Arrieta wants longer deal
Starting ace hopeful of landing long-term contract with Cubs
Jake Arrieta is hopeful of working out a new contract that would keep him with the Chicago Cubs before he becomes eligible for free agency after the 2017 season, yet he also realizes this could be his final year with the club if talks don’t materialize.
The ace right-hander and 2015 N.L. Cy Young Award winner landed a oneyear deal for $15,637,500 last month to avoid salary arbitration. As the reigning World Series champions geared up for the first pitchers and catchers workout, Arrieta insisted Wednesday at the start of spring training that he won’t allow his future to be a distraction.
“I think there’s an open dialogue there and I believe we will have talks. It’s not my No. 1 priority,” Arrieta said. “I just wanted to focus on my health and coming into camp as well rested and in as good of shape as I possibly can. If we have those conversations, we’ll sit down and hash some things out and see if we can get something worked out. If it happens, great, if not then I’ll continue to move forward and take it day by day.”
He came to the Cubs in a trade from Baltimore in 2013 and helped them end a 108-year championship drought last fall.
New York Yankees n owner Hal Steinbrenner doesn’t plan on talking with Joe Girardi about a new contract in the near future but spoke highly of the manager’s performance. Girardi is in the final season of a $16 million, fouryear deal and is beginning his 10th season as Yankees manager.
“We love Joe,” Steinbrenner said after the team’s first workout this year.
An offspeed pitch during n a pre-spring training bullpen session effectively ended Alex Reyes’ season before it began. The St. Louis Cardinals said the 22year-old right-hander will have Tommy John surgery to replace a ruptured elbow ligament in his pitching arm.
Two people with n knowledge of the situation tell The Associated Press that Mike Napoli has passed his physical and will be introduced Thursday with an $8.5 million, one-year deal for a third stint with the Texas Rangers.
Right-handed starter n Travis Wood and the Kansas City Royals finalized a $12 million, two-year contract.
NFL
Left tackle Ryan Clady was released when the New York Jets declined to pick up a $1 million roster bonus, according to a person with direct knowledge of the team’s plans. Clady was due $10 million next season.
Two-time Pro Bowl n quarterback Vince Young has hired agent Leigh Steinberg, who welcomed his new client on Twitter and said Young “has dream of playing more football, being role model.” Young, who turns 34 in May, hasn’t been on an NFL roster since the 2014 offseason. College football
A grand jury has declined an indictment against a Baylor University athletics official charged with misdemeanor assault after allegedly grabbing a reporter by the throat following a football game.
The McLennan County grand jury declined the indictment against associate athletic director Heath Nielsen. The 17-year Baylor spokesman was accused of grabbing James McBride, a reporter for the Kellerbased Texas Blaze newspaper, as McBride tried to take a picture with a Baylor player Nov. 5.
Soccer
The Vancouver Whitecaps have acquired Fredy Montero on loan from Tianjin Teda of the Chinese Super League. .
Tennis
Genie Bouchard kept her word after the Atlanta Falcons lost the lead. The Canadian tennis star sat courtside at a Brooklyn Nets game with a fan who asked her for a date on Twitter if the New England Patriots won the Super Bowl.
Volleyball
Iranian media say authorities have allowed female spectators at a beach volleyball tournament after organizers threatened to halt the event in protest. The semi-official ISNA news agency reported that women were allowed into the stadium at the start of the tournament on Kish island.