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: *** Jeter, Yankees finalize $189 million, 10-year contract : NEW YORK (AP) - Derek Jeter would rather count World Series rings : than money. Still, after 13 months of negotiations, he sounded : overwhelmed Friday when the New York Yankees rewarded him with : the second-highest contract in sports history, a $189 million, : 10-year deal. "I think everyone's blown away by the numbers," the : shortstop said. "I don't sit down and look at the numbers. I look : more at that I have the chance to stay here." As soon as he got : word Friday that owner George Steinbrenner had finalized the : deal, Jeter, 26, called his parents and his sister to express : relief that he would spend the next 10 years with the Yankees. : Jeter, MVP of the World Series and All-Star game last season, : could have become a free agent after this season and learned his : worth on the open market, perhaps breaking the salary record Alex : Rodriguez set in December with his $252 million, 10-year deal : with Texas. : Full article at: http://www.infobeat.com/fullArticle?article=406124418 : *** Blue Jays' Sirotka could miss season : TORONTO (AP) - Mike Sirotka, traded to Toronto by the Chicago : White Sox last month in a deal for David Wells, has a torn labrum : in his pitching shoulder and could miss the entire season. : Sirotka will be examined Tuesday by Dr. James Andrews before a : final decision is made on how to repair the labrum, the edge of a : structure in the shoulder joint. The Blue Jays acquired the : left-handed Sirotka on Jan. 14 as part of a six-player deal. : While it is unlikely the trade would be rescinded, the Blue Jays : could try to seek something else from the White Sox. "Clearly : some compensation is in order," Toronto general manager Gord Ash : said. "This tear is categorically old." But Chicago general : manager Ken Williams said the White Sox honored their obligation : and made any and all information they had about Sirotka available : to the Blue Jays. "Both sides have assumed a certain amount of : risk in making this trade," Williams said in a statement. : Full article at: http://www.infobeat.com/fullArticle?article=406124441 : *** Rangers sign Kapler to $5.6 million, three-year deal : ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Gabe Kapler was rewarded for a strong : 2000 season on Friday, getting a $5.6 million, three-year : contract from the Texas Rangers. Kapler, 25, gets a $150,000 : signing bonus and a $400,000 salary this season, up from a : $280,000 salary last year. He'll get $1.8 million in 2002 and : $3.25 million in 2003. While Kapler is not eligible for free : agency until after the 2004 season, the key for Texas was to : avoid the often-bitter arbitration process. Kapler would have : become eligible after this season. The outfielder hit .302 with : 14 homers and 66 RBIs in 116 games last season, his first in : Texas after being acquired from Detroit in the trade for Juan : Gonzalez. His season was highlighted by a 28-game hitting streak, : the longest in the majors last year. Kapler has a career average : of .272 with 32 homers and 115 RBIs. Also Friday, the Rangers : signed pitchers Darwin Cubillan and Jonathan Johnson and : outfielder Curtis Goodwin. : Full article at: http://www.infobeat.com/fullArticle?article=406124369 : *** Arizona catcher wins arbitration case : PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Damian Miller won his : salary arbitration case Friday, getting a raise from $330,000 to : $1.25 million. The Diamondbacks had offered $850,000 to Miller, : who hit .275 last season with 10 homers and 44 RBIs. Players have : a 3-2 lead in arbitration cases decided this year. Miller, 31, : became a full-time starter for the first time in his three-year : major league career midway through last season. He missed the : final 10 games because of a sprained right foot that has since : healed. His value to Arizona has increased, especially with the : departure of Kelly Stinnett. Backups Rod Barajas and Melvin : Rosario have played in only 15 big league games. Barry Meister, : who represents the D-backs' Randy Johnson, presented Miller's : case before a panel of arbitrators that included Elisabeth : Neumeier, Jack Clarke and Elliot Shriftman. : : *** Dierker to wear hearing aids this season : HOUSTON (AP) - Astros manager Larry Dierker hopes to see a : difference in Houston this season. No matter what happens, he's : already hearing a change. Dierker, who said he's had hearing : problems as long as he can remember, is now wearing hearing aids : in both ears. "When I was a young kid going into the Army, it was : the first time I was tested and (a hearing deficiency) was : detected," he said. "It's gotten a little worse, so I got some : help." Dierker told KRIV-TV on Friday he's still getting used to : the devices in crowds and isn't sure if he'll wear them in the : dugout, though he admitted they might help. "They think they can : get away with that (low talk), but they can't ... anymore," he : said, laughing. Pitcher Scott Elarton commended the decision, : saying: "Once and a while there was kind of communication : problems, and maybe just because he couldn't hear. Now it's been : great talking to him. Now we don't have to yell at him anymore." : *** Twins sign Milton to $21 million, four-year contract : MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Eric Milton became the second Minnesota Twins : pitcher to get a long-term contract, agreeing Friday to a $21 : million, four-year deal. The 25-year-old left-hander, who made : $285,000 last season, gets $2.15 million this year, $3.85 million : in 2002, $6 million in 2003 and $9 million in 2004. He can make : an additional $850,000 during the contract in performance bonuses : based on innings pitched. "Eric Milton is one of the top : left-handed pitchers in the American League and is emerging as : one of the bright young talents in the game," Twins general : manager Terry Ryan said. Milton was 13-10 with a 4.86 ERA last : season. He had 160 strikeouts and 44 walks in 33 starts. On Sept. : 11, 1999, Milton became the fourth Twin to pitch a no-hitter when : the Twins beat Anaheim 7-0 at the Metrodome. The Twins acquired : him on Feb. 6, 1998 for second baseman Chuck Knoblauch. : Full article at: http://www.infobeat.com/fullArticle?article=406122538 : *** Phillies, Person agree to one-year deal : PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Right-hander Robert Person and the : Philadelphia Phillies avoided arbitration when they agreed Friday : to a one-year contract worth $2,975,000. Person, who agreed to : the deal just before the scheduled start of his arbitration : hearing in Phoenix, can make an additional $125,000 in : performance bonuses based on innings pitched. He had asked for : $3.6 million in arbitration and had been offered $2.7 million. : Person, 31, was 9-7 with a 3.63 ERA in 28 starts last season. : *** Blue Jays sign Escobar to $1.5 million. one-year contract : TORONTO (AP) - Right-hander Kelvim Escobar agreed Friday to a : $1.5 million, one-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, : avoiding an arbitration hearing scheduled for later this month. : Escobar, 24, made $500,000 last season. He had asked for $1.7 : million in arbitration and had been offered $1.3 million. He went : 10-15 last season with a 5.35 ERA. Toronto hasn't decided whether : he'll start or set up closer Billy Koch this season. The Blue : Jays have one arbitration case left. Steve Parris, acquired from : Cincinnati, is scheduled for a Feb. 14 hearing. He has asked for : $3.3 million and Toronto has offered $2.4 million. : *** Paquette avoids arbitration, agrees to $1.5 million deal : ST. LOUIS (AP) - Craig Paquette of the St. Louis Cardinals : avoided arbitration Friday by agreeing to a $1.5 million, : one-year contract. Paquette, who can earn an additional $400,000 : in performance bonuses, will contend with Shane Andrews for the : starting third base job next season. Last year, Paquette played : third, second, first and the outfield last year. He had 15 home : runs and 61 RBIs, establishing career highs for doubles (24), : walks (27) and games (134). Forty-one of his 94 hits went for : extra bases. Paquette, 31, had been scheduled for an arbitration : hearing next Wednesday. He made $620,000 last year and had asked : $1.9 million, while the Cardinals had offered $1.3 million. The : Cardinals acquired him from the New York Mets on July 31, 1999 : for Shawon Dunston. St. Louis has two players remaining in : arbitration: pitchers Mike James and Matt Morris. : *** Cruz and Tigers agree to one-year, $3,525,000 deal : DETROIT (AP) - Shortstop Deivi Cruz and the Detroit Tigers agreed : Friday to a one-year contract worth $3,525,000. Cruz, who made : $1,975,000 last year, had asked for $3.95 million in arbitration : and had been offered $3.1 million. A hearing had been scheduled : for Feb. 16. He hit .302 last year with 82 RBIs and five triples, : all career bests. He hit 46 doubles, third-most in the American : League and the most by a Tiger since George Kell's 56 in 1950. : Cruz's 55 multihit games were the most for Detroit since Alan : Trammell's 64 in 1987. Detroit beat pitcher Chris Holt in : arbitration and settled with its other four players who filed. : *** Ex-Angels catcher signs minor league contract with Reds : CINCINNATI (AP) - Former Anaheim Angels catcher Matt Walbeck : agreed to a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds and : was invited to spring training. Walbeck, 31, would get a : $400,000, one-year contract if he makes the major league roster. : His deal was agreed to Dec. 19 but not announced until Friday. : Walker played 47 games for the Angels last season, batting .199 : with six home runs and 12 RBIs. He has spent parts of eight : seasons in the major leagues with the Chicago Cubs, Minnesota, : Detroit and Anaheim. Walbeck has a .237 career average with 27 : homers and 199 RBIs. : *** Marlins hire Mike Veeck as consultant : MIAMI (AP) - Baseball executive Mike Veeck, whose zany promotions : and giveaways have been more successful in the minor leagues than : in the majors, was hired Friday as a consultant by the Florida : Marlins. Veeck, the son of innovative major league owner Bill : Veeck is best known for Disco Demolition Night, which forced the : Chicago White Sox to forfeit a game in 1979. His other promotions : have included a nun giving massages and mimes re-enacting plays : on the field. Veeck has co-owned five minor league teams and : worked for the White Sox and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. When he : resigned from the Devil Rays in May 1999, citing personal : reasons, their attendance had declined sharply from the year : before despite such promotions as Christmas in May Night and : Lawyer Appreciation Night, with attorneys charged double. : : Transactions : ------------ : *** Friday's Moves : American League : DETROIT TIGERS-Agreed to terms with SS Deivi Cruz on a one-year : contract. : MINNESOTA TWINS-Agreed to terms with LHP Eric Milton on a : four-year contract. : NEW YORK YANKEES-Agreed to terms with SS Derek Jeter on a 10-year : contract. : TEXAS RANGERS-Agreed to terms with OF Gabe Kapler on a three-year : contract, RHP Darwin Cubillan and RHP Jonathan Johnson on : one-year contracts, and OF Curtis Goodwin on a minor league : contract. : TORONTO BLUE JAYS-Agreed to terms with RHP Kelvim Escobar on a : one-year contract. : National League : CINCINNATI REDS-Agreed to terms with C Matt Walbeck on a minor : league contract. : PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES-Agreed to terms with RHP Robert Person on a : one-year contract. : ST. LOUIS CARDINALS-Agreed to terms with INF Craig Paquette on a : one-year contract. : Atlantic League : CAMDEN RIVERSHARKS-Acquired C Josh Brinkley and INF Yuri Sanchez : from Newark in the 2001 expansion draft. : Frontier League : LONDON WEREWOLVES-Announced the retirements of OF Chris Gavriel : and LHP Meleti Melehes. Traded INF Alex Zardis to Kalamazoo for a : 2002 fourth-round draft pick and RHP Wade Bruton to Fort Worth of : the All-American Association for future considerations. Traded 1B : Wayne Chinapen to Richmond for 1B Macky Waguespack.

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