MLB Wire Notes | Rivera decides to remain a Yankee
NEW YORK - Mariano Rivera is keeping his pinstripes, staying with the only major-league team for which he has pitched.
The closer, a key to the New York Yankees’ four World Series titles from 1996 to 2000, told the team he is accepting its $45 million, three-year offer.
Rivera, 37, gets an average salary more than $4 million above what any other reliever is making.
Rivera’s agreement is pending a physical. The Yankees also have a preliminary agreement on a $52.4 million, four-year contract with catcher Jorge Posada and want to finish a record-setting, $275 million, 10-year deal with third baseman Alex Rodriguez.
“Mariano is obviously someone that we can’t live without because he’s one of a kind and he’s so unique in what he does for us,” Rodriguez said. “He’s such an unbelievable force in our clubhouse.”
Angels trade Cabrera,
acquire Garland
ANAHEIM, Calif. - At first glance, the Los Angeles Angels’ trade of Gold Glove shortstop Orlando Cabrera and $1.5 million to the Chicago White Sox for veteran pitcher Jon Garland is a puzzler.
Why would the Angels, flush with pitching and light on offense, trade a productive hitter for a middle-of-the-rotation starter?
The Angels intend to provide an answer soon, as they look to parlay a pitching surplus into another power bat - they are targeting Florida third baseman Miguel Cabrera, and, to a lesser degree, Baltimore shortstop Miguel Tejada - they have craved for years.
“Tony is not done; he’s going to keep pushing forward,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said, referring to general manager Tony Reagins’ attempts to trade for a slugger. “Every club he’s talked to wants pitching.”
Notes
• Boston kept third baseman Mike Lowell, who was voted most valuable player in the World Series. The Red Sox and Lowell, 33, have reached a preliminary agreement on a three-year, $37.5 million contract, according to two people familiar with the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been finalized.
“How cool is that? Leaving years and dollars on the table to come back here for three more years, good stuff,” Boston pitcher Curt Schilling wrote on his blog, 38pitches.com. “Congrats to Mike and I’ve already spoken with a few guys on the team and suffice to say we’re all ecstatic.”
• Pitchers Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux, former teammates with Atlanta, were in the news.
Glavine, 41, who spent the last five seasons with the New York Mets, returned to the Braves with an $8 million, one-year contract. Maddux, 41, finalized a $10 million, one-year contract with the San Diego Padres.
• Catcher Jason LaRue, 33, agreed to an $850,000, one-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals.
• Second baseman Luis Castillo, 32, passed a physical and finalized a $25 million, four-year contract with the Mets, who acquired him from Minnesota in late July. He hit .301 in 135 games this year.
• Kansas City reportedly is negotiating a multiyear deal with reliever Yasuhiko Yabuta, 34, who pitched for the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan.