Twins Sign Diamondback Reject

The Minnesota Twins signed reliever Hector Carrasco to a $685,000, one-year contract before their season opener at Toronto. Carrasco pitched for Cincinnati and Kansas City last season and was claimed by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the second round of last fall’s expansion draft but was released this spring, when he was 3-0 with a 3.46 ERA and one save in 14 innings.

*

A Bill Clinton impersonator threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg and later mugged for TV cameras with Dick Vitale, a Devil Rays season-ticket holder who lives in nearby Sarasota. The crowd of 30,109 was not close to the sellout of 45,369 on opening day. . . . They did a little better finding a celebrity to throw out the first pitch at Toronto Wednesday night. Actor Robert Duvall got the honor.