| Associated Press file FILE - In this March 16, 2011, file photo, Tampa Bay Rays' Manny Ramirez warms up before a spring training baseball game against the Florida Marlins in Jupiter, Fla. The Oakland Athletics still have strong interest in signing Ramirez, who presents a low-risk investment for the rebuilding franchise. If things come together, and the 39-year-old Ramirez signs a deal, he first must serve a 50-game suspension for violating baseball's drug policy before he could play. (AP Photo/File)

MLB: Manny Ramirez, Oakland A’s agree to contract

MLB notes » Slugger still must serve a50-game suspension.

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First Published Feb 20 2012 08:04 pm • Last Updated Feb 21 2012 12:02 am

Manny Ramirez, a 12-time All-Star whose 555 home runs rank 14th in Major League Baseball history, agreed to a minor-league contract with the Oakland Athletics.

Ramirez, 39, will have to serve a 50-game drug suspension before he can play for the A’s this season. He’ll report to spring training as a non-roster invitee at the end of this week, the team said in an e-mailed statement.

Ramirez retired from baseball last season rather than face a second unspecified violation tied to the sport’s anti-doping rules. He was also suspended 50 games in May 2009 while playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers and said at the time his violation wasn’t a steroid and didn’t challenge the penalty.

After joining the Tampa Bay Rays before the 2011 season, Ramirez again tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug during spring training. He said he was retiring on April 8 and then asked to be reinstated on Dec. 5, when Major League Baseball said Ramirez would have to serve another 50-game ban before he could play again.

Over 19 major-league seasons, Ramirez has a .312 batting average with 1,832 RBIs.

Around the horn

Yankees • A day after trading A.J. Burnett to Pittsburgh, New York used some of the salary it saved to add Raul Ibanez as its left-handed designated hitter. Ibanez and the Yankees agreed to a $1.1 million, one-year contract. Ibanez, 39, played with Philadelphia the past three seasons and hit .245 last year with 20 homers and 84 RBIs.

Twins • Minnesota re-signed Matt Capps as its closer for this season after Joe Nathan left for the Texas Rangers. Capps blew seven of his 22 save chances last year and was 4-7 with a 4.25 ERA. He says he felt like he "let a lot of people down."

Nationals • Stephen Strasburg will follow the same path as Washington teammate Jordan Zimmermann in his comeback from elbow-ligament replacement surgery. Manager Davey Johnson said Monday that Strasburg will be limited to 150-160 innings this season. Zimmermann threw 1611⁄3 innings last year following surgery and hopes to reach 200 this season.

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