Devil Rays Add Canseco’s Power

Jose Canseco, 34, agreed to terms Wednesday with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, filling the team’s need for a right-handed batter capable of taking advantage of hitter-friendly Tropicana Field.

Contract figures were not announced.

The Devil Rays hit a major league-low 111 homers during their inaugural season, while Canseco hit a career-high 46 for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Six of Canseco’s homers came against Tampa Bay, which got a total of 33 homers from its most productive right-handed batters--Bubba Trammell (12), Bobby Smith (11) and Mike Kelly (10).

Canseco, who hit .237 with 107 runs batted in and 29 stolen bases in 1998, reportedly sought a three- or four-year deal worth more than $6 million per season to return to the Blue Jays.

Tampa Bay General Manager Chuck LaMar was unavailable for comment. The team intends to formally announce the signing at a news conference today.

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The Blue Jays say they’ve received at least one acceptable offer for Roger Clemens but haven’t agreed to it yet.

Without identifying the team, Blue Jay General Manager Gord Ash revealed the offer. By doing that, Ash increased pressure on other teams to raise their offers for the five-time Cy Young Award winner.

“I have an offer from a club that from a player point of view satisfies our needs,” Ash said. “What I’ve suggested to that club is that they get guidance from Roger’s representatives on how they should proceed from there.”

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Catcher Benito Santiago and the Chicago Cubs agreed to a $2-million, one-year contract with a team option for 2000.

Santiago is a 12-year veteran who played in only 15 games last season after an auto accident last January in which he strained ligaments in his right knee.

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Joe DiMaggio, who rebounded from a 102-degree fever and low white blood cell count this weekend, was still on a respirator at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, Fla.

Dr. Earl Barron, who heads the team treating DiMaggio, said his prognosis is guarded and his condition is stable.

“I’m not saying he’s going to survive, but he’s certainly not imminently dying,” Barron said.

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The Baltimore Orioles obtained a temporary court order in Chicago blocking former manager Phil Regan’s daughter from selling the lineup card from the night Cal Ripken Jr. broke Lou Gehrig’s record for consecutive games played.

A Baltimore man bid $35,000 for the card Tuesday, but the North Shore Sports auction agency won’t transfer possession of the card until after the court resolves the ownership dispute.

Cook County Circuit Court Judge Albert Green scheduled a hearing for Dec. 21.