The Rangers trade P Ryan Kelly to the Athletics in return for Guillermo Moscoso. Moscoso had been designated for assignment by the Rangers when they signed free agent Adrian Beltre a few days ago.
P Will Ohman signs a two-year deal with the Chicago White Sox.
Baseball is also in mourning after today’s shooting at a supermarket near Tucson, AZ, which leaves 6 persons dead and US representative Gabrielle Giffords among those seriously injured. 9-year-old Christina-Taylor Green, daughter of Los Angeles Dodgers scout John Green and grand-daughter of former player and executive Dallas Green, is one of the victims.
2011 – The Cubs and Rays engineer a big trade, with P Matt Garza, author of a no-hitter last season, OF Fernando Perez and a minor league pitcher to be named headed to Chicago in return for a slew of prospects. Those include P Chris Archer, OF Brandon Guyer, SS Hak-Ju Lee, C Robinson Chirinos and OF Sam Fuld, the only one in the group with major league experience. Archer and Guyer were the Cubs’ 2010 minor league player and pitcher of the year, respectively.
2011 – P Brian Bannister, who played for the Royals last season, signs a one-year deal with an option for 2012 to play for the Yomiuri Giants of the Japanese Central League.
Adrian Beltre agrees to a $96 million, six-year deal with the Rangers, the reigning American League champs. The acquisition of the All-Star third baseman will make incumbent Michael Young the team’s designated hitter, giving Texas a potent lineup and a much-improved defense.
Roberto Alomar and Bert Blyleven are voted into the Hall of Fame when the results of the 2011 Hall of Fame Election are announced. Alomar, twice a World Champion with the Toronto Blue Jays and a perennial Gold Glove winner at second base, makes it in his second year on the ballot. For workhorse pitcher Blyleven, it’s been harder. He started out at 17.5% in his first year of eligibility, and finally crossed the 75% threshold in his 14th year after a dedicated campaign on his behalf conducted through the internet. Once again, voters express their disgust with avowed steroid users, as Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro, both members of the 500 home run club, finish well down on the ballot.
Jeff Bagwell draws 41.7% of the vote in his first year on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, which sets off a debate about Bagwell’s credentials and suspicions of steroid use. Bagwell insists he’s never used them and no accuser has comes forward with any proof yet that doesn’t seem to be good enough for some writers who declare their opposition.
David Price is selected this season’s recipient of the Warren Spahn Award, a recognition given annually to the best left-handed major league pitcher in Major League Baseball by the Oklahoma Sports Museum. The Rays’ 25 year-old All-Star southpaw compiled a 19-6 record along with an ERA of 2.72 for the AL East champs.
The Orioles sign reliever Kevin Gregg, coming off a career-best 37 saves with Toronto, to a two-year contract.
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