Bailey is the last Reds player left in arbitration, with a hearing scheduled for Friday in Florida. Bailey says he doesn't own a suit and would have to buy one if there's no deal by then. But he expects to have one in place in the next few days.

He wouldn't confirm reports that the sides are negotiating on a six-year deal.

Bailey went 11-12 last season with a 3.49 ERA. He also threw his second no-hitter in two seasons. The 27-year-old pitcher made $5,350,000 last season. He asked for $11.6 million in arbitration and the Reds offered $8.7 million.


PEDROIA FEELS FINE


Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia says his left thumb feels fine three months after surgery.

Pedroia had an operation to repair the ulnar collateral ligament he tore in last year's season opener when he slid into first base in the ninth inning of an 8-2 win at Yankee Stadium.

But he missed just two games all season, hit .301 and led the American League in plate appearances.

Pedroia had a cast for about four weeks after the surgery on Nov. 13 and then worked on regaining the strength in his thumb. He says the injury bothered him a little bit last season but that it's been fixed and he feels fine.


PHILS' PAPELBON UPBEAT


Jonathan Papelbon wants to be a more positive influence in his third season with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Papelbon left the Boston Red Sox for a $50 million, four-year contract with Philadelphia in November 2011. But the Phillies had a .500 record in 2012 and went 73-89 last season for the franchise's first losing record in 11 years, and Papelbon did not take it well.

Papelbon says Monday he is trying to leave the negativity in the past.

Papelbon went 5-1 last year with 29 saves in 36 chances and a 2.92 ERA in 61 games.


REPORT: JIMENEZ, ORIOLES REACH DEAL


A person familiar with the situation says free-agent pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez and the Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a contract, pending a physical.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Monday night because the deal had not been completed and the club had not made an announcement.

Several media outlets reported earlier that the sides had reached an agreement, which is reportedly for about $50 million over four years.

Jimenez went 13-9 with a 3.30 ERA in 32 starts for Cleveland last season. He turned down a $14.1 million qualifying offer from the Indians, so Baltimore would have to forfeit its first-round draft pick (17th overall) to sign him.

Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette has been searching for a veteran starter for much of the offseason to help anchor the rotation. Jimenez is 82-75 with a 3.92 ERA over eight major league seasons.

The 30-year-old right-hander broke into the majors with Colorado in 2006. His best season was 2010, when he went 19-8 with a 2.88 ERA in 33 starts for the Rockies.


BELTRAN READY TO WIN RING


Carlos Beltran is excited to play alongside Derek Jeter on the New York Yankees.

"I know he has a lot of championships, but I have none," Beltran said. "Hopefully I can win one."

Now 36 and still in search of his first World Series title, Beltran left the St. Louis Cardinals for a $45 million, three-year deal with the Yankees, his sixth major league team in 17 seasons.

Beltran hit .296 last season with 24 home runs and 84 RBIs, reaching the World Series for the first time. Now he's on a team that expects to be in the World Series every year.

"Of course we have to win," the eight-time All-Star outfielder said Monday after his first workout at the team's minor league complex. "I don't know how far we will go, but at least we have to do something positive, and better than what they did last year, no doubt about that."

After missing the playoffs for just the second time in 19 years, New York embarked on a spending spree of nearly half-a-billion dollars, adding four marquee free agents in Beltran, Masahiro Tanaka, Brian McCann and Jacoby Ellsbury.

"They went out and spent a lot money on players to try to improve the ballclub," Beltran said. "You want to be around an organization like that, where every year they're trying to improve, they're trying to get better."

Second baseman Robinson Cano — the Yankees' top hitter - did leave for a $240 million, 10-year deal with Seattle, while Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte both retired.

"I think we have a real good team," Beltran said. "I believe the lineup that we have, we have a pretty good lineup."

Beltran joined Brian Roberts, Kelly Johnson and Eduardo Nunez three days before the first full-squad workout. After batting practice, instead of taking fly balls, Beltran fielded grounders at second with Roberts, signed as Cano's replacement.

"I'm just trying to get to know the guys," Beltran said. "I was talking to Roberts a little bit there. He's a switch-hitter. I'm a switch-hitter. So, we were talking about, maybe, working together a little bit this year."

Beltran did not get a chance to work out with Jeter, who announced last week that he will retire after the 2014 season. The Yankees captain, who has been practicing at the minor league complex for past four weeks, usually takes a few days off before formal workouts begin.

"For me, he's been a big part of baseball," Beltran said. "I feel personally, he got enough of baseball. He's been doing this so long, and doing it the right way. He's a pro on, off the field. It's sad for baseball, you're going to lose a guy like that, but at the same time there's a lot of younger guys coming up that, hopefully, they could take his spot."

"Being able to play with a guy that is a Hall of Famer, first-ballot Hall of Famer, is a great feeling," Beltran added. "I'm just looking forward to playing with him, looking forward to hopefully have this team win a championship."

Contributor: The Associated Press

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