Baseball commissioner Bud Selig has told his Japanese counterpart that he is open to games between the World Series and Japan Series champions, but no steps have been taken for such a matchup. Selig met this week with Japanese commissioner Ryozo Kato in Milwaukee. Officials of Major League Baseball and the players' association said Thursday there had been no discussion of such a plan.
Archive for January 7th, 2010
M’s get Kotchman from Red Sox for Hall (AP)
Casey Kotchman spent summers from age 7 through 10 on long rides with dozens of older guys all over Washington. He was traveling from Boise, Idaho, tagging along with the low-level minor league team managed by his father, Tom. "I enjoyed all the bus rides. I spent a lot of time growing up here in the Northwest," Kotchman said Thursday.
A’s bring back Cust for 1 year, $2.65M (AP)
The Oakland Athletics added some much-needed power to their lineup with someone they already know swings a reliable bat: free agent Jack Cust. The A's agreed to a $2.65 million, one-year contract Thursday to bring back Cust, giving the team the pop in the middle of the order it was seeking this offseason.
Dawson’s knees almost ruined HOF career (AP)
Andre Dawson's first order of business after donning his new Hall of Fame jersey and cap was to make a confession. "As I stand here, I'm literally shaking," Dawson said Thursday. "I had a knee replacement on one leg that I thought was dead but it's shaking." Dawson's journey to the Hall was a painful one — and not because he had to endure a nine-year wait to be…
MLB Network investing in big names (AP)
Willie Mays visited the MLB Network studios earlier this week, sitting down for a long interview to air at a yet to be determined date. Network president Tony Petitti figures there's no way they could have landed Mays if not for the presence of the person interviewing him, Bob Costas. Costas and MLB Network's newest big-name hire, Peter Gammons, certainly aren't in charge of coming up…
Royals add Cuban LHP Arguelles (AP)
The Kansas City Royals have agreed to a $7 million, five-year contract with Cuban left-hander Noel Arguelles. Arguelles, who turns 20 on Jan. 20, defected with Boston Red Sox shortstop Jose Iglesias at the 2008 World Junior Championships in Edmonton, Alberta. He likely will start in the lower minors to work on command of his fastball, which is in the low-90 mph range.
Yankees, RHP Mitre agree on 1-year deal (AP)
Pitcher Sergio Mitre and the New York Yankees have agreed to an $850,000, one-year contract that leaves the team with two players eligible for salary arbitration. New York had declined a $1.25 million option on the right-hander, who was not on the Yankees' postseason roster. Mitre, who turns 29 next month, had elbow ligament replacement surgery in July 2008 and agreed to a minor league contract…
