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NEW YORK Baseball's trade market sprang to life with a pair of swaps two days after the World Series.
The Chicago White Sox acquired Mark Teahen from Kansas City on Friday for former Charlotte Knights infielders Josh Fields and Chris Getz and cash.
Also, Minnesota obtained shortstop J.J. Hardy from Milwaukee for outfielder Carlos Gomez.
Teahen batted .271 with 12 homers and 50 RBIs this year, making 99 starts at third base, 31 in right field and three at second base. Chicago plans to switch Gordon Beckham (another former Knight) to second and use Teahen at third base.
Teahen could make as much as $5 million in salary arbitration.
Hardy, a 2007 All-Star, joins catcher Joe Mauer, a teammate on the U.S. national teams in 2000 and 2003. Hardy, 27, hit a career-low .229 with 11 home runs and 47 RBIs in 115 games last season and was demoted to Class AAA in August. He replaces Orlando Cabrera, who is eligible for free agency.
Gomez, who turns 24 next month, hit .229 with three homers and 28 RBIs in 137 games with the Twins last season.
Elsewhere
ATLANTA: The Braves agreed to a minor league deal with reliever Scott Proctor, who missed last season after elbow surgery.
ARIZONA: The Diamondbacks exercised their 2010 option on right-hander Brandon Webb, the 2006 NL Cy Young Award winner. He'll get $8.5million from Arizona rather than a $2million buyout.
CHICAGO WHITE SOX: Chicago declined a $12million mutual option on right fielder Jermaine Dye. He gets a $950,000 buyout and has filed for free agency.
LOS ANGELES: Manny Ramirez is coming back to the Dodgers next season. The team said the slugger exercised his $20million contract option for 2010. He hit .290 with 19 home runs and 63 RBIs in 104 regular season games. He missed 50 games while suspended for violating baseball's drug policy.
METS: Reliever J.J. Putz's $9.1million option was declined by the Mets, who will pay a $1million buyout.
PHILADELPHIA: The Phillies exercised their 2010 option on left-hander Cliff Lee, who beat the Yankees twice in the World Series. Lee gets a $9million salary next year.
WASHINGTON: The Nationals declined a $10 million option and chose to pay a $1 million buyout to outfielder Austin Kearns, who was bothered by a thumb injury and hit just .195.
MILWAUKEE: The Brewers declined a $3.7 million option on right-hander David Weathers, who gets a $400,000 buyout.
FREE AGENCY: The Angels' Vladimir Guerrero, Chone Figgins and Kelvim Escobar were among 39 players who filed, raising the total of free agents to 118. Also filing were three members of the NL champion Phillies: Pedro Martinez, Brett Myers and Miguel Cairo. About 65 additional players are potentially eligible to file by the Nov.19 deadline.
