Buckner ball Sells for over $400,000

The ball hit by former Mets LF/CF Mookie Wilson that rolled through former Boston 1B Bill Buckner's legs in the tenth inning of Game Six of the 1986 World Series allowing the Mets to force a Game Seven which they eventually won sold at auction yesterday in Dallas for $418,250 to an anonymous buyer.

Musial's wife dies

Lil Musial, the wife of Hall of Famer OF Stan Musial, has died at 91.  A statement was made by St. Louis chairman Bill DeWitt Jr., the organization with which Stan the Man spent his entire career.  The two were high school sweethearts who married in 1940. 

Stan, also 91, has been in poor health in recent years as well.

Bonds Appeals Conviction

Former Major Leaguer LF Barry Bonds, the all-time leader in home runs, has appealed his conviction of obstruction of justice.  His lawyers filed a 60-page legal brief with the Ninth U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals arguing the conviction was based on an irrelevant and rambling - but truthful - answer he gave during testimony regarding whether his former trainer Greg Anderson ever gave him performance-enhancing drugs.  Bonds was convicted by a jury of his peers last year in a trial of about three weeks when the 12 members decided that the answer constituted an obstruction of justice (Translation:  That one conviction that the federal government is touting as a victory is about to be thrown out).

Marmol Loses Closer's role

Cubs manager Dale Sveum has removed RHP Carlos Marmol from the closer's role after he walked three of the five batters he faced in a blown save on Thursday with a 3-0 lead and only converting two of his five save opportunities.  The decision was made after a meeting between manager and closer in the locker room before yesterday's home game against the Dodgers.  The Cubs will use an ill-advised closer-by-committee involving LHP James Russell, the son of former Major Leaguer RHP Jeff Russell, and RHP Rafael Dolis.

Dolis recorded the save yesterday against the Dodgers.

Dodgers sign Abreu

The Dodgers have signed OF Bobby Abreu after he was released by the crosstown Angels.  He had batted .208 in 24 at-bats in Anaheim/Los Angeles (take your pick).  In his career, Abreu has batted .293 with 284 homers, 1,330 runs batted in, and 393 stolen bases, although he struck out in his first at-bat with his new team.

In other Dodgers news, the team has added RHP Ronald Belisario from the restricted list and added him to the active roster after more than a year as a restricted player following a positive drug test for cocaine.  He was unable to return to the U. S. in all of 2011 from his native Venezuela due to the positive test and was suspended for the first 25 games of this season in accordance with MLB's drug policy.

O's Close to deal with Tejada

Baltimore is close to a deal to bring back IF Miguel Tejada.  He is expected to report to the team's Spring Training headquarters in Sarasota, Florida for a physical on Monday and could be signed then.  Tejada spent last season with San Francisco, batting .239 with four homers in 322 at-bats before being released in September.

Tejada originally signed with Baltimore in 2003 and played for the team until 2007, when he was traded to Houston.  He returned to Baltimore for a second stint in 2010, before he was again traded to San Diego that July.  Tejada is a career .285 hitter with 304 home runs in 15 seasons in the Majors.

Young Returns from Suspended list

Detroit has activated RF Delmon Young from the suspended list after he was suspended for seven days following being arrested and charged with a hate crime assault after throwing a man to the ground and shouting anti-Semitic epithets outside of a New York hotel.  Manager Jim Leyland said that he wouldn't play in his first game back against the White Sox because he wasn't loose after sitting for seven days, but that he would be available to pinch hit and that he would play today.  To make room for Young on the roster, Detroit designated DH Brad Eldred for assignment, who had batted .188 in five games.