Hudson hands deadline to Oakland
Pitcher Tim Hudson set a March 1 deadline for the Oakland Athletics to offer him a contract extension, or he plans to leave as a free agent following the 2005 season.
The A’s ace doesn’t want the distraction of contract talk during spring training, his agent said Thursday.
“Tim would love to come back and that’s his first choice,” Paul Cohen said. “Hopefully it will work out. The A’s obviously are a small-market team and we know they have some budget decisions to make down the road, and how those decisions affect him he would like to know by March 1.”
The 29-year-old right-hander went 12-6 with a 3.53 earned-run average last season for the A’s.
Jays pick up infielder
The Toronto Blue Jays acquired infielder John McDonald from the Cleveland Indians for a player to be named.
One of the club’s most popular players, McDonald has spent his entire career in Cleveland’s organization. He has a .231 career average with four homers and 33 RBIs in 285 games.
McDonald, who batted .204 in 66 games for the Indians last season, had been designated for assignment last week when the club re-signed closer Bob Wickman and added him to the 40-man roster.
With Jhonny Peralta likely to take over for Omar Vizquel at shortstop, Casey Blake moving from third to second base and Brandon Phillips a better hitter, the Indians no longer had room for the 30-year-old McDonald.
Marlins attempt to land Leiter
The Florida Marlins are discussing a contract with free-agent left-hander Al Leiter, but no deal has been reached, a source familiar with the negotiations said on condition of anonymity.
The New York Mets had been trying to re-sign Leiter, 39, before talks stalled last month. The New York Yankees have also expressed interest in the veteran.
Leiter pitched for the Marlins in 1996-97. He threw the first no-hitter in franchise history in 1996 and went 11-9 for the World Series champions the following season.
Last year Leiter went 10-8 with a 3.21 ERA in 173 2/3 innings for the Mets, for whom he’s pitched the past seven seasons. He’s 155-120 with a 3.65 career ERA in 18 major league seasons with the Yankees, Blue Jays, Marlins and Mets.
Final member of ‘37 Giants dies
Harry “The Horse” Danning, 93, the only surviving member of the pennant-winning 1937 New York Giants and the oldest living Jewish major leaguer, died of pneumonia Monday in Valparaiso, Ind.
Danning, a catcher for the Giants from 1933-1942, was a four-time All Star and member of three World Series teams.
A New York sportswriter dubbed him “Harry the Horse,” after a Damon Runyon character, a nickname that recognized both his power and durability.
Danning hit .300 or better three consecutive years, 1938-40. He withstood more than his share of ethnic slurs.