Baseball-Major League Baseball roundup

Jan 30 (The Sports Xchange) - The Atlanta Braves continued to make player moves, trading right-handed pitchers David Hale and Gus Schlosser to the Colorado Rockies on Friday for minor-league catchers Jose Briceno and Chris O'Dowd. Hale pitched in 45 games for the Braves last season, tallying a 4-5 record and a 3.30 ERA, and was expected to be in the mix for a starting spot this season. The Braves apparently considered Hale expendable after they came to an agreement on a minor league contract with left-hander Eric Stults, who is expected to be invited to the team's major league camp. Stults, 35, made 65 starts for the San Diego Padres in 2013 and 2014 and posted an 8-17 record with a 4.30 ERA. He could compete for the fifth spot in the Atlanta rotation. The Braves also completed a reported one-year, $4 million deal with outfielder Jonny Gomes, who played for the Boston Red Sox and Oakland A's last year, batting .234 with six homers and 37 RBIs in 112 games. - - - Arbitration will not be necessary for Steve Pearce after the first baseman-outfielder reached agreement with the Baltimore Orioles on a one-year, $3.7 million contract. Pearce and the Orioles bridged the largest arbitration gap between a player and a team during the offseason by arriving at the midpoint. Pearce had requested $5.4 million and the team countered with $2 million two weeks ago when proposals were exchanged. The 31-year-old Pearce, who is eligible for free agency after the 2015 season, batted .293 with career bests of 21 home runs and 49 RBIs in 102 games last season for the Orioles. - - - The Milwaukee Brewers signed left-handed reliever Neal Cotts to a one-year contract worth a reported $3 million. Cotts, 34, went 2-9 with a 4.32 ERA and two saves in a career-high 73 relief appearances last season with the Texas Rangers. He owns a career record of 20-24 with a 4.05 ERA and four saves in 415 games (five starts) with the Chicago White Sox (2003-06), Chicago Cubs (2007-09) and Rangers (2013-14). - - - The New York Yankees reportedly signed right-hander Scott Baker to a minor league deal. Baker has struggled to regain his form after missing the 2012 season following Tommy John elbow surgery. He was 3-4 with a 5.47 ERA over 80 2/3 innings for the Texas Rangers last season. - - - The Boston Red Sox reached agreement on a one-year, $1.5 million contract with former All-Star pitcher Alexi Ogando. The deal, pending a physical, includes another $1.5 million in potential incentives, FOX Sports reported. The 31-year-old Ogando has a career 3.55 ERA but has struggled with injury problems the past few years and bounced between starting and relief. - - - Minor-league pitcher Tyler Gonzales was suspended for 100 more games and three other minor-leaguers were banned for 50 games Friday for violations of Major League Baseball's drug policy. Gonzales, a right-hander who was suspended 50 games in September for a second failed drug test, received the extra 100 games after he refused to take another drug test, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball said. (Editing by Gene Cherry)