Andruw Jones signs deal with the Chicago White Sox

Andruw Jones, White Sox agree to one-year deal

CHICAGO - Andruw Jones agreed yesterday to a $500,000, one-year contract with the Chicago White Sox.

Jones, 32, hit .214 with 17 homers and 43 RBI in 82 games with Texas this year while making 53 starts as the designated hitter, 12 in left field, five in right field and four at first base.

A five-time all-star who has slumped in recent years, Jones was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers in January and signed with the Rangers the following month.

Jones is a career .257 hitter with 388 homers and 1,174 RBI. He earned Gold Gloves in his final 10 seasons with Atlanta while playing for the Braves from 1996-07 and has seven seasons of at least 30 homers, including a career-high 51 in 2005. He has also had five 100-RBI seasons.

Mum still the word for Cardinals' hitting coach

ST. LOUIS - Mark McGwire was hired to be the St. Louis Cardinals' hitting coach a month ago, and the former home run king's initial media session has yet to be scheduled.

General Manager John Mozeliak, who said on the day McGwire was hired that a news conference would be held "sooner rather than later," was tightlipped about the team's plans.

"I'm not going to put a timetable on it because I don't know," Mozeliak said in an interview with The Associated Press. "It could be soon, it could be in a couple of weeks, it could be the first of the year. I don't know."

Mozeliak said at the time of McGwire's hiring that there will be no effort to shield the slugger from questions about steroids.

McDonald stays with Jays

TORONTO - Shortstop John McDonald has decided to remain with the Toronto Blue Jays, agreeing to a $3 million, two-year contract.

The 35-year-old hit .258 with four homers and 13 RBI in 151 at-bats last season for Toronto. He made 35 starts - 19 at shortstop, nine at third, five at second and two in left.

McDonald has spent 11 seasons in the major leagues, the past five with the Blue Jays. He became a free agent after the season. - From Wire Reports