Add catcher to the Phillies’ needs this offseason.
All-Star Carlos Ruiz was suspended yesterday for the first 25 games of next season following a positive test for an amphetamine. The 33-year-old catcher had a career year in 2012, hitting .325 with 16 homers and 68 RBIs in 114 games.
Ruiz will be eligible to participate in spring training, including exhibition games.
Erik Kratz likely will begin the 2013 season as Philadelphia’s starting catcher while Ruiz serves his suspension. Kratz, a career minor-leaguer, filled in nicely when he finally got a chance after Ruiz went down with a foot injury. Kratz hit .248, but had nine doubles, nine homers and 26 RBIs in only 141 at-bats. Kratz also threw out 45 percent of base-stealers (15 of 33).
BLUE JAYS: Toronto right-handed reliever Casey Janssen has had surgery on his throwing shoulder and is expected to be ready for spring training.
The team said Janssen had the procedure Friday in Los Angeles to repair lingering joint soreness. The 31-year-old had the small portion of the end of his clavicle shaved down to relieve the discomfort.
Janssen, who was thrust into the closer role last season after an injury to Sergio Santos, converted 22 of 25 save opportunities while posting a 2.54 ERA. He had 67 strikeouts and just 11 walks over 63 2/3 innings.
WHITE SOX: Chicago is shuffling its coaching staff, adding former closer Bobby Thigpen and Daryl Boston while giving Harold Baines a new role.
Thigpen, whose 57 saves for the White Sox in 1990 rank second in major league history, replaces the departed Juan Nieves as the bullpen coach after spending the past four seasons as a pitching coach in the organization.
Boston, the White Sox’s minor-league outfield coordinator the past 12 seasons, is the new first base coach. Baines moves from first base coach to assistant hitting coach, a newly created position. He will work with hitting coach Jeff Manto.
ANGELS: Free-agent reliever Ryan Madson has reached an agreement with the Angels on a one-year contract pending a physical exam, a baseball source told ESPN.com.
Madson, 32, went 47-30 with a 3.59 ERA and 52 saves in eight seasons with the Phillies. He signed a one-year deal with the Reds in January and came to spring training as the Reds’ projected closer but suffered an elbow injury in late March and missed the entire season with Tommy John surgery.
The 29-year-old right-hander was 39-44 with a 4.81 ERA over eight years with the Rangers, going 6-11 with a 5.09 ERA in 29 appearances (21 starts) last season.
CUBS: Chicago pitcher Scott Feldman, who formerly was with the Rangers, agreed to a one-year contract, the team said. Feldman is guaranteed $6 million next season and can earn another $1 million in incentives.
HALL OF FAME:Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa are set to show up on the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time, and fans will soon find out whether drug allegations block the former stars from reaching baseball’s shrine.
The ballot will be announced today.
Craig Biggio, Mike Piazza and Curt Schilling are certain to be among the other first-time eligibles. Jack Morris, Jeff Bagwell and Tim Raines are the top holdover candidates.
ATHLETICS: Oakland players have decided to donate one full playoff share to eight local and national charitable efforts, a total of $34,325.16.
Reliever Jerry Blevins, the team’s player representative, informed the front office that he and his teammates voted to donate one playoff share to charities — including Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. The other charities are the MLB Players Trust, UMPS CARE, Oakland A’s Community Fund, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area, United Way of the Bay Area, Donnie Moore Ministries and the “Strike 3 Foundation.”