Baseball Notes: Cubs, Johnson reach deal

CHICAGO - A person familiar with the situation said the Chicago Cubs and outfielder Reed Johnson were closing in on a one-year deal.

The person, who spoke Wednesday on the condition of anonymity because the deal was not finalized, confirmed reports by several media outlets that Johnson will be signed, pending a physical.

Johnson batted .309 in 111 games for the Cubs last season. He was with them in 2008 and 2009 after playing his first five seasons in Toronto and spent 2010 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Kansas City Royals signed reliever Jose Mijares to a one-year contract, giving manager Ned Yost another lefthanded option late in games.

Terms were not disclosed.

Mijares went 3-6 with a 3.16 ERA in 186 appearances since making his debut for the Twins in 2008. He was just 0-2 with a 4.59 ERA in 58 games last season.

The Milwaukee Brewers signed infielder Cesar Izturis and lefthander Juan Perez to minor-league contracts with invitations to spring training.

Izturis has played 11 seasons, including the last three in Baltimore. He played only 18 games for the Orioles last season, spending much of the year on the disabled list with nerve irritation in his right elbow.

Perez has 32 career appearances and was 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA for the Phillies last season.

The Texas Rangers acquired catcher Luis Martinez from the San Diego Padres for minor-league pitcher Ryan Kelly.

Martinez batted .203 (12 for 59) in 22 games for San Diego with one home run and 10 RBIs. He homered for his first big-league hit on July 27 against Arizona. A 12th-round draft pick in 2007, Martinez hit .323 at triple-A Tucson in 58 games. He had one home run and 28 RBIs.

Kelly was 3-6 with a 3.95 ERA and nine saves in 40 appearances for single-A Myrtle Beach last season. The 26-year-old righthander was drafted by the Pirates in the 26th round in 2006.

The Indians have agreed to a minor-league contract with versatile free-agent infielder Andy LaRoche and invited him to spring training.

He'll have a chance to win the club's utility-infielder job.

Primarily a righthanded-hitting third baseman, LaRoche was with Oakland last season. He was on the Athletics' opening-day roster and spent the first two months with the club. He batted .247 in 40 games and played four infield positions.

Author W.P. Kinsella has won the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame's Jack Graney Award for his 1982 novel, Shoeless Joe.

It was one of a dozen baseball-themed books written by the Edmonton native. Shoeless Joe was later adapted into the 1989 film Field of Dreams, starring Kevin Costner.

The Jack Graney Award is given for significant contribution to baseball in Canada through a life's work or a singular outstanding achievement.

The Hall made the announcement Wednesday, and the 76-year-old author will be honored next year.

Kinsella said in a statement he was proud to know that people are still reading his books.