Baseball notes: Orioles scout linked to gambling probe
MLB was asked for assistance in the gambling inquiry about six months ago by the New York Police Department, a person with knowledge of the investigation said Friday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because he did not have authority to speak publicly.
The fired scout, Alan Marr, was national cross-checker for the Orioles and the top person listed in the team's scouting directory. The gambling investigation that led to his firing was first reported Friday by SI.com.
MLB's investigative unit is still actively investigating scouts as part of the gambling probe. There has been no indication games were fixed, the person with knowledge of the probe said.
Andy MacPhail, the Orioles president for baseball operations, declined to go into the reasons for Marr's firing.
"He's no longer our employee. That's all I can say," MacPhail said.
Marr declined to comment when reached at his home in Sarasota, Fla. His firing was first reported by The (Baltimore) Sun on July 4.
Under MLB rules, players, umpires and club officials or employees who bet on baseball games in which they have "no duty to perform" are subject to one-year suspensions. Players, umpires and club or league officials and employees who bet on games in which they have "a duty to perform" are subject to lifetime bans.
MARINERS ACTIVATE HERNANDEZ: Seattle ace Felix Hernandez was activated from the 15-day disabled list Friday to start against the Kansas City Royals. Hernandez sprained his left ankle covering home plate on a wild pitch in the Mariners' 5-2 win over the New York Mets on June 23. Hernandez, who was one out short of being eligible for a win, tried to stay in but left after a painful warmup pitch. Hernandez was 6-5 with a 2.83 ERA in 16 starts before the injury. The Mariners optioned right-hander Jared Wells to Triple-A Tacoma to make room for Hernandez. Wells was just recalled Thursday from Tacoma, where he was 1-3 with a 4.41 ERA and 15 saves.
DODGERS OUT OF VERO BEACH: The Los Angeles Dodgers made their departure from Vero Beach official, terminating their facility use agreement. After calling Vero Beach their spring home for 61 years dating to when they were the Brooklyn Dodgers, they informed Indian River County, Fla., officials that they were exercising their option to terminate the agreement in anticipation of opening a $100 million, two-team facility in Glendale, Ariz.
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