Jays sign P Johan Santana to minor-league deal

2-time Cy Young winner out of majors since 2012

The Canadian Press Posted: Feb 26, 2015 6:46 PM ET Last Updated: Feb 27, 2015 12:33 PM ET

Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos says signing former Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana to a minor-league contract is a "no-risk deal."

Anthopoulos says if the move pans out, it's highly unlikely the 35-year-old would be ready for Opening Day.

But the Jays say they believe Santana can be effective if healthy. They also believe he can help other pitchers.

The Venezuelan left-hander has not appeared in a major-league game since 2012 due to a shoulder injury. If he does make the team, he will make a pro-rated contract of US$2.5 million with bonuses.

The native of Tovar, Venezuela has a career record of 139-78 with an earned-run average of 3.20 over 360 games (284 starts) over 12 seasons with Minnesota and New York.

He pitched the first no-hitter in Mets history on June 1, 2012, in an 8-0 win over St. Louis.

But Anthopoulos said the team is not interested in having him pitch in the minors.

Santana is expected in camp this weekend.

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Jays' Saunders could return in April

Blue Jays outfielder Michael Saunders will be back sooner than expected after undergoing surgery Friday afternoon for a torn meniscus in his left knee.

The club had initially said the Victoria native may not be back until the all-star break in mid-July. But after the surgery, Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos said Saunders could be back by mid-April.

"If he recovers well, it could be a little sooner," he said.

It could also be a little longer, depending on rehab. But he will be back in play earlier than originally thought.

Saunders suffered the injury Wednesday when he jammed his foot on a sprinkler head indentation while shagging balls at the team's spring training complex. The surgery was done in Florida by Steven Mirabello, the Jays' consulting orthopedic surgeon.

Anthopoulos said Saunders had been leaning beforehand towards having the meniscus removed rather than repaired. But once they went inside the knee, there wasn't a repair option with the surgeon having to remove 60 per cent of it.

"Down the road, years from now, maybe it's something he's going to have to be on top of," Anthopoulos said of the knee.

The 28-year-old Saunders was expected to leave the surgery on his own two feet and could be back running in two weeks. He could start a rehab assignment at the tail end of spring training.

"Once we get him into games, then it will just be a matter of timing and how many at-bats he's going to need," Anthopoulos said.

The shorter recovery time has eased the Jays' urgency to address the issue of outfield depth and should allow them to feel more comfortable about filling the void internally.

"There's a big difference obviously from the all-star break and some time in April ...That certainly would change our outlook a little bit," Anthopoulos said.

The freak accident has prompted the team to look at its training fields, Anthopoulos said.

"I can certainly tell you we've had some discussions and tweaked some things."

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Blue Jays' Saunders injures knee in freak accident

A freak accident has cost the Blue Jays the services of outfielder Michael Saunders likely until the all-star break.

Toronto GM Alex Anthopoulos said the 28-year-old Canadian was shagging balls Wednesday morning at the club's training complex when he stepped on a sprinkler head indentation.

"My foot got jammed," said Saunders, who spoke to the media Thursday morning on crutches. "To be honest, I don't know exactly how it happened. it stopped me in my tracks and I heard a pop. It was almost like I was scared to find out [what happened]."

Saunders walked off the field and saw the trainer.

Anthopoulos said the six-foot-four 225-pound Saunders will get a second opinion but likely requires surgery to repair a torn meniscus.

Saunders, a six-year veteran who joined Toronto in a December trade that sent pitcher J.A. Happ to Seattle, is expected to be back playing in July although he said he wants to be back earlier.

The Jays had planned an outfield of Saunders in left, Canadian Dalton Pompey or Kevin Pillar in centre and Jose Bautista in right.

Saunders' left-handed bat will be missed at the plate. He hit .273 with eight home runs and 34 RBIs over 78 games in 2014.

'It could be worse'

For the Victoria native, it's a bitter pill to swallow. He reported early to camp to get a headstart.

"Last night was really tough for me, especially when we got the prognosis," said Saunders. "I've got a good support system out here, though.

"I've described this to a lot of people that nobody's more excited to be here than me. For me, I think the biggest thing I will have to overcome now is mentally rather than physically. I know I'm going to be in good hands, I know I'm going to be OK. It could be worse, it's not an ACL [anterior cruciate ligament]."

Saunders said the pitch was a little wet at the time.

"It was a tiny bit slippery, I just think I stepped in the wrong spot."

Anthopoulos said the club had not had any similar problems before with its training complex but will look at the sprinkler head issue.

The recessed sprinkler heads move up and down, and are hard to see, he said.

"Just one of those things," Anthopoulos said. "Bad luck, tough loss but we'll get through it. He will be back and we can still have him for quite a bit of time."

Anthopoulos mulls options

The GM said he had already started making calls about possible replacements but said any move would likely come at the end of the spring and would have to be tempered by what happens when Saunders returns.

"Ideally for us the guys that are in that clubhouse are going to take the opportunity. We'd prefer not to go outside," said Anthopoulos.

Added manager John Gibbons: "We like the guys we have in camp. There are some guys that need some opportunities. We brought them here for a reason. And we've got, of course, the internal guys like Pompey and Pillar and those guys. Now's their chance to shine."

Outfielder Ezequiel Carrera, a free agent signed from Detroit, is also an option.

Saunders had shoulder surgery in 2007 while a 19-year-old in the minor leagues but has not had knee problems before. He has been frustrated by shoulder and oblique injuries in recent years.

"I will [be] working my ass off to make sure that I'm ready to go as soon as possible," he said.

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Jays sign P Johan Santana to minor-league deal

2-time Cy Young winner out of majors since 2012

The Canadian Press Posted: Feb 26, 2015 6:46 PM ET Last Updated: Feb 26, 2015 6:46 PM ET

The Toronto Blue Jays have signed two-time American League Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana to a minor-league contract with an invite to major-league spring training.

Santana, 35, has not appeared in a major-league game since 2012 due to a torn anterior capsule in his pitching shoulder he suffered before the 2013 season while with the New York Mets. The same injury caused him to miss the entire 2011 season.

The native of Tovar, Venezuela has a career record of 139-78 with an earned-run average of 3.20 over 360 games (284 starts) over 12 seasons with Minnesota and New York.

He pitched the first no-hitter in Mets history on June 1, 2012, in an 8-0 win over St. Louis.

Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.

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Note: The CBC does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comments, you acknowledge that CBC has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. Please note that comments are moderated and published according to our submission guidelines.

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MLB 2015: 12 stars on new teams

A busy off-season filled with numerous trades and free-agent signings landed some of baseball's biggest names in new homes for the 2015 MLB season. Here are a dozen familiar players who have changed addresses:

The 2013 American League Cy Young award winner turned down a $144-million US contract from the Tigers, then cashed in with a six-year, $210-million deal to join Washington's deep rotation. Scherzer had 55 wins the last three years in Detroit and averaged 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings.

The first big-name free agent to sign and move, Lester was traded last season from the Red Sox to Oakland, where he stayed for two months before re-joining his former general manager in Boston, Theo Epstein, who's now the president of the Chicago Cubs. Lester won two World Series with the Red Sox, but the Cubs gave him 155 million reasons to move to Chicago's North Side.

A little over a year ago, Cruz was desperate to find a home. He took a last-minute one-year deal with Baltimore for $8 million US and proceeded to lead the majors with 40 home runs. The hesitancy last winter came from a 50-game suspension for PED use while Cruz was with the Texas Rangers. But the Mariners liked what they saw and signed him to a four-year pact for $57 million to join left-handed bats Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager on the west coast.

Pablo Sandoval called this photo an unflattering angle, which is certainly true. The new Red Sox third baseman has some work to do on his shape during spring training. (Steve Silva/Boston.com)

Everyone's favourite Kung Fu Panda set a major league recorrd with 26 post-season hits, helping San Francisco to its third World Series title in five years. But after seven years with the Giants, the engaging Sandoval has taken his ample body to Boston, hungry for new challenges. Sandoval produced 16 homers, 73 RBIs and a .279 average for the Giants last season. He now joins David Ortiz as a great playoff performer in Boston and takes over as the heaviest player in the Red Sox' camp.

Once Boston's top prospect, Ramirez was traded to the Miami (then Florida) Marlins and became the 2006 NL Rookie of the Year. He peaked at 33 homers in 2008 and 106 RBIs in 2009 with the Marlins before falling out of favour, prompting a trade to the Dodgers. The shortstop-turned-third-baseman showed flashes of his All-Star form in L.A,. and the Red Sox, who will try him in left field, have banked $88 million on a four-year deal that the 31-year-old can flourish at Fenway Park.

Another former Dodger on the move, Kemp was sent south to San Diego in the midst of the Padres' massive rebuilding project. Kemp's hip problems nearly scuttled the deal, but the Padres saw some indications from his strong second half last season that perhaps he'll approach his 2011 stats of 39 home runs, 126 RBIs a .324 average.

Also winding up in San Diego was the 24-year-old Myers, who just two years ago was the key player headed to Tampa Bay from Kansas City in the James Shield trade. All Myers did was win the 2013 Rookie of the Year award with the Rays, but a broken wrist and some attitudinal differences soured the Rays in 2014 as Myers struggled to a .222 average with only six homers and 35 RBIs.

A change in ballparks could send Donaldson's power totals to a new level after a trade from Oakland, where the ball doesn't carry nearly as well and he still belted 29 homers with 98 RBIs last year. The converted catcher, 29, will earn $4.3 million after losing an arbitration case to the Blue Jays, but that's not a bad upgrade from last year's $600,000 salary.

After two good seasons in Toronto, both cut short by injuries, Melky Cabrera joined the Chicago White Sox, who have stepped up as contenders in the AL Central. (M. Spencer Green/The Canadian Press)

The Melkman delivered a .301 average for the Blue Jays before breaking his pinky finger and missing the last month of the season as he completed a two-year stint in Toronto after being suspended by MLB for performance-enhancing drugs while with San Francisco. He'll fit nicely into the upgraded White Sox line-up in his usual left-field spot. At 30, Cabrera's put together four consecutive effective seasons, including over 200 hits for Kansas City in 2011.

The Cuban completed a 100-RBI season in Boston after being traded at the deadline in exchange for Jon Lester. Then the Red Sox sent him to Detroit for pitcher Rick Porcello after adding Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez. Cespedes, who has hit 23, 26 and 22 homers in his three big league seasons, has one year remaining on the four-year $36-million contract he signed after leaving Cuba. He's a nice addition to a Tigers line-up that includes Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez and J.D. Martinez.

No name changes for this Upton (his brother would now like to be called Melvin Jr., rather than B.J), but the 27-year-old slugger posted a 27-homer, 102-RBI season with a .270 average for the Atlanta Braves prior to his December trade to join the Padres' revamped outfield. Upton won his second Silver Slugger award in 2014 in his best season since 2011 with Arizona when he smashed 31 homers and had 105 RBIs.

The last big-name free agent pitcher left on the market was looking for a $100-million-plus deal, but wound up signing with the Padres for four years and $75 million. Shields didn't enjoy a good post-season with the Royals last October but he's rock-solid during the regular season. The last eight seasons with Tampa Bay and K.C., Shields always put up double-digit figures in wins and worked 200-plus innings in each season.

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Blue Jays' Saunders injures knee in freak accident

A freak accident has cost the Blue Jays the services of outfielder Michael Saunders likely until the all-star break.

Toronto GM Alex Anthopoulos said the 28-year-old Canadian was shagging balls Wednesday morning at the club's training complex when he stepped on a sprinkler head indentation.

"My foot got jammed," said Saunders, who spoke to the media Thursday morning on crutches. "To be honest, I don't know exactly how it happened. it stopped me in my tracks and I heard a pop. It was almost like I was scared to find out [what happened]."

Saunders walked off the field and saw the trainer.

Anthopoulos said the six-foot-four 225-pound Saunders will get a second opinion but likely requires surgery to repair a torn meniscus.

Saunders, a six-year veteran who joined Toronto in a December trade that sent pitcher J.A. Happ to Seattle, is expected to be back playing in July although he said he wants to be back earlier.

The Jays had planned an outfield of Saunders in left, Canadian Dalton Pompey or Kevin Pillar in centre and Jose Bautista in right.

Saunders' left-handed bat will be missed at the plate. He hit .273 with eight home runs and 34 RBIs over 78 games in 2014.

'It could be worse'

For the Victoria native, it's a bitter pill to swallow. He reported early to camp to get a headstart.

"Last night was really tough for me, especially when we got the prognosis," said Saunders. "I've got a good support system out here, though.

"I've described this to a lot of people that nobody's more excited to be here than me. For me, I think the biggest thing I will have to overcome now is mentally rather than physically. I know I'm going to be in good hands, I know I'm going to be OK. It could be worse, it's not an ACL [anterior cruciate ligament]."

Saunders said the pitch was a little wet at the time.

"It was a tiny bit slippery, I just think I stepped in the wrong spot."

Anthopoulos said the club had not had any similar problems before with its training complex but will look at the sprinkler head issue.

The recessed sprinkler heads move up and down, and are hard to see, he said.

"Just one of those things," Anthopoulos said. "Bad luck, tough loss but we'll get through it. He will be back and we can still have him for quite a bit of time."

Anthopoulos mulls options

The GM said he had already started making calls about possible replacements but said any move would likely come at the end of the spring and would have to be tempered by what happens when Saunders returns.

"Ideally for us the guys that are in that clubhouse are going to take the opportunity. We'd prefer not to go outside," said Anthopoulos.

Added manager John Gibbons: "We like the guys we have in camp. There are some guys that need some opportunities. We brought them here for a reason. And we've got, of course, the internal guys like Pompey and Pillar and those guys. Now's their chance to shine."

Outfielder Ezequiel Carrera, a free agent signed from Detroit, is also an option.

Saunders had shoulder surgery in 2007 while a 19-year-old in the minor leagues but has not had knee problems before. He has been frustrated by shoulder and oblique injuries in recent years.

"I will [be] working my ass off to make sure that I'm ready to go as soon as possible," he said.

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Toronto Blue Jays off-season recap

As 32 pitchers and seven catchers conducted their first workout Monday at the Toronto Blue Jays' spring training camp in Dunedin, Fla. — position players must report by Thursday — many of the questions surrounding the team at the end of last season remain.

Who will play second base and centre-field in 2015? Who's the closer? Who will follow R.A. Dickey, Mark Buehrle, Marcus Stroman and Drew Hutchison in the projected starting pitching rotation?

The uncertainty might lead one to believe general manager Alex Anthopoulos didn't do his job to help improve a team that has the longest current playoff drought in the major leagues at 21 years.

But that would be untrue. Here's a rundown of Anthopoulos's notable off-season moves as the Blue Jays attempt to best their 83-79 record of 2014 and gain a post-season berth.

The trade

Anthopoulos surprised many on Nov. 28 when he dealt Brett Lawrie, pitching prospects Sean Nolin and Kendall Graveman, along with young shortstop Franklin Barreto to Oakland for third baseman Josh Donaldson.

The durable Donaldson (back-to-back seasons of 158 games) takes over the hot corner from the oft-injured Lawrie and should flourish in the hitter-friendly Rogers Centre after combining for 53 home runs the past two seasons playing in pitcher-friendly Oakland. Over the past three seasons, Donaldson's on-base-plus slugging percentage was .843 on the road compared to .777 in Oakland. Lawrie, who hails from Langley, B.C., offered glimpses of star potential late in the 2011 season but struggled to stay healthy over the next three campaigns, missing nearly 40 per cent of the Jays' games.

The big signing

While some might view the Nov. 18 signing of Canadian free-agent catcher Russell Martin as a slight overpay (five years, $82 million US), he should make an immediate impact behind the plate working with young pitchers Aaron Sanchez, Daniel Norris, Stroman and Hutchison, like he did the previous two years in Pittsburgh. He also brings 15-20-homer power and strong leadership skills. On Monday, Martin drew a big crowd working with Norris.

The Melk Man's replacement

With the prospect of re-signing left-fielder Melky Cabrera fading, Anthopoulos jumped at the chance to secure fellow free agent Michael Saunders, who hadn't reached his potential in parts of five seasons with Seattle, acquiring him for left-hander J.A. Happ on Dec. 3. A glimpse of that potential was displayed in 2012 when the now 28-year-old Victoria native hit 19 home runs and stole 21 bases in a career-high 139 games. However, since the start of that season, Saunders has a .248 batting average and 39 homers in 349 contests. But he'll be playing left-field with a right-fielder's arm.

Lind sent packing

Fans that had grown tired of Adam Lind's injuries, lost power and seemingly lackadaisical approach were happy to hear the first baseman was headed to Milwaukee and out of the American League on Nov. 1. Lind hit 35 homers in 2009 but only 11, 23 and six in the past three seasons. In return, Anthopoulos picked up Marco Estrada, whose penchant for allowing homers (29 in 150 2/3 innings in 2014) won't be welcome at Rogers Centre, but he's a 31-year-old fireballer who struck out 127 batters last season and probably will be the Jays' long reliever.

Worthy gambles

Toronto's waiver claim on first baseman Justin Smoak, formerly of the Seattle Mariners, came and went quietly. After claiming him on Oct. 28, the Jays declined Smoak's $3.65-million option four days later, only to sign him for one year and $1 million the next day. Smoak gives Toronto a switch-hitter off the bench with power. He hit a career-best 20 homers in 2013, and the potential is there to return to that form.

Dalton Pompey's late-season audition gave Anthopoulos the flexibility to move fleet-footed centre-fielder Anthony Gose to Detroit in a Nov. 13 trade for second-base prospect Devon Travis, the Tigers' minor league player of the year in 2013. Gose, 24, hit just .226 in 94 games with Toronto while some scouts believe Travis has a chance to break camp with the Jays after hitting .298 with 10 homers and 52 RBIs in 110 games for double-A Erie last season.

Farewell, Cabrera, Janssen, Rasmus, et al

The addition of several players this off-season meant saying goodbye to others, including fan favourites Melky Cabrera and Casey Janssen, along with the inconsistent Colby Rasmus (.224 with 124 strikeouts in 104 games in 2014) and oft-injured pitchers Brandon Morrow and Dustin McGowan.

Here's a listing of where each will play in 2015:

• Cabrera: Signed a three-year, $42-million deal with Chicago White Sox on Dec. 16. His .301 average will be missed but Michael Saunders is a cheaper alternative who could post similar statistics.
• Janssen: Signed one-year contract with Washington, guaranteeing the ex-Jays closer $5 million. His 6.46 ERA post-2014 all-star break might have scared off Jays. Janssen's departure opens up a chance for lefty Brett Cecil or rookie Aaron Sanchez to be the stopper.
• Rasmus: Astros signed the centre-fielder for one year and $8 million. Blue Jays would prefer someone with just as much speed (Pompey or Kevin Pillar) and more upside to put the ball in play.
• McGowan: Will pitch long relief for Los Angeles Dodgers after signing one-year deal. A decent 2014 (4.17 ERA in 45 relief appearances, eight starts) but easily replaced.
• Morrow: Signed with San Diego on Dec. 17 for one year and $2.5 million, but could make as much as $8 million if he starts regularly. Toronto declined his $10 million option for 2015 after the 30-year-old was limited to 13 games (six starts, 5.67 ERA) in 2014 because of injury.

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6 Blue Jays stories to watch this spring

It's hard to imagine the Dioner Navarro situation reaching George Bell proportions, circa 1988, when the latter erupted following Blue Jays manager Jimy Williams's announcement that Sil Campusano would be given full-time work in the outfield.

Still, there is potential for the catcher's trade demand, which he reiterated Monday on Day 1 of spring training for pitchers and catchers, to become a distraction.

Wondering what uniform Navarro might be wearing in six weeks when the Blue Jays break camp leads us to our stories to watch this spring.

When will there be closure on Navarro?

Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulous would probably like to get this resolved before the end of spring training, but through the winter has yet to find a trade partner either willing to give him fair value or one with an immediate need for an every-day catcher. Arizona has long been rumoured as a potential fit, with Tuffy Gosewisch projected as the Diamondbacks' No. 1 catcher entering spring training.

Navarro, 31, is coming off a career year in which he had 69 runs batted in and played more than 100 games (139 total, 112 as catcher) for the first time since 2009, but the signing of Montreal's Russell Martin has moved him down the depth chart. While Navarro's .274 average from 2014 would fit nicely in the lineup, his 12 home runs in 481 at-bats are not the makings of a full-time DH.

Is Dalton Pompey the real deal?

The fact Toronto let centre-fielder Colby Rasmus leave as a free agent (now in Houston) and traded Anthony Gose to Detroit is a strong indication of how the organization feels about the potential of the Mississauga, Ont., native. Pompey, 22, made the leap from high Class A to the major leagues in 2014, combining for a .317 average, .861 on-base-plus-slugging percentage and 43 steals in 50 attempts in the minors. In 39 at-bats for the Blue Jays, he hit .231 but didn't look overmatched. He also reportedly looked good in the Arizona Fall League, so the Jays might have a potential star in Pompey. Kevin Pillar (.267 in 116 AB) is expected to battle him for playing time.

Who's battling for the 5th starter's job?

Barring a move by Anthopoulos to sign or trade for a veteran arm, rookies Aaron Sanchez and Daniel Norris are in the mix with newcomer Marco Estrada. There might not be a decision on this role until late in spring training. While the Jays probably would like the 22-year-old in the starting rotation, there's a good chance Sanchez could find himself in the closer's role after former stopper Casey Janssen signed with Washington. The hard-throwing Sanchez converted all three of his save chances late last season and posted a miniscule 1.09 ERA in 24 appearances, striking out 27 batters in 33 innings.

Estrada, who was acquired from Milwaukee in a Nov. 1 trade for Adam Lind, could also be bullpen-bound, where he shone in 21 games last season with the Brewers (2.89 ERA vs. 4.96 in 18 starts). Estrada gave up 29 home runs in 150 2/3 innings, but he did have the fourth-lowest ground-ball percentage among pitchers with at least 100 innings last season.

Norris, the Jays' top pitching prospect, will probably start the season at triple-A Buffalo if he doesn't win the job. The 22-year-old started last season at single-A but was pitching for Toronto in September. He possesses a low-90s fastball with good movement and a plus changeup that helped him fan 163 in 124 2/3 minor league innings in 2014.

Who's in the mix for the vacant closer's role?

Left-hander Brett Cecil has already said he wants the job. Five saves in seven chances last season along with a good strikeout rate (76 in 53 1/3 innings) certainly puts the sixth-year Blue Jay in the conversation. His walk total of 27, plus the fact he's a lefty, might go against Cecil. In the last five years, only six left-handed relievers have notched 20 saves, compared to 68 righties over that time. But two of them emerged last season — Sean Doolittle in Oakland and Zach Britton in Baltimore, so …

Returning Blue Jay Aaron Loup (four saves, 3.15 ERA last season) will also get a chance, along with Sanchez (mentioned earlier in this story). Otherwise, Anthopoulos could sign a free agent as Rafael Soriano and Francisco Rodriguez remain unsigned.

Is newcomer Josh Donaldson poised for career season?

Toronto's projected No. 5 hitter has shown durability and power in each of the last two seasons, which is more than the man he is replacing, Canada's Brett Lawrie, could say. The 29-year-old Donaldson, who will make $4.3 million US after his recent loss in salary arbitration, had 29 home runs and 98 RBIs in his second consecutive 158-game season in 2014 after 24/93 totals the previous campaign.

Some say Donaldson is primed for 35-plus homers at Rogers Centre, which was rated the third-most homer friendly a year ago according to ESPN's Park Factors, while Oakland's O.co Coliseum ranked 21st of 30 stadiums. Donaldson hit .276 with 18 homers on the road in 2014 while hitting .233 at his home stadium, which hurts a player's average and takes away a slugger's at-bats with its expansive foul territory.

Who will emerge as the Opening Day 2nd baseman?

Many view this as a two-man battle between Ryan Goins and Maicer Izturis, but prospect Devon Travis might make things interesting. Goins is stellar defensively but weak with the bat (.188 in 181 AB with the Jays in 2014) while Izturis hit .286 in 11 games last season before having season-ending surgery to repair a torn knee ligament. He's a .269 hitter in 10-plus seasons. Travis, who was acquired in a Nov. 13 trade that sent centre-fielder Anthony Gose to Detroit, was the Tigers' minor league player of the year in 2013. Some scouts believe he is major league-ready after hitting .298 with 10 homers and 52 RBIs in 110 games for double-A Erie last season.

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Toronto Blue Jays off-season recap

As 32 pitchers and seven catchers conducted their first workout Monday at the Toronto Blue Jays' spring training camp in Dunedin, Fla. — position players must report by Thursday — many of the questions surrounding the team at the end of last season remain.

Who will play second base and centre-field in 2015? Who's the closer? Who will follow R.A. Dickey, Mark Buehrle, Marcus Stroman and Drew Hutchison in the projected starting pitching rotation?

The uncertainty might lead one to believe general manager Alex Anthopoulos didn't do his job to help improve a team that has the longest current playoff drought in the major leagues at 21 years.

But that would be untrue. Here's a rundown of Anthopoulos's notable off-season moves as the Blue Jays attempt to best their 83-79 record of 2014 and gain a post-season berth.

The trade

Anthopoulos surprised many on Nov. 28 when he dealt Brett Lawrie, pitching prospects Sean Nolin and Kendall Graveman, along with young shortstop Franklin Barreto to Oakland for third baseman Josh Donaldson.

The durable Donaldson (back-to-back seasons of 158 games) takes over the hot corner from the oft-injured Lawrie and should flourish in the hitter-friendly Rogers Centre after combining for 53 home runs the past two seasons playing in pitcher-friendly Oakland. Over the past three seasons, Donaldson's on-base-plus slugging percentage was .843 on the road compared to .777 in Oakland. Lawrie, who hails from Langley, B.C., offered glimpses of star potential late in the 2011 season but struggled to stay healthy over the next three campaigns, missing nearly 40 per cent of the Jays' games.

The big signing

While some might view the Nov. 18 signing of Canadian free-agent catcher Russell Martin as a slight overpay (five years, $82 million US), he should make an immediate impact behind the plate working with young pitchers Aaron Sanchez, Daniel Norris, Stroman and Hutchison, like he did the previous two years in Pittsburgh. He also brings 15-20-homer power and strong leadership skills. On Monday, Martin drew a big crowd working with Norris.

The Melk Man's replacement

With the prospect of re-signing left-fielder Melky Cabrera fading, Anthopoulos jumped at the chance to secure fellow free agent Michael Saunders, who hadn't reached his potential in parts of five seasons with Seattle, acquiring him for left-hander J.A. Happ on Dec. 3. A glimpse of that potential was displayed in 2012 when the now 28-year-old Victoria native hit 19 home runs and stole 21 bases in a career-high 139 games. However, since the start of that season, Saunders has a .248 batting average and 39 homers in 349 contests. But he'll be playing left-field with a right-fielder's arm.

Lind sent packing

Fans that had grown tired of Adam Lind's injuries, lost power and seemingly lackadaisical approach were happy to hear the first baseman was headed to Milwaukee and out of the American League on Nov. 1. Lind hit 35 homers in 2009 but only 11, 23 and six in the past three seasons. In return, Anthopoulos picked up Marco Estrada, whose penchant for allowing homers (29 in 150 2/3 innings in 2014) won't be welcome at Rogers Centre, but he's a 31-year-old fireballer who struck out 127 batters last season and probably will be the Jays' long reliever.

Worthy gambles

Toronto's waiver claim on first baseman Justin Smoak, formerly of the Seattle Mariners, came and went quietly. After claiming him on Oct. 28, the Jays declined Smoak's $3.65-million option four days later, only to sign him for one year and $1 million the next day. Smoak gives Toronto a switch-hitter off the bench with power. He hit a career-best 20 homers in 2013, and the potential is there to return to that form.

Dalton Pompey's late-season audition gave Anthopoulos the flexibility to move fleet-footed centre-fielder Anthony Gose to Detroit in a Nov. 13 trade for second-base prospect Devon Travis, the Tigers' minor league player of the year in 2013. Gose, 24, hit just .226 in 94 games with Toronto while some scouts believe Travis has a chance to break camp with the Jays after hitting .298 with 10 homers and 52 RBIs in 110 games for double-A Erie last season.

Farewell, Cabrera, Janssen, Rasmus, et al

The addition of several players this off-season meant saying goodbye to others, including fan favourites Melky Cabrera and Casey Janssen, along with the inconsistent Colby Rasmus (.224 with 124 strikeouts in 104 games in 2014) and oft-injured pitchers Brandon Morrow and Dustin McGowan.

Here's a listing of where each will play in 2015:

• Cabrera: Signed a three-year, $42-million deal with Chicago White Sox on Dec. 16. His .301 average will be missed but Michael Saunders is a cheaper alternative who could post similar statistics.
• Janssen: Signed one-year contract with Washington, guaranteeing the ex-Jays closer $5 million. His 6.46 ERA post-2014 all-star break might have scared off Jays. Janssen's departure opens up a chance for lefty Brett Cecil or rookie Aaron Sanchez to be the stopper.
• Rasmus: Astros signed the centre-fielder for one year and $8 million. Blue Jays would prefer someone with just as much speed (Pompey or Kevin Pillar) and more upside to put the ball in play.
• McGowan: Will pitch long relief for Los Angeles Dodgers after signing one-year deal. A decent 2014 (4.17 ERA in 45 relief appearances, eight starts) but easily replaced.
• Morrow: Signed with San Diego on Dec. 17 for one year and $2.5 million, but could make as much as $8 million if he starts regularly. Toronto declined his $10 million option for 2015 after the 30-year-old was limited to 13 games (six starts, 5.67 ERA) in 2014 because of injury.

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MLB commissoner: Pace of game rules aimed at young fans

Commissioner Rob Manfred says new rules intended to speed up the pace of games are aimed at luring younger fans to baseball.

Manfred, speaking publicly on the changes for the first time since they were announced last Friday, said the rules are a "measured" approach worked out with the players' association.

This season, batters will be required to have one foot in the batter's box and pitchers and batters will be required to be ready to go at the conclusion of television commercials.

"The issue of attracting a younger audience and a pace of game is related," he said.

Manfred said he has four children in their 20s.

"I have a passing familiarity with that generation," he said, "and one thing I can say for sure is their attention span seems to be shorter than the rest of ours."

Last season, the average length of a major league game was a record three hours two minutes.

"I certainly want to reverse the trend of increasing the length of the game," Manfred said, "and I'm really intent on the idea that we're going to have an average game time that's going to start with a `two' next year as opposed to a `three."'

The commissioner spoke at a news conference on spring training media day, an event that draws the managers and general managers from the 15 clubs that train in Arizona.

Any rules changes have to be done with the cooperation of the players' association, Manfred said.

"I talked with [players union executive director] Tony Clark on Thursday, the night before the changes were announced," Manfred said. "I had a very positive conversation with Tony. We began these discussions with a conceptual understanding between Tony and me that we were going to proceed with caution on pace of the game."

He said they wanted to make sure nothing was done to "change the way the game is played."

Manfred declined to speculate on what might be done if the rule changes don't have the desired result.

"I have said repeatedly that I think pace of play is going to be an ongoing, multi-year evolutions," Manfred said, "a series of changes over a period of time. We were pleased with the experiment with a pitch clock in the Arizona Fall League. We were pleased enough with the experiment that it was expanded it to Double-A and Triple-A.

"I have no set position with respect to whether we're going to go beyond that at this point," he said.

He said, "The reason we're doing experimentation is to make sure we understand it really well before we make a decision on what we're going to do at the big league level. And obviously that's a [collective] bargaining topic as well."

A sampling of managers showed they are in favour of the new rules.

"I don't think it's going to be a major adjustment," Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. "Except for a few guys."

"There's guys you sit there in the dugout and then they take 45 seconds in between pitchers," he said. "I'm like, `Get your tail in there and let's go.' That (the rules) hopefully will eliminate that."

With stricter rules in the minors, the next generation will be accustomed to a faster pace, Arizona manager Chip Hale said.

"It's going to take some time," he said. "Once you get this generation of minor league kids that are even under harder rules to the big leagues, you'll see them play the game quicker. And you might not even have to have rules."

Players are subject to a possible $500 US fine for violating the batter's box rule. Manfred said the names of those fined will not be made public.

As for the drop in offence in the majors, Manfred said he's waiting to see if it really is a problem before considering any changes to help.

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MLB makes rules changes to speed up game

Major League Baseball is making some changes designed to speed games but won't implement more radical proposals this year.

The league and the players' union announced an agreement Friday to enforce the rule requiring a hitter to keep at least one foot in the batter's box in most cases. MLB also will post stadium clocks timing pitching changes and between-inning breaks.

MLB did not institute many of the ideas experimented with during the Arizona Fall League, such as a 20-second clock between pitches, a limitation of pitcher's mound conferences involving catchers and managers, and no-pitch intentional walks. The pitch clock will be used in the minor leagues at Double-A and Triple-A.

Penalties for violating the new rules start May 1 and will involve only fines, and MLB said it is likely to announce only fines involving repeat flagrant violators.

In the AFL, strikes and balls were called as penalties.

"I think it's something that's going to take some time," San Diego Padres catcher Derek Norris said. "You've got guys playing for seven, eight years that have always stepped out of the box and taken a practice swing."

MLB cannot make unilateral changes to playing rules without the union's consent unless it gives one year prior notice, so an agreement was necessary for any 2015 alterations. The World Umpires Association also approved.

"The players believe that enforcing the rules that currently exist regarding between-inning breaks and plate appearances is the best way to address the issue of pace of play," union head Tony Clark said in a statement. "We're confident that today's announcements will have a positive impact on the pace of the game without jeopardizing the integrity of the competition."

The average time of nine-inning games was a record 3 hours, 2 minutes last year, up from 2:33 in 1981.

"These changes represent a step forward in our efforts to streamline the pace of play," said Rob Manfred, who took over from Bud Selig as commissioner last month. "The most fundamental starting point for improving the pace of the average game involves getting into and out of breaks seamlessly."

The rule requiring hitter's keep a foot in the box contains many exceptions, including swinging at a pitch, getting forced out by a pitch, calling time, faking a bunt and wild pitches and passed balls.

The clocks will be installed on or near outfield scoreboards and on facades behind home plate, near most press boxes. Inning breaks will be counted down from 2:25 for locally televised games and 2:45 for nationally televised games. Pitchers must throw their last warmup pitches before 30 seconds remaining, with exceptions if the pitcher or catcher is on base when the previous half-inning ends.

MLB will make a donation to the union's charitable foundation based on compliance with the new rules.

The sides also announced changes for the second season of expanded video review by umpires.

Managers no longer will have to leave their dugouts to call for replays, unless the play in question ends an inning and the defensive team must be kept on the field. In addition, plays involving whether a runner left a base early or touched a base on a tag-up play will be subject to video review for the first time.

Managers also will retain the challenge for every overturned call, not just the first, and managers will have two challenges during tiebreaker and postseason games and the All-Star Game. A manager will be required to use a challenge to review violations of the home-plate collision rule, but the crew chief may call for a review from the seventh inning on if a manager is out of challenges.

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Giants manager Bochy 'doing great' after heart procedure

San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy is "doing great" and is expected to be released from an Arizona hospital Friday, a day after a heart procedure to insert two stents.

Brett Bochy, a pitcher with the team at spring training, said he visited his 59-year-old father at Scottsdale Healthcare Medical Center on Thursday and Friday morning before going to the clubhouse. The hospital is across the street from where the Giants work out.

"He's doing great," Brett Bochy said. "It's a little scary to go to the hospital, but he's in good hands here. They noticed something after his physical early so it was caught early, and he's feeling great now."

The Giants said Thursday the team's medical staff had been monitoring the manager's heart after he experienced discomfort following a physical exam Wednesday, when the World Series champions reported to spring training.

"He couldn't be in better spirits," Brett Bochy said. "He's ready to get back out. He wants to be back out [on the field] today, but they're keeping him out just for precautionary reasons."

Bruce Bochy addressed the media on the first workout day for pitchers and catchers Thursday and joked with reporters, never revealing anything about his physical.

Bochy, who turns 60 in April, has led the Giants to three World Series titles in the past five seasons — 2010, 2012 and last year. He came to the Giants from the San Diego Padres before the 2007 season and has spent 20 years as a manager.

Brett Bochy said his father doesn't have a history of heart problems, but the manager's father died of a heart attack and Bruce Bochy has always been monitored because of that. "It's scary anytime you hear anything involving someone's heart," Giants catcher Buster Posey said. "Happy to hear that he's doing well."

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MLB makes rules changes to speed up game

Major League Baseball is making some changes designed to speed games but won't implement more radical proposals this year.

The league and the players' union announced an agreement Friday to enforce the rule requiring a hitter to keep at least one foot in the batter's box in most cases. MLB also will post stadium clocks timing pitching changes and between-inning breaks.

MLB did not institute many of the ideas experimented with during the Arizona Fall League, such as a 20-second clock between pitches, a limitation of pitcher's mound conferences involving catchers and managers, and no-pitch intentional walks. The pitch clock will be used in the minor leagues at Double-A and Triple-A.

Penalties for violating the new rules start May 1 and will involve only fines, and MLB said it is likely to announce only fines involving repeat flagrant violators.

In the AFL, strikes and balls were called as penalties.

"I think it's something that's going to take some time," San Diego Padres catcher Derek Norris said. "You've got guys playing for seven, eight years that have always stepped out of the box and taken a practice swing."

MLB cannot make unilateral changes to playing rules without the union's consent unless it gives one year prior notice, so an agreement was necessary for any 2015 alterations. The World Umpires Association also approved.

"The players believe that enforcing the rules that currently exist regarding between-inning breaks and plate appearances is the best way to address the issue of pace of play," union head Tony Clark said in a statement. "We're confident that today's announcements will have a positive impact on the pace of the game without jeopardizing the integrity of the competition."

The average time of nine-inning games was a record 3 hours, 2 minutes last year, up from 2:33 in 1981.

"These changes represent a step forward in our efforts to streamline the pace of play," said Rob Manfred, who took over from Bud Selig as commissioner last month. "The most fundamental starting point for improving the pace of the average game involves getting into and out of breaks seamlessly."

The rule requiring hitter's keep a foot in the box contains many exceptions, including swinging at a pitch, getting forced out by a pitch, calling time, faking a bunt and wild pitches and passed balls.

The clocks will be installed on or near outfield scoreboards and on facades behind home plate, near most press boxes. Inning breaks will be counted down from 2:25 for locally televised games and 2:45 for nationally televised games. Pitchers must throw their last warmup pitches before 30 seconds remaining, with exceptions if the pitcher or catcher is on base when the previous half-inning ends.

MLB will make a donation to the union's charitable foundation based on compliance with the new rules.

The sides also announced changes for the second season of expanded video review by umpires.

Managers no longer will have to leave their dugouts to call for replays, unless the play in question ends an inning and the defensive team must be kept on the field. In addition, plays involving whether a runner left a base early or touched a base on a tag-up play will be subject to video review for the first time.

Managers also will retain the challenge for every overturned call, not just the first, and managers will have two challenges during tiebreaker and postseason games and the All-Star Game. A manager will be required to use a challenge to review violations of the home-plate collision rule, but the crew chief may call for a review from the seventh inning on if a manager is out of challenges.

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Giants manager Bochy 'doing great' after heart procedure

San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy is "doing great" and is expected to be released from an Arizona hospital Friday, a day after a heart procedure to insert two stents.

Brett Bochy, a pitcher with the team at spring training, said he visited his 59-year-old father at Scottsdale Healthcare Medical Center on Thursday and Friday morning before going to the clubhouse. The hospital is across the street from where the Giants work out.

"He's doing great," Brett Bochy said. "It's a little scary to go to the hospital, but he's in good hands here. They noticed something after his physical early so it was caught early, and he's feeling great now."

The Giants said Thursday the team's medical staff had been monitoring the manager's heart after he experienced discomfort following a physical exam Wednesday, when the World Series champions reported to spring training.

"He couldn't be in better spirits," Brett Bochy said. "He's ready to get back out. He wants to be back out [on the field] today, but they're keeping him out just for precautionary reasons."

Bruce Bochy addressed the media on the first workout day for pitchers and catchers Thursday and joked with reporters, never revealing anything about his physical.

Bochy, who turns 60 in April, has led the Giants to three World Series titles in the past five seasons — 2010, 2012 and last year. He came to the Giants from the San Diego Padres before the 2007 season and has spent 20 years as a manager.

Brett Bochy said his father doesn't have a history of heart problems, but the manager's father died of a heart attack and Bruce Bochy has always been monitored because of that. "It's scary anytime you hear anything involving someone's heart," Giants catcher Buster Posey said. "Happy to hear that he's doing well."

22.49 | 0 komentar | Read More

MLB makes rules changes to speed up game

Major League Baseball is making some changes designed to speed games but won't implement more radical proposals this year.

The league and the players' union announced an agreement Friday to enforce the rule requiring a hitter to keep at least one foot in the batter's box in most cases. MLB also will post stadium clocks timing pitching changes and between-inning breaks.

MLB did not institute many of the ideas experimented with during the Arizona Fall League, such as a 20-second clock between pitches, a limitation of pitcher's mound conferences involving catchers and managers, and no-pitch intentional walks. The pitch clock will be used in the minor leagues at Double-A and Triple-A.

Penalties for violating the new rules start May 1 and will involve only fines, and MLB said it is likely to announce only fines involving repeat flagrant violators.

In the AFL, strikes and balls were called as penalties.

"I think it's something that's going to take some time," San Diego Padres catcher Derek Norris said. "You've got guys playing for seven, eight years that have always stepped out of the box and taken a practice swing."

MLB cannot make unilateral changes to playing rules without the union's consent unless it gives one year prior notice, so an agreement was necessary for any 2015 alterations. The World Umpires Association also approved.

"The players believe that enforcing the rules that currently exist regarding between-inning breaks and plate appearances is the best way to address the issue of pace of play," union head Tony Clark said in a statement. "We're confident that today's announcements will have a positive impact on the pace of the game without jeopardizing the integrity of the competition."

The average time of nine-inning games was a record 3 hours, 2 minutes last year, up from 2:33 in 1981.

"These changes represent a step forward in our efforts to streamline the pace of play," said Rob Manfred, who took over from Bud Selig as commissioner last month. "The most fundamental starting point for improving the pace of the average game involves getting into and out of breaks seamlessly."

The rule requiring hitter's keep a foot in the box contains many exceptions, including swinging at a pitch, getting forced out by a pitch, calling time, faking a bunt and wild pitches and passed balls.

The clocks will be installed on or near outfield scoreboards and on facades behind home plate, near most press boxes. Inning breaks will be counted down from 2:25 for locally televised games and 2:45 for nationally televised games. Pitchers must throw their last warmup pitches before 30 seconds remaining, with exceptions if the pitcher or catcher is on base when the previous half-inning ends.

MLB will make a donation to the union's charitable foundation based on compliance with the new rules.

The sides also announced changes for the second season of expanded video review by umpires.

Managers no longer will have to leave their dugouts to call for replays, unless the play in question ends an inning and the defensive team must be kept on the field. In addition, plays involving whether a runner left a base early or touched a base on a tag-up play will be subject to video review for the first time.

Managers also will retain the challenge for every overturned call, not just the first, and managers will have two challenges during tiebreaker and postseason games and the All-Star Game. A manager will be required to use a challenge to review violations of the home-plate collision rule, but the crew chief may call for a review from the seventh inning on if a manager is out of challenges.

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Giants manager Bochy 'doing great' after heart procedure

San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy is "doing great" and is expected to be released from an Arizona hospital Friday, a day after a heart procedure to insert two stents.

Brett Bochy, a pitcher with the team at spring training, said he visited his 59-year-old father at Scottsdale Healthcare Medical Center on Thursday and Friday morning before going to the clubhouse. The hospital is across the street from where the Giants work out.

"He's doing great," Brett Bochy said. "It's a little scary to go to the hospital, but he's in good hands here. They noticed something after his physical early so it was caught early, and he's feeling great now."

The Giants said Thursday the team's medical staff had been monitoring the manager's heart after he experienced discomfort following a physical exam Wednesday, when the World Series champions reported to spring training.

"He couldn't be in better spirits," Brett Bochy said. "He's ready to get back out. He wants to be back out [on the field] today, but they're keeping him out just for precautionary reasons."

Bruce Bochy addressed the media on the first workout day for pitchers and catchers Thursday and joked with reporters, never revealing anything about his physical.

Bochy, who turns 60 in April, has led the Giants to three World Series titles in the past five seasons — 2010, 2012 and last year. He came to the Giants from the San Diego Padres before the 2007 season and has spent 20 years as a manager.

Brett Bochy said his father doesn't have a history of heart problems, but the manager's father died of a heart attack and Bruce Bochy has always been monitored because of that. "It's scary anytime you hear anything involving someone's heart," Giants catcher Buster Posey said. "Happy to hear that he's doing well."

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Tickets for Blue Jays home opener quickly sell out

The Blue Jays put tickets on sale for their home opener today, but it's too late for you to get one if you don't have one yet.

They went on sale at 10 a.m. ET, but just over an hour later, the team issued a news release saying that they had sold out.

The news release says that "a minimal number of tickets" are held back as a result of commitments to Major League Baseball, as well as its players and officials.

"To the extent that these tickets are returned to the club, they will be made available for public sale," the team said. Anyone eager to grab these, should they come available, will need to check the Jays website for availability.

Earlier this month, the team announced it is raising single-game ticket prices for the first time in five years. They are going up by $2.

When Toronto takes the field at Rogers Centre on April 13, fans will see a few new faces on the diamond.

Josh Donaldson will be the team's starting third baseman, after being acquired by the Jays in a November trade that sent Brett Lawrie to Oakland.

Toronto will also have some new Canadian team members taking the field. Catcher Russell Martin signed a five-year, US $82-million deal with the Jays in November. The team acquired the B.C.-born outfielder Michael Saunders in a trade with Seattle in December.

The Jays head into the 2015 season with the longest active post-season drought in baseball. They have not made the playoffs since they won their second of back-to-back World Series titles in 1993.

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Bruce Bochy, Giants' manager, hospitalized after heart procedure

Overnight stay due to discomfort for World Series champ

The Associated Press Posted: Feb 20, 2015 12:21 AM ET Last Updated: Feb 20, 2015 12:21 AM ET

San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy has undergone a heart procedure to insert two stents and will be hospitalized overnight.

The Giants released a statement late Thursday saying that the medical staff had been monitoring the manager's heart after he experienced some discomfort following a physical exam Wednesday.

"This afternoon, Bruce was admitted to Scottsdale Healthcare Medical Center where doctors performed a medical procedure to insert two stents," the team says. "He is resting comfortably and will be released tomorrow."

Bochy, who turns 60 in April, has led the Giants to three World Series titles in the past five seasons — in 2010, '12 and last year. He came to the Giants from the NL West rival San Diego Padres before the 2007 season. In 20 years as a manager, he has a 1,618-1,604 record.

Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.

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Tickets for Blue Jays home opener quickly sell out

The Blue Jays put tickets on sale for their home opener today, but it's too late for you to get one if you don't have one yet.

They went on sale at 10 a.m. ET, but just over an hour later, the team issued a news release saying that they had sold out.

The news release says that "a minimal number of tickets" are held back as a result of commitments to Major League Baseball, as well as its players and officials.

"To the extent that these tickets are returned to the club, they will be made available for public sale," the team said. Anyone eager to grab these, should they come available, will need to check the Jays website for availability.

Earlier this month, the team announced it is raising single-game ticket prices for the first time in five years. They are going up by $2.

When Toronto takes the field at Rogers Centre on April 13, fans will see a few new faces on the diamond.

Josh Donaldson will be the team's starting third baseman, after being acquired by the Jays in a November trade that sent Brett Lawrie to Oakland.

Toronto will also have some new Canadian team members taking the field. Catcher Russell Martin signed a five-year, US $82-million deal with the Jays in November. The team acquired the B.C.-born outfielder Michael Saunders in a trade with Seattle in December.

The Jays head into the 2015 season with the longest active post-season drought in baseball. They have not made the playoffs since they won their second of back-to-back World Series titles in 1993.

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Yankees' Alex Rodriguez issues handwritten apology to fans

Alex Rodriguez has issued a hand-written apology "for the mistakes that led to my suspension" but has turned down New York's offer to use Yankee Stadium for a news conference and has failed to detail any specifics about his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Ready to report back to the Yankees following a season-long suspension for violating baseball's drug agreement and labor contract, Rodriguez apologized to team officials in person during a meeting at the ballpark on Feb. 10. They suggested he hold a news conference before the start of spring training this Friday and offered the use of Yankee Stadium, but Rodriguez declined.

Rodriguez held an apologetic news conference in 2009 at the team's facility in Tampa, Florida, after he admitted using banned PEDs while with Texas from 2001-03, before Major League Baseball had a drug agreement with penalties. But he did not want to face questions from media about his latest involvement with PEDs — although he could be required to testify if his cousin, Yuri Sucart, and former University of Miami pitching coach Lazaro Collazo, go to trial on charges they committed crimes for their involvement with the Biogenesis of America drug clinic. Rodriguez admitted in court documents he used PEDs.

Commissioner Bud Selig suspended Rodriguez for 211 games in August 2013, citing conduct from 2010-12 uncovered during MLB's investigation of Biogenesis, which was based in Coral Gables, Florida, not far from Rodriguez's home.

Rodriguez directed the players' association to file a grievance and filed a lawsuit against the Yankees' team doctor, accusing him of mishandling his medical care. After a hearing, arbitrator Fredric Horowitz reduced the penalty to the 2014 season, finding clear and convincing evidence" Rodriguez used three banned substances and twice tried to obstruct the baseball's drug investigation.

All the while proclaiming his innocence, Rodriguez sued MLB and the union in an effort to overturn the penalty, then dropped the litigation and accepted the suspension. He is due to report to the Yankees on Feb. 25 and start workouts the following day.

Rodriguez addressed his statement "to the fans" and said "I take full responsibility for the mistakes that led to my suspension for the 2014 season."

"I regret that my actions made the situation worse than it needed to be," he said. "To Major League Baseball, the Yankees, the Steinbrenner family, the players' association and you, the fans, I can only say I'm sorry."

Rodriguez said "I accept the fact that many of you will not believe my apology or anything that I say at this point. I understand why, and that's on me."

"It was gracious of the Yankees to offer me the use of Yankee Stadium for this apology but I decided the next time I am in Yankee Stadium, I should be in pinstripes doing my job," he said.

Canadian reliever John Axford, who will pitch for the Colorado Rockies this season, also likes handwritten notes.

Rodriguez made clear he doesn't intend to publicly explain why he got involved with Biogenesis. The clinic's owner, Anthony Bosch, was sentenced to four years in prison on Tuesday after pleading guilty in October to a charge of conspiracy to distribute testosterone.

New York says Rodriguez, who turns 40 in July, has been replaced by Chase Headley at third base and will have to compete for playing time at designated hitter and an infield backup. Rodriguez is owed $61 million US over the final three seasons of his contract.

Before meeting with the Yankees, Rodriguez also met with incoming baseball commissioner Rob Manfred. "I served the longest suspension in the history of the league for PED use," Rodriguez said. "The commissioner has said the matter is over. The players' association has said the same. The Yankees have said the next step is to play baseball. I'm ready to put this chapter behind me and play some ball. This game has been my single biggest passion since I was a teenager. When I go to spring training, I will do everything I can to be the best player and teammate possible, earn a spot on the Yankees and help us win."

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Biogenesis ex-owner Anthony Bosch sentenced to 4 years

The former owner of a Florida medical clinic who posed as a doctor and illegally supplied steroid injections and other performance-enhancing drugs to professional baseball players and even high school athletes was sentenced Tuesday to four years in federal prison.

Anthony Bosch — who choked back tears in court and said the clinic was a legitimate business gone awry — sought a more lenient term because of his cooperation in the investigation, but U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles refused.

"This defendant was the most culpable in this conspiracy," the judge said.

Prosecutors said Bosch could still get his sentence reduced through further cooperation, including potential trial testimony.

Gayles said Bosch falsely held himself out as a licensed medical doctor at his Biogenesis of America clinic, where he accepted thousands of dollars a month to provide steroid injections to players such as New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez and Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers. Most troubling, Gayles said, was Bosch's injections of high school players in the Miami area.

"He was the mastermind," Gayles said. "He was the one who recruited others to assist him."

Bosch, 51, pleaded guilty in October to conspiracy to distribute testosterone, the sixth person charged in the Biogenesis case to do so. Bosch and Rodriguez are expected to testify if the last two defendants — Rodriguez cousin Yuri Sucart and ex-University of Miami pitching coach Lazaro Collazo — go to trial as scheduled in early April.

MLB imposed a record season-long suspension last year on Rodriguez, one of 14 players penalized in the scandal. The Yankees say Rodriguez, 39, is no longer their third baseman and will have a chance to earn at-bats as a designated hitter.

MLB spokesman Pat Courtney declined to comment.

Bosch, who has been undergoing treatment for cocaine addiction since his guilty plea, was joined by more than two dozen friends and family members at his sentencing hearing.

"I'm ashamed of myself. I'm remorseful," Bosch said. "I can't put into words how sorry I am."

But Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan said that rather than help people with medical problems, Bosch's main goal was to rake in money by illegally making the athletes "bigger, stronger and faster ballplayers." Bosch liked to call himself "Dr. T," according to court records.

"He was not a legitimate doctor. He wasn't treating an illness. He wasn't treating a disease," Sullivan said.

Bosch lawyer Guy Lewis, a former U.S. attorney in Miami, said that without his cooperation, MLB would not have had sufficient evidence to sustain Rodriguez's suspension. Lewis said Bosch has met dozens of times with U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents and helped prosecutors pore over thousands of pages of documents.

That cooperation, Lewis added, came despite threats from unnamed people warning Bosch to keep his mouth shut, forcing him to hire security services and move to several different locations. Bosch was also offered $150,000 US to flee to Colombia and "lay low," but he did not, Lewis said.

"Mr. Bosch has cooperated thoroughly and extensively," Lewis said. "He was truthful. He was reliable."

But Gayles refused Lewis' request that Bosch receive a lighter sentence of just under three years.

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Yankees' Alex Rodriguez issues handwritten apology to fans

Alex Rodriguez has issued a hand-written apology "for the mistakes that led to my suspension" but has turned down New York's offer to use Yankee Stadium for a news conference and has failed to detail any specifics about his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Ready to report back to the Yankees following a season-long suspension for violating baseball's drug agreement and labor contract, Rodriguez apologized to team officials in person during a meeting at the ballpark on Feb. 10. They suggested he hold a news conference before the start of spring training this Friday and offered the use of Yankee Stadium, but Rodriguez declined.

Rodriguez held an apologetic news conference in 2009 at the team's facility in Tampa, Florida, after he admitted using banned PEDs while with Texas from 2001-03, before Major League Baseball had a drug agreement with penalties. But he did not want to face questions from media about his latest involvement with PEDs — although he could be required to testify if his cousin, Yuri Sucart, and former University of Miami pitching coach Lazaro Collazo, go to trial on charges they committed crimes for their involvement with the Biogenesis of America drug clinic. Rodriguez admitted in court documents he used PEDs.

Commissioner Bud Selig suspended Rodriguez for 211 games in August 2013, citing conduct from 2010-12 uncovered during MLB's investigation of Biogenesis, which was based in Coral Gables, Florida, not far from Rodriguez's home.

Rodriguez directed the players' association to file a grievance and filed a lawsuit against the Yankees' team doctor, accusing him of mishandling his medical care. After a hearing, arbitrator Fredric Horowitz reduced the penalty to the 2014 season, finding clear and convincing evidence" Rodriguez used three banned substances and twice tried to obstruct the baseball's drug investigation.

All the while proclaiming his innocence, Rodriguez sued MLB and the union in an effort to overturn the penalty, then dropped the litigation and accepted the suspension. He is due to report to the Yankees on Feb. 25 and start workouts the following day.

Rodriguez addressed his statement "to the fans" and said "I take full responsibility for the mistakes that led to my suspension for the 2014 season."

"I regret that my actions made the situation worse than it needed to be," he said. "To Major League Baseball, the Yankees, the Steinbrenner family, the players' association and you, the fans, I can only say I'm sorry."

Rodriguez said "I accept the fact that many of you will not believe my apology or anything that I say at this point. I understand why, and that's on me."

"It was gracious of the Yankees to offer me the use of Yankee Stadium for this apology but I decided the next time I am in Yankee Stadium, I should be in pinstripes doing my job," he said.

Canadian reliever John Axford, who will pitch for the Colorado Rockies this season, also likes handwritten notes.

Rodriguez made clear he doesn't intend to publicly explain why he got involved with Biogenesis. The clinic's owner, Anthony Bosch, was sentenced to four years in prison on Tuesday after pleading guilty in October to a charge of conspiracy to distribute testosterone.

New York says Rodriguez, who turns 40 in July, has been replaced by Chase Headley at third base and will have to compete for playing time at designated hitter and an infield backup. Rodriguez is owed $61 million US over the final three seasons of his contract.

Before meeting with the Yankees, Rodriguez also met with incoming baseball commissioner Rob Manfred. "I served the longest suspension in the history of the league for PED use," Rodriguez said. "The commissioner has said the matter is over. The players' association has said the same. The Yankees have said the next step is to play baseball. I'm ready to put this chapter behind me and play some ball. This game has been my single biggest passion since I was a teenager. When I go to spring training, I will do everything I can to be the best player and teammate possible, earn a spot on the Yankees and help us win."

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Yankees to retire numbers for Pettitte, Posada, Williams

The New York Yankees are retiring the uniform numbers of Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada and Bernie Williams and will honour the trio with plaques in Monument Park this season along with Willie Randolph.

Pettitte's No. 46, Posada's No. 20 and Williams' No. 51 will raise the Yankees' total of retired numbers to 20. The Yankees also are expected to at some point retire Derek Jeter's No. 2, their last single digit number in use.

Williams will be honoured before the May 24 game against Texas and Randolph as part of Old Timers' Day before the June 20 game against Detroit. Posada's ceremony will be on Aug. 22, followed by Pettitte's the next day.

Williams joined Jeter as part of the group that won four World Series titles in a five-year span from 1996-2000, and Posada, Pettitte and Jeter won five titles in all.

Their numbers join those of Billy Martin (1), Babe Ruth (3), Lou Gehrig (4), Joe DiMaggio (5), Joe Torre (6), Mickey Mantle (7), Yogi Berra and Bill Dickey (8), Roger Maris (9), Phil Rizzuto (10), Thurman Munson (15), Whitey Ford (16), Don Mattingly (23), Elston Howard (32), Casey Stengel (37), Mariano Rivera (42), Reggie Jackson (44) and Ron Guidry (49).

Randolph was a part of championship teams in 1977 and '78, is a former Yankees' co-captain and was a coach for 11 seasons. 

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Jason Giambi retiring after 20 MLB seasons

Jason Giambi is retiring after 20 seasons in the majors.

The 2000 AL MVP announced his decision Monday in a statement that was first sent to the New York Daily News. He ends his career as one of 20 players in history with at least 400 home runs, 1,400 RBIs, 1,200 runs and 1,300 walks. The 44-year-old played for Oakland, the New York Yankees, Colorado and Cleveland.

Following last season, Giambi said he would discuss with his family whether to keep playing. The longtime slugger appeared in just 26 games for the Indians in 2014.

A five-time All-Star and fearsome power hitter, Giambi batted .277 in his career with 440 home runs and 1,441 RBIs. He had a .399 on-base percentage and slugged .516.

The first baseman was also tarnished by his involvement in the BALCO performance-enhancing drugs investigation. He never publicly admitted using PEDs, but has apologized for past actions.

"I want to thank the fans for being a part of this incredible journey," Giambi said in his statement. "I especially want to thank the fans that gave me a second chance to let me show you the human being you see today."

Despite the PED scandal, Giambi remained a popular and well-respected player in clubhouses around the majors — especially his own. Before joining the Indians in 2013, he was a finalist for Colorado's managerial job.

Indians President Mark Shapiro tweeted, "An honour to have had G in the Tribe. A generous, wise spirit with so much to offer. True pro."

In his statement, Giambi also thanked everyone from his family and agents to the media, his managers and coaches — even the companies that supplied his baseball equipment.

"Ever since I was 5 years old, all I ever wanted to be was a Major League Baseball player," he said. "To the game of baseball: I started playing you when I was a kid and I'm leaving you a man. Thank you."

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Ernie Banks' remains at centre of legal battle

Ernie Banks, the beloved Chicago Cubs great who once said he wanted to have his ashes scattered at Wrigley Field, is at the center of a battle over his remains as his estranged wife has gone to court to prevent a longtime friend of "Mr. Cub" from having his remains cremated.

The dispute involving most famous player in Cubs history, was confirmed Friday by Howard Golden, an attorney representing the estranged wife, Elizabeth Banks.

"Suddenly, it came up," he said. "It's unfortunate."

According to court records, Elizabeth Banks filed a petition to prevent a woman who describes herself in the documents as a longtime friend of Ernie Banks, his caretaker and the executor of Banks' estate from having him cremated. The woman, Regina Rice, asserted her rights to dispose of Banks' remains after his death last month at the age of 83, according to documents filed by Elizabeth Banks' attorneys on Feb. 2.

"Petitioner (Elizabeth Banks) is without recourse and shall suffer irreparable damage should Regina's desires to cremate the remains of the decedent be granted," she wrote.

Elizabeth Banks has successfully thus far prevented the body from being cremated, Golden said.

But it was unclear where exactly the body was taken. According to Golden, Banks is buried at Graceland Cemetery, just blocks from Wrigley Field. But a person who answered the phone at Graceland but declined to give her name said Banks is not buried there. And Dave Babczak, manager of Donnellan Funeral Home, which handled the logistics surrounding the Jan. 31 funeral service, declined to comment on the dispute, saying only that Banks' remains were no longer at the funeral home.

In court documents obtained by The Associated Press, there is no mention that Banks wanted his ashes scattered at the ballpark where he played his entire 19-year Hall of Fame career. But over the years, families of devoted fans have slipped into the ballpark to scatter the ashes of loved ones who spent their lives rooting for the Cubs and Banks, who on at least one occasion years ago, famously told a local newspaper reporter that after he died he wanted "my ashes spread out over Wrigley Field — with the wind blowing out."

The Cubs declined to comment on the dispute. Rice did not answer her phone and her attorney did not return calls for comment.

The documents are included in what is a larger dispute over control of the Banks estate.

Included in the file are documents in which Rice claims Banks was attempting to end his marriage to Elizabeth Banks, his fourth wife. The documents include a petition for divorce, signed by Ernie Banks, in which the Hall of Famer seeks to end his marriage because "irreconcilable differences have caused irretrievable breakdown of the marriage" and that Elizabeth Banks had "committed extreme and repeated acts of mental cruelty upon petitioner (Ernie Banks)."

A document titled "Last Will and Testament" and signed by Ernie Banks on Oct. 17 of last year says he was "in the process of finalizing divorce" from his wife and that he had appointed Rice as the executor of his will. Nowhere does Banks discuss what he wants done with his remains. The dispute appears to be far from over. The attorney for Elizabeth Banks at one point disputes the validity of the will, saying only that it was "allegedly signed" by Ernie Banks.

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Blue Jays beat Josh Donaldson in salary arbitration

Toronto 3rd baseman to earn $4.3 million US

The Canadian Press Posted: Feb 13, 2015 3:00 PM ET Last Updated: Feb 13, 2015 3:00 PM ET

All-Star third baseman Josh Donaldson has lost to the Toronto Blue Jays in salary arbitration.

He was awarded $4.3 million US on Friday by Steven Wolf, Robert Herzog and Gary Kendellen rather than his $5.75 million request.

The 29-year-old Donaldson hit .255 with 29 home runs and 98 RBIs in 158 games last season for Oakland and was traded to Toronto in December for third baseman Brett Lawrie, left-hander Sean Nolin, right-hander Kendall Graveman and minor league shortstop Franklin Barreto.

In four seasons in the majors with the A's, Donaldson has a .268 average with 63 homers and 228 RBIs.

He earned the $500,000 minimum last year and was eligible for arbitration for the first time.

Teams lead players 5-3, with the remaining seven cases scheduled for next week. The eight hearings are the most since clubs went 5-3 in 2010. There have not been more since teams were 8-6 in 2001.

Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.

Submission Policy

Note: The CBC does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comments, you acknowledge that CBC has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. Please note that comments are moderated and published according to our submission guidelines.

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Blue Jays beat Josh Donaldson in salary arbitration

Toronto 3rd baseman to earn $4.3 million US

The Canadian Press Posted: Feb 13, 2015 3:00 PM ET Last Updated: Feb 13, 2015 3:00 PM ET

All-Star third baseman Josh Donaldson has lost to the Toronto Blue Jays in salary arbitration.

He was awarded $4.3 million US on Friday by Steven Wolf, Robert Herzog and Gary Kendellen rather than his $5.75 million request.

The 29-year-old Donaldson hit .255 with 29 home runs and 98 RBIs in 158 games last season for Oakland and was traded to Toronto in December for third baseman Brett Lawrie, left-hander Sean Nolin, right-hander Kendall Graveman and minor league shortstop Franklin Barreto.

In four seasons in the majors with the A's, Donaldson has a .268 average with 63 homers and 228 RBIs.

He earned the $500,000 minimum last year and was eligible for arbitration for the first time.

Teams lead players 5-3, with the remaining seven cases scheduled for next week. The eight hearings are the most since clubs went 5-3 in 2010. There have not been more since teams were 8-6 in 2001.

Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.

Submission Policy

Note: The CBC does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comments, you acknowledge that CBC has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. Please note that comments are moderated and published according to our submission guidelines.

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Ernie Banks' remains at centre of legal battle

Ernie Banks, the beloved Chicago Cubs great who once said he wanted to have his ashes scattered at Wrigley Field, is at the center of a battle over his remains as his estranged wife has gone to court to prevent a longtime friend of "Mr. Cub" from having his remains cremated.

The dispute involving most famous player in Cubs history, was confirmed Friday by Howard Golden, an attorney representing the estranged wife, Elizabeth Banks.

"Suddenly, it came up," he said. "It's unfortunate."

According to court records, Elizabeth Banks filed a petition to prevent a woman who describes herself in the documents as a longtime friend of Ernie Banks, his caretaker and the executor of Banks' estate from having him cremated. The woman, Regina Rice, asserted her rights to dispose of Banks' remains after his death last month at the age of 83, according to documents filed by Elizabeth Banks' attorneys on Feb. 2.

"Petitioner (Elizabeth Banks) is without recourse and shall suffer irreparable damage should Regina's desires to cremate the remains of the decedent be granted," she wrote.

Elizabeth Banks has successfully thus far prevented the body from being cremated, Golden said.

But it was unclear where exactly the body was taken. According to Golden, Banks is buried at Graceland Cemetery, just blocks from Wrigley Field. But a person who answered the phone at Graceland but declined to give her name said Banks is not buried there. And Dave Babczak, manager of Donnellan Funeral Home, which handled the logistics surrounding the Jan. 31 funeral service, declined to comment on the dispute, saying only that Banks' remains were no longer at the funeral home.

In court documents obtained by The Associated Press, there is no mention that Banks wanted his ashes scattered at the ballpark where he played his entire 19-year Hall of Fame career. But over the years, families of devoted fans have slipped into the ballpark to scatter the ashes of loved ones who spent their lives rooting for the Cubs and Banks, who on at least one occasion years ago, famously told a local newspaper reporter that after he died he wanted "my ashes spread out over Wrigley Field — with the wind blowing out."

The Cubs declined to comment on the dispute. Rice did not answer her phone and her attorney did not return calls for comment.

The documents are included in what is a larger dispute over control of the Banks estate.

Included in the file are documents in which Rice claims Banks was attempting to end his marriage to Elizabeth Banks, his fourth wife. The documents include a petition for divorce, signed by Ernie Banks, in which the Hall of Famer seeks to end his marriage because "irreconcilable differences have caused irretrievable breakdown of the marriage" and that Elizabeth Banks had "committed extreme and repeated acts of mental cruelty upon petitioner (Ernie Banks)."

A document titled "Last Will and Testament" and signed by Ernie Banks on Oct. 17 of last year says he was "in the process of finalizing divorce" from his wife and that he had appointed Rice as the executor of his will. Nowhere does Banks discuss what he wants done with his remains. The dispute appears to be far from over. The attorney for Elizabeth Banks at one point disputes the validity of the will, saying only that it was "allegedly signed" by Ernie Banks.

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Blue Jays beat Josh Donaldson in salary arbitration

Toronto 3rd baseman to earn $4.3 million US

The Canadian Press Posted: Feb 13, 2015 3:00 PM ET Last Updated: Feb 13, 2015 3:00 PM ET

All-Star third baseman Josh Donaldson has lost to the Toronto Blue Jays in salary arbitration.

He was awarded $4.3 million US on Friday by Steven Wolf, Robert Herzog and Gary Kendellen rather than his $5.75 million request.

The 29-year-old Donaldson hit .255 with 29 home runs and 98 RBIs in 158 games last season for Oakland and was traded to Toronto in December for third baseman Brett Lawrie, left-hander Sean Nolin, right-hander Kendall Graveman and minor league shortstop Franklin Barreto.

In four seasons in the majors with the A's, Donaldson has a .268 average with 63 homers and 228 RBIs.

He earned the $500,000 minimum last year and was eligible for arbitration for the first time.

Teams lead players 5-3, with the remaining seven cases scheduled for next week. The eight hearings are the most since clubs went 5-3 in 2010. There have not been more since teams were 8-6 in 2001.

Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.

Submission Policy

Note: The CBC does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comments, you acknowledge that CBC has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. Please note that comments are moderated and published according to our submission guidelines.

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Ernie Banks' remains at centre of legal battle

Ernie Banks, the beloved Chicago Cubs great who once said he wanted to have his ashes scattered at Wrigley Field, is at the center of a battle over his remains as his estranged wife has gone to court to prevent a longtime friend of "Mr. Cub" from having his remains cremated.

The dispute involving most famous player in Cubs history, was confirmed Friday by Howard Golden, an attorney representing the estranged wife, Elizabeth Banks.

"Suddenly, it came up," he said. "It's unfortunate."

According to court records, Elizabeth Banks filed a petition to prevent a woman who describes herself in the documents as a longtime friend of Ernie Banks, his caretaker and the executor of Banks' estate from having him cremated. The woman, Regina Rice, asserted her rights to dispose of Banks' remains after his death last month at the age of 83, according to documents filed by Elizabeth Banks' attorneys on Feb. 2.

"Petitioner (Elizabeth Banks) is without recourse and shall suffer irreparable damage should Regina's desires to cremate the remains of the decedent be granted," she wrote.

Elizabeth Banks has successfully thus far prevented the body from being cremated, Golden said.

But it was unclear where exactly the body was taken. According to Golden, Banks is buried at Graceland Cemetery, just blocks from Wrigley Field. But a person who answered the phone at Graceland but declined to give her name said Banks is not buried there. And Dave Babczak, manager of Donnellan Funeral Home, which handled the logistics surrounding the Jan. 31 funeral service, declined to comment on the dispute, saying only that Banks' remains were no longer at the funeral home.

In court documents obtained by The Associated Press, there is no mention that Banks wanted his ashes scattered at the ballpark where he played his entire 19-year Hall of Fame career. But over the years, families of devoted fans have slipped into the ballpark to scatter the ashes of loved ones who spent their lives rooting for the Cubs and Banks, who on at least one occasion years ago, famously told a local newspaper reporter that after he died he wanted "my ashes spread out over Wrigley Field — with the wind blowing out."

The Cubs declined to comment on the dispute. Rice did not answer her phone and her attorney did not return calls for comment.

The documents are included in what is a larger dispute over control of the Banks estate.

Included in the file are documents in which Rice claims Banks was attempting to end his marriage to Elizabeth Banks, his fourth wife. The documents include a petition for divorce, signed by Ernie Banks, in which the Hall of Famer seeks to end his marriage because "irreconcilable differences have caused irretrievable breakdown of the marriage" and that Elizabeth Banks had "committed extreme and repeated acts of mental cruelty upon petitioner (Ernie Banks)."

A document titled "Last Will and Testament" and signed by Ernie Banks on Oct. 17 of last year says he was "in the process of finalizing divorce" from his wife and that he had appointed Rice as the executor of his will. Nowhere does Banks discuss what he wants done with his remains. The dispute appears to be far from over. The attorney for Elizabeth Banks at one point disputes the validity of the will, saying only that it was "allegedly signed" by Ernie Banks.

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Blue Jays raise single-game ticket prices by $2

The price of single-game Blue Jays tickets is going up by a toonie.

The team announced Tuesday that it will raise prices for the first time in five years.

A news release says the change in prices affects premium and regular games, excluding its Club and In the Action seats.

Toronto's home opener is April 13 against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Blue Jays enter the 2015 season with the longest active playoff drought in all of Major League Baseball. They inherited the title from the Kansas City Royals, who finally made it to the playoffs last fall for the first time in nearly three decades.

Toronto last played in the post-season in 1993, the year the Jays won their second World Series title.

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James Shields, Padres finalize 4-year deal

Welcome to the National League, "Big Game James" Shields.

The last big-name on the free-agent market, Shields has agreed to a four-year deal to pitch for the San Diego Padres.

The deal is reportedly worth $75 million US and marks the biggest free-agent contract in club history.

The Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs and Miami Marlins were also believed to have interest in the 33-year-old right-hander, a California native who spent the first nine seasons of his major league career in the American League, most recently for the AL champion Kansas City Royals.

Shields, who has thrown the most innings in the majors over the past eight seasons — Seattle' s Felix Hernandez is second and Detroit's Justin Verlander third — joins an already strong starting rotation that includes Andrew Cashner, Tyson Ross and Ian Kennedy.

In 34 starts for Kansas City last season, Shields had a 14-8 record, 3.21 earned-run average and 180 strikeouts in 227 innings.

He wasn't nearly as effective in the 2014 post-season, going 1-2 in five outings with a 6.12 ERA.

In November, Shields turned down a one-year, $15.3 million qualifying offer from the Royals.

He now becomes the first free-agent pitcher to sign a contract for more than $50 million after Feb. 1 of a given year.

In the last four seasons, Shields recorded a 3.17 ERA and 46.3 per cent groundball rate.

Though his strikeout-per-nine innings ratio has slipped from 8.8 to 7.1 in the past few seasons, it may improve with his move to the NL, where pitchers hit.

He'll probably miss the stellar infield defence in Kansas City, but Shields should benefit pitching at spacious Petco Park in San Diego.

Shields's signing continues an active offseason for first-year general manager A.J. Preller, the former Texas Rangers executive who set out to transform the Padres' low-scoring offence by acquiring players that could help San Diego improve immediately on their 77-85 record from last season.

Over the winter, the Padres have added outfielders Matt Kemp, Justin Upton and Wil Myers, catcher Derek Norris, infielder Will Middlebrooks and relief pitchers Shawn Kelley and Brandon Maurer.

San Diego hasn't had a winning record since 2010 (90-72) and last played in the post-season in 2006, losing in four games to St. Louis in the NL Division Series.

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James Shields, Padres finalize 4-year deal

Welcome to the National League, "Big Game James" Shields.

The last big-name on the free-agent market, Shields has agreed to a four-year deal to pitch for the San Diego Padres.

The deal is reportedly worth $75 million US and marks the biggest free-agent contract in club history.

The Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs and Miami Marlins were also believed to have interest in the 33-year-old right-hander, a California native who spent the first nine seasons of his major league career in the American League, most recently for the AL champion Kansas City Royals.

Shields, who has thrown the most innings in the majors over the past eight seasons — Seattle' s Felix Hernandez is second and Detroit's Justin Verlander third — joins an already strong starting rotation that includes Andrew Cashner, Tyson Ross and Ian Kennedy.

In 34 starts for Kansas City last season, Shields had a 14-8 record, 3.21 earned-run average and 180 strikeouts in 227 innings.

He wasn't nearly as effective in the 2014 post-season, going 1-2 in five outings with a 6.12 ERA.

In November, Shields turned down a one-year, $15.3 million qualifying offer from the Royals.

He now becomes the first free-agent pitcher to sign a contract for more than $50 million after Feb. 1 of a given year.

In the last four seasons, Shields recorded a 3.17 ERA and 46.3 per cent groundball rate.

Though his strikeout-per-nine innings ratio has slipped from 8.8 to 7.1 in the past few seasons, it may improve with his move to the NL, where pitchers hit.

He'll probably miss the stellar infield defence in Kansas City, but Shields should benefit pitching at spacious Petco Park in San Diego.

Shields's signing continues an active offseason for first-year general manager A.J. Preller, the former Texas Rangers executive who set out to transform the Padres' low-scoring offence by acquiring players that could help San Diego improve immediately on their 77-85 record from last season.

Over the winter, the Padres have added outfielders Matt Kemp, Justin Upton and Wil Myers, catcher Derek Norris, infielder Will Middlebrooks and relief pitchers Shawn Kelley and Brandon Maurer.

San Diego hasn't had a winning record since 2010 (90-72) and last played in the post-season in 2006, losing in four games to St. Louis in the NL Division Series.

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