TAMPA, Fla. — On his first day with the New York Yankees, Vernon Wells recalled a game in the International League more than a decade ago, when he saw Darryl Strawberry in uniform for the opposition. TAMPA, Fla. — On
TAMPA, Fla. — On his first day with the New York Yankees, Vernon Wells recalled a game in the International League more than a decade ago, when he saw Darryl Strawberry in uniform for the opposition.
“I remember the first time I played the Triple-A Yankees, when I was 20 years old,” the outfielder, now 34, said Tuesday. “It was the first time that I actually got goosebumps playing against another team. And from that day I’ve quietly been a Yankee fan.”
“Obviously not when we’ve played against them,” Wells said, “but every time the Yankees were in the playoffs and I was sitting at home, I was cheering for the Yankees. Somewhat of a dream come true.”
Wells’ trade to the Yankees was finalized Tuesday, when New York dealt a pair of minor leaguers to the Angels: outfielder Exircado Cayones and left-hander Kramer Sneed.
With the deal, New York surpassed the Los Angeles Dodgers for the highest projected opening day payroll in the majors.
The Yankees also signed first baseman Lyle Overbay to a minor league contract. The 36-year old was released earlier Tuesday by Boston.
“It’s been a whirlwind, but that’s all right,” Overbay said. “It’s an opportunity. That’s all that matters.”
The Angels will pay $28.1 million of the $42 million that Wells is owed over the final two seasons of the $126 million, seven-year contract he signed with Toronto.
The Angels will give New York $9.5 million this year and $18.6 million in 2014, leaving the Yankees to pay $11.5 million this year and $2.4 million in 2014. The structure was designed to help the Angels to stay under the luxury tax threshold of $178 million this year and help the Yankees get under it in 2014, when the threshold rises to $189 million.
Wells was to play left field and bat sixth for the Yankees against Houston on Tuesday night.
With the Angels, Wells figured to be a spare part. The Los Angeles outfield is set with Josh Hamilton, Mike Trout and Peter Bourjos, and the Angels have Mark Trumbo at designated hitter.
A three-time All-Star, Wells hit .230 with 11 homers and 29 RBIs last year and has just 36 homers and 95 RBIs in two seasons with the Angels. He is batting .361 in spring training with four homers and 11 RBIs in 36 at-bats.
The 21-year-old Cayones, acquired by the Yankees from Pittsburgh last year in the deal sending A.J. Burnett to the Pirates, hit .228 with 15 RBIs last year in 158 at-bats for the Class A Staten Island Yankees.
Sneed, 24, was 0-7 with a 5.37 ERA at Class A Tampa last season.
Overbay hit a combined .259 with two homers and 10 RBIs in 65 games with Arizona and Atlanta last season.
Dodgers send down
OF Puig, SS Gordon
GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Los Angeles Dodgers have sent outfielder Yasiel Puig and shortstop Dee Gordon to the minors.
The Dodgers moved Puig to Double-A Chattanooga on Tuesday. The 22-year-old Cuban leads major leaguers with a .526 batting average this spring.
Puig signed a seven-year contract for $42 million on June 29. The Dodgers already have Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and Carl Crawford in their outfield.
Gordon was sent to Triple-A Albuquerque. He was considered a possibility to take over while Hanley Ramirez is out for up to eight weeks with a thumb injury. But Dodgers manager Don Mattingly decided to move Luis Cruz from third base to shortstop until Ramirez returns.
Orioles’ Betemit out 6 to 8 weeks with knee injury
SARASOTA, Fla. — Baltimore Orioles infielder Wilson Betemit estimates he’ll be out for six to eight weeks because of a tear in his right knee.
Betemit was hurt Monday while running the bases in an exhibition game and had an MRI. He was diagnosed with a tear of the posterior cruciate ligament.
Betemit said Tuesday that he’s glad he won’t need surgery.
The 31-year-old Betemit hit .261 with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs last season with Baltimore. He played third base, first base and the outfield, and also was a designated hitter.
Derek Lowe earns bullpen
job with Texas Rangers
SURPRISE, Ariz. — Derek Lowe has earned a job with the Texas Rangers and will start the season in the bullpen.
Rangers manager Ron Washington said Tuesday the 39-year-old right-hander will be a long reliever and spot starter.
Lowe agreed March 6 to a minor league contract and will get a one-year deal that pays him $1.25 million in the major leagues and $150,000 in the minors. He can earn $1.7 million in performance bonuses based on a point system for starts and relief appearances.
Lowe was 9-11 with a 5.11 ERA last season in 21 starts and 17 relief appearances for Cleveland and the New York Yankees. He will take over a role filled last season by Scott Feldman, who left to sign with the Chicago Cubs.
Danks, Septimo put
on DL by White Sox
SURPRISE, Ariz. — Left-hander John Danks has been put on the 15-day disabled list by the Chicago White Sox as he recovers from surgery last August.
Danks was 3-4 with a 5.70 ERA in nine starts, all before mid-May, and had surgery Aug. 6 to repair a capsule tear and remove debris in his rotator cuff and biceps. He has allowed 20 earned runs and 27 hits in 11 innings over four spring training starts.
