John Rocker, who never fit in when he joined the Cleveland Indians last season, yesterday was traded to the Texas Rangers for minor league pitcher Dave Elder.
Rocker, whose remarks on racial, ethnic and sexual minorities in a magazine article led to his suspension for two weeks in 2000, will be reunited in Texas with new Rangers general manager John Hart.
"We certainly aren't going into this blind," Hart said. "We know there are going to be issues. We feel our organization is prepared to accept those issues. It goes back to second chances."
Rocker, 27, pitched poorly in Cleveland, going 3-7 with four saves and a 5.45 earned run average in 38 games. He was handed the closer's job upon arrival in June, but ended up giving it back to Bob Wickman.
Meantime, free agent outfielder Juan Gonzalez said he plans to reject the Cleveland Indians' salary arbitration offer and focus on signing a long-term contract with another club, his agent, Jeff Moorad, said.
Although Gonzalez is free to continue talks with the Indians through Jan. 8, the prospect of him returning to Cleveland is remote. If Gonzalez had accepted the Indians' arbitration offer, he would have committed himself to playing for Cleveland next season.
"We're quite confident Juan will end up with an attractive multiyear contract," Moorad said. "The only way we would accept arbitration in Cleveland is if we felt it was the first step to a longer contract with the Indians."
Gonzalez hit .325 with 35 homers and 140 runs batted in last season and finished fifth in the American League MVP voting.
Two members of the New York Yankees' championship teams found new homes. Chuck Knoblauch signed a one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals, who will use him in left field, and first baseman Tino Martinez signed a three-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals to replace the retired Mark McGwire.
Knoblauch has been part of three championship teams in New York and one in Minnesota. He was shifted to the outfield last season because of repeated throwing problems at second base.
Martinez played for the Yankees for the last six seasons and was an instrumental part of four World Series championship teams. However, the Yankees signed Jason Giambi from Oakland to be their first baseman.
Cardinals Manager Tony La Russa said Martinez's signing will mean that National League rookie of the year Albert Pujols will move to third base.
Meantime, the Yankees announced the signing of pitcher Sterling Hitchcock to a two-year deal worth a guaranteed $12 million. The left-hander, who was reacquired by the Yankees in July in a trade with San Diego, was drafted by the Yankees in 1989 and played for the team from 1992 to '95.
The champion Arizona Diamondbacks re-signed outfielder Danny Bautista, who hit .583 with seven RBI in the World Series, and added Hall of Famer Robin Yount as a coach.
Colorado acquired second baseman Pokey Reese from Cincinnati in a four-player trade that sent left-handed reliever Gabe White to the Reds.
Jay Buhner, the Seattle Mariners' right fielder for 14 years, plans to retire at 37 because of a series of injuries, the Seattle Times reported.
Neither Buhner nor his agent could be reached by the Associated Press. Buhner had not formally told the team of his decision as of yesterday afternoon, General Manager Pat Gillick said.
Meantime, free agent John Burkett has accepted an $11 million, two-year offer from the Boston Red Sox, his agent said. The team, however, said it had no news regarding the pitcher.
The Red Sox announced they have agreed to terms with former all-star second baseman Carlos Baerga on a minor league deal and signed pitcher Willie Banks to a major league contract. Baerga, 33, will be invited to spring training.
In Tallahassee, a federal judge blocked an investigation by Florida's attorney general into baseball's plan to eliminate two teams, saying the inquiry was barred by the sport's antitrust exemption.
The order by U.S. District Judge Robert L. Hinkle frees major league baseball and its two Florida teams from having to give Attorney General Bob Butterworth documents involving plans to fold franchises before the start of next season.
Butterworth was seeking information on those plans, saying Floridians deserve to know if the Florida Marlins and Tampa Bay Devil Rays will be disbanded or moved.
Hinkle said the 1922 U.S. Supreme Court decision exempting baseball from federal antitrust laws extended to state laws.