Smokin' Hot Stove: John Lackey

The Boston Red Sox have been pretty busy. All in one day, they reached tentative agreements with husky right-hander John Lackey and centerfielder Mike Cameron.

Lackey agreed to a five-year contract worth roughly $17.5 million annually, according to who else, but an anonymous source familiar with the incomplete, secret negotiations. Meanwhile, Cameron agreed to a two-year contract possibly worth $8 million a season, subject to a physical.

Too Cool for School

How awesome is Scott Baker? Awesome enough to strikeout four batters in a single inning.

Okay, I don't know how cool that is, but it's kinda rare. The 26-year-old righty fanned four Milwaukee Brewers in the third inning of Sunday’s 4-2 loss, becoming the first Minnesota Twins pitcher in history to do so.

Baker, who struck out a total of nine in the game, kicked off the third by getting Ryan Braun swinging before Prince Fielder whiffed, but the ball got away from catcher Mike Redmond to award Fielder first base. He then struck out Russell Branyan and Mike Cameron -- both looking -- on three pitches apiece to end the inning.

The last pitcher to get four Ks in an inning was Los Angeles Dodgers righty Brad Penny in 2006 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Over-achievers.

[Twinkie Town]

Gross Scores Game Winner, Gets Traded

At least Gabe Gross' last few moments with the Milwaukee Brewers were exciting ones.

The 28-year-old outfielder stole second and trucked on home for the game-winning run on Gabe Kapler's single with one out in the 12th inning of Milwaukee's 9-8 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday.

After the game, the team announced Gross had been traded to the Tampa Bay Rays for minor league pitcher Josh Butler. Surprise!

Gross went 2-for-4 and scored three runs Tuesday, and is batting .209 on the season with no homers and two RBIs. Butler, who will report to the Class-A Brevard County Manatees, was 0-2 with a 6.35 ERA in three starts for the Class-A Vero Beach Devil Rays this season.

In other Brew Crew news, suspended outfielder Mike Cameron will begin a five-game assignment on Thursday with the AAA Nashville Sounds before he is eligible to return to the team next Tuesday in Chicago.

[FOX Sports]

Brewers Ink Cameron

Free agent outfielder Mike Cameron and the Milwaukee Brewers came to terms on a $7 million, one-year contract this weekend, which includes a limited no-trade clause, a $10 million club option for 2009 and a $750,000 buyout, should things not go as smoothly as expected.

In the absence of longtime Brewer Geoff Jenkins, who joined the Philadelphia Phillies outfield via free agency this winter, the 35-year-old Cameron's signing makes sense. However, for the first part of next season, Milwaukee will have to do without him, as he'll begin serving his 25-game suspension for testing positive a second time for a banned stimulant. Cameron hit .242 with 21 homers and 78 RBIs with the San Diego Padres last year.

Once Cameron returns from his grounding, last year's cannon-armed center fielder Bill Hall will likely make the move to third base, putting NL rookie of the year Ryan Braun out in left, where his defensive shortcomings won't be as obvious.

[Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel]