Indians sign Matt Capps

The Cleveland Indians today announced the club has signed free agent RHP MATT CAPPS to a Minor League contract with a non-roster invitation to Major League spring training camp.

Capps, 29, owns an 8-year career Major League record of 29-33 with 138 saves and a 3.52 ERA in 444 relief appearances with Pittsburgh, Washington and Minnesota since debuting with the Pirates in 2005 (439.2IP, 439H, 172ER, 84BB, 319K).  He was the winning pitcher in the 2010 All-Star Game for the National League and for the 2010 campaign he posted a career-best 42 saves and a 2.47 ERA in 74 relief appearances for the Nationals and Twins (73.0IP, 75H, 20ER, 17BB, 59K).  Capps has posted 14-or-more saves in each of the last six seasons and owns a career walks per 9.0IP ratio of 1.7.

He opened the 2012 season as the closer for the Minnesota Twins, saving 14 of his 15 chances (93%) before being beset with shoulder inflammation and two trips to the Disabled List over the final three months of the season. On the year he walked just 4 batters in 29.1 innings (1.2BB per 9.0IP).