Nats player tagged for drugs

NEW YORK -- Washington Nationals left-hander Zechry Zinicola is the first player suspended this year under baseball's minor league drug program and will miss the first 50 games of the season.

Zinicola, 26, was penalized Thursday after a second violation for a drug of abuse.

He was 1-0 with a 1.98 ERA in 21 relief appearances for Triple-A Syracuse last season and 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in 11 games at Double-A Harrisburg.

There were 71 suspensions last year under the minor league drug program and two under the big league plan. In addition, Manny Ramirez plans to serve a suspension this year for a 2011 violation.

BOSTON: Boston Red Sox reliever Bobby Jenks has undergone a second spinal decompression procedure that could delay the start of his spring training

Jenks, 30, is in the second year of a two-year, $20-million contract. He appeared in just 19 games last season with lingering back pain.

LOS ANGELES ANGELS: Guess $240 million wasn't quite enough for Albert Pujols. In addition to his salary, the Los Angeles Angels are giving the slugger four season tickets to home games over the next decade.

Other perks:

Hotel suite on road trips.

Luxury suite at the ballpark for the Pujols Foundation, his charitable group, for 10 home games a year.

Right to buy a luxury suite between first base and third base for all home games.

The deal was so complicated it includes three separate agreements: His playing contract, a marketing deal and an agreement to enter a 10-year, personal-services agreement following the playing contract's expiration or Pujols' retirement, whichever is later.

MIAMI: The Marlins are counting on excitable Ozzie Guillen to have a calming influence on quarrelsome Carlos Zambrano.

Their move was approved Thursday, when they acquired Zambrano from the Chicago Cubs for underachieving right-hander Chris Volstad. The Marlins believe Zambrano's career can be resuscitated by pairing him with fellow Venezuelan and friend Guillen, the team's new manager.

In Chicago, Zambrano was a three-time All-Star, but he also feuded with teammates, management and umpires.

NEW YORK YANKEES: The Yankees say they have failed to sign Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima.

The Yankees won negotiating rights to the 29-year-old last month with a high bid of $2.5 million. But because they failed to reach an agreement within 30 days, they do not have to pay the posting fee and his rights revert to the Seibu Lions of Japan's Pacific League.

Nakajima hit .297 with 16 homers and 100 RBIs last season for the Lions. He played at the 2008 Olympics and attracted attention in the 2009 World Baseball Classic, where he batted .364 with six walks and six RBIs in seven games as Japan won the title.

TEXAS: The railings at Rangers Ballpark are being changed to make them safer for fans.

They have beveled tops and lean slightly inward toward front-row seats.

The team announced plans to make all front-row railings 42 inches high after the July death of a Texas firefighter who fell after reaching out to grab a ball tossed his way by Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton.