Texas Rangers

GLENDALE — Major League Baseball pitcher Brandon McCarthy, a Glendale native, re-signed with the Texas Rangers on Thursday. McCarthy avoided an arbitration hearing with the team, signing a one-year deal reportedly worth $650,000. The 25-year-old hurler is a four-year Major League veteran, having compiled a 13-20 record with a 4.54 earned-run average in two seasons with the Chicago White Sox and the last two seasons with the Rangers. He was aquired from the White Sox for pitchers John Danks, Nick Masset and Jacob Rasner.

Hamlet Nalbandyan His last outing was promising, but as Wednesday's performance goes to show, Jim Parque still has a long way to go if he hopes to find a spot in the starting rotation next year for the Chicago White Sox. The former Crescenta Valley High standout lasted just 1 1/3 Wednesday in his second start of the season after suffering a partially torn rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder last season. After a couple stints at triple-A Charlotte earlier this season, the left-handed Parque returned Aug. 8 to beat the Anaheim Angels after throwing a strong 5 1/3 innings to earn his first win since Sept.

For the third time in as many seasons, former Glendale Community College standout Jason Botts got the call up to the big club. Botts was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma to the Texas Rangers on Wednesday and was immediately thrown into the lineup, as he was the starting designated hitter, batting fourth in the Rangers' 9-6 road win against the Cleveland Indians. For the most part, it was a forgettable 2007 debut for the former Vaquero. He went 0 for five with one run batted in and three strikeouts.

Glendale Community College alumnus Jason Botts was known for his brute strength when he donned a Vaquero jersey. He transferred his power to the Texas Rangers' minor league affiliates, as he racked up impressive power numbers throughout his five-year stint in the minors. Now, the former Vaquero product has a chance to display his talents in the majors. Texas called up the switch-hitting Botts from the triple-A Oklahoma RedHawks on Saturday, when the Rangers discovered that starting center fielder Laynce Nix would be forced to go the disabled list with a sore left shoulder.

GLENDALE — The following are updates on area Major League Baseball players .   Freddy Sanchez (Glendale Community College, 1998) San Francisco Giants infielder: When Sanchez, a three-time All-Star and 2006 National League batting champion, was dealt to San Francisco from the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 29, things seemed upbeat. Instead, Sanchez suffered a pair of injuries, including a season-ending knee injury suffered last month. To make matters worse, the Giants (86-73)

GLENDALE — The following are updates on the area’s Major League Baseball players. Freddy Sanchez (Glendale Community College, 1998) infielder, Pittsburgh Pirates: The 2006 National League batting champion is enjoying quite a September. Sanchez, a two-time All-Star, entered Tuesday’s home game against the Milwaukee Brewers batting .350 (14 for 40) in 10 September games. He’s recorded two-or-more hits in five of those contests. Sanchez entered Tuesday’s game batting .313 (173 for 552)

Edgar Melik-Stepanyan The final opportunity to impress scouts during the 2002 Area Code Baseball Games came Saturday. The last chance to play in front of more than 100 scouts evaluating every detail of a players' performance arrived with no sense of urgency or pressure for Crescenta Valley High baseball players Kyle Barratt and Trevor Bell. Barratt, a senior, competed in his final Area Code game, as did Bell, at least for this year. Bell is already a top prospect and the sophomore is probably well on his way to an appearance in the prestigious tournament next year and the year after that.

Recent success, both on the team and individual levels, for locals in Major League Baseball has upped the ante. As the season begins in earnest over the next three days - the official season opener between the Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners was played in Tokyo over a week ago - Glendale native Brandon McCarthy grapples with the expectations fostered by last year's career season as he assumes the role of leader of the Athletics' untested...

The following are recaps on area athletes who played Major League Baseball during the recently concluded 2011 season. ESTRADA, CREW COME UP SHORT With the Milwaukee Brewers' postseason run expiring two wins shy of a World Series berth, Glendale Community College alum Marco Estrada fell just short of becoming the second local athlete to appear in the Fall Classic in as many seasons after fellow former Vaquero Freddy Sanchez...

The following are updates on area Major League Baseball players. Trevor Bell (Crescenta Valley High, 2005) relief pitcher, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: It's hard to predict where Bell will be from one day to the next. The former Falcon was recalled from the Salt Lake Bees, the Angels' triple-A affiliate, on Tuesday and pitched against the Texas Rangers before being sent back down to the Bees Wednesday. He was pretty sharp against the powerful Rangers lineup. Bell was called on out of the bullpen with his team down, 5-0, in the third inning and runners on first and second with no outs.

GLENDALE — The following are updates on area Major League Baseball players .   Freddy Sanchez (Glendale Community College, 1998) San Francisco Giants infielder: When Sanchez, a three-time All-Star and 2006 National League batting champion, was dealt to San Francisco from the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 29, things seemed upbeat. Instead, Sanchez suffered a pair of injuries, including a season-ending knee injury suffered last month. To make matters worse, the Giants (86-73)

GLENDALE — Major League Baseball pitcher Brandon McCarthy, a Glendale native, re-signed with the Texas Rangers on Thursday. McCarthy avoided an arbitration hearing with the team, signing a one-year deal reportedly worth $650,000. The 25-year-old hurler is a four-year Major League veteran, having compiled a 13-20 record with a 4.54 earned-run average in two seasons with the Chicago White Sox and the last two seasons with the Rangers. He was aquired from the White Sox for pitchers John Danks, Nick Masset and Jacob Rasner.