Major league baseball notes

The Baltimore Orioles have reached an agreement on a one-year deal with outfielder Nelson Cruz. Cruz, 33, was suspended 50 games last year while with the Texas Rangers for his involvement with the Biogenesis scandal.
The Baltimore Orioles have reached an agreement on a one-year deal with outfielder Nelson Cruz. Cruz, 33, was suspended 50 games last year while with the Texas Rangers for his involvement with the Biogenesis scandal.

ORIOLES

Cruz gets 1-year deal

Free agent Nelson Cruz and the Baltimore Orioles have reached agreement on a one-year deal, giving the slugger a fresh start after his drug suspension.

A person familiar with the agreement told The Associated Press on Saturday that Cruz will earn about $8.5 million, and can make more in performance bonuses.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract wasn’t complete. Other media outlets had reported a deal was in place.

The 33-year-old Cruz was suspended 50 games last year while with the Texas Rangers as a result of Major League Baseball’s investigation into the Biogenesis drug scandal. He returned from the penalty in time to play one game - he went 0 for 4 in the Rangers’ loss to Tampa Bay in a tiebreaker for the second AL wild-card spot.

Baltimore began full-squad workouts at spring training earlier this week, and Cruz was among the last prominent free agents to find a team.

Manager Buck Showalter’s team opened camp still in need of a designated hitter, preferably someone to join big league home run champion Chris Davis in the lineup. Cruz may well find the cozy dimensions at Camden Yards to his liking - he is a career .333 hitter with 2 home runs and 9 RBI in 81 at-bats there.

CARDINALS Garcia shut down

JUPITER, Fla. - Cardinals pitcher Jaime Garcia will return to St. Louis today to have doctors examine his surgically repaired throwing shoulder, making it unlikely he’ll be ready for the start of the season.

Cardinals General Manager John Mozeliak made the announcement Saturday. Garcia underwent season-ending surgery last year after experiencing shoulder pain.

Garcia’s throwing sessions at spring training had been going well until his last outing, when the pain returned.

The 27-year-old Garcia had been the favorite to become the fifth starter, and lone left hander, in the Cardinals’ rotation.

Mozeliak didn’t want to speculate on the severity of Garcia’s injury, adding that some soreness following shoulder surgery is not uncommon.

Garcia was 5-2 with a 3.58 ERA last season. He won a career-high 13 games in 2010 and 2011.

RANGERS

Soto has foot surgery

SURPRISE, Ariz. - Texas Rangers catcher Geovany Soto had arthroscopic surgery Saturday to remove a small bone from his left foot.

Soto had the surgery a day after returning to Texas to be examined by a specialist for what the team had called an Achilles issue. Doctors discovered a bone putting pressure on a flexor tendon.

The Rangers said the procedure went well and that the expectation is their starting catcher should be ready for the start of the regular season.

Soto is expected to be back at spring training camp by Monday. He will be in a walking boot for about 10 days before resuming baseball activities.

In the off season, Texas also signed J.P. Arencibia, whom Manager Ron Washington said will get the bulk of time in drills while Soto is out.

MARLINS

Family joins Alvarez

JUPITER, Fla. - Marlins pitcher Henderson Alvarez has brought his wife and infant daughter to Miami from Caracas, Venezuela, to keep them away from the violent and deadly protests in his native country.

Alvarez said twice his 2-month-old daughter was affected by tear gas being used to quell violent protests across the country that have left eight people dead and more than 100 injured.

Alvarez is from Valencia, Venezuela, and said the remainder of his family has not been affected by the violence.

Before working out with the Marlins on Saturday, Alvarez, All-Star pitcher Jose Hernandez and some other teammates posed for photos with the Venezuelan flag and signs that read “Paz,” peace in Spanish.

TWINS Pelfrey seeks better year

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Mike Pelfrey hopes to bounce back from a rough first season with the Minnesota Twins.

The right-hander began last season less than a year after having elbow ligament-replacement surgery and went 5-13 with a 5.17 ERA. Then he re-signed for two years and $11 million and now he says he feels normal.

Pelfrey figures to be the fourth starter in a rotation that added Ricky Nolasco from the Los Angeles Dodgers and Phil Hughes from the New York Yankees.

Lasts season, Pelfrey made 29 starts with a career-high strikeout rate of six per nine innings. But batters hit .300 against him.

From 2008-11, Pelfrey made at least 31 starts in four consecutive seasons for the New York Mets. He had at least 10 victories in three of them.

METS

Harvey throwing again

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - New York Mets ace Matt Harvey threw a baseball for the first time since having elbow ligament-replacement surgery.

With the largest media contingent in camp since Mets pitchers and catchers reported a week ago and with a group of fans lining the fence of a back field at New York’s spring training complex Saturday, the right-hander threw 20 times from 60 feet to a bullpen catcher.

“It was awesome,” Harvey said. “I know it was 20 throws at 60 feet, but everything felt absolutely amazing. I’ve got a lot of work to do. It’s going to be a tough process with how things felt today. But I’ve got to stick with it and move forward.”

Harvey threw on the four-month anniversary of his surgery - Oct. 22.

RED SOX

Capuano works out

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Chris Capuano has had his first workout with the Boston Red Sox.

The team announced the left-hander’s signing Saturday after he passed a physical. Capuano’s contract is for $2.25 million after he spent the past two seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Joining the Red Sox is a homecoming for the pitcher who grew up in West Springfield, Mass. He said that played a part in his decision to sign with Boston.

The Red Sox plan to use Capuano in relief and as a sixth starter should the need arise.

Fenway Park is one of the stadiums where he hasn’t pitched as a major leaguer, although he pitched and played left field there during a high school all star game between teams from Massachusetts and Connecticut.

DODGERS Cuban signs 5-year deal

GLENDALE, Ariz. - The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed Cuban shortstop Erisbel Arruebarrena to a five-year contract.

The Dodgers announced the deal Saturday. Reports say the contract is worth $25 million, including a $7.5 million signing bonus.

The Dodgers had been negotiating with Arruebarrena for several days. The 23-year-old infielder defected from Cuba last fall, establishing residency in Haiti. He has been working out in the Dominican Republic, according to General Manager Ned Colletti, who said Arruebarrena still has to acquire a work visa.

Arruebarrena was a teammate of Yasiel Puig’s in the Cuban League from 2010-11. He was the starting shortstop for Cuba in last year’s World Baseball Classic, batting .375 with 4 runs and 2 RBI in 6 games.

Sports, Pages 24 on 02/23/2014

Upcoming Events