Www.mlb.com



[pic]

Daily Clips

February 11, 2017

LOCAL

Royals committed to make another title run

February 10, 2017 By Jeffrey Flanagan/



[pic]

A primer for the World Baseball Classic, which will feature several Royals players

February 10, 2017 By Pete Grathoff/KC Star



[pic]

Five burning questions as Royals prepare to open spring training

February 10, 2017 By Rustin Dodd/KC Star



[pic]

How KC pro athletes are advised regarding political posts

Teams are monitoring their players' social media

February 10, 2017 By Josh Helmuth/



[pic]

NATIONAL

Tigers owner Ilitch passes away at 87

February 10, 2017 By Jason Beck/



[pic]

Dodgers agree to bring back veteran Utley

February 10, 2017 By Ken Gurnick/



[pic]

MLB TRANSACTIONS

February 11, 2017 •.



LOCAL

Royals committed to make another title run

February 10, 2017 By Jeffrey Flanagan/



When injuries and fatigue conspired to knock the 2015 World Series champions back to 81-81 in '16, many believed that would be the end of the Royals' run.

Not so fast. From management to the coaching staff to the players, the Royals still believe they are a World Series contender.

And with several potential free agents after 2017 -- Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain, and Alcides Escobar -- and the window of opportunity perhaps closing, the Royals' perfect season would be for that core to go out with another championship parade.

"The reality is that you can't keep everyone together forever," left-hander Danny Duffy said. "That's why everyone on this team looks at this season as a great opportunity for another championship. Everyone is going to give it everything they've got."

There are going to be doubters after that 81-81 season last year. PECOTA, a computer-based projection model, projects the Royals to finish a league-worst 72 wins in 2017. Then again, PECOTA never has projected the club to have a winning record and has whiffed wildly year after year on the Royals.

I truly think a full offseason is going to help our team," manager Ned Yost said. "Everyone from Alex Gordon to Chris Young had an opportunity to conduct their full offseason training program. I expect this entire team to come back healthy and motivated to win another championship."

Ownership didn't throw in the towel for 2017, either. Despite offseason orders to trim payroll significantly, general manager Dayton Moore was allowed two late offseason free-agent signings -- Brandon Moss and Jason Hammel for two-year, $12 million deals each -- that will again push the payroll north of $140 million.

Clearly, the Royals are all in for 2017.

"No one was happy about last year," infielder Christian Colon said. "We have a chance to wipe the slate clean and go after another title."

One key will be for the Royals to stay in contention come late July, or the temptation may be too great to cash in on the pending free agents for prospects who could enhance the rebuilding phase.

But Moore isn't thinking that far ahead yet.

"We're in no hurry to break up this team," he said.

[pic]

A primer for the World Baseball Classic, which will feature several Royals players

February 10, 2017 By Pete Grathoff/KC Star



Fans may have noticed that spring training starts earlier this year for the Royals, and that’s because of the World Baseball Classic.

That tournament began in 2006, but it hasn’t gained must-see status in the United States. The reason could be it’s relatively new or because Team USA has never finished in the top three.

This will be the fourth edition of the World Baseball Classic, and that means players from every major-league team will be leaving their respective spring camps to join their respective countries.

Royals left-hander Danny Duffy and first baseball Eric Hosmer will join Team USA in Fort Myers, Fla., on March 6 for a two-day camp before the first game against Colombia on March 10. Duffy is fired up to represent his country and also to play for former Pirates/Tigers/Marlins/Rockies manager Jim Leyland.

“Playing for Jim Leyland is going to be amazing,” Duffy said. “You’ve just got to kind of pinch yourself sometimes, because the dude’s a classic. I’ve always really admired Jim Leyland since I was little, honestly.

“I’m pretty stoked. I can’t wait to get out there, especially with sharing the field with Hos on that kind of stage.”

Duffy said he’s feeling good and threw his first bullpen session on Tuesday.

“But as amazing as this opportunity is, I’m going to make sure, I have an ultimate responsibility to Kansas City,” Duffy said. “So I’ll take care of myself and they’ll take care of me, too. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Format

Pool play games will be played from March 6-12 in four first-round sites. It’s a round-robin format.

Pool A: Chinese Taipei, Israel, the Netherlands and South Korea. Games will be played in Seoul, South Korea.

Pool B: Australia, China, Cuba, Japan. Games will be held in Tokyo.

Pool C: Canada, Colombia, Dominican Republic and the United States. Games will be played at Marlins Park in Miami.

Pool D: Italy, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. Games will be in Jalisco, Mexico.

The winners and runners-up from each group will advance into another round-robin group. The top two teams from Pool A and Pool B will play in Toyko from March 12-16. The winners and runners-up from Pools C and D will match up at Petco Park in San Diego from March 14-19.

The winners from each group will play in semifinals on March 20-21. The championship game will be held March 22.

Past winners

2006: Japan

2009: Japan

2013: Dominican Republic

Royals who are participating

Catcher Drew Butera (Italy)

Pitcher Danny Duffy (USA)

Shortstop Alcides Escobar (Venezuela)

First baseman Eric Hosmer (USA)

Catcher Salvador Perez (Venezuela)

Pitcher Joakim Soria (Mexico)

Note: Vice President of Communications Mike Swanson will be working with the Dominican Republic as media liaison.

Royals minor-leaguers who are participating

Catcher Allan De San Miguel (Australia)

Shortstop Mauricio Ramos (Colombia)

Left-handed pitcher Jake Kalish (Israel)

Pitcher Gabe Cramer (Israel)

Catcher Meibrys Viloria (Colombia)

[pic]

Five burning questions as Royals prepare to open spring training

February 10, 2017 By Rustin Dodd/KC Star



A baseball season is a sprawling endeavor, a marathon that can stretch from the early weeks of February to the first days of November. The only sure thing? There will be chaos.

There is no telling where this 2017 Royals season will go, no template for predicting the future, no accurate system to forecast the streaks and injuries and little moments that build into 162 games. In 2015, the Royals brushed off the disappointment of a Game 7 World Series loss at Kauffman Stadium and captured the franchise’s first world championship in 30 years, rolling to an American League Central crown and barreling through the postseason on a comeback-fueled bender. One year later, the remnants of the defending champions finished just 81-81, hampered by injuries, inconsistent run production and a volatile bullpen.

Now comes 2017, another grueling test set to begin. As a collection of core stars prepares to reach free-agency, the Royals face the prospect of a shrinking window. But inside the organization, club officials hope that 2017 can be something closer to a bridge year. Maybe this is the final run for a collection of homegrown friends. But for a franchise that aspires to sustained success, this won’t be the end of the line. That’s the hope, anyway. And it all begins Monday in Surprise, Ariz.

Royals pitchers and catchers will report to town that morning; the first workout is set for Tuesday. The rest of the club will report on Thursday; the first full-squad workout is Friday. As Kansas City prepares for another baseball season, here are five story lines to watch heading into camp:

1. Is this the last ride for the Royals’ homegrown core?

The question will provide subtext to the entire season, hanging over the clubhouse until at least the trade deadline.

The Royals authored a preemptive strike against the roster puzzle in the offseason, trading free-agents-to-be Wade Davis and Jarrod Dyson for outfielder Jorge Soler and right-hander Nathan Karns, respectively. They also negotiated a club-friendly extension for left-handed pitcher Danny Duffy, locking up the starter through the 2021 season.

But the team must still confront the fact that first baseman Eric Hosmer, third baseman Mike Moustakas, center fielder Lorenzo Cain and shortstop Alcides Escobar will be free agents after the season. If the Royals are not in contention (or close) in late July, they may have to ponder moving multiple players to re-stock the farm system. But for now, they will gear up for another run, hoping for the best from their pending free agents.

Moustakas was batting .275 with seven homers in 20 games before a broken thumb and a knee injury derailed his 2016 season. Hosmer opened the year batting .299 with a .355 on-base percentage and 13 homers during the first half. Then he hit just .225 with a .296 on-base percentage the rest of the way. And then there is Cain, who was limited by both a hamstring injury that wiped out most of his July and a wrist ailment that put him on the shelf in September. In 2015, Cain finished third in the American League MVP voting while accumulating 6.4 Wins Above Replacement, according to the FanGraphs version of the stat. In 2016, the injuries limited him to just 2.4 WAR.

If the Royals are going to rebound after an 81-81 finish, it could begin with increased productivity from all three spots.

2. Can Alex Gordon bounce back after his woeful 2016?

Let’s start here. Remember the feeling after Gordon signed a four-year, $72 million contract to remain in Kansas City? The jubilation. The relief. The victorious moment for a franchise that drafted Gordon in the first round and watched him evolve from injury-prone and ineffective to an All-Star left fielder.

Well, the moment did not quite last. After helping the Royals win the World Series in 2015, Gordon suffered through one of the worst seasons of his career. He started sluggishly. He broke a bone in his hand while colliding with Mike Moustakas in Chicago. He never found consistent production at the plate — though he did come alive for a portion of August. In 128 games, Gordon batted .220 with a .312 on-base percentage and 17 homers. Among major-league players with at least 500 plate appearances, Gordon was the 10th worst in baseball in weighted runs created plus (wRC+), an advanced metric that measures a player’s total offensive value.

Gordon’s wRC+ was 84, sandwiched between Melvin Upton Jr. and Mitch Moreland. He struck out a career-high 148 times. His slugging percentage (.380) dropped to its lowest mark since 2010. He struggled to catch up to good fastballs, which hindered his offensive production.

In total, he rarely flashed his vintage form from 2011 to 2015, when Gordon batted .281 with a .359 on-base percentage and a .450 slugging percentage. He collected four Gold Glove Awards during the five-year span, and when you add up all elements of his game, he racked up 24.9 Wins Above Replacement across five seasons. From 2011 to 2011, only eight major-league players rated higher.

It’s possible, of course, that Gordon may never be that player again. But the Royals do not need Gordon to be at his peak in 2017. They just need more production from their highest-paid player.

3. Is right fielder Jorge Soler ready to hit?

Before the 2015 season, Soler, the highly coveted outfielder from Cuba, was ranked as the No. 12 prospect in all of baseball, according to Baseball America. ranked him at No. 22. Baseball Prospectus put him at No. 19.

The tools, pedigree and minor-league numbers suggested some level of stardom. But after spending parts of three seasons with the Chicago Cubs, Soler has yet to take off. Some of this was health. Some of this was getting crowded out in a loaded Cubs outfield. Some of this was the natural growing pains of a young player.

The Royals believe that Soler is close; that four years of club control was worth sending All-Star reliever Wade Davis to Chicago; that the immense potential is about to turn into production.

Soler will turn 25 on Feb. 25. He will likely start every day in right field — when he is not occupying the designated-hitter spot. The Royals believe the 6-foot-4, 215-pound Soler can be a presence in the middle of the lineup. And yet, questions remain.

Soler batted .238 with a .333 on-base percentage in 86 games last year. That came after he slashed .262/.324/.399 (batting average, on-base percentage, slugging) in 2015. His defense also remains an issue, but club officials are confident that outfield coach Rusty Kuntz can work his magic during spring training.

The optimistic view: In his career, Soler has batted .258 with a .434 slugging percentage and 27 homers in 211 games. Even if that production level remains constant, Soler could rack up close to 20 homers and 30 doubles in a full 162-game season. The ceiling is even higher.

4. What will the club’s revamped bullpen look like?

A year ago, Tommy John surgery expedited Greg Holland’s departure from Kansas City’s vaunted bullpen. This offseason, it was money and the desire to start reloading that forced a Davis trade. So who’s left?

Two-time All-Star Kelvin Herrera will take over the closer role for the first time. And Joakim Soria is back after a disappointing 2016, entering the second season of a three-year, $25 million deal.

The rest of the relief corps will shake out during camp. Left-hander Matt Strahm could profile as a late-inning setup man — if he doesn’t win a job in the starting rotation. (For now, right-hander Nathan Karns appears the favorite to round out the rotation behind Danny Duffy, Ian Kennedy, Jason Vargas and Jason Hammel.)

Left-hander Brian Flynn could also be positioned to win a spot after posting a 2.60 ERA in 55 1/3 innings last season. And the club remains hopeful that left-hander Mike Minor can be a boost in the pen after a shoulder issue kept him from pitching in the big leagues last season. (Minor will make $4 million this year, so production somewhere would be optimal.)

Veteran right-hander Chris Young appears slated for a long relief role to begin the season. And then there is a list of young arms, including right-hander Kyle Zimmer, right-hander Kevin McCarthy, left-hander Eric Skoglund and right-hander Josh Staumont.

Zimmer, a 25-year-old former first-round pick, needs to remain healthy, of course. Staumont, 23, can touch 100 mph and could project as a back-end reliever. But club officials prefer to keep him as a starter for now. In addition, he is not currently on the 40-man roster, which means he will likely begin the season in the minors as a way to build up player inventory.

5. Who will emerge at second base?

The one true position battle heading into camp. It appears that Raul Mondesi, Whit Merrifield and Christian Colon will all get a look at the spot.

Cheslor Cuthbert could also log time at second base during camp, but defensive range issues could prevent him from staying there in a full-time capacity. For now, there are a lot of moving parts here.

Mondesi, 21, showed terrific defensive range while starting 42 games at the position last season, but he batted just .185 with 48 strikeouts in 149 plate appearances and his bat lagged considerably behind his glove. Merrifield, 28, batted .283 with a .323 on-base percentage and eight stolen bases in 81 games. The defensive metrics also loved his work at second base. But he also offers value as a utility player that can move around the diamond. Colon, 27, struggled at the plate in 2016, hitting .231 in limited duty. But he spent the offseason working out with Alex Gordon in Kansas City and is purportedly in the best shape of his career.

The wild card: If Cuthbert can not make occasional starts at second base, it’s hard to envision what his role would be over the course of the season. Cuthbert is out of options, meaning he must begin the season on the 25-man roster or be put through waivers and exposed to other teams. With Mike Moustakas back at third base and Brandon Moss set to join the DH rotation, Cuthbert’s role could be limited to sporadic starts at third base or serving as the DH against left-handed pitching. Barring injury, it could prove difficult to keep him involved.

[pic]

How KC pro athletes are advised regarding political posts

Teams are monitoring their players' social media

February 10, 2017 By Josh Helmuth/



President Donald Trump has been a polarizing figure who has generated strong emotions from countless Americans, including several current professional athletes.

After six New England Patriot football players recently announced they will not be attending the White House this year to celebrate their Super Bowl win, 41 Action News reached out to Kansas City’s pro sports teams to see how they advise their players regarding politics.

"We play it straight down the middle, but we don't preclude our players from voicing their opinion on political matters or campaigns,” said Toby Cook, Kansas City Royals spokesman.

"We don't tell the players that they can't do it,” he said regarding political endorsements.

Cook said the Royals set aside an entire day of Spring Training to counsel players on how to avoid situations that may land them in hot water, which includes what they put on social media.

"Royals representative and Major League Baseball representatives get in front of the players and review what they've talked about the year before,” said Cook.

Restrictions regarding what players put on social media – including political posts – are only considered if something is considerably inappropriate.

"If you're going to put fans in an uncomfortable position, or the club, or yourself,” said Cook regarding which social media posts would be red-flagged.

Sporting KC also has ‘media training’ with its players.

"We really want them to be authentic,” said Sporting KC spokesman Rob Thomson.

Star forward Dom Dwyer publicly supported former President Obama. However, he also tweeted a picture of toilet paper with President Trump’s face on it.

"Over the years they've gotten much better. Plenty of times I get calls saying 'hey is this okay? What do you think about this?'" said Thomson.

And that checking-in and monitoring is something more professional teams appear to be doing a lot more of in 2017.

"Just keep in mind that whatever you put on social media is there forever whether you delete it or not,” said Cook.

A spokesman with the Kansas City Chiefs told 41 Action News they do not have a specific policy for their players regarding politics and social media and that head coach Andy Reid "encourages his players to show their personality."

[pic]

NATIONAL

Tigers owner Ilitch passes away at 87

February 10, 2017 By Jason Beck/



The man behind the Tigers' turnaround from American League also-ran to two-time AL champion has passed. Mike Ilitch, the longtime team owner whose investment of financial might into the team 13 years ago spearheaded his quest for a World Series title, died Friday at age 87.

The son of Macedonian immigrants, a former Tigers Minor League player-turned-businessman, owner and arguably franchise savior, Ilitch lived an incredible rise, all in the city of Detroit.

"Heartbroken hearing of Mr I's passing," Justin Verlander said in a tweet. "He was a family man. A self-made man. A giving man. An icon for our city and nation."

Ilitch's company, Ilitch Holdings Inc., confirmed the passing in a statement. Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred also shared his condolences:

"Mike Ilitch was far more than a model owner of the Tigers franchise, the team he loved all his life and played for as a Minor Leaguer. He was also a fierce believer in his home city of Detroit, and the role that the Tigers and sports played in contributing to civic pride and renewal.

"Mr. Ilitch led a decorated life of service to his country, accomplishment in business and philanthropy in all of his endeavors. He was also extremely supportive of me both personally and professionally. On behalf of all of Major League Baseball and Mr. Ilitch's countless friends and admirers throughout the game, I extend my deepest condolences to his wife Marian and their entire family, the Tigers organization, their fans and his fellow citizens of Detroit."

The Tigers also issued a statement on Friday night.

"My father was a once-in-a-generation entrepreneur, visionary and leader, setting the tone for our organization and our family," said Christopher Ilitch, president and CEO of Ilitch Holdings, Inc. "He made such a positive impact in the world of sports, in business and in the community, and we will remember him for his unwavering commitment to his employees, his passion for Detroit, his generosity to others and his devotion to his family and friends.

"Together my family and the company celebrate the tremendous man he was, and we will continue to work hard to uphold his remarkable legacy. I'm honored to have had the opportunity to work with him to nurture and grow our businesses, but mostly, I'm grateful to have called him my Dad, and I know my siblings feel the same."

Ilitch had owned the Tigers since 1992, when he took over a team with which he once signed as a Minor League player in the 1950s. However, he'll likely best be remembered in Tigers circles for his contributions over the last dozen years, when he followed up Detroit's AL record-setting 119-loss season in 2003 with an investment in free agents, player development and coaching that eventually helped turn a wayward franchise into a perennial contender and rekindled passion for the team in a historic baseball town.

"I've never seen a man more dedicated to this community and to baseball than Mr. I," Tigers executive vice president and general manager Al Avila said. "What he has done for this franchise, and for Detroit, is immeasurable. He was always there to give us whatever we needed because he wanted greatness and happiness for all of us -- especially the fans. Mr. I was truly one of the great ones. He was a friend and an inspiration and he will be deeply missed."

Tigers manager Brad Ausmus issued his own statement as well:

"I worked for Mr. I as both a player and as a manager. I can honestly say it was an honor to work for a man who made winning the priority. Baseball is a business, but Mr. I was a baseball player who became a businessman. He loved baseball, and my memories will always be centered around the passion with which he talked about it."

Ilitch's dedication to fielding a winner never did bring the owner his ultimate goal, a World Series trophy to add to the Stanley Cup titles he won as the longtime owner of the National Hockey League's Detroit Red Wings. It did, however, make the Tigers relevant in baseball circles once more.

"I think this team in general has an amazing amount of respect for Mr. Ilitch and what he's done, not only for this ballclub but also for the city," Verlander said after the Tigers reached the World Series in 2012. "If he didn't put this ballclub together, this wouldn't be happening, and it wouldn't be this way for the city right now.

"He's the best owner in baseball. He has spared no expense in putting together this team. He wants to win."

It took more than a decade for Ilitch to find that winning formula. In his first 10 years running the club, he became known for two major deeds. First, upon purchasing the club in 1992, Ilitch brought back Hall of Fame broadcaster Ernie Harwell, with whom the previous regime had unceremoniously parted ways a year earlier. Second, Ilitch put together a plan for a new ballpark, moving the team in 2000 from Tiger Stadium into Comerica Park behind more than 60 percent private financing.

From a civic standpoint, the new park became a major step behind downtown redevelopment, which soon after included the National Football League's Detroit Lions moving across the street into Ford Field. From a baseball perspective, the open outfield and less hitter-friendly dimensions were an adjustment for fans. In the standings, the Tigers continued to flounder, even in the first couple of years after Ilitch reached an agreement with Dave Dombrowski, previously of the Marlins, to run the team as president, CEO and eventually general manager.

"I remember he's told me all along, if there's one thing he really would love to have, it would be that World Series ring," Dombrowski said in 2012. "I remember we had that conversation 11 years ago when I joined the franchise."

That goal seemed farther away than ever in 2003. After that, Ilitch's commitment to rebuilding not only included his money, but his time. He became a personal recruiter for free agents, selling players on the promise that his team was going to win.

Ivan Rodriguez was one of the first players to hear about Ilitch's desire to win. He was a free-agent catcher coming off a World Series championship with the Marlins, lingering on the market late in the offseason, and he was listening to a pitch from an owner whose team was coming off 119 losses.

The image of the Tigers at the time was of a team going nowhere. At that point, the club's biggest move of Ilitch's tenure as owner was the ill-fated Juan Gonzalez trade, which set the Tigers farther back than it would move them forward.

"Before Pudge signed, he called me," agent Scott Boras said of Ilitch. "And he said, 'Look, we're going to have a new philosophy with this team. I want to talk to you about it. I want to let you know. I know you represent a lot of players. I want to talk to you about what my intentions are.' Because in the player community, Detroit was not on the map for the top players I represent."

Rodriguez's four-year, $40 million contract shocked baseball, but it put the Tigers on the map. In the decade since, with the Tigers' fortunes, it has become an example other struggling teams have tried to follow, and was brought up the winter after the 2013 season, when the Mariners signed Robinson Cano.

"You realize a lot of people may have vision for things they do, but Mike truly had a vision for his passion, and it's obvious his passion was baseball," Boras said on Friday night. "I don't think I've ever seen an owner more excited about a player as he was when we brought 'Pudge' to Detroit, because he knew it was the start."

Rodriguez was the first of several signings for the Tigers, who used big money with their top Draft pick the next summer, the second pick overall, to draft a hard-throwing college pitcher named Verlander. Another top free agent and Boras client, Magglio Ordonez, signed the next winter, again with heavy recruitment from Ilitch. Kenny Rogers and Todd Jones signed a year after that.

"Mike took a lot of heat for those signings," Boras said.

In 2006, it paid off. Not only did the Tigers end a run of 12 consecutive losing seasons and 18 years without a postseason appearance, they made it to the World Series for the first time since 1984. Detroit went from owning the worst record in AL history to the top of the AL in just three seasons.

"We went from a team that was a bottom dweller and everybody laughed at to a serious contender every year," Verlander said a few years ago. "Even that year, everybody was writing us off at the halfway point: 'Ah, Detroit can't sustain this.' We did, and we went all the way to the World Series. Obviously, I think that put us on the map and made people want to come to Detroit. They saw us playing on TV, and they saw us in the postseason.

"Guys want to come play here now, and that has a lot to do with building a winning franchise. You have to have guys that want to come here. A lot of credit goes to Dave and Mr. Ilitch and all the front office, because they've done a heck of a job bringing the right pieces in here. You can't just bring in anybody."

The formula started with what worked for Ilitch with the Red Wings. He loved superstar players, and he knew fans loved to come see stars. That explains why, just over a year after celebrating an AL pennant, Ilitch pushed to acquire Miguel Cabrera, leading Dombrowski to trade six prospects to the Marlins. Ilitch signed Cabrera a few months later to an eight-year, $153 million contract, one of the largest in the game at the time.

"The intellect here was ahead of the curve of Major League Baseball," Boras said. "Why? Because they traded [former first-round picks Cameron] Maybin and [Andrew] Miller for Miguel Cabrera. And then you get Miguel Cabrera here and you don't have to deal with him in the free-agent market. You keep him here."

Others followed. Ilitch authorized two lucrative extensions to keep Verlander, including a new contract a few years ago, and did the same with Cabrera with an eight-year, $240 million extension that raised the bar in the industry. When Victor Martinez sustained a season-ending knee injury in winter workouts before the 2012 season, Ilitch authorized Dombrowski to sign Prince Fielder to a nine-year, $214 million contract, putting a deal together in just a week.

The results didn't always work out as hoped, and the ultimate goal never came to fruition. The intentions, however, were clear. Though Ilitch had been less visible in recent years, he still held influence over his club, spearheading Avila's free-agent foray a year ago to sign outfielder Justin Upton and bolster the offense.

Even without a World Series, Ilitch leaves behind a legacy that includes four consecutive division titles for the Tigers for the first time in franchise history, as well as three consecutive AL Most Valuable Player Awards and two AL Cy Young Awards in three years. In the bigger picture, the Tigers are part of a downtown legacy Ilitch leaves in Detroit.

"He was a proud man," former manager Jim Leyland said, "and he was so proud of Detroit, and I think that's what sticks out in my mind. That was his baby, and he was bound and determined to make it a better place."

Ilitch also leaves behind an empire, from his pizza business to the Fox Theatre to the Red Wings and Tigers. For now, the day-to-day ownership responsibilities are expected to fall to his son, Chris, who has played an increasing role in the Tigers' operations in recent years and was identified as a successor by the family last year.

The Ilitch family will hold a private funeral service, according to a statement, but is planning an opportunity for members of the public to pay their respects. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made to the Detroit Tigers Foundation, Ilitch Charities or the Detroit Red Wings Foundation.

[pic]

Dodgers agree to bring back veteran Utley

February 10, 2017 By Ken Gurnick/



The Dodgers continued a flurry of late free-agent additions Friday night by agreeing to a one-year contract with veteran Chase Utley. Earlier in the day, they agreed to a deal with outfielder Franklin Gutierrez on the heels of an agreement for reliever Sergio Romo.

The club has not confirmed any of the agreements, as corresponding 40-man roster moves will be needed. Utley's agreement was first reported by the Los Angeles Times.

The 38-year-old Utley, the Dodgers' starting second baseman in 2016, returns in a bench role after the club acquired Logan Forsythe from Tampa Bay in a trade for young pitcher Jose De Leon. Utley had a .252/.319/.396 slash line last year, but had a .768 OPS against right-handed pitching.

Equally important, Utley provides experience and leadership. Last month, Rookie of the Year shortstop Corey Seager credited Utley with mentoring him and expressed hope that the Dodgers would find a way to bring Utley back, despite the acquisition of Forsythe.

Los Angeles president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, who has been committed to adding right-handed hitters to make the Dodgers more effective against left-handed pitching, said last month that if Utley wasn't left-handed he would have already been signed.

[pic]

MLB TRANSACTIONS

February 11, 2017 •.



|TEAM |PLAYER |TRANSACTION |

|Arizona |Tom |Signed to a Minor League |

|Diamondbacks |Wilhelmsen |Contract |

|Baltimore Orioles|Gabriel Ynoa |Traded From from Mets, NY |

| | |Mets (for cash |

| | |considerations) |

|Baltimore Orioles|Francisco |Designated for Assignment |

| |Peña | |

|Chicago White Sox|Kevan Smith |Outrighted to Minors |

|Cleveland Indians|Luis Pérez |Signed to a Minor League |

| | |Contract |

|Los Angeles |Deolis Guerra|Designated for Assignment |

|Angels | | |

|Los Angeles |Austin Adams |Traded From from Indians, |

|Angels | |Cleveland (for cash |

| | |considerations) |

|Minnesota Twins |Quintin Berry|Signed to a Minor League |

| | |Contract |

|Pittsburgh |Nefi Ogando |Designated for Assignment |

|Pirates | | |

|Pittsburgh |Phil Gosselin|Traded From from |

|Pirates | |Diamondbacks, Arizona (for |

| | |RHP Frank Duncan) |

|Texas Rangers |Anthony Bass |Signed to a Minor League |

| | |Contract |

|Toronto Blue Jays|Jose Tabata |Signed to a Minor League |

| | |Contract |

|Washington |Joey Butler |Signed to a Minor League |

|Nationals | |Contract |

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download