Major League Baseball roundup

[February 16, 2015]  (The Sports Xchange) - Alex Rodriguez, who met recently with the new baseball commissioner and New York Yankees executives to apologize and clear the air, may next make a public apology to fans at Yankee Stadium.

The New York Daily News reported the Yankees have offered Yankee Stadium as a potential site for Rodriguez to make his public apology following his season-long suspension for performance-enhancing drug use.

ESPN.com reported the Yankees told Rodriguez during a meeting Tuesday that they want him to address the media before pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Tampa, Fla., on Friday, Feb. 20.

A-Rod apologized in his face-to-face meeting with owner Hal Steinbrenner, team president Randy Levine and general manager Brian Cashman for his role in the Biogenesis drug scandal.

The Yankees hope to avoid the distraction that his news conference would create in Tampa. Rodriguez was amenable to that plan, sources told ESPN.

Rodriguez also met recently with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred as he attempts to clear the way for his return to the game.

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Infielder Rickie Weeks and the Seattle Mariners completed a one-year, $2 million deal after he passed a physical.

Performance and awards bonuses could add $2 million to the contract.

Weeks, 32, is expected to fill a utility role with the Mariners. He played second base for the Milwaukee Brewers last year, but Robinson Cano is entrenched at the position in Seattle and Kyle Seager plays third base.

In 121 games last year for Milwaukee, Weeks hit .274 with eight home runs and 29 RBIs.

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Minor-leaguers Brian Ruiz of the Cleveland Indians, Spencer Edwards of the Tampa Bay Rays and Joseph Gardner-Prophet were suspended Friday by the commissioner's office after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

Ruiz, an outfielder on the roster of Class A Lake County in the Midwest League, and Edwards, an outfielder for Class A Bowling Green in the Midwest League, received 80-game suspensions.

Gardner-Prophet, a free-agent right-handed pitcher, was suspended for 50 games without pay after a second positive test for a drug of abuse.

(Editing by Gene Cherry)

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