Rangers complete deals with Jones, Donnelly

[February 11, 2009]  ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- The Texas Rangers finalized minor league contracts Tuesday with outfielder Andruw Jones and reliever Brendan Donnelly.

An All-Star with the Anaheim Angels in 2003, Donnelly was one of 80-plus players named in the Mitchell Report on doping in baseball in December 2007. The report said the right-hander purchased steroids in 2004 from Kirk Radomski, a former New York Mets clubhouse attendant who has admitted selling performance-enhancing drugs to dozens of major leaguers. Donnelly denied the allegations.

His deal with Texas was announced one day after Alex Rodriguez admitted using banned substances while playing for the Rangers from 2001-03.

The 37-year-old Donnelly made 15 relief appearances for Cleveland last year after having elbow ligament replacement surgery while with Boston in 2007. He has a 3.12 ERA in 319 career games, most of those with the Angels from 2002-06. He pitched 7 2-3 shutout innings in the 2002 World Series, appearing in five of seven games to help the Angels beat San Francisco.

Donnelly was suspended for eight games in 2005 for having pine tar on his glove while on the mound.

The Mitchell report said Radomski got a phone call from Donnelly in 2004 seeking Anavar, an anabolic steroid. According to the report, Radomski made one sale of Deca-Durabolin for which Donnelly paid $250 to $300.

In a statement to ESPN.com, Donnelly said he discussed Anavar in a phone call with Radomski in 2004 when he had several physical problems. He said he learned it was a steroid and "realized that was not an option." He said he never took Deca or Anavar and never purchased or received anything from Radomski.

The deal with Jones was disclosed Sunday. He was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers last month, halfway through a two-year, $36.2 million contract.

If Jones makes the major league roster, the five-time All-Star would receive a $500,000, one-year contract and the chance to earn about $1 million in performance bonuses based on plate appearances. That money would be offset against remaining money owed by the Dodgers, whose deal with Jones called for a $15 million salary in 2009. Jones agreed to defer most of that money over six years.

Jones won 10 straight Gold Gloves with the Atlanta Braves and he's a .259 career hitter with 371 home runs. However, he batted just .158 with three homers and 14 RBIs in 75 games for the Dodgers last year, a season marred by three stints on the disabled list because of a right knee injury.

[Associated Press]

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