Childress: No deadline on Favre decision
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., Jan. 26 (UPI) -- Minnesota Vikings Coach Brad Childress says he's not imposing a deadline on quarterback Brett Favre to make a decision on returning to the team.
Speaking at a press conference Tuesday at team headquarters in Eden Prairie, Minn., Childress said he hadn't demanded a decision from Favre after the Vikings' 31-28 overtime loss in Sunday's NFC championship game, the (Minneapolis Star) Tribune reported.
"It's not a deal where I need to put a gun to his head and say, 'I need to know in a week, two weeks, two months,'" the Vikings coach said.
Childress said it wouldn't surprise him one way or another if Favre returned to the Vikings to play a 20th season or retired, the newspaper reported.
"I know he had a great experience here," Childress said. "I know it too well to know that emotions are a little bit raw right now. We're still too close to it. He's earned his time to be able to step away from it and talk to his family and figure out what he wants to do. But I don't have a strong expectation one way or the other. It would not surprise me one way or the other."
A's sign Sheets to 1-year contract
OAKLAND, Calif., Jan. 26 (UPI) -- Right-handed starting pitcher Ben Sheets, who missed the 2009 season after elbow surgery, has signed a one-year contract with Oakland, the team said Tuesday.
Athletics officials didn't release the value of the contract but multiple reports estimated it to be worth $10 million plus incentives.
Sheets, who spent the first eight years of his career with the Milwaukee Brewers, missed all of last season while recovering from the operation. Scouts watched as he threw in Louisiana recently and reportedly were impressed.
Published reports indicated the New York Mets and Texas Rangers were also competing for Sheets's services.
"The elbow is doing great. The biggest thing that I'm going to take out of this past year, that I didn't play, is that my whole body feels a lot better," Sheets told reporters at an introductory news conference. "Baseball is such a grind, such a long season, that you kind of forget how good you can feel. Missing this whole year, and concentrating on everything, I feel renewed."
Dodgers ink Belliard to 1-year contract
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 26 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed infielder Ronnie Belliard to a one-year contract, General Manager Ned Colletti said Tuesday.
Terms of the deal were not released, but MLB.com reported it is worth $825,000 plus incentives.
Belliard, 34, was acquired by the Dodgers from the Washington Nationals Aug. 30 last season and went on to hit .351 (27-for-77) with seven doubles, five homers and 17 RBI in 24 games with Los Angeles.
During the span, he started 19 games, including 10 at second base and nine at third base. In 2009, Belliard led the Dodgers during the months of September/October in average (.356), on-base percentage (.405), and slugging percentage (.616).
Overall, he hit .277 with 10 home runs and 39 RBI in a combined 110 games for the Dodgers and Nationals last year, batting .335 with eight homers and 31 RBI after the All-Star break.
"Ronnie was a tremendous asset to us at the end of last year in both a starting role and off the bench," said Colletti. "He can play three different positions in the infield, has post-season experience, and adds to the versatility of our club."
Twins sign veteran slugger Thome
MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 26 (UPI) -- The Minnesota Twins have signed veteran slugger Jim Thome to a one-year contract, sources said Tuesday.
The (Minneapolis) Star Tribune, citing sources close to the team, reported the Twins have agreed to an incentive-laden, $1.5 million deal with Thome, who is 12th on the all-time home run list at 564, just nine behind former Twins great Harmon Killebrew at No. 10.
The newspaper said Thome could earn up to $700,000 more by hitting incentives. The Twins already have a left-handed full-time designated hitter, Jason Kubel, so it's likely Thome will be used mainly as a pinch hitter off the bench.
Thome was with the Chicago White Sox for the majority of last season, moving to the Los Angeles Dodgers in September. In 124 games between the two clubs, he batted .249 with a .366 on-base percentage, 23 homers and 77 RBI.
He has hit more than 40 home runs six times in his career, with his high-water mark coming with the Cleveland Indians in 2002 with 52. He has 1,565 career RBI.
