Nomar Garciaparra is ready to give the Oakland Athletics a number of options in the infield. The A's welcomed him with a special number. Garciaparra will wear No. 1, previously donned on the A's by Billy Martin when he managed them in 1982.

"Third, first, short, to me it's, 'What do you want me to do to win?' " Garciaparra said yesterday.

Garciaparra and Orlando Cabrera finalized one-year contracts. Cabrera got a $4 million deal, and Garciaparra was guaranteed $1 million with the chance to make $250,000 each in performance and roster bonuses.

While the team would prefer that third baseman Alex Rodriguez plays with a hip injury, manager Joe Girardi said surgery before opening day remains an option for Rodriguez. Rodriguez had additional tests on his injured right hip in Colorado. The tests were designed to determine strength and flexibility now that a cyst in the hip has been drained.

Mark Sweeney, whose 175 pinch-hits rank second in major league history, announced his retirement and joined manager Joe Torre's coaching staff.

Left-hander Dennys Reyes and St. Louis agreed to $3 million, two-year contract.

Andruw Jones got quite a workout at Rangers camp in Sunrise, Ariz. Jones went 2 for 4 with a walk in Texas' 8-7 loss to the Royals, a game that started less than an hour after the five-time All-Star and non-roster outfielder went 3 for 5 with a home run in a "B" game against the Royals on a back field. ... Aaron Cook struck out six and the Rockies became the final team in the majors to win this spring, beating the Padres, 13-11, in Peoria, Ariz. ... Tim Lincecum, the 2008 NL Cy Young Award, winner pitched three hitless innings for the Giants in a 5-4 loss to the Angels in Tempe, Ariz., giving him a total of seven scoreless innings in three exhibition starts.