News briefs: May date set in Dodgers ownership dispute
CBSSports.com wire reports
LOS ANGELES -- An ownership dispute between Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and his estranged wife will linger through at least a third of the 2010 season after a judge on Tuesday set a hearing for late May.
McCourt, mired in a bitter divorce with wife Jamie, had wanted the ownership issue decided by spring training.
The case has been cited as a distraction for the storied franchise at a time when the free-agent market is heating up.
The hearing was cordial but contentious, with both sides lobbing accusations in legal and baseball parlance.
Dennis Wasser, Jamie McCourt's attorney, complained that the proper documents to determine Frank McCourt's income and wealth hadn't been turned over.
"There's been game-playing in this case, and it's not baseball," Wasser said. "It's hide-and-seek."
He accused Frank McCourt of crying poverty and contracting a fictional illness, "RAIDS -- Recently Acquired Income Deficiency Syndrome."
Frank McCourt's attorney, Sorrell Trope, questioned whether Wasser was arguing his case to Gordon or the two rows of reporters who attended the hearing. Full story
Cuban defector's new agents sued
BOSTON -- Even before he has a contract to play in the major leagues, Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman is in the middle of a lawsuit.
Chapman's original representative sued his current agent in Massachusetts state court. Athletes Premier International, the company of agent Edwin Mejia, accused Hendricks Sports Management of illegally interfering with its relationship with the pitcher.
Mejia's company said it had spent several hundreds of thousands of dollars on Chapman's behalf.
Randy Hendricks did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment.
Chapman defected from Cuba's national team last July and established residency in Andorra, becoming a free agent.
Mets near deal with Japanese reliever
NEW YORK -- A person familiar with the negotiations tells the Associated Press that the New York Mets are close to completing a two-year contract with Japanese reliever Ryota Igarashi.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been finalized.
Igarashi, a 30-year-old right-hander, throws 93-94 mph with a splitter, the person said. New York needs setup help in the bullpen for All-Star closer Francisco Rodriguez.
Igarashi pitched for the Yakult Swallows in the Japanese Central League.
The status of his negotiations with the Mets was first reported by the New York Times on its website.
Gload, Phillies finalize contract
PHILADELPHIA -- Utilityman Ross Gload and the Philadelphia Phillies finalized their $2.6 million, two-year contract after agreeing to the deal at the winter meetings last week.
The 33-year-old hit .261 with six homers and 30 RBI for the Florida Marlins last season. He appeared in 41 games at first base, 10 in right field and one in left.
Gload batted .318 as a pinch hitter, with a major-league leading 21 hits. The left-handed hitter was a 13th-round selected of the Marlins in the 1997 amateur draft.
He has batted .283 with 28 homers and 192 RBI over 608 major league games with the Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals and the Marlins. His 48 pinch hits rank 10th among active players.
Lind wins DH award
NEW YORK -- Adam Lind of the Toronto Blue Jays won the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award.
Lind batted .305 with 35 home runs, 114 RBI and 46 doubles last season. He appeared in 95 games as a DH, compiling a .299 average with 21 homers and 74 RBI.
The 26-year-old Lind, who also won a Silver Slugger award this year, becomes the third Toronto player selected as outstanding designated hitter. The others were Hall of Famers Dave Winfield in 1992 and Paul Molitor in 1993.
The award was named in 2004 in honor of former Seattle Mariners designated hitter Edgar Martinez, who is on the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time this year.
