Rijo finds a spot on roster with Cincinnati

Jose Rijo is back in the big leagues.

The Cincinnati Reds gave Rijo a one-year deal Friday, adding him to the 40-man roster and ending the suspense over whether he could extend his remarkable career into another season.

Rijo, 36, was sitting on the bench in the third inning of an 8-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates when manager Bob Boone called him over for the moment that Rijo had both anticipated and dreaded.

If the Reds didn't want him to continue his comeback from five elbow operations and a six-year layoff, he would go back to the Dominican Republic and run his baseball academy.

He was prepared to go home, but desperately wanted to stay.

"He called me over, and I was the most nervous I've been in my whole career," Rijo said. "Not when I faced my first major league hitter was I as nervous as I was today."

Boone extended a hand.

"I just said, 'Congratulations, you're on the club,"' Boone said.

With that handshake, Rijo officially joined the bullpen.

"I was numb," he said. "It was awesome. It's a wonderful feeling -- not just making the Reds team but the best bullpen in the league."

Rijo will get a $500,000 base salary. He can make up to $250,000 in performance bonuses that begin with his 35th appearance.

ANGELS:Right-hander Ramon Ortiz signed a multiyear contract. The deal will either be for four years, or three with a club option, depending on when Ortiz becomes eligible for salary arbitration. Ortiz said the contract will be worth $11.7 million if he becomes arbitration eligible after this season or $7.25 million if he doesn't.

It won't be known whether Ortiz will be arbitration eligible until after this season -- depending on his service time in the majors.

"Either way, he's got a long term deal," general manager Bill Stoneman said. "We're happy. It's safe to say Ramon's happy, he's smiling."

After negotiations were completed, Ortiz had a difficult time Friday, allowing 14 hits and six earned runs in 5 1-3 innings of a 13-8 loss to Milwaukee in Tempe, Ariz.

ORIOLES:Jeff Conine signed a two-year, $9.25 million contract extension. Already signed through 2002, Conine, 35, will receive $4.5 million in both 2003 and 2004. The deal includes a club option for 2005, with a $250,000 buyout clause.

"I'm happy. It means I get to play in a place I've thoroughly enjoyed over the past three years," Conine said.

WHITE SOX: Former major league baseball player Tom Paciorek says he and three of his brothers were molested when they were children by a priest who was removed this week from another Michigan church.

The brothers grew up just outside Hamtramck on Detroit's east side and attended Hamtramck St. Ladislaus, where the Rev. Gerald Shirilla was a teacher.

-- From wire reports