TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Angels have agreed to terms with former Minnesota Twins setup man Juan Rincon to a minor league deal with no invitation to spring training.
Rincon, 33, has been with three teams since the Twins released him midway through the 2008 season and has appeared in just two major-league games since 2009. In 2005, he served a 10-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.
Rincon pitched against the Angels shortly before serving his suspension, prompting Angels manager Mike Scioscia to use his case to criticize the testing protocol at the time. It has since been stiffened, with the first failed test now triggering a 50-game suspension.
“When Juan Rincon pitches 11 days from now, are the effects from steroids deteriorated to the point where he’ll pitch at the level of his God-given talents? No,” Scioscia said at the time. “He’ll still have the benefits of whatever steroids he was taking.”