Baseball: Damon, Tejada among free agents not offered salary arbitration

Baseball

Damon, Tejada, Wolf not offered arbitration: Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon, Houston shortstop Miguel Tejada and Dodgers pitcher Randy Wolf were among the free agents who weren't offered salary arbitration, moves that enable new teams to sign them without losing draft picks.

Because all three were Type A players under the free-agent rankings, their former teams would have received two draft picks if they had been offered arbitration and then signed with different clubs.

Other Type As who did not receive arbitration offers included Dodgers second baseman Orlando Hudson; San Francisco catcher Bengie Molina; White Sox outfielder Jermaine Dye and reliever Octavio Dotel; Detroit second baseman Placido Polanco; Angels pitcher Darren Oliver; Houston pitcher LaTroy Hawkins; Minnesota shortstop Orlando Cabrera; and Cubs pitcher Kevin Gregg.

Tuesday was the first big deadline of baseball's offseason, with teams having until midnight Eastern to make arbitration offers to their former players who became free agents. Players have until Monday to accept; if they reject, they still can re-sign with their former clubs at any time.

Just 23 players received arbitration offers — one fewer than last year — and only 10 were position players: Mariners third baseman Adrian Beltre; St. Louis outfielder Matt Holliday and third baseman Mark DeRosa; Boston outfielder Jason Bay; Los Angeles Angels third baseman Chone Figgins; Tampa Bay catcher Gregg Zaun; Texas catcher Ivan Rodriguez and outfielder Marlon Byrd; and Toronto catcher Rod Barajas and shortstop Marco Scutaro.

Pitchers offered arbitration included Angels ace John Lackey; Boston reliever Billy Wagner; Detroit's Brandon Lyon and Fernando Rodney; Minnesota's Carl Pavano; Oakland's Justin Duchscherer; Tampa Bay's Brian Shouse; Atlanta's Mike Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano; Colorado's Rafael Betancourt and Jason Marquis; Houston's Jose Valverde; and St. Louis' Joel Pineiro.

In addition to Damon, the Yankees declined to offer arbitration to World Series MVP Hideki Matsui and pitcher Andy Pettitte. The Angels turned down pitcher Kelvim Escobar.

Shoppach traded to Tampa Bay: Catcher Kelly Shoppach, 29, was acquired from the Cleveland Indians for a player to be named, giving Tampa Bay depth at the position and new competition for incumbent starter Dioner Navarro.

"We've admired Kelly from afar for a while now," Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said.

One positive steroids test under new rules: There was just one positive steroids test in the major leagues over the full first year of the toughened program, but the number of players authorized to use otherwise banned stimulants because they have ADHD rose by a small amount for the second straight year.

Baseball granted 108 therapeutic use exemptions for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder during the year ending with this World Series, according to the annual report released by MLB's independent drug-testing administrator. That was up from 106 a year earlier and 103 in 2007.

Former Yankee Henrich dies: Tommy Henrich, nicknamed "Old Reliable" for his knack of delivering clutch hits for the New York Yankees, died Tuesday. He was 96. Henrich died in Dayton, Ohio, the team said.

Scully to return in 2010: The Dodgers have confirmed broadcaster Vin Scully, 82, will return to the booth for his 61st season in 2010.

Auto racing

Patrick still waits on NASCAR deal: Danica Patrick has a rough sketch of what her NASCAR schedule would look like. She has an idea of what series to start in. Her IndyCar owner is onboard.

Now all the popular driver needs is a car to race. Speaking with owner Michael Andretti during a teleconference, Patrick said she still doesn't have a NASCAR deal in place.

Boxing

Pacquiao runs for office: Philippine boxer Manny Pacquiao submitted his candidacy for the 2010 elections, his second attempt at a congressional seat.

Pacquiao defeated Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas last month to win his seventh world boxing titles in seven different weight classes. He was accompanied by his wife, Jinkee, and mother, Dionisia, in filing his candidacy in southern Sarangani province's Alabel township.

He was defeated in 2007 when he ran for the congressional seat in General Santos city, where he began his boxing career.

Horse racing

Kentucky changes drug testing for horses: Seven months after the first steroid testing at the Kentucky Derby, racing officials took steps to ensure the right horses — not necessarily the best ones — are screened for performance-enhancing drugs at other races statewide.

In unanimously approving a new testing procedure, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission became the first major racing jurisdiction to implement key elements from a 1991 study aimed at making drug testing more efficient.

Soccer

L.A. to submit bid to host World Cup in 2018 or 2022: The City Council has voted to submit a bid for Los Angeles to become a host city of the FIFA World Cup in 2018 or 2022.

Cycling

Basso to compete in Tour de France: Former Giro d'Italia champion Ivan Basso will return to the Tour de France in 2010 following a four-year absence after his involvement in the Operation Puerto blood-doping scandal.

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