designed to encourage former players to pursue a career in professional scou

MIAMI -- Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia is going from the World Series champions to a team that lost 100 games. Junior Fernandez Jersey . Saltalamacchia has agreed to a $21 million, three-year deal with the Miami Marlins, two people familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday. The people confirmed the agreement to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract had not been finalized. Saltalamacchia started the past three seasons for the Boston Red Sox, who were reluctant to offer him a multiyear deal. The switch-hitter batted a career-high .273 with 15 homers, 40 doubles and 65 RBIs last season. He hit .188 in the post-season and was benched during the World Series. The Marlins will count on Saltalamacchia to give their offence a much-needed boost. Miami ranked last in the majors in 2013 in runs and batting, and their catchers batted only .194 and totalled nine home runs, with Jeff Mathis, Rob Brantly and Miguel Olivo sharing the job. Mathis is expected to return next season as a backup. "Welcome to Miami Jarrod!" Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton tweeted. "Marlins need water thats Salty." Under terms of the agreement with Saltalamacchia, hell make $6 million in 2014, $7 million in 2015 and $8 million in 2016. He becomes by far the highest-paid player for the Marlins, who had the lowest payroll in the NL last season at $45 million and are expected to be in that vicinity in 2014. The 28-year-old Saltalamacchia made $4.5 million last season. Hes the first catcher to agree to a multiyear deal with the Marlins since John Buck, who signed an $18 million, three-year deal in 2011 and was traded a year ago. Saltalamacchia grew up in West Palm Beach, Fla., not far from the Marlins spring training complex in Jupiter. Hes a career .246 hitter with 73 homers in 595 games. Rogers Hornsby Jersey . The team said they will announce a corresponding roster move prior to their series opener on Tuesday night in Kansas City. St. Louis Cardinals Gear . Napoli beat high-flying Hellas Verona 3-0 to keep up the pressure on the top two while AC Milan had another disappointing night as four goals from teenage forward Domenico Berardi saw relegation-threatened Sassuolo come back from two goals down to win 4-3. https://www.cheapcardinalsonline.com/164t-jose-martinez-jersey-cardinals.html . The Maple Leafs handed their embattled head coach a two-year contract extension on Thursday, while at the same time announcing that assistants Dave Farrish, Greg Cronin and Scott Gordon will not be back.NEW YORK, N.Y. - The NFL is launching a new program designed to encourage former players to pursue a career in professional scouting.The fellowship program is named for longtime Steelers personnel director Bill Nunn and former NFL player and front office executive John Wooten. It will provide former players who are interested in becoming a professional scout an opportunity to observe and participate in how the scouting process works with teams.The league has created an advisory council to support and guide the proogram. Ted Simmons Jersey. Members include: former player Matt Birk, the NFLs Director of Football Development; Jeff Foster, National Football Scouting President; Rod Graves, a former NFL personnel executive; Terry McDonough, Arizonas Vice-President of Player Personnel; Kyle OBrien, Jacksonvilles Director of College Scouting, Shelton Quarles, Tampa Bays Director of Football Operations and Sheldon White, Detroits Vice-President of Pro Personnel.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '