The St. Louis Cardinals have agreed to terms with 16-year-old outfielder Wagner Mateo, considered to be among the top amateur free agents from Latin America. The signing announced Thursday is contingent on Mateo passing a physical in St. Louis this summer. Terms were not disclosed. Mateo is from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The Chicago Cubs have acquired infielder Jeff Baker from the Colorado Rockies for minor league right-handed pitcher Al Alburquerque and designated infielder Ryan Freel for assignment. Baker was activated off the Rockies' 60-day disabled list and was to join the Cubs for their Thursday night game at Wrigley Field against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Red Sox left fielder Jason Bay has long played America's pastime and will now be able to call himself an American. The 30-year-old player from Canada becomes a U.S. citizen Thursday afternoon in a ceremony at Boston's historic Faneuil Hall. Bay is from British Columbia and is the first Red Sox player to be naturalized since Dominican-born David Ortiz was sworn in last summer in Fenway Park.
Hank Blalock didn't put any extra significance on Wednesday night's game-winning homer or his team's success thus far against the Los Angeles Angels. Blalock's second homer of the game, a two-run shot with two outs in the ninth inning, gave Texas a 9-7 victory and moved the Rangers within one-half game of the first-place Angels in the AL West.
Colby Rasmus got a break when third baseman Pablo Sandoval dropped his foul pop in the 10th inning. Then Bob Howry had to come after the rookie with a full count and Albert Pujols on deck. None of that was on Rasmus' mind when he led off the 10th inning with his first game-ending home run, lifting the St.