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Jose Canseco To Join Worcester Tornadoes

WORCESTER (CBS) - Former Red Sox slugger Jose Canseco is going to play minor league baseball in Worcester this summer.

Canseco announced on 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher and Rich Friday morning that the CanAm League Worcester Tornadoes have signed him to a one-year deal.

Listen: Canseco On Toucher & Rich

Canseco, 47, spent parts of 17 seasons in the majors, hitting 462 home runs. Despite often professing his desire to get back on the field, he hasn't played in the majors since 2001.

He had eight 30-home run seasons, five of them with Oakland, where he won a World Series in 1989.

He also played for the Texas Rangers, the Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Devil Rays and New York Yankees. He ended his career with the Chicago White Sox in 2001.

Canseco earned six all-star selections, four Silver Sluggers, a Rookie of the Year Award (1986), the Comeback Player of the Year Award (1994), and the Most Valuable Player (1988). He owns a World Series ring as a member of  the 2000 Yankees.

In the past, Canseco has claimed that his best-selling 2005 book "Juiced," which accused several major league players of using steroids, got him blacklisted from baseball.

Now, he's just happy to be playing again.

"People who know me know how much I love the game," he told Toucher & Rich.

"I am very much looking forward to putting on a uniform and competing on a professional level again this year; I love the game of baseball. I am particularly grateful to the Worcester Tornadoes for embracing me and having the confidence in me to help the team win," Canseco said in a statement Friday.

The first Tornadoes home game is on Monday, May 21 at 7:05 p.m. when they host the Quebec Capitales.

"We expect Jose to bring a lot of excitement to Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field," said Tornadoes General Manager Jorg Bassiacos.

"He brings vast, high-level Major League experience to the team and we expect him to be a very strong contributor. We are looking forward to a very successful season."

 

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