Baseball Notebook | Former Mariner catcher Olivo signs with K.C.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Catcher Miguel Olivo, who played for the Mariners in 2004 and 2005, signed a one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals on Thursday.

Olivo, 29, was the Florida Marlins' primary catcher the past two seasons and batted .237 in 2007.

Olivo was not tendered a contract by the Marlins before becoming a free agent. Florida acquired catching prospect Mike Rabelo from Detroit in a trade this month.

The Royals and Olivo each hold options for the 2009 season. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The 6-foot, 220-pound Olivo has thrown out 31.2 percent of attempted base stealers the past two seasons, fourth-best in the National League. Olivo also has played for the Chicago White Sox and San Diego, hitting .239 in his career with 61 home runs and 224 runs batted in in 556 games.

Yankees land Hawkins

NEW YORK — The New York Yankees finalized a $3.75 million, one-year contract with LaTroy Hawkins, strengthening their weak middle relief with the veteran right-hander.

Hawkins, 35, was 2-5 with a 3.42 earned-run average last season for the Colorado Rockies. He made $3.25 million and Colorado declined a $3.75 million option, choosing to pay a $250,000 buyout.

New York's middle relievers struggled last season, with Kyle Farnsworth and Luis Vizcaino pitching inconsistently for long stretches. The Yankees converted Joba Chamberlain, a starter in the minors, into a reliever for the final two months of the season. Chamberlain became Mariano Rivera's primary setup man, but New York plans on including Chamberlain in its starting rotation next year.

Vizcaino agreed to a $7.5 million, two-year contract with the NL champion Rockies this month.

Hawkins has a 56-76 career record with 75 saves and a 4.68 ERA over 13 seasons in the majors.

Astros sign Erstad

HOUSTON — Free-agent outfielder Darin Erstad signed a one-year contract worth $1 million plus incentives with the Houston Astros.

The 33-year-old Erstad, a two-time All Star in 11 seasons with the Angels, hit .248 with four home runs and 32 RBI in 87 games last season for the Chicago White Sox.

He is a career .284 hitter with 118 home runs and 657 RBI.

Notes

• Former major-league player and longtime Braves coach Jim Beauchamp has died in Atlanta of leukemia. He was 68.

• A member of a congressional panel investigating performance-enhancing drugs in baseball believes there's little to be gained by having players testify at next month's hearings. "If we went back to every player, we would have to do research every morning, noon and night," Rep. Christopher Shays said. "There's no way in my judgment we're going to be able to focus on the past. Only a real court can do that."