Hanley Ramirez, this year's top rookie in the National League, will miss the rest of the Dominican winter league season because of a left shoulder strain. The Marlins shortstop is expected to be ready for the start of spring training.

The Florida Marlins today announced the signing of infielder Aaron Boone to a one-year contract. The announcement was made by Marlins Executive Vice President and General Manager Larry Beinfest.

Boone, 33, spent the past two seasons with Cleveland, batting .251 with seven home runs and 46 RBI in 104 games last year. He has played 969 ML games with Cincinnati (1997-2003), New York-AL (2003) and Cleveland(2005-06) and was named to the NL All-Star team in 2003. He missed the 2004 season recovering from a pair of left knee surgeries. Primarily a third baseman, Boone has also appeared at second base and shortstop in the Majors, and owns a career .264 average with 115 home runs and 499 RBI.

The Milwaukee Brewers today officially signed RHP Jeff Suppan to a four-year contract with a club option for 2011. The announcement was made by Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Melvin. Suppan passed a physical earlier today in Milwaukee and will be introduced during a press conference to take place at Miller Park at a time to be determined on January 11.

Texas Rangers General Manager Jon Daniels announced yesterday the club has signed C Guillermo Quiroz to a major league contract. The club also announced the signing of right-handed pitchers Mike Wood and Willie Eyre to minor league contracts with invites to major league spring training.

Now for some news that really matters...

Bobby Murcer, New York Yankees broadcaster and former star outfielder, is awake and resting comfortably following surgery for a brain tumor at The University of Texas.

Murcer had been having headaches and feeling a loss of energy, and the tumor was discovered following an MRI on Christmas Eve.

Murcer played 17 seasons in the Major Leagues from 1965-83 and was a five-time All-Star and a Gold Glove-winning outfielder. In his career with the Yankees, Giants and Cubs, he batted .277 with 252 homers and 1,043 RBIs.

After his retirement, Murcer won three Emmy Awards for live sports coverage as the voice of the Yankees.

Notes on the Kenny Williams press conference are under the comments for the big trade.

(Pictured is rare footage of Griffey Jr. actually on the field)

The Goodyear City Council and Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority today approved the framework of an agreement to fund a new spring training facility that will return the Cleveland Indians to Arizona and pave the way for the expansion of the Cactus League.

Righthanded pitcher Brad Radke announced his plans to retire from baseball after 12 seasons in a Twins uniform. Radke was originally drafted by the Twins in the eighth round of the June, 1991 free agent draft.

Radke, 34, had a career record of 148-139, 4.22 (2451.0 ip, 1150 er) with 445 walks and 1467 strikeouts in 378 appearances (377 starts). The only relief appearance of his career was his
Major League debut, April 29, 1995 vs. Baltimore.

Radke was the Twins Opening Day pitcher nine times during his 12 year career, including
seven in a row from 1999-2005. With 12 wins in 2006, Radke joined Jim Kaat as the only pitchers in Twins history to have 10-or-more wins in 10 different seasons.

On the Twins’ All-Time list, Radke ranks second in games started (377), third in wins (149),
innings pitched (2451.0) and strikeouts (1467), fourth in games (378) and tied for seventh in complete games (37) and shutouts (10). Among all active pitchers through the 2006 season, Radke ranks first in fewest walks per-9-innings (1.63), 12th in games started, 13th in complete games and innings pitched and 14th in wins.

Comments from Radke at his press conference:

I want to thank my agent Ron, he’s been the man…he’s given Terry a lot of headaches that’s for sure…and the Pohlad’s, Carl, I just want to thank him…he’s the man, Dave St. Peter, everybody…the whole organization, I don’t want to forget anybody…Gardy, I wish I had a ball, you could take the ball from me one last time…Like I said this is very special, I’m not going to be the guy to come out of retirement, that’s something I’ll never do, when I make a decision I make a decision.

I can just sit up here for hours and just stare at everybody…but Gardy, thank you…it’s been a hell of a run. Four playoff years. I thought we had four great chances to make it to the World Series, baseball’s a funny game, you can’t predict what happens. Especially this year, losing three tough games…life goes on and it’s good times…I’m ready to open up another chapter in my life, baseball will always be a part of my life.