While Carlos Delgado finalized his US$52 million, four-year deal with the Florida Marlins on Thursday, Magglio Ordonez made a counteroffer to the Detroit Tigers, and Barry Larkin said he was leaning toward retirement.
Delgado, who accepted Florida's contract on Tuesday, said at his introductory news conference that he will continue not to stand during the playing of "God Bless America."
The Puerto Rican infielder refused to stand when "God Bless America" was played last season. Instead, he would stay on the Toronto Blue Jays bench or go into the dugout tunnel.
"I wouldn't call it politics, because I hate politics," Delgado said. "The reason why I didn't stand for `God Bless America' was because I didn't like the way they tied `God Bless America' and 9-11 to the war in Iraq in baseball."
Marlins officials, who gave Delgado the richest per-season contract in the team's 12-year history, made no objection to his war protest.
"The Marlins don't support it, and we don't not support it," team president David Samson said. "He's an adult. The club's position is that what he does is up to him."
Ordonez, the last remaining premier free agent, told agent Scott Boras to make the counterproposal to Detroit. The Venezuelan outfielder met on Monday with Tigers owner Mike Ilitch, team president Dave Dombrowski and manager Alan Trammell.
"Mike Ilitch indicated he was interested in making a move that would dramatically affect the franchise," Boras said.
Ordonez made US$14 million last year with the Chicago White Sox and had been seeking a five-year deal before he became a free agent.
"Mike did a really good job in his meeting of expressing where the Tigers can be," Boras said. "He thought the Tigers have a very good chance of winning the AL Central. Magglio is very familiar with the AL Central and with Detroit."
Ordonez hit .292 last year with nine homers and 37 RBIs, missing most of the season with knee injury that needed two operations.
"They talked to the doctors and were very comfortable Magglio is healthy," Boras said.
Larkin said he has turned down offers to start for several other teams because he can't envision himself playing for anyone but Cincinnati.
"I thought eventually I'd be able to say, yeah, I can do this," the 40-year-old shortstop said. "But I'm big on loyalty. I couldn't come to grips with making a 100-percent commitment [to another team]."
Several teams are still interested in the former All-Star as a reserve, giving him a chance to help develop younger players. Larkin sounds as if he's going to retire, and says he's "pretty close" to a final decision.
"I simply haven't made an announcement that I'm not going to play or retire because it's not that pressing of an issue," he said. "If it comes to the point that spring training starts and I'm not playing, then it will be obvious. I want no big fanfare, no major announcement."
Also Thursday, pitcher Hideo Nomo agreed to a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Japanese infielder Tadahito Iguchi finalized his US$4.95 million, two-year deal with the Chicago White Sox. Infielder George Arias, a former star in the Japanese leagues, agreed to a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals, reliever Jay Powell reached a preliminary agreement on a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves.
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