MLB Talk. Rumors and Contracts

DD · 03-22-2005, 05:38 PM

<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=522><TBODY><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Ugueth Urbina
Tigers
</TD><TD class=statName>Mets

Cubs
Indians
Giants
Marlins
White Sox
</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 22 - Reports persist that the Tigers are getting closer to dealing Urbina, possibly to the Mets, but the team also could decide to hold on to him. According to The Sporting News, the Mets are hoping the Tigers drop their price, said to be a top prospect and a willingness to assume at least $3 million of Urbina's $4 million salary.

Monday's injury to Cubs closer Joe Borowski could create a better market for Urbina if the Cubs decide to look outside their organization for a replacement. However, the Tigers are under no pressure to deal Urbina and could opt to wait for a trading partner more willing to meet their price. With Troy Percival closing in Detroit, Urbina will serve as a set-up man in the near term. But he would prefer to be a closer somewhere. Urbina, 31, was 4-6 with a 4.51 ERA and 21 saves in 2004.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Michael Restovich
Twins
</TD><TD class=statName></TD><TD align=left>Mar. 21 - Outfielder Michael Restovich could be in his final days with the Twins, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Restovich is out of options and would have to be placed on waivers if Minnesota tries to send him to the minors. He likely would be claimed since teams are always looking for slugging prospects.

"Everyone knows his situation," manager Ron Gardenhire told the newspaper. "â€¦ We have to make a decision on whether he is one of the best players here, or we're going to have to let him move on. It's pretty cut and dry, no two ways around it. If he's not [one of the 25 best players in camp] you have to let him move on and give him a chance to play somewhere."

Restovich, whose right shoulder is gaining strength after he broke his collarbone during the offseason, still can make the team as a backup outfielder. "I understand what happens if I don't make the Twins," he said. "I could either get traded or put on waivers. I understand that there are opportunities on other teams to play more. I also know that the grass isn't always greener. I could get stuck in the same situation somewhere else."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Ben Sheets
Brewers
</TD><TD class=statName>Contract</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 21 - Ben Sheets' agent, Casey Close, and Brewers GM Doug Melvin plan to meet Monday and discuss a contract extension for the right-hander, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports. Melvin would like to sign Sheets to a multiyear extension before the start of the season.

"We're going to have our first meeting," Melvin told the newspaper. "It's going to be away from the ballpark. I would imagine the first meeting will last around an hour. Then, we'll see where we go from there. Casey is going to be here [Arizona] 10 days, so we should be able to meet more than once." Sheets and the Brewers agreed to a $6 million, one-year contract before spring training and avoided a salary arbitration hearing.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

</TD><TD class=statName>RF, backup INF, LH hitter</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 21 - With the retirements of Danny Bautista and Roberto Alomar, the Devil Rays have added urgency to find a temporary starting right fielder and backup infielder (and perhaps a left-handed designated hitter), but according to the Tampa Tribune, no deals are imminent.

"Historically, the end of spring training is one of the worst times in baseball to try to make a trade," GM Chuck LaMar told the newspaper. "I know the staff and players are looking to the front office to fill that hole, but I will not overpay with one of our young, cornerstone kind of pieces to fill a hole that we're only going to have for three months [until the return of injured CF Rocco Baldelli]."

LaMar has ruled out a trade involving minor-leaguers Delmon Young, B.J. Upton and Jeff Niemann â€“ the prospects most teams ask about first. "They're coming after the same guys," said LaMar. "I'm not afraid of dealing some of our minor-league prospects. I'm not against that. But there are three or four players we will not talk about, I don't care how big a need we have here." According to the St. Petersburg Times, some probable outfield targets include Baltimore's Jay Gibbons, Cincinnati's Wily Mo Pena, Pittsburgh's Rob Mackowiak, Washington's Terrmel Sledge, Oakland's Eric Byrnes and the Mets' Eric Valent. The Rays also have about $4 million to spend â€“ saving $2.5 million with Alomar and Bautista's departures â€“ and some pitching to offer such as Lance Carter, Trever Miller and Jorge Sosa.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Byung-Hyun Kim
Red Sox
</TD><TD class=statName>Rockies

Brewers
</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 21 - According to the Boston Globe, time is running out for Byung Hyun Kim to make an impression on the Red Sox or any prospective suitors. The right-hander has pitched just 3 2/3 innings in three appearances this spring (through March 20), and his velocity is down around 85 mph.

"He's just a shadow of the pitcher he was in Arizona," one major league scout told the newspaper." This is a guy who threw in the 90s when he was in Arizona, and his slider had incredible movement. Now, his slider is flat. He's a very, very marginal pitcher right now. I wouldn't give the Red Sox $500,000 for him, and they want a player back because they're willing to eat the money."

The Sox owe Kim $6 million this season in the last year of a two-year, $10 million contract. It appears unlikely Kim will win a job in Boston's bullpen coming out of camp, and it appears almost as unlikely the Sox will be able to unload him, even though other clubs say the Sox have indicated a willingness to eat all but $1 million of his contract, provided they get a prospect in return. The Rockies and Brewers have shown interest, but that interest could dry up in a hurry â€“ if it hasn't already.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

</TD><TD class=statName>Backup infielder</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 21 - The Nationals are looking for a backup infielder who can play shortstop, the Washington Times reports. The team has no true options behind starter Cristian Guzman. Utility infielder Jamey Carroll can play the position but is more suited for second base, and 19-year-old Ian Desmond is not ready for prime time.

"It's not a secret that we've been trying to find a backup shortstop," GM Tim Bowden told the newspaper. "But we haven't been able to find that piece in a deal that makes sense." Club sources say the Nationals have held talks with the Mariners, Padres, Braves and Mets. Potential targets include Seattle's Pokey Reese (who is in danger of losing his job to Jose Lopez), San Diego's Geoff Blum and Atlanta's Wilson Betemit.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Fernando ViÃ±a
Tigers
</TD><TD class=statName>Health</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 21 - The Tigers are under the belief that Fernando Vina, who is at his home rehabbing from surgery to repair a blown knee, will not play again this year and might retire as soon as the end of the season, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Vina played just 29 games last season for Detroit and was placed on the disabled when a torn tendon in his knee that required surgery was discovered.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

</TD><TD class=statName>Pitching</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 21 - The Reds are calling around in an attempt to acquire pitching, ESPN's Peter Gammons reports. There are the rumors of the Mets and Nationals' being interested in acquiring Willy Mo Pena. The Reds also told the Astros they would move Junior Griffey to Houston â€“ for four top prospects.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Tim Redding
Astros
</TD><TD class=statName>Mets</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 20 - The Mets are exploring all options to replace Steve Trachsel. According to the New York Post, the Mets are eyeing Astros' right-hander Tim Redding. The 27-year-old has a 5.19 ERA in three exhibition appearances. A year ago, the Mets were interested in Redding as the July 31 trade deadline approached, but instead pulled the trigger at the last second on the twin deals for Victor Zambrano and Kris Benson.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Juan Encarnacion
Marlins
</TD><TD class=statName>Pirates</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 17 - The Marlins finally might have found a taker for Juan Encarnacion, MLB.com reports. The Pirates are interested in the outfielder, who could fill a need for an additional right-handed power hitter in their lineup. The Marlins would probably have to pay about half the $4.45 million Encarnacion's due this year, and no deal would be made until Jeff Conine proves he can return from two offseason surgeries on his throwing shoulder. If Encarnacion is traded, Miguel Cabrera would likely switch to right field, with Conine becoming the regular in left field.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Aramis Ramirez
Cubs
</TD><TD class=statName>Extension</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 17 - There have been no serious discussions between Ramirez's agent and the Cubs on a multiyear contract extension, the Chicago Tribune reports. The third baseman is seeking a four-year deal for about $12 million per year â€“ numbers similar to Adrian Beltre's, who signed a five-year, $64 million deal with Seattle. Both sides have said they will not negotiate during the season.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Alex Sanchez
Tigers
</TD><TD class=statName>Astros

Pirates
Devil Rays
Marlins
</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 17 - Alex Sanchez, who was released by the Tigers this week, has attracted interest from the Astros, Devil Rays and Pirates, ESPN's Jayson Stark reports. A source with knowledge of Sanchez's negotiations said Sanchez is leaning toward signing with Houston. According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Juan Iglesias, Sanchez's agent, also has initiated contact with the Marlins. "The type of player he is, he would fit perfectly with that team," said Iglesias, adding that Sanchez would sign somewhere by week's end.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Bret Prinz
Yankees
</TD><TD class=statName>Diamondbacks</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 17 - According to the East Valley Tribune, the Diamondbacks might be interested in re-acquiring right-handed reliever Bret Prinz â€“ even though an Arizona team official said Prinz's name has not come up since it was mentioned in one of the Randy Johnson trade scenarios in December. Prinz, who is in Yankees camp, is out of minor league options and must make the Yanks' roster or be subject to a waiver claim.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Steve Trachsel
Mets
</TD><TD class=statName>Health</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 17 - Steve Trachsel will have surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back and is expected to be out at least three months, the San Jose Mercury News reports.

The Mets will first look internally to fill Trachsel's spot. "Hopefully we get him back soon," said Pedro Martinez. "It'll be nice to get him back to be the consistent starter that he's always been."

Right-handers Matt Ginter, Jae Seo, and Aaron Heilman would be the most likely to replace Trachsel as the fifth starter in the Mets' rotation behind Martinez, Tom Glavine, Kris Benson and Victor Zambrano. "The opportunity is there for a few guys," said manager Willie Randolph. "We'll see who takes the bull by the horns."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Nick Johnson
Expos
</TD><TD class=statName></TD><TD align=left>Mar. 17 - According to the Washington Post, Nationals GM Jim Bowden would like to acquire another capable bat to hit lower in the order. Nick Johnson's spot is the one at stake, in large part because he hasn't been healthy enough to show what he can do over the course of an entire season. Johnson batted just .251 in 73 games in 2004 after battling a back injury at the start of the season and a broken cheekbone at the end. But he hit .284 with 14 homers and a .422 on-base percentage in 324 at-bats for the Yanks in 2003. He also is 26 years old, bats left-handed and made just $1.25 million last season.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

</TD><TD class=statName>DH</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 17 - The Rangers are looking at a platoon of outfielder David Dellucci (against right-handers) and first baseman Greg Colbrunn (against lefties), but according to the Dallas Morning News, they haven't stopped snooping around about obtaining a full-time designated hitter in a trade.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Mark Guthrie
Devil Rays
</TD><TD class=statName>?</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 17 - The Devil Rays released left-hander Mark Guthrie on Wednesday, making the decision in time for him to catch on elsewhere, the St. Petersburg Times reports. "A lot of teams keep guys around for their own selfishness in case somebody gets hurt," Guthrie told the newspaper. "I appreciate their honesty in letting me go and giving me another chance to hook on." Guthrie, who didn't pitch anywhere last season, is healthy after having left shoulder surgery 10 months ago. "It's perfect," he said. "I haven't felt this good in seven or eight years. â€¦ I vowed that if I didn't feel better, if it felt the same [as it had], I'd just retire. But it feels better, and that's what keeps me playing."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Kurt Ainsworth
Orioles
</TD><TD class=statName>Health</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 17 - Kurt Ainsworth most likely will undergo surgery to repair his right shoulder, with a goal of returning for the 2006 season, the Baltimore Sun reports. Retirement no longer is an immediate consideration.

An examination of his right shoulder Tuesday in Baltimore revealed slight tears in his labrum and rotator cuff and a divot in the socket. The Orioles are prepared to place him on a throwing program after a 10-day rest period, but Ainsworth is ready to take a more aggressive approach. "You know your own body, and I feel like rehab might not be the best way to go right now," the right-hander told the newspaper. "With these kinds of injuries, they don't repair themselves. If we did the rehab, it just might be delaying the inevitable. It's not going to go away."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Aubrey Huff
Devil Rays
</TD><TD class=statName>Braves

Pirates
Cubs
Orioles
</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 15 - Aubrey Huff was the subject of trade rumors this winter, and more are sure to pop up if the Devil Rays get off to a slow start, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Huff, who's owed $4.75 million this season and $6.75 in 2006, would like to stay put. "Instead of going to a contender and making it easy, I'd like to build something here," he told the newspaper. Huff hit .297 with 29 home runs and 104 RBI in 157 games last season. Previous reports suggested the Devil Rays would want an everyday player (preferably a pitcher) and two top-notch prospects in exchange for him.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

</TD><TD class=statName>Ownership</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 15 - A's GM Billy Beane has been talking with soon-to-be owner Lew Wolff on his status with the team, which could include partial ownership, the San Jose Mercury News reports.

"I've had some conversations with Lew Wolff," Beane told the newspaper. "I have an out in my contract if there is an ownership change. I've had great talks with him. I really like him. I think he's going to be a real positive for this organization. â€¦ I'm not looking for a reason to leave." The Oakland Coliseum board approved the transfer of the A's lease to the prospective buyer, who reportedly will pay $180 million for the team. The final hurdle is getting the OK from commissioner Bud Selig, and considering Selig and Wolff were fraternity brothers in college, that seems a formality. The sale could be final before the regular season begins.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Rondell White
Tigers
</TD><TD class=statName>?</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 15 - Rondell White is competing for the Tigers' left field job with Craig Monroe and Bobby Higginson, and a trade might ease the logjam, the Detroit Free Press reports. Manager Alan Trammell likely won't settle on a left fielder until the very end of camp, perhaps hoping the situation sorts itself out by then. White has a salary of $3 million and is in the last year of his current contract. "I know I'm not a superstar but when I'm out there, I think I do make a difference in the game and I know it's not time for me not to be playing everyday. Not yet," Rondell told the newspaper.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Kevin Mench
Rangers
</TD><TD class=statName>Contract</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 15 - Ivan Schwartz, the agent for Kevin Mench, met with Rangers management again Tuesday about securing a long-term contract for his client, the Dallas Morning News reports

Mench's contract was renewed by the Rangers for the $345,000 he played for last season, but both sides agreed to continue talking about a multiyear deal, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. Mench could make up to $10 million over four years. If he signs a multiyear deal, the contract would start at $750,000 this year. "They understand our feelings and we understand where they are coming from," Schwartz told the newspaper. "But if they are talking about the young nucleus of the team being Hank Blalock, Michael Young and Mark Teixeira, we think with what Kevin has accomplished in a short-term, he should be spoken about as part of that core."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Frank Thomas
White Sox
</TD><TD class=statName>Health</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 15 - According to the Providence Journal, an early return is possible for Frank Thomas, who's still recovering from major surgery on his left ankle. Thomas is expected back in the White Sox lineup by mid-April, after there were some concerns that he might not be ready until June.

Thomas has been taking batting practice in the cages, throwing and doing some light running this spring. He credits a mostly fish diet in the offseason with helping him to lose 15 pounds, bringing his weight down to about 270 pounds. Losing the weight will help speed his return to the lineup, and he might even play in an exhibition game if his rehab goes well. "At the end of spring, if I'm ready to go, I'm going to try and test it," said the two-time MVP. "[Trainer Herm Schneider is telling me, 'No, no, no, no.' And the doctors are telling me, 'No, no, no, no.' But I'm going to see how it feels. It's not the first time I've had an ankle injury, not the first time I had ankle pain. I'll see if I'm ready to play."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Endy Chavez
Nationals
</TD><TD class=statName>?</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 15 - As the Nationals determine whether Endy Chavez can be their everyday center fielder and leadoff hitter in 2005, they also are attempting to gauge the trade market for him, the Washington Post reports.

Manager Frank Robinson sat down with Chavez and had a long talk with him before spring training started and he made clear what he expected out of his young player. "I told him, No. 1, I want you on this team. I want you to make this team because we will be a better ball club if you are here," Robinson told WTOP Radio. "I need certain things and the first thing I want you do is to score 100 runs or more."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Bobby Seay
Devil Rays
</TD><TD class=statName></TD><TD align=left>Mar. 14 - If the right deal comes along, the Devil Rays hope to acquire a left-handed bat or an extra middle infielder in a trade, most likely for one of their young pitchers, the Tampa Tribune reports. Left-hander Bobby Seay or right-handers Jorge Sosa and Jose Diaz could be the bait.

"Our pitching is here," manager Lou Piniella told the newspaper. "We're not going anywhere for pitching. What we have here is what we are going to leave with. We might leave with our [current] offense here, but I think we need to add another bat. Remember, we're very thin, and one injury will really create a big problem for us." GM Chuck LaMar expects to pull the trigger on some kind of trade before the regular season to boost the offense. "We could use another infielder, and we could use a left- handed bat," said LaMar. "Those two would top the priority list for the rest of spring training."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Eric Byrnes
Athletics
</TD><TD class=statName>Pirates

Mets?
</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 11 - Eric Byrnes, who's still coveted by several teams, has not officially been named a starting outfielder by the A's. While the possibility of a trade remains, that scenario is growing more unlikely given the relative inexperience of the rest of Oakland's outfield.

"We're looking at things right now,'' manager Ken Macha told the newspaper. "Byrnes is playing well. â€¦ He might not be here, I don't know.â€¦ If he's here, he's going to play a lot.''

One member of the organization said Byrnes has not been declared the starter because the belief is that he plays better when he thinks he has to fight for a job. There also is strong sentiment in the clubhouse against trading Byrnes.

"I think he should be here,'' third baseman Eric Chavez said. "Our job is not to general-manager the team, but you're always better with better players. I told Eric today, 'You're not in the lineup -- you bring energy to the lineup.' And he brings energy to the fans, and the fans love him.'' 

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

</TD><TD class=statName>Relief help?</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 11 - According to the Chicago Tribune, an end-of-the-spring trade to improve the bullpen remains a possibility for the Cubs. But for now the Cubs are content with what they have seen of their bullpen.

GM Jim Hendry said Thursday he hasn't spoken to any team lately about acquiring relief help: "People are just getting going. We just want to see our own guys play for a while and see how they stack up. For the most part, our guys have been throwing pretty well."

The Cubs may be looking for a second left-hander for the bullpen if Glendon Rusch makes the rotation. The prime candidates in camp have been Will Ohman and Steve Randolph, who both have been inconsistent. As for the right-handers, Jon Leicester is working his way into a late-inning relief role, along with Chad Fox, who signed a minor-league contract. Meanwhile, Joe Borowski continues to make a case for himself in the closer's role. Ryan Dempster also has looked strong and is being considered as both a starter and a closer.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Johnny Damon
Red Sox
</TD><TD class=statName>Contract</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 10 - Johnny Damon, who's in the final year of his contract, and his agent are waiting to hear from the Red Sox to begin talks, the Boston Globe reports. Damon is in a similar situation as Jason Varitek, Pedro Martinez, Derek Lowe, and Nomar Garciaparra faced last season.

While Martinez (Mets), Lowe (Dodgers), and Garciaparra (Cubs) seemed affected at times last year by their status, Damon believes he'll fall more closely in line with Varitek, who wound up re-signing with the Sox, and not let the uncertainty affect his 2005 season if a deal is not struck. "I'd like to finish up my career here and get locked up for a long time," Damon told the newspaper. "I know it's always been Red Sox policy to wait until after the season, but that can get hairy. â€¦ I don't want to be looking over my shoulder at the All-Star break and thinking, 'OK, what's going on here.' "

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Mike Cameron
Mets
</TD><TD class=statName>Astros

Mariners
A's
Diamondbacks
Rockies
Tigers
</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 9 - Mike Cameron wants to remain a Met. According to the N.Y. Daily News, he instructed his agent, Mike Nicotera, to phone GM Omar Minaya and deputy Jim Duquette on Tuesday night and request to be taken off the market.

Minaya, who likes the possibility of having Cameron's center-field range in right, had been discussing deals with other teams due to Cameron's apparent wariness about a position switch. "He's now told them, 'If you're trying because of me, you don't have to try anymore,'" Nicotera told the newspaper. "We informed them that he wants to stay. He's had enough time to digest the change and get a feel about the team. He wants to stay in New York."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Mark Teixeira
Rangers
</TD><TD class=statName>Long-term deal?</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 9 - Mark Teixeira won't be cheap for the Rangers â€“ who have been reluctant to approach his agent, Scott Boras, about a long-term deal â€“ to lock up.

"He's the new poster boy for the union, the next massive-contract-waiting-to-happen in baseball -- the kind of contract that will help keep salaries high over the next five years," an AL scout told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "[Rangers owner Tom] Hicks should have held off on paying A-Rod all that money. If Teixeira keeps it up, it may take that kind of deal for the Rangers to keep him." Teixeira, 24, received a four-year, $9.5 million deal as a first-round draft choice in 2001.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

J.R. House
Pirates
</TD><TD class=statName>?</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 9 - J.R. House unexpectedly was released by the Pirates on Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. House, whose season ended Feb. 22 when he had surgery for a rotator cuff tear, was the Pirates' fifth-round draft pick in 1999 and has battled injuries for most of his career.

"It's certainly an unfortunate story because at times we had high hopes for J.R.," GM Dave Littlefield told the newspaper. "But at this point in time, we just don't see him making the team."

The 25-year-old catcher will become a free agent once he clears waivers in the next 48 hours and collect 30 days of termination pay (about $30,000) from the Bucs. "It's up to me to get healthy and put a good product on the field to where other people will be interested in me," said House. "So that's where I am right now and that's the mission I'm on."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Todd Helton
Rockies
</TD><TD class=statName></TD><TD align=left>Mar. 9 - The lone star of the rebuilding Rockies is in no hurry to leave Colorado. "No, I'm not to that point where I've started thinking that way yet," Todd Helton told the Rocky Mountain News. "I truly believe I'm going to make the playoffs here. â€¦ I don't know why, but I do have that faith â€¦. I guess it's what keeps me going."

Helton, whom the Rockies chose in the first round of the 1995 baseball draft, came to Denver in 1997 and has put up 251 home runs and 836 RBI in his first seven years in the majors. "I am very, very lucky in the fact I'm in a great city with things I like to do. It's a good organization. We just got to start winning a little bit more," he said. "It's got everything besides the wins. I think we're going in the right direction. I don't think we can go in the other direction any further, to be honest with you."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Terrmel Sledge
Nationals
</TD><TD class=statName>?</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 8 - The Nationals like Terrmel Sledge but are not sure where to play him (left field, right, center, first base?), so he may be trade bait, the Washington Post reports. Though GM Jim Bowden said Monday he has talked to only one team about Sledge, the rumors have been strong enough that manager Frank Robinson addressed them with his young player.

"I don't want all the negative thoughts getting into his head, and him standing there wondering, 'What?' " Robinson told the newspaper. "I believe in telling a guy the truth. Most of the time, when a player's name comes up [in] trades and things â€¦ it's other teams asking about an individual. Very rarely would you go around, with a talent like him, offering him in a trade." Sledge isn't worrying about the chatter. "Rumors are rumors," said Sledge. "If my name pops up, that's fine. But I'm a Washington National, and that's what I want to be."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Justin Thompson
Rangers
</TD><TD class=statName>Retirement?</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 7 - Justin Thompson's comeback finally might have come to an end after being cut from Rangers camp Sunday, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. Manager Buck Showalter told the left-hander he had no chance to make the pitching staff out of spring training.

Thompson, who has had four shoulder surgeries and has not made it back to the big leagues, is weighing three possible options: go to the minor league camp and continue to pitch; try to hook on with another team; or accept a job in the Rangers organization as a pitching instructor. "I told him to take a day or two to think about it," Showalter told the newspaper. "The stuff just isn't there right now; he's not going to make our team."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Brad Penny
Dodgers
</TD><TD class=statName>Extension</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 7 - Right-hander Brad Penny will be eligible for free agency in the fall, and Dodgers GM Paul DePodesta would like to sign him to an extension sooner than later, the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Penny is represented by Greg Genske, a tough negotiator. Genske held up what effectively was a three-team trade among the Dodgers, Diamondbacks and Yankees until he could get a two-year, $30 million extension from Arizona for Shawn Green, who then waived his no-trade clause. Penny has a 2005 base salary of $5.1 million on a contract he agreed to in January to avoid arbitration.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Jeff Weaver
Dodgers
</TD><TD class=statName>Extension</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 7 - Right-hander Jeff Weaver will be eligible for free agency in the fall, and Dodgers GM Paul DePodesta would like to sign him to an extension sooner than later, the Los Angeles Daily News reports. Weaver, who is represented by Scott Boras, has a base of $9.25 million in the final season of a four-year, $22 million deal he signed with Detroit before 2002. Weaver attended Simi Valley High and lives in Manhattan Beach, but Boras isn't known for giving hometown discounts.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Jake Peavy
Padres
</TD><TD class=statName>Contract</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 7 - Right-hander Jake Peavy finalized his $14.5 million, four-year contract with the Padres on March 4, the San Jose Mercury News reports. The sides agreed to the contract earlier in the week, but were waiting to get the pact insured before announcing it.

Peavy will earn salaries of $750,000 this season, $2.5 million in 2006, $4.75 million in 2007 and $6 million in 2008. The Padres hold an option for 2009 at $8 million, with a $500,000 buyout.

The deal also contains performance bonuses and escalators. If Peavy pitches a total of 600 innings from 2005-07, his 2008 salary will increase to $6.5 million. If he pitches 200 innings from 2006-08, including 200 innings in 2008, the option would increase to $9 million. If he wins the Cy Young Award in any season, his option would be worth $11 million. There are also escalators that would add $500,000 to the option year for finishing in the top three in the Cy Young voting from 2005-08.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Jered Weaver
Angels
</TD><TD class=statName>Contract</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 4 - Jered Weaver could be back in the June 7 draft after the Angels failed to agree to terms with the first-round pick, The L.A. Times reported. GM Bill Stoneman set a midnight Wednesday deadline for Weaver's agent, Scott Boras, to accept the club's latest offer (five years, $5.25 million), and the deadline came and went.

Boras lowered his asking price from $10.5 million to $8 million in recent weeks, but it wasn't enough to reach an agreement. In compensation for not signing Weaver, the Angels will receive a pick between the first and second rounds of this June's draft.

"You think everything is going along fine, then they throw this ultimatum at you and give you (two days) to make a decision?" Gail Weaver, Jered's mother, told The Times. "That was quite a shock. It's very disappointing. I don't think they tried hard enough. "I told (Stoneman) from the beginning that if they treated Jered fairly, he'd be an Angel, and they didn't treat Jered fairly. That's it."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

David Bell
Phillies
</TD><TD class=statName>Injury</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 4 - The back spasms 3B David Bell has been experiencing are worse than anticipated. The Bucks County Courier Times reported Bell has a sprained annular ligament in his lower back and he'll likely miss the beginning of the season. Placido Polanco, normally a 2B, will be moved over in the interim.

"I'd rather retire five times than take the job from the guy, and I really mean it," Polanco said in The Times. "I'm not happy at all. David is a gamer, one of the best players on the team. I hope he gets better as soon as possible."

Bell was told to avoid all baseball related activities for at least three weeks after he received an epidermal injection on Wednesday. The earliest he could start fielding grounders or taking batting practice is March 24, less than two weeks before the season opener. "It's not likely David will be able to start the season," manager Charlie Manuel added. "He has to get his arm in shape. He has to move some at third. He has to get in shape. I think that would take two or three weeks."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Oliver Perez
Pirates
</TD><TD class=statName>Contract</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 3 - Oliver Perez was unhappy enough with the Pirates' final contract offer for this season that he refused to sign it by the team-mandated deadline of 5 p.m. Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. As a result, management exercised its right to unilaterally impose a salary.

Perez will receive $381,000 â€“ a $60,000 raise from last season, but not much more than the MLB minimum ($316,000) and about $100,000 below what he was seeking.

"Like any business, you're trying to run things professionally and appropriately. You want your employees, your players, to be happy," GM Dave Littlefield told the newsapper. "At the same time, we think we've got to do things relative to the marketplace that we're in. That's common sense to me, and that's how we'll do business." Perez, 23, is a zero-to-three player, meaning he has fewer than three years of major-league experience (two years and 80 days) and almost no leverage in contract talks. He is not eligible for arbitration until after the coming season. He then will have three years of arbitration eligibility and can become a free agent after the 2008 season.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Jason Bay
Pirates
</TD><TD class=statName>Contract</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 3 - Jason Bay refused to sign the Pirates' final contract offer by the team-mandated deadline of 5 p.m. Wednesday, so the team exercised its right to unilaterally impose a salary. Bay, the NL's rookie of the year, will receive $355,000 -- a $50,000 raise, but not much more than the MLB minimum ($316,000) and about $100,000 below what he was seeking. "There was just no way we were going to agree, so why bother?" Bay's agent, Joe Urbon, told the newspaper. "Jason was first rookie of the year in the history of the Pirates. I'll bet, if you go around that locker room and ask all of his teammates if they would have a problem if he were paid like other players who have won that, they would say no. This was a special instance."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Gary Sheffield
Yankees
</TD><TD class=statName>Contract</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 2 - Gary Sheffield is still seeing red over the green. According to Newsday, Sheffield wants to be paid interest on the $4.5 million deferred without interest annually from his $39 million contract â€“ even after the Yankees told him to forget about getting any more loot.

Sheffield publicly has suggested he is no longer complaining about the money and claimed he is doing "everything everyone else is doing." But he is the only Yankee who continues to refuse to do interviews for the YES Network.

Owner George Steinbrenner doesn't think the situation is close to being solved. The Boss answered "nope" when asked whether Sheffield's contractual gripe was resolved and "we'll see" as to whether it will ever be resolved. Sheffield is in the second year of a three-year deal. He receives $8.5 million annually with the rest deferred without interest. Sheffield also has $4.5 million deferred without interest on his $13 million club option for the 2007 season.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Denny Neagle
Devil Rays
</TD><TD class=statName></TD><TD align=left>Mar. 2 - Denny Neagle is fighting the Rockies' efforts to void his contract after an offseason arrest for allegedly soliciting a prostitute, the Rocky Mountain News reports. Neagle, who signed a minor-league contract with the Devil Rays, was due $9 million from the Rockies this season. The contract fight is expected to go before an arbitrator in mid-April. "We are preparing for the hearing," Donald Fehr, head of the Major League Baseball Players Association, told the newspaper. "We feel we have a very strong case."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Hideki Matsui
Yankees
</TD><TD class=statName>Extension</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 2 - Arn Tellem, Hideki Matsui's agent, and Yankees GM Brian Cashman started negotiations on a contract extension last weekend, but the left fielder doesn't expect anything to be completed during spring training.

Matsui is due $8 million in 2005, the final season of a $21 million, three-year deal. He has a clause in his contract that requires the Yankees to put him on waivers unless a new contract is agreed to by Nov. 15. "Probably not going to be anything that's going to happen prior to the beginning of the season," Matsui said through an interpreter. "My original plan was to play through my three years and then decide where to go from there. That was my original plan when I came here, and that still is."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Cal Ripken

</TD><TD class=statName>Front office job?</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 2 - Cal Ripken is being courted by more than one prospective Nationals ownership group to play a significant role in the team's operations, the Washington Post reports. Ripken would be interested if it would allow him to tap his baseball expertise without straining his family life.

"My whole life has been baseball," the longtime Oriole, who retired in 2001, told the newspaper. "I think I've developed a certain expertise. All those jobs interest me. My issue is that in my own life I want the flexibility to be home with my kids now because I value that time."

Ripken hasn't made any commitments, even informally, to any suitors. Nor is he expected to link with any investor group at least until Major League Baseball announces its choice to purchase the former Montreal Expos. That decision is expected to be made later this year. After that, Ripken and his representatives say he could be interested in a large role, including a possible equity stake and a decision-making position in the organization overseeing the major league and minor league levels.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Maels Rodriguez

</TD><TD class=statName>Orioles</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 1 - The Orioles are considering signing Cuban defector Maels Rodriguez, the Baltimore Sun reports. Rodriguez, 25, used to touch 100 mph with his fastball, but he hasn't pitched in two years, and the rust is making it difficult for the Orioles to get an accurate read on him.

"He was one of the best pitchers in the whole world," Orioles scout Chu Halabi told the newspaper. "His fastball is always around 96, 97. He has a great curveball. He's a great competitor. And he's a legitimate 25 years old. He's the real, real deal. We might be lucky." A pulled muscle near his rib cage has led Rodriguez to lower his elbow and lose velocity and movement. He still isn't close to throwing at his normal speed. "Right now, I'd say he's 70 percent," Halabi said. "He's getting his mechanics where he should be."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Tim Hudson
Braves
</TD><TD class=statName>Extension</TD><TD align=left>Mar. 1 - The Braves completed a $47 million, four-year contract extension with Tim Hudson on March 1, locking up the former 20-game winner who could have become a free agent at the end of the season. "It feels good to get it done,'' said Hudson, who will make $6.75 million this year.

His new deal calls for a $10 million signing bonus, payable when the contract is approved by the commissioner's office, and salaries of $4 million in 2006, $6 million in 2007 and $13 million each in 2008 and 2009. Hudson's extension contains a $12 million mutual option for 2010 with a $1 million buyout. If the option is exercised, the deal would be worth $58 million over five years.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Felipe Alou
Giants
</TD><TD class=statName>Extension</TD><TD align=left>Feb. 25 - The Giants have reached an understanding with manager Felipe Alou about a one-year extension, and president Peter Magowan predicts that Alou will return in 2006, the Oakland Tribune reports. "Really, the only question is when this has to get announced," Magowan told the newspaper. Alou, who will turn 70 in May, has a 191-132 record in the two years since replacing Dusty Baker. "I want to manage [in 2006]," said Alou. "I'd like to be here when Barry [Bonds] breaks the [home run] record. I'd like to win 1,000 games as a manager."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Victor Martinez
Indians
</TD><TD class=statName>New contract</TD><TD align=left>Feb. 24 - According to the Cleveland Plain Deal, it's unlikely the Indians and catcher Victor Martinez will get together on a multiyear deal in spring training. The Indians would like to sign Martinez to a four- or five-year contract, but agent Alan Nero doesn't think the price is right â€“ yet. If Martinez signed a one- year deal and went out and had a year similar to last season when he led all big league catchers in homers and RBI, his bargaining power would increase even though he wouldn't be eligible for arbitration.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Bruce Bochy
Padres
</TD><TD class=statName>Extension</TD><TD align=left>Feb. 24 - According to the North County Times, Bruce Bochy will get a two-year contract extension before spring training ends, assuring him of the Padres' helm through 2007. Bochy and GM Kevin Towers are near agreement on financial terms. It's up to owner John Moores to give the green light.

"This is a critical time for this organization," Towers told the newspaper. "It would be difficult to imagine a managerial change where we're at right now in the scheme of things â€“ coming off a winning season, with some momentum. I think the continuity is very important." Bochy ranks No. 2 among managers in continuous service with his current club. He is entering season No. 11 as the Padres' skipper. Only Bobby Cox, heading into the 16th year of his current stint with the Braves, has been around longer.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Paul Konerko
White Sox
</TD><TD class=statName>New contract</TD><TD align=left>Feb. 23 - Paul Konerko, a potential free agent after the season, is willing to talk contract with the White Sox during the year, the Daily Southtown reports. He will earn $8.75 million in the final year of a three-year pact. "It's just a matter of if we ever got to a fair deal before the end of the season," Konerko told the newspaper. "I'll be happy to do it and be a White Sox. â€¦ In my mind, the ball is in [their] court. I'm prepared to play the whole season out and take it from there. â€¦ I love Chicago. I have no problem staying here."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Preston Wilson
Rockies
</TD><TD class=statName>?</TD><TD align=left>Feb. 21 - Wilson was the subject of trade rumors all winter and reportedly was close to being sent to both the New York Mets and the San Diego Padres. But his balky knee and $12 million salary kept most bidders at bay. Now, though, Wilson is in training camp and appears healthy. While the Rockies aren't known to be shopping him at the moment, that could change if he begins showing the form that produced 36 homers and 141 RBI in 2003.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Bobby Higginson
Tigers
</TD><TD class=statName>Hot seat</TD><TD align=left>Feb. 18 - Bobby Higginson knows his days as a Tiger could be numbered because of Magglio OrdoÃ±ez's arrival, the Detroit News reports.

"My life lines are running out," Higginson told the newspaper. "If everybody stays healthy and everybody plays good â€¦ I'm probably the odd man out. That's just the way it is. You can see the writing on the wall, but you have to deal with it."

Manager Alan Trammell recently spoke with Higginson but couldn't tell him what the future holds. "He just told me that Magglio is our right fielder and everything else is pretty much up in the air," said Higginson. Speculation has swirled that the Tigers might release Higgy before the end of spring training, eating his $8.85 million salary the same way they consumed the $14 million they owed Damion Easley two years ago.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Javier Vazquez
Diamondbacks
</TD><TD class=statName>Future</TD><TD align=left>Feb. 18 - Javier Vazquez is uncertain of his future with the Diamondbacks, the Arizona Republic reports. Because Vazquez â€“ acquired from the Yankees in the Randy Johnson deal â€“ was traded during the middle of a multiyear contract, he has the option of demanding a trade after the 2005 season. If he does so, and the Diamondbacks fail to move him by March 15, 2006, Vazquez forfeits the final two years of his contract ($24 million) and becomes a free agent. "I have no idea right now. This is my first day of spring training. I don't know," he told the newspaper. "During the season I will have an idea and at the end of the season, I'll know."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Jorge Campillo

</TD><TD class=statName>Mariners</TD><TD align=left>Feb. 17 - The Mariners purchased Jorge Campillo's rights from the Mexico City Tigres on Thursday and believe he can compete for the fourth or fifth spot in the starting rotation. "You're instantly getting a guy who has that potential," said GM Bill Bavasi. "You have the ability to have him in Triple-A, as well." Campillo, a 26-year-old right-hander, was considered the Mexican's League's version of Greg Maddux. "He's not a thrower as much as he changes speeds, has command," said Bavasi. "He's probably average-fast, maybe a little bit below, but he can get above when he needs to. That's probably the best general description."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Chan Ho Park
Rangers
</TD><TD class=statName>Pressure</TD><TD align=left>Feb. 16 - The Rangers have gotten little return on the five-year, $65 million investment they made in Chan Ho Park in 2002. If he struggles out of the gate again, the Rangers might finally cut ties with him, swallow the remaining salary ($29 million) and give his rotation slot to a younger pitcher, the Dallas Morning News reports. "I've had some difficult times," Park told the newspaper. "But maybe that will help me be a stronger pitcher emotionally. I hate that I had those experiences, but I'm happy I've learned from them. I think it can be very positive."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Charles Johnson
Rockies
</TD><TD class=statName>Devil Rays

Dodgers
Pirates
</TD><TD align=left>Feb. 14 - According to the Denver Post, Charles Johnson is still looking for a way out of Colorado. "I was hoping for [a trade]. I still am," Johnson told the newspaper. "This will be my first spring where I am not going to be the top guy."

Johnson, 33, has fallen to third on the depth chart behind rookie J.D. Closser and veteran Todd Greene. The Rockies tried to move Johnson this offseason, but deals unraveled when Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh refused to pay the $1 million assignment bonus for Johnson to waive his no-trade clause. Colorado declined to fund any of the bonus after already agreeing to eat $8.25 million of Johnson's $9 million contract this season. Johnson is willing to drop the assignment bonus, and Tampa Bay remains his most likely destination â€“ but the Devil Rays are reluctant to part with Double-A catcher Shawn Riggans, believing Johnson eventually will be released.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Octavio Dotel
A's
</TD><TD class=statName>Cubs</TD><TD align=left>Feb. 10 - After trading wayward relief pitcher Kyle Farnsworth to the Tigers, Cubs GM Jim Hendry now is concentrating on finding a closer, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Indications are Oakland right-hander Octavio Dotel is on Hendry's short list.

Dotel, 28, made $2.8 million last season. The former Astro was traded June 24 to Oakland as part of the three-team deal that sent Carlos Beltran from Kansas City to Houston. With the A's, Dotel went 6-2 with a 4.09 ERA, 22 saves, 72 strikeouts and 18 walks in 50 2/3 innings. Despite his solid statistics, speculation late last season was that the A's would be willing to trade Dotel for the right offer.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Ken Macha
Athletics
</TD><TD class=statName>Extension</TD><TD align=left>Feb. 9 - The A's have put manager Ken Macha's contract extension on hold for now, the Oakland Tribune reports. There have been no negotiations since GM Billy Beane presented an initial offer to Macha's agent, Alan Nero, nearly two weeks ago.

"Don't read too much into it," Beane told the newspaper. "It really isn't worth climbing up that tree. â€¦ It's been put on the back burner." Macha â€“ who has won 187 regular-season games, the most for an Oakland manager in his first two full seasons since Alvin Dark won 188 in 1974 and 1975 â€“ is entering the final season of a three-year contract and will make $600,000.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

A.J. Burnett
Marlins
</TD><TD class=statName>Marlins</TD><TD align=left>Feb. 8 - After watching former Marlins teammate Carl Pavano navigate free agency, A.J. Burnett is looking forward to his turn next winter, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports. "We'll talk, but as far as I'm concerned I'm pretty much going to test the waters if I have a healthy season," Burnett told the newspaper. "Free agency looks like a fun time."

Burnett, who will make $3.65 million this season, has told the Marlins he wants terms similar to what was offered to Pavano (three years, $21 million). The team reportedly countered with $16 million for three years.

Florida is being cautious because it wants to see how Burnett holds up for a full season following surgery on his pitching elbow in 2003 which caused him to miss the first few months of 2004. 

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead width="522"><TD>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top width="522"><TD align=left>
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Roger Clemens
Astros
</TD><TD class=statName></TD><TD align=left>Feb. 6 - Could Roger Clemens ultimately end up back with the Yankees? Newsday reports that if the Astros fall out of the race this season, Clemens has an agreement with owner Drayton McLane to waive his no-trade clause and go back to New York.

It's not known whether he would accept a deal elsewhere, like Boston, but the Rocket isn't going to speak publicly about something that's supposed to be top secret, Newsday indicated. Clemens became the highest paid pitcher in major league history on Jan. 21 when the seven-time Cy Young Award winner agreed to a one-year, $18 million deal. 

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>