Dodgers Re-Sign Rudy Seanez

Relief pitcher Rudy Seanez re-signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, agreeing to a $550,000, one-year contract. The right-hander was 6-3 with a 3.79 ERA and one save in 73 games last season. He filed for free agency after the World Series.

The 39-year-old Seanez can earn an additional $750,000 in bonuses.

Seanez pitched for the Dodgers from 1994-95. He has also played for Cleveland, San Diego, Atlanta, Texas, Boston, Kansas City and Florida.

Outfielder Signed--The Dodgers also signed veteran outfielder George Lombard to a minor league contract. Lombard, 32, Has played for Atlanta, Detroit, Tampa Bay and Washington clubs and was with the National's AAA club in Columbus last season.

Over 144 major league games he has 77 hits in 350 times at bat (.220) with 12 doubles and eight homers. His best season came with Detroit in 2002 when he saw action in 72 games and hit .241.

He made his major league Debut with Atlanta against the New York Mets in 1998. The six-foot, 212 pound lefthanded hitter will be an insurance policy and will open the season with Las Vegas.

Recapping earlier player moves:

Atlanta traded 3B Willy Aybar to Tampa
Boston signed 2B Junior Spivey
Houston signed RHP Harold Eckert
Kansas City signed LHP Tim Hamulak
Texas signed C Adam Melhuse

Fehr Defends Latinos-- Baseball union head Donald Fehr has heard rumors about the possibility U.S. authorities could deny or restrict work visas for foreign players mentioned in reports of use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Attending the Caribbean Series, Fehr said Sunday that the union will attempt to ensure foreign players are treated the same as U.S. citizens.

"I just heard recently that an issue of that type had risen. Our position would be that players from wherever they come have to be treated the same as American players," Fehr told The Associated Press.

"We would help out in any way we could to make sure that someone is treated the same way an American player would be treated. I don't know what the result would be, but that's our view, everyone has to be treated the same way."

Many major and minor league players from Latin American countries were mentioned in the Mitchell report, including several from the Dominican Republic, and many others have been suspended under the major and minor league drug programs.

Bad Year for Freddy?
Fernando Valenzuela, playing in for the Mexicali Aguilas of the Mexican Pacific League, was not so successful at the age of 47.

His record:

 w-l     era     in     h     r     bb     so
 0-0     8.10   6.2     10    7      4      4