Reed chooses Twins over free agency

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Originally published Saturday, March 16, 2002

Given the chance to become a free agent, Rick Reed backed down Friday and decided to stay with the Minnesota Twins.

Reed, slated to be the fourth starter in a rotation that's already one of the strongest in the AL, withdrew the trade demand he filed following the World Series.

The pitcher has guaranteed salaries of $7 million in 2002 and $8 million in 2003, the final seasons of a $21.75 million, three-year contract that also contains an $8 million club option for 2004.

"To be honest with you, I didn't want to lose that money, so I made a decision," Reed said in Fort Myers, Fla., after pitching 4 1-3 innings in a 7-5 loss to Toronto. "I'm happy to wear this uniform. I'm just glad the whole thing's over and we can move on."

GIANTS 9, MARINERS 1

At Peoria, Ariz., Barry Bonds hit an opposite-field homer and Kirk Reuter allowed seven hits in five innings. Joel Pineiro, the leading candidate to become the Mariners' fifth starter, gave up four runs and eight hits in four innings.

BLUE JAYS 7, TWINS 5

At Fort Myers, Toronto's Vernon Wells hit a go-ahead two-run double off Jack Cressend in the ninth, and Eric Hinske was 3-for-4 with a two-run homer, a double and two RBIs.

ASTROS 6, CARDINALS 0

At Jupiter, Fla., Houston's Raul Chavez hit a grand slam and Brad Ausmus had a solo homer. St. Louis pitcher Darryl Kile, in his first start since offseason arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder, threw two perfect innings.

RED SOX 9, MARLINS (SS) 5

At Fort Myers, Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez homered and drove in two runs each. Winner Derek Lowe allowed two runs and six hits in four innings as the Red Sox stopped a five-game winless streak with their first victory under new manager Grady Little.

EXPOS 6, INDIANS 0

At Winter Haven, Fla., Carl Pavano pitched five no-hit innings. The Montreal right-hander, limited to eight starts last season because of elbow surgery, is 1-1 with a 2.13 ERA in four starts this spring.

PHILLIES 8, RANGERS 3

At Port Charlotte, Fla., Vicente Padilla, undefeated as a starter in Triple-A after beginning last season in the Philadelphia bullpen, struck out seven, including Alex Rodriguez and Juan Gonzalez twice each.

PIRATES 8, DEVIL RAYS 5

At Bradenton, Fla., Chad Hermansen hit two doubles and a home run, and Kip Wells pitched three scoreless innings for Pittsburgh.

YANKEES 10, ROYALS 6

At Tampa, Alfonso Soriano hit a pair of three-run homers and extended his hitting streak to 14 games. Dee Brown hit a two-homer off Mike Mussina.

DIAMONDBACKS 14, BREWERS 12

At Phoenix, Jose Guillen hit for the cycle and Luis Gonzalez hit a solo homer. Guillen was 4-for-5 with four runs scored, three RBIs and a stolen base. He is 15-for-32 in his last 10 games.

ANGELS 12, WHITE SOX 5

At Tucson, Ariz., Adam Kennedy had a grand slam and six RBIs, and Jose Molina was 4-for-4 for Anaheim.

ATHLETICS 8, CUBS 1

At Phoenix, David Justice his first home run of the spring, a three-run drive in a five-run sixth inning. Frank Menechino had three hits, including a home run, and also had three RBIs for Oakland.

ROCKIES 7, PADRES 3

At Tucson, Todd Hollandsworth and Ben Petrick each had two of Colorado's 15 hits. Colorado's Mark Little was hit in the head in the fourth by a pitch from reliever Jason Middlebrook. Little left the game, but trainers said he was not injured.

DODGERS (SS) 3, BRAVES 1

At Kissimmee, Fla., Terry Mulholland pitched three hitless innings, and Paul LoDuca went 2-for-3 with an RBI. In the first meeting since Los Angeles traded Gary Sheffield to Atlanta for Brian Jordan, Sheffield went 0-for-2 and Jordan went 1-for-3 with a double.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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