SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Art Savage, the majority owner of the Sacramento River Cats, the Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, has died. He was 58.Jeff Savage says his father collapsed at his Sacramento home Saturday and died on the way to the hospital. He says his father had recently recovered from a long battle with lung cancer.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Nationals say No. 1 draft pick Stephen Strasburg has a dislocation in his left knee joint and should be fine for spring training.Strasburg was examined Friday by Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles. The Nationals say Strasburg will not require surgery, and that treatment will include rest and physical therapy.
CHICAGO (AP) — Pitcher John Grabow became the first of the 171 free agents to reach agreement on a new deal, getting a $7.5 million, two-year contract Friday from the Chicago Cubs.The 31-year-old left-hander combined to go 3-0 with a 3.36 ERA last season in a career-high 75 relief appearances with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cubs.
For so many years, the formula for winning a Cy Young Award was pretty simple: Win a lot of games.Denny McLain was a unanimous pick in 1968 and deservedly so. He posted 31 victories — the combined total of this year's Cy Young starters, Tim Lincecum and Zack Greinke.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Tim Lincecum has been so dominant in his first two full major league seasons that even his top bosses don't know how he can get much better.Two NL Cy Young Awards, a pair of All-Star selections — all at age 25.
PHOENIX (AP) — Reliever Aaron Heilman was acquired Thursday by the Arizona Diamondbacks from the Chicago Cubs for two minor league prospects.The 31-year-old right-hander was 4-4 with a 4.11 ERA in 70 appearances last season, striking out 65 and walking 34. He spent six seasons with the New York Mets before he was traded to Seattle last December, then was dealt to the Cubs the next month.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Minor league outfielder Desmond Jennings and pitchers Jeremy Hellickson and Alexander Torres have been added to the Tampa Bay Rays' 40-man roster.The team also reinstated first baseman Carlos Pena from the 60-day disabled list on Thursday. He was sidelined most of the final month of the season with two broken fingers on his left hand.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Roberto Alomar has career numbers that compare favorably with many of baseball's greatest second basemen. The question is how will one memorable lapse impact his bid to make the Hall of Fame.On the ballot for the first time, the 12-time All-Star's resume is impressive. He was a two-time World Series champion with Toronto, and hit .300 with 210 homers, 1,134 RBIs and 474 stolen bases in 17 seasons.
NEW YORK (AP) — A minor leaguer in the Detroit Tigers' organization has been suspended for 50 games after testing positive for an amphetamine under baseball's minor league drug program.Double-A third baseman Ron Bourquin was penalized Thursday. He will serve the suspension at the start of next season.
CHICAGO (AP) — Some teams lost money in 2009, baseball commissioner Bud Selig said Thursday after the final owners meeting of the year."There was no question about that," Selig said. "I don't think the concerns have been ameliorated at all. I think the concerns are still there because all these people have their own economists."