Barrett is traded by Cubs to Padres

The Chicago Cubs traded catcher Michael Barrett and cash to the San Diego Padres on Wednesday for backup catcher Rob Bowen and minor league outfielder Kyler Burke.

Barrett, batting .256 with nine home runs and 29 runs batted in, has had problems defensively and also been involved in two dugout exchanges this month with Cubs pitchers.

He and Carlos Zambrano got into a skirmish in the dugout June 1 and it carried over into the clubhouse where Barrett got a black eye and needed stitches in his lip.

Less than two weeks later, Barrett and pitcher Rich Hill had a verbal exchange in the dugout during a game against the Seattle Mariners.

“The fight had nothing to do with it,” General Manager Jim Hendry said.... “We just felt like we were trying to shore up the position in a little different fashion, a little bit more defensively.”

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Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks suspects that Juan Gonzalez, a two-time American League most valuable player, may have used steroids.

“I have no knowledge that Juan used steroids. His number of injuries and early retirement just makes me suspicious,” Hicks wrote in an e-mail. “In any event, we paid him $24 million for very few games.”

Hicks was responding to questions about a television interview in which he was asked about decisions he regretted since owning the team, then mentioned the oft-injured outfielder and steroids.

“Juan Gonzalez for $24 million after he came off steroids, probably, we just gave that money away,” Hicks said in the interview, aired June 10 on KTVT-TV in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Gonzalez had three extended stays on the disabled list when he returned to the Rangers for the 2002 and 2003 seasons, playing in only 152 of 324 games.

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Facing a deadline today, lawyers neared an agreement that would lead to a meeting between New York Yankees designated hitter Jason Giambi and steroids investigator George Mitchell.

Attorneys for Major League Baseball and the players’ union negotiated for a third straight day Wednesday to work out a deal that would lead to Giambi becoming the first active player known to speak with Mitchell’s staff, several people familiar with the talks said.

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Andy MacPhail was hired as president of baseball operations for the Baltimore Orioles, two days after the last-place team fired Sam Perlozzo as manager.... Boston Red Sox right-hander Curt Schilling is headed to the disabled list because of soreness in his right shoulder, though an exam found no major damage.... Florida Marlins right-hander Anibal Sanchez will undergo exploratory arthroscopic shoulder surgery Thursday.... Wilfredo Ledezma was acquired by the Atlanta Braves from the Detroit Tigers for Macay McBride in a swap of left-handed pitchers.... The Cleveland Indians designated veteran reliever Roberto Hernandez for assignment and put outfielder David Dellucci, who has a strained left hamstring, on the 15-day disabled list.