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Baseball Notebook: Cubs acquire Baker in trade with Rockies
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Published: July 3, 2009
■ Cubs-Rockies trade: The Chicago Cubs got infielder Jeff Baker from the Colorado Rockies for Al Alburquerque, a minor-league right-handed pitcher.
The Cubs designated infielder Ryan Freel for assignment.
Baker was activated off the Rockies' 60-day disabled list and was to join the Cubs last night. He hit .268 with 12 home runs and 48 RBI in 104 games last year for the Rockies and can play several positions. He's played only 12 games this year after a sprained left hand sent him to the DL on April 29.
Alburquerque was 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA in 24 relief appearances for Class A Daytona.
■ Indians-Rays trade: Right-hander Winton Abreu was acquired by the Cleveland Indians from the Tampa Bay Rays for minor-leaguer pitcher John Meloan.
Abreu, 32, was brought up by Tampa Bay on June 14 and had a 2.45 ERA in two appearances. He was then designated for assignment on June 27.
Meloan, 24, was 0-0 with a one save and a 5.52 ERA in two starts and 23 relief appearances at Class AAA Columbus.
■ Cardinals: St. Louis has agreed to terms with 16-year-old outfielder Wagner Mateo, thought to be a top amateur free agent from Latin America. The signing is contingent on Mateo passing a physical in St. Louis.
Mateo (6-2, 190), who throws and bats left-handed, played for the Dominican Republic in Major League Baseball's RBI World Series in 2007 and 2008.
■ Leyritz arrested: Former major-leaguer Jim Leyritz was arrested yesterday in Davie, Fla., on charges of domestic battery against his ex-wife and was held in the Broward County jail. The latest arrest came less than three months before Leyritz, 45, is scheduled to go on trial on a DUI manslaughter charge.
Leyritz had been free on bail on the manslaughter charge, but a judge ruled this arrest violated the conditions of his release and ordered him to remain jailed.
■ Moss dies: John Henry Moss, one of the most influential figures in minor-league baseball during his 50-year reign as president of the South Atlantic League, died Wednesday in Kings Mountain of complications from a stroke. He was 90.
Moss, who had been hospitalized since June 7, helped form the Western Carolina League for textile workers in 1947. A decade later, he did a deal with Branch Rickey of the Brooklyn Dodgers to stock the league with professionals. It later became the South Atlantic League, which he ran until he retired in 2007.
■ Two Deacons turn pro: Wake Forest junior right-handed pitcher Phil Negus agreed to terms with the Chicago White Sox, foregoing his final season of eligibility. Also, 2009 recruit Jacob Johnson has signed with the Cincinnati Reds and will not be attending Wake Forest.
Negus was drafted by the White Sox in the 18th round of last month's draft. Negus is playing with the Bristol White Sox, a rookie-level team in the Appalachian League. Negus appeared in 17 games for WFU last season, including 10 starts, going 2-6 with a 9.05 earned-run average in 562/3 innings.
Johnson, a right-handed pitcher, Johnson was taken by the Cincinnati Reds in the 11th round of the draft. He will begin his professional career with the Reds' rookie-level Gulf Coast League team in Sarasota, Fla.
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