MLB's Palmeiro, Rogers file for free agency

Fri, 28 Oct 2005
Major-leaguers Rafael Palmeiro and Kenny Rogers, both of whom served suspensions during the 2005 season, have hit the free market.
They were among 54 players who filed for free agency on Friday, a list that includes Boston Red Sox outfielder Johnny Damon, Cleveland Indians starter Kevin Millwood, New York Mets all-star catcher Mike Piazza, New York Yankees reliever Tom Gordon and San Diego Padres closer Trevor Hoffman.
Palmeiro, who played primarily at first base for Baltimore the last two seasons, was suspended 10 days for a positive steroids test.
The Aug. 1 announcement came shortly after he reached the 3,000-hit plateau.
Palmeiro, 41, was suspended after reportedly testing positive for the powerful anabolic steroid stanozolol – the same substance that disgraced Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson tested positive for at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Seen as a major distraction for the Orioles following his suspension, Palmeiro was sent home to reportedly rehabilitate an injury and didn't play in a game after Aug. 30. He finished the season with a .266 average, 18 home runs and 60 runs batted in.
Palmeiro, a native of Havana, Cuba, is only the fourth player in baseball history to record 500 homers and 3,000 hits.
Meanwhile, the 40-year-old Rogers was handed a 20-game suspension for shoving two cameramen prior to a 7-6 victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Ameriquest Field on June 29.
An arbitrator later reduced the penalty to 13 games.
Rogers, who pitched in this year's all-star game, finished the season with a 14-8 record and 3.46 earned-run average.
Damon, who likely will draw plenty of interest, batted .316 with 10 homers and 75 RBIs in 2005, his fourth season with the Red Sox.
Millwood is perhaps the most coveted free-agent starter. Despite a 9-11 record, he led the American League with a 2.86 ERA.
A total of 116 players filed for free agency in the first two days following the Chicago White Sox's four-game sweep of Houston in the World Series.
The notables include outfielders Jacque Jones of the Minnesota Twins, Bernie Williams of the New York Yankees and Reggie Sanders of the St. Louis Cardinals; starting pitchers Jarrod Washburn of the LA Angels, Kevin Brown of the Yankees and Matt Morris of the Cardinals; and relief pitchers Todd Jones of the Florida Marlins, and Jose Mesa of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/