NEW YORK — New York Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon, Houston Astros shortstop Miguel Tejada and Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Randy Wolf were among the free agents who weren’t offered salary arbitration, moves that enable new teams to sign them without losing draft picks.
Because all three were Type A players under the free-agent rankings, their former teams would have received two draft picks if they had been offered arbitration and then signed with new clubs.
Tuesday night was the first big deadline of baseball’s offseason, with teams having until 10 p.m. (MST) to make arbitration offers to their former players who became free agents. Players have until Dec. 7 to accept; if they reject, they still can re-sign with their former clubs at any time.
Just 23 players, including St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday and Los Angeles Angels ace John Lackey, received arbitration offers — one fewer than last year.
One free agent agreed to a contract, with catcher Brian Schneider getting a $2.75 million, two-year deal from the Philadelphia Phillies.
In the day’s only trade, the Cleveland Indians sent catcher Kelly Shoppach to the Tampa Bay Rays for a player to be named. Shoppach hit .214 with 12 homers and 40 RBIs in 89 games this year.
• Tommy Henrich, nicknamed “Old Reliable” for his knack of delivering clutch hits for the Yankees, died in Dayton, Ohio. He was 96. Henrich hit .282 with 183 home runs and 795 RBIs.
Vandeweghe to coach Nets
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — New Jersey Nets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe will coach the team for the rest of the season.
Vandeweghe, a former star for the Nuggets who has never been a head coach, will have somebody with head coaching experience to lean on, bringing in 72-year-old Del Harris as an assistant.
• Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love has started contact drills in practice as he continues rehabilitation of a broken left hand. Love will meet with team doctors this week, but there is no definitive timetable set for his return.
Footnotes.
Florida defensive end Carlos Dunlap will miss Saturday’s game against Alabama after he was arrested and charged with driving under the influence.
• Gary Patterson is close to a contract extension with TCU.
• California tailback Jahvid Best will not play Saturday against Washington as he recovers from a frightening fall and concussion that sidelined him last month.
• UCLA basketball coach Ben Howland said sophomore forward Drew Gordon, the Bruins’ third- leading scorer (11.2), is no longer on the team and intends to transfer.
• Former Giro d’Italia champion Ivan Basso said he will return to the Tour de France in 2010 after a four-year absence.
• The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, citing support from the NFL, NBA, NHL, Major League Baseball and the U.S. Olympic Committee, today is expected to unveil details of a new plan to confront manufacturers that produce supplements containing steroids and other dangerous drugs. The Associated Press
