TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Pudge, Astros Near Deal For 1 Year, $1.5 Million

ADVERTISEMENT

The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 17, 2009

KISSIMMEE - The Houston Astros and catcher Ivan Rodriguez are closing in on a $1.5 million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the talks told The Associated Press on Monday.

The deal would contain $1.5 million in performance bonuses based on games and plate appearances, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not yet been announced by the team.

"There isn't anything certain yet. Right now the only team I have is Puerto Rico," Rodriguez said in Spanish in Miami before meeting Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. "There's interest, but I haven't received a call yet. Let's wait and see what happens in the coming hours or days."

Houston needed a veteran catcher to replace Brad Ausmus, who became a free agent and signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Astros have several young catchers in camp who need time to develop. Houston used Ausmus, J.R. Towles and Humberto Quintero at the position last season.

U.S. Would Forfeit If Injuries Persist

MIAMI - Team USA manager Davey Johnson already knows what he would do if injuries got so bad in the World Baseball Classic that he ran out of certain position players: He would forfeit.

The injury-plagued Americans were so short-handed Sunday against the Netherlands that backup catcher Brian McCann played left field in the ninth. Asked during the team's batting practice Monday who his third catcher would have been, Johnson said he wouldn't have even tried to put a player in that position for fear of injury - even if it meant elimination.

He used Kevin Youkilis as an example, saying he could never return to Boston if the Red Sox first baseman was injured playing catcher in the WBC.

"I would definitely had to have gone out and said we had to forfeit this ballgame," Johnson said. "Yeah, I'd forfeit it."

Added Youkilis: "Yeah, he probably would."

About the only constant in the World Baseball Classic for the United States is that everyone seems to be getting injured.

Chipper Jones, Dustin Pedroia, Ryan Braun and Matt Lindstrom all have been lost to injury - and that was just this weekend. Pedroia was replaced by Brian Roberts before Saturday's game, but tournament rules prevent the team from replacing the others on the roster until the next round.

BRAVES: Tom Glavine threw under game conditions for the first time since elbow and shoulder surgery, working two innings in an intrasquad contest Monday.

Glavine struck out two and threw 38 pitches.

DODGERS: Manny Ramirez's hamstring injury will keep him out of spring training games for at least a week. Ramirez aggravated his sore left hamstring Sunday while playing the outfield for the first time this spring.

MARLINS: All-Star shortstop Hanley Ramirez was held out of Florida's lineup against Washington because of discomfort in his right shoulder.

NATIONALS: Optioned former Mitchell High right-hander Tyler Clippard to Triple-A Syracuse.

PHILLIES: Pitcher Cole Hamels was scheduled to leave camp and fly to Philadelphia to have his left elbow examined by the team physician.

"He's had a little bit of a persistent soreness in his elbow; we do not believe it's serious," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said.

PIRATES: Third baseman Pedro Alvarez, the team's top draft pick last year, was among eight players sent back to their minor-league camp.

YANKEES: Second baseman Robinson Cano had an MRI that found bursitis in his right shoulder and he could play the field on Friday.

Cano will pinch hit or be a designated hitter until then. He had a pinch-single during the sixth inning of New York's 12-0 win against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday at Steinbrenner Field.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT