Here’s how easy it looked to hit home runs at Great American Ball Park on Sunday: Todd Frazier lost his grip on the bat during a swing. The ball wound up in the seats anyway.OAKLAND, Calif. – Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes and the Oakland Athletics have agreed to a $36 million, four-year contract.
Agent Adam Katz confirmed Monday the outfielder had reached agreement on a deal, with details still to be finalized. This is a significant move for Oakland, which wanted to add a steady hitter.
Cespedes will earn $9 million per season. He can become a free agent at the end of the contract.
In a surprising move, it was the A’s who made a splash and outbid some big-spending clubs for Cespedes, who played for Cuba in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
Cespedes said six teams were interested in signing him: the Marlins, Baltimore, Detroit, Cleveland and the Chicago Cubs and White Sox.
Major League Baseball said Monday it has been told by Cespedes’ agent that he has obtained an unblocking license from the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control – another key step to him signing.
Red Sox, Ortiz come to terms
David Ortiz and the Boston Red Sox have avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract worth $14,575,000.
The deal was midway between the $16.5 million the designated hitter asked for last month and the $12.65 million submitted by the Red Sox.
Ortiz hit .309 with 29 homers and 96 RBI last year.
Other news
Boston and the Cubs have submitted written arguments to baseball Commissioner Bud Selig on what compensation the Red Sox should receive for allowing Theo Epstein to leave for Chicago. … The Cleveland Indians have agreed to terms with starter Jon Garland on a minor league contract. … A person familiar with the discussions says the New York Yankees and Pirates are making progress toward a trade that would send much-maligned pitcher A.J. Burnett to Pittsburgh.
