Press Box: Swisher signs with Indians
Outfielder Nick Swisher agreed to a four-year, $56 million contract with the Cleveland Indians, the New York Daily News reported Sunday.
The contract also includes a vested fifth year that brings the deal to $70 million.
Swisher, 32, will likely start in right field with Shin-Soo Choo being traded to the Cincinnati Reds earlier this month.
Swisher batted .272 with 24 home runs and 93 RBI in 148 games with the New York Yankees, where he spent the previous four seasons.
The Indians wooed Swisher during a tour of Progressive Field last week, according to ESPN.com. He met with Indians manager Terry Francona, team executives and former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel. Swisher attended Ohio State.
The team also played a video on their scoreboard with Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer and men's basketball coach Thad Matta encouraging Swisher to sign with the Indians.
---Free agent outfielder Raul Ibanez agreed to a one-year, $2.75 million contract with the Seattle Mariners on Saturday night, according to the New York Post.
The deal also reportedly includes up to $1.25 million in incentives.
Ibanez, 40, batted .240 with 19 home runs and 62 RBI in 130 games this year for the New York Yankees. He also hit three homers in eight playoff games.
MISCELLANEOUS
--- The Sunday Times of London reported in an article that it is suing Lance Armstrong for about $1.6 million regarding his 2004 libel action against the newspaper.
Armstrong sued the newspaper after it questioned whether he had been cheating while competing as a cyclist. The case was settled, with the newspaper paying 300,000 pounds (about $483,000) in Armstrong's legal fees.
Since then, a United States Anti-Doping Agency investigation found Armstrong had participated in a massive doping program, and he was stripped of his Tour de France titles. The Sunday Times is suing to get its settlement payment returned, plus interest, in addition to its costs for defending the case.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
--Florida Atlantic receiver Duron Carter has left the program, according to OwlReport.com.
Carter, the son of former NFL standout Cris Carter, is expected to enter the NFL Draft, according to the website.
