Antonetti added to Sox' list

November 9, 2005
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino, who has been out of sight since contract talks with Theo Epstein disintegrated 10 days ago, arrives here today, along with team chairman Tom Werner, to conduct interviews for Epstein's successor as general manager.
Washington Nationals GM Jim Bowden is the only announced candidate scheduled to meet with Lucchino and Werner here, though the Red Sox have also asked permission to interview Indians assistant GM Chris Antonetti, who is here for the baseball general managers' meetings. Jim Beattie, who was Baltimore's executive vice president of baseball operations and shared GM responsibilities with Mike Flanagan before being dismissed, is scheduled to meet with Lucchino Friday in Boston.
In a surprise, the Red Sox announced last night that Bill Lajoie, who had resigned within minutes of Epstein, citing loyalty to Epstein as his reason for leaving, has rejoined the club with a slightly different title. Lajoie, previously listed as a special assistant to the general manager/scouting, has been given the new title of special adviser/baseball operations.
His primary focus, the club said, will be on professional scouting, trades, and free agent acquisitions, but the former Detroit Tigers GM will also assist on the GM search.
''I talked to Larry today and came to the conclusion he would like me to come back and help out," said Lajoie, who added that he had not spoken with Epstein.
Antonetti, 30, has spent seven years with the Indians, the last four in his current position, one in which he oversaw the team's information systems, was involved in player procurement, and was the point man in contract negotiations. A former student manager for the Georgetown University basketball team, Antonetti has a master's degree in sports management from the University of Massachusetts.
Another name that has surfaced as a virtually certain candidate is Dayton Moore, the Atlanta Braves' director of player personnel. The 38-year-old Moore, who previously worked in amateur and international scouting for the Braves and has occupied his current position since 1994, was described yesterday by another major league executive as a ''young John Schuerholz."
That's a reference to the current dean of major league general managers, who has directed the Braves to 14 consecutive division titles.
The Red Sox, if they were inclined to create a stir, could approach the Cubs about their general manager, Jim Hendry, who has a year left on his contract and has a strong background in player evaluation, a quality Lucchino values highly. Two other GMs, Kevin Towers of the Padres and Doug Melvin of the Brewers, both made it known they were not interested in leaving their current positions, Melvin last weekend signing a contract extension.
In Epstein's absence, Red Sox business here has been conducted by the Gang of Four: Jed Hoyer, Peter Woodfork, Ben Cherington and Craig Shipley, all of whom played key roles under Epstein in baseball operations. The group conversed yesterday with Scott Boras, Johnny Damon's agent, and plan to meet with him today, a meeting which could include Lucchino.

Source: http://www.boston.com/

Tracy Ringolsby's weekly baseball notebook

11-NOV-05
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- Baseball has a short-term memory.
Four years ago, teams spent the winter luring free-agent pitchers with hefty contracts.
And they paid the price for it.
Don't they ever learn?
Oh, for a year or two they do, but it doesn't take long for all the nightmares to be wiped from their memories.
Think back five years ago.
The Colorado Rockies shelled out an eight-year deal to Mike Hampton and a five-year deal to Denny Neagle. The New York Yankees gave Mike Mussina six years. Darren Dreifort received a five-year contract and Andy Ashby got a three-year deal from the Los Angeles Dodgers. The New York Mets gave Kevin Appier a four-year deal and Rick Reed three years.
Not that the teams got much return on their investments.
Mussina still is taking his turn for the Yankees, but to get out from under the Hampton deal, the Rockies had to absorb extravagant contracts for Preston Wilson and Charles Johnson and give up center fielder Juan Pierre, then had to eat the final $16 million of Neagle's deal after losing an attempt to void the contract on character issues.
For the Dodgers' $52 million investment, Dreifort pitched 205 2/3 innings, spent two full years and parts of two others on the disabled list and compiled a 9-15 record.
The Mets swapped big contracts with the Los Angeles Angels, giving up Appier, who eventually was released, for Mo Vaughn. Reed didn't even make it through one season with the Mets. Ashby made 53 starts and went 14-23 in his three years with the Dodgers.
At first, it appeared teams had learned from their mistakes.
Four years ago, Texas gave Chan Ho Park a five-year deal.
The next year, though, only two pitchers received more than a two-year guarantee _ Jamie Moyer for three years from the Seattle Mariners and Tom Glavine for three years from the Mets.
A year ago, contracts started to get out of hand again, and the early indication this off-season is the lessons of the past are being ignored once again.
While Pedro Martinez was going 15-8 for the Mets, the three other pitchers who signed four-year deals last off-season _ Carl Pavano with the Yankees, Russ Ortiz with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Derek Lowe with the Dodgers _ went a composite 21-32.
Not only was Pavano limited to 17 starts because of injuries, but the oft-injured Jaret Wright was able to make only 13 starts after receiving a three-year, $21 million deal from the Yankees.
The Dodgers teamed up Lowe's contract with a three-year deal to Odalis Perez.
At least those pitchers could use injuries as an excuse.
Not so for Eric Milton, who repaid the Cincinnati Reds for their three- year investment by going 8-15.
Were teams paying attention? Time will tell.
The pitching market this off-season will be a true test of self-restraint. There are teams with money to spend, but there's not much to spend the money on.
A.J. Burnett is considered one of the elite among free-agent pitchers. His agent has made it known he's looking for a five-year deal. Burnett has a strong arm, but his risumi shows a career 49-50 record, only one season with more than 20 starts in the past three years and no season with more than 12 wins.
Of the 26 starting pitchers on the free-agent market, only five won 10 or more games and produced a winning record, and none of the 26 compiled a 15-win season.
Twelve of the 26 lost 10 or more games last season, including Jose Lima, who went 5-16, and Brett Tomko, who was 8-15 at San Francisco's pitcher-friendly SBC Park. Because of his ability to pitch innings, Tomko is being mentioned as a likely candidate for a three-year contract.
Half of the 26 don't even have career winning records.
Among the names getting the most attention is Jason Johnson, who has gone 52-86 in his career.
It will be interesting to see where all of this leaves Jarrod Washburn, who is far from overpowering but did win 18 games in 2002, has gone 75-57 in a career in which he has been durable enough to pitch the 162 innings necessary to qualify for an earned-run title four of the past five years.

Source: http://www.shns.com/

Roger Clemens Files for Free Agency

11-11-05
Roger Clemens was among the final seven players to file for free agency Thursday night.The seven-time Cy Young Award winner, who has spent the last two seasons with the Houston Astros, hasn't said whether he plans to pitch in 2006.He went 18-4 for the Astros in 2004, winning his last Cy Young Award, then became a free agent and re-signed with Houston for $18,000,022 _ the final $22 matching his uniform number. The 43-year-old right-hander was 13-8 with a major league-best 1.87 ERA this season, helping the Astros reach the World Series for the first time.Also filing on the final day were Boston first baseman John Olerud, Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Tim Salmon, Houston pitcher Russ Springer, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Wilson Alvarez and New York Mets pitchers Felix Heredia and Shingo Takatsu.Heredia filed provisionally, pending a decision by the team on his $2.5 million 2006 option, which must be exercised by Tuesday and carries a $200,000 buyout. He is suspended for the first 10 days of next season after testing positive for a steroid.Alvarez also filed provisionally, pending his reinstatement from the voluntary retired list.While Takatsu does not have six years of major league service, a provision in his contract allowed him to file for free agency, the players' association said.The 183 players who filed for free agency since the end of the World Series can start negotiating money with all teams starting Friday.

Source: http://www.kfmb.com/

Dodgers need a new map

09-NOV-05
Random notes, idle thoughts and getting seasick with the Los Angeles Dodgers...
The Dodgers' exploration for a new general manager is beginning to resemble Christopher Columbus' voyage.
Ostensibly on his way to India, Columbus bumped into the New World.
Ostensibly on their way to hiring an experienced general manager with an attractive resume like Pat Gillick or Jim Bowden, the Dodgers have sailed into uncharted territory, too.
It worked out for Columbus. Maybe it will work out for the Dodgers.
But with former Texas general manager John Hart and Dodgers assistant GM Kim Ng now topping the list of candidates, it's clear that owner Frank McCourt fired Paul DePodesta before knowing where he was going next.
"Leadership is a very important characteristic for a general manager to have, as well as a keen eye for talent, an ability to communicate, and the experience to do the job," McCourt said less than two weeks ago after he suddenly dumped his GM of 21 months. "We're committed to doing this with dispatch. We're very mindful of the importance of the offseason."
At that point it sounded like he had someone specific in mind, maybe even someone reputable all lined up and ready to go.
Nope.
The lesson of the "importance of the offseason" is only two years old. That's when free agent Vladimir Guerrero was ready to come to the Dodgers, but lame duck General Manager Dan Evans couldn't get permission to close the deal during the transition of ownership from News Corp. to McCourt. This winter's free agent activity is about to heat up, with Ng temporarily (or maybe not) in charge. You might call it absurd to have one person begin the roster reshaping process and have another finish it. I'd call it typical.
Meanwhile, the team hasn't had a manager for five weeks. Actually, it didn't have a manager for about two months last fall, as renewal negotiations between DePodesta and Jim Tracy dragged on into December. They only fire people in a hurry around Dodger Stadium.
Bobby Valentine might be Tommy Lasorda's top pick for manager, and probably a good one. But Valentine, fresh off a Japanese World Series title for the Chiba Lotte Marines, has become a cult figure there, reportedly will make as much as $4 million next year, and has found a mission in life promoting Japanese baseball. Or he could work for McCourt for a lot less money and have Lasorda in his ear. Is that a choice?
_The American League Cy Young Award was a referendum between a starting pitcher who had a pretty good year, Bartolo Colon, and a future Hall of Fame reliever who had, perhaps, his greatest year ever, Mariano Rivera. Respect for relief pitching may be at a zenith, but starters still rule. Colon in a landslide.
_What AL playoff team besides Boston may be getting rid of its cleanup hitter? OK, it's a trick question because Bengie Molina only made a cameo appearance as the Angels No. 4 guy in the postseason. But you wonder why the punchless Angels seem so cavalier about letting Molina go, considering the state of that offense.
Boston's cleanup hitter, Manny Ramirez, seemingly has a limited number of places to go because of his personal preferences and what he would cost his new team. The New York Mets and the Angels are the best bets.
Last summer when the Red Sox were in Angel Stadium, Ramirez was seen chatting at length before games with Angels shortstop Orlando Cabrera and Guerrero. Bet we can guess what they were talking about.
_The Bowl Championship Series folks are breathing easily these days. USC and Texas are so far out in front of the field that only a bizarre upset of one of those two would throw the BCS into its usual end-of-season turmoil. Shoot. The turmoil was so much more fun.
_I'm guessing Terrell Owens will never again see anything close to the seven-year, $49 million contract he is forfeiting, the deal that he finds so insultingly low.
_Landon Donovan, with a Major League Soccer-record 14 goals in career postseason play, has been so impressive in the playoffs that he should have a nickname. Unfortunately "Mr. October and November" doesn't roll off the tongue.
_UC Riverside's basketball team unveiled its frenetic game against the University of Redlands' equally hyper style in an exhibition Saturday, scoring a 162-123 victory over the feisty but overmatched Division III kids. New UCR coach David Spencer sees the so-called "System" as the Highlanders' best chance to upset teams with superior talent and attract some attention to the stagnating program. But he knows traditionalists, like one old friend and mentor, would frown.
"I'd hate to have Pete Newell come to one of our games," Spencer joked last week. "He'd disown me."
At least a couple of Big West coaches don't think UCR's radical style will rattle their sensibilities.
"Not at all," Long Beach State's Larry Reynolds said. "It's just very up-tempo, getting up and down the court. We'll be right there with them."
Said Bobby Braswell of Cal State Northridge: "It'll be a real track meet. We don't mind playing up-tempo. We play the same kind of pressure defense, too."
UCR opens its high RPM show at Washington State and Portland on Nov. 19 and 20. The first home race, er, game comes against the University of San Diego on Nov. 26. Leave your pre-conceived notions of college basketball at home.

Source: http://www.shns.com/

Arizona Fall League Recap

November 11, 2005
The 2005 Arizona Fall League regular season ends on Thursday, and for the record, the Phoenix Desert Dogs appear to be the favorite heading into the championship game. This offseason showcase isn't about wins and losses, though. For organizations, scouts and fans, it's a chance to get a look at some of the game's brightest prospects. For fantasy baseball owners, it's an opportunity to get a leg up on the competition for the 2006 season.In 2004, we witnessed the emergence of Chris Shelton, the Tigers' slugger who took home the AFL MVP award. He parlayed his strong offseason work into a hot minor league start and a late May promotion to the big club. Once there, Shelton hit .299 with 18 homers, 59 RBI, and 61 runs.We also received a look at youngsters like AL Rookie of the Year Huston Street, NL Rookie of the Year Ryan Howard, Rickie Weeks, Jeff Francoeur, Aaron Hill, Willy Taveras, Mark Teahen, and Jeremy Hermida during last year's AFL season. Going back, the AFL also helped us prepare for rookies like Hank Blalock, Ken Harvey, Eric Hinske, Albert Pujols, Mark Teixeira, and many, many others.Thus, fantasy baseball readers will understand why we pay attention to a bunch of minor league kids playing 30-some games in October and November. Here's a list of players who stood out in the 2005 AFL season and where we expect them to be in 2006:Note: The AFL tends to be a hitter-friendly setting, thus the skewed emphasis on the bats over the arms.

Source: http://www.fanball.com/

Minaya, Cashman making pitches

November 12, 2005
Omar Minaya went to the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico to recruit free agents Pedro Martinez and Carlos Beltran last season. The personal touch — and a truckload of Fred Wilpon's money — paid off for the Mets as both players signed.
Minaya was at it again yesterday, visiting catchers Ramon Hernandez and Bengie Molina at their homes.
Minaya and assistants Tony Bernazard and John Ricco left the general manager meetings in Indian Wells, Calif., and stopped in the San Diego suburb of Chula Vista to visit Hernandez. They went from there to Yuma, Ariz., to see Molina.
The conversations were a precursor to the Mets deciding which catcher they would pursue the hardest. The third option is Kenji Jojima, the Japanese star.
Alan Nero, who represents Molina and Jojima, has been in daily contact with Minaya. Jojima will hold a press conference in Chicago on Thursday to discuss his plans. According to Nero, Jojima will visit New York to speak with the Mets.
The Angels have indicated they want to keep Molina. But he has family in New York and indicated several times during the AL playoffs that playing for the Mets or Yankees had a certain appeal.
Signing Molina away from the Angels would probably take a three-year deal worth $24 million. Hernandez and Jojima could come a bit cheaper.
While Minaya went on the road, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman came home to try to close a deal. He has a meeting arranged tomorrow with agent Arn Tellem to try to finalize a contract for left fielder Hideki Matsui.
Matsui has remained in New York since the end of the season and will discuss his status with Tellem today. The parties face a Tuesday deadline to make a deal or Matsui must be released under the terms of his contract. The deadline could be extended by mutual agreement, but both Cashman and Tellem are determined to get it done on time.
Tellem joked earlier this week that he was willing to move into Cashman's home if that's what it took.
Matsui would prefer to stay with the Yankees. But he told reporters in Japan earlier this week that he would be comfortable playing elsewhere. If Matsui goes on the open market, he would join Johnny Damon as one of the top outfielders available.

Source: http://www.nyjournalnews.com/

Tampa Bay Devil Rays hire Los Angeles Angels bench coach Joe Maddon as their new manager

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays hired Los Angeles Angels bench coach Joe Maddon as manager, adding another important piece to what they hope is a winning formula for the future.
Maddon finalized a contract Monday for his first full-time managing job in the major leagues. He replaces Lou Piniella and inherits a solid nucleus of young talent that ownership expects to blossom in the next few years.
The Devil Rays confirmed the hiring, scheduling a press conference for Tuesday to introduce Maddon as Piniella's successor. The St. Petersburg Times and Tampa Tribune reported in Monday editions that the team selected Maddon over incumbent Devil Rays bench coach John McLaren the day before.
"I'm very happy, excited, eager, all those things," Maddon told the Times. "It's a great situation and I'm really looking forward to it."
Maddon, 33-26 in three stints as Angels interim manager in 1996, 1998 and 1999, did not immediately return phone messages left by The Associated Press.
"I'd like to congratulate Joe Maddon," McLaren told the Tribune. "He's been in the trenches a long time as I have, and he's very deserving."
Andrew Friedman, Tampa Bay's new executive vice president of baseball operations, interviewed nine candidates and also had discussions with former New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine.
Valentine was a finalist even though he was believed to be a long shot because of the salary he would have commanded after leading the Chiba Lotte Marines to this year's Japan League championship.
Piniella had one season remaining on a $13 million, four-year contract but accepted a $2.2 million buyout after criticizing ownership for being more concerned with the future than trying to put a competitive team on the field in 2005.
The club is also on the hook for $1.25 million in deferred salary owed Piniella from 2003.
The selection of Maddon over McLaren brings yet another fresh face to the last-place Devil Rays, who have undergone a massive overhaul in the front office in the past six weeks. Maddon was a coach with the Angels for the past 12 seasons, spending much of that time as manager Mike Scioscia's right-hand man.
McLaren, meanwhile, offered the prospect of retaining some continuity after serving as Piniella's bench coach. Three others from within the organization — coaches Billy Hatcher and Tom Foley, and minor league manager Bill Evers — were interviewed during the first week of the search.
The other candidates were Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt, former Detroit manager Alan Trammell and Atlanta batting coach Terry Pendleton.
Former New York Yankees bench coach Joe Girardi also interviewed with Tampa Bay before the Florida Marlins hired him as their manager.
The 51-year-old Maddon has a reputation for being personable and an excellent communicator.
He joins former Houston Astros general manager Gerry Hunsicker as the latest additions to the organization since new principal owner Stuart Sternberg took control of the team from Vince Naimoli last month.
Hunsicker was hired as the club's No. 2 baseball man and will work closely with Friedman, who turned 29 last weekend. Another 29-year-old, team president Matt Silverman, is playing an important role in the reconstruction of the Devil Rays this offseason.

Source: http://ap.peninsulaclarion.com/

Teixeira on the right track in Texas

11/17/2005
It has been quite an offseason for Rangers first baseman Mark Teixeira, who is being saluted from all directions for his all-around play in 2005.
First, the Elias Sports Bureau crunched two-year numbers and tabbed Teixeira as the second-ranked player in Major League Baseball behind only Albert Pujols. Then Teixeira collected his second consecutive Silver Slugger award, followed by his first Gold Glove. And recently, Teixeira finished seventh in the American League Most Valuable Player balloting despite the fact that the Rangers slipped to a 79-83 record.
With Teixeira and shortstop Michael Young, who won an AL batting title and was 11th in the MVP balloting, the Rangers have two shining stars to lead the way. Teixeira's .301 batting average, 43 homers and 144 RBIs didn't really come as a surprise, based on the way he mashed the ball in the second half of 2004.
But for Teixeira to win a Gold Glove after making a conversion from third base to first base just a few years ago speaks volumes about his passion for becoming the best all-around ballplayer he can be.
Teixeira got the Gold Glove nod over smooth-fielding Angels first baseman Darin Erstad.
"I would have voted for Darin if I had a vote," Teixeira said. "He's a great defensive first baseman. He helps his team out in so many ways over there at first. So, to be able to unseat him as the Gold Glove winner is unexpected for me. And I can take a lot of pride in that."
From his time at the hot corner, Teixeira already knew how to range for a ground ball. At first base, he has applied himself to learn the footwork and overall techniques that are necessary to play great defense at that position.
"The easiest part about first base is catching a ground ball," Teixeira said. "The more difficult things about first base are working with your pitcher, working with your second baseman, making the plays around the bag. Not every throw is perfect. To be able to make a stretch or pick a ball out of the dirt can really be important factors for your team."
When the Rangers were talking with free agent first baseman Carlos Delgado last winter, Teixeira had expressed a willingness to move to a corner outfield spot if it meant Texas could improve its club. Those conversations don't come up any longer. With three arbitration seasons ahead of him before he could test free agency, the 25-year-old Teixeira is the Texas first baseman for the foreseeable future.
"My No. 1 goal playing baseball is to win," Teixeira said. "We were in a situation last year to maybe make our team better. I was willing to make a sacrifice to do that. But with what happened this year and the way I played defensively as well as offensively, I think I'm going to be a first baseman for the rest of my career."
Rangers general manager Jon Daniels has indicated that his busy offseason agenda will include conversations with Teixeira's agent, Scott Boras, about a possible long-term deal. While it has been Boras' general policy to have his top-tier clients test the free agent market, the Rangers have had control long enough to take their best shot at buying into Teixeira's arbitration years or seeking a deal that would lock in Teixeira through the bulk of his career.
In the meantime, the Rangers know they've got a first baseman who produces at the highest level both offensively and defensively and joins Young and some others as a leader in the Texas clubhouse.
"Michael Young is our team captain, whether he has a 'C' on his chest or not," Teixeira said. "I think Michael and I can both be leaders, as well as other players. I think it takes more than just one player to lead a team to a championship."

Source: http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/

Team USA Finishes Olympic Qualifier Unbeaten

November 19, 2005
PHOENIX--The United States added an acrobatic exclamation point to its sweeps-week performance Saturday.
Second baseman Howie Kendrick (Angels) hit a home run and a sacrifice fly to drive in two runs and also made a diving stop to save another run as Team USA beat Canada 5-2. Saturday’s victory completed a 5-0 run in the CONCEBE Olympic qyalifying regional while advancing the U.S. to the Americas Regional in Havana, Cuba, in August.
Kendrick capped the day by doing a triple-flip along the first base line after the game, after Canada's Stubby Clapp did a single flip while taking the field in the top of the first.
"We had a goal in mind to come out and qualify and we did more than that,” Kendrick said. "We actually came out and won the whole thing. It feels good to get five in a row. We had a great group of guys here. Everybody can swing it. Everybody can play defense. The pitching was there. We had a lot of timely hits.”
Kendrick homered in the first inning, becoming the eighth player to homer for Team USA, which did not allow a home run until Canada's Scott Thorman (Braves) hit one in the last of the ninth inning Saturday.
Team USA hit .374 while outscoring the field 49-13.
Brandon Wood (Angels) doubled and scored the go-ahead run in the fifth inning, moving to third on a Travis Hanson (Cardinals) groundout and scoring on a Jeff Mathis (Angels) sacrifice fly to make it 2-1. Kendrick made a diving stop in the hole with runners on first and third and two outs in the last of the sixth to preserve the lead, and the U.S. added two runs in the eighth inning on Shane Victorino's (Phillies) RBI-double and Kendrick's sacrifice fly. Mathis had a run-scoring single in the ninth.
Wood also made defensive plays from deep in the hole in the seventh and ninth innings to take hits away from Canada (3-2).
"We played good baseball, did the little things,” Team USA manager Davey Johnson said. "Manufactured some runs. Made some good defensive plays. (Wood) has had a terrific year. He's a special ballplayer. He was probably our MVP today. (Kendrick) is a special player, too. The Angels are really in good shape for the future with those two guys up the middle.”
"It was unbelievable playing with all these guys,” said Wood, who capped a 58-homer season with one in the first game of the CONCEBE qualifier. "It's amazing how close you get with your teammates in just a five-, six-day period. We came together and had a lot of fun in the clubhouse, in the dugout and on the field.”
Lefthander Bill Murphy (Diamondbacks), pitching a day after being left off the Diamondbacks’ 40-man roster and sent outright to Triple-A, gave up one run in six innings, that after an infield single off his glove in the second inning, to become the third team USA starter with a victory. The staff finished with a 2.51 ERA.
Kendrick hit .400 and led the U.S. with seven RBIs.
Cleanup hitter and first baseman Ryan Shealy (Rockies) hit .500 with a homer and five RBIs, and the catching platoon of Mathis and Jarrod Saltalamacchia (Braves) was 13 for 20 with two homers (both by Saltalamacchia) and 10 RBIs.
Both Mathis and Saltalamacchia would be candidates for the Havana qualifier, as would many others such as Wood and Kendrick, but players on the major league 25-man roster will not be available to Team USA. And Mathis, for example, is considered a strong candidate to become the Angels' starting catcher in 2006 with the departure of free agent Bengie Molina.
"This was a great opportunity to play for the U.S. here,” Mathis said. "I enjoyed the five days we were together. You grow up wanting to play in the major leagues, and that's what you want to do, but it's also a tremendous honor to be able to play for your country.
"Either way it works it will be for the best, either the big leagues or come back and play for these guys. Either way it is a winning situation.”

Source: http://www.baseballamerica.com/

A look ahead: Winter Meetings soon

11/20/2005
They call it Big D, and in about 14 days, it'll most likely be D for big-time deals, big-time dollars and the big-time deluge of agents, front-office executives, media types and wannabes in the lobby of the Wyndham Anatole Hotel in Dallas.
Since the majority of Hot Stove action in the week ahead will probably be interrupted by Thanksgiving dinners, hunting trips and après-Turkey-Day blowouts at your Best Buys and Victoria's Secrets, it seems like a good time to preview what we might see in four heated days in Dallas starting Dec. 5.
Let's lead off with one thing that looks like a mortal lock: A.J. Burnett leaving the Lone Star State a very, very rich man. Not that he isn't wealthy already, but the way things are shaping up, his bank account is going to go from Texas-sized to NASA-type astronomical.
Even though his agent, Darek Braunecker, might have a strange first-name spelling, there's nothing weird about his negotiating. It's all about getting the best deal for your guy when the time is right, and, oh boy, is the time right for A.J.
Burnett is this year's Carl Pavano, a guy with so-so career numbers, an arm with what the scouts like to call "tons of upside," and the good fortune of a relatively weak market in the game's most coveted commodity -- starting pitching.
Here's hoping Braunecker has a Bluetooth or some other type of hands-free device for his cell phone, because he's been talking to just about everyone and it might continue through the Dallas proceedings.
Rumors have Burnett getting a table-setting, five-year, $50 million offer from the Blue Jays, who wined and dined Burnett north of the border recently. How intrigued was Burnett by Toronto? Well, put it this way: He actually appeared to enjoy a Raptors game.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Winter Meetings should have enough intrigue to last through New Year's Day, with Johnny Damon, Rafael Furcal, Nomar Garciaparra, Jarrod Washburn, Kenny Rogers, Matt Morris and Billy Wagner possibly remaining out there and big trades -- Torii Hunter, Manny Ramirez, Josh Beckett? -- potentially in the works.
And let's not forget that Rule 5 Draft, too, although that's another column.
As for other issues that could be determined in the next seven days or so, here are a top five:
1. Yes they can? With new general manager Ned Colletti in tow, the Dodgers seem serious about finally locking down a manager, and veteran skipper Jim Fregosi had a great interview. This means things could be finalized this week if it turns out Fregosi was Colletti's man all along.
Fregosi, 63, first took a team to the playoffs in 1979 -- the Angels' "Yes We Can" year -- and came close to a title in the 1993 World Series with the Phillies, has the experience that admitted "old-school" Colletti is looking for.
If Fregosi gets the Dodgers gig, it will represent another step in the opposite direction of the computer-savvy "Moneyball" era the team seemed to be ushering in when it tabbed then-31-year-old Paul DePodesta to be GM before the 2004 season.
2. Fanfare for the CONCEBE men: USA Baseball was undoubtedly breathing nice and easy in the desert air this week after its scrappy 24-man team rolled through the CONCEBE Regional Olympic Qualifier in the Phoenix area last week with a 5-0 record.
The club's next rendezvous will take place next August in Havana, Cuba, for the 12-team Americas Olympic Qualifier, where Team USA hopes to make up for its stunning non-qualification effort that left the Americans out of the 2004 Athens Games.
A lot can happen in nine months, of course, and since players on 25-man Major League rosters will not be invited to play on the August team, it's hard to gauge who will be representing the U.S. in that tournament, but most of the Phoenix crew -- who are projected to mostly be Minor Leaguers -- should be there.
3. Rearranging the Sox drawer: You've got to figure the Boston Red Sox will have a general manager before the Winter Meetings, right? Well, they appear to be moving in that direction, and maybe something will get finalized this week.
Kudos to owner John Henry and CEO Larry Lucchino for getting White Sox farm director Dave Wilder in the mix. Wilder showed himself to be quite the astute baseball mind when he claimed Bobby Jenks off waivers from the Angels last offseason. Jenks matured into Chicago's playoffs closer and saved the clinching game in the World Series.
And then there's Jim Bowden, who resurrected his career by engineering the Washington Nationals' promising inaugural season and proved that if you can get along with Jose Guillen, you can probably get along with anybody.
4. Bronx tales: You just can't have a Hot Stove update without a Yankees update, can you? The Bronx Bombers simply have too much influence and too many World Series titles to not be heard from in the offseason, although they've been sort of quiet -- for the Yankees -- this month.
Sure, they signed Hideki Matsui, but that was expected. Now they have to figure out who they're going to get to play center field -- no offense, Bubba Crosby, but it's not going to be you -- and who they're willing to trade to get that guy.
If it's free agent Brian Giles, they won't have to trade anybody, but they'd have to move Matsui to center field, where he'd wouldn't exactly cover ground like Andruw Jones.
The beauty of all of this speculation is that the Yankees have the coin to make it reality -- real fast. And we haven't even begun to talk about what they need to do to their bullpen.
5. Plenty of TYIB-ing to do: Yes, you've heard the announcements of all the awards given out by the BBWAA and you've probably spent some quality time arguing the National League MVP or the American League Cy Young, but you still have time to make your voice heard for some awards, and, frankly, some of these awards are a bit more creative.
They're MLB.com's 2005 This Year in Baseball Awards, and you can vote right here in 10 categories that include honors for Setup Man, Performance, Closer and even blooper until Dec. 9. Just another thing to think about while the turkey roasts in the oven.

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

M's hope Johjima will catch on quickly

Tuesday, November 22, 2005
While the Mariners may not have started out with a catcher at the top of their offseason wish list, they may have wound up with a good one.
Kenji Johjima, a six-time post-season All-Star in Japan and seven-time Gold Glove winner, was the best catcher in Japan and is said to be very similar to the best catcher Seattle ever had.
"He's a lot like Dan Wilson," said an American League scout, who has worked in Japan and is equally familiar with baseball here and there. "This guy is a real player, a nice addition.
"Johjima can really catch and throw, a lot like Wilson. And while he may not hit like the .300 [.299 lifetime] and 30 homers he did last year in Japan, his bat will add to the offense and he'll hit 12-15 homers a year."
Johjima, who got a three-year deal for $16.5 million plus incentives, has drawn comparisons to Bengie Molina, who left the Angels as a free agent. Johjima's deal also allows him to earn an additional $2.5 million in performance bonuses.
"They were the first team to come to me and they have pursued me with great sincerity, which meant a lot to me," Johjima said during a news conference in Fukuoka, Japan. "Even though today is one of the happiest moments of my life, I fully understand that I have a lot of work ahead of me. I need to learn about my pitchers and I need to work hard to earn their trust. I will do everything I can to adjust to the major leagues and I hope that I can help the team get back into the playoffs."
As Mariners manager Mike Hargrove put it in a conference call yesterday, "He's a good hitter, and given the low numbers of runs we scored last season we can use every good bat we can fit in the lineup."
Seattle general manager Bill Bavasi acknowledged an element of risk in giving a big-money contract to a player who is still an unknown factor in this country.
"It's tough to associate that kind of money with little risk," he said. "We've upgraded our catching."
Johjima's deal comes out of the Mariners' free-agent spending budget.
"We're still a better club with this guy," Bavasi said.
While improving at catcher was originally down Seattle's wish list, the Mariners were saying months ago that both Yorvit Torrealba, who almost certainly will be traded, and young Rene Rivera, who will back up Johjima, were rated as backups.
The language difference for a catcher, who must communicate with pitchers, is the one area where there could be legitimate concerns.
"Kenji does speak a little English and he made a point of speaking using English as often as he could when we went to dinner," Bavasi said. "Both Kenji and his wife are working with an English tutor. Coming from Japan is more different than coming to the American League from the National, but we think he's up to it."
Bavasi said Johjima will report to Seattle's winter camp in Arizona in January and immerse himself in English as well as baseball.
Of the language issue, Hargrove said, "He's a good baseball player and good players understand how to get hitters out."
Bavasi acknowledged that signing Johjima pushes back other catchers in the organization, including Jeff Clement, Seattle's No. 1 pick in the June draft, who has drawn raves for his hitting and hard work this past summer and again in the Arizona Fall League.
"Clement is a left-handed bat, so the opportunity is still there for him," the GM said. "But having Johjima takes the pressure off everyone to develop quickly."
The scout said Johjima's makeup and confidence will help him adjust to playing U.S. ball.
"He's a good guy and he plays the game with a little mustard," he said. "They're going to like him in Seattle."

Source: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/

Angels' big hearts benefiting local kids

11/23/2005
It's all about the kids.
Each year, the Angels take a three-tiered approach as they reach out to support their community with youth and their welfare providing a compass as the No. 1 priority.
"We work to generate support for the children in the greater Los Angeles area," said Anne Blasius, Angels community relations coordinator. "We try and do that through health-based initiatives, education and sports."
All efforts are part of the Angels Baseball Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the organization that fittingly uses baseball as the pivot point around which everything spins.
Up front and heading the foundation's initiatives in sports is Gene Autry RBI, which provides children the opportunity to play baseball and softball.
Launched in 1999 and free, Gene Autry RBI Leagues is a youth baseball and softball program offered to Orange County Boys and Girls Club members between the ages of 12 and 18.
On the field, RBI concentrates on fundamentals and teamwork, while stressing citizenship and academics. Off the field, staff members teach QuickSmart, a prevention program designed to assist kids in learning how to face the difficult issues of alcohol, tobacco and drug use.
"The RBI program is great because it gets kids involved in the sport who might not otherwise have the chance," Blasius said.
Gene Autry RBI has served over 2,500 kids in seven seasons, and during the 2005 season, over 500 kids in 19 cities encompassing 29 teams participated in RBI.
Two programs lead the educational push of the foundation, the Scholastic A Team and Read Across America Day.
With Scholastic A Team, the Angels recognize students within the greater Los Angeles area who have maintained a grade point average of at least 3.5. Students mail in a copy of their report card to the Angels and receive two tickets to an Angels game during the summer. The Scholastic A Team gets a video board welcome, and over 2,500 tickets were issued during the 2005 season under the auspices of the program.
Each year for celebration of Dr. Seuss' birthday, the Angels participate in Read Across America Day at local elementary schools. Former bench coach Joe Maddon and catcher Jose Molina also visited a local elementary school in Anaheim this past year to read to children and talk about the importance of education and reading.
"A lot of front-office staff and members of our speakers bureau (retired players) attend Read Across America," Blasius said. "It is one of the more fun events each year."
Throughout the season, Angels players and their wives visit local hospitals to sign autographs and hand out Angels gear to the children. The front office also joined some players' wives by participating in Susan G. Komen's Race For The Cure on Sept. 25th.
Angels players walked in memory of Cathy Carey, the administrative assistant in the communications department, who died this past spring from breast cancer.
But not everything has been focused on the Southern California region.
Following the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in late August, the Angels organization along with fans and players joined to generate funds for the American Red Cross in relief efforts. The Angels hosted a series of collection drives at Angel Stadium along with ESPN Radio and the Angels Booster Club, generating $45,000 for the relief effort.
In addition, Angels players' wives and girlfriends hosted an online basket auction, which raised $35,000. The themed baskets contained memorabilia signed by the Angels, and the Angels Baseball Foundation matched funds to generate an additional $70,000 for the Red Cross.
The John Hancock Company also contributed $2,500 to the American Red Cross in the name of Angels Roberto Clemente Award nominee Darin Erstad. In addition, Angels players Vladimir Guerrero, Bartolo Colon and Paul Byrd made contributions totaling $125,000.
Contributions by the Angels Baseball Foundation to the Red Cross for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts totaled $242,500.
The foundation looks to grow each year in its stated mission to reach out to children and use baseball as its platform, but everyone associated with the programs is able to take pride in the progress they've already made.

Source: http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/

Pickoff Moves, Thanksgiving Day Edition

Thursday, November 24, 2005
Manny An Unlikely MarinerUnsurprisingly, the Seattle Times reveals what I already suspected, and that is that the M's aren't having any discussions with the Red Sox about Manny Ramirez. Look, Luccino, it's becoming more and more obvious that this is all about raising the price for the guy. Either trade him or don't.
More In The Top 100 Angels SeriesToday's entry is George Hendrick, the almost-but-not-quite washed-up slugger the Angels picked up in 1985 as part of a salary dump from the Pirates. Hendrick recently joined Joe Maddon in Tampa Bay as a first base/outfield coach, and the Rev provides an anecdote about how he indirectly ensured David Eckstein would arrive on the team. Happy Turkey Day, All6-4-2 wishes everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving. Regular posting resumes tomorrow, or if somebody makes a really big trade today.

Source: http://6-4-2.blogspot.com/

The Week Ahead: 11/13-11/20

11/13/2005
So many issues, so little time.
That's a well-worn way to describe the proceedings at the recently completed general managers meetings in Indian Wells, Calif., Major League Baseball's most significant event of the previous week.
And aside from wondering who will be the next GM of the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers, or whether there will be instant replay in games next year (there won't), three inescapable buzz words kept popping up and will undoubtedly continue to surface in the week -- and weeks -- ahead.
World Baseball Classic, anyone?
Last week provided some hard news on the inaugural 16-team world tournament that will be played from March 3-20 in Japan, Puerto Rico and the United States and has promised to deliver hundreds of top Major Leaguers into inspired competition for national pride.
We got the official word that second-round games will be played in Angel Stadium in Anaheim from March 12-16, where the Asian and U.S. brackets will be combined. The other two brackets will meet in Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, P.R., with the second-round winners moving on to San Diego's PETCO Park for the semifinals and finals from March 18-20.
Other things were set in concrete, too, namely the fact that there will be pitch counts, the numbers of which will be released at a later date. Also we heard that Carlos Delgado, the slugging first baseman who might or might not still be a member of the Florida Marlins next year, will definitely be a member of the Puerto Rican team at the WBC.
Aside from that, there's still a lot we don't know, and those things will be ironed out as we get closer to the event.
The announcement of rosters, for one, is pending the players union receiving approval from individual players. Sixty-man rosters for each team must be submitted to the International Baseball Federation 45 days before the start of the tournament, which is mid-January.
One thing that's definite right now is the fact that general managers and managers are concerned about injuries in a competition that's guaranteed to be a bit more high-strung and hard-fought than your typical split-squad Grapefruit or Cactus League games.
"We're all collectively worried about people getting hurt and being out of camp," said Cubs GM Jim Hendry. "But hopefully, it'll be great for the game and the global effect of the game and what this entire tournament intended."
So maybe this week will bring us more information, and it's possible that the first order of business will be picking a manager for the American team. Bob Watson, MLB's vice president of on-field baseball operations and Team USA general manager, said his search for this manager could be concluded by the end of the week, with Buck Martinez, Lloyd McClendon, Art Howe, Davey Johnson, Bob Boone and Don Baylor among the top contenders.
"It's down to the top two or three," Watson said on Monday. "We'll have meetings here and probably come up with a decision."
As for other issues that could be determined in the next seven days, here are a top five:
1. Free at last: Legendary closer Trevor Hoffman reportedly walked out on a meeting with the Padres, the Angels reportedly said they won't pursue catcher Bengie Molina, Javier Vazquez formally declared that he wants out of Arizona, and even Ichiro Suzuki is rumored to be unhappy in Seattle.
This sets up what figures to be a week of hurried negotiations now that the free agent signing period is in full swing. Many players will wait until the Winter Meetings (Dec. 5-8 in Dallas) to let bidding wars simmer and markets expand, but some, like Troy Percival last year, could decide as early as Monday that they've got a pretty good fit with their first offer.
2. Devil Rays decision Joe Maddon is expected to be named the new manager of the Devil Rays Tuesday. By selecting Maddon over Rays bench coach John McLaren, the Rays continue to distance the organization from the past.
3. Manny happy returns? Nobody's arguing that Manny Ramirez will be Manny, but there's all of a sudden a lot of speculation of where that "being" will take place.
The three years and $57 million remaining on the contract of Boston's mercurial slugger make it a tough trade, but the Angels and Mets are reportedly interested, depending on how much money the Mets (who love Rafael Furcal and Billy Wagner) and Angels (who love Paul Konerko) fork over to free agents.
Maybe this week we'll learn who will be hired as Boston GM, and that will expedite Manny's exit from Beantown. Then again, maybe Manny will be Manny again and decide to stay with his bestest buddy, David "Big Papi" Ortiz.
4. Rocket fuel: Delving into the "this happens every year at about this exact time" file, ageless Roger Clemens filed for free agency and will now decide if he wants to pitch again in 2006.
The Astros will have the first option to sign Clemens, who had one of the best years of his career in 2005, with a 13-8 record and a 1.87 ERA for an Astros club that was shut out nine times in games he started. Clemens did not allow a single run on the road until mid-June, when he yielded a solo homer in hitter-friendly Coors Field.
Unfortunately for GM Tim Purpura and friends, Clemens usually waits until January or so to get the family talks done and to get that fire back in his belly. Here's an out-on-the-limb guess that he'll come back.
5. An Olympic-size effort: The U.S. was embarrassed by failing to qualify for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, but the Americans can turn the tables and get a good jump on qualifying for the 2008 Games in Beijing by finishing in the top four in the five-day CONCEBE Regional Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Phoenix, which starts Tuesday.
Six countries from North and Central America are slated to compete in Arizona, with the top four finishers advancing to the Americas Olympic Qualifier in Havana, Cuba, in August 2006. In that event, the four teams representing CONCEBE will compete against the top four regional qualifiers from the Caribbean and South American regions for two bids to the Beijing Games. The third- and fourth-place finishers in Cuba will advance to a secondary Olympic qualifying event to be held sometime in 2007.
The U.S. team this week features a multitude of big-league prospects, including outfielder Lastings Milledge of the Mets organization, Colorado Rockies infielder Ryan Shealy and a quartet of Angels farmhands: Brandon Wood, Howie Kendrick, Jered Weaver and Jeff Mathis. Davey Johnson will manage.

Source: http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/

Tampa Bay Devil Rays hire Los Angeles Angels bench coach Joe Maddon as their new manager

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays hired Los Angeles Angels bench coach Joe Maddon as manager, adding another important piece to what they hope is a winning formula for the future.
Maddon finalized a contract Monday for his first full-time managing job in the major leagues. He replaces Lou Piniella and inherits a solid nucleus of young talent that ownership expects to blossom in the next few years.
The Devil Rays confirmed the hiring, scheduling a press conference for Tuesday to introduce Maddon as Piniella's successor. The St. Petersburg Times and Tampa Tribune reported in Monday editions that the team selected Maddon over incumbent Devil Rays bench coach John McLaren the day before.
"I'm very happy, excited, eager, all those things," Maddon told the Times. "It's a great situation and I'm really looking forward to it."
Maddon, 33-26 in three stints as Angels interim manager in 1996, 1998 and 1999, did not immediately return phone messages left by The Associated Press.
"I'd like to congratulate Joe Maddon," McLaren told the Tribune. "He's been in the trenches a long time as I have, and he's very deserving."
Andrew Friedman, Tampa Bay's new executive vice president of baseball operations, interviewed nine candidates and also had discussions with former New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine.
Valentine was a finalist even though he was believed to be a long shot because of the salary he would have commanded after leading the Chiba Lotte Marines to this year's Japan League championship.
Piniella had one season remaining on a $13 million, four-year contract but accepted a $2.2 million buyout after criticizing ownership for being more concerned with the future than trying to put a competitive team on the field in 2005.
The club is also on the hook for $1.25 million in deferred salary owed Piniella from 2003.
The selection of Maddon over McLaren brings yet another fresh face to the last-place Devil Rays, who have undergone a massive overhaul in the front office in the past six weeks. Maddon was a coach with the Angels for the past 12 seasons, spending much of that time as manager Mike Scioscia's right-hand man.
McLaren, meanwhile, offered the prospect of retaining some continuity after serving as Piniella's bench coach. Three others from within the organization — coaches Billy Hatcher and Tom Foley, and minor league manager Bill Evers — were interviewed during the first week of the search.
The other candidates were Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt, former Detroit manager Alan Trammell and Atlanta batting coach Terry Pendleton.
Former New York Yankees bench coach Joe Girardi also interviewed with Tampa Bay before the Florida Marlins hired him as their manager.
The 51-year-old Maddon has a reputation for being personable and an excellent communicator.
He joins former Houston Astros general manager Gerry Hunsicker as the latest additions to the organization since new principal owner Stuart Sternberg took control of the team from Vince Naimoli last month.
Hunsicker was hired as the club's No. 2 baseball man and will work closely with Friedman, who turned 29 last weekend. Another 29-year-old, team president Matt Silverman, is playing an important role in the reconstruction of the Devil Rays this offseason.

Source: http://ap.peninsulaclarion.com/

Teixeira on the right track in Texas

11/17/2005
It has been quite an offseason for Rangers first baseman Mark Teixeira, who is being saluted from all directions for his all-around play in 2005.
First, the Elias Sports Bureau crunched two-year numbers and tabbed Teixeira as the second-ranked player in Major League Baseball behind only Albert Pujols. Then Teixeira collected his second consecutive Silver Slugger award, followed by his first Gold Glove. And recently, Teixeira finished seventh in the American League Most Valuable Player balloting despite the fact that the Rangers slipped to a 79-83 record.
With Teixeira and shortstop Michael Young, who won an AL batting title and was 11th in the MVP balloting, the Rangers have two shining stars to lead the way. Teixeira's .301 batting average, 43 homers and 144 RBIs didn't really come as a surprise, based on the way he mashed the ball in the second half of 2004.
But for Teixeira to win a Gold Glove after making a conversion from third base to first base just a few years ago speaks volumes about his passion for becoming the best all-around ballplayer he can be.
Teixeira got the Gold Glove nod over smooth-fielding Angels first baseman Darin Erstad.
"I would have voted for Darin if I had a vote," Teixeira said. "He's a great defensive first baseman. He helps his team out in so many ways over there at first. So, to be able to unseat him as the Gold Glove winner is unexpected for me. And I can take a lot of pride in that."
From his time at the hot corner, Teixeira already knew how to range for a ground ball. At first base, he has applied himself to learn the footwork and overall techniques that are necessary to play great defense at that position.
"The easiest part about first base is catching a ground ball," Teixeira said. "The more difficult things about first base are working with your pitcher, working with your second baseman, making the plays around the bag. Not every throw is perfect. To be able to make a stretch or pick a ball out of the dirt can really be important factors for your team."
When the Rangers were talking with free agent first baseman Carlos Delgado last winter, Teixeira had expressed a willingness to move to a corner outfield spot if it meant Texas could improve its club. Those conversations don't come up any longer. With three arbitration seasons ahead of him before he could test free agency, the 25-year-old Teixeira is the Texas first baseman for the foreseeable future.
"My No. 1 goal playing baseball is to win," Teixeira said. "We were in a situation last year to maybe make our team better. I was willing to make a sacrifice to do that. But with what happened this year and the way I played defensively as well as offensively, I think I'm going to be a first baseman for the rest of my career."
Rangers general manager Jon Daniels has indicated that his busy offseason agenda will include conversations with Teixeira's agent, Scott Boras, about a possible long-term deal. While it has been Boras' general policy to have his top-tier clients test the free agent market, the Rangers have had control long enough to take their best shot at buying into Teixeira's arbitration years or seeking a deal that would lock in Teixeira through the bulk of his career.
In the meantime, the Rangers know they've got a first baseman who produces at the highest level both offensively and defensively and joins Young and some others as a leader in the Texas clubhouse.
"Michael Young is our team captain, whether he has a 'C' on his chest or not," Teixeira said. "I think Michael and I can both be leaders, as well as other players. I think it takes more than just one player to lead a team to a championship."

Source: http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/

No offseason for Angels prospects

11/18/2005
In golf, it's called the silly season, but in baseball it's serious business.
It's that period between one year and the next. For baseball, the end of the regular season and Spring Training marks a time when prospects try to improve their stock and veterans give back to their hometowns and native lands.
Whether it's played in Mexico, Venezuela or the Dominican Republic, it all goes by the simple name of winter ball.
One Angels player who will not be appearing in any games this winter is Bartolo Colon. The 2005 American League Cy Young Award winner is rehabbing from a right shoulder strain and the club has blocked Colon from playing in the Dominican Republic, his home country.
But a number of Angels farmhands have already made an impact since the conclusion of the 2005 regular Major League season.
Infielders Brandon Wood and Howie Kendrick, and right-hander Jered Weaver all played in the Arizona Fall League with varying degrees of success, and all three are currently members of Team USA in the CONCEBE Olympic qualifying tournament.
Wood followed up a big Minor League season with an equally impressive AFL campaign. The shortstop hit 14 home runs to break Tagg Bozied's record, while batting .307 with 32 RBIs, and continued to show, as he proved at Class A, that he is an offensive force.
The 20-year-old posted a 1.086 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) with the Surprise Scorpions, which closely approximated his 1.055 OPS at Rancho Cucamonga.
In 130 games with the Quakes, Wood hit .321 and led the California League with 43 home runs to earn MVP honors. He also had 51 doubles and was promoted at the end of the season to Triple-A to provide depth at Salt Lake.
With Team USA, Wood is 3-for-13 with a homer and four RBIs through three games.
Not to be outdone is Kendrick, his teammate and counterpart. Forming a dynamic double-play combo with Wood, the second baseman also has posted some gaudy numbers all year.
In the AFL, Kendrick hit .380 with five homers, 10 doubles and 17 RBIs while posting a .405 on-base percentage. Named the Angels' Co-Minor League Player of the Year along with Wood, Kendrick hit .384 with 12 homers and 47 RBIs in 63 games with the Quakes and an OPS of 1.059.
Making the jump to Double-A, Kendrick hit .342 with 20 doubles, seven homers and 42 RBIs in 46 games at Arkansas and is making an impression with the national team. In three games with Team USA, Kendrick is 5-for-12 with a double, triple and a stolen base.
The organization would like to keep the pair together, with decisions upcoming this spring as to where they will open the year.
Jeff Mathis did not play in the AFL this year, but is a member of the national team. The catcher, who may get his big-league shot depending on the status of free agent Bengie Molina, is 4-for-9 in two games with Team USA.
Weaver, at 1-3 and a 5.47 ERA, did not post a great record in his seven AFL starts, but he demonstrated a command of the strike zone. In 24 2/3 innings, Weaver struck out 35 batters and walked just five, which generally underscored his main quality as a starting pitcher and continued his success after signing a Minor League deal with the Angels in late May.
In seven starts at Class A this season, Weaver went 4-1 with a 3.82 ERA while striking out 49 and walking seven. He then went 3-3 with a 3.98 ERA in eight starts at Arkansas with 46 strikeouts and 19 walks.
Weaver has allowed two runs in four innings with Team USA while striking out six and walking two.
Alberto Callaspo has gone 10-for-29 with three homers in eight games for Caribe of the Venezuelan Winter League. Named to the Texas League All-Star Game and to the Texas League postseason All-Star team along with shortstop Erick Aybar, Callaspo had a good year, hitting .297 in 89 games at Arkansas and .316 in 50 games after getting promoted to Salt Lake.
Mike Napoli has a pair of homers for Aquilas of the Dominican Winter League.

Source: http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/

A look ahead: Winter Meetings soon

11/20/2005
They call it Big D, and in about 14 days, it'll most likely be D for big-time deals, big-time dollars and the big-time deluge of agents, front-office executives, media types and wannabes in the lobby of the Wyndham Anatole Hotel in Dallas.
Since the majority of Hot Stove action in the week ahead will probably be interrupted by Thanksgiving dinners, hunting trips and après-Turkey-Day blowouts at your Best Buys and Victoria's Secrets, it seems like a good time to preview what we might see in four heated days in Dallas starting Dec. 5.
Let's lead off with one thing that looks like a mortal lock: A.J. Burnett leaving the Lone Star State a very, very rich man. Not that he isn't wealthy already, but the way things are shaping up, his bank account is going to go from Texas-sized to NASA-type astronomical.
Even though his agent, Darek Braunecker, might have a strange first-name spelling, there's nothing weird about his negotiating. It's all about getting the best deal for your guy when the time is right, and, oh boy, is the time right for A.J.
Burnett is this year's Carl Pavano, a guy with so-so career numbers, an arm with what the scouts like to call "tons of upside," and the good fortune of a relatively weak market in the game's most coveted commodity -- starting pitching.
Here's hoping Braunecker has a Bluetooth or some other type of hands-free device for his cell phone, because he's been talking to just about everyone and it might continue through the Dallas proceedings.
Rumors have Burnett getting a table-setting, five-year, $50 million offer from the Blue Jays, who wined and dined Burnett north of the border recently. How intrigued was Burnett by Toronto? Well, put it this way: He actually appeared to enjoy a Raptors game.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Winter Meetings should have enough intrigue to last through New Year's Day, with Johnny Damon, Rafael Furcal, Nomar Garciaparra, Jarrod Washburn, Kenny Rogers, Matt Morris and Billy Wagner possibly remaining out there and big trades -- Torii Hunter, Manny Ramirez, Josh Beckett? -- potentially in the works.
And let's not forget that Rule 5 Draft, too, although that's another column.
As for other issues that could be determined in the next seven days or so, here are a top five:
1. Yes they can? With new general manager Ned Colletti in tow, the Dodgers seem serious about finally locking down a manager, and veteran skipper Jim Fregosi had a great interview. This means things could be finalized this week if it turns out Fregosi was Colletti's man all along.
Fregosi, 63, first took a team to the playoffs in 1979 -- the Angels' "Yes We Can" year -- and came close to a title in the 1993 World Series with the Phillies, has the experience that admitted "old-school" Colletti is looking for.
If Fregosi gets the Dodgers gig, it will represent another step in the opposite direction of the computer-savvy "Moneyball" era the team seemed to be ushering in when it tabbed then-31-year-old Paul DePodesta to be GM before the 2004 season.
2. Fanfare for the CONCEBE men: USA Baseball is undoubtedly breathing nice and easy in the Tucson, Ariz., air this week after its scrappy 24-man team rolled through the CONCEBE Regional Olympic Qualifier in the Phoenix area last week with a 5-0 record.
The club's next rendezvous will take place next August in Havana, Cuba, for the 12-team Americas Olympic Qualifier, where Team USA hopes to make up for its stunning non-qualification effort that left the Americans out of the 2004 Athens Games.
A lot can happen in nine months, of course, and since players on 25-man Major League rosters will not be invited to play on the August team, it's hard to gauge who will be representing the U.S. in that tournament, but most of the Phoenix crew -- who are projected to mostly be Minor Leaguers -- should be there.
3. Rearranging the Sox drawer: You've got to figure the Boston Red Sox will have a general manager before the Winter Meetings, right? Well, they appear to be moving in that direction, and maybe something will get finalized this week.
Kudos to owner John Henry and CEO Larry Lucchino for getting White Sox farm director Dave Wilder in the mix. Wilder showed himself to be quite the astute baseball mind when he claimed Bobby Jenks off waivers from the Angels last offseason. Jenks matured into Chicago's playoffs closer and saved the clinching game in the World Series.
And then there's Jim Bowden, who resurrected his career by engineering the Washington Nationals' promising inaugural season and proved that if you can get along with Jose Guillen, you can probably get along with anybody.
4. Bronx tales: You just can't have a Hot Stove update without a Yankees update, can you? The Bronx Bombers simply have too much influence and too many World Series titles to not be heard from in the offseason, although they've been sort of quiet -- for the Yankees -- this month.
Sure, they signed Hideki Matsui, but that was expected. Now they have to figure out who they're going to get to play center field -- no offense, Bubba Crosby, but it's not going to be you -- and who they're willing to trade to get that guy.
If it's free agent Brian Giles, they won't have to trade anybody, but they'd have to move Matsui to center field, where he'd wouldn't exactly cover ground like Andruw Jones.
The beauty of all of this speculation is that the Yankees have the coin to make it reality -- real fast. And we haven't even begun to talk about what they need to do to their bullpen.
5. Plenty of TYIB-ing to do: Yes, you've heard the announcements of all the awards given out by the BBWAA and you've probably spent some quality time arguing the National League MVP or the American League Cy Young, but you still have time to make your voice heard for some awards, and, frankly, some of these awards are a bit more creative.
They're MLB.com's 2005 This Year in Baseball Awards, and you can vote right here in 10 categories that include honors for Setup Man, Performance, Closer and even blooper until
Dec. 9.
Just another thing to think about while the turkey roasts in the oven.

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Mets look to buy at Fish sale

An impending fire sale by the Marlins could directly benefit the Mets, but Luis Castillo or Paul Lo Duca appears more likely to land in Flushing than Carlos Delgado, who could be bound for Baltimore.
Marlins president David Samson, the son of owner Jeffrey Loria's ex-wife, has taken over control of the club from Loria and ordered the payroll be slashed by 25-30%, with speculation it could be as low as $40 million in 2006, an organization source said. Josh Beckett could be the first marquee player dealt, with the Rangers having the inside track because of an offer that includes value-priced Hank Blalock, who is under contract through '08 at $13.7 million. Texas also would take on Mike Lowell's remaining money (two years, $18 million). With the Red Sox, Tigers, Phillies and Angels also interested in Beckett, no deal appears imminent.
Loria built a championship-caliber team in Florida, but did not have the finances to sustain it. Now he's lost power, which means his pledge to Delgado that the slugger would not be traded is meaningless. The inability to secure a new stadium is fueling the pending dismantling, which is reminiscent of the deconstruction of the 1997 world championship team by then-owner Wayne Huizenga, which included the departures of Moises Alou, Kevin Brown, Jeff Conine, Al Leiter, Robb Nen, Gary Sheffield and Devon White. "This is going to be a worse bloodbath than Huizenga," a Florida source said.
The Mets need a big bat like Delgado's, but several signs point to Baltimore as his eventual landing spot. The Orioles, who have the young, inexpensive talent the Marlins seek, aggressively pursued the first baseman last winter. So did their new VP Jim Duquette, who was part of the Mets' contingent that offered a four-year, $53 million contract to Delgado last offseason only to be spurned for a slightly inferior offer by the Marlins.
Delgado's continued distaste for the Mets should make executives in Flushing wary. He accused the Mets last spring of recruiting him based on shared Hispanic heritage. The recruiting got nasty. When GM Omar Minaya introduced special assistant Tony Bernazard during a face-to-face session at the winter meetings last December, Delgado blurted out: "The highest-paid translator on the planet." Delgado and Bernazard share Puerto Rican heritage.
Delgado did not get no-trade protection, but his contract severely limits Florida's options. Delgado's original four-year, $52 million deal was heavily back-loaded, with Florida paying him only $4 million last season. Delgado would receive a salary adjustment to account for state income tax in New York that does not exist in Florida, meaning the Mets would be paying Delgado for three years roughly what they originally offered him for four.
"I don't think anyone will end up happy," one source said about a Delgado-Mets union.
In addition to Delgado, Beckett and Lowell, the Marlins also are looking to shed the salaries of Castillo at second base and Lo Duca behind the plate.
With the Mets in the market for both a catcher and a second baseman, it's relatively certain Minaya has also made inquiries about both of those two.
The Mets have three prime chips in pitchers Aaron Heilman and Jae Seo and second baseman Anderson Hernandez. LoDuca hit 283 with six home runs and 57 RBI this year. His fate may be tied to whether the Mets can successfully recruit free agents Ramon Hernandez or Bengie Molina. Castillo, who hit 301 with 72 runs and 10 stolen bases, is a smooth-fielding second baseman, but he has been slowed by injuries the last couple of years. He is owed $5 million next season and has a $5.75 million team option for '07 with a $500,000 buyout.

Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/

Team USA Finishes Olympic Qualifier Unbeaten

November 19, 2005
PHOENIX--The United States added an acrobatic exclamation point to its sweeps-week performance Saturday.
Second baseman Howie Kendrick (Angels) hit a home run and a sacrifice fly to drive in two runs and also made a diving stop to save another run as Team USA beat Canada 5-2. Saturday’s victory completed a 5-0 run in the CONCEBE Olympic qyalifying regional while advancing the U.S. to the Americas Regional in Havana, Cuba, in August.
Kendrick capped the day by doing a triple-flip along the first base line after the game, after Canada's Stubby Clapp did a single flip while taking the field in the top of the first.
"We had a goal in mind to come out and qualify and we did more than that,” Kendrick said. "We actually came out and won the whole thing. It feels good to get five in a row. We had a great group of guys here. Everybody can swing it. Everybody can play defense. The pitching was there. We had a lot of timely hits.”
Kendrick homered in the first inning, becoming the eighth player to homer for Team USA, which did not allow a home run until Canada's Scott Thorman (Braves) hit one in the last of the ninth inning Saturday.
Team USA hit .374 while outscoring the field 49-13.
Brandon Wood (Angels) doubled and scored the go-ahead run in the fifth inning, moving to third on a Travis Hanson (Cardinals) groundout and scoring on a Jeff Mathis (Angels) sacrifice fly to make it 2-1. Kendrick made a diving stop in the hole with runners on first and third and two outs in the last of the sixth to preserve the lead, and the U.S. added two runs in the eighth inning on Shane Victorino's (Phillies) RBI-double and Kendrick's sacrifice fly. Mathis had a run-scoring single in the ninth.
Wood also made defensive plays from deep in the hole in the seventh and ninth innings to take hits away from Canada (3-2).
"We played good baseball, did the little things,” Team USA manager Davey Johnson said. "Manufactured some runs. Made some good defensive plays. (Wood) has had a terrific year. He's a special ballplayer. He was probably our MVP today. (Kendrick) is a special player, too. The Angels are really in good shape for the future with those two guys up the middle.”
"It was unbelievable playing with all these guys,” said Wood, who capped a 58-homer season with one in the first game of the CONCEBE qualifier. "It's amazing how close you get with your teammates in just a five-, six-day period. We came together and had a lot of fun in the clubhouse, in the dugout and on the field.”
Lefthander Bill Murphy (Diamondbacks), pitching a day after being left off the Diamondbacks’ 40-man roster and sent outright to Triple-A, gave up one run in six innings, that after an infield single off his glove in the second inning, to become the third team USA starter with a victory. The staff finished with a 2.51 ERA.
Kendrick hit .400 and led the U.S. with seven RBIs.
Cleanup hitter and first baseman Ryan Shealy (Rockies) hit .500 with a homer and five RBIs, and the catching platoon of Mathis and Jarrod Saltalamacchia (Braves) was 13 for 20 with two homers (both by Saltalamacchia) and 10 RBIs.
Both Mathis and Saltalamacchia would be candidates for the Havana qualifier, as would many others such as Wood and Kendrick, but players on the major league 25-man roster will not be available to Team USA. And Mathis, for example, is considered a strong candidate to become the Angels' starting catcher in 2006 with the departure of free agent Bengie Molina.
"This was a great opportunity to play for the U.S. here,” Mathis said. "I enjoyed the five days we were together. You grow up wanting to play in the major leagues, and that's what you want to do, but it's also a tremendous honor to be able to play for your country.
"Either way it works it will be for the best, either the big leagues or come back and play for these guys. Either way it is a winning situation.”

Source: http://www.baseballamerica.com/

Antonetti added to Sox' list

November 9, 2005
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino, who has been out of sight since contract talks with Theo Epstein disintegrated 10 days ago, arrives here today, along with team chairman Tom Werner, to conduct interviews for Epstein's successor as general manager.
Washington Nationals GM Jim Bowden is the only announced candidate scheduled to meet with Lucchino and Werner here, though the Red Sox have also asked permission to interview Indians assistant GM Chris Antonetti, who is here for the baseball general managers' meetings. Jim Beattie, who was Baltimore's executive vice president of baseball operations and shared GM responsibilities with Mike Flanagan before being dismissed, is scheduled to meet with Lucchino Friday in Boston.
In a surprise, the Red Sox announced last night that Bill Lajoie, who had resigned within minutes of Epstein, citing loyalty to Epstein as his reason for leaving, has rejoined the club with a slightly different title. Lajoie, previously listed as a special assistant to the general manager/scouting, has been given the new title of special adviser/baseball operations.
His primary focus, the club said, will be on professional scouting, trades, and free agent acquisitions, but the former Detroit Tigers GM will also assist on the GM search.
''I talked to Larry today and came to the conclusion he would like me to come back and help out," said Lajoie, who added that he had not spoken with Epstein.
Antonetti, 30, has spent seven years with the Indians, the last four in his current position, one in which he oversaw the team's information systems, was involved in player procurement, and was the point man in contract negotiations. A former student manager for the Georgetown University basketball team, Antonetti has a master's degree in sports management from the University of Massachusetts.
Another name that has surfaced as a virtually certain candidate is Dayton Moore, the Atlanta Braves' director of player personnel. The 38-year-old Moore, who previously worked in amateur and international scouting for the Braves and has occupied his current position since 1994, was described yesterday by another major league executive as a ''young John Schuerholz."
That's a reference to the current dean of major league general managers, who has directed the Braves to 14 consecutive division titles.
The Red Sox, if they were inclined to create a stir, could approach the Cubs about their general manager, Jim Hendry, who has a year left on his contract and has a strong background in player evaluation, a quality Lucchino values highly. Two other GMs, Kevin Towers of the Padres and Doug Melvin of the Brewers, both made it known they were not interested in leaving their current positions, Melvin last weekend signing a contract extension.
In Epstein's absence, Red Sox business here has been conducted by the Gang of Four: Jed Hoyer, Peter Woodfork, Ben Cherington and Craig Shipley, all of whom played key roles under Epstein in baseball operations. The group conversed yesterday with Scott Boras, Johnny Damon's agent, and plan to meet with him today, a meeting which could include Lucchino.

Source: http://www.boston.com/sports/

Ben Maller's Sports Rumors & Notes

November 09, 2005
As the Pistons were being introduced, the Kings ran a series of extremely negative images of Detroit on the giant overhead scoreboard screen. One image after another, abandoned and dilapidated buildings, burned out cars, desolate and garbage-strewn streets, on and on until the introductions were complete, according to the DETROIT NEWS.
Most of the Pistons were unaware of the montage, but coach Flip Saunders saw it. "I don't know if it fired them up, but it fired me up," he said. "I have only been here three months and I took offense to it. I just don't think that's right."Saunders said he would be shocked if Kings owners Joe or Gavin Maloof had anything to do with the display.
"I know them pretty well, and they've been nothing but class," Saunders said. "I am sure they had no idea that something like that was going on. It's (crap). Especially in our league right now. Commissioner David Stern has made a statement that he wants this league to be classy. To do something like that was uncalled for."
Saunders was right. The Maloofs didn't know. The montage was apparently the work of Kings game-night operations director Leland Patton, who would not comment.

Source: http://www.benmaller.com

Best and worst starting-pitcher free-agent signings

Wednesday, November 9, 2005
The best and worst starting-pitcher free-agent signings since 1997:
Prior to 2005 season
Best signing: Pedro Martinez, Mets, four years, $53 million. So far, so good. He had a typically dominant Pedro season — 15-8, 159 hits in 217 innings, 208 strikeouts, .204 opponents average.
Worst signing: Carl Pavano, Yankees, four years, $39.95 million. He had plenty of competition in the washout category — Jaret Wright, Russ Ortiz, Eric Milton, Al Leiter — but Pavano's four-win disaster stands out.
Prior to 2004 season
Best signing: Bartolo Colon, Angels, four years, $51 million. The Angels were looking for a dominant No. 1 pitcher, and that's what they've gotten — 39 wins and one Cy Young Award in the first two years. Roger Clemens didn't work out badly for Houston, either.
Worst signing: Sidney Ponson, Orioles, three years, $22.5 million. Besides being a mediocre pitcher, he had a mess of off-field problems that resulted in the Orioles releasing him in September for violating his contract.
Prior to 2003 season
Best signing: Esteban Loaiza, White Sox, one year, $500,000. This one flew under the radar, but Loaiza wound up starting the All-Star Game and finishing with a 21-9 record.
Worst signing: Omar Daal, Orioles, two years, $7.5 million. The Orioles wound up paying almost $2 million per victory for Daal, who went 4-11 in '03, and hasn't pitched since then after shoulder surgery.
Prior to 2002 season
Best signing: Jason Schmidt, Giants, four years, $30 million. Though injuries slowed Schmidt last year, the Giants got their money's worth — a 60-27 record over the four years, which included the 2002 pennant in San Francisco.
Worst signing: Chan Ho Park, Rangers, five years, $65 million. One of the all-time busts — Park started off badly (9-8, 5.75 ERA) in '02, and went downhill. The Rangers finally dumped him on San Diego last July.
Prior to 2001 season
Best signing: Mike Mussina, Yankees, six years, $88.5 million. This was a rare long-term mega-deal that hasn't haunted the signing team. Mussina has been solid the first five years, averaging 15 wins.
Worst signing: Mike Hampton, Rockies, eight years, $121 million. This was an epic year for bad pitching deals (Denny Neagle, Andy Ashby, Darren Dreifort, Pat Hentgen, Kevin Appier, among others), but this was the whopper. The deal was almost salvaged by Atlanta until Tommy John surgery knocked out Hampton for '06.
Prior to 2000 season
Best signing: Aaron Sele, Mariners, two years, $15 million. The Orioles pulled out over health concerns, Pat Gillick swooped in, and Sele produced a 32-15 record in two playoff-bound Seattle seasons.
Worst signing: Juan Guzman, Devil Rays, two years, $12.5 million. Another year rife with bad signings, but Guzman stood out by producing 2-2/3 innings and zero victories for the Devil Rays.
Prior to 1999 season
Best signing: Randy Johnson, Diamondbacks, four years, $52.4 million. Arguably the best pitching signing ever, Johnson gave them four Cy Young seasons and helped deliver a World Series title in 2001.
Worst signing: Kevin Brown, Dodgers, seven years, $105 million. The Dodgers would quickly regret this deal — and so would the Yankees.
Prior to 1998 season
Best signing: Pete Harnisch, Reds, one year, $300,000. The Reds took a flyer on Harnisch, whose career had nose-dived, and got one of the best starters in the National League. He went 14-7 with a 3.14 ERA in '98 and came back the next year to win 16.
Worst signing: Wilson Alvarez, Devil Rays, five years, $35 million. Another Devil Rays disaster — Alvarez missed two seasons and parts of a third with injury and had a 17-26 combined record in his five years.
Prior to 1997 season
Best signing: Roger Clemens, Blue Jays, three years, $24.75 million. The Jays got two Cy Young seasons out of the Rocket before sending him in '99 to the Yankees, with whom he helped win two World Series titles.
Worst signing: Jaime Navarro, White Sox, four years, $20 million. Coming off a 15-win season with the Cubs, Navarro unraveled on the South Side and went 25-49 over the length of the contract.

Source: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/

Tracy Ringolsby's weekly baseball notebook

11-NOV-05
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- Baseball has a short-term memory.
Four years ago, teams spent the winter luring free-agent pitchers with hefty contracts.
And they paid the price for it.
Don't they ever learn?
Oh, for a year or two they do, but it doesn't take long for all the nightmares to be wiped from their memories.
Think back five years ago.
The Colorado Rockies shelled out an eight-year deal to Mike Hampton and a five-year deal to Denny Neagle. The New York Yankees gave Mike Mussina six years. Darren Dreifort received a five-year contract and Andy Ashby got a three-year deal from the Los Angeles Dodgers. The New York Mets gave Kevin Appier a four-year deal and Rick Reed three years.
Not that the teams got much return on their investments.
Mussina still is taking his turn for the Yankees, but to get out from under the Hampton deal, the Rockies had to absorb extravagant contracts for Preston Wilson and Charles Johnson and give up center fielder Juan Pierre, then had to eat the final $16 million of Neagle's deal after losing an attempt to void the contract on character issues.
For the Dodgers' $52 million investment, Dreifort pitched 205 2/3 innings, spent two full years and parts of two others on the disabled list and compiled a 9-15 record.
The Mets swapped big contracts with the Los Angeles Angels, giving up Appier, who eventually was released, for Mo Vaughn. Reed didn't even make it through one season with the Mets. Ashby made 53 starts and went 14-23 in his three years with the Dodgers.
At first, it appeared teams had learned from their mistakes.
Four years ago, Texas gave Chan Ho Park a five-year deal.
The next year, though, only two pitchers received more than a two-year guarantee _ Jamie Moyer for three years from the Seattle Mariners and Tom Glavine for three years from the Mets.
A year ago, contracts started to get out of hand again, and the early indication this off-season is the lessons of the past are being ignored once again.
While Pedro Martinez was going 15-8 for the Mets, the three other pitchers who signed four-year deals last off-season _ Carl Pavano with the Yankees, Russ Ortiz with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Derek Lowe with the Dodgers _ went a composite 21-32.
Not only was Pavano limited to 17 starts because of injuries, but the oft-injured Jaret Wright was able to make only 13 starts after receiving a three-year, $21 million deal from the Yankees.
The Dodgers teamed up Lowe's contract with a three-year deal to Odalis Perez.
At least those pitchers could use injuries as an excuse.
Not so for Eric Milton, who repaid the Cincinnati Reds for their three- year investment by going 8-15.
Were teams paying attention? Time will tell.
The pitching market this off-season will be a true test of self-restraint. There are teams with money to spend, but there's not much to spend the money on.
A.J. Burnett is considered one of the elite among free-agent pitchers. His agent has made it known he's looking for a five-year deal. Burnett has a strong arm, but his risumi shows a career 49-50 record, only one season with more than 20 starts in the past three years and no season with more than 12 wins.
Of the 26 starting pitchers on the free-agent market, only five won 10 or more games and produced a winning record, and none of the 26 compiled a 15-win season.
Twelve of the 26 lost 10 or more games last season, including Jose Lima, who went 5-16, and Brett Tomko, who was 8-15 at San Francisco's pitcher-friendly SBC Park. Because of his ability to pitch innings, Tomko is being mentioned as a likely candidate for a three-year contract.
Half of the 26 don't even have career winning records.
Among the names getting the most attention is Jason Johnson, who has gone 52-86 in his career.
It will be interesting to see where all of this leaves Jarrod Washburn, who is far from overpowering but did win 18 games in 2002, has gone 75-57 in a career in which he has been durable enough to pitch the 162 innings necessary to qualify for an earned-run title four of the past five years.

Source: http://www.shns.com/

Arizona Fall League Recap

November 11, 2005

The 2005 Arizona Fall League regular season ends on Thursday, and for the record, the Phoenix Desert Dogs appear to be the favorite heading into the championship game. This offseason showcase isn't about wins and losses, though. For organizations, scouts and fans, it's a chance to get a look at some of the game's brightest prospects. For fantasy baseball. owners, it's an opportunity to get a leg up on the competition for the 2006 season.In 2004, we witnessed the emergence of Chris Shelton, the Tigers' slugger who took home the AFL MVP award. He parlayed his strong offseason work into a hot minor league start and a late May promotion to the big club. Once there, Shelton hit .299 with 18 homers, 59 RBI, and 61 runs.We also received a look at youngsters like AL Rookie of the Year Huston Street, NL Rookie of the Year Ryan Howard, Rickie Weeks, Jeff Francoeur, Aaron Hill, Willy Taveras, Mark Teahen, and Jeremy Hermida during last year's AFL season. Going back, the AFL also helped us prepare for rookies like Hank Blalock, Ken Harvey, Eric Hinske, Albert Pujols, Mark Teixeira, and many, many others.Thus, fantasy baseball readers will understand why we pay attention to a bunch of minor league kids playing 30-some games in October and November. Here's a list of players who stood out in the 2005 AFL season and where we expect them to be in 2006:Note: The AFL tends to be a hitter-friendly setting, thus the skewed emphasis on the bats over the arms
HittersBrandon Wood, SS, Angels: The list absolutely has to begin with Wood, who set a new AFL single-season record with 14 homers. The 20-year-old also led the league with 32 RBI, hit .307, and scored 25 runs through 29 games. Wood spent most of the 2005 season playing for the High-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, and he batted .321 with 43 homers, 115 RBI, and 109 runs through 130 games. He's likely still a year away from the big leagues, but keeper league fantasy owners should be all over this 6-3 stud.Brad Eldred, 1B, Pirates: Big Country is second on this list because he's the most likely to help fantasy teams from the start of the 2006 season. Eldred logged 190 at-bats with the Pirates at the end of last season, but he only hit .221 and struck out 77 times. This fall, he heated up after a slow start and ended up at .289 with seven homers, 28 RBI, and 22 strikeouts over 25 games. He'll compete for a big league job in spring training.Howie Kendrick, 2B, Angels: Wood's middle infield mate is an offensive machine. After hitting .367 between High-A and Double-A this season, Kendrick batted .380 with five homers, 17 RBI, 27 runs, and two steals in 29 AFL games. Like Wood, Kendrick is likely a year away from traveling to Ana