Russell Branyan is becoming familiar with the Cleveland Indians’ training staff. Unfortunately, he’s yet to get completely accustomed to the batter’s box in Goodyear, Ariz.

Branyan still is dealing with back issues that cost him the final stretch of last season with the Seattle Mariners. Because of a herniated disc, he has yet to appear in a Cactus League game, or even batting practice, with the Tribe.

Manager Manny Acta is not concerned yet with the Tribe’s newly acquired first baseman.

“This is what we knew when we signed him,” Acta said in an interview with mlb.com. “He’s still finishing his rehab. We have a lot of time left. We’ve got to take care of this guy.”

The signing of Branyan, who hit .251 with 31 homers and 76 RBIs last season, had a trickle-down effect on the Indians. Top prospect Matt LaPorta was moved to left field from first base, while Michael Brantley likely lost his spot in the outfield and will start the year in Triple-A.

The Indians are showing patience with Branyan, but if he doesn’t produce early on this season, Tribe fans won’t be as kind.

–The Indians could use a resurgence of Travis Hafner, circa 2006, when Pronk hit 42 homers and drove in 117 runs. Check out Bud Shaw’s column on Hafner, the team’s biggest uncertainty.

So long, Giles

Indians and Pirates fans alike have fond memories of Brian Giles giving his all at the plate and in the outfield.

Giles, 39, announced his retirement Thursday because of recurring soreness in his right knee. Giles was trying to play a 16th major league season as a non-roster invitee of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“I knew this coming in, with the little bit of testing I did,” Giles said to MLB.com. “It’s not good enough for my expectations. Physically, I’m not able to do what I’d like to do. We talked about it, and there are no regrets.”

Giles spent his first four seasons with the Indians, where he hit .284 with 39 home runs and 157 RBIs. The Indians traded Giles to the Pirates for Ricardo Rincon after the 1998 season. It’s a trade that Indians fans still complain about (and still draws a smile to the faces of Pirates fans).

Giles was a two-time All-Star player in four-plus seasons with the Pirates, where he hit .308 with 165 home runs and 506 RBIs. Giles was traded to the San Diego Padres in the Jason Bay deal in 2003.

Bucs’ Vazquez could be odd man out

Pirates reserve infielder Ramon Vazquez has a guaranteed $2 million contract this season, but he still is in a battle to make the club in spring training.

“They told me I’m not on the team right now,” Vazquez said in an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “If I don’t do well enough, I’m going to be gone. I don’t know what that means, if that’s a trade or what. I’m playing for myself right now. All I know is that I feel really good health-wise for the first time in a long time, and I’m ready for whatever happens.”

Vazquez, who was battling injuries toward the end of 2009, hit just .230 with one home run and 16 RBIs last season in 204 at bats.

Bobby Crosby and Delwyn Young are virtual locks as reserve infielders, leaving Vazquez in a battle to claim one of the few remaining bench spots (outfielders Ryan Church, Brandon Moss or John Raynor and likely backup catcher Jason Jaramillo also are in the mix).

Spring training

Not that it really matters, but the Indians opened spring training with victories in their first five games in the Cactus League. The Pirates were 3-5 through eight games in the Grapefruit League.

Check out the latest spring training standings here and follow the schedule of upcoming games here. Look for games with live scoring updates at mlb.com.

Injury updates

–With Minnesota Twins closer Joe Nathan learning of his elbow ligament tear and currently exploring his options for recovery, the Twins are looking to find a fill-in closer.

Jon Rauch (26 saves in 44 career attempts) has the most experience in a closer’s role on the team, but the Twins have other options.

–Diagnosed with abnormal thyroid levels, New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes likely will not be ready for opening day.

With spring training games officially under way, it’s a good time to take a look at the projected starting lineups for the Cleveland Indians and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Indians: Position players: 1B Russell Branyan, 2B Luis Valbuena, SS Asdrubal Cabrera, 3B Jhonny Peralta, C Lou Marson, DH Travis Hafner, RF Shin-Soo Choo, CF Grady Sizemore, LF Matt LaPorta (or Michael Brantley); Starting pitchers: Fausto Carmona (RHP), Jake Westbrook (RHP), Justin Masterson (RHP), Aaron Laffey (LHP), David Huff (LHP); Closer: Kerry Wood (RHP).

Pirates: Position players: 1B Jeff Clement (or Garrett Jones or Ryan Church), 2B Akinori Iwamura, SS Ronny Cedeno, 3B Andy LaRoche, C Ryan Doumit, RF Garrett Jones (or Ryan Church), CF Andrew McCutchen, LF Lastings Milledge; Starting pitchers: Zach Duke (LHP), Ross Ohlendorf (RHP), Paul Maholm (LHP), Charlie Morton (RHP), Kevin Hart (RHP) or Daniel McCutchen (RHP); Closer: Octavio Dotel (RHP).

Cactus opener

The Indians open Cactus League play Friday with an “away” game against the Cincinnati Reds.

The Indians and Reds share a spring training complex in Goodyear, Ariz., meaning the Indians will have to travel only 600 yards or so for their first game of spring.

Justin Masterson will start opposite the Reds’ Mike Lincoln.

–The Pirates lost to the Yankees 6-3 Wednesday in a Grapefruit League opener in Tampa, Fla. Paul Maholm and Ross Ohlendorf each pitched a scoreless inning for the Bucs.

–Get daily spring training game reports from mlb.com.

–Watch a video on Indians DH Travis Hafner and third baseman Jhonny Peralta discussing the upcoming season here.

Sizemore’s move

Indians manager Manny Acta is moving center fielder Grady Sizemore to the No. 2 spot in the batting order and putting shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera in the leadoff position.

After his struggles with injuries last season and his increasing power, Sizemore is not really an ideal fit to bat leadoff (a spot he’s had in the batting order for five seasons). It certainly should boost Sizemore’s RBI totals.

“It’s fine with me,” Sizemore said of the move. “I’ve always said it doesn’t matter where I hit. I’m not going to change anything. They told me they didn’t want me to change anything.”

Cabrera hit .301 in 133 at bats in the leadoff spot last season.

What’s in a number? Ask Omar

I’ve always been a big fan of Omar Vizquel, but the Chicago White Sox showed some bad form by indulging Vizquel recently.

Vizquel, who signed with the White Sox in the offseason, is about to start his 22nd season in the majors. Throughout his career, which included 11 seasons with Cleveland, Vizquel wore No. 13. However, with that jersey number being worn by manager Ozzie Guillen, Vizquel decided he wanted to honor fellow Venezuelan Luis Aparicio and wear his number — 11. Problem is, Aparicio’s number is retired by the Sox, so Vizquel had to get permission to use it.

Here’s how Vizquel said he posed the question to Aparicio (in an interview with USA Today):

“I’ve always done a lot of things with Aparicio during the offseason and we’ve become good friends. One day at lunch during an appearance I asked him, a bit sheepishly, about using his number (which was retired). He told me if there was a player he’d want wearing his number, it was me. That was nice. It worked out really well.”

That’s when the White Sox should have stepped in and said no to Omar’s request. You shouldn’t be able to patrol the diamond wearing a Hall of Famer’s retired number that hangs in U.S. Cellular Field. Let’s face it, Omar is 42 years old, a reserve infielder at this point in his career and probably going to play just one or two seasons, tops, for the Sox.

He’s there to provide some at bats and mentor shortstop Alexei Ramirez and second baseman Gordon Beckham; a role he performed similarly for the Texas Rangers with Elvis Andrus last season.

Vizquel will undoubtedly have his number retired by the Indians one day. I just hope no one puts him in the awkward position of asking to have the number unretired.

The Indians made the Russell Branyan signing official this week. But how the Tribe plans to use him could hurt the development of some of the team’s young players.

Matt LaPorta and Michael Brantley need to play every day to continue to mature on the major league level. However, LaPorta — projected as the Tribe’s starting first baseman at the end of 2009 — might now move back to left field and Brantley might start the year in Triple-A Columbus because Branyan will be the Indians’ regular first baseman.

“We didn’t sign (Branyan) to be a backup guy,” manager Manny Acta said during the team’s news conference. “He adds depth we didn’t have at first base. We were an injury away from not feeling as comfortable. We’re more covered now.”

Branyan, who passed his physical and signed the one-year, $2 million deal (plus other incentives) Wednesday, gives the Tribe some much-needed power. He smacked 31 homers in 431 at-bats for the Mariners last season, batting .251 in 116 games.

As far as LaPorta and Brantley:

“Both of those guys are going to play every day, somewhere,” Acta said. “It’s too early in camp (to determine what will happen). Both of those guys are a big part of our future, but we’re still in the development process.”

Find out more on the Branyan signing here.

Poor projections

The Indians are projected to go 67-95 and finish last in the AL Central, according to AccuScore, a sports forecasting group.

AccuScore projects the Pirates will make it 18 losing seasons in a row. They’re predicted to finish in last place in the NL Central at 68-94. Check out the full MLB standings predictions here.

The Pirates were among the first teams to get a full workout in this week. The Bucs certainly are looking to get a jump on the season in hopes of snapping that ominous losing streak.

All 66 players invited to camp were on hand Monday morning and the team got in its first full workout Tuesday at Pirate City in Bradenton, Fla.

Where’s Damon fit in Tigers’ lineup?

Now that they’ve signed Johnny Damon, the Detroit Tigers’ next decision is where to put him in the batting order. And make no mistake, Damon’s going to need to hit well for the Tigers to forgive him his defensive weaknesses.

Damon’s been a leadoff guy for much of his career, but he might fit the Tigers best as a No. 2 hitter. It’s a spot Damon got a feel for last season, batting in the two-hole behind Derek Jeter. Damon hit .282 with 22 home runs and 79 RBIs out of the second spot in 2009.

The Cleveland Indians reportedly are interested in bringing back Russell Branyan, who hit a career-high 31 homers in Seattle last season.

The Indians and Tampa Bay Rays are bidding for Branyan, who has been dealing with back problems which cost him a multiyear deal with the Mariners this offseason. Known for his power and penchant for strikeouts, Branyan hit .251 with 76 RBIs and 149 strikeouts in 431 at bats in 2009. It was a career year for Branyan, but he played only 116 games because of back problems.

It’s a smart move if the Indians can sign him, assuming his back holds out. Branyan offers protection at first and third base and designated hitter. The left-handed hitter also has played right and left field.

Branyan, 34, was a seventh-round draft pick of the Indians in 1994. He was traded to Cincinnati in 2002 and rejoined the team in 2004 and 2007, playing only at Class AAA Buffalo.

Indians fans have a love/hate relationship with Branyan, whose power seemed to be overshadowed by his constant whiffing (he struck out 294 times in 711 at bats with the Tribe).

It’s still not known if first baseman Matt LaPorta, coming off surgery on his left toe and left hip, will be ready to play on opening day. DH Travis Hafner has struggled with a sore right shoulder for the past two years.

The Indians, who are going young and looking to keep the payroll low, have been quiet in the offseason. They were one of about 15 teams who had early interest in former New York Yankees right-hander Chien-Ming Wang. Wang signed with the Washington Nationals on Tuesday.

Bucs’ rotation battle

The Pirates have several positions up for grabs in spring training. One of the more interesting battles will be for the fifth starter. Right-handers Daniel McCutchen (1-2, 4.21 ERA in six starts in 2009) and Kevin Hart (1-8, 6.92 ERA in 10 starts with Pirates) have the inside track for the last spot in the rotation.

Paul Maholm, Zach Duke, Ross Ohlendorf and Charlie Morton, along with McCutchen and Hart, likely will make up the Bucs’ rotation for 2010.

Click here to find out more on the battles and expectations of the Pirates as they get set to open spring training in Bradenton, Fla.

Top 5 prospects

Indians catching prospect Carlos Santana is ranked third, while Pirates third baseman of the future Pedro Alvarez is rated fifth in Scout.com’s Top 25 Position Prospects rankings.

Check out the full rankings at milb.scout.com.

It’s time for major leaguers to pack up the gloves and bats and head south.

Pitchers and catchers begin reporting to spring training next week (Feb. 17-18). All other players report by Feb. 23, with a final mandatory reporting date of March 2.

Indians pitchers and catchers report to Goodyear, Ariz., on Feb. 21.

Visit springtrainingonline.com to get the history of and ticket information for the Indians’, Pirates’ and Tigers‘ spring training facilities.

Lincecum gets offer

The Giants have made a three-year offer to ace right-hander Tim Lincecum, whose arbitration hearing is scheduled for Friday.

The Giants reportedly offered the two-time National League Cy Young Award winner a three-year deal worth $37 million. Lincecum’s representatives countered with a proposal of more than $40 million.

The Giants are asking for $8 million in arbitration, while Lincecum wants $13 million.

Either number would set a record for a first-time arbitration salary for a starting pitcher. Dontrelle Willis and Cole Hamels each received $4.35 million in their first arbitration hearing.

Looking at the many bloated salaries in baseball (check out the Yankees’ roster, alone), Lincecum is a relative bargain. The righty is 33-12 with a 2.55 ERA and 526 strikeouts in the past two seasons.

Lincecum update

The Giants and Lincecum agreed on a two-year, $23 million deal just moments before an arbitration hearing Friday.

Lincecum will earn $8 million this year and $13 million in 2011, multiple sources reported. He receives a $2 million signing bonus, to be paid split over two years.

A Wright move?

Right-handed reliever Jamey Wright and the Indians agreed to a minor league contract this week.

If Wright makes the big-league roster, he’ll earn $900,000 plus incentives.

Wright, 35, led the Kansas City Royals with 65 relief appearances last season, going 3-5 with a 4.33 ERA. Wright, a first-round pick by Colorado in 1993, is 82-115 with a 5.03 ERA in 14 seasons.

Wright’s addition is a smart move, providing a veteran voice to a young bullpen.

The Indians have invited 17 players to spring training.

Video rewind

Relive some great moments in Cleveland Indians history in a video compilation by MLB.com.

Also, get a taste of PirateFest 2010 with a video highlight from the event in downtown Pittsburgh.

The Detroit Tigers are happy ace Justin Verlander had a turnaround season in 2009.

They’re showing their appreciation by signing the right-hander to a five-year, $80 million extension, according to several reports. The deal is similar to that of Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez, who inked a five-year, $78 million agreement last month. King Felix’s deal probably helped Verlander negotiate his contract.

Verlander helped the Tigers get to within a game of the AL Central crown last season. In 2008, he shared the Major League lead in losses with 17, but in 2009 Verlander tied for the lead in wins with a 19-9 record. He also had gaudy figures in strikeouts (269), innings (240) and starts (35).

The hard-throwing Verlander, who spent a short time with the Erie SeaWolves in 2005 before being called up, is the only pitcher in baseball history to be a Rookie of the Year and an All-Star, throw a no-hitter and start a World Series game in his first two full seasons.

The Tigers might have lost stud starter Edwin Jackson and relievers Fernando Rodney and Brandon Lyon this offseason, but the signing of Verlander gives the team stability from the top of the rotation for years to come.

Bucs not for sale

According to a report in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle, co-owners of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, recently made an offer to buy the Pirates in a meeting with Bucs owner Bob Nutting.

Nutting, however, said no serious discussion about a sale had taken place. He also was adamant that the Pirates are not for sale.

After 17 straight losing seasons, a change in ownership certainly appeals to many frustrated Pirates fans.

The news of Lemieux’s offer was the talk of PirateFest, which drew 15,398 fans this past weekend. The Bucs’ front office probably was not pleased with the timing of the Post-Gazette’s story, which fueled fans to boo and cheer during a Q-and-A session with team president Frank Coonelly. Coonelly echoed Nutting’s statement that the team is not for sale.

Forbes magazine estimated the Pirates’ value last year at $288 million, with only the Florida Marlins below them. The Pirates have reportedly made a profit the past six years.

The Pirates have a crop of talented, young players for 2010, but their nearly $36 million payroll might be the lowest in the majors.

Garko’s back in AL

Former Indians first baseman Ryan Garko signed a one-year, $550,000 deal with the Seattle Mariners this week.

Garko was traded to San Francisco from Cleveland last season and struggled with the National League club, hitting .235 in 127 at bats (2 homers, 12 RBIs) in the second half of the year.

Garko said he was looking to return to the American League. Expect him to bounce back and help the M’s hit against left-handed pitching.

Mature for a rookie

Michael Brantley, likely the Tribe’s regular left fielder for 2010, is just 22 years old, but he plays beyond his years. Check out a profile on Brantley at MLB.com.

Two all-time fan favorites for the Cleveland Indians — Kenny Lofton and Jim Thome — were in the headlines this week.

Center fielder Lofton (1992-96, 98-2001, ‘07) will be inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame on Aug. 7 before the 7:05 p.m. game against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Cy Slapnicka, a former General Manager and scout for the Indians, also will be inducted that day.

Lofton, who said he was “ecstatic” to receive the honor from the Indians, said he feels good about his career knowing he did it without cheating by using performance-enhancing drugs.

“I was a guy who never did it,” Lofton said. “Never tried to do it. Never wanted to do it.”

Lofton is the franchise leader in stolen bases (452), ranks third in club history in runs scored (975) and 10th in career base hits (1,512).  In his 10 seasons with the Tribe, Lofton hit .300 with 975 runs, 244 doubles, 66 triples, 87 home runs and 518 RBIs.  He led the American League five straight seasons in stolen bases from 1992-96, stealing a single-season franchise record 75 bases in ‘96. He was an All-Star selection five times while in Cleveland (six overall) and won four straight Rawlings Gold Glove Awards for his play in center field. His ability to scale walls and rob batters of home runs was jaw-dropping.

Meanwhile, first baseman/DH Thome (1991-2002) agreed to terms with the Minnesota Twins on a one-year, $1.5 million contract. Thome, who played at third and first in his time with the Tribe, spent the majority of the past four seasons as the White Sox DH but will serve as a reserve for the Twins.

Thome, 39, has hit 564 career home runs, five behind Rafael Palmeiro for 11th place on the all-time list. Thome is the Indians’ all-time leader in home runs (334) and is second to Earl Averill in RBIs (927). Averill had 1,084 RBIs from 1929-39 with the Indians.

Both Lofton and Thome are worthy of consideration someday for a spot in Cooperstown.

The full list of Indians Hall members are listed on the team’s site here.

Get more on Lofton’s reaction to his Indians Hall induction here.

Caravan stops in Erie

The Indians Winter Caravan made a stop in Erie on Tuesday night with outfielder Trevor Crowe, reliever Tony Sipp, coach Sandy Alomar Jr. and announcer Rick Manning in tow.

The message that Alomar was sending was that of promise for success soon. Despite back-to-back sub-.500 seasons, the Tribe’s new catching instructor and first-base coach believes the Indians won’t be in rebuilding mode this year.

Check out John Dudley’s discussion with Alomar here.

PirateFest in Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Pirates have shunned northwestern Pa. by not sending a caravan to the Erie or Meadville areas this year. So, area fans, instead, can meet and greet current and former Bucs players and coaches this weekend by taking the drive to downtown Pittsburgh for PirateFest. The annual fan event takes place Friday through Sunday at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.

Scheduled to be at PirateFest are Andrew McCutchen, Paul Maholm, Andy LaRoche, Garrett Jones, Ryan Doumit, Lastings Milledge and more current players, along with former players John Candelaria, Kent Tekulve, Elroy Face and Bill Mazeroski.

Admission is $12 ($4 for kids 14 and under). Visit pirates.com for more information.

Sheets a high-reward signing

The Oakland A’s made a smart move by getting right-handed ace Ben Sheets to sign a one-year, $10 million (plus incentives) deal. It’s true that Sheets comes with injury risk — he hasn’t pitched since 2008 while recovering from elbow surgery — but he is worth it.

Sheets, 31, spent his first eight seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, where he went 86-83 with a 3.72 ERA. In ‘08, he started the All-Star Game and went 13-9 that year with a 3.09 ERA.

It’s a nice addition for the A’s, who have a young starting rotation which includes Justin Duchscherer and Dallas Braden.

Watch Sheets discuss his deal on a video highlight at mlb.com.

Left-handed starter Zach Duke and the Pittsburgh Pirates agreed to a one-year deal Tuesday to avoid an arbitration hearing.

The value of the deal was not disclosed, but Duke, a National League All-Star in 2009, likely will earn a raise from the $2.2 million he earned last year.

Duke posted an 11-16 record with a 4.06 ERA last season. Although Duke led the league in losses, the 11 wins were a significant improvement over his 2007 and ‘08 seasons when he won just eight games in 50 starts. Poor run support was a big factor in Duke racking up losses.

The Pirates also upgraded their bullpen by signing free-agent reliever Octavio Dotel to a one-year deal with a club option Thursday. Financial terms were not disclosed. Dotel, a right-hander who likely could become the Bucs’ new closer, reportedly passed his physical.

Dotel, 36, spent last season with the Chicago White Sox and had a record of 3-3 with a 3.32 earned run average in 62 relief appearances. Dotel struck out 75 batters in 62 1/3 innings.

In 11 major league seasons, Dotel has a record of 46-39 with a 3.73 ERA and 83 saves in 562 appearances.

–The Cleveland Indians Winter Caravan will be in Erie at the Barber National Institute on Tuesday (Jan. 26). Outfielder Trevor Crowe, relief pitcher Tony Sipp, coach Sandy Alomar Jr. and broadcaster Matt Underwood will take part in a brief program followed by a question-and-answer session from fans. A ballpark dinner will be served at 5 p.m., with the program getting underway at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets are $8 in advance and at the door. For information, call the Barber National Institute at 453-7661 or visit www.barberinstitute.org.

–The Indians will have six spring training games televised on Sports Time Ohio. The Tribe opens spring training March 5 at the Cincinnati Reds.

The STO games include: March 10 (vs. Padres, 3:05 p.m.), March 12 (vs. Angels, 3:05 p.m.), March 14 (vs. Padres, 4:05 p.m.), March 16 (vs. Giants, 4:05 p.m.), March 18 (vs. Reds, 4:05 p.m.) and March 19 (at Giants, 4:05 p.m.).

Get the full schedule here.

–Get more on the latest signings at mlb.com.

–Tony Battaglia

Former first baseman Mark McGwire admitted on Monday that he used steroids and HGH (human growth hormone) during his major league career. It’s about time.

It was no revelation that Big Mac, long suspected of using performance enhancers, came clean. It was just a matter of time. By taking the job as St. Louis Cardinals hitting coach this offseason, McGwire had to clear the books or risk having the spotlight on him every day instead of the team.

McGwire hit a single-season record 70 home runs in 1998 with the Cardinals, breaking the record of 61 set in 1961 by the New York Yankees’ Roger Maris. McGwire hit 65 homers in 1999.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa hit 66 homers in 1998 to also surpass Maris. Sosa cracked 63 homers in 1999 and 64 in 2001.

McGwire’s mark didn’t last long. San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds hit 73 homers in 2001.

It’s time for Sosa and Bonds to fess up and admit they too were juicers during baseball’s Steroid Era.

Maris’ record still should be recognized as the home run mark of its time, just as Babe Ruth’s 60 homers in 1927 is looked at with significance (Ruth’s mark is considered the official record for 154-game seasons).

Let’s keep the steroid homers in a distinct group and let drug-free hitters try to break Maris’ mark.

Read more on McGwire’s confession here.

Check out a video panel reaction to McGwire’s admission from MLB Network.

Alomar to visit Erie with Caravan

–The Indians new catching instructor, Sandy Alomar Jr., will be one of the participants for the Indians Caravan stop in Erie on Jan. 26.

Also scheduled to appear are reliever Tony Sipp, outfielder Trevor Crowe and broadcaster Matt Underwood.

There is a scheduled press conference at 4 p.m. before the 6 p.m. event at the Barber National Institute on East Ave.

Tickets are $8 and available at The Barber Center.

Pirates add outfielder Church

–Outfielder Ryan Church agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday.

Church likely will be used as a fourth outfielder, and he gives the team depth in case top prospect Jose Tabata needs more seasoning at Triple-A Indianapolis. Church, a 31-year-old left-handed hitter, comes with risk as he had multiple concussions last season with the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets. He finished 2009 with a .273 average, four homers and 40 RBIs.

Read more on Church and check out the progress of first baseman Jeff Clement at post-gazette.com.

Other signings

–The Arizona Diamondbacks agreed to terms Thursday on a one-year deal with former Pirates first baseman Adam LaRoche.

LaRoche batted .277 with 25 homers and 83 RBIs in 150 games for the Pirates, Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves last season.

–The Tigers signed reliever Joel Zumaya to a one-year contract worth $915,000.

Zumaya, 25, had a injury-shortened 2009 season, going 3-3 with a 4.94 ERA in 29 games before undergoing season-ending surgery in August to fix a stress fracture in his right shoulder.

–The San Francisco Giants got a new cleanup man in first baseman Aubrey Huff, who signed a one-year, $3 million contract Wednesday. Huff, a left-handed hitter, hit .241 with 15 homers and 85 RBIs last season with the Orioles and Tigers.

It’s reported Huff likely will bat fourth in front of another new Giants player, Mark DeRosa.

–Tony Battaglia

The Cleveland Indians made quiet moves Tuesday by signing infielder/outfielder Shelley Duncan and outfielder Austin Kearns to minor league deals.

Get more on the signings at mlb.com.

Duncan, 30, was the International League MVP in 2009 while with the New York Yankees’ Triple-A team, Scranton. He hit .277 with 30 doubles, a league-record 30 homers and 99 RBIs.

Duncan, who hit .219 with eight home runs and 24 RBIs in 68 career games in the majors, could join Andy Marte and Jordan Brown as a fill-in for Matt LaPorta at first base. Duncan or Kearns also could be in the mix as a starting corner outfielder, depending on how management evaluates the development of rookie Michael Brantley.

Kearns played for new Indians skipper Manny Acta the past three years in Washington.

Kearns hit .195 with three home runs and 17 RBIs in 80 games for the Nationals last year.

Bucs can Erie stop