The Royals have signed reliever Juan Cruz to a two-year contract, a sure sign that they are intent on competing sooner rather than later. The deal, worth $6 million, includes a team option for a third year at $3.5 million. Kansas City will lose their second-round draft pick to Arizona after signing Cruz.

Doug Mientkiewicz was signed to a minor-league deal by the Dodgers. Mientkiewicz was expected to report to camp Thursday to take a physical.

A Major League source familiar with the negotiations confirmed that Garrett Anderson has agreed to terms of a one-year deal with the Braves. The incentive-laden contract is believed to include a guarantee of approximately $2 million. Anderson is expected to arrive in the Orlando area within the next two days to undergo a physical.

Free-agent pitcher Kris Benson has signed a minor-league contract with the Rangers. Benson last pitched in the majors in 2006, going 11-12 with a 4.82 ERA for Baltimore. He reported to training camp as a non-roster invitee.

The Rays have signed closer Jason Isringhausen to a minor-league deal. Isringhausen, 36, was with St. Louis last season, but did not pitch after Aug. 16 and had surgery Sept. 12 to repair a torn flexor tendon, ending a season in which he struggled, going 1-5 with 12 saves and a 5.70 ERA.

Orlando Hudson has agreed to terms with the Dodgers on a one-year contract, according to baseball sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal is pending a physical. MLB.com reported that the deal is worth $3.4 million with incentive clauses that could raise its total value to $8 million.

Tom Glavine will pitch another season for the Atlanta Braves, completing a $1 million, one-year contract Friday that includes another $3.5 million in possible bonuses based on roster time. "I had a sense of unfinished business," said Glavine, who turns 43 next month. "I didn't want my career to end the way it did last year."

There are two distinct factions in the world of sports that could use some positive, uplifting news this week; one was the MLB and the other being city of Seattle. While baseball remained transfixed on the Alex Rodriguez saga, I think sports fans in the city where A-Rod first cut his teeth were more concerned with Kevin Durant's entry onto the national stage during the Rookie Challenge. If it wasn't clear already, Durant is well on his way to becoming one of the best six or seven players in all of basketball and in a youthful, exuberant way that elicits some comparison to Ken Griffey Jr. The same KGJ that was the first overall pick in 1987 by the Mariners. The same KGJ that was infamously on that '89 Upper Deck card, hit long (natural) homeruns and helped lead Seattle into the playoffs in '95 and '97. But unlike Durant, who was kidnapped by Clay Bennett, Griffey orchestrated his own exit out of Seattle to Cincinnati- and a decade later, with the urging of the other greatest living center fielder (Willie Mays), he has returned with a $2 million deal. We know that employees of Amazon will come out to Safeco, have a couple pre-game pints of Hefiweisen at the Pyramid Alehouse, blast Soundgarden (or Mother Love Bone if they want to go back to his rookie season) and reminisce about their Puget Sound childhood of watching Griffey next door at the Kingdome; Griffey even factored attendance incentives into this deal. But what will this mean for the Mariners on the field? The Mariners have little reason to believe they will be within single-digits of the AL West leaders by the All-Star break, but as long as Griffey avoids lefties, he is still a productive hitter. He hasn't hit lefties well since 2005, but he has had decent numbers against righties: 2006: .869 OPS (.523 slugging) 2007: .943 OPS (.540 slugging) 2008: .841 OPS (.462 slugging) The slugging drop last season is significant and disconcerting, but is there any doubt Griffey is worth $2 million as a specialist against the Kevin Millwood, Vicente Padilla and Jered Weavers of the AL West? Leaving him off the field defensively and also out of the lineup against lefties will protect him and maximize the on-field return. Furthermore, Seattle designated hitters had a .608 OPS in 2008, which was the worst in the AL by nearly 100 points. Griffey will beat that almost on reputation alone. With Griffey back, perhaps there is hope Durant will return to the Emerald City as a member of the Seattle Hornets in 2019? Grade for Mariners: A

Ken Griffey Jr. has decided to return to the Seattle Mariners 22 years after they selected him with the first overall pick in the 1987 draft. A source close to Griffey confirmed that he had made his decision and had informed officials from the Mariners and Braves. Griffey will join the Mariners later this week and could possibly join the workouts on Saturday or Sunday. He has accepted the Mariners' one-year contract offer that includes a $2 million base salary and up to $4 million in incentives based on at-bats and attendance. His return to Safeco Field is expected to lure an additional 200,000 fans this season.

The Kansas City Royals have signed first baseman Mike Jacobs to a one-year contract for 2009, avoiding arbitration. Consistent with club policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed. Jacobs was the final Royals player eligible for arbitration this winter. Jacobs, 28, hit .247 (118-for-477) with a career-high 32 home runs and 93 RBI for the Marlins in 2008. He was acquired by Kansas City for relief pitcher Leo Nunez on Oct. 30 of last year. The left-handed hitter and right-handed thrower recorded 27 doubles, two triples and scored 67 runs in 141 games. His 32 homers were the second-most among left-handed hitters in Marlins history, trailing Carlos Delgado's 33 in 2005. Jacobs' 18 home runs away from home in 2008 ranked tied for seventh in the Majors. He homered once every 14.9 at bats, which ranked 10th in the Majors and among first basemen trailed only Ryan Howard and Albert Pujols.