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Published: Thursday, March 1, 2007

MLB ROUNDUP \ News and notes

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Indians: Cleveland signed nine players to one-year deals Wednesday, including third baseman Andy Marte, expected to be Cleveland's starting third baseman. They also reached agreements with catcher Kelly Shoppach, infielder Joe Inglett, left-hander Juan Lara, right-handers Fernando Cabrera and Edward Mujica and outfielders Ben Francisco, Shin-Soo Choo and Franklin Gutierrez. Choo's contract is worth $383,100 if on a major league roster and Gutierrez's $381,900. Cabrera will earn $391,800 if he makes the Indians' opening day roster. He is out of minor league options and is expected to make the team. Salaries for the other players were unavailable. Shoppach is the backup for starting catcher Victor Martinez and Inglett is battling for the utility infielder's job. Choo, Gutierrez, Francisco, Mujica and Lara are expected to begin the season at Triple-A Buffalo.

Giants: Barry Bonds declined to elaborate about death threats the San Francisco slugger says he is receiving. "We're not going anywhere with that," Bonds said while walking off the field following Wednesday's workout at Scottsdale Stadium. The 42-year-old Bonds, 22 home runs from passing Hank Aaron's career record of 755, told San Francisco's KGO Radio on Tuesday that he has been receiving threats. "There's a lot of times I want to say I'm sorry to some of the fans. You're only strong to a point and then you get nervous," Bonds told KGO during a 90-minute interview. "I'm kind of standoffish and stuff and you can't really explain that. ... I'm mostly gun-shy of what can happen. Once this is all over and done, whether I get lucky enough to do it or not, I'll be able to release just a little bit of the anxiety and fear of what can happen. You don't want anything to happen to yourself. You don't want anything to happen to your family." Bonds has been closely guarded by a Major League Baseball security official throughout spring training for the second straight year. The seven-time NL MVP is scheduled to play his first exhibition game Friday in Scottsdale against the Milwaukee Brewers. "It's always a concern it's happening," manager Bruce Bochy said. "It's certainly unfortunate that you have to deal with something like that. There's always going to be some concern. We have protection." Aaron himself, who like Bonds is black, dealt with death threats and hate mail as he approached Babe Ruth's then-record of 714 homers. Aaron passed Ruth on April 8, 1974.

Baseball memorabilia: The "Mona Lisa" of baseball memorabilia, an almost mint condition 1909 Honus Wagner tobacco card, arrived in Los Angeles on Tuesday in the company of an armed guard but without its new owner, a mysterious Southern California collector who shelled out most of a record $2.35 million for it. The tiny scrap of colored cardboard, barely 21/2 inches tall and not quite 2 inches wide, made an auspicious arrival at a Dodger Stadium news conference, carried to the podium in a formidable-looking black valise by a grim-faced, equally formidable-looking armed guard. As SCP Auctions officials removed and opened a small red case to reveal the card's cover — one featuring a youthful and handsome Wagner in his Pittsburgh Pirates uniform, his hair parted down the middle — camera flashes popped and heads craned for a better look. Even the guard, the burly off-duty Lt. Michael Florio of the Los Angeles Police Department, cracked a smile. As a baseball fan, he said afterward, he rated the opportunity to hold the card right up there with his other great sports memory, having seen Los Angeles Dodgers Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax pitch. "The T206 Honus Wagner card has long been recognized as the most iconic, highly coveted and valuable object in the field of sports memorabilia," said Dan Imler, managing director of SCP Auctions. The previous owner, Brian Seigel of Las Vegas, said he sold the card to a Southern California collector who approached him, unsolicited, last year. They closed the deal last week. Seigel, the CEO of an asset management company, paid a record $1,265,000 when he bought it in 2000. Previous owners have included hockey great Wayne Gretzky and Bruce McNall, former owner of the Los Angeles Kings, who paid $451,000 for it in 1991. "Some people have referred to it as the Mona Lisa of baseball cards," Imler said. "Somebody who desires to own the very best of something, this is it."

Associated Press

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Indians: Cleveland signed nine players to one-year deals Wednesday, including third baseman Andy Marte, expected to be Cleveland's starting third baseman. They also reached agreements with catcher Kelly Shoppach, infielder Joe Inglett, left-hander Juan Lara, right-handers Fernando Cabrera and Edward Mujica and outfielders Ben Francisco, Shin-Soo Choo and Franklin Gutierrez. Choo's contract is worth $383,100 if on a major league roster and Gutierrez's $381,900. Cabrera will earn $391,800 if he makes the Indians' opening day roster. He is out of minor league options and is expected to make the team. Salaries for the other players were unavailable. Shoppach is the backup for starting catcher Victor Martinez and Inglett is battling for the utility infielder's job. Choo, Gutierrez, Francisco, Mujica and Lara are expected to begin the season at Triple-A Buffalo.

Giants: Barry Bonds declined to elaborate about death threats the San Francisco slugger says he is receiving. "We're not going anywhere with that," Bonds said while walking off the field following Wednesday's workout at Scottsdale Stadium. The 42-year-old Bonds, 22 home runs from passing Hank Aaron's career record of 755, told San Francisco's KGO Radio on Tuesday that he has been receiving threats. "There's a lot of times I want to say I'm sorry to some of the fans. You're only strong to a point and then you get nervous," Bonds told KGO during a 90-minute interview. "I'm kind of standoffish and stuff and you can't really explain that. ... I'm mostly gun-shy of what can happen. Once this is all over and done, whether I get lucky enough to do it or not, I'll be able to release just a little bit of the anxiety and fear of what can happen. You don't want anything to happen to yourself. You don't want anything to happen to your family." Bonds has been closely guarded by a Major League Baseball security official throughout spring training for the second straight year. The seven-time NL MVP is scheduled to play his first exhibition game Friday in Scottsdale against the Milwaukee Brewers. "It's always a concern it's happening," manager Bruce Bochy said. "It's certainly unfortunate that you have to deal with something like that. There's always going to be some concern. We have protection." Aaron himself, who like Bonds is black, dealt with death threats and hate mail as he approached Babe Ruth's then-record of 714 homers. Aaron passed Ruth on April 8, 1974.

Baseball memorabilia: The "Mona Lisa" of baseball memorabilia, an almost mint condition 1909 Honus Wagner tobacco card, arrived in Los Angeles on Tuesday in the company of an armed guard but without its new owner, a mysterious Southern California collector who shelled out most of a record $2.35 million for it. The tiny scrap of colored cardboard, barely 21/2 inches tall and not quite 2 inches wide, made an auspicious arrival at a Dodger Stadium news conference, carried to the podium in a formidable-looking black valise by a grim-faced, equally formidable-looking armed guard. As SCP Auctions officials removed and opened a small red case to reveal the card's cover — one featuring a youthful and handsome Wagner in his Pittsburgh Pirates uniform, his hair parted down the middle — camera flashes popped and heads craned for a better look. Even the guard, the burly off-duty Lt. Michael Florio of the Los Angeles Police Department, cracked a smile. As a baseball fan, he said afterward, he rated the opportunity to hold the card right up there with his other great sports memory, having seen Los Angeles Dodgers Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax pitch. "The T206 Honus Wagner card has long been recognized as the most iconic, highly coveted and valuable object in the field of sports memorabilia," said Dan Imler, managing director of SCP Auctions. The previous owner, Brian Seigel of Las Vegas, said he sold the card to a Southern California collector who approached him, unsolicited, last year. They closed the deal last week. Seigel, the CEO of an asset management company, paid a record $1,265,000 when he bought it in 2000. Previous owners have included hockey great Wayne Gretzky and Bruce McNall, former owner of the Los Angeles Kings, who paid $451,000 for it in 1991. "Some people have referred to it as the Mona Lisa of baseball cards," Imler said. "Somebody who desires to own the very best of something, this is it."

Associated Press

Thursday, March 1, 2007
one featuring a youthful and handsome Wagner in his Pittsburgh Pirates uniform, his hair parted down the middle —...

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