MLB roundup: Gonzalez claims tests prove he's clean
Washington Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez has strongly denied using banned substances and now wants everyone to know that he has the test results to back it up.
Gonzalez said Friday that urine and blood tests for performancing-enhancing drugs administered last month by Major League Baseball came back negative. He was informed of the results by the players' association.
The testing was done two days after a report surfaced in Miami that linked a south Florida clinic with ties to PEDs and major-league players. Gonzalez said he had never met Anthony Bosch, the head of the now-shuttered Biogenesis clinic, and strongly stated that he never received any PEDs.
Gonzalez, 27, posted a 21-8 record last season and wound up third in the National League Cy Young Award voting.
He is expected to pitch for Team USA for the World Baseball Classic in March.
---Former Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres standout Steve Garvey is battling prostate cancer, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Garvey told the Times his prostate was removed at UCLA Medical Center in October after his cancer was diagnosed in September.
Garvey, 64, made the announcement in a press release in which he said he is putting up for auction several personal baseball items, including his MVP trophy. He said 70 percent of the proceeds with go toward prostate cancer awareness.
---New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera pitched batting practice to live hitters as he recovers from knee surgery in May.
Rivera, who tore an anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee last May 3, said he felt excited after throwing 20 pitches to the Yankees' Kyle Roller and Rob Segedin.
Rivera, 43, expects to pitch in a spring training game after a few more batting practice sessions.
---The New York Mets have delayed the first spring appearance for left-hander Johan Santana to give him more time to prepare.
General manager Sandy Alderson said the decision to push back Santana's spring debut from March 2 to mid-March is not injury related.
Santana, 33, is slated to start the Mets' opener, but Alderson acknowledged that Santana could be placed on the disabled list to begin the season.
---Sacred Heart University confirmed that former Boston Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine will become the school's athletics director.
A formal announcement is set for Tuesday in Fairfield, Conn.
Valentine landed the job about about five months after he was fired as Red Sox manager.
---Texas CEO Nolan Ryan believes the Rangers are a strong contender for the American League West title this season despite the loss of Josh Hamilton.
"I think that we stepped back, assessed the situation and were able to accomplish some things that needed to be done as far as strengthening our ballclub," Ryan said, according to ESPN.com. "I think we're a better ballclub today than we were the day Josh signed with the Angels. That's the way I look at it."
--- Jim Thome is a 42-year-old free agent who's probably headed for the Hall of Fame, but he's not ready to retire.
No teams are expressing an interest in signing him at the moment, but FOXSports.com reports Thome would like to play this season and is heading to Arizona to get ready in case someone wants him,.