Opening day is around the corner. Can you smell it? Smells like… Beer.

• A year of retirement didn’t sit well with Andy Pettitte. He’s back, and he signed a minor-league contract potentially worth 2.5 million with the Yankees. The 39-year-old left on a relatively high note, posting a 3.28 ERA/3.85 FIP in 2010.
• The Royals locked up shortstop Alcides Escobar with a 4-year, $10.5 million deal. The contract includes options for 2016 and 2017, which could max it out at $21.75 million. Manager Ned Yost thinks Escobar is Gold Glove-caliber.
• The Pitcher Formerly Known As Fausto Carmona, aka Roberto Hernandez, restructured his contract with the Indians. He will be making significantly less than the $7 million originally agreed on; possibly less than $3 million. The restructuring also removed an option year. Hernandez is still on the restricted list.
• The Red Sox have agreed to sign 20-year-old Dominican righty Simon Mercedes. Mercedes has had identity issues in the past, presenting himself as younger and under a different name. He was banned for a year after signing with the Giants under false pretenses. The deal, once approved by MLB, will be worth $800k.
• After the injury to starter Salvador Perez, the Royals contacted Ivan Rodriguez to invite him to camp. The catcher has yet to accept, although he does hope to continue playing this season. Perez is expected to be out for at least three months.
• The Phillies released a struggling Dontrelle Willis several days ago, but the Rockies are looking for pitching and are thinking about picking the lefty up.

For more transaction news, such as there is these days, check out MLB Trade Rumors, their Twitter account, and their Free Agent Tracker. You should also stop by MLB’s Hot Stove blog. See you back here next week, to tide you over until real games start.

US District Court Judge Reggie Walton declared a mistrial today in the Roger Clemens perjury trial after prosecutors clearly violated the judge’s pretrial ruling and showed jurors evidence that was inadmissable and prejudicial.

Whether or not a second trial will occur is up in the air as Clemens’ attorney, Rusty Hardin, has requested until July 29th to file a motion to show a retrial would be considered double jeopardy and the prosecution will have until August 2nd to respond. Judge Walton won’t hear the arguments until a September 2nd hearing.

Prosecutors were attempting to bolster their case by letting jurors see a video in which a conversation between Andy Pettitte and his wife, Laura was referenced. Andy Pettitte, close friend and former teammate of Clemens, has the strongest evidence the prosecution has against Clemens as he has testified that Clemens told him in 1999 or 2000 that he had used Human Growth Hormone. Pettitte claims he then told his wife this information the same day. Clemens maintains that Pettitte misheard him. » Continue reading “Clemens Trial: Strike One, Strike Two, Strike Three – Mistrial!”