2002 – The Minnesota Supreme Court refuses to consider an appeal of an injunction that forces the Twins to fulfill their Metrodome lease this year. The decision puts an end for this season any possibility of contraction in major league baseball.
2002 – New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada signs a five-year contract with the club. Terms are not announced, but Posada was asking for $7.75 million in arbitration, which would have made the 30-year-old the second best-paid catcher in major league history.
2002 – Six-time All-Star Kenny Lofton agrees to a $1.25 million, one-year contract with the Chicago White Sox. The 34-year center fielder, who has played with the Indians, Braves and Astros, has a .302 lifetime batting average in an 11-season career.
2002 – Philadelphia Phillies announcer Harry Kalas is chosen as recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award.
The Pittsburgh Pirates sign free agent second baseman Pokey Reese to a two-year contract. Pittsburgh is the fourth team for Reese since the end of the 2001 season. He finished the year with Cincinnati, and then was traded to the Colorado Rockies and the Boston Red Sox in a span of three days in December. Boston did not offer him a contract, making him a free agent.
Two free agents are offered one-year contracts: outfielder Ricky Ledee by the Philadelphia Phillies, and pitcher James Baldwin by the Seattle Mariners.
The Chicago White Sox trade outfielder Chris Singleton to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for minor league second baseman Willie Harris.
The Houston Astros sign Lance Berkman (.331, 34, 126) to a $10.5 million, three-year contract. The All-Star outfielder hit .331 with 34 home runs and 126 RBI last season, including 94 for extra bases, the most ever by a switch-hitter in Major League history.
2002 – The Rangers continue to shore up their pitching staff by signing free agent Ismael Valdez to a one-year contract.
2002 – The Seattle Mariners trade third baseman David Bell to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for infielder Desi Relaford. Bell became expendable when Seattle acquired Jeff Cirillo from the Colorado Rockies earlier in the off-season.
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