U.S. ends prosecution of Bonds
After a nearly decade-long prosecution, the U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday formally dropped what was left of its criminal case against Major League Baseball career home run leader Barry Bonds over allegations he received performance-enhancing drugs.
The prosecution of Bonds for obstruction of justice ended quietly with the Justice Department’s one-paragraph court filing announcing that its solicitor general would not ask the U.S. Supreme Court to consider a lower court’s reversal of Bonds’ felony conviction.
Royals demote Ventura • The Kansas City Royals have optioned righthander Yordano Ventura to Triple-A Omaha after a string of ineffective outings for the opening-day starter.
Ventura, 24, is 4-7 with a 5.19 ERA in 14 starts. He spent nearly a month on the disabled list with inflammation of his ulnar nerve.
Lefthander Jason Vargas came off the disabled list and got the start Tuesday night against Pittsburgh. Vargas had been sidelined by a left flexor strain, and left Tuesday’s start in the second inning.
Ventura gave up six runs and 10 hits in four-plus innings in Monday night’s 10-7 loss to the Pirates. He is 1-3 with a 9.00 ERA in his last four starts. After going 14-10 with a 3.20 ERA as a rookie and throwing seven scoreless innings to beat San Francisco in Game 6 of the World Series, the Royals signed Ventura to a $23 million, five-year contract at the end of spring training.
Rangers in pursuit of Hamels • The Texas Rangers remain involved in talks with Philadelphia over ace lefty Cole Hamels, major league sources said Tuesday.
Philadelphia has spent much of the last two months scouting the farm systems of potential trade suitors for Hamels. The Rangers and Houston Astros appear to line up as two of the most desired partners. It could create a best-case scenario for Philadelphia with two AL West teams bidding against one another.
Tigers may be sellers • The Detroit Tigers are in the thick of the American League wild-card picture, but the team may position itself to be a trade deadline seller for the first time in years, reports say. With ace David Price and outfielder Yoenis Cespedes set to become free agents at season’s end, the Tigers have incentive to trade their most coveted players for big returns before potentially losing them for nothing in free agency.
“I know everyone wants it to be a big story, because the Tigers have been so successful, that all of a sudden they’re at .500 with the trade deadline looming — it’s a big story to say that the Tigers are sellers,” manager Brad Ausmus said. “I don’t consider four games out of playoff position a selling position.”
Trout has sore heel • Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout was out of the team’s lineup Tuesday night with a sore heel and listed as day-to-day.
Trout, 23, is second in the majors with 28 home runs, one behind teammate Albert Pujols, the former Cardinals star.
From news services
