The United States released its roster for the 2013 World Baseball Classic on Thursday, with the other nations expected to do the same at 4 pm EST, CBS Sports is reporting.
New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter has been cleared to start baseball activity after receiving surgery on his broken left ankle in late 2012, ESPN is reporting. Jeter is aiming to be back in the Yankees' lineup on Opening Day, April 1.
Jeter will take the field for workouts later this month, which is part of his usual pre-Spring Training routine. The shortstop injured his ankle in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series on October 13 fielding a ground ball.
News of Jeter's return comes just one day after fellow Yankees infielder Alex Rodriguez successfully underwent hip surgery. The timetable for A-Rod's return is after the All-Star Game (mid-July at the earliest).
In other AL East moves, the Boston Red Sox signed two power bats on Thursday, says ESPN Boston here and here. Almost two months after an initial three-year, $39 million contract was agreed to, Boston has signed a shorter deal with former Rangers catcher Mike Napoli. The Red Sox's medical staff noticed a hip condition in the backstop, which changed Boston's willingness to continue with the primary conditions. The one-year, $5 million contract has incentives that could boost Napoli up to the $13 million he would have received from one year of the previous contract.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia avoided going to arbitration in his final year of eligibility by agreeing to a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the Red Sox. Salty has 41 homers in his two seasons with Boston.
One major trade was completed in Major League Baseball as one of the most frequent players involved in trade rumors finally found a new (and old) destination. Michael Morse. The former Seattle Mariner is headed back to the Pacific Northwest in a three-team deal, ESPN reports. Morse spent parts of four seasons with Seattle from 2005 through 2008, and has spent each of the last four years with the Washington Nationals. Morse's best season came in 2011, when he hit 31 homers and batted .303.
The Mariners will give John Jaso to their AL West division rivals, the Oakland Athletics. Oakland will send pitching prospect A.J. Cole back to Washington for his second stint in the Nationals' organization, and Blake Treinen will also go from Oakland to Seattle.
Another AL West team made a splash on Thursday, as the Texas Rangers signed starting pitcher Matt Harrison to a five-year, $55 million deal, ESPN Dallas says. Harrison, reached career highs in innings pitched (213.1), strikeouts (133) and wins (18) this past season, while posting a career-low in earned run average (3.29). He is one of three Rangers starting pitchers that are signed to long-term contracts.
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