MLB roundup: Injured Teixeira to miss WBC
A strained right forearm will keep New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira from playing in the World Baseball Classic for Team USA.
Teixeira was injured while hitting off a tee in Glendale, Ariz., before an exhibition game Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox, X-rays were negative, but he will be sidelined seven to 10 days, according to Yahoo! Sports.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi told MLB.com in Florida that Teixeira felt discomfort in his right hand and wrist and said more tests are planned.
The U.S. team plays its first game Friday against Mexico at Chase Field in Phoenix.
---Boston Red Sox pitcher Drake Britton was arrested Saturday morning and charged with reckless driving, driving under the influence and property damage, according to the Lee County (Fla.) Sheriff's office, as reported by several media outlets.
The 23-year-old was paced at the maximum 111 miles an hour in a 45 mph zone in Estero, Fla., next to Boston's spring training home of Fort Myers, according to the arrest report. As police pursued, Britton swerved between other moving vehicles and hopped over a curb.
---Newly minted Texas Rangers president of baseball operations Jon Daniels told a radio station that he hopes Hall of Famer and CEO Nolan Ryan stays with the organization.
Daniels was promoted to his new title from general manager Friday, taking that title from Ryan, the popular hurler who returned as an executive and was instrumental in taking the team out of bankruptcy. A Fort Worth Star-Telegram report said that Ryan is considering leaving by the end of spring training.
"I report up through Nolan," Daniels said.
---Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Aramis Ramirez told reporters that he expects to miss the next seven to 10 days with a sprained left knee.
Ramirez was hurt sliding into second base on Saturday. An MRI performed Sunday showed no structural damage, but the condition was serious enough to keep him out.
---The Oakland Athletics announced a 20-year agreement with the city of Mesa, Aziz., that will return the club to the East Valley city for spring training beginning in 2015.
The deal includes two five-year team options that could extend Oakland's stay to 30 years.
Oakland trained in Mesa from 1969-78, and will once again conduct workouts at Fitch Park and play spring training games at HoHoKam Park, the current home of the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs will move into the newly constructed Riverview Park stadium in 2014r. HoHoKam Park will then be closed to undergo $20 million in renovations.
---Miami Marlins prospect Kolby Copeland received a 50-game suspension for refusing to take an offseason drug test.
The 19-year-old batted .280 with no home runs and four stolen bases in 62 games with rookie ball and low-A Jamestown. Baseball's drug programs at the major- and minor-league levels stipulate that refusal to submit to or comply with testing is considered a positive test for disciplinary purposes. A MLB spokesman told ESPN that six of the 105 minor league drug suspensions in 2012 were because a player refused to take a test.
