The RiverHawks announced Tuesday that they have picked up first baseman Patrick O’Sullivan from the Ft. Worth Cats of the independent American Association in exchange for a player to be named later. O’Sullivan was born in Oak Lawn and now makes his home in Marietta, Ga. His parents now reside in Rockford.

O’Sullivan, who will be 33 in March, has hit at least 20 home runs in five of his 11 professional seasons. Last year with the Cats, O’Sullivan hit .309 with 14 homers, the fourth-best total in the league, and 65 RBI.

O’Sullivan has affiliated experience with the New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles. The Mets drafted O’Sullivan out of Austin Peay State in the 34th round in 1999. In the Baltimore organization, he advanced as far as Class AA.

O’Sullivan reached Triple-A baseball in the Mexican League. In 2004, he hit a career-best 37 homers in a combined 143 games between San Luis Potosi in Mexico and Edinburg in the Central League. O’Sullivan hit at least 21 home runs each year from 2004 to 2008.

The Rockford RiverHawks and Broadway Florist announced Monday their “Romance Special” package.

The Romance Special includes a dozen roses of any color, candy, three balloons, a stuffed teddy bear and two ticket vouchers for a RiverHawks regular-season home game. The package will be delivered to your significant other by Rocko himself. The price of the package is $200.

Delivery is available on Wednesday through Friday, Feb. 10-12. The package is available on a first-come, first-served basis and limited to the first eight orders for each of the three days.

“With the season approaching, it’s another way that people will be reminded that baseball season is just around the corner,” RiverHawks director of marketing and promotions Jeff Olerud said. “What other florist offers the opportunity to have one of Rockford’s sports icons personally deliver a Valentine’s package to your sweetheart? This is an incredibly unique gift that your significant other will never forget.”

The team announced Wednesday that it has signed eight-year major-league veteran Randall Simon to a contract. Simon, a first baseman, has played in the majors for six different teams, including the Chicago Cubs. Simon represented the Netherlands in both World Baseball Classics, 2006 and 2009.

“The first reason I signed him was identity, because he gives instant identity to our franchise,” RiverHawks co-owner and director of baseball operations Dave Ciarrachi said. “There are a lot of people in Rockford, even though we’ve been here for eight years, who had no idea who we were. They know now that we are a Double-A, Triple-A level professional baseball team, with high-level ballplayers playing at a high-level stadium.

“No. 2, he will give us the ability to have recognition in the baseball community outside Rockford.

“Third, I have checked with a lot of my sources on this. … Everybody I have talked to has told me quality things about him, as a clubhouse guy and as a guy who likes to mentor young players. Along with (player-coach) Richie Austin and another guy we plan on obtaining, we are going to have three guys in our clubhouse with a combined 40 years in professional.”

2010 will be the 19th season of professional baseball for the 34-year-old Simon.

Simon signed out of Curacao, in the Netherlands Antilles, with the Atlanta Braves in 1992. Cubs fans probably best remember Simon as a mid-August acquisition in 2003, when Chicago reached the National League Championship Series. Simon hit .282 with six home runs and 21 RBI in 33 games after Pittsburgh traded him to the Cubs for outfielder Ray Sadler. He hit .333 in the postseason.

"I am excited about making my return to the to Chicago area with the RiverHawks,” Simon said. “I have fond memories of the Cubs fans and how much they embraced me and look forward to a great year in Rockford."

Simon has also played in the majors for Detroit, Tampa Bay and Philadelphia. Simon hit .283 with 49 home runs and 237 RBIs in 537 big-league games.

Simon’s minor-league numbers are no less impressive – he’s a career .293 hitter with 180 homers and 858 RBI in 1,297 games. Last year, Simon hit .281 with 13 homers and 51 RBI in 75 games with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks. He struck out just 20 times in 325 plate appearances. His average of a strikeout per each 16.25 plate appearances led the Northern League. Simon has been in his league’s top three in the category four times.