Rangers Happy to Give Caminiti His Release

Ken Caminiti requested and received his release from the Texas Rangers on Monday, freeing the injury-plagued third baseman to sign with another team.

“They wanted to get rid of me and I wanted to go,” Caminiti told Houston radio station KTRH-AM.

Caminiti, 38, batted .232 with nine homers and 25 runs batted in in 54 games. The former National League most valuable player struck out 41 times in 185 at-bats and committed nine errors. He had been on the disabled list since June 17 because of a hamstring injury.

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Pitcher Jose Rijo, who has not appeared in a game since 1995, signed a minor-league contract with the Cincinnati Reds. Rijo, 36, will start for Class-A Dayton on Wednesday, the first step in what he hopes will be a comeback from four elbow operations.

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Pitcher David Wells of the Chicago White Sox was put on the 15-day disabled list because of a bad back. . . . Free-agent pitcher Dan Miceli signed with the Colorado Rockies. Miceli was released by the Florida Marlins on June 27, one month after criticizing then-manager John Boles. . . . The Florida Marlins placed center fielder Preston Wilson on the 15-day disabled list because of a sprained ligament in his left thumb. . . . David Justice of the New York Yankees is back on the disabled list and will return to the club’s minor league complex in Florida to rehabilitate from a groin injury. Clay Bellinger was recalled from triple-A Columbus.