surprise constructors championship leader after rook

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Omar Infante walked past the visiting clubhouse at Kauffman Stadium, where he dressed so many times as a member of the Detroit Tigers, and slipped on a crisp, new Kansas City Royals jersey. It was the latest sign of that the Royals intend to compete for the AL Central this season. The Royals introduced their new second baseman Tuesday, one day after announcing they had agreed to a $30.25 million, four-year contract that includes a club option for 2018. "I really got to see this team up close and I was very impressed by what they did last year," Infante said, "and I think theyre close to taking the next step." Infante will make $5 million next season, $7.5 million in 2015, $7.75 million in 2016 and $8 million in 2017. His option is $10 million with a $2 million buyout, and if Infante wins Silver Slugger or is picked for the All-Star game, his salary increases by $250,000 for each remaining season. Infante, who turns 32 next week, fills perhaps the most glaring hole that remained in the Royals lineup. Kansas City used six different options at second base last season, and none did enough to make the club feel comfortable about them in what could be a pivotal season for the franchise. The Royals are coming off an 86-76 season, their best record since 1989, and were in contention until the final week. But with star pitcher James Shields entering the final year of his contract, the window to break through to the playoffs for the first time since 1985 may be closing soon. Thats why the Royals have been aggressive this off-season. Theyve already sign left-hander Jason Vargas to a $32 million, four-year deal to make up for the likely loss of right-hander Ervin Santana in free agency, and traded reliever Will Smith to the Milwaukee Brewers for outfielder Norichika Aoki. Royals general manager Dayton Moore said following the season that three most pressing needs were to add a starting pitcher, upgrade in the outfield and solidify the second base position. Infante appears to be the final major item on the off-season shopping list. "We like our club going forward," Moore said Tuesday. "Weve made a lot of improvements, but we fully expect and understand that were going to have to massage our roster and keep making adjustments throughout the year, and hopefully stay injury free." Infante has had some injury troubles in the past, including an ankle injury that he picked up during a collision at second base that limited him to 118 games last season. But he still hit .318 with 10 homers and 51 RBIs, far better production than Kansas City got from its second basemen. Emilio Bonifacio, Jamey Carroll, Chris Getz, Johnny Giavotella, Elliot Johnson and Miguel Tejada combined to hit just .243 with four home runs last season. Moore said earlier this off-season that he expected payroll to be about the same as it was in 2013, which ended at $86,614,795. But the signing of Infante combined with expected raises for arbitration-eligible players means the payroll for next season will shoot past $90 million, a franchise record. Thats led to speculation that the Royals may have to trim salary, and rumours that designated hitter Billy Butler -- who is owed $8.5 million next season with a club option for 2015 -- may become available for a trade. Moore said such rumours amounted to "hot stove rhetoric." "Its no different than you hear other players throughout the league that potentially are going to be moved," Moore said. "Billys a terrific hitter, and hes going to hit. Thats what Billy does." As for the payroll, Moore said that "were not under any directive to cut," and that team owner David Glass has been supportive and flexible when it comes to signing players such as Infante. "We all understand this makes really good sense, this type of deal," Moore said, "and putting Omar on this team, Mr. Glass has always been supportive." Infante also received interest from the New York Yankees, who are searching for a replacement for Robinson Cano. But they were lukewarm about going beyond three years, allowing Kansas City to seal the deal by offering a fourth year to a player who will be 35 by the end of the contract. "We think he can play," Moore said. "The players that play in the middle of the diamond for a long time, they all have some commonalities. Theyre very smart, theyre hard workers, good teammates, they know how to play, and thats why those guys have long careers." Nikita Zadorov Jersey . -- Andy Dorman and Kelyn Rowe scored in the second half to lead the New England Revolution to a 2-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City in the first leg of their Eastern Conference semifinals series on Saturday night. Rob Ramage Jersey . The 10-year deal the league and players agreed to that ended the 2011 lockout gave either side the right to opt out after six years. With the league projecting financial growth, there has been speculation that players will take that option in three years, especially since a new national TV contract will be in place by then. http://www.hockeyavalanche.com/authentic-adam-foote-avalanche-jersey/ . TSN platforms will broadcast 75+ live games per season – tripling the networks current slate of MLB games. With the new deal TSN retains rights to ESPNs SUNDAY NIGHT BASEBALL and, for the first time, acquires rights to ESPNs MONDAY NIGHT BASEBALL and WEDNESDAY NIGHT BASEBALL. Matt Calvert Avalanche Jersey . Doug Fister allowed two runs over seven innings and Washington hit three solo homers in a 6-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night. Peter Forsberg Avalanche Jersey . Dwyane Wade took over in the fourth quarter.Formula One heads to its second race of the season this weekend in Malaysia with the reigning champion team threatening to withdraw from the sport, the result of the first race still under protest, and race promoters in revolt over the sound of the cars. The off-track strife has obscured the sporting promise provided by the season opener in Australia. The race in Melbourne defied those naysayers worried about the reliability of the new V6 turbo engines by having 15 finishers and a welcome shake-up to the sports pecking order; Sebastian Vettel out of the race early, Mercedes winning but with lingering engine concerns, and McLaren and even Williams back in the fight. However the sports apparent eagerness to attach a cloud to every silver lining was on show again immediately after the checkered flag fell at Albert Park. Second-place finisher Daniel Ricciardo was disqualified from his home race for exceeding the new limits on fuel flow, and his Red Bull team immediately appealed, blaming the problem on a malfunction of the FIA-approved sensor fitted to each car. The appeal will be held on April 14, after the third race in Bahrain. Red Bull team owner Dietrich Mateschitz raised the stakes further by saying such disputes will be of more importance than money when it comes to deciding whether the energy drink maker stays in the sport beyond the short term. "The question is not so much whether it makes economic sense but the reasons would be to do with sportsmanship, political influence, and so on," Mateschitz said in an interview with Austrian newspaper Kurier. "In these issues there is a clear limit to what we can accept." The other political spat emerging out of the first race was over the sound, or lack of sound, made by the new engines. Compared to the high-pitched roar of the old V8 engines, the new powertrains produced a muted purr. The outgoing chief of the Australian Grand Prix, Ron Walker, even threatened to sue for breach of contract and said the engine sound will be a major talking point at a scheduled meeting of grand prix promoters next month. Walker is a strong ally of F1s commercial chief Bernie Ecclestone, who has always opposed the cleaner, greener engines and has used thhe issue as a wedge in his ongoing wrestle with the FIA for control of the sport.dddddddddddd With F1s political heavyweights preoccupied by looming fights in courtrooms and boardrooms, the sports fans will be more concerned with the on-track battle which resumes at Sepang, outside Kuala Lumpur, this weekend. Mercedes is again the favourite, with Nico Rosberg having won comfortably in Australia. His fastest lap of the race was with a relatively heavy fuel load in the early stages, indicating he had plenty of speed in reserve had he needed it. Fellow Mercedes-powered team Williams looks the major threat on the race pace it showed in Melbourne, which was obscured by Felipe Massa being taken out at the first corner and Valtteri Bottas losing a wheel when he clipped a wall, costing him the likely podium finish. McLaren, which had its worst season in decades in 2013, is the surprise constructors championship leader after rookie Kevin Magnussen and Jenson Button were promoted to second and third respectively by Ricciardos disqualification. But the teams trackside chief Eric Boullier acknowledged that was flattering. "Its true that Mercedes and Williams have some pace, maybe between half and three quarters of a second quicker than the rest of the field," Boullier said. Ferrari had a mediocre performance in Melbourne and technical director James Allison agreed that "we have our work cut out to improve our car in order to compete on equal terms with the Mercedes team." Mercedes technical principal Paddy Lowe hinted that the teams advantage could be even more pronounced in Malaysia. "Sepang is a permanent race track which is generally a lot more differentiating of the cars; particularly with regard to aerodynamics," Lowe said. "As always, reliability and endurance will be crucial, but we believe this venue will provide a more accurate representation of the relative pace between teams." There will be a sombre note to the race in Sepang, as it is a short distance from Kuala Lumpurs airport, from where the ill-fated Malaysian Airlines plane this month took off on a flight which authorities now say resulted in it crashing into the ocean, killing all on board ' ' '