MLB Notes: Former reliever Reardon charged with robbery

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Jeff Reardon, one of the top relief pitchers of all time, was charged with robbing a jewelry store — and police said he blamed his arrest on medication he was taking for depression.

The 50-year-old Reardon, retired since 1994 and sixth in career saves, walked into Hamilton Jewelers at The Gardens Mall on Monday and handed an employee a note saying he had a gun and the store was being robbed, police said Tuesday.

Reardon, who had 40 or more saves in a season for the Montreal Expos, Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox, fled the store with an undisclosed amount of cash, police said. Police said they found Reardon at a nearby restaurant, recovered $170 and charged him with armed robbery.

Lt. David O'Neill said Reardon did not have a gun and offered no resistance when handcuffed. "He said it was the medication that made him do it and that he was sorry," O'Neill said.

O'Neill said Reardon has lived in the city for more than 20 years and has never caused problems.

Reardon briefly appeared in court Tuesday and was to be released on $5,000 bail, said his attorney, Mitchell Beers.

Beers said Reardon had a 20-year-old son, Shane, who died of a drug overdose in 2004, which has been "very difficult for him and his family." He said Reardon has been on medication for depression. Reardon, who is married and has two other children, underwent a heart angioplasty last week and has been taking medication for that condition.

"He asked me to apologize to his fans and friends," Beers said. "This bizarre incident is completely uncharacteristic of Jeff Reardon."

He said Reardon, who made more than $11 million during his career, was not having financial problems.

Reardon's wife, Phebe, said, "This wasn't characteristic of him. He has never been arrested or stolen anything. We're presuming it's his medication that precipitated this."

TORONTO — Troy Glaus got a look at the rebuilt Toronto Blue Jays and waived his right to block a trade up north.

The Arizona Diamondbacks dealt the power-hitting Glaus and shortstop Sergio Santos, a top minor-league prospect, to the Blue Jays. Toronto gave up second baseman Orlando Hudson, a Gold Glove winner, and pitcher Miguel Batista.

"With the moves that they made, and things that they've been able to do, this team seems poised to make a run. We're young and very, very talented," said Glaus, who had a limited no-trade clause that included the Blue Jays.

Glaus, 29, led Arizona in home runs (37) and runs batted in (97) this year.

Toronto's offseason additions include starter A.J. Burnett and first baseman Lyle Overbay, who is a Centralia native. The team also gave B.J. Ryan a five-year, $47 million contract — the most lucrative deal for a reliever.

Notes

• Outfielder Jody Gerut, 28, signed an $875,000, one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

• The World Series victory by the Chicago White Sox — the franchise's first Series title since 1917 — was voted top sports story of 2005 by newspaper and broadcast members of The Associated Press.

• Outfielder Hideki Matsui of the New York Yankees has decided against joining Japan's team at the 16-nation World Baseball Classic in March, a Japanese official said.