Carlos Ruiz, Phillies agree to 3-year deal: report

Former All-Star catcher gets $26 million US

The Associated Press Posted: Nov 18, 2013 1:44 PM ET Last Updated: Nov 18, 2013 1:44 PM ET

Two people familiar with the negotiations tell the Associated Press that Carlos Ruiz and the Phillies have agreed to a $26 million US, three-year contract that will keep the former All-Star catcher in Philadelphia.

The people spoke on condition of anonymity Monday because the deal hasn't been officially announced. The contract also includes a club option for 2017.

The 34-year-old hit .268 in 92 games last year after serving a 25-game suspension for using a banned amphetamine.

Ruiz is known for excellent defensive skills and strong rapport with the pitching staff. He had career-highs with a .325 average, 16 homers and 68 RBIs in 2012, when he made his first All-Star team. Several teams actively sought Ruiz on the free-agent market, and retaining him was Philadelphia's top priority.

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Police reopening A-Rod document theft investigation

Alex Rodriguez's grievance hearing to overturn his 211-game suspension resumed Monday with the first of what could be 10 straight days of sessions.

The sides spent their ninth day before arbitrator Fredric Horowitz, who also heard the case from Sept. 30-Oct. 3 and Oct. 15-18. Rodriguez's legal team was set to call witnesses when the hearing resumed.

MLB and the players' association appear to be trying to finish testimony before Thanksgiving, and it remained unclear whether the New York Yankees third baseman would testify. He had been scheduled for an investigatory interview with MLB on Friday, but the session was cancelled when Rodriguez's side said he was ill with flu-like systems and could not travel from California.

Rodriguez arrived at MLB's office on Monday morning.

MLB has been expected to assert that Rodriguez should not be allowed to testify at his grievance if he first refused to answer MLB's questions at the investigatory interview.

Rodriguez was suspended for 211 games by MLB on Aug. 5 for alleged violations of the sport's drug agreement and labour contract, and the players' association filed the grievance to overturn the penalty.

The three-time AL MVP said four years ago he used performance-enhancing drugs while with the Texas Rangers from 2001-03, but he has denied using them since. At the time of his suspension, MLB said the penalty was for "use and possession of numerous forms of prohibited performance-enhancing substances, including testosterone and human growth hormone over the course of multiple years" and for "engaging in a course of conduct intended to obstruct and frustrate the office of the commissioner's investigation."

A Florida police department said Monday it had reopened an investigation into the theft of documents related to baseball's inquiry.

Boca Raton police officer Sandra Boonenberg said the investigation was reopened several weeks ago based on new information stemming from Rodriguez's lawsuit against MLB, which accused the sport of engaging in a "witch hunt."

Boonenberg offered few details on the open investigation but said detectives have "a lot of leads that they're pursuing."

The documents were stolen in March from the car of Porter Fischer, who took them from Biogenesis of America, the now-closed Florida anti-aging clinic where he worked.

The clinic and its owner, Anthony Bosch, have been accused of providing banned performance-enhancing drugs to Rodriguez and other major leaguers. Bosch agreed to co-operate with baseball's investigators, and baseball later suspended 14 players.

Citing unidentified sources close to the investigation, ESPN reported last week that MLB impeded the Florida investigation.

"MLB investigators knowingly purchased stolen documents in their quest to allow Commissioner Selig to act, for the first time, as if he was tough on PED use in baseball despite striking a co-operation deal with Anthony Bosch who MLB knows is under federal investigation for providing steroids to minors," Jordan Siev, one of Rodriguez's lawyers, said in a statement.

MLB has repeatedly denied the accusation.

"The truth continues to be that we did not knowingly purchase stolen documents and there is an active police investigation to determine if the documents were in fact stolen," the commissioner's office said in a statement.

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Miguel Cabrera, Andrew McCutchen win MVP awards

All those who marvel at Miguel Cabrera can only wonder what he might've done this year if completely healthy.

Even so, Cabrera was a huge hit in Motown.

Despite being hobbled by all sorts of ailments, the Detroit Tigers slugger won his second straight American League Most Valuable Player award Thursday, once again beating Angels outfielder Mike Trout by a comfortable margin.

A season after winning baseball's first Triple Crown in 45 years, Cabrera came back to lead the majors in hitting at .348 and finish second with 44 home runs and 137 RBIs. 

'I think this year was tougher because of the injuries. It was the last two months. It was tough to play through it.'- Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera

"I think this year was tougher because of the injuries," he said on a conference call from the Miami area.

"It was the last two months. It was tough to play through it," he said.

The eight-time All-Star missed several games after the break because of a bad back, a sore left hip flexor, a strained lower abdomen, shin trouble and a groin tear. He recently had surgery to fix the tear and said he'll be ready for spring training.

Still, Cabrera got 23 of 30 first-place votes from members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. He became the first player to win consecutive AL MVPs since Frank Thomas for the Chicago White Sox in 1993 and 1994.

Pirates centre fielder Andrew McCutchen took the NL MVP by a surprisingly wide margin after leading a baseball revival in Pittsburgh.

Easy win for 'Cutch'

McCutchen drew 28 of the 30 first-place votes to finish far ahead of Arizona first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina.

"I'm floating right now," McCutchen said in Pittsburgh. "But I definitely didn't expect it to be a landslide with those other guys — Goldschmidt and Molina. They were great candidates and I didn't know what to expect."

McCutchen ranked among the NL leaders by hitting .317 with 21 home runs and 84 RBIs. He also scored 97 runs, stole 27 bases and had a .404 on-base percentage.

The 27-year-old with the long, flowing dreadlocks helped the Pirates stop a record streak of 20 losing seasons and make the playoffs for the first time since 1992.

Cabrera finished with 385 points, while Trout got five first-place votes and 282 points. The difference was 81 points last season, when Trout was AL Rookie of the Year. 

'I'm floating right now. But I definitely didn't expect it to be a landslide with those other guys — Goldschmidt and Molina. They were great candidates and I didn't know what to expect.'- Pirates centre fielder Andrew McCutchen

Baltimore first baseman Chris Davis, who led the majors with 53 homers and 138 RBIs, was third.

"I think all three guys deserve this trophy," Cabrera said.

Davis and Oakland third baseman Josh Donaldson each received a first-place vote.

Cabrera took his third AL batting title in a row. He also drew a $1 million bonus for winning a second MVP during his current contract with the Tigers.

No AL player has won three straight MVPs. Albert Pujols was the last repeat NL MVP winner in 2008 and 2009; Barry Bonds took four straight from 2001-04.

The Tigers have virtually owned the major post-season awards during a three-year run of success. Justin Verlander was the MVP and Cy Young winner in 2011, Cabrera took the MVP last season and Detroit ace Max Scherzer won this year's Cy Young Award on Wednesday.

"I'm on the right team," Cabrera said.

The 30-year-old third baseman from Venezuela also captured the AL MVP last year when he hit .330 with 44 homers and 139 RBIs. Cabrera topped Trout 22-6 in first-place votes in that balloting.

Trout hit .323 with 27 homers and 97 RBIs this year, stole 33 bases and led the AL in runs and walks.

Baseball's most feared hitter

Cabrera clearly was baseball's most dominant hitter for most of the season as the Tigers won their third straight AL Central crown.

Voting for the BBWAA awards was done before the playoffs. Cabrera hit .262 with two homers and seven RBIs in 11 post-season games, and made a couple of key outs in Detroit's six-game loss to Boston in the AL championship series.

Cabrera was in contention for a second straight Triple Crown for much of the year, and was hitting .359 with 43 homers and 130 RBIs through Aug. 26. But he managed only two extra-base hits in his next 25 games through the end of the regular season.

Cabrera said he didn't think rest would have helped heal his injuries near the end.

Instead, he took a different approach: "OK, let's play through it and see what happens," he said.

Cabrera still became the first right-handed hitter to win three straight batting titles in either league since Rogers Hornsby in 1920-25.

Cabrera also kept amazing his teammates with his prowess at the plate.

In mid-August, he homered in all three games of a series at Yankee Stadium, twice connecting off career saves leader Mariano Rivera.

His shot in the opener was the most impressive, even though Detroit eventually lost. After fouling two balls off his left shin, Cabrera was having trouble standing in the batter's box when he tagged Rivera for a tying, two-run drive with two outs in the ninth inning.

Cabrera had bedeviled the Yankees before. As a 20-year-old rookie, he helped the Marlins beat New York in the 2003 World Series.

McCutchen, third in MVP balloting last season, got 409 points. Goldschmidt finished second with 242, while Molina received the other two first-place votes and came in third.

McCutchen's win came two days after Pirates manager Clint Hurdle was picked as the NL Manager of the Year. McCutchen was the first Pittsburgh player to win the MVP since Bonds in 1992.

The Pirates went 94-68 this year, a season after going 79-83. Along the way, McCutchen became the face of the franchise and heard loud "MVP!" chants when he would step to the plate at PNC Park this summer.

"I'd lie to you if I said it didn't enter my mind ever," he said. "It's awesome to hear something like that."

Pittsburgh beat Cincinnati in the NL wild-card game, then lost to St. Louis in a division series that went the full five games.

Boston wound up beating St. Louis in the World Series. No one on the Red Sox or Cardinals won any of the major BBWAA awards.

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Blue Jays add veteran Dan Johnson

First baseman gets invite to spring training

The Canadian Press Posted: Nov 15, 2013 1:00 PM ET Last Updated: Nov 15, 2013 1:00 PM ET

The Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to terms with veteran first baseman Dan Johnson on a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training.

Johnson, 34, appeared in three games for the Baltimore Orioles last season after being acquired from the New York Yankees organization on Aug. 30.

The six-foot-two, 210-pound native of Coon Rapids, Minn., spent most of last season at Scranton Wilkes-Barre. He had a .253 average with the triple-A team and hit 21 homers and drove in 69 runs.

The eight-year major-league veteran has a career .236 average with 56 home runs and 194 RBIs with Oakland, Tampa Bay, the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore.

Comments on this story are pre-moderated. Before they appear, comments are reviewed by moderators to ensure they meet our submission guidelines. Comments are open and welcome for three days after the story is published. We reserve the right to close comments before then.

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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Miguel Cabrera, Andrew McCutchen win MVP awards

All those who marvel at Miguel Cabrera can only wonder what he might've done this year if completely healthy.

Even so, Cabrera was a huge hit in Motown.

Despite being hobbled by all sorts of ailments, the Detroit Tigers slugger won his second straight American League Most Valuable Player award Thursday, once again beating Angels outfielder Mike Trout by a comfortable margin.

A season after winning baseball's first Triple Crown in 45 years, Cabrera came back to lead the majors in hitting at .348 and finish second with 44 home runs and 137 RBIs. 

'I think this year was tougher because of the injuries. It was the last two months. It was tough to play through it.'- Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera

"I think this year was tougher because of the injuries," he said on a conference call from the Miami area.

"It was the last two months. It was tough to play through it," he said.

The eight-time All-Star missed several games after the break because of a bad back, a sore left hip flexor, a strained lower abdomen, shin trouble and a groin tear. He recently had surgery to fix the tear and said he'll be ready for spring training.

Still, Cabrera got 23 of 30 first-place votes from members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. He became the first player to win consecutive AL MVPs since Frank Thomas for the Chicago White Sox in 1993 and 1994.

Pirates centre fielder Andrew McCutchen took the NL MVP by a surprisingly wide margin after leading a baseball revival in Pittsburgh.

Easy win for 'Cutch'

McCutchen drew 28 of the 30 first-place votes to finish far ahead of Arizona first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina.

"I'm floating right now," McCutchen said in Pittsburgh. "But I definitely didn't expect it to be a landslide with those other guys — Goldschmidt and Molina. They were great candidates and I didn't know what to expect."

McCutchen ranked among the NL leaders by hitting .317 with 21 home runs and 84 RBIs. He also scored 97 runs, stole 27 bases and had a .404 on-base percentage.

The 27-year-old with the long, flowing dreadlocks helped the Pirates stop a record streak of 20 losing seasons and make the playoffs for the first time since 1992.

Cabrera finished with 385 points, while Trout got five first-place votes and 282 points. The difference was 81 points last season, when Trout was AL Rookie of the Year. 

'I'm floating right now. But I definitely didn't expect it to be a landslide with those other guys — Goldschmidt and Molina. They were great candidates and I didn't know what to expect.'- Pirates centre fielder Andrew McCutchen

Baltimore first baseman Chris Davis, who led the majors with 53 homers and 138 RBIs, was third.

"I think all three guys deserve this trophy," Cabrera said.

Davis and Oakland third baseman Josh Donaldson each received a first-place vote.

Cabrera took his third AL batting title in a row. He also drew a $1 million bonus for winning a second MVP during his current contract with the Tigers.

No AL player has won three straight MVPs. Albert Pujols was the last repeat NL MVP winner in 2008 and 2009; Barry Bonds took four straight from 2001-04.

The Tigers have virtually owned the major post-season awards during a three-year run of success. Justin Verlander was the MVP and Cy Young winner in 2011, Cabrera took the MVP last season and Detroit ace Max Scherzer won this year's Cy Young Award on Wednesday.

"I'm on the right team," Cabrera said.

The 30-year-old third baseman from Venezuela also captured the AL MVP last year when he hit .330 with 44 homers and 139 RBIs. Cabrera topped Trout 22-6 in first-place votes in that balloting.

Trout hit .323 with 27 homers and 97 RBIs this year, stole 33 bases and led the AL in runs and walks.

Baseball's most feared hitter

Cabrera clearly was baseball's most dominant hitter for most of the season as the Tigers won their third straight AL Central crown.

Voting for the BBWAA awards was done before the playoffs. Cabrera hit .262 with two homers and seven RBIs in 11 post-season games, and made a couple of key outs in Detroit's six-game loss to Boston in the AL championship series.

Cabrera was in contention for a second straight Triple Crown for much of the year, and was hitting .359 with 43 homers and 130 RBIs through Aug. 26. But he managed only two extra-base hits in his next 25 games through the end of the regular season.

Cabrera said he didn't think rest would have helped heal his injuries near the end.

Instead, he took a different approach: "OK, let's play through it and see what happens," he said.

Cabrera still became the first right-handed hitter to win three straight batting titles in either league since Rogers Hornsby in 1920-25.

Cabrera also kept amazing his teammates with his prowess at the plate.

In mid-August, he homered in all three games of a series at Yankee Stadium, twice connecting off career saves leader Mariano Rivera.

His shot in the opener was the most impressive, even though Detroit eventually lost. After fouling two balls off his left shin, Cabrera was having trouble standing in the batter's box when he tagged Rivera for a tying, two-run drive with two outs in the ninth inning.

Cabrera had bedeviled the Yankees before. As a 20-year-old rookie, he helped the Marlins beat New York in the 2003 World Series.

McCutchen, third in MVP balloting last season, got 409 points. Goldschmidt finished second with 242, while Molina received the other two first-place votes and came in third.

McCutchen's win came two days after Pirates manager Clint Hurdle was picked as the NL Manager of the Year. McCutchen was the first Pittsburgh player to win the MVP since Bonds in 1992.

The Pirates went 94-68 this year, a season after going 79-83. Along the way, McCutchen became the face of the franchise and heard loud "MVP!" chants when he would step to the plate at PNC Park this summer.

"I'd lie to you if I said it didn't enter my mind ever," he said. "It's awesome to hear something like that."

Pittsburgh beat Cincinnati in the NL wild-card game, then lost to St. Louis in a division series that went the full five games.

Boston wound up beating St. Louis in the World Series. No one on the Red Sox or Cardinals won any of the major BBWAA awards.

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Blue Jays add veteran Dan Johnson

First baseman gets invite to spring training

The Canadian Press Posted: Nov 15, 2013 1:00 PM ET Last Updated: Nov 15, 2013 1:00 PM ET

The Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to terms with veteran first baseman Dan Johnson on a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training.

Johnson, 34, appeared in three games for the Baltimore Orioles last season after being acquired from the New York Yankees organization on Aug. 30.

The six-foot-two, 210-pound native of Coon Rapids, Minn., spent most of last season at Scranton Wilkes-Barre. He had a .253 average with the triple-A team and hit 21 homers and drove in 69 runs.

The eight-year major-league veteran has a career .236 average with 56 home runs and 194 RBIs with Oakland, Tampa Bay, the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore.

Comments on this story are pre-moderated. Before they appear, comments are reviewed by moderators to ensure they meet our submission guidelines. Comments are open and welcome for three days after the story is published. We reserve the right to close comments before then.

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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Miguel Cabrera, Andrew McCutchen win MVP awards

All those who marvel at Miguel Cabrera can only wonder what he might've done this year if completely healthy.

Even so, Cabrera was a huge hit in Motown.

Despite being hobbled by all sorts of ailments, the Detroit Tigers slugger won his second straight American League Most Valuable Player award Thursday, once again beating Angels outfielder Mike Trout by a comfortable margin.

A season after winning baseball's first Triple Crown in 45 years, Cabrera came back to lead the majors in hitting at .348 and finish second with 44 home runs and 137 RBIs. 

'I think this year was tougher because of the injuries. It was the last two months. It was tough to play through it.'- Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera

"I think this year was tougher because of the injuries," he said on a conference call from the Miami area.

"It was the last two months. It was tough to play through it," he said.

The eight-time All-Star missed several games after the break because of a bad back, a sore left hip flexor, a strained lower abdomen, shin trouble and a groin tear. He recently had surgery to fix the tear and said he'll be ready for spring training.

Still, Cabrera got 23 of 30 first-place votes from members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. He became the first player to win consecutive AL MVPs since Frank Thomas for the Chicago White Sox in 1993 and 1994.

Pirates centre fielder Andrew McCutchen took the NL MVP by a surprisingly wide margin after leading a baseball revival in Pittsburgh.

Easy win for 'Cutch'

McCutchen drew 28 of the 30 first-place votes to finish far ahead of Arizona first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina.

"I'm floating right now," McCutchen said in Pittsburgh. "But I definitely didn't expect it to be a landslide with those other guys — Goldschmidt and Molina. They were great candidates and I didn't know what to expect."

McCutchen ranked among the NL leaders by hitting .317 with 21 home runs and 84 RBIs. He also scored 97 runs, stole 27 bases and had a .404 on-base percentage.

The 27-year-old with the long, flowing dreadlocks helped the Pirates stop a record streak of 20 losing seasons and make the playoffs for the first time since 1992.

Cabrera finished with 385 points, while Trout got five first-place votes and 282 points. The difference was 81 points last season, when Trout was AL Rookie of the Year. 

'I'm floating right now. But I definitely didn't expect it to be a landslide with those other guys — Goldschmidt and Molina. They were great candidates and I didn't know what to expect.'- Pirates centre fielder Andrew McCutchen

Baltimore first baseman Chris Davis, who led the majors with 53 homers and 138 RBIs, was third.

"I think all three guys deserve this trophy," Cabrera said.

Davis and Oakland third baseman Josh Donaldson each received a first-place vote.

Cabrera took his third AL batting title in a row. He also drew a $1 million bonus for winning a second MVP during his current contract with the Tigers.

No AL player has won three straight MVPs. Albert Pujols was the last repeat NL MVP winner in 2008 and 2009; Barry Bonds took four straight from 2001-04.

The Tigers have virtually owned the major post-season awards during a three-year run of success. Justin Verlander was the MVP and Cy Young winner in 2011, Cabrera took the MVP last season and Detroit ace Max Scherzer won this year's Cy Young Award on Wednesday.

"I'm on the right team," Cabrera said.

The 30-year-old third baseman from Venezuela also captured the AL MVP last year when he hit .330 with 44 homers and 139 RBIs. Cabrera topped Trout 22-6 in first-place votes in that balloting.

Trout hit .323 with 27 homers and 97 RBIs this year, stole 33 bases and led the AL in runs and walks.

Baseball's most feared hitter

Cabrera clearly was baseball's most dominant hitter for most of the season as the Tigers won their third straight AL Central crown.

Voting for the BBWAA awards was done before the playoffs. Cabrera hit .262 with two homers and seven RBIs in 11 post-season games, and made a couple of key outs in Detroit's six-game loss to Boston in the AL championship series.

Cabrera was in contention for a second straight Triple Crown for much of the year, and was hitting .359 with 43 homers and 130 RBIs through Aug. 26. But he managed only two extra-base hits in his next 25 games through the end of the regular season.

Cabrera said he didn't think rest would have helped heal his injuries near the end.

Instead, he took a different approach: "OK, let's play through it and see what happens," he said.

Cabrera still became the first right-handed hitter to win three straight batting titles in either league since Rogers Hornsby in 1920-25.

Cabrera also kept amazing his teammates with his prowess at the plate.

In mid-August, he homered in all three games of a series at Yankee Stadium, twice connecting off career saves leader Mariano Rivera.

His shot in the opener was the most impressive, even though Detroit eventually lost. After fouling two balls off his left shin, Cabrera was having trouble standing in the batter's box when he tagged Rivera for a tying, two-run drive with two outs in the ninth inning.

Cabrera had bedeviled the Yankees before. As a 20-year-old rookie, he helped the Marlins beat New York in the 2003 World Series.

McCutchen, third in MVP balloting last season, got 409 points. Goldschmidt finished second with 242, while Molina received the other two first-place votes and came in third.

McCutchen's win came two days after Pirates manager Clint Hurdle was picked as the NL Manager of the Year. McCutchen was the first Pittsburgh player to win the MVP since Bonds in 1992.

The Pirates went 94-68 this year, a season after going 79-83. Along the way, McCutchen became the face of the franchise and heard loud "MVP!" chants when he would step to the plate at PNC Park this summer.

"I'd lie to you if I said it didn't enter my mind ever," he said. "It's awesome to hear something like that."

Pittsburgh beat Cincinnati in the NL wild-card game, then lost to St. Louis in a division series that went the full five games.

Boston wound up beating St. Louis in the World Series. No one on the Red Sox or Cardinals won any of the major BBWAA awards.

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Blue Jays add veteran Dan Johnson

First baseman gets invite to spring training

The Canadian Press Posted: Nov 15, 2013 1:00 PM ET Last Updated: Nov 15, 2013 1:00 PM ET

The Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to terms with veteran first baseman Dan Johnson on a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training.

Johnson, 34, appeared in three games for the Baltimore Orioles last season after being acquired from the New York Yankees organization on Aug. 30.

The six-foot-two, 210-pound native of Coon Rapids, Minn., spent most of last season at Scranton Wilkes-Barre. He had a .253 average with the triple-A team and hit 21 homers and drove in 69 runs.

The eight-year major-league veteran has a career .236 average with 56 home runs and 194 RBIs with Oakland, Tampa Bay, the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore.

Comments on this story are pre-moderated. Before they appear, comments are reviewed by moderators to ensure they meet our submission guidelines. Comments are open and welcome for three days after the story is published. We reserve the right to close comments before then.

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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MLB nixes proposal for Japan bidding system

Major League Baseball is withdrawing its proposal for a new bidding system with Japan, making it uncertain whether prized pitcher Masahiro Tanaka will be on the market this off-season.

MLB chief operating officer Rob Manfred said Japanese officials had not acted quickly enough on MLB's proposal for a new agreement and that a new proposal will be forwarded.

"We warned them, told them if this sat too long, there could be shifting winds out there, and suffice it to say there are shifting winds," Manfred said.

Under the so-called "posting system," agreed to in December 1998, more than a dozen Japanese players have moved to MLB before the nine years of service time they would have needed to become a free agent. Under the system, MLB clubs submit bids, and the highest bidder has 30 days to reach an agreement with the player.

Boston obtained pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka from the Seibu Lions before the 2007 season for $51.1 million US, and Texas got pitcher Yu Darvish from the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters before the 2012 season for $51.7 million. Those figures don't include the players' contracts with the new teams.

"I think the concerns with the system was it was a blind bidding process that led to inflated numbers," Manfred said, "and that those inflated numbers make that market unavailable to a broad cross-section of our teams."

Tanaka, a 25-year-old right-hander, went a 24-0 with a 1.27 earned-run average during the regular season for the Rakuten Golden Eagles of Japan's Pacific League.

Without an agreement, Japanese players would not be able to sign with MLB until they had nine years of service time

"If that's the way we get Japanese professionals, I think that the 30 major league clubs are prepared to live with that result," Manfred said.

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Miguel Cabrera, Andrew McCutchen win MVP awards

All those who marvel at Miguel Cabrera can only wonder what he might've done this year if completely healthy.

Even so, Cabrera was a huge hit in Motown.

Despite being hobbled by all sorts of ailments, the Detroit Tigers slugger won his second straight American League Most Valuable Player award Thursday, once again beating Angels outfielder Mike Trout by a comfortable margin.

A season after winning baseball's first Triple Crown in 45 years, Cabrera came back to lead the majors in hitting at .348 and finish second with 44 home runs and 137 RBIs. 

'I think this year was tougher because of the injuries. It was the last two months. It was tough to play through it.'- Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera

"I think this year was tougher because of the injuries," he said on a conference call from the Miami area.

"It was the last two months. It was tough to play through it," he said.

The eight-time All-Star missed several games after the break because of a bad back, a sore left hip flexor, a strained lower abdomen, shin trouble and a groin tear. He recently had surgery to fix the tear and said he'll be ready for spring training.

Still, Cabrera got 23 of 30 first-place votes from members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. He became the first player to win consecutive AL MVPs since Frank Thomas for the Chicago White Sox in 1993 and 1994.

Pirates centre fielder Andrew McCutchen took the NL MVP by a surprisingly wide margin after leading a baseball revival in Pittsburgh.

Easy win for 'Cutch'

McCutchen drew 28 of the 30 first-place votes to finish far ahead of Arizona first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina.

"I'm floating right now," McCutchen said in Pittsburgh. "But I definitely didn't expect it to be a landslide with those other guys — Goldschmidt and Molina. They were great candidates and I didn't know what to expect."

McCutchen ranked among the NL leaders by hitting .317 with 21 home runs and 84 RBIs. He also scored 97 runs, stole 27 bases and had a .404 on-base percentage.

The 27-year-old with the long, flowing dreadlocks helped the Pirates stop a record streak of 20 losing seasons and make the playoffs for the first time since 1992.

Cabrera finished with 385 points, while Trout got five first-place votes and 282 points. The difference was 81 points last season, when Trout was AL Rookie of the Year. 

'I'm floating right now. But I definitely didn't expect it to be a landslide with those other guys — Goldschmidt and Molina. They were great candidates and I didn't know what to expect.'- Pirates centre fielder Andrew McCutchen

Baltimore first baseman Chris Davis, who led the majors with 53 homers and 138 RBIs, was third.

"I think all three guys deserve this trophy," Cabrera said.

Davis and Oakland third baseman Josh Donaldson each received a first-place vote.

Cabrera took his third AL batting title in a row. He also drew a $1 million bonus for winning a second MVP during his current contract with the Tigers.

No AL player has won three straight MVPs. Albert Pujols was the last repeat NL MVP winner in 2008 and 2009; Barry Bonds took four straight from 2001-04.

The Tigers have virtually owned the major post-season awards during a three-year run of success. Justin Verlander was the MVP and Cy Young winner in 2011, Cabrera took the MVP last season and Detroit ace Max Scherzer won this year's Cy Young Award on Wednesday.

"I'm on the right team," Cabrera said.

The 30-year-old third baseman from Venezuela also captured the AL MVP last year when he hit .330 with 44 homers and 139 RBIs. Cabrera topped Trout 22-6 in first-place votes in that balloting.

Trout hit .323 with 27 homers and 97 RBIs this year, stole 33 bases and led the AL in runs and walks.

Baseball's most feared hitter

Cabrera clearly was baseball's most dominant hitter for most of the season as the Tigers won their third straight AL Central crown.

Voting for the BBWAA awards was done before the playoffs. Cabrera hit .262 with two homers and seven RBIs in 11 post-season games, and made a couple of key outs in Detroit's six-game loss to Boston in the AL championship series.

Cabrera was in contention for a second straight Triple Crown for much of the year, and was hitting .359 with 43 homers and 130 RBIs through Aug. 26. But he managed only two extra-base hits in his next 25 games through the end of the regular season.

Cabrera said he didn't think rest would have helped heal his injuries near the end.

Instead, he took a different approach: "OK, let's play through it and see what happens," he said.

Cabrera still became the first right-handed hitter to win three straight batting titles in either league since Rogers Hornsby in 1920-25.

Cabrera also kept amazing his teammates with his prowess at the plate.

In mid-August, he homered in all three games of a series at Yankee Stadium, twice connecting off career saves leader Mariano Rivera.

His shot in the opener was the most impressive, even though Detroit eventually lost. After fouling two balls off his left shin, Cabrera was having trouble standing in the batter's box when he tagged Rivera for a tying, two-run drive with two outs in the ninth inning.

Cabrera had bedeviled the Yankees before. As a 20-year-old rookie, he helped the Marlins beat New York in the 2003 World Series.

McCutchen, third in MVP balloting last season, got 409 points. Goldschmidt finished second with 242, while Molina received the other two first-place votes and came in third.

McCutchen's win came two days after Pirates manager Clint Hurdle was picked as the NL Manager of the Year. McCutchen was the first Pittsburgh player to win the MVP since Bonds in 1992.

The Pirates went 94-68 this year, a season after going 79-83. Along the way, McCutchen became the face of the franchise and heard loud "MVP!" chants when he would step to the plate at PNC Park this summer.

"I'd lie to you if I said it didn't enter my mind ever," he said. "It's awesome to hear something like that."

Pittsburgh beat Cincinnati in the NL wild-card game, then lost to St. Louis in a division series that went the full five games.

Boston wound up beating St. Louis in the World Series. No one on the Red Sox or Cardinals won any of the major BBWAA awards.

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