediately challenge for a spot in Baltimore's rotation.

To make room for Hill on the 40-man roster, Baltimore designated left-handed pitcher Brian Burres for assignment. Burres went 7-10 with a 6.04 ERA in 31 games (22 starts) with the Orioles a season ago. The 27-year-old is 13-18 with a 5.88 ERA in 79 games (39) starts over three seasons with Baltimore.

This marked the second trade between the Cubs and Orioles this offseason. In January, the Orioles acquired outfielder Felix Pie from Chicago in exchange for pitchers Garrett Olson and Henry Williamson. The Cubs then dealt Olson to Seattle for Heilman, who was initially part of a three-team deal between the Mets, Mariners and Indians in December.

Pirates and Paul Maholm Reach Deal

Left-hander Paul Maholm avoided an arbitration hearing by agreeing Friday to a US$14.5 million, three-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, who also finalized a $1.5 million, one-year deal with free-agent utilityman Eric Hinske.

Maholm's agreement locks him up through his remaining arbitration years and includes a club option for 2012. He was the most effective starter on a 95-loss Pirates team last season, going 9-9 with a 3.71 ERA in 31 starts.

He receives $3.5 million this season, $4.5 million in 2010 and $5.75 million in 2011. Pittsburgh holds a $9.75 million option for 2012 with a $750,000 buyout, and the option price can escalate to $11.05 million based on his performance.

''It's a load off me,'' Maholm said of getting the contract issue out of the way. ''It's all about baseball and winning. I don't have to worry about anything going from year to year. For me, this is perfect.''

Pittsburgh had offered Maholm $2.65 million in arbitration and he had countered with $3.8 million. Maholm went through a mandatory physical on Friday.

The 26-year-old Maholm, a first-round pick in the 2003 amateur draft, is 30-35 with a 4.30 ERA in 96 career games - all starts, and all with Pittsburgh.

General manager Neal Huntington said the deal was worked out because ''both sides wanted this to happen.''

Hinske replaces the unsigned Doug Mientkiewicz as the Pirates' top player off the bench, although Mientkiewicz hit .277 last season and was a fan favourite in Pittsburgh. During last week's Pirates off-season festival, a fan received a standing ovation when he asked management why Mientkiewicz hadn't been re-signed.

The 31-year-old Hinske figures to gives the Pirates more power than Mientkiewicz, who homered twice in 285 at-bats last season. Hinske hit .247 with 20 homers and 60 RBIs in 381 at-bats with Tampa Bay and had a career-high 24 homers as the AL rookie of the year with Toronto in 2002. He played for the Blue Jays in 2002-06 and the Red Sox in 2006-07.

The left-handed hitting Hinske can play first base, third base, left field and right field, although the majority of his playing time has been at third base.

''He's a good fit. He's blue collar, hardworking, gritty,'' Huntington said. ''He's not as vocal as Doug but it might be hard to be as vocal as Doug. From our standpoint, it was a sacrifice worth making because of Eric's versatility.''

Hinske's salary nearly doubles his base of $800,000 last year, when he earned another $250,000 in performance bonuses. He can earn up to $1 million in performance bonuses in his new deal.

''He (Huntington) assured me I'll get at-bats and be a big part of the clubhouse,'' Hinske said, a reference to the leadership role Mientkiewicz played last season.

Since the Pirates hired president Frank Coonelly and Huntington 18 months ago, they have given multi-year contracts to Maholm, catcher Ryan Doumit, second baseman Freddy Sanchez, right-handed reliever Matt Capps and right-hander Ian Snell.

Their only unsigned veteran player is All-Star outfielder Nate McLouth. Talks on a multi-year contract broke down last month and have not resumed.

Rangers Sign Marlon Byrd

The Texas Rangers signed outfielder Marlon Byrd to a one-year deal worth US$3.06 million, the last of the team's players eligible for arbitration.

The team said part of the deal, announced Friday, included a donation by Byrd to the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation.

The 31-year-old Byrd ranked fourth on the club in games played despite season-long issues with his left knee, which required surgery in October. Byrd batted .298 with 10 home runs, 28 doubles and 53 RBIs in 122 games for Texas last year.

Byrd also had career highs in walks (46), slugging percentage (.462) and on-base percentage (.380), while matching his career bests in homers and doubles.

The Rangers had already avoided arbitration by signing pitchers Brandon McCarthy, Frank Francisco and C.J. Wilson.

Red Sox and Jason Varitek Come to Terms

The Boston Red Sox and captain Jason Varitek reportedly agreed to a contract on Friday, meeting a team-imposed deadline.

According to the Boston Globe, the deal is for one year at $5 million, with the club holding a $5 million option for 2010. If the Red Sox choose not to pick up that option, Varitek has the choice of remaining with the club for whom he has played his entire career at $3 million.

Per team policy, the deal will not be officially announced until Varitek completes a physical.

Varitek endured a forgettable season at the plate last year, batting a career- low .220 with 13 home runs and 43 RBI in 131 games.

Originally selected by Seattle in the first round (14th overall) of the 1994 draft, Varitek was dealt to the Red Sox on July 31, 1997, along with pitcher Derek Lowe, in exchange for closer Heathcliff Slocumb in one of the most lopsided trades in recent memory.

A three-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner in 2005, Varitek has appeared in 1,330 career games, compiling a .263 average with 161 homers and 654 RBI.

Twins Sign Jason Kubel

Designated hitter Jason Kubel and the Minnesota Twins have agreed to a two-year contract, avoiding salary arbitration.

The 26-year-old Kubel hit .272 with 20 home runs, 78 RBIs and 22 doubles in 141 games last season. Most of his time was spent as DH, but he also played right and left field.

He was second on the team in homers and third in RBIs with career highs in both categories.

The signing leaves middle reliever Matt Guerrier as the only Twins player left in arbitration.

Cubs Sign Aaron Miles

The Chicago Cubs and infielder Aaron Miles have agreed to a 2-year contract. The switch-hitting Miles batted .317 with 4 homers and 31 RBIs in 134 games for the St. Louis Cardinals last season.

"We expect Aaron to provide significant versatility and flexibility to our roster," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said Wednesday.

Last season Miles played mostly at second base with 85 appearances. He also played short, third and all 3 outfield positions.

In 643 major league games, Miles, 32, has a career average of .289. He has also played with the White Sox and Rockies.

Miles was originally selected by the Houston Astros in the 19th round of the 1995 draft.

Diamondbacks Sign Chris Snyder

The Arizona Diamondbacks agreed to terms with catcher Chris Snyder on a 3-year contract through the 2011 season with a club option for 2012 on Tuesday. No further terms of the agreement were disclosed. Snyder, 27, batted .237 in 115 games last season with 22 doubles, 16 home runs and 64 RBI. His 16 home runs were a franchise record for Arizona catchers. Also, he led all NL catchers in 2008 with a 1.000 fielding percentage, not committing an error in 847 chances.

"Chris has emerged as a very solid all-around catcher," said general manager Josh Byrnes. "He is also very invested in the success of our pitchers and has emerged as one of our leaders."

Over 5 seasons in the majors, all with Arizona, he is a career .238 hitter with 46 home runs and 186 RBI in 430 games.

Indians Sign Mark DeRosa

After some debate and a trade, the Cleveland Indians have decided not to shift their infield. The club acquired versatile infielder Mark DeRosa to place 3rd base on Wednesday, trading 3 minor leaguers to the Chicago Cubs. They dealt pitchers Jeff Stevens, Chris Archer and John Gaub for DeRosa, who played 6 different positions for the NL Central champions.

In Cleveland, he'll be the club's everyday 3rd baseman and fill in occasionally in the outfield. ''We're going to take advantage of his versatility,'' Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said. ''As the season unfolds, that's one of the many assists he can bring to the table.''

The 33-year-old DeRosa hit a career-high 21 homers and drove in 87 runs last season in 149 games.

One of the Indians' priorities during the off-season was to find a dependable, right-handed hitting infielder. They considered moving shortstop Jhonny Peralta to third and Asdrubal Cabrera from second to short, but will keep things as status quo with DeRosa sliding into the starting job at 3rd.

''This is the best infield, that's it,'' Shapiro said addressing the club's decision to keep Peralta and Cabrera in place. ''If we didn't think it was best, we would have moved 3 guys.''

DeRosa made 80 starts at second base, 10 at third, 32 in right field and 27 in left. He also played 1 game each at 1st and shortstop.

Shapiro said he has been in talks with Cubs GM Jim Hendry about DeRosa since November.

Indians manager Eric Wedge described DeRosa as ''a tough out'' and ''very solid pickup.'' He expects DeRosa to bat second in Cleveland's lineup. Wedge will use DeRosa in the outfield to rest players and as protection against left-handers.

The only other everyday 3rd baseman on Cleveland's roster is Andy Marte. He batted only .221 in 80 games and had to hit .291 over his final 34 games to finish with a respectable average. Marte is out of options.

Peralta, who has limited range, has been playing 3rd base during winter ball in the Dominican Republic. The Indians wanted to leave him at short, where he makes all the routine plays but many not be as flashy as former Indians shortstop Omar Vizquel - the Gold Glove standard at the position for Cleveland fans.

Wedge said Peralta was not reluctant to move to third - if that had been the Indians' preference. ''He was great when I talked to him about it this winter,'' Wedge said. ''If it's something we would have asked him to do, he would have done it.''

DeRosa will be eligible for free agency after making US$5.5 million this season. He has been invited to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. He has driven in at least 70 runs in each of the past three seasons, and the former college quarterback at Pennsylvania has a .302 career batting average against lefties.

DeRosa is the second former Cubs player to join them this winter. The Indians signed closer Kerry Wood last month and may still try to add another starting pitcher in free agency.

Hendry hated to part with DeRosa, but wanted to add pitching prospects to improve the club's overall depth. ''Obviously, Mark is very, very good and he's a guy I have tremendous respect for,'' Hendry said. ''Certainly the Indians are getting a very, very good player and a first-class young man also. That part of it is always difficult but we felt we had to move forward in this direction and we felt had to make this deal.''

Stevens was the only pitcher on Cleveland's 40-man roster involved in the deal. The 25-year-old right-hander went 5-1 last season in 17 games for double-A Akron and 0-3 with a 3.94 ERA with 5 saves in 19 games at triple-A Buffalo.

Archer was 4-8 in 27 starts at class-A Lake County and Gaub was 1-1 in 34 games with the Captains.

''These are 3 different guys with quality arms at different levels,'' Hendry said. ''From an acquiring point of view, we felt we did very well. Mark (Shapiro) will be the 1st to tell you that while they very much coveted Mark (DeRosa), this deal certainly stung for them too.''

Marlins Sign Scott Proctor

Former Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Scott Proctor has reached an agreement with the Florida Marlins on a US$750,000, one-year contract with an additional $250,000 in incentives. Proctor underwent surgery in October for repair of 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' post-season roster.

The Marlins needed bullpen help after the departures this off-season of right-handers Kevin Gregg to the Chicago Cubs, Doug Waechter to Kansas City and Joe Nelson to Tampa Bay.

Battling elbow trouble, Proctor went 2-0 with a 6.05 ERA in 38 2-3 innings last year. He has a career ERA of 4.42 in 262 games. Proctor turned 32 Friday. He was born in Stuart, Florida., and pitched for Florida State.

Orioles Sign Mark Hendrickson

The Baltimore Orioles made it official on Wednesday and signed pitcher Mark Hendrickson to a 1-year contract. Financial terms of the deal for the left-hander were not disclosed.

Hendrickson was 7-8 with a 5.45 earned run average in 36 games, including 19 starts, last season for the Florida Marlins.

The 34-year-old veteran has a career mark of 50-63 with a 5.07 ERA in 215 big league games over 7 seasons with Toronto, Tampa Bay, Los Angeles and Florida.

Padres Sign Luis Rodriguez

The San Diego Padres agreed to terms on a one-year contract with infielder Luis Rodriguez, one of a bevy of moves by the club on Wednesday. Rodriguez, 28, hit .287 with 11 doubles and 12 RBI in 64 games last season with the Padres, his first with the organization. For his career, the switch-hitting infielder has a .257 batting average with six home runs and 50 RBI in 270 games with Minnesota (2005-07) and San Diego (2008).

The Padres also agreed to terms with pitchers Kevin Correia, Chris Britton and Oneli Perez, and catcher Eliezer Alfonzo on minor league contracts. Correia, 28, posted a 3-8 mark with a 6.05 earned run average in 25 games (19 starts) with the Giants last year, while the 26-year-old Britton had a 5.09 ERA and failed to record a decision in 15 relief appearance for the Yankees in 2008.

San Francisco Giants Sign Randy Johnson

The San Francisco Giants signed 5-time Cy Young Award winner Randy Johnson to a 1-year deal on Friday. Johnson, 45, trails only Roger Clemens (6) in career Cy Young Awards and went 11-10 last season with a 3.91 earned run average in 30 starts for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

"We are extremely excited to bring Randy Johnson to the Giants organization," said Giants general manager Brian Sabean. "Randy continues to be one of the most intimidating and competitive pitchers in baseball today. He commands respect and will have a dramatic influence on the way the 2009 team conducts business."

The 2009 Giants rotation will now bolster 3 Cy Young Award winners, including the 2008 National League winner Tim Lincecum. Barry Zito also won the award while in the American League with the Oakland Athletics. No team has had 3 winners in the same rotation since the 2002 Atlanta Braves, who had Tom Glavine, John Smoltz and Greg Maddux.

Johnson will bring an intimidating presence and postseason experience to San Francisco, having won a World Series in 2001 with Arizona and played in 8 Division Series and 2 League Championship Series.

A veteran of 21 seasons, Johnson is just 5 wins away from the elusive 300-win club, going 295-160 with a 3.26 ERA lifetime with the Expos, Mariners, Astros, Diamondbacks and Yankees. He has recorded 37 complete game shutouts and has recorded 4,789 strikeouts in his career, which is second all-time to Nolan Ryan (5,714). Johnson also tossed the last perfect game in major league history, a 2-0 Arizona win over Atlanta on May 18, 2004.

The move marks the fourth free agent signing for the Giants this offseason, having already inked relief pitchers Jeremy Affeldt and Bob Howry and shortstop Edgar Renteria to contracts.

Will Sosa Return to Baseball?

Former major league slugger Sammy Sosa has reportedly told a Dominican newspaper he has interest in resuming his career. According to a story posted on MLB.com, the 40-year-old Sosa, who last played in the big leagues with Texas in 2007, told Dominican newspaper Listin Diario he doesn't have an offer. But Sosa also said he hoped he could prove he's still a hitting threat, and that interested teams should propose an offer.

Sosa hit .252 with 21 homers and 92 RBI in 114 games with Texas in 2007. The homers pushed him over the 600 home run plateau, and Sosa is 1 of 6 players all-time to have reached that mark. For his career, Sosa owns a .273 average with 609 homers and 1,667 RBI in 18 seasons with Texas, the Chicago White Sox, the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore.

Yankees Sign Chien-Ming Wang

Pitcher Chien-Ming Wang and the New York Yankees avoided salary arbitration when they agreed Monday to a US$5 million, 1-year contract. The 28-year-old right-hander was 8-2 with a 4.07 ERA in 15 starts last season before injuring a foot while running the bases at Houston in mid-June. He did not return.

Wang made $4 million last season after losing in salary arbitration. He had asked for $4.6 million. His agreement raises the Yankees' payroll to about $164 million for 15 players for next year. That includes pitcher Andrew Brackman and infielder Juan Miranda, who don't figure to be on the major league roster.

Outfielders Melky Cabrera and Xavier Nady, and reliever Brian Bruney remain eligible for arbitration.