SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Evan Longoria just can't envision it: a reliever riding in from the bullpen on a cart to speed up games.Sounds utterly far-fetched for America's tried-and-true pastime in the 21st century, right?Yet that was one idea players had, along with cutting down on the time between innings by running split-screen commercials.Longoria, acquired by San Francisco in a trade from Tampa Bay last month, has no interest in turning from his new third base spot at AT&T Park to watch a pitcher make way to the mound by cart from the bullpen behind his base."Let the guy run out," Longoria said Friday.On Thursday, the players' association rejected Major League Baseball's pace-of-game proposal.MLB can implement its proposal from last offseason to install 20-second pitch clocks and limit mound trips by a manager, coach or player to one per pitcher in an inning before a mandatory pitching change."That's why it's so tough to address, we want to keep the game looking the same because we enjoy... [More]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Randal Grichuk wasn't too thrilled about the idea of playing in a reserve role this season for the St. Louis Cardinals.He won't have to worry about that any more.The Cardinals traded the 26-year-old outfielder to the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday for reliever Dominic Leone and minor league pitcher Conner Greene.Grichuk hit .238 last season with 22 home runs and 59 RBIs in 122 games. He became expendable after St. Louis got big-hitting left fielder Marcell Ozuna in a trade with Miami last month, and because of the emergence of Tommy Pham in center.With Ozuna and Pham locked into starting spots, and former center fielder Dexter Fowler expected to move to right, Grichuk was the odd man out of the projected lineup."Knowing my role going in as the fourth outfielder and getting that pinch hit off the bench, it's going to be difficult," Grichuk said Monday. "I'll have to give it all I got when I get the opportunity. You can't let it get to you. This game is tough if you don't get... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Rangers have signed three more players to minor league contracts that include invitations to major league spring training.Texas announced Thursday that it has signed catcher Curt Casali and re-signed outfielder Jose Cardona and right-hander Tayler Scott. The trio is among 21 non-roster invitees to major league spring training with the Rangers.Casali has appeared in the majors each of the past four seasons with Tampa Bay, hitting .199 over 161 games. The 31-year-old catcher has thrown out 26 of 85 attempted base stealers, or 31 percent, in his major league games. He spent most of last season at Triple-A Durham.The 23-year-old Cardona, entering his eight season in the Rangers organization, and Scott are going to major league spring training for the first time.___More MLB baseball: https://apnews.com/tags/MLBbaseball

WASHINGTON (AP) — Outfielder Howie Kendrick and the Washington Nationals have finalized their $7 million, two-year contract.The 34-year old will make $3 million this year and $4 million in 2019, and he can earn up to $1.1 million each season in in performance bonuses based on plate appearances.With Bryce Harper, Adam Eaton and Michael A. Taylor the favorites to earn the starting spots in the outfield and Victor Robles another possibility, Kendrick likely will be a bench option for first-year manager Dave Martinez.Kendrick hit .293 with seven home runs and 25 RBIs in 52 games with Washington after he was acquired from Philadelphia. In 12 major league seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, Dodgers, Phillies and Nationals, the versatile right-handed hitter has batted .291 with a .755 OPS.Washington agreed to the deal earlier this week, pending a successful physical.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox may head to spring training without the middle-of-the-lineup hitter they have been seeking since David Ortiz retired at the end of the 2016 season.That's by necessity, not choice.After saying all winter that he would like a big bat to address the power outage that left the Red Sox last in the AL in homers in 2017, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said on Thursday that he's prepared to move forward without one."We'll keep working at it," Dombrowski said before the awards dinner for the Boston chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America. "But I do think we have a good club, no matter what."After leading the majors in runs in 2016, Ortiz's last season before he retired, the Red Sox won 93 years for the second straight year in '17 to claim the first back-to-back AL East titles in franchise history. But without Ortiz, the offensive production plummeted: They were sixth in runs, and Mookie Betts led the team with 24 homers, the fewest... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Adrian Gonzalez vows to have a quiet voice with the New York Mets.A month after the first baseman was released by Atlanta from a contract that guaranteed him $21.5 million this year, Gonzalez finalized a one-year deal with the Mets on Thursday for the $545,000 major league minimum.Bobby Valentine, Gonzalez's manager during Boston's last-place 2012 season, was quoted by the New York Post this week as saying: "He can really talk — he is a smart guy and he is excessive in his willingness to share his thoughts.""I think Bobby was in the right there," Gonzalez said. "I think going into that 2012 season I heard a lot of people tell me that I had to be more of a vocal leader and do things that were out of context for me. I feel like I went into that season trying to make myself do something that I'm not used to doing. And I do agree with Bobby: I think I had a lot of opinions that year. But I don't think it is who I am."Gonzalez said he reverted to his previous demeanor after he... [More]

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Felipe Rivero admits he was a little surprised when Pittsburgh Pirates parted with established stars Gerrit Cole and Andrew McCutchen over the last week, part of a roster reset the club insists is not to be confused with an actual rebuild."They were saying they wanted to keep them," the Pirates closer said. "Tough to see two of the best guys leave."Rivero, however, doesn't appear likely to follow them out of Pittsburgh. The hard-throwing left-handed reliever finalized a $22 million, four-year contract on Thursday, a deal that includes two club options and could be worth $41 million over six seasons. The 26-year-old, acquired in a trade deadline deal with Washington in 2016, receives a $2 million signing bonus and agreed to a deal that covers his arbitration-eligible years, giving him peace of mind."I want to be relaxed the next few years and not have arbitration cases," Rivero said. "I just want to help the team as much as I can right now."Rivero took over as Pittsburgh's... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins have hired former starting pitcher Jim Kaat as a special assistant to the organization.The Twins announced Thursday that the 79-year-old Kaat will be involved in various community and business initiatives in Minnesota as well as the Fort Myers area in Florida where the team's spring training facility and minor league headquarters are located.Kaat spent 25 seasons in the major leagues, including 13 years with the Twins from 1961-72. He is the club's all-time leader with 189 wins and 2,959 innings.The Twins have Rod Carew, Kent Hrbek, Tom Kelly and Tony Oliva in similar roles. They've also hired former players Michael Cuddyer, Torii Hunter, LaTroy Hawkins and Justin Morneau from the next generation as special assistants.___For more AP baseball coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

DALLAS (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers reliever Jeremy Jeffress has been sentenced to time served after pleading guilty to driving while intoxicated in Texas.Jeffress was part of the Texas Rangers bullpen when he was stopped and arrested on a Dallas street in the pre-dawn hours of Aug. 26.The 30-year-old right-hander entered his plea Wednesday in a Dallas County court. A judge sentenced him to three days in jail and gave him credit for the jail time already served.Jeffress has a history of substance abuse. He was suspended for 50 games in 2007 and for 100 games in 2009, both times when he was in the minors.

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Tigers have avoided arbitration with Jose Iglesias, agreeing to a $6,275,000, one-year contract with the 28-year-old shortstop.Iglesias was the only remaining Detroit player eligible for arbitration . He had asked for $6.8 million and the team had offered $5.6 million.Iglesias hit .255 with six home runs and 54 RBIs in 2017. In 531 major league games with the Tigers and Boston Red Sox, he's hit .270 with a .316 on-base percentage. He was an All-Star in 2015.His days with Detroit could be numbered. The Tigers have traded several of their top players over the past year, with an eye toward rebuilding for the future.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins have hired the recently retired Justin Morneau as a special assistant.The team said Wednesday Morneau will become the fourth former Twins player from his generation to get the job, joining Michael Cuddyer, Torii Hunter and LaTroy Hawkins.The 36-year-old Morneau will be involved in the amateur draft and be a resource for player acquisitions.Morneau was drafted by the Twins in the third round of the 1999 First-Year Player Draft and played 14 seasons in the majors, including 11 with the Twins from 2003-13. He also played for Pittsburgh, Colorado and the Chicago White Sox.Morneau won the American League MVP Award in 2006. The four-time All-Star played 1,278 games for Minnesota, hitting .278 with 221 home runs and 860 RBIs.

NEW YORK (AP) — Jay Bruce was surprised by the free-agent market."The way the offseason kind of went and the slowness of it kind of maybe changed my outlook on it a little bit," he said Wednesday at a Citi Field news conference.Bruce returned to the Mets for a $39 million, three-year contract, five months after New York traded the 30-year-old outfielder to Cleveland."I think there's been a sea change in the industry," Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said. "It's at least arithmetic in nature if not mathematical, so everybody's information is roughly the same, which means the assessments of players are probably more uniform today than they ever have been, because they're predicated not on subjective observation."Bruce agreed to the deal last week, and New York finalized the agreement Tuesday after the three-time All-Star passed a physical.His deal was the third-highest among free agents this offseason behind first baseman Carlos Santana's $60 million contract with Cleveland and close... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Gerrit Cole is joining a rotation filled with aces."I was just tremendously excited," Cole said Wednesday, four days after the Houston Astros acquired him from the Pittsburgh Pirates. "I was out with some friends having a good time for my wife's birthday weekend. So, it was a really good phone call. How you can ask for anything more than coming to the World Series champions."Wearing a No. 45 uniform, the 27-year-old right-hander was introduced at Minute Maid Park. He was obtained for right-handed reliever Michael Feliz, right-hander Joe Musgrove, infielder Colin Moran and outfield prospect Jason Martin.Houston ace Dallas Keuchel was joined late last season by Justin Verlander, who helped the Astros win their first championship."I'm certainly happy with the depth of this rotation," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "It's hard to argue the quality we can throw out there every day if we are healthy and if we continue to push forward."Cole was 12-12 with a 4.26 ERA last year, leaving... [More]

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Some Pittsburgh Pirates fans are signing a petition to express their frustration following the team's decision to trade star outfielder Andrew McCutchen to the San Francisco Giants.As of Wednesday, more than 28,000 fans signed a petition on change.org asking Major League Baseball to force Pirates owner Bob Nutting to sell the team.Writing "we deserve better," the petition's starters aim to reach 35,000 signatures to protest the direction Nutting and the front office have taken in the offseason. Pittsburgh sent top starting pitcher Gerrit Cole to Houston on Saturday, then sent McCutchen to the Giants, shedding the organization of $20 million in salary in the process.The Pirates, who reached the playoffs three straight seasons from 2013-15, have finished below .500 each of the last two years.Nutting, who took over as the team's principal owner in 2007, called the decision to trade McCutchen the most difficult of his tenure.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs bolstered their revamped bullpen on Wednesday, bringing back Brian Duensing with a $7 million, two-year contract.Duensing returns to Chicago after signing a one-year deal with the Cubs last winter. The left-hander went 1-1 with a 2.74 ERA in 68 appearances last season.A person with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed the contract to The Associated Press on Wednesday on condition of anonymity because it is pending a physical.Duensing helped Chicago win the NL Central last season, but its bullpen faltered in the playoffs and it was eliminated by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series. All-Star closer Wade Davis then left in free agency, agreeing to a $52 million, three-year contract with Colorado, but the Cubs signed relievers Brandon Morrow and Steve Cishek before coming to an agreement with Duensing.Duensing, who turns 35 next month, played college ball at Nebraska before he was selected by Minnesota in the third round of the 2005 draft. He broke into the majors with the Twins in 2009 and is 43-38 with a 4.01 ERA in nine seasons.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

SAN DIEGO (AP) — All-Star closer Brad Hand's $19.75 million, three-year contract with the San Diego Padres includes a $1.75 million signing bonus.Hand receives $750,000 of his signing bonus within 30 days of the deal's approval by the commissioner's office and $500,000 apiece on Nov. 15 this year and next.He gets salaries of $3.5 million this year, $6.5 million in 2019 and $7 million in 2020. The Padres have a $10 million option for 2021 with a $1 million buyout, under the deal announced Saturday.Hand went 3-4 with 21 saves and a 2.16 ERA last season. He would have been eligible for free agency after the 2019 season.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Andrew McCutchen figures San Francisco's AT&T Park outfield is so big, playing right field will make him feel like a center fielder all over again.Running catches, ricochets off the wall, tricky bounces and all.And if he can save his legs a little bit from the action in center, he might just steal a few more bases.The Giants acquired the popular McCutchen from Pittsburgh on Monday, and he will be their new starting right fielder. Manager Bruce Bochy quickly spoke to incumbent Hunter Pence about making the move from right to left."I'm looking forward to right field, that's one place people can't pick on me saying my defensive metrics are so bad," McCutchen said during a conference call Tuesday. "I'm looking forward to being able to play right field. I know there's a lot of room out there to run. It's definitely going to be a reminder almost like playing center. I've gotten to see Hunter Pence patrol out there quite a bit so I'll be able to pick his brain quite a... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Jay Bruce and the New York Mets have finalized a $39 million, three-year deal to bring his big bat back to Queens.The Mets announced Bruce's signing Tuesday night. They have scheduled a press conference for Wednesday morning.The 30-year-old Bruce had a career-high 36 home runs along with a .254 average and 101 RBIs last season. He hit 29 of those homers with the Mets before an August trade sent him to Cleveland.Bruce will get $10 million this season and $14.5 million in each of the following two years. He can designate five teams each year that he cannot be traded to without his consent.Bruce said in a statement he is "excited to return to the Mets to help finish what we set out to do at the beginning of last season."___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Rangers general manager Jon Daniels anticipates adding depth to his rotation. It remains unlikely that pitcher will be a front-line starter."We're not going to close the door on the chance to add premium talent. You always explore it," Daniels said Tuesday. "But if I had to handicap it, I don't think it's highly likely at this point."Yu Darvish, traded by the Rangers to the NL champion Los Angeles Dodgers last July, is among several starting pitchers still available as free agents. Jake Arrieta, the 2015 NL Cy Young Award winner who went to nearby TCU, is also among that group.Daniels has consistently said the Rangers, who missed the playoffs last season after consecutive AL West titles, didn't plan to spend big this offseason."We're pretty realistic about where we are and what our goals are, both short- and long-term," Daniels said. "We've said from Day 1 we were not going to kind of go all-in from a standpoint of spending big dollars against this year."After a... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Right-handed reliever Addison Reed and Minnesota have finalized a $16.75 million, two-year contract, putting another pitcher with closing experience in the back of the Twins' bullpen.The deal, agreed to over the weekend, was announced Monday and calls for salaries of $8.25 million this year and $8.5 million in 2019. The Twins agreed to a deal with right-hander Fernando Rodney in the offseason.Reed has 125 saves in seven major league seasons. He started last season with the New York Mets, then was traded to the Boston Red Sox. He was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 2010 and took over the ninth inning for them two years later.Reed had a career-best 40 saves in 2013, with 72 strikeouts in 71 1/3 innings and a 3.79 ERA. He was dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks the following offseason, then to the Mets in 2015. He served as their primary setup man for two years, filling in as the closer when Jeurys Familia was suspended or injured.___For more AP baseball coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball