Posted by Joe Hamrahi on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 at 3:05 pm

Apparently several teams and players felt the need to get deals done before the clock strikes midnight tonight! Here’s a quick rundown of today’s transactions…

- The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim signed reliever Brian Fuentes to a 2-year contract with a club option for a third year.

- The Chicago Cubs acquired right-handed pitcher Jeff Stevens, left-handed pitcher John Gaub and right-handed pitcher Chris Archer from the Cleveland Indians for infielder Mark DeRosa.

The 25-year-old Stevens combined to go 5-4 with a 3.24 ERA (21 ER/58.1 IP), six saves and a .184 batting average against in 36 relief appearances between Cleveland’s Double-A Akron and Triple-A Buffalo affiliates. He also pitched for the United States Olympic Baseball team that won the bronze medal in Beijing last summer.

Gaub, 23, went 1-1 with two saves and a 3.38 ERA (24 ER/64.0 IP) in 34 relief appearances for Single-A Lake Country last season, his first full professional campaign. He struck out 100 batters in 64.0 innings, an average of 14.1 strikeouts per nine innings pitched, and surrendered only three home runs, 0.4 home runs allowed per nine innings. The six-foot-two, 200-pounder turned in a 3.1-to-one strikeout-to-walk ratio (100/32).

Archer, 20, went 4-8 with a 4.29 ERA (55 ER/115.1 IP) in 27 starts for Single-A Lake County last year, tying for second in the South Atlantic League in games started. He limited opponents to a .220 batting average, as righthanders batted .215 and lefthanders batted .225. Archer struck out 106 batters in 115.1 innings pitched and surrendered only eight home runs.

Derosa, who turns 34 in February, batted .289 with 31 home runs and 159 RBI in 298 games during his two seasons with the Cubs. He originally signed a three-year contract with the club on November 14, 2006.

- The Chicago Cubs and infielder Aaron Miles today agreed to terms on a two-year contract. Miles, 32, batted .317 (120-for-379) with 15 doubles, four home runs, 31 RBI and a .355 on-base percentage in 134 games for the St. Louis Cardinals last season.

- The Orioles today announced that they have signed free agent LHP Mark Hendrickson to a one-year contract for the 2009 season. Hendrickson, 34, went 7-8 with a 5.45 ERA (133.2IP, 81ER) in 36 games (19 starts) for the Florida Marlins in 2008. In his seven major league seasons, Hendrickson is 50-63 with a 5.07 ERA (977.2IP, 551ER) in 215 games.