The railings at Rangers Ballpark are being changed to make them safer for fans.
Rangers officials showed off one of the first sections of new protective railing Thursday during a tour of renovations at the stadium. They have beveled tops and lean slightly inward toward front-row seats.
The team announced plans to make all front-row railings 42 inches high after the July death of a Texas firefighter who fell after reaching out to grab a ball thrown his way by Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton.
The $1.1 million project to replace the railings is separate from $12 million in stadium upgrades that include a reconfigured visitors' bullpen.
MARLINS: Carlos Zambrano's trade to Miami has been approved, and the Chicago Cubs will receive right-hander Chris Volstad in exchange. The deal was completed Thursday after both players passed physicals and Major League Baseball gave approval.
Zambrano, who became expendable because of repeated meltdowns, will join another new Marlin, manager Ozzie Guillen, who played for and managed the Chicago White Sox. Zambrano cleaned out his locker after being ejected during a loss to Atlanta on Aug. 12, was suspended without pay and missed the rest of the season.
Zambrano has a career record of 125-81 with a 3.60 ERA, including 9-7 with a 4.82 ERA last season. Volstad went 5-13 last year with an ERA of 4.89, and has a career record of 32-39.
YANKEES: New York said it has failed to sign Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima.
The Yankees won negotiating rights to Nakajima, 29, last month with a high bid of $2.5 million. But because they failed to reach an agreement within 30 days, they do not have to pay the posting fee, and his rights revert to the Seibu Lions of Japan's Pacific League.
Nakajima hit .297 with 16 homers and 100 RBIs last season for the Lions.
NATIONALS: Left-hander Zechry Zinicola is the first player suspended this year under baseball's minor-league drug program and will miss the first 50 games of the season. He was penalized Thursday after a second violation for a drug of abuse. Zinicola, 26, was 1-0 with a 1.98 ERA in 21 relief appearances for Class AAA Syracuse last season and 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in 11 games at Class AA Harrisburg.
RED SOX: Reliever Bobby Jenks has had a second spinal decompression procedure that could delay the start of his spring training, team officials said Thursday. Jenks, 30, is in the second year of a two-year, $20-million contract. He played in only 19 games last season because of lingering back pain.
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