Garciaparra gets raise, reworked incentives
The first pitch of spring training hasn't even been thrown, and Nomar Garciaparra already got a raise from the Chicago Cubs yesterday.
Garciaparra will have a base salary of $8.25 million this year, up from the $8 million deal he agreed to in December. As part of the reworked contract, he will be able to earn $2.75 million in performance bonuses instead of $3 million.
He was traded to Chicago from Boston last July 31 and then became a free agent after the season. His initial contract called for $400,000 bonuses each for 130, 135, 140, 145, and 150 games started, and $500,000 each for 535 and 550 plate appearances.
Under the revised deal, Garciaparra would get $150,000 for 130 games started, $400,000 each for 135, 140, 145, and 150 games started, and $500,000 each for 535 and 550 plate appearances.
Garciaparra only played 81 games last year because of injuries to his Achilles' tendon, left wrist, and groin.
Urbina's mom saved
Venezuelan police stormed a mountain camp and rescued the mother of Detroit Tigers pitcher Ugueth Urbina from kidnappers after five months in captivity. The raid left at least one of her abductors dead, authorities said. Officers from a special anti-kidnapping unit rescued the 54-year-old Maura Villarreal from a remote mountainous area in the southern state of Bolivar, said Joel Rengifo, the chief officer in the division. Rengifo said Villarreal was unharmed. The major leaguer's mother, who was kidnapped from her home Sept. 1, told reporters, "You can't say they treated me either well or poorly. The most hurtful thing was having to bear them saying that my son didn't love me because he didn't pay." Urbina was not expected at the Tigers' spring training camp in Lakeland, Fla., until at least early next week. He left the team last September for Venezuela following his mother's disappearance. Rengifo said the kidnappers had demanded $6 million in ransom, but the family didn't pay . . . Yankees manager Joe Torre pretty much said Randy Johnson will start the season opener against the Red Sox April 3 at Yankee Stadium, a game that could match the Big Unit against former Arizona teammate Curt Schilling. "It's not a bad guess," Torre said. . . . Pedro Martinez was easy to pick out on his first day of spring training with the New York Mets. He was the one not wearing a cap. With hundreds of fans on hand to catch a glimpse of the Mets' new ace, Martinez threw 40 crisp pitches to Mike Piazza during the team's first official workout for pitchers and catchers . . . Former Red Sox third base coach Wendell Kim was named the manager of the Nationals of the Gulf Coast League. Kim was the Cubs' third base coach last year . . . . . . Chicago White Sox slugger and two-time AL MVP Frank Thomas hasn't recovered from an ankle injury that required offseason surgery and will miss Monday's reporting deadline . . . Tom Lasorda, 77, has been appointed special adviser to Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt.
