Royals signed RHP Bryan Bullington to a minor league contract.
Bullington, 29, was a top draft pick in 2002. He posted a respectable 3.52 ERA and 43/7 K/BB ratio in 38 1/3 innings of relief this past season with the Blue Jays' Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas, but is 0-5 with a 5.08 career ERA and 1.56 career WHIP in 13 major league appearances.
Brewers signed LHP Chris Capuano to a minor league contract.
Capuano also gets an invitation to spring training. He has not pitched in the majors since 2007 while recovering from a second Tommy John surgery. Capuano underwent the latter of the procedures in May 2008 and returned to the mound late last season, making three appearances for the Brewers' rookie league team and allowing three earned runs in nine innings with eight strikeouts in those outings.
White Sox signed SS Omar Vizquel to a one-year, $1.375 million contract.
The deal makes sense for both parties. The White Sox ink a veteran who offers the club a stellar defensive option off the bench at shortstop, second base or third base. The 42-year-old Vizquel hit only .266/.316/.345 in 177 at-bats last season, but his defense and mentorship of youngsters Alexei Ramirez and Gordon Beckham should make the contract worthwhile for the South Siders.
Athletics signed INF Dallas McPherson to a minor league contract.
The deal comes with an invitation to spring training. McPherson, who at one time was a highly touted prospect, has battled injuries throughout his career and is now 29 years old. He has 150 home runs and a .586 career slugging percentage in 608 minor league games but also carries a lousy .245/.298/.458 career batting line on the major league level.
Royals re-signed RHP Juan Abreu to a minor league contract.
Abreu, 24, recently became a minor league free agent. Armed with an impressive heater, Abreu posted a 1.69 ERA and 28/14 K/BB ratio in 20 relief appearances with Class A Wilmington, but struggled to a 5.75 ERA in 16 games upon a promotion to Double-A Northwest Arkansas.
Astros purchased the contracts of RHPs Matt Nevarez, Evan Englebrook and Henry Villar.
The three are protected from the upcoming Rule 5 draft. Nevarez, a 22-year-old reliever, was acquired in the Ivan Rodriguez trade in August. He posted a 2.28 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 50/15 K/BB ratio in 35 innings between Class A Hickory (Texas) and Class A Lexington (Astros) in 2009.
Astros signed RHP Jose Valdez to a minor league contract.
He was also added to Houston's 40-man roster. Valdez, 26, was 3-2 with a 3.43 ERA in 43 relief appearances between Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre in the Yankees organization in 2009. Though he has pitched in the minor leagues for parts of seven seasons, 2009 was his first at the Triple-A level.
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