Great expectations for Montero
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Before even playing his first game in Seattle, Jesus Montero is already being touted as the middle-of-the-order answer to the Mariners' offensive woes.
The New York Yankees hope Michael Pineda does the same for their pitching rotation.
The Mariners and Yankees finalized their four-player trade Monday that sends Pineda, an All-Star in his rookie season, to the Yankees in exchange for Montero, one of the top young slugging prospects in baseball.
Seattle also sent 19-year-old pitching prospect Jose Campos to New York with 24-year-old pitcher Hector Noesi coming back to Seattle.
The trade was completed after all players completed physicals with their new teams.
"With this trade we feel we have acquired a premium offensive talent that has the potential to hit in the middle of our lineup and grow with our other young players," Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik said.
Outfielder Norichika Aoki will make at least $2.25 million over two years under his contract and would earn up to $8,187,500 if his 2014 option is exercised and he has at least 140 starts and 150 games played per season.
Outfielder Michael Morse 's two-year contract with Washington is worth $10.5 million, including salaries of $3.25 million in 2012, and $6.75 million in '13. The 29-year-old Morse, who also plays first base, hit for a .303 average with 31 homers and 95 RBIs last season.
San Diego agreed to terms on a $2,705,000, one-year contract with left-handed pitcher Clayton Richard . Richard, 28, was 5-9 with a 3.88 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 18 starts last season.
The San Diego Padres have voted in favor of baseball commissioner Bud Selig's two-year extension. Selig's latest agreement was finalized in a 30-0 vote, the commissioner's office said. Selig has been in charge of baseball since September 1992. He turns 80 in July 2014 and would pass Kenesaw Mountain Landis in September 2016 as the longest-serving commissioner. ... New Houston owner Jim Crane is considering changing the name of the franchise as well as its uniforms. The team was established in 1962 as the Colt .45s and has been called the Astros since 1965 when it was changed to coincide with the move to the Astrodome. Crane said switching uniforms is something they are "highly considering." Any changes wouldn't happen until 2013 when Houston makes its move to the American League.
First Published January 24, 2012 12:00 am
