DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Catcher Gregg Zaun was traded to the Kansas City Royals from the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday for a player to be named or cash.
Zaun, 28, spent last season with the Texas Rangers as the backup to Ivan Rodriguez. He was obtained by the Tigers in the nine-player trade that sent Juan Gonzalez to Detroit.
The 5-10, 190-pound catcher hit .247 with one home run and 12 RBIs in 43 games for the Rangers. His best season was in 1997 with the Florida Marlins, when he hit .301 with 20 RBIs in 58 games.
To make room for Zaun, the Royals designated pitcher David Lundquist for assignment.
Zaun gives the Royals eight catchers on their roster, including Sal Fasano, Brian Johnson and Jorge Fabregas.

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Roger Pavlik, who has not pitched in the majors since April 1998, announced his retirement Thursday at the Colorado Rockies’ spring training camp.
Pavlik, 32, was a non-roster invitee to the Rockies’ camp. He was an All-Star with Texas in 1996.
Pavlik worked out for four days, beginning last Saturday, and was in the clubhouse briefly on Wednesday morning, the first day of full-squad workouts.
He was missing from Wednesday’s workout, leading some to speculate he might have left camp, although he had not cleaned out his locker.
No explanation was given for Pavlik’s retirement, although he faced continued rehabilitation from rotator cuff surgery, which caused him to miss the 1999 season.
He was sidelined by a broken finger in 1998 and had elbow surgery in 1997.
“That’s kind of unfortunate,” Rockies manager Buddy Bell said, “but at the same time it’s a decision that he feels very comfortable with.”
The Rockies wanted Pavlik to stay in extended spring training in April.
In 13 seasons in the Texas organization, Pavlik had a winning percentage of .547 (47-39). He went 12-6 with a 3.41 ERA with the Rangers in 1993.
Pavlik was 15-8 with a 5.19 ERA in 1996, when he tied for second in the AL with seven complete games and pitched two innings in the All-Star Game.

This was a curveball the Seattle Mariners weren’t expecting.
His deal with Baltimore coming apart over his physical, Aaron Sele quickly agreed Monday night on a $15 million, two-year contract with the Seattle Mariners.
“This thing is like a star falling out of the sky,” new Mariners general manager Pat Gillick said. “We’re satisfied Sele is as healthy as he was when he finished the season with the Rangers. He underwent a physical on behalf of us with another physician, and our physician talked with that doctor and is satisfied.”
Sele, a 29-year-old right-hander with one of baseball’s best curves, reached a tentative agreement last Friday on a $29 million, four-year contract with the Orioles, a deal that contained $8 million in payments deferred without interest.
But that agreement was subject to his passing a physical, and the contract was never completed. The Orioles considered changes after the medical tests and were still talking to Sele’s agents on Monday.
In the meantime, the pitcher who lives in Kirkland, Wash., turned his attention to the Mariners, one of baseball’s busiest teams this winter.
Seattle spent much of the offseason considering trades for Ken Griffey Jr., but now seems likely to keep him. He is eligible for free agency after the season, and the Mariners considered deals so they wouldn’t wind up losing him for nothing next fall.
Instead, having already signed free agents John Olerud, Arthur Rhodes, Mark McLemore, Stan Javier and Japanese reliever Kazuhiro Sasaki, Gillick and the Mariners might be sending Griffey a message that they are trying to win now.
“We do mean business and we do want to be competitive,” Gillick said. “As we all know, the Yankees and Cleveland are the cream of the crop in the American League. But you never know what happens. If you win your division and get in the playoffs, you never know what happens.”
Gillick — a former GM for Baltimore owner Peter Angelos — began talks after Adam Katz, one of Sele’s agents, called him Monday. Just 6 1/2 hours later — after discussions over deals of two years, two years and an option, two years and two options, and three years — he completed negotiations to get Sele, who went to Washington State.
The contract calls for a $1 million signing bonus and annual salaries of $7 million, with none of the money deferred.
According to another of Sele’s agents, Tom Reich, there was a difference on interpretation with the Orioles on medical tests. Sele has never undergone arm surgery but was limited to six starts in 1995 because of shoulder tendinitis.
“The dealing with Baltimore were very cordial from beginning to end and just didn’t work out,” Reich said. “To me, Peter Angelos is a good guy.”
Angelos did not return a telephone call seeking comment. After the 1998 season, the Orioles reached a $2.7 million, two-year agreement with reliever Xavier Hernandez, but the deal came undone when the Orioles said he had a shoulder injury. He then signed a $250,000 agreement with the Astros and won $2 million in a grievance.
Gillick said Sele had a new physical Monday in California — with Angels physician Dr. Lewis Yocum, according to one source — while negotiations were taking place by telephone.
“There is going to be normal wear and tear,” Gillick said. “You really have to rely on your medical people. They know which bumps along the road you have to watch for and which you can work through.”
The Mariners, third in the AL West last season at 79-83, head into spring training with perhaps the top starting rotation in their division, a group that includes Jamie Moyer, John Halama and Freddy Garcia.
“It’s great talk in the winter,” Gillick said. “You have to do it on the field.”
Seattle tried to sign Chuck Finley, wanting a left-hander who could beat the best AL teams, but the Indians got him for $27 million over three years.
Last year, the Mariners were just 1-9 against New York, 3-7 against Cleveland and 5-8 against Texas.
Sele was 18-9 with a 4.79 ERA with the Texas Rangers last year after going 19-11 with a 4.23 ERA in 1998. In his two years with Texas, Sele missed only one start, and that was because of flu symptoms.
He spent the first five years of his major league career with the Boston Red Sox and has a 75-53 career record.
“I think this is a business where timing is very important. You only have a very small window,” Gillick said. “You have to react very quickly. Those who hesitate, as they say, are lost.”

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA (TICKER) — The Anaheim Angels today claimed righthanded reliever Al Levine off waivers from the Texas Rangers.
Levine was 2-1 with one save and a 5.23 ERA in seven games this spring. Over 10 1/3 innings, he allowed 12 hits while walking four and striking out one.
The 30-year-old Levine is 2-4 with a 5.30 ERA in 71 games with Texas and the Chicago White Sox. He was 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in a career-high 30 games last year, his only season with the Rangers.
Levine likely will start the season as the 25th player on Anaheim’s roster. Mike James is out for the season and fellow righthanded reliever Pep Harris is on the disabled list.

LAKELAND, Fla. – The New York Yankees signed journeyman Tony Fossas to a minor-league contract Thursday as they continue their search for a second left-handed reliever. Fossas, 41, will make $410,000 with a chance for $150,000 in bonuses if he makes the major league roster. He has an agreement with the Yankees that he will be released instead of pitching in the minors if he does not make the team.
From Joe: The Rangers had conditionally released Tony a couple of days ago, saying “if the season were to start today, you wouldn’t be on the roster”. Signed with the Yankees. I don’t see them in need of Fossas on the major league level at all.

The team signed utility infielder Domingo Cedeno to a Class AAA contract after letting go of Rafael Bournigal.
Like Bournigal, Cedeno will have the advantage of being able to communicate in Spanish with talented second-year shortstop Miguel Tejada. Cedeno hit .262 in 61 games last year with Texas, starting 25 games at shortstop, but he also led Texas in pinch hits with six, showing he can be of use to Art Howe off the bench.
The team was looking for another righthanded bat, and Cedeno, a switch hitter, gives the club more flexibility in a lineup loaded with lefthanded hitters. Cedeno and rookie lefthander Mark Mulder will go to spring training as two of the non-roster invitees with the best chances of making the team.

NEW YORK — Nolan Ryan, George Brett and Robin Yount were voted into the Hall of Fame Tuesday, the biggest class of first-time candidates since Babe Ruth and four others were chosen in the original election of 1936.
Ryan, the greatest power pitcher ever with a record 5,714 strikeouts and seven no-hitters, was named on 98.79 percent of the ballots — one vote short of beating former teammate Tom Seaver’s 98.84 in 1992 for the highest total in history.
“It’s certainly an honor that I was thought of on that level,” Ryan said. “Tom was obviously one of the best pitchers I ever saw throw the baseball.”
Brett, 13th on the career hits list with 3,154, made it with 98.19 percent, the fourth-highest total. Yount, with 3,142 hits and two AL MVP awards, was elected with 77.46 percent.
“I was flabbergasted. It just knocked me on the floor,” Brett said of his vote total. “Obviously, I was very, very pleased. But in all honesty, I was just as pleased for Robin.”
“Of all the guys I played against,” he said on a conference call, his voice cracking, “probably Robin is the guy I enjoyed playing against the most.”
To gain election, players had to be placed on 75 percent of the ballots cast by 10-year members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. There were a record 497 ballots cast — Ryan was named on a record 491, Brett 488 and Yount 385.
“I’m not one that ever takes this kind of stuff too seriously, but my stomach’s kind of been in knots for three or four days, so maybe somebody’s telling me this is pretty good stuff,” Yount said.
Carlton Fisk, another first-time candidate, fell 43 votes shy of the required 373 with 66.40 percent. Tony Perez missed in his eighth try with 302 (60.76 percent).
Ruth, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Honus Wagner and Christy Mathewson were taken in the first election ever. Since then, never more than two first-timers had been taken, the last time in 1990 when Jim Palmer and Joe Morgan made it.
In all, 29 rookie candidates have been taken since that first election. Mike Schmidt had been the last to do it in 1995.
Joe DiMaggio, Roy Campanella and Harmon Killebrew were among the players who did not get elected on the first try.
The last time the BBWAA voted in three players overall was 1991 — Rod Carew, Ferguson Jenkins and Gaylord Perry.
Induction ceremonies at Cooperstown are scheduled for July 25. The Hall of Fame exhibition will be the next day, and it seems fitting that Ryan’s Texas Rangers will take on Brett’s Kansas City Royals.
The Hall’s membership of 240 probably will increase again on March 2 when the Veterans Committee votes in Tampa, Fla. Former manager Dick Williams, Bill Mazeroski, Orlando Cepeda and Dom DiMaggio figure to draw support.
Ryan held or shared 53 major league records when he retired in 1993 after a 27-year career.
Ryan went 324-292 for the New York Mets, California, Houston and Texas, tying him with Don Sutton for 12th in victories. He said his Hall plaque would likely depict him in a Rangers hat.
Though he never won a Cy Young Award, and despite his .526 winning percentage ranking the lowest among all 300-game winners, Ryan’s sheer domination landed him a place in the Hall.
Brett was a 13-time All-Star. The third baseman hit .305 in a 21-year career spent entirely with the Royals.
Yount played his whole 20-year career with Milwaukee and won MVP awards at shortstop and center field. He was a three-time All-Star and batted .285.
Not since that 1936 election has a player with 3,000 hits failed to be elected in his first year of eligibility.
Fisk (376 HRs) holds baseball’s record for most home runs by a catcher. In 24 seasons, his most memorable homer was the one that won Game 6 of the 1975 World Series at Fenway Park.
Perez, who got 68 percent last year, had 1,652 RBIs, most among eligible players not already in the Hall.
Dale Murphy, another first-timer, received 96 votes. The seven-time All-Star hit 398 home runs and won five straight Gold Gloves in center field.
Other players falling short included Gary Carter (168 votes), Steve Garvey (150), Jim Rice (146), Bruce Sutter (121) and Jim Kaat (100).
Mickey Lolich, 217-191 and MVP of the 1968 World Series, and Minnie Minoso, a .298 career hitter, missed in their 15th and final time on the ballot. Minoso got 73 votes and Lolich got 26.
Pete Rose, still off on the Hall ballot because of his ban from baseball, got 16 write-in votes.