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.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two