Andruw Jones was arrested Christmas morning and charged with battery, according to the Associated Press. The arrest took place outside of Atlanta.
The Gwinnett County Sheriff's Department arrested Jones, 35, after responding to a reported domestic dispute call between Jones and his wife in Duluth, Ga. According to numerous media reports citing the Gwinnett County Detention Center records, Jones was released on $2,400 bond by 11 a.m., after spending seven hours in jail.
Jones, a 17-year veteran, spent 12 years with the Braves. He won 10 Gold Glove Awards, made five All-Star Game appearances and hit 368 home runs with Atlanta. The right-handed hitting outfielder played one season with the Dodgers, one season with the White Sox and two with the Yankees, compiling 434 career homers before signing this offseason with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Japan's Pacific League.
Former Major League All-Star closer Ugueth Urbina has been released from a Venezuelan prison after serving five years for attempted murder, according to the Sports Xchange.
Urbina was convicted in 2007 of trying to kill five workers on his family's ranch with machetes and gasoline. Urbina also was found guilty of illegal deprivation of liberty and violating a prohibition against taking justice into his own hands during a dispute over a gun Oct. 16, 2005.
He was sentenced to 14 years in prison, despite repeatedly denying involvement in the incident. He said he was sleeping at the time.
Urbina pitched for the Texas Rangers, Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies. Urbina, 38, last pitched in the big leagues in 2005 and is not expected to make a return.
A report out of Venezuela says he was throwing 90 MPH while playing in prison.
Report: Ex-MLB All-Star closer released from prison
The main focus of the New York Yankees heading into 2013 seems to be a bat.
Preferably, a right-handed bat that can play the outfield.
Last week, the Yankees signed former Atlanta Braves outfielder Matt Diaz to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training.
However, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports doesn't think the Yankees' pursuit for another hitter is over: And I agree with Rosenthal. I don't think their quest is done for a right-handed bat.
There are two options I see right now for the Bombers.
The first one is New York Mets outfielder Scott Hairston, who the team likes a lot.
However, I think this one is unlikely. Hairston wants at least two years as a free agent, and while I think Hairston would be an ideal fit for the Yankees lineup, I just don't see Brian Cashman giving a free-agent fourth outfielder a two-year deal.
The second option is the one I am going to focus on here because I think he's the dark-horse candidate that the Yankees might end up landing: Vernon Wells.
Two weeks ago, news of the Yankees and Los Angeles Angels discussing a potential deal surfaced (via the Daily News).
That news came from the Angels' recent signing of Josh Hamilton to a five-year, $125 million deal, so the Halos may look to shed an outfielder from the team this winter.
Call it a weird gut feeling, but by either mid-January or early February, I think Wells might end up on the Yankees.
For that to happen, the Angels will almost certainly have to take on the remainder of the two years and $42 million that's owed to Wells.
I think it happens because I think the Angels just want to be done with Wells, even if they have to pay someone else to take him off the roster.
So, lets say Wells is a Yankee in 2013. How would he impact the team?
Now, before I begin, if you are expecting the 30 home run, 110 RBI hitter of a few years ago, you're expecting the wrong player.
The 34-year-old Wells is a mere fourth outfielder now in his career, but on the right team and with the right situation, he could actually thrive in a new role. For one, he is still a decent outfielder who can play all three spots if needed for the Yankees.
He would essentially take over the role that Andruw Jones left behind by being used against left-handed pitching. Jones ended up playing more in 2012 for the Yankees because of the injury to Brett Gardner. He eventually got overused, and pitchers exposed his flaws at the plate.
For a long time now, Wells' name has come up in many of the "worst current contracts in MLB" lists.
And again, I'm not looking at Wells as the center fielder the Blue Jays locked up to a mega-contract.
No, instead, I'm looking at the Yankees taking a fraction of his deal and getting two years out of Wells as a fourth outfielder, potential DH and defensive replacement.
Plus, what if Gardner's elbow acts up again in 2013? Just like Jones, Raul Ibanez is also gone, and Wells could fit into the lineup and play if needed.
I think what has to happen first for a Wells deal is Hairston coming off the market.
I know the Yankees will remain interested, but I think he goes back to the Mets for the two years he wants in a deal. Once that happens, Cashman knows he won't just go with Diaz as his fourth outfielder, although I know Diaz will do his best to impress everyone in spring training.
I think Cashman's talks with the Angels will resume based off the initial talks from the baseball winter meetings, and all that would remain would be a number.
That number is how much of Wells' contract the Angels decide to eat in order to make a deal.
Once the new year hits, don't be surprised if this kind of deal happens.
Stay tuned, Yankees Universe.
MLB Trade Rumors: How Dealing for Vernon Wells Could Impact the Yankees | Bleacher Report
Having checked off all of their offseason needs in rapid fashion in late November and December, the Reds are poised to keep more additions to a minimum in the final weeks of the Hot Stove season.
Reds general manager Walt Jocketty re-signed closer Jonathan Broxton and outfielder Ryan Ludwick, traded for center fielder Shin-Soo Choo and signed infielder Jack Hannahan as a free agent. His primary focus this month will be trying to sign his own players that are eligible for arbitration.
"The only thing we could possibly need is another left-handed reliever, but it's not critical," Jocketty said Wednesday from his winter home in Phoenix. "Our right-handed relievers have done well versus left-handed hitters."
Cincinnati currently has one established left-hander in its bullpen in Sean Marshall. Another lefty, Aroldis Chapman, is expected to shift from closer to compete for a rotation spot in Spring Training.
The free-agent market is not flush with southpaws, especially after the Brewers closed deals with two of them in recent days -- Mike Gonzalez and Tom Gorzelanny. The Reds were reportedly interested in Gonzalez, who has agreed to a one-year contract worth $2.25 million plus incentives, according to reports.
Other names that remain on the market are Manny Parra, Rich Hill, J.C. Romero and Pedro Feliciano.
A glance at the numbers show that Jocketty was correct about his right-handed relievers. All of them had better success versus lefties compared to righties last season -- including Jose Arredondo (.277 vs. righties, .165 vs. lefties), Sam LeCure (.232 vs. righties, .208 vs. lefties), J.J. Hoover (.196 vs. righties, .120 vs. lefties), Logan Ondrusek (.285 vs. righties, .190 vs. lefties) and Alfredo Simon (.283 vs. righties, .267 vs. lefties).
Top left-handed pitching prospect Tony Cingrani is not currently being viewed as a bullpen candidate.
"He could do that, but we would prefer him to start at Triple-A," Jocketty said. "We want to have starting pitching depth. He's capable of relieving, but it's not in his best long-term interests. If it becomes in the best interests of the club, maybe it's something we could look at in Spring Training."
Jocketty has never been shy about combing for late-winter bargains as prices come down. Late last month, the team re-signed veteran catcher Corky Miller for depth at Triple-A Louisville. Other catchers still on the market are seeking big league contracts, while the Reds only want to offer Minor League deals.
There is still interest from the Reds in retaining free-agent third baseman Scott Rolen for a supporting role, but Rolen, who turns 38 in April, still hasn't decided whether he will retire.
"We could possibly improve our bench, but I like the makeup of our bench now," Jocketty said. "Other than that, we're pretty well set. We never stop trying to improve the club, but at some point you look to make do with what you've got."
Reds done with major moves this offseason | MLB-com: News
The Toronto Blue Jays, in partnership with Baseball Canada, hosted a social gathering at Rogers Centre on Friday night to kick off a three-day coaching clinic.
Beginning in the early evening, hundreds of coaches from Canada, and at least a few from every province, filed into the Club 200 Level VIP at Rogers Centre and mixed and mingled before embarking on a question-and-answer session with Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos, coaches DeMarlo Hale and Chad Mottola and alumni, including World Series hero Duane Ward.
Sportnet's Jamie Campbell was master of ceremonies for the event, which will continue over the weekend with coaching clinics, seminars and instruction from Mottola, Hale, Ward and other members of the organization.
One of the goals of the clinic is to provide coaches with concepts and fundamentals that they can put into practice with their various youth teams across the country.
"Since I have been in the organization, it seems like every year we are doing more, it's getting better," Anthopoulos said about the Blue Jays' involvement in amateur baseball in Canada. "The interest level is huge. The fact that they had to turn a lot of coaches away is a great sign. The coaches that are here aren't getting paid a lot to coach -- they are doing it because they love the game and they want to give back to Canada's youth.
"So why wouldn't we want to help them as well? They do this for the right reasons, so it's on us being the only Canadian team."
The coaches, which were estimated to be as many as 375, peppered Anthopoulos and other headliners of the event with questions ranging from the Blue Jays' offseason to tips on baseball-related specifics, such as when to teach young pitchers how to throw breaking balls.
Ward handled the bulk of the pitching-specific questions, while others took turns answering a number of other inquiries.
Anthopoulos raved about the event and how serious coaches are taking baseball in Canada but agreed with Ward that despite how competitive sports are, there needs to be an emphasis on having fun.
"I do think that it has become so competitive and so privatized -- the clinics, the batting cages -- that the fun has been removed from amatuer sports a little bit," Anthopoulos said. "Let them be a 12-year-old, let them have fun. It's not life and death when you are 8 years old. You hear the parents that drive their kids up a wall or they alienate them; they don't make it fun anymore because of the expectations and the pressure with aspirations of them playing pro.
"The likelihood of that is so slim. If you have a chance and are good enough to become a professional one day, great. But there are a lot of other great things that can come from sports and that's probably more important than this obsession of becoming a pro and trying to make millions of dollars."
Participants of the event were assigned to specific groups for the weekend and given a number of items, including a Blue Jays sweater.
The clinic, and Blue Jays Winter Tour presented by TD, will continue Saturday, with players Jose Bautista, Adam Lind, Brett Cecil and Aaron Loup scheduled to make appearances.
Blue Jays welcome youth coaches to clinic | MLB-com: News
To most of his audience, Mariano Rivera was happy playing the role of pitching coach on Saturday morning, covering the basics for a room filled with big league hopefuls.
For some of the 150 or so children on hand for Rivera's clinic, their return to normalcy seemed even more important.
Some of the young players attending Rivera's session at the Frozen Ropes academy came from nearby Newtown, where the community is attempting to recover from last month's school shooting.
"We didn't try to get into it," Rivera said. "We just tried to run it smooth and make sure they were comfortable. There were a few kids from there, and we want to make sure we made them feel comfortable and not try to treat them differently. I think that was for the best."
Rivera worked with the children on their leg lifts, arm slots and follow-throughs, nodding with approval when his instructions produced strikes, and patiently offering hints that might improve their performance in the upcoming Little League seasons.
Baseball was the language bonding the room on Saturday, but standing less than 15 miles from Sandy Hook Elementary School -- where a gunman killed 26 and wounded two on the morning of Dec. 14 -- Rivera said that it was difficult for him not to think about the recent events.
"When you have something like that and think about children, kids, I think the whole nation, the whole world, felt that," Rivera said. "Not just the United States, but the whole world. It was a disaster, it definitely was, so all we have to do is pray."
The mood was considerably lighter with his laughing, chatty audience. Following the pitching clinic, Rivera fielded questions from the kids, saying in response to one query that he enjoys this side of the teaching process and that he hopes to continue instructing young players long after his retirement.
"I want to teach the little ones, because it's a long road from the Minor Leagues," Rivera said. "That's where my passion is. I want to make sure those guys have enough guidance."
Not that Rivera, who hinted strongly at retirement last spring, seems prepared to drop any hints of when he might consider taking his famed cutter home for good. Asked by a youngster how much longer he intends to continue pitching, Rivera chuckled.
"There is media here," Rivera said. "I don't know. I have another contract for this year. I don't know what is going to happen next year."
Rivera, 43, agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal -- plus incentives -- with the Yankees this winter. He said that his right knee, which was surgically repaired after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament last May, is close to being ready for mound action.
"It's not 100 percent. It would be, I would say, 95 percent," Rivera said. "By the time Spring Training starts, it'll feel 100 percent."
Rivera said that his rehab is continuing on a near-daily basis and that he expects to resume throwing in about a week. He expects a "normal" Spring Training -- which, for him, likely means a slightly late report to Yankees camp in Tampa, Fla. -- but said his knee will be ready for any save opportunities come Opening Day.
"It needs more strengthening. The five percent will come quick," Rivera promised.
Rivera seemed much less concerned with the state of his knee than with making a good impression. Standing before the group of youthful faces, many clad in T-shirts bearing Rivera's No. 42, the all-time saves leader hoped his words carried some weight.
"I feel good. That's what it is all about," Rivera said. "We came here to take care and make sure that everything is done right. The most important thing is that they have fun, and that's what it is all about."
Mariano Rivera says knee '95 percent' on way toward full health | MLB-com: News
The 2013 season is quickly approaching, with pitchers and catchers reporting on February 12, and it's been a busy offseason already.
With a pair of $100 million contracts and a handful of blockbuster trades, the landscape of baseball has changed plenty this offseason, and there is no shortage of reason for excitement this coming year.
While the season has not begun yet, here is a look at the top 15 early-season storylines for the 2013 MLB season.
Read More: The Top Early MLB Storylines for the 2013 Season | Bleacher Report
Remember last year, when the Brewers added left-hander Mike Gonzalez in free agency?
On Monday, they made the signing official.
The Brewers formally announced their one-year pact with the veteran reliever on Monday, a move that could cap general manager Doug Melvin's bullpen makeover. Gonzalez had agreed to the deal, which pays $2.25 million plus incentives, back on Dec. 28, but it remained unofficial until the player passed his physical exam and the team cleared space on its 40-man roster.
Those hurdles were complicated by the holiday break but were cleared by Monday, when the Brewers designated right-hander Arcenio Leon for assignment.
Gonzalez, 34 and a 10-year Major League veteran, will continue to wear uniform No. 51. Another reliever, Jim Henderson, switched to No. 29.
Gonzalez is the Brewers' third significant bullpen pickup in about a month, joining fellow former Nationals lefty Tom Gorzelanny (free agency) and former Rays right-hander Burke Badenhop. With incumbent closer John Axford, right-handers Henderson and Brandon Kintzler, plus one of the five competitors for four open spots in the starting rotation, the Brewers have the makings of a seven-man relief corps.
Gonzalez can earn incentives on top of his base salary if he emerges as the Brewers' closer. He posted a 3.03 ERA in 47 appearances for Washington in 2012, his best ERA since his last season in the National League -- 2009 -- when Gonzalez posted a 2.42 ERA in 80 appearances for the Braves.
Over 10 seasons and 434 relief appearances, Gonzalez owns a 2.94 ERA and 56 saves, including a 2.62 ERA and 54 saves in 349 games in the NL.
With Gorzelanny and Gonzalez, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke will have a pair of experienced left-handers, something he has lacked for most of his two-year tenure with the team. The Brewers have not used two lefties in relief since April 23, 2011, when Zach Braddock and Mitch Stetter each pitched in an extra-inning loss to the Astros.
The Brewers claimed Leon off waivers from the Astros in November.
Lefty Mike Gonzalez welcomed to Crew bullpen | MLB-com: News
Until now the website Rockies.com had been owned by something called Tourism Canadian Rockies and was used to promote the Rocky Mountains, but Josh Leventhal of Baseball America reports that MLB has purchased the domain name for $1.2 million.
According to Venture Capital Group it’s the largest price ever paid for a sports-related website and a significantly higher price than the domain name was expected to generate via auction.
Leventhal notes that MLB now owns 26 of the 30 “dot-com” domain names for teams, with the Rays, Rangers, Twins, and Giants the holdouts. Giants.com is owned by the NFL team, while the other three are owned by non-baseball companies that apparently don’t want to sell.
The shutout pitched by the Baseball Writers Association of America in Hall of Fame voting results announced Wednesday was not a shocker. A pattern had been set in previous years with the dismissals of Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Jose Canseco and Juan Gonzalez: no player connected to performance-enhancing drugs has come close to clearing the threshold of 75 percent support to gain election to the Hall. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens certainly brought next-level credentials to the debate this time, but the message remains the same, given that they couldn't clear even 40 percent of the vote.
So don't be surprised but also don't draw final conclusions. The Steroid Era was messy and complicated and the voting has become a mirror held up to one of the most embarrassing eras the game has known. It will take some time to sort through it. This was one snapshot, not the definitive judgment.
I believe many writers simply deferred their choice on many of the candidates. The history of polling of elections is filled with people who say they will vote one way, but when they actually enter the voting booth and the curtain closes behind them, the reality of pulling the level may give them pause. I believe many writers were unsure about what to do, or didn't quite feel right about pulling the lever on some candidates. The easy thing to do is nothing -- to defer the decision for another year after finding out which way the wind is blowing. A small percentage of writers also wanted to keep guys out for one year only, a position of "taking a stand" of little significance.
What does this ballot mean? It means as much as the number of players elected: nothing. What matters is where we go from here. The voting is a process. The last ballot with a shutout, 1996, actually included six eventual Hall of Famers. Every ballot from 1968 through 2002 (let's leave off the past decade to allow candidates a good run on the ballot) included at least five Hall of Famers and an average of 10.2. It's reasonable to expect that five or more players on this ballot eventually will get into the Hall of Fame.
What matters is how next year differs from this year, if at all. How many voters who "deferred" their vote will begin to support candidates? We just don't know, though I admit the support for Bonds and Clemens was lower than I expected.
Shutouts happened seven previous times, and somehow the sun came up, baseball went on and the Hall endured as the most prestigious Hall of Fame in all of sports without significant changes to the voting procedure. The rules don't need to be changed just to honor steroid users. Just wait -- and not long.
The Steroid Era is a dirty era but it is not a forgotten one. It will be well represented where appropriate. A flood of players is lined up to enter Cooperstown like planes at O'Hare at rush hour. Next year could include one of the biggest induction days ever, with as many as eight or more Hall of Fame acceptance speeches. Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas stand a very good chance of getting elected, while holdover candidates Craig Biggio and Jack Morris (each at 68 percent) could easily join them. In addition, candidates from the Expansion Era Committee likely to be considered include managers Tony LaRussa, Joe Torre and Bobby Cox and general manager John Schuerholz. Cooperstown will be jammed.
Behind the Class of '14, which also includes Jeff Kent and Mike Mussina, come Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz, Ken Griffey Jr., Trevor Hoffman, Vlad Guerrero and others, while holdovers such as Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell, Mike Piazza, Curt Schilling and Tim Raines figure to continue to climb toward 75 percent.
Barry Larkin and Roberto Alomar didn't get into the Hall on the first ballot, so there is no shame with Biggio coming up just short. Remember this: the majority of Hall of Famers elected by the writers needed three or more ballots to get in (58 of 110). The Hall of Fame election includes the highest standards for enshrinement. Those standards were upheld Wednesday. But what happens five, 10 or 15 years from now remains unknown.
Read More: HOF rejection of Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens may be temporary - MLB - Tom Verducci - SI-com
Major League Baseball will test players' blood for human growth hormone during the season starting this year, becoming the first American sport to do so and continuing the league's stand against performance-enhancing drugs following decades of abuse by players. Following a rash of positive tests for testosterone last season, MLB also will implement a new testing procedure for the synthetic drug, according to sources. The league will use a "longitudinal testing program" in which its testing lab in Montreal will maintain baseline concentrations of testosterone, epitestosterone and T/E ratio. The lab will compare those values to subsequent tests. If there is a statistically significant difference, the lab will scrutinize the sample with IRMS testing to see if the result was caused by a PED.
The league and the MLB Players Association agreed to the in-season testing after blood testing for HGH last spring. While the union had long opposed the invasiveness of blood testing, executive director Michael Weiner has worked with MLB to strengthen what doping experts say is the best testing program in professional sports. CBSSports-com first reported the agreement.
The in-season testing will be random, much like the current testing for other PEDs, according to a source, though it is unknown how many tests the league will implement. The efficacy of the test remains in question, too, as HGH is quick to leave the bloodstream. Still, in 2011, Mike Jacobs tested positive for the drug in the minor leagues, where the tests have been standard since the middle of the 2010 season. The implementation followed a positive test on international rugby player Terry Newton. MLB planned to announced the new rules a day after a Hall of Fame vote in which Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, two players tied to PED use, were denied entry, and in which voters copped to keeping Mike Piazza and Jeff Bagwell off their ballots because of suspected use.
PED use remains prevalent throughout baseball. Last season, pitcher Guillermo Mota, infielder Freddy Galvis, outfielder Melky Cabrera, pitcher Bartolo Colon and catchers Yasmani Grandal and Carlos Ruiz were suspended for using banned substances. And that followed an offseason in which reigning National League MVP Ryan Braun was caught with excessive testosterone in his blood. His suspension was overturned in arbitration.
MLB to begin testing for HGH this season - Yahoo! Sports
Former Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Mariners outfielder Milton Bradley has been charged with abusing his estranged wife and faces up to 13 years in jail if convicted, city prosecutors announced Friday.
Bradley, 34, was charged on Thursday with 13 misdemeanor counts of assault with a deadly weapon, vandalism and dissuading a witness from making a report.
In addition to jail time, Bradley could face up to $13,000 in fines and restitution if convicted.
He remained free pending a scheduled Jan. 24 arraignment.
Prosecutors contend that Bradley threatened and attacked his wife five times in 2011 and 2012. He was twice arrested at the home in 2011.
"During one incident in November 2012, Bradley allegedly pushed his wife against a kitchen wall and choked her with both hands after she requested that he stop smoking marijuana in front of their children and requested that his friends leave her San Fernando Valley home," said a statement from the city attorney's office.
Prosecutors contend that during other confrontations, Bradley kicked his wife in the ribs, approached her with a baseball bat and threatened her with a knife while telling her: "You'll be dead b---- before you divorce me."
"My client denies it," said Bradley's attorney, Harland Braun. "I've talked to him already. He said, 'She's making up stories. I don't know what she's talking about.'"
The couple, who have two children, are separated and in the middle of a contentious divorce.
Bradley played 11 years with the Montreal Expos, Cleveland Indians, Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs and Mariners.
His playing history was marred by several confrontational outbursts. The Dodgers traded him to Oakland in 2005 after he threw a water bottle at fans and he had a clubhouse run-in with a reporter. During his brief term with Seattle, he was suspended for a game for bumping an umpire and ejected for arguing a called third strike.
He's been a free agent since the Mariners released him in 2011.
Former MLB outfielder Milton Bradley charged with domestic abuse
Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh's center fielder, is your cover star for MLB 13 The Show, following an extremely brief period in which fans voted on the honor. McCutchen prevailed by nearly 20,000 votes over New York's C.C. Sabathia, and by more than 30,000 votes over Miguel Cabrera of Detroit, the first batter to win the Triple Crown in 44 seasons.
Other candidates included (in order of voting) Matt Kemp of Los Angeles, Bryce Harper of Washington, Buster Posey of the World Series Champion San Francisco Giants, and Ryan Braun of Milwaukee.
For every offseason move that is viewed as a win across the league, there is one that is far more polarizing for one reason or another.
Whether it is a team paying too much for a free agent, giving up too much in a trade or simply acquiring a player with a questionable background and track record, there are plenty of reasons to question an offseason acquisition.
Here are the seven most overrated moves of the 2013 MLB offseason, moves that simply do not look good for one or more of the above mentioned reasons.
Read More: The 7 Most Overrated Moves of the 2013 MLB Offseason | Bleacher Report
This is the type of week that baseball dreams are made of.
The next six days in the Dominican Republic could change the lives of several talented ballplayers from Latin America and dramatically impact the big league clubs looking to sign them.
Starting Wednesday, Major League Baseball will kick off a busy week for amateurs on the island with the second annual MLB Prospect League international showcase for players eligible to sign on July 2 in an event at Temistocles Metz Stadium in San Cristobal. On Friday, the International Prospect League (IPL) will bring together its league's best players for an All-Star game and showcase for two days at the Tampa Bay Rays' complex in Boca Chica. Also on Friday, the Dominican Prospect League (DPL) -- the first league of its kind on the island -- will open a four-day event called the Louisville Slugger Tournament Series for its top players at the New York Yankees' complex in Boca Chica.
Close to 150 top prospects are expected to participate in the three showcases. More than 200 scouts are expected to attend Wednesday's event alone, which will feature prospects from the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Nicaragua and Curacao along with a visit from Joe Torre, MLB's executive vice president of baseball operations. The IPL will also feature players from Venezuela.
"The amateur international world is descending upon the island for the week, and all of the activity means there is a lot going on in the Dominican," said manager of Latin American game development for MLB Joel Araujo. "Baseball is flourishing and it's continuing to grow, which is to everyone's benefit. There are huge investments being made in these players, and we believe the more games, the better. The evolution of baseball games, in addition to traditional scouting, in the Dominican Republic has allowed clubs to view these types of events as tools to their scouting."
The baseball landscape has changed in part because of the change in the rules regarding the signing of international prospects.
In accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement, each team was allotted $2.9 million to spend on the international market starting July 2, 2012, without penalty. Exceptions -- such as a team's six highest signing bonuses of $50,000 or less and players signed for $7,500 or less -- do not count against the spending cap.
More than 400 players have signed since the international signing period began on July 2.
This July's international signing period works in a similar way and the amount clubs are allowed to spend will be based largely on its record in the 2012 season. The pools for each team will range from an estimated $4.9 million (for the lowest winning percentage) to $1.8 million (for the highest winning percentage). Clubs will also be allowed to trade pool money.
"I think we were able to help change the industry by starting the first league several years ago and give scouts and clubs more evaluation time in game situations," said Brian Mejia, co-founder of the DPL. "That's very important in this climate where clubs are really paying attention and following the new guidelines."
Last year was a banner year for Major League Baseball in its efforts in Latin America. Its first international showcase, held last February, featured 25 prospects from the Dominican Republic and Venezuela and more than 200 big league scouts in attendance at an event that included a 60-yard dash, infield and outfield drills and batting practice. The prospects also played two games.
In November, MLB held a showcase in Venezuela in front of 175 scouts to find prospects for next month's event. Two months earlier, MLB put on a showcase that featured some of the top amateur Dominican players at Tetelo Vargas Stadium in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic. MLB also hosted a four-day tournament that featured amateur teams from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and USA Baseball in Santo Domingo in August.
The league created MLB Prospect League for players eligible to sign professional contracts on July 2, and for older players, last spring. The league made special scouting trips to Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia and Curacao to find players for its event this week.
"The expectations for this week are very high, and I think if we allow ourselves to think about where we were two years ago, it was definitely different and we've made progress," Araujo said. "We didn't know what type of reception we would get from the critical parties here in the Dominican, but the reception was not bad. At this point, we are at the point where all we do is field calls from trainers that want to be invited to participate. We hope it continues to evolve."
Scouts gear up for busy week in Dominican Republic | MLB-com: News
Rockies outfielder Dexter Fowler, coming off his best season, and right-hander Jhoulys Chacin, who is bouncing back from an injury-shortened 2012, were among six Rockies to file for arbitration, the MLB Players Association announced Tuesday.
Also filing were outfielder Tyler Colvin, right-handed pitcher Wilton Lopez, shortstop Jonathan Herrera and left-handed pitcher Josh Outman. Player and club figures are to be exchanged Friday, and teams and players will attempt to negotiate a contract. If an agreement cannot be reached, arbitration hearings before a three-judge panel -- which will choose either the player's figure or the team's for his 2013 salary -- will be conducted Feb. 4-20.
Teams can sign players to one-year or multiyear deals to avoid arbitration. A source said the team is not expected to grant any multiyear deals this year.
It is the second year of arbitration for the switch-hitting Fowler, who avoided an arbitration hearing with a $2.35 million contract last year. Fowler finished last season with a .300 batting average, a .383 on-base percentage and 13 home runs -- all career highs. He also had 18 doubles, 11 triples and 12 stolen bases.
Chacin, in his first year of arbitration, missed a large chunk of the season with a nerve issue in the right side of his chest, and he finished the year 3-5 with a 4.43 ERA in 14 starts.
Colvin, like Fowler last year, is a Super Two player. Most players eligible for arbitration have three or more years of service time, but the highest 22 percent of players above two years are also eligible. Colvin, who joined the Rockies before last season in a trade with the Cubs, earned close-to-regular playing time and batted .290 with 18 home runs and 72 RBIs.
The Rockies traded with the Astros for Lopez during the Winter Meetings and plan to use him as a right-handed setup man. Lopez appeared in 64 games last season and went 6-3 with a 2.17 ERA and 10 saves.
Herrera appeared in 96 games and hit .262 with three homers and 12 RBIs. Outman bounced between the Majors, Triple-A Colorado Springs and Double-A Tulsa. In the Majors, he went 1-3 with an 8.19 ERA in 27 games, including seven starts.
Dexter Fowler among six Rockies to file for arbitration | MLB-com: News
The New York Yankees and right-handed starter Phil Hughes will not be heading to an arbitration hearing; the Journal News' Chad Jennings reported Wednesday that Hughes agreed to a one-year contract with the Bombers. The New York Daily News' Mark Feinsand later reported that the deal is worth $7.15 million.
Hughes is coming off a season in which he tossed a career-high 191.1 innings New York and whiffed a career-high 165 batters. The northpaw cut his walk rate from 3.3 BB/9 in 2011 to 2.2 in 2012 and upped his strikeout rate from 5.7 K/9 in 2011 to 7.8 in 2012, but his numbers were doomed by a massive amount of gopher-balls. Hughes gave up 1.6 homers per nine innings while posting a fly-ball percentage of 47.6, an unfriendly number for homer-happy Yankee Stadium.
This will likely be Hughes' last time through salary arbitration; he will be eligible for free agency following the 2013 season.
Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp will serve as celebrity grand marshal for the 28th annual Kingdom Day Parade in recognition of Martin Luther King Day. The parade will be held Saturday in South Los Angeles.
Kemp, currently rehabilitating from October shoulder surgery, will be joined by Dodgers alumni Bobby Castillo, Tommy Davis, Al "The Bull" Ferrara, "Sweet" Lou Johnson, Lee Lacy, Kenny Landreaux, Tim Leary, Wes Parker, Dennis Powell, Derrel Thomas and Maury Wills, who will be riding in the Dodgers firetruck.
The Dodgers are a sponsor of the parade, whose theme will be "His Dream Will Never Die." The parade starts at 10:30 a.m. PT from the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Western Avenue and will be televised live locally on KABC-TV Channel 7.
Kemp's involvement in the Los Angeles community dates back to 2007 and includes a Dodgers Dreamfield dedication in Compton, Christmas visits to Sweet Alice in Watts and the City of Hope Hospital in Duarte, and the establishment of Kemp's Kids in 2008, hosting children at Dodger Stadium.
He has raised more than $400,000 for families affected by autism at his annual Spring Training fundraiser and participated for several years in the Dodgers' annual Community Caravan and Dodgers Dream Foundation Bowling Extravaganza.
With teammate Clayton Kershaw, Kemp was honored by the Negro Leagues Museum last January with a Legacy Award.
Dodgers' Matt Kemp named grand marshal for Kingdom Day Parade | MLB-com: News
Friday was a big day for Major League Baseball, as players and teams tried to agree to deals in order to avoid arbitration.
Some big names agreed to terms with their respective teams, making hometown fans ecstatic in the process.
First of all, we'll start with the defending-champion San Francisco Giants.
Buster Posey agreed on a one-year, $8 million deal with the Giants to avoid arbitration, according to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. Schulman reported earlier this week that the Giants will attempt to sign Posey to a "blockbuster deal" this spring. The agreement on Friday won't change that.
Outfielder Hunter Pence, who came to the Giants last season via trade with the Philadelphia Phillies, agreed to a one-year, $13.8 million contract for 2013, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Pence is eligible for free agency following the 2013 campaign.
The Boston Red Sox may be coming off a nightmare campaign, but they were able to lock up outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury for another year. According to Heyman, the two sides agreed on a one-year, $9 million deal for next season. Ellsbury is slated to enter free agency after the 2013 season.
The Red Sox also locked up closer Joel Hanrahan for 2013, dishing out $7.04 million, according to Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe. Hanrahan, who was acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates in December, posted a 2.72 ERA while racking up 36 saves in 40 chances with Pittsburgh in 2012. The Detroit Tigers, who made it to the World Series in 2012, were able to ink outfielder Austin Jackson to a one-year, $3.5 million deal, according to Heyman. As Detroit's leadoff hitter last season, Jackson hit .300 with 16 home runs, 66 RBI and 103 runs. He was also productive in the playoffs.
The Baltimore Orioles, who enjoyed a resurgent campaign in 2012 under Buck Showalter, were able to agree to a one-year, $5.5 million contract with young catcher Matt Wieters, according to Heyman. Wieters doesn't hit for a high average (.249 last season), but he has power at the plate (23 home runs and 83 RBI). The two-time All-Star is also an excellent defensive player, as noted by his Gold Glove Awards in 2011 and 2012.
The Cleveland Indians were able to re-sign closer Chris Perez to a one-year, $7.3 million deal with awards bonuses, according to the right-hander's agency, CAA Baseball. Perez posted a relatively high ERA for a closer in 2012 (3.59), but he still managed to register 39 saves in 43 chances.
After acquiring Kendrys Morales in a trade last month, the Seattle Mariners inked him to a one-year, $5.25 million deal (including performance bonuses), according to Heyman. Morales hit .273 with 22 home runs, 73 RBI and 61 runs in 134 games with the Los Angeles Angels last season, but he's had trouble staying on the field.
Dodgers infielder Justin Sellers was arrested Saturday for driving recklessly in a West Sacramento residential neighborhood, police told a local television station.
According to KCRA-TV, Sellers was doing wheelies on a motorcycle and when police tried to pull him over, the 26-year-old fled, turning himself in after a brief chase.
The club had no comment.
Sellers made the Opening Day roster last year but injured his back in May making a spectacular diving catch into the stands and required season-ending back surgery in August.
The Gwinnett County Sheriff's Department arrested Jones, 35, after responding to a reported domestic dispute call between Jones and his wife in Duluth, Ga. According to numerous media reports citing the Gwinnett County Detention Center records, Jones was released on $2,400 bond by 11 a.m., after spending seven hours in jail.
Jones, a 17-year veteran, spent 12 years with the Braves. He won 10 Gold Glove Awards, made five All-Star Game appearances and hit 368 home runs with Atlanta. The right-handed hitting outfielder played one season with the Dodgers, one season with the White Sox and two with the Yankees, compiling 434 career homers before signing this offseason with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Japan's Pacific League.