Red Sox spend big on Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez

Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez spent the last two seasons as NL West rivals. Now they're teammates in Boston, the result of a $183 million US spending spree the Red Sox are hoping will lift them out of the AL East cellar.

"It's exciting for me to be with Hanley and David Ortiz," Sandoval said Tuesday at Fenway Park after finishing up a five-year, $95 million contract that adds him to a lineup he called "The Three Amigos."

About five hours later, the Red Sox completed their day-night news conference doubleheader by announcing Ramirez's four-year deal, which is worth $88 million US. A former Red Sox prospect, Ramirez was traded to the Marlins nine Thanksgivings ago in a deal that brought Mike Lowell and Josh Beckett to Boston.

"Why not go back where you belong?" Ramirez said. "It worked out for the both of us: You guys won a couple of world championships. I haven't won any, but that's what I'm here for."

Sandoval helped the Giants win three titles, earning the World Series MVP in 2012 and the nickname "Kung Fu Panda" that helped cement him as a fan favourite. He thanked the Giants for bringing him up as a big-leaguer and Giants' fans for their support.

"I want a new challenge. I need a new challenge," he said at his afternoon news conference. "I know that I had a great career in San Francisco. But I'm going to have a new one here."

Sandoval helps fill a hole in the Red Sox lineup for a third baseman and a left-handed bat. Ramirez, who played shortstop and a little third base with the Marlins and Los Angeles Dodgers, is expected to move to left field.

"You're always trying to get a sense of where they might fit in," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "We're not even at Thanksgiving yet. The potential for some other additions might exist."

Sandoval's deal includes a team option for 2020 and Ramirez's contract has a vesting option for 2019.

A 28-year-old Venezuelan listed at 5-foot-11 and 248 pounds, Sandoval was seen as a potential replacement at designated hitter when Ortiz retires. But Sandoval said he plans to manage his weight so he can remain in the field.

Both players praised Ortiz, and Ramirez also said Dustin Pedroia helped recruit him to Boston.

"He said, `I've got two rings. You don't have any. I want some more,"' Ramirez said. "That kind of thing pumps you up."

Sandoval said Ortiz gave him advice when he was in the minor leagues that he has carried with him. Having a chance to play with Ortiz, who was the Series MVP in 2013, was a factor that attracted him to Boston.

"To be Papi's teammate — 162 games, all that with him — for me, it's going to be a very exciting time," said Sandoval, who had dinner with Ramirez on Monday night. Ramirez agreed, saying Ortiz was "like a big brother to me."

Sandoval is a career .294 hitter who had 16 homers and 73 RBIs in the regular season this year and then hit .366 in the postseason while helping the Giants win their third World Series in five years.

"He really embodies a lot of what we care about," Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said. "He's been a big winner. He's been a performer when it counts the most. He's respected as a teammate, loves to play. We think he fits what we're all about here. We're excited to have him."

A 30-year-old infielder who has never played the outfield in 1,634 professional games, Ramirez batted .300 with 13 homers and 71 RBIs for Los Angeles this year. Cherington, who watched Ramirez learn to play shortstop in the minors, said he is confident Ramirez can take on a new position.

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Josh Donaldson excited to team up with Jays, Bautista

Josh Donaldson estimates he's watched thousands of hours of Jose Bautista game tape, modelling his swing — right down to the leg kick — after the Toronto Blue Jays' star right-fielder.

The two became teammates in a late-night trade Friday, creating what Donaldson said could be the most potent lineup in Major League Baseball this season.

"I spoke to (Bautista) at the all-star game and let him know I've studied a lot of his work, and really appreciate what he's accomplished up to this point in his career," Donaldson said on a conference call Saturday.

The third baseman called Bautista one of the best outfielders and hitters in all of baseball.

Ready for the upcoming season

"I feel like this team is going to be so talented," he said. "It's going to be nice, and it's also going to be interesting to see what happens because I feel like it's going to be a pretty fun year."

The 28-year-old was home simultaneously playing some "old-school" "Mortal Kombat" and watching the Golf Channel on Friday night, when his phone alerted him to the news. He was headed to Toronto in a shocking deal that sent Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie, plus shortstop Franklin Barreto and pitchers Sean Nolin and Kendall Graveman, to the Oakland Athletics.

"My phone started exploding. I decided to check it out," Donaldson said. "The first text I see is 'Blue Jays' I was like 'Yup, I just got traded."'

The 28-year-old Donaldson virtually came out of nowhere in 2012, and finished eighth in AL MVP voting this year after hitting .255 for Oakland with 29 home runs and 98 RBIs. A right-handed hitter, Donaldson had a .342 on-base percentage while finishing sixth in the American League with 76 walks. He has a career batting average of .268 with 63 home runs and 228 RBIs and a .347 on-base percentage in 405 games.

Habitual winner

Donaldson said the trade was "a little bit ahead of schedule," but he hopes to bring a habit of winning to Toronto.

"Ever since I was five years old, my teams have won," the all-star said. "I'm not saying that it's necessarily just me that's causing that, but I think there's a mentality about winning. I just hope to be able to come in and instill that winning mentality."

Donaldson already had fond feelings for Toronto after making his debut in the majors here in 2010, recording his first major league hit, a two-run home run, at Rogers Centre.

"I remember Toronto was a great place, a great city, it's just one of those melting pots, you kind of have a little bit of everything in Toronto," he said. "Every time I've been there it's been very beautiful and I've enjoyed my time there."

Donaldson said he believes that the bold move by Alex Anthopoulos shows the Jays GM is determined to turn the team around immediately.

Last week, Anthopoulos signed star catcher Russell Martin as a free agent.

"I 100 per cent can say they're trying to win right now," Donaldson said. "What they're also trying to do is prepare themselves for the future, and Russell Martin has a long-term deal. . . With (Marcus) Stroman and a couple of guys on that staff, they have a young nucleus of pitchers who are very talented. So I definitely think the elements are there to win, it's just about going out there and playing the game."

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Alex Rodriguez admitted drug use to DEA

A lawyer for the University of Miami's former pitching coach said Wednesday that Alex Rodriguez admitted to federal investigators he used steroids supplied by the owner of a now-closed South Florida clinic.

Attorney Frank Quintero Jr., who represents Lazaro "Laser" Collazo in his defence against charges of conspiracy to distribute performance-enhancing drugs, told The Associated Press that the New York Yankees third baseman confessed to steroids use, according to Drug Enforcement Administration documents provided by the government to defence lawyers.

The Miami Herald first reported Rodriguez's admission Wednesday, saying he met with DEA agents on Jan. 29 at the agency's South Florida field office. Given a grant of immunity from prosecution, Rodriguez told investigators he did use banned substances between late 2010 and October 2012 supplied by Anthony Bosch, who owned the Biogenesis of America clinic in Coral Gables.

Rodriguez has publicly denied any use of banned substances during his time with the Yankees, which began in 2004.  He admitted in 2009 that he used performance-enhancing drugs while with Texas from 2001-03.

Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig suspended Rodriguez for 211 games in August 2013 for violations of the sport's drug agreement and labour contract, and the penalty was cut to the 2014 season in January.

Rodriguez proclaimed his innocence and sued in federal court, then withdrew the suit and accepted the penalty.

The Herald reported Bosch told the DEA that A-Rod agreed to pay for steroids for 20 Biogenesis customers after the clinic closed to keep Bosch from talking about his involvement. That could prompt MLB to investigate whether Rodriguez could be suspended again under the sport's drug agreement for violations related to the sale and distribution of PEDs, which are separate from the prohibitions on personal use.

An attorney for Rodriguez did not immediately respond to a telephone call seeking comment. The Yankees declined comment.

The DEA report is among the evidence federal prosecutors have assembled against Rodriguez cousin Yuri Sucart, Collazo and others accused of supplying testosterone and human growth hormone to MLB players and other athletes linked to Biogenesis.

Quintero told the AP he has a copy but cannot release it under federal evidence rules.

"I can for your report confirm that the report by the Herald is accurate as to what Rodriguez said," Quintero said in an email.

Neither the DEA nor the Miami U.S. Attorney's office commented. However, in a separate public court filing, prosecutors made clear Rodriguez would be a star witness if the case against Sucart and the others goes to trial. 

"Rodriguez has a prominent role in the government's proof of the ... conspiracies to distribute testosterone and human growth hormone," the prosecutors wrote.

Prosecutors said Rodriguez paid Sucart $900,000 and provided him and his family with medical insurance, a vehicle and a house in return for Sucart's silence regarding Rodriguez's use of banned substances.

According to the Herald, the DEA report goes into great detail about how Rodriguez paid Bosch for testosterone cream and lozenges known as "gummies" and human growth hormone injections into the player's stomach. Bosch has pleaded guilty in the case and is co-operating in the prosecution of the other men.

"Rodriguez said Bosch told him the HGH would help with sleep, weight, hair growth, eyesight and muscle recovery," the newspaper quoted the DEA report as saying. Bosch also gave Rodriguez tips on how to avoid detection in MLB drug tests.

Rodriguez told agents it was Sucart who introduced him in 2010 to Bosch, who falsely posed as a physician nicknamed "Dr. T." Rodriguez paid mainly in cash and Bosch promised secrecy, although he would eventually begin to co-operate with MLB and federal investigators.

In the DEA report, the Herald said Rodriguez admitted he also helped pay for Bosch's criminal defence, including $25,000 as a down payment to retain one attorney.

In total, 14 MLB players were suspended last year following the sport's Biogenesis investigation. None have been charged with crimes.

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Jays' Jose Bautista wins third Silver Slugger award

The Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout, Pittsburgh's Andrew McCutchen and Washington's Ian Desmond have won their third straight Silver Slugger Awards.

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista won his third career honour and first since 2011.

Chicago White Sox rookie first baseman Jose Abreu and Houston second baseman Jose Altuve were among eight first-time winners announced Thursday by Louisville Slugger, which presents the annual honors following voting by major league managers and coaches for the top hitter in each league at every position.

Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre won for the fourth time and was joined on the AL team by White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez, Cleveland catcher Yan Gomes and Detroit designated hitter Victor Martinez. Trout joined Mike Piazza (1993-95) as the only players to win in each of their first three full big league seasons and was joined in the outfield by Toronto's Jose Bautista and Cleveland's Michael Brantley.

Bautista became the third Blue Jay to won three Silver Sluggers, joining Carlos Delgado (1999, 2000, 2003) and George Bell (1985, '86, '87). Bautista bounced back from a couple of injury-plagued seasons to win his Silver Slugger. He was second in the American League in on-base percentage (.402), fourth in OPS (.926), tied for fifth in home runs with 35 and was seventh in RBI with 103.

The NL team included Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, Pittsburgh second baseman Neil Walker and Washington's left side of the infield, with Desmond at shortstop and Anthony Rendon at third. McCutchen was picked in the outfield along with Miami's Giancarlo Stanton and Atlanta's Justin Upton. World Series champion San Francisco earned battery honors, with Madison Bumgarner winning at pitcher and Buster Posey at catcher.

Brantley, Bumgarner, Gomes, Rendon, Stanton and Walker also were first-time winners. Beltre, Gonzalez and Martinez each earned $100,000 bonuses; Trout $75,000; Brantley, Bumgarner and Posey $50,000 apiece; Altuve $25,000; and Abreu and Ramirez $15,000 each.

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Alex Rodriguez admitted drug use to DEA

A lawyer for the University of Miami's former pitching coach said Wednesday that Alex Rodriguez admitted to federal investigators he used steroids supplied by the owner of a now-closed South Florida clinic.

Attorney Frank Quintero Jr., who represents Lazaro "Laser" Collazo in his defence against charges of conspiracy to distribute performance-enhancing drugs, told The Associated Press that the New York Yankees third baseman confessed to steroids use, according to Drug Enforcement Administration documents provided by the government to defence lawyers.

The Miami Herald first reported Rodriguez's admission Wednesday, saying he met with DEA agents on Jan. 29 at the agency's South Florida field office. Given a grant of immunity from prosecution, Rodriguez told investigators he did use banned substances between late 2010 and October 2012 supplied by Anthony Bosch, who owned the Biogenesis of America clinic in Coral Gables.

Rodriguez has publicly denied any use of banned substances during his time with the Yankees, which began in 2004.  He admitted in 2009 that he used performance-enhancing drugs while with Texas from 2001-03.

Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig suspended Rodriguez for 211 games in August 2013 for violations of the sport's drug agreement and labour contract, and the penalty was cut to the 2014 season in January.

Rodriguez proclaimed his innocence and sued in federal court, then withdrew the suit and accepted the penalty.

The Herald reported Bosch told the DEA that A-Rod agreed to pay for steroids for 20 Biogenesis customers after the clinic closed to keep Bosch from talking about his involvement. That could prompt MLB to investigate whether Rodriguez could be suspended again under the sport's drug agreement for violations related to the sale and distribution of PEDs, which are separate from the prohibitions on personal use.

An attorney for Rodriguez did not immediately respond to a telephone call seeking comment. The Yankees declined comment.

The DEA report is among the evidence federal prosecutors have assembled against Rodriguez cousin Yuri Sucart, Collazo and others accused of supplying testosterone and human growth hormone to MLB players and other athletes linked to Biogenesis.

Quintero told the AP he has a copy but cannot release it under federal evidence rules.

"I can for your report confirm that the report by the Herald is accurate as to what Rodriguez said," Quintero said in an email.

Neither the DEA nor the Miami U.S. Attorney's office commented. However, in a separate public court filing, prosecutors made clear Rodriguez would be a star witness if the case against Sucart and the others goes to trial. 

"Rodriguez has a prominent role in the government's proof of the ... conspiracies to distribute testosterone and human growth hormone," the prosecutors wrote.

Prosecutors said Rodriguez paid Sucart $900,000 and provided him and his family with medical insurance, a vehicle and a house in return for Sucart's silence regarding Rodriguez's use of banned substances.

According to the Herald, the DEA report goes into great detail about how Rodriguez paid Bosch for testosterone cream and lozenges known as "gummies" and human growth hormone injections into the player's stomach. Bosch has pleaded guilty in the case and is co-operating in the prosecution of the other men.

"Rodriguez said Bosch told him the HGH would help with sleep, weight, hair growth, eyesight and muscle recovery," the newspaper quoted the DEA report as saying. Bosch also gave Rodriguez tips on how to avoid detection in MLB drug tests.

Rodriguez told agents it was Sucart who introduced him in 2010 to Bosch, who falsely posed as a physician nicknamed "Dr. T." Rodriguez paid mainly in cash and Bosch promised secrecy, although he would eventually begin to co-operate with MLB and federal investigators.

In the DEA report, the Herald said Rodriguez admitted he also helped pay for Bosch's criminal defence, including $25,000 as a down payment to retain one attorney.

In total, 14 MLB players were suspended last year following the sport's Biogenesis investigation. None have been charged with crimes.

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Jays' Jose Bautista wins third Silver Slugger award

The Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout, Pittsburgh's Andrew McCutchen and Washington's Ian Desmond have won their third straight Silver Slugger Awards.

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista won his third career honour and first since 2011.

Chicago White Sox rookie first baseman Jose Abreu and Houston second baseman Jose Altuve were among eight first-time winners announced Thursday by Louisville Slugger, which presents the annual honors following voting by major league managers and coaches for the top hitter in each league at every position.

Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre won for the fourth time and was joined on the AL team by White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez, Cleveland catcher Yan Gomes and Detroit designated hitter Victor Martinez. Trout joined Mike Piazza (1993-95) as the only players to win in each of their first three full big league seasons and was joined in the outfield by Toronto's Jose Bautista and Cleveland's Michael Brantley.

Bautista became the third Blue Jay to won three Silver Sluggers, joining Carlos Delgado (1999, 2000, 2003) and George Bell (1985, '86, '87). Bautista bounced back from a couple of injury-plagued seasons to win his Silver Slugger. He was second in the American League in on-base percentage (.402), fourth in OPS (.926), tied for fifth in home runs with 35 and was seventh in RBI with 103.

The NL team included Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, Pittsburgh second baseman Neil Walker and Washington's left side of the infield, with Desmond at shortstop and Anthony Rendon at third. McCutchen was picked in the outfield along with Miami's Giancarlo Stanton and Atlanta's Justin Upton. World Series champion San Francisco earned battery honors, with Madison Bumgarner winning at pitcher and Buster Posey at catcher.

Brantley, Bumgarner, Gomes, Rendon, Stanton and Walker also were first-time winners. Beltre, Gonzalez and Martinez each earned $100,000 bonuses; Trout $75,000; Brantley, Bumgarner and Posey $50,000 apiece; Altuve $25,000; and Abreu and Ramirez $15,000 each.

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Alex Rodriguez admitted drug use to DEA

A lawyer for the University of Miami's former pitching coach said Wednesday that Alex Rodriguez admitted to federal investigators he used steroids supplied by the owner of a now-closed South Florida clinic.

Attorney Frank Quintero Jr., who represents Lazaro "Laser" Collazo in his defence against charges of conspiracy to distribute performance-enhancing drugs, told The Associated Press that the New York Yankees third baseman confessed to steroids use, according to Drug Enforcement Administration documents provided by the government to defence lawyers.

The Miami Herald first reported Rodriguez's admission Wednesday, saying he met with DEA agents on Jan. 29 at the agency's South Florida field office. Given a grant of immunity from prosecution, Rodriguez told investigators he did use banned substances between late 2010 and October 2012 supplied by Anthony Bosch, who owned the Biogenesis of America clinic in Coral Gables.

Rodriguez has publicly denied any use of banned substances during his time with the Yankees, which began in 2004.  He admitted in 2009 that he used performance-enhancing drugs while with Texas from 2001-03.

Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig suspended Rodriguez for 211 games in August 2013 for violations of the sport's drug agreement and labour contract, and the penalty was cut to the 2014 season in January.

Rodriguez proclaimed his innocence and sued in federal court, then withdrew the suit and accepted the penalty.

The Herald reported Bosch told the DEA that A-Rod agreed to pay for steroids for 20 Biogenesis customers after the clinic closed to keep Bosch from talking about his involvement. That could prompt MLB to investigate whether Rodriguez could be suspended again under the sport's drug agreement for violations related to the sale and distribution of PEDs, which are separate from the prohibitions on personal use.

An attorney for Rodriguez did not immediately respond to a telephone call seeking comment. The Yankees declined comment.

The DEA report is among the evidence federal prosecutors have assembled against Rodriguez cousin Yuri Sucart, Collazo and others accused of supplying testosterone and human growth hormone to MLB players and other athletes linked to Biogenesis.

Quintero told the AP he has a copy but cannot release it under federal evidence rules.

"I can for your report confirm that the report by the Herald is accurate as to what Rodriguez said," Quintero said in an email.

Neither the DEA nor the Miami U.S. Attorney's office commented. However, in a separate public court filing, prosecutors made clear Rodriguez would be a star witness if the case against Sucart and the others goes to trial. 

"Rodriguez has a prominent role in the government's proof of the ... conspiracies to distribute testosterone and human growth hormone," the prosecutors wrote.

Prosecutors said Rodriguez paid Sucart $900,000 and provided him and his family with medical insurance, a vehicle and a house in return for Sucart's silence regarding Rodriguez's use of banned substances.

According to the Herald, the DEA report goes into great detail about how Rodriguez paid Bosch for testosterone cream and lozenges known as "gummies" and human growth hormone injections into the player's stomach. Bosch has pleaded guilty in the case and is co-operating in the prosecution of the other men.

"Rodriguez said Bosch told him the HGH would help with sleep, weight, hair growth, eyesight and muscle recovery," the newspaper quoted the DEA report as saying. Bosch also gave Rodriguez tips on how to avoid detection in MLB drug tests.

Rodriguez told agents it was Sucart who introduced him in 2010 to Bosch, who falsely posed as a physician nicknamed "Dr. T." Rodriguez paid mainly in cash and Bosch promised secrecy, although he would eventually begin to co-operate with MLB and federal investigators.

In the DEA report, the Herald said Rodriguez admitted he also helped pay for Bosch's criminal defence, including $25,000 as a down payment to retain one attorney.

In total, 14 MLB players were suspended last year following the sport's Biogenesis investigation. None have been charged with crimes.

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Farhan Zaidi hired as Dodgers' new GM: reports

The Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to hire Canadian Farhan Zaidi, the Oakland Athletics assistant GM, as the club's new general manager, according to multiple reports.

Zaidi, who was born in Sudbury, Ont., and raised mostly in the Philippines, just completed his 10th season in Oakland's front office as one of general manager Billy Beane's creative assistants and analysts. Zaidi will now work under new Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, who joined the team last month from the Tampa Bay Rays.

Los Angeles won the NL West for the second straight season before losing the NL Division Series in four games to St. Louis.

Friedman, a former Wall Street analyst who turned the Rays into contenders in the AL East was introduced by the Dodgers on Oct. 17, and Zaidi are both respected businessmen and number crunchers who look to build a roster with creative methods given the financial challenges both have faced with their small-budget teams.

The Dodgers had a major league-high $256-million US payroll this year, and now the team desperately wants to take the next step and compete for a World Series. Especially after seeing the rival San Francisco Giants win three of the last five championships.

Once Friedman left the Rays to replace Ned Colletti, manager Joe Maddon followed and was formally named manager by the Chicago Cubs on Monday. Colletti is now a senior adviser to team president and CEO Stan Kasten.

In early February, the A's promoted Zaidi to assistant GM and director of baseball operations. He earned his bachelor's degree in economics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1998 and a PhD in economics from the University of California at Berkeley in 2011.

Zaidi has handled a big load on Beane's staff, including playing a key role in the acquisition of Cuban slugger and outfielder Yoenis Cespedes before the 2012 season. Cespedes, the two-time reigning Home Run Derby champion, was traded to Boston for left-hander Jon Lester at the July 31 trade deadline. The A's, who won the AL West in 2012 and '13, lost in the one-game wild-card playoff to World Series runner-up Kansas City.

With the A's, Zaidi's areas of expertise included providing statistical analysis for evaluating and targeting players in the amateur draft, free agent and trade markets. He also worked on arbitration cases, minor league contracts and worked closely with coaches to analyze data from advance scouting reports. Zaidi previously served as business development associate for Small World Media, the fantasy sports division of The Sporting News, and also worked as a management consultant for the Boston Consulting Group.

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Blue Jays to return to Montreal for 2 pre-season games

After last year's roaring success, playing more pre-season games in Montreal was an easy choice for the Toronto Blue Jays.

The ball club and co-promoter Evenko announced Tuesday that Joey Votto and the Cincinnati Reds will face the Blue Jays in exhibition games April 3-4 at Olympic Stadium.

Toronto hopes to duplicate the frenzy last year when 96,350 fans turned out to see the Blue Jays sweep a pair of exhibition games from the New York Mets, although the turnout was spurred mostly by the fans' wish to bring Major League Baseball back to Montreal.

"The fans of Montreal, the way they welcomed us, it was a no brainer for us to come back here again this year," Blue Jays president and CEO Paul Beeston said at a news conference. "I don't think we could ever have expected what we received last year.

"There was an atmosphere in there you can't describe. I said to the commissioner 'You had to be there and feel it.' It may not be a World Series game, but it certainly had the feel of a playoff game."

General manager Alex Anthopoulos said he hopes to play at the Big O every year until Montreal lands its own team.

The event will include tributes to former Blue Jays star Roberto Alomar and manager Cito Gaston as well as Tony Perez, who starred for the Reds and the Expos.

Turning out in large numbers is viewed as a means to show the city is ready to have a team again. The Montreal Expos, who played in the National League from 1969 to 2004, moved to Washington to become the Nationals.

It would require finding an owner and a building a new stadium, likely at public expense, but Mayor Denis Coderre backs the idea and there is an organization called the Montreal Baseball Project led by former Expo Warren Cromartie working on building support and trying to land a franchise.

Beeston said the Blue Jays would welcome a rival in Montreal. Moreso if they played in the same division in the AL.

"It would be the best that could happen," he said. "Hockey (is) six games a year, that would be 18, it would be a weekend.

"And now, with interleague play, it's not like you can say we need the two leagues represented in the country. It would just make it more exciting. I would endorse that in a heartbeat."

Reports said the Tampa Bay Rays, who play in Toronto's division, may be looking to move if they don't get a new downtown stadium, but Beeston was not about to endorse the relocation of any team.

"They've had a lot of success on the field and maybe, with a new stadium in a new location, the game can grow there," he said.

Coderre said Montreal will make an "action plan" to help land a team.

"We need to send a clear message," he said. "Everyone has to do their part for baseball."

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Farhan Zaidi hired as Dodgers' new GM: reports

The Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to hire Canadian Farhan Zaidi, the Oakland Athletics assistant GM, as the club's new general manager, according to multiple reports.

Zaidi, who was born in Sudbury, Ont., and raised mostly in the Philippines, just completed his 10th season in Oakland's front office as one of general manager Billy Beane's creative assistants and analysts. Zaidi will now work under new Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, who joined the team last month from the Tampa Bay Rays.

Los Angeles won the NL West for the second straight season before losing the NL Division Series in four games to St. Louis.

Friedman, a former Wall Street analyst who turned the Rays into contenders in the AL East was introduced by the Dodgers on Oct. 17, and Zaidi are both respected businessmen and number crunchers who look to build a roster with creative methods given the financial challenges both have faced with their small-budget teams.

The Dodgers had a major league-high $256-million US payroll this year, and now the team desperately wants to take the next step and compete for a World Series. Especially after seeing the rival San Francisco Giants win three of the last five championships.

Once Friedman left the Rays to replace Ned Colletti, manager Joe Maddon followed and was formally named manager by the Chicago Cubs on Monday. Colletti is now a senior adviser to team president and CEO Stan Kasten.

In early February, the A's promoted Zaidi to assistant GM and director of baseball operations. He earned his bachelor's degree in economics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1998 and a PhD in economics from the University of California at Berkeley in 2011.

Zaidi has handled a big load on Beane's staff, including playing a key role in the acquisition of Cuban slugger and outfielder Yoenis Cespedes before the 2012 season. Cespedes, the two-time reigning Home Run Derby champion, was traded to Boston for left-hander Jon Lester at the July 31 trade deadline. The A's, who won the AL West in 2012 and '13, lost in the one-game wild-card playoff to World Series runner-up Kansas City.

With the A's, Zaidi's areas of expertise included providing statistical analysis for evaluating and targeting players in the amateur draft, free agent and trade markets. He also worked on arbitration cases, minor league contracts and worked closely with coaches to analyze data from advance scouting reports. Zaidi previously served as business development associate for Small World Media, the fantasy sports division of The Sporting News, and also worked as a management consultant for the Boston Consulting Group.

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Joe Maddon makes it official, introduced as Cubs manager

When Joe Maddon and the Tampa Bay Rays visited Wrigley Field in August, the manager raved about National League baseball and praised the iconic neighborhood ballpark.

Couple that with Maddon's impressive resume, and it's easy to see why the Chicago Cubs think this is going to be one successful partnership.

Maddon was introduced Monday as Chicago's fifth manager since the start of the 2010 season, replacing Rick Renteria. The Cubs' braintrust of president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer had planned to bring back Renteria until Maddon opted out of his contract with the Rays last month.

Then they decided to pounce on a free agent "who may be as well suited as anyone in the industry to manage the challenges that lie ahead of us," Epstein said in a release announcing Renteria's dismissal on Friday.

The 60-year-old Maddon had a 754-705 record in nine seasons in Tampa Bay, leading the club to four playoff appearances, two AL East titles and a five-game loss to Philadelphia in the 2008 World Series. The two-time AL Manager of the Year also was the bench coach for six seasons under Angels manager Mike Scioscia before he was hired by Tampa Bay in November 2005.

The Rays went 77-85 this year, and Maddon departed after Andrew Friedman left Tampa Bay's front office to take over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Oct. 14.

Chicago finished 73-89 in Renteria's only season in charge.

Maddon inherits an impressive group of prospects and a bigger payroll after his successful run with the small-market Rays. But he also gets a run of five consecutive losing seasons and a famous title drought that goes back to the Cubs' win in the 1908 World Series.

Chicago hasn't made it to the playoffs since it won the NL Central in 2008 with Lou Piniella in the dugout. Epstein was hired after the Cubs went 71-91 in 2011, beginning a rebuilding process that included 101 losses in his first year in charge.

But Epstein thinks the Cubs are ready to contend right now, and the bold move for Maddon shows he thinks the rebuilding process is far enough long that the manager could make a difference. First baseman Anthony Rizzo and shortstop Starlin Castro each made the All-Star team this year, and young sluggers Javier Baez and Jorge Soler had some positive moments in their first major league action.

Maddon's biggest challenge is building on the development of Chicago's core group of young players, while paving the way for another wave of prospects that includes third baseman Kris Bryant and shortstop Addison Russell.

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Twins set to hire ex-Blue Jay Paul Molitor as manager

Hall of Fame infielder/designated hitter Paul Molitor, who was a member of the 1993 World Series champion Toronto Blue Jays, will be introduced as the Minnesota Twins' 13th manager on Tuesday at 11 a.m. ET.

The 58-year-old Molitor reportedly will be handed a three-year contract, replacing Ron Gardenhire, who was fired five weeks ago after 13 seasons.

Molitor, a native of St. Paul, Minn., and former University of Minnesota star, ranks 10th all-time in the major leagues in hits (3,319) over a 21-year career. He's the only player in major league history to triple for his 3,000th hit.

Molitor finished his career with a .306/.369/.448 slash line in 2,683 games.

He joins Mike Matheny (St. Louis), Don Mattingly (Los Angeles Dodgers), Robin Ventura (Chicago White Sox), Walt Weiss (Colorado) and John Farrell (with Toronto before Boston) as recent hires with no previous managerial experience.

Molitor spent this past season as a coach on Gardenhire's staff overseeing base running, bunting, infield instruction and positioning as well as in-game strategy. Previously, he served as the Twins' minor league base running/infield coordinator for 10 seasons.

Molitor was also hitting coach for the Seattle Mariners in 2004 and bench coach for Minnesota from 2000-01.

In 2001, he was an initial candidate to replace the retired Tom Kelly before Minnesota hired Gardenhire.

Molitor was a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2004.

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Giants have fun in rain during World Series parade

San Francisco became the Valley of the Giants for the third time in five years Friday as hundreds of thousands of people lined the streets for a confetti and rain-soaked parade honouring the city's World Series champions.

Under grey skies where a steady drizzle mixed with clouds of orange, black and white confetti, players waved, snapped photos and mugged for the roaring crowds from the top of double-decker buses, a change from the classic convertibles and cable cars on wheels that had transported them along their now-familiar parade route in 2012 and 2010.

"These guys play together, they believe in each other, they play as one and they never give up," baseball Hall of Famer Willie McCovey said as he waited to greet the young members of his former team for a post-parade rally at San Francisco City Hall, the end of the 3.2 kilometre (two mile)  route. "That's the way this team has been for years."

Elated fans of all ages, some of whom staked out viewing spots hours before the spectacle's noon PT start time, pressed against metal barriers, stood on rooftops and climbed onto street lamps festooned with orange, black and white balloons, to cheer their hometown heroes.

Many skipped work and pulled their children out of class against the pleas of local schools so they could catch what they described as a glimpse of history.

"I'm going to send them to school on Monday saying they had `orange fever,"' said Marcela Habash, 36, of San Francisco, who brought three of her four children to the plaza outside City Hall to see the celebration.

While other players doubled up on the buses, the day's undisputed giant among Giants, pitching ace Madison Bumgarner, was given his own flatbed truck to ride. It was adorned with a sign indicating his most valuable player honours from both the World Series and the National League championship. Deafening roars and chants of "M-V-P! M-V-P!" greeted the soft-spoken pitcher as he held both of his trophies aloft.

A second pickup carried the Giants' World Series trophies from 2012 and 2010, while manager Bruce Bochy beamed from atop a double-decker bus bearing this year's trophy.

Corporate sponsors livened up the parade with elaborately decked-out floats that included a panda-themed homage to slugger and 2012 World Series MVP Pablo Sandoval, whose nickname is Kung-Fu Panda. Former Journey lead singer Steve Perry stepped down from a float blaring his anthem "Don't Stop Believin"' to offer animated high-fives to fellow die-hard San Francisco fans.

Dignitaries such as Giants legend Willie Mays, team president Larry Baer, U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Mayor Ed Lee and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who was San Francisco's mayor when the Giants won the Series in 2010, rode in convertibles.

Elsewhere along the route, teenage girls with cellphones held high shrieked as shortstop and team heartthrob Brandon Crawford rolled by. San Jose high school senior Jessica Earnshaw snapped off several pictures of Crawford.

"He's my favourite," she said. "By far."

'There is absolutely no way we would be here without you guys. You make it so fun to come out and play in front of you every night.'- Giants SP Madison Bumgarner at World Series parade

At the rally, players and team officials offered inside glimpses of their season and what the repeat Series win, and the support of fans, meant to them.

Pitcher Jeremy Affeldt, who like most of his colleagues was sporting a sweatshirt with the slogan "Kiss the Ring," said that on the airplane back from their Series-clinching game in St. Louis, the players had joked about engraving their World Series rings with the words "Mad Bum" -- Bumgarner's nickname -- instead of their own names.

"This is the best moment of our lives, our baseball careers," Bumgarner told the crowd. "To be here standing right here on this stage is what we all play for. ... There is absolutely no way we would be here without you guys. You make it so fun to come out and play in front of you every night."

Neither city officials nor the police offered an official estimate of how many people attended the festivities, although Police Chief Greg Suhr said the number of officers on the streets Friday was at least 20 per cent higher than usual, with police dogs helping with security.

Although the weather undeniably kept a lot of people away, neither parade-goers nor the fans offered any sign they were taking the moment for granted.

Veteran pitcher Tim Hudson, who is in his first season with the Giants, twirled an orange towel over his head to wild cheers. Two buses later, right-fielder and unofficial team cheerleader Hunter Pence, wearing a replica wrestling championship belt, threw his hands up and lead fans in several choruses of "let's go, Giants!"

Closing pitcher Santiago Casilla, held a sign that said "Jesus Loves You."

Star reliever Sergio Romo lifted up his jacket several times to reveal a T-shirt that read, "I have issues." During the 2012 parade, Romo raised eyebrows and drew cheers with a T-shirt bearing the message, "I just look illegal."

The parade was a first for Ana Gonzalez, 43, who rose before the sun to drive to San Francisco from her suburban Bay Area home.

With the parade falling on Halloween, as it did two years ago, she and other parents had to choose between celebrating their team and attending school events.

"I asked the kids if they wanted to go to their Halloween parade or the Giants," Gonzalez said. "And they said, `Let's go see the Giants!"'

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Blue Jays trade Adam Lind to Milwaukee

Adam Lind's decade-long run in Toronto came to an end Saturday as the Blue Jays picked up his 2015 contract option and promptly traded him to the Milwaukee Brewers for right-hander Marco Estrada.

Lind, who was drafted by the Blue Jays in the third of the 2004 draft, had a .321 average with six homers and 40 RBIs in 96 games last season.

Estrada, meanwhile, was 7-6 for the Brewers last season with a 4.36 earned-run average. The 31-year-old native of Sonora, Mexico appeared in 39 games and made 18 starts.

Lind's option was worth US$7.5 million. The Blue Jays also exercised contract options on left-hander J.A. Happ at $6.7 million and catcher Josh Thole at $1.75 million, the team said in a release.

In addition, outfielder Melky Cabrera was extended a qualifying offer at $15.3 million while options on right-handers Dustin McGowan, Brandon Morrow and Sergio Santos were declined, allowing them to elect free agency.

The contract option on first baseman Justin Smoak was also declined but he remains under team control and is arbitration eligible. In addition, third baseman Brett Lawrie of Langley, B.C., infielder Maicer Izturis, right-hander Chad Jenkins and outfielder Andy Dirks were reinstated from the 60-day disabled list and added to the 40-man roster.

Lind, a 31-year-old first baseman/designated hitter, has a .273 career average with 146 home runs and 519 RBIs over nine big-league seasons.

Estrada was drafted by Washington in the sixth round of the 2005 draft. In seven seasons with the Nationals and Brewers, he has a 23-26 record with a 4.23 ERA. He has made 74 starts over 154 career appearances.

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Giants have fun in rain during World Series parade

San Francisco became the Valley of the Giants for the third time in five years Friday as hundreds of thousands of people lined the streets for a confetti and rain-soaked parade honouring the city's World Series champions.

Under grey skies where a steady drizzle mixed with clouds of orange, black and white confetti, players waved, snapped photos and mugged for the roaring crowds from the top of double-decker buses, a change from the classic convertibles and cable cars on wheels that had transported them along their now-familiar parade route in 2012 and 2010.

"These guys play together, they believe in each other, they play as one and they never give up," baseball Hall of Famer Willie McCovey said as he waited to greet the young members of his former team for a post-parade rally at San Francisco City Hall, the end of the 3.2 kilometre (two mile)  route. "That's the way this team has been for years."

Elated fans of all ages, some of whom staked out viewing spots hours before the spectacle's noon PT start time, pressed against metal barriers, stood on rooftops and climbed onto street lamps festooned with orange, black and white balloons, to cheer their hometown heroes.

Many skipped work and pulled their children out of class against the pleas of local schools so they could catch what they described as a glimpse of history.

"I'm going to send them to school on Monday saying they had `orange fever,"' said Marcela Habash, 36, of San Francisco, who brought three of her four children to the plaza outside City Hall to see the celebration.

While other players doubled up on the buses, the day's undisputed giant among Giants, pitching ace Madison Bumgarner, was given his own flatbed truck to ride. It was adorned with a sign indicating his most valuable player honours from both the World Series and the National League championship. Deafening roars and chants of "M-V-P! M-V-P!" greeted the soft-spoken pitcher as he held both of his trophies aloft.

A second pickup carried the Giants' World Series trophies from 2012 and 2010, while manager Bruce Bochy beamed from atop a double-decker bus bearing this year's trophy.

Corporate sponsors livened up the parade with elaborately decked-out floats that included a panda-themed homage to slugger and 2012 World Series MVP Pablo Sandoval, whose nickname is Kung-Fu Panda. Former Journey lead singer Steve Perry stepped down from a float blaring his anthem "Don't Stop Believin"' to offer animated high-fives to fellow die-hard San Francisco fans.

Dignitaries such as Giants legend Willie Mays, team president Larry Baer, U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Mayor Ed Lee and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who was San Francisco's mayor when the Giants won the Series in 2010, rode in convertibles.

Elsewhere along the route, teenage girls with cellphones held high shrieked as shortstop and team heartthrob Brandon Crawford rolled by. San Jose high school senior Jessica Earnshaw snapped off several pictures of Crawford.

"He's my favourite," she said. "By far."

'There is absolutely no way we would be here without you guys. You make it so fun to come out and play in front of you every night.'- Giants SP Madison Bumgarner at World Series parade

At the rally, players and team officials offered inside glimpses of their season and what the repeat Series win, and the support of fans, meant to them.

Pitcher Jeremy Affeldt, who like most of his colleagues was sporting a sweatshirt with the slogan "Kiss the Ring," said that on the airplane back from their Series-clinching game in St. Louis, the players had joked about engraving their World Series rings with the words "Mad Bum" -- Bumgarner's nickname -- instead of their own names.

"This is the best moment of our lives, our baseball careers," Bumgarner told the crowd. "To be here standing right here on this stage is what we all play for. ... There is absolutely no way we would be here without you guys. You make it so fun to come out and play in front of you every night."

Neither city officials nor the police offered an official estimate of how many people attended the festivities, although Police Chief Greg Suhr said the number of officers on the streets Friday was at least 20 per cent higher than usual, with police dogs helping with security.

Although the weather undeniably kept a lot of people away, neither parade-goers nor the fans offered any sign they were taking the moment for granted.

Veteran pitcher Tim Hudson, who is in his first season with the Giants, twirled an orange towel over his head to wild cheers. Two buses later, right-fielder and unofficial team cheerleader Hunter Pence, wearing a replica wrestling championship belt, threw his hands up and lead fans in several choruses of "let's go, Giants!"

Closing pitcher Santiago Casilla, held a sign that said "Jesus Loves You."

Star reliever Sergio Romo lifted up his jacket several times to reveal a T-shirt that read, "I have issues." During the 2012 parade, Romo raised eyebrows and drew cheers with a T-shirt bearing the message, "I just look illegal."

The parade was a first for Ana Gonzalez, 43, who rose before the sun to drive to San Francisco from her suburban Bay Area home.

With the parade falling on Halloween, as it did two years ago, she and other parents had to choose between celebrating their team and attending school events.

"I asked the kids if they wanted to go to their Halloween parade or the Giants," Gonzalez said. "And they said, `Let's go see the Giants!"'

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Blue Jays trade Adam Lind to Milwaukee

Adam Lind's decade-long run in Toronto came to an end Saturday as the Blue Jays picked up his 2015 contract option and promptly traded him to the Milwaukee Brewers for right-hander Marco Estrada.

Lind, who was drafted by the Blue Jays in the third of the 2004 draft, had a .321 average with six homers and 40 RBIs in 96 games last season.

Estrada, meanwhile, was 7-6 for the Brewers last season with a 4.36 earned-run average. The 31-year-old native of Sonora, Mexico appeared in 39 games and made 18 starts.

Lind's option was worth US$7.5 million. The Blue Jays also exercised contract options on left-hander J.A. Happ at $6.7 million and catcher Josh Thole at $1.75 million, the team said in a release.

In addition, outfielder Melky Cabrera was extended a qualifying offer at $15.3 million while options on right-handers Dustin McGowan, Brandon Morrow and Sergio Santos were declined, allowing them to elect free agency.

The contract option on first baseman Justin Smoak was also declined but he remains under team control and is arbitration eligible. In addition, third baseman Brett Lawrie of Langley, B.C., infielder Maicer Izturis, right-hander Chad Jenkins and outfielder Andy Dirks were reinstated from the 60-day disabled list and added to the 40-man roster.

Lind, a 31-year-old first baseman/designated hitter, has a .273 career average with 146 home runs and 519 RBIs over nine big-league seasons.

Estrada was drafted by Washington in the sixth round of the 2005 draft. In seven seasons with the Nationals and Brewers, he has a 23-26 record with a 4.23 ERA. He has made 74 starts over 154 career appearances.

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Cubs hire Joe Maddon hours after firing Rick Renteria

Joe Maddon was hired as manager of the Chicago Cubs on Friday, hours after the team fired Rick Renteria.

Chicago, without a World Series title since 1908, announced the hiring about two hours after announcing the firing.

Long regarded as one of baseball's best managers, Maddon opted out of his contract with Tampa Bay after Andrew Friedman left the Rays' front office to take over the Los Angeles Dodgers' baseball operations on Oct. 14.

Maddon had a 754-705 record in nine seasons in Tampa Bay, leading the club to four playoff appearances, two AL East titles and a five-game loss to Philadelphia in the 2008 World Series. The two-time AL Manager of the Year was the bench coach for six seasons under Angels manager Mike Scioscia, then was hired by Tampa Bay in November 2005.

Renteria had two years left on the contract he signed with the Cubs last November. Cubs President Theo Epstein said Renteria deserved to come back next season as the Cubs continue their rebuilding effort but Maddon's unexpected decision to opt out of his contract with the Rays changed the equation.

"Maddon — who may be as well suited as anyone in the industry to manage the challenges that lie ahead of us — had become a free agent," Epstein said in a statement. "We saw it as a unique opportunity and faced a clear dilemma: be loyal to Rick or be loyal to the organization. In this business of trying to win a world championship for the first time in 107 years, the organization has priority over any one individual. We decided to pursue Joe."

Epstein said the Cubs were "transparent" at all times with Renteria once Maddon became available two weeks ago.

"Rick often said he was the beneficiary of the hard work of others who came before him," he said. "Now, in the young players he helped, we reap the benefits of his hard work as we move forward. He deserved better and we wish him nothing but the best."

Renteria was offered another job within the Cubs organization and Epstein praised him several times after leading Chicago to a 73-89 in his only season as a major league manager. It was a seven-win improvement from 2013, the last of Dale Sveum's two years in charge.

Looking for a turnaround after five consecutive losing seasons, the Cubs hope Maddon will agree to manage a promising, young roster and a franchise with far more resources than he ever enjoyed with the small-market Rays.

With Renteria in the dugout, first baseman Anthony Rizzo and shortstop Starlin Castro each had a rebound season, and young sluggers Javier Baez and Jorge Soler were among a group of prospects who showed considerable promise in their first major league action. There are also heralded prospects in the wings, including third baseman Kris Bryant and shortstop Addison Russell.

Renteria, who was the bench coach in San Diego before he got his first opportunity to be a big league manager, already was looking at a different staff for his second year.

Hitting coach Bill Mueller resigned after Epstein announced that Mike Brumley would not return as assistant hitting coach. John Mallee, a Chicago native, was hired to replace Mueller, Eric Hinske shifted to assistant hitting coach and former Cubs outfielder Doug Dascenzo was hired as first base and outfield coach.

Now their fate is unclear as is the status of pitching coach Chris Bosio, who has drawn praise for his work with Jake Arrieta and a couple other pitchers who were traded by the Cubs after they rebounded until the tutelage of the former major leaguer.

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Giants have fun in rain during World Series parade

San Francisco became the Valley of the Giants for the third time in five years Friday as hundreds of thousands of people lined the streets for a confetti and rain-soaked parade honouring the city's World Series champions.

Under grey skies where a steady drizzle mixed with clouds of orange, black and white confetti, players waved, snapped photos and mugged for the roaring crowds from the top of double-decker buses, a change from the classic convertibles and cable cars on wheels that had transported them along their now-familiar parade route in 2012 and 2010.

"These guys play together, they believe in each other, they play as one and they never give up," baseball Hall of Famer Willie McCovey said as he waited to greet the young members of his former team for a post-parade rally at San Francisco City Hall, the end of the 3.2 kilometre (two mile)  route. "That's the way this team has been for years."

Elated fans of all ages, some of whom staked out viewing spots hours before the spectacle's noon PT start time, pressed against metal barriers, stood on rooftops and climbed onto street lamps festooned with orange, black and white balloons, to cheer their hometown heroes.

Many skipped work and pulled their children out of class against the pleas of local schools so they could catch what they described as a glimpse of history.

"I'm going to send them to school on Monday saying they had `orange fever,"' said Marcela Habash, 36, of San Francisco, who brought three of her four children to the plaza outside City Hall to see the celebration.

While other players doubled up on the buses, the day's undisputed giant among Giants, pitching ace Madison Bumgarner, was given his own flatbed truck to ride. It was adorned with a sign indicating his most valuable player honours from both the World Series and the National League championship. Deafening roars and chants of "M-V-P! M-V-P!" greeted the soft-spoken pitcher as he held both of his trophies aloft.

A second pickup carried the Giants' World Series trophies from 2012 and 2010, while manager Bruce Bochy beamed from atop a double-decker bus bearing this year's trophy.

Corporate sponsors livened up the parade with elaborately decked-out floats that included a panda-themed homage to slugger and 2012 World Series MVP Pablo Sandoval, whose nickname is Kung-Fu Panda. Former Journey lead singer Steve Perry stepped down from a float blaring his anthem "Don't Stop Believin"' to offer animated high-fives to fellow die-hard San Francisco fans.

Dignitaries such as Giants legend Willie Mays, team president Larry Baer, U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Mayor Ed Lee and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who was San Francisco's mayor when the Giants won the Series in 2010, rode in convertibles.

Elsewhere along the route, teenage girls with cellphones held high shrieked as shortstop and team heartthrob Brandon Crawford rolled by. San Jose high school senior Jessica Earnshaw snapped off several pictures of Crawford.

"He's my favourite," she said. "By far."

'There is absolutely no way we would be here without you guys. You make it so fun to come out and play in front of you every night.'- Giants SP Madison Bumgarner at World Series parade

At the rally, players and team officials offered inside glimpses of their season and what the repeat Series win, and the support of fans, meant to them.

Pitcher Jeremy Affeldt, who like most of his colleagues was sporting a sweatshirt with the slogan "Kiss the Ring," said that on the airplane back from their Series-clinching game in St. Louis, the players had joked about engraving their World Series rings with the words "Mad Bum" -- Bumgarner's nickname -- instead of their own names.

"This is the best moment of our lives, our baseball careers," Bumgarner told the crowd. "To be here standing right here on this stage is what we all play for. ... There is absolutely no way we would be here without you guys. You make it so fun to come out and play in front of you every night."

Neither city officials nor the police offered an official estimate of how many people attended the festivities, although Police Chief Greg Suhr said the number of officers on the streets Friday was at least 20 per cent higher than usual, with police dogs helping with security.

Although the weather undeniably kept a lot of people away, neither parade-goers nor the fans offered any sign they were taking the moment for granted.

Veteran pitcher Tim Hudson, who is in his first season with the Giants, twirled an orange towel over his head to wild cheers. Two buses later, right-fielder and unofficial team cheerleader Hunter Pence, wearing a replica wrestling championship belt, threw his hands up and lead fans in several choruses of "let's go, Giants!"

Closing pitcher Santiago Casilla, held a sign that said "Jesus Loves You."

Star reliever Sergio Romo lifted up his jacket several times to reveal a T-shirt that read, "I have issues." During the 2012 parade, Romo raised eyebrows and drew cheers with a T-shirt bearing the message, "I just look illegal."

The parade was a first for Ana Gonzalez, 43, who rose before the sun to drive to San Francisco from her suburban Bay Area home.

With the parade falling on Halloween, as it did two years ago, she and other parents had to choose between celebrating their team and attending school events.

"I asked the kids if they wanted to go to their Halloween parade or the Giants," Gonzalez said. "And they said, `Let's go see the Giants!"'

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