Charges against Uribe dropped
A farmer who accused Chicago White Sox shortstop Juan Uribe of shooting him during an altercation last year in the Dominican Republic, received a payment from the major leaguer as part of a settlement ending legal action against him, a lawyer for Uribe said Monday.
“The complainant dropped the charges and recognized that Juan was not involved in the incident,” lawyer Maria Luisa Guzman told The Associated Press.
She did not reveal the amount of the payment but another person involved in the case said Uribe paid $25,500. That person, an associate of the victim, spoke on condition of anonymity because there was no authorization to discuss that detail.
The farmer, Antonio Gonzalez Perez, claimed that Uribe shot him and an Italian man on Oct. 13 when the pair walked too close to Uribe’s jeep after an argument in Juan Baron, about 40 miles southwest of Santo Domingo.
Gonzalez was shot in an elbow. The other victim was treated for injuries to his stomach and hands but did not file charges.
Uribe maintained his innocence, suggesting he was falsely accused because he is well known in his native Dominican Republic.
The shortstop was never jailed and missed only the first two days of spring training due to his legal troubles.
Clearing the bases
The New York Mets activated outfielder Shawn Green before playing the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Mets made room by sending outfielder Ben Johnson to Triple-A New Orleans. … New York Mets outfielder Moises Alou left the team to fly back home for an examination on his strained left quadriceps. … Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester, whose 2006 season was cut short because of lymphoma, will remain at Triple-A Pawtucket for now. … Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez was put on the 15-day disabled list and Chicago reinstated outfielder Cliff Floyd from the bereavement list. … The Tampa Bay Devil Rays released reliever Shinji Mori and recalled right-hander Jason Hammel from Triple-A Durham. … Vern Hoscheit, a coach on four World Series championship teams with the Oakland Athletics and the New York Mets, died Monday in Pierce, Neb., after a long illness. He was 85.