Right-hander Scott Erickson agreed to a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers yesterday and will attend spring training as a non-roster invitee.
Erickson, 36, was 1-4 in six starts with the New York Mets and Texas Rangers last season, working 27 innings. He didn't pitch in 2001 after elbow ligament replacement surgery or in 2003 after undergoing a shoulder operation.
He is 141-132 in 13 major league seasons with Minnesota, Baltimore, Texas and the Mets. He went 20-8 with a 3.18 ERA in 1991 for the World Series champion Twins and finished second in the AL Cy Young Award voting.
Erickson would get a one-year, $525,000 contract if he is added to the major league roster.
Tigers, Ordoñez Meet
Free agent outfielder Magglio Ordoñez met Monday with Detroit Tigers owner Mike Ilitch and his top staff.
Team president Dave Dombrowski and Manager Alan Trammell also attended the meeting, as did agent Scott Boras and associate Mike Fiore.
Ordoñez, a four-time all-star who turns 31 on Friday, hit .292 with nine homers and 37 RBI in 202 at-bats last season. A career .307 hitter with 187 homers, he missed 36 games after injuring his left knee May 19, then went on the disabled list for good on July 22 with bone marrow edema.
"We've actually had a number of calls prior to this meeting," Boras said. "Their doctors have talked with Magglio's doctors. They're certainly comfortable he'll be ready to go by spring training."
Dombrowski yesterday declined to provide any details about the meeting.
"Other than to say we met and had a nice visit, I don't have anything else to say," Dombrowski said.
Twins, Nitkowski Agree
Left-hander C.J. Nitkowski and the Twins agreed to a minor league contract.
Nitkowski went 2-1 with a 5.73 ERA over 33 innings for the Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees last season. He would get a one-year, $500,000 contract if he is added to the major league roster.
Drafted by the Cincinnati Reds with the ninth overall selection in 1994, Nitkowski has an 18-32 career record and 5.35 ERA with seven teams.
