Allgemeines » winner Bradley Wiggins alongside him. "Im

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Joe Saunders was the opposing pitcher who helped end the Texas Rangers last playoff appearance two seasons ago. Now the veteran left-hander will get a chance to earn a spot in the Texas rotation after finalizing a one-year contract that guarantees him the $500,000 minimum. Saunderss salary would increase to $1.5 million if he makes the team. He can earn performance bonuses in addition to his salary under the deal completed Tuesday. With injured lefty Derek Holland expected to be out at least half the season after knee surgery, Saunders joined the team in Arizona on Wednesday to provide another potential starting option. "I feel like Im right on track," said Saunders, who had been throwing bullpen sessions on his own. Saunders has an 89-81 career record with a 4.30 ERA in 221 games, all starts with the Los Angeles Angels (2005-10), Arizona (2010-12), Baltimore (2012) and Seattle (2013). The 32-year-old lefty was 11-16 with a career-high 5.26 ERA in 32 starts last season before Seattle declined his 2014 option. In the 2012 AL wild-card game at Texas, Saunders allowed one run over 5 2-3 innings in Baltimores 5-1 victory over Texas. Before that playoff victory, Saunders had lost his six previous starts and had a 9.38 ERA in games in Texas. He was 1-1 with a 6.35 ERA there in two starts for Seattle last season when he allowed 19 hits and nine runs in 11 1-3 innings. "I love the ballpark. I think it was more a factor of the lineup than the ballpark," Saunders said. "Its nice to be able to get on the good side of things." Infielder-outfielder Alex Castellanos was designated for assignment to make room on the Rangers major league roster. The Rangers have 10 days to trade, release or outright Castellanos to the minor leagues. He was claimed on waivers from Boston in December and was 3 for 9 in five games this spring training. Jimmie Foxx Jersey . Dirk Nowitzki scored 25 points, Shawn Marion had 22 and the Mavericks beat undermanned Philadelphia 124-112 Friday night, handing the 76ers their 10th straight loss. Dustin Pedroia Jersey . The Los Angeles Clippers showed them just how ugly that life could be. Jared Dudley scored a season-high 21 points, Chris Paul added 16 points and 17 assists, and the Clippers jumped all over the Bulls in Roses absence for a 121-82 victory Sunday. http://www.theredsoxteamshop.com/Red-Sox-David-Price-Kids-Jersey/ . He looked very comfortable Wednesday night. Konerko had a big three-run double and Gordon Beckham homered for the second straight game, leading the Chicago White Sox to an 8-3 victory over the sliding Chicago Cubs. Andrew Benintendi Jersey . With the win, the Marlies complete a three-game series sweep of the Admirals and move on to the second round of the Calder Cup playoffs. T.J. Brennan added an empty netter with less than 25 seconds remaining for his second of the playoffs. Johnny Pesky Jersey . Viewers in the Canadiens region can watch the game on TSN Habs at 7:30pm et/8:30pm at.GENEVA -- Tour de France champion Chris Froome wants an investigation into cyclings doping history to finally close an era dominated by Lance Armstrong. Almost 18 months after Armstrongs seven Tour wins were wiped from the record, an independent panel created by the new International Cycling Union leadership has begun work to discover the extent of the sports past problems. "I hope that anyone who does have anything to contribute would get involved." Froome told The Associated Press in an interview on Tuesday. The three-man Cycling Independent Reform Commission aims to investigate how doping happened from 1998-2013 and possible UCI complicity in helping Armstrong and his teams avoid scrutiny. "I am hoping that at the end of the day people will be able to say of it, Right, that was that era, we can now put that to bed and stop asking questions about it," Froome said. Armstrong and former UCI presidents Hein Verbruggen and Pat McQuaid will be invited for confidential, closed-door interviews with the panel which is based at Lausanne, Switzerland. None of the trio has committed publicly to meeting with the panel, which is chaired by Swiss politician and prosecutor Dick Marty. Froome said the panel could engage "not just necessarily those three, but anyone really who is part of that era and can contribute to resolving it." "Its going to be more negative publicity for the sport. Thats never good," Froome acknowledged. The Team Sky leader, who made a winning return to racing last month at the Tour of Oman, said he had not heard much tallk about the commission among current riders, who must help restore the sports credibility.dddddddddddd "Theres a lot of really, really talented young riders coming through the system now that I believe in personally." Froome said. "These are going to be the guys carrying the torch going forward." Froome will be 29 when he is scheduled to start defending his Tour title on July 5 in northern England -- probably with 2012 winner Bradley Wiggins alongside him. "Im confident whoever is in there, we are going to have the strongest team possible," said Froome, whose frayed relationship with Wiggins was mended in the off-season. "He can do a lot of damage to the peloton. Hes one of the best climbers in the world and we know his time trialing ability." Froome expects to follow the path both he and Wiggins followed to Tour success, competing in -- and winning -- stage-race preparations at the Tour de Romandie in Switzerland and Criterium de Dauphine in France. "I think it would be crazy to really change things up too much," Froome said. "We found it has been a good system that has worked quite well for us." Speaking at the Geneva Motor Show, on the sidelines of a Team Sky sponsors event, Froome said extra work being a Tour champion was "a bit of a juggling act" with his training program. Still, the Oman victory suggests he got the balance right. "It just backs up that I have had a really good winter preparation," Froome said. "Im where I need to be for the season coming up." ' ' '