Japanese pitcher Junichi Tazawamoved a step closer to signing with the Boston Red Sox after rejecting offers from three other major league teams. The 22-year-old righthander contacted the Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners and Atlanta Braves on Friday to reject their offers, Kyodo News agency reported. Tazawa is expected to hold a news conference early next week to announce his decision. He reportedly received offers from the Rangers, Braves, Mariners and Red Sox.
Washington right-hander Tim Redding had surgery to repair a bone in a joint on his left foot and is expected to be ready for the start of spring training. John Robert "Red" Murff, the New York Mets scout who discovered Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan, died Friday in a Tyler, Texas, nursing home. He was 87. "He thought when he saw me at 6-foot-2 and 140 pounds, he wasn't discouraged by my build and by the way I threw the Baseball as many other scouts were," Ryan said.
