Gregg Zaun

GLENDALE — It didn't take long for Gregg Zaun to have his name removed from the free-agent list. Zaun, a 1989 St. Francis High graduate, resigned with the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday. The veteran catcher signed a two-year deal worth a reported $7.25 million. The 35-year-old Zaun, who was born in Glendale, had reportedly drawn interest from the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. However, he chose to return to Toronto, where he will be the starting catcher in 2007 after he split the catching responsibilities last season with Bengie Molina.

Charles Rich GLENDALE -- A look at how local Major League Baseball players are doing: SIZZLING LORETTA The Milwaukee Brewers won't be appearing in the postseason in October, but that hasn't stopped Mark Loretta from producing some steady offensive statistics. Loretta, a 1989 St. Francis High graduate, was batting a respectable .296 in 81 games for the Brewers through Tuesday. The seven-year veteran infielder has 91 hits and scored 33 runs for the Brewers, who entered Wednesday night's game against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates in fourth place trailing the National League Central-leading Houston Astros by 18 games.

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL Name: Gregg Zaun Team: Toronto Blue Jays Local Ties: St. Francis, 1989 This Season: Zaun is batting .269 with five home runs and 33 runs batted in for the Blue Jays. The former Golden Knight standout has 11 doubles and a .362 on-base percentage. Latest News: Zaun extended his hitting streak to six games with Wednesday's 12-3 victory against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He went two for three with two RBIs and two runs scored, giving him three multi-hit games in his last four.

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL NAME: Mark Loretta TEAM: San Diego Padres LOCAL TIES: St. Francis, class of 1989 THIS SEASON: Entering Tuesday's game against the host Cleveland Indians, Loretta is batting .290 with five home runs and 19 runs batted in. Signed as a free agent during last offseason, the 31-year-old Loretta has filled in admirably for the Padres (19-45), who are in last place in the National League's West Division. Loretta, an infielder who previously played for the Milwaukee Brewers and Houston Astros, has scored 23 runs and recorded 61 hits.

GLENDALE — The following are odds and ends from the local sports scene .   CV RUNNERS STILL GOING Both Zack Torres of the Crescenta Valley High boys’ cross-country team and the Falcons girls’ team will run today. Torres is taking part in the Foot Locker West Regional at Mount San Antonio College in Walnut. He will run in the boys’ seeded race at 10:50 a.m. in which the top-10 finishers will advance to next week’s Foot Locker Nationals in San Diego.

GLENDALE — The following are updates on area Major League Baseball players .   Gregg Zaun (St. Francis High, 1989) Tampa Bay Rays catcher: Zaun, who was acquired by the Rays from the Baltimore Orioles on Aug. 7, hit his first home run with Tampa Bay on Friday. He hit a solo home run in the eighth inning off former teammate and Cy Young Award winner Roy Halliday in Tampa Bay’s 5-2 loss to the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. Zaun is batting .251 (46 for 183)

GLENDALE ? For the second time in as many seasons, St. Francis High graduate Gregg Zaun will be starting fresh in a new uniform, this time with the Milwaukee Brewers, who signed the 15-year Major League veteran catcher to a one-year free-agent contract for 2010 late Thursday night. As was the case when he signed a one-year deal with the Baltimore Orioles for the 2009 season, Zaun figures to begin the season as a starter, but this time there are added benefits. Zaun will make more money ?