If Unit's tipping, Yanks stuck with tab

October 9, 2005
When Randy Johnson repaired to the clubhouse after being tattooed by Angels hitters (even the outs were rockets), he wore a perplexed look on his face and, according to observers, muttered: "I don't know what happened. It seemed like they knew what was coming." Perhaps they did.One Yankee said he had to be tipping his pitches, judging by the swings the Angels got and the pitches they took, one club official said there indeed was discussion of Johnson's pitch-tipping, at least among some Angels.
Yankees people suspected he was tipping pitches when the Mets creamed Johnson, 7-1, on May 21, and the theory is advanced whenever Johnson faces a team with National League players (the Angels have Vladimir Guerrero, Steve Finley and Orlando Cabrera).Cabrera told the Orange County Register they knew in Montreal by Johnson's glove position whether he'd throw a slider or fastball. "He used to tip his pitches a lot," Cabrera told the paper. "Any time he was going to throw a slider, we'd let it go and then hit his fastball."No Angels person was found who would admit they had Johnson's pitches this time, though. Of course, there's little upside to talking about it now."I will look you square in the eye," Darin Erstad swore to me. "We did not have one pitch that he threw. We never talked about it. We never looked at the video."And Mike Scioscia said: "No, he wasn't. Five or six years ago, when the guys faced him, they thought they saw something. But he adjusted. [Friday] there was no tipping of pitches."

Torre storyWin or lose, Joe Torre will keep his job, according to Yankees people. But word is Lou Piniella, who'd prefer the Yankees' job over others, might not take any managerial job offered this winter, creating a manager-in-waiting scenario.If Piniella does decide to sit on the sideline for now, it will not be discouraged by a certain faction of the Yankees' front office that believes Piniella is much better than Torre strategically.LA choice: Collins or OrelBaseball executives believe GM Paul DePodesta favors Terry Collins for Dodgers manager. However, certain folks still are stumping for Orel Hershiser, and it's possible embattled owner Frank McCourt will take Hershiser, the Dodgers icon who's now the Rangers' pitching coach."I'd hate to lose him, but I think he'd do a tremendous job. He's a forward thinker," new Rangers GM Jon Daniels said of Hershiser. Daniels said he hadn't been contacted yet regarding Hershiser.DePodesta, meanwhile, returns tomorrow from Italy, where he attended his sister's wedding. Which could indicate he knew his team wasn't going anywhere.King from Queens Congratulations go to Daniels, a rising star who grew up in Fresh Meadows and Bayside and became the youngest GM ever at 28 when he replaced John Hart in Texas.I remember Daniels as a bright kid just out of Cornell, handing out his card at the 1999 winter meetings. He started as an exec at Allied Dome, owner of Dunkin' Donuts. Even if he wasn't just serving coffee and doughnuts, he's come a long way. His buddy A.J. Preller, from Huntington and also Cornell, who also handed out cards that day, is Texas' director of international scouting.Congratulations and a warning: There are sharks in the water.Bucking the Yankees?If anyone thinks Buck Showalter didn't remove his stars on purpose to get to the Yankees, they haven't been paying attention. That said, the Yankees should have tried harder last Sunday. The Indians were still alive when the Yankees took out their own players. Once they did that, they forfeited the right to complain about Showalter.


Source: http://www.newsday.com/

Rockies catch break with Ojeda

October 12, 2005
Colorado Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd's off-season focus will be to add a proven catcher.
Tuesday, he added depth at the position without sacrificing roster flexibility.
Miguel Ojeda was claimed off waivers from the Seattle Mariners, giving the Rockies a potentially strong defensive catcher with some power to team with Danny Ardoin.
A key is that Ojeda, 30, signed by San Diego out of the Mexican League three years ago, has an option left, meaning the Rockies could send him to the minor leagues as insurance if they are able to swing a deal for another catcher.
Ojeda has a .221 batting average with 13 home runs and 57 RBI in 182 major-league games.
Josh Bard, of the Cleveland Indians, a Cherry Creek High graduate, and Boston Red Sox prospect Kelly Shoppach are believed to be at the top of the Rockies' wish list.
Ojeda, signed for $340,000 in 2006, gives the Rockies a defensive presence similar to Ardoin, whose ability to slow an opposing running game was considered a key part of the Rockies' second-half climb to respectability.
Meanwhile, first baseman Ryan Shealy, looking for a way to make the team despite the presence of Todd Helton, has started monthly off-season workouts as an outfielder with Rockies coach Dave Collins.
Shealy also was selected to participate in tryouts for the U.S. team in the Olympic qualifying tournament in November. Marcel Lachemann, special assistant to O'Dowd, will be the pitching coach for that team.
Bob McClure, the Rockies' Class AAA pitching coach, has emerged as the No. 1 candidate for the Kansas City Royals pitching coach job and is on Seattle's list of candidates for the same job.
Former Rockies coach Fred Kendall, most recently the team's roving catching instructor, has accepted the job as bullpen coach with the Royals, major-league sources said.
Thad Levin, the Rockies' senior director-baseball operations, has been offered the assistant general manager job with the Texas Rangers. John Daniels, a former intern in the Rockies' scouting department, is the new Rangers general manager.

Source: http://www.rockymountainnews.com/

Playoff clubs sit atop the pay scale

ATLANTA — For the first time since 1999, all eight playoff teams are in the upper half of the payroll spectrum.
Since 2000, either the small-market Oakland Athletics or Minnesota Twins — or both — qualified for the postseason. This defied the sentiment of Commissioner Bud Selig, who has said it's impossible for small-market teams in their financial structure to sustain their performance vs. the richer franchises.
This season, when the unlikely playoff run of the Cleveland Indians — who have baseball's 26th-highest payroll — ended on the season's last day, the commissioner's words proved correct. (Related item: Postseason teams' payrolls)
If the Chicago White Sox are successful in eliminating Boston from the playoffs they'll do it with the second-lowest payroll of the eight postseason teams.
The White Sox, who took a 2-0 lead Wednesday in their best-of-five Division Series battle with the big-spending Red Sox, have a postseason payroll of $74.2 million, which ranks 13th among the 30 teams.
Only the San Diego Padres, at 15th with a $70.5 million payroll, are lower, according to a USA TODAY survey of all team payrolls as of Aug. 31 when playoff rosters were set.
The Yankees, with their record $202.9 million payroll, are first, and Boston, at $126.83 million, is second.
Change the format
As the postseason picks up steam it continues to amaze me why the powers that be won't change the Division Series to a best-of-seven format.
There's little credibility after a grueling 162-game season to have it end abruptly for Division Series teams after, in some cases, just three games. I don't think a true champion can be determined in the current best-of-five arrangement.
"I've always been an advocate of four out of seven," says Atlanta manager Bobby Cox. "I know they've looked at this for years. They keep talking about it, but a lot of things would have happen."
New York Yankees manager Joe Torre has always said the best-of-five is unfair.
Why not start by shortening the season to 154 games? That would make it work, but because the bottom line is so important to those who run the game, it won't happen. Income from the extra eight games is very important.
Selig is very cautious about discussing the subject but says it has been investigated. In fact, in talking with him, I get the feeling he might like a return to 154 games.
If that cannot be done, eliminate some of the off days. With jet travel today, a best-of-seven Division Series could be compressed into roughly the same time frame.
Another problem is television. The network suits would have a difficult time with a best-of-seven tournament.
When general managers meet next month, they should make this a priority and make a recommendation to management to make the change.
It pays to be a Yankee
It's October, and the Yankees are still playing. For three players who've been in the postseason for each of the 10 consecutive years Torre has taken them to the playoffs, it's been a lucrative run.
According to a USA TODAY study, Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams and Mariano Rivera each have earned $1,642,729.80 in postseason shares beginning in 1996. Elder statesman Williams got another $15,112.76 when the Yanks went to the playoffs in 1995 under Buck Showalter.
Torre and pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre always have received the full amount. Stottlemyre is the only member of Torre's staff who's been on board for the 10-year run.
Ownership search drags
Finding a permanent owner for the Washington Nationals continues, but there's no word from MLB when Selig will make his final selection. Chances are it won't happen until after the World Series, but any new owner would like to be on board in time to be involved with this offseason's free agents.
Bob DuPuy, MLB president and chief operating officer who's handling the process, says the fact there's still no lease for the proposed new stadium near the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C., is a problem.
"The difficulty with the lease remains a troublesome issue," DuPuy says. "I've been in touch with all eight of the ownership candidates, and we're trying to move the process forward as rapidly as possible so the eventual owner can plan for the coming season."
Why not Hart?
If Stuart Sternberg, who took control of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays from founder Vince Naimoli on Thursday, wants to turn the franchise around quickly with a capable general manager, he should contact John Hart.
There's none better than Hart, who resigned this week as the Texas Rangers GM, at molding a contending team. Given the great, young talent the Devil Rays have, Hart, who built all those championship teams in Cleveland, would be an excellent choice.
The catch is if he wants to jump back into the GM trenches. He's been talking for years about stepping down and finally did it with the Rangers when he turned the reins over to his protégé, 28-year-old Jon Daniels.

Source: http://www.usatoday.com/

Hart Intrigued By Rays' GM Post

Published: Oct 7, 2005
TAMPA - John Hart, who won seven division titles and appeared in two World Series as general manager with Cleveland, could be a candidate to join the Devil Rays as a replacement for Chuck LaMar.
Hart, who this week moved into an advisory role in Texas after stepping down as Rangers GM, said Thursday night, "If the right thing presented itself, I would have interest."
He stopped short of jumping into the competition to replace LaMar, who was fired Wednesday as Rays' GM. But Hart also made it clear he is intrigued by the possibilities in Tampa Bay, including principal owner Stuart Sternberg's plan for a management structure that calls for heavy involvement by young front office executives Andrew Friedman and Matt Silverman.
"The thing that excites you about Tampa is, they've got good, young players," said Hart, who was born and raised in Tampa and maintains a home in Orlando. "I think it's an appealing situation there, I really do. It reminds me of some of the things we had in Cleveland, with a young team and not a lot of money to spend on payroll."

Source: http://rays.tbo.com/

3 Rays Coaches To Interview For Piniella's Position Tuesday

Published: Oct 8, 2005
TAMPA - The Devil Rays' search for a new manager took a step forward Friday when three in-house candidates were scheduled for interviews Tuesday.
Bench coach John McLaren, first base coach Billy Hatcher and third base coach Tom Foley will be the first to state their cases for Lou Piniella's old job. But they won't be the last.
The Rays also are expected to ask the Yankees for permission to interview bench coach Joe Girardi and Braves third base coach Fredi Gonzalez, as well as several other candidates.
The Florida Marlins already have received permission to interview Girardi, Gonzalez, Hatcher and Foley as potential replacements for retired manager Jack McKeon.
Rays new team president Matt Silverman said Friday the search also is on to find people to fill out the front office staff, including a replacement for General Manager Chuck LaMar.
"Whether it's a GM position or not, there are lots of different holes to fill," said Silverman, who assumed his post when Stuart Sternberg took over as principal owner Thursday. "If the right person pops up, we're going to jump on them."
Regardless of who is hired, Rays director of baseball development Andrew Friedman will play a prominent role -- with, perhaps, a new title -- in the front office hierarchy. Friedman, 28, has spent the past two years representing Sternberg's interests on the baseball side of the organization, learning from the inside.
While Friedman is expected to have the authority to make the baseball decisions, the possibility remains that the team will hire an experienced former GM in an advisory role.
"There are lots of names that are being thrown out there," Silverman said. "Some of the younger, more quantitative-focus guys, obviously. There are people that have communicated [their interest] directly and also through the press that may have more experience, and more traditional general managers. We're going to look at all of them and see which ones make sense to bring in here."
Among the more experienced potential candidates are Nationals GM Jim Bowden, former Astros GM Gerry Hunsicker, former Indians and Rangers GM John Hart, Mariners special assistants Dan Evans and Pat Gillick, and Orioles national crosschecker Alan Marr.
Several senior members of LaMar's staff remain with the team. They are: assistant GM Bart Braun, assistant to player development and scouting Mitch Lukevics, special assistant Rick Williams and assistant scouting director R.J. Harrison.
Special assistant Tim Wilken also remains on staff, but the Orioles have been given permission to speak with him about a position in their organization.
McLaren was Piniella's bench coach for the past seven years, first with the Mariners, then with the Rays. He has enlisted the aid of agent Alan Nero, who also represents Piniella, to help him realize his goal of becoming a major league manager.
Nero was in Japan last month, exploring potential managing jobs in that country, should no such position materialize for McLaren in the U.S. McLaren told The Tampa Tribune on Monday that his preference would be to manage the Rays.
Hatcher and Foley, two of the longest-tenured Rays employees, also interviewed for the manager position after Hal McRae was reassigned in 2002. Piniella got the job and kept Hatcher and Foley on his coaching staff.
Other names that have surfaced in reports as potential manager candidates are Triple-A Tidewater Tides manager Ken Oberkfell, former Mets and Rangers manager Bobby Valentine, Angels bench coach Joe Madden, Angels pitching coach Bud Black, Athletics bullpen coach Bob Geren and Athletics third base coach Ron Washington.
Although the Rays are moving toward making their key hires, the timetable remains loose.
"These are people who are going to have a big impact on the success of the organization," Sternberg said. "Timing is not as important as getting the absolute right people in."
Also Friday, the Rays removed infielder Eric Munson from the 40-man roster, leaving the roster at 39 players.

Source: http://rays.tbo.com/

Rays tales

September 25, 2005
CASTING CALL
A trip from Florida to California in the final days of the season is unusual. But maybe it was appropriate the Rays made it back to Hollywood because there certainly was enough drama this season to fill a movie.
Ask around the Trop for suggested titles and you get an idea of just how crazy it was: Apocalypse Now, Nightmare on Elm Street, Ransom, Animal House, and a soap-opera combo of Days of Our Lives meets The Young and the Restless.
But the best part is determining who would play which parts. Here are some lighthearted suggestions:
GM Chuck LaMar ... Tommy Lee Jones
Manager Lou Piniella ... Robert DeNiro
Hitting coach Lee Elia ... Ernest Borgnine Senior adviser Don Zimmer ... Popeye
Outfielder Aubrey Huff ... Conan O'Brien
Outfielder Jonny Gomes ... Justin Guarini
Outfielder Carl Crawford ... Tyson Beckford
Pitcher Scott Kazmir ... Tobey Maguire
Pitcher Mark Hendrickson ... Ted Cassidy
Pitcher Chad Orvella ... Haley Joel Osment
Pitcher Danys Baez ... Antonio Banderas
Infielder Jorge Cantu ... Edward James Olmos
Catcher Toby Hall ... Lance BassINTERESTING READING
In what has to be the last book published about Boston's stirring run to last year's World Series title, the analytical staff at Baseball Prospectus manages to take another shot at the Rays.
Here is their take on last season in the recently released Mind Game: How the Boston Red Sox Got Smart, Won a World Series and Created a New Blueprint for Winning:
"Red Sox players beat the Yankees players, Terry Francona beat Joe Torre, and Theo Epstein beat the tar out of Brian Cashman. The Sox had a championship-caliber team; the Yankees had a super-sized payroll and nine guys who should have been Devil Rays."
That might be news to Gary Sheffield, Hideki Matsui and Alex Rodriguez.YOUNG AND RESTLESS
Jorge Cantu, who turns 24 in January, has the Rays team record for RBIs in a season, now he's taking aim at the work of the game's top young stars. Here are the top RBI performances since 1990 by players under 24:
Player, age, team RBIs
Vladimir Guerrero, 23, '99 Expos 131
Albert Pujols, 21, '01 Cardinals 130
Albert Pujols, 22, '02 Cardinals 127
Albert Pujols, 23, '03 Cardinals 124
Alex Rodriguez, 22, '98 Mariners 124
Alex Rodriguez, 20, '96 Mariners 123
Juan Gonzalez, 23, '93 Rangers 118
Eric Chavez, 23, '01 Athletics 114
Jorge Cantu, 23, '05 Devil Rays* 112
Miguel Cabrera, 21, '04 Marlins 112
Aramis Ramirez, 23, '01 Pirates 112
Miguel Cabrera, 22, '05 Marlins* 111
* through Saturday; source: RaysYOU DON'T SAY
"It's been a pleasure. I've learned a lot from him." - Rays C Toby Hall, on hearing that manager Lou Piniella was leaving after the season

Source: http://www.sptimes.com/

Lackey and Angels Are Tuning Up Well

October 1, 2005
ARLINGTON, Texas — John Lackey brushed a glossy finishing coat on his illustrious season in the Angels' 7-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night, throwing five shutout innings at Ameriquest Field to finish with a 14-5 record, 3.44 earned-run average and 199 strikeouts, which rank third in the American League.Vladimir Guerrero singled to extend his hitting streak against the Rangers to 35 games, matching the longest by a player against one team since Ken Griffey Jr. hit in 35 consecutive games against Cleveland from 1992 to '96.

Kelvim Escobar tuned up for the playoffs with two scoreless innings, improving to 1-0 with a 1.89 ERA in nine relief appearances, and the Angels improved to 19-9 this month, setting a franchise record for wins in September.But the most important development, by far, came in the fifth inning, when Garret Anderson, mired in a one-for-24 slump, drove an R.A. Dickey pitch over the wall in right field for a three-run home run, giving the Angels a 5-0 lead.With the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians battling for the last two AL playoff spots, the Angels still have no idea whom they will face in the division series, scheduled to start Tuesday.But no matter which team they play, the Angels will be a much more formidable foe if Anderson, slowed by a stiff lower back, finds the stroke that seemed to desert him in recent weeks."We need G.A.," Manager Mike Scioscia said. "He hasn't been squaring the ball up like he can the last few weeks. Hopefully he can get it going in the playoffs."Anderson, who sat out two games after the Angels clinched the division title Tuesday, has been relegated to designated hitter for five games, and it appears doubtful he'll play left field in the first round.This is relevant because Anderson is a .310 hitter (130 for 420) with 15 home runs and 79 runs batted in as an outfielder this season and a .192 hitter (28 for 146) with one homer and 14 RBIs as a DH."Whether he's a DH or in left field," Scioscia said, "his confidence with the bat has to come around."Anderson also bats third, a critical spot because Guerrero hits behind him. The more often Anderson is on base, the tougher it will be for opponents to pitch around Guerrero."When we've had success in the playoffs before, we had a lineup full of guys getting hits one after another," second baseman Adam Kennedy said. "But having Garret healthy and swinging like he can would be real big for us."So would having Lackey pitch in the playoffs as he has all season. The right-hander matched a career high in wins, he's added veteran poise to his effective fastball-curve-changeup combination, and the Angels went 22-11 in his 33 starts."A lot of people had doubts about him, but he proved he's a top-of-the-rotation pitcher," Kennedy said. "We have the same feeling when he's on the hill as we do with Bartolo [Colon]."Colon and Lackey will start Games 1 and 2 of the division series, and Scioscia says he will not veer from that plan, no matter whom or where the Angels are playing.Jarrod Washburn has pitched much better this season on the road (6-2, 2.70 ERA) than at home (2-6, 4.00 ERA) and has had considerable success in Yankee Stadium. But if the Angels open on the road, Washburn, who is 8-8 with a 3.23 ERA, would probably pitch Game 3 or 4 at Angel Stadium."I thought Washburn pitched some very good baseball at home," Scioscia said. "He's in the top 10 in the league in ERA; he must be doing something right."With the Angels' first-round opponent undetermined, Scioscia, his coaches and front-office executives emerged from Friday's planning meeting with three different 25-man playoff rosters, one for each potential opponent.All three rosters have 10 pitchers and three catchers, meaning Josh Paul will be on the team and only one reliever from right-handers Kevin Gregg and Esteban Yan and left-hander Jason Christiansen will make it.It might be easier from a scouting and preparation standpoint if the Angels could focus on one opponent, but Scioscia says he doesn't believe he's at any disadvantage."That might be an issue when you get to the World Series and you're playing a club you haven't seen before," Scioscia said. "But whoever we play, we're going to have enough of an understanding of them to prepare."


Source: http://www.latimes.com/

2005 AL All-Fantasy Team

October 6, 2005
The 2005 fantasy baseball season tossed out its final stat over the weekend, and it's time to relive some of the high points by identifying elite players. If you recognize more than a few of these batsmen and hurlers from your own roster, odds are you're clearing space for the league championship trophy. If you didn't have the pleasure of owning one or more of these guys… hey, there's always next year.Catcher – Victor Martinez, IndiansHeading into the All-Star break, Jason Varitek comfortably held the top catcher spot, and Ivan Rodriguez was clearly in second place. Martinez? He was hitting .236 at the midway point. Victor then went crazy during the second half, batting .380 with 11 homers, 45 RBI, and 42 runs over 71 games. When the dust settled, the Indian trumped all backstops in runs (73), RBI (80), and average (.305), and Martinez (20) finished just behind Varitek (22) and Rod Barajas (21) in homers. It ended up being a close call over the Red Sox captain, but V-Mart is our winner.First Base – Mark Teixeira, RangersIt doesn't get much closer than Teixeria versus David Ortiz, but the AL has a built-in option for allowing us to pick both players. Ortiz logged only 10 games at first, so he'll be appearing in the DH section of this article. Big Papi aside, Tex crushed all competition at this spot. He slammed a career-high 43 homers, drove in 144 runs (23 more than the next first baseman, Richie Sexson), scored 112 times (13 more than the next player, again Sexson), and led all first basemen with a .301 average. Cheers to Sexson and Paul Konerko for having solid seasons, but Teixeira was clearly the ace.Second Base – Alfonso Soriano, RangersThe reigning second base champ received plenty of stiff competition this season, but in the end, we couldn't deny Soriano his usual spot as the fantasy world's finest second-sacker. His 36 homers easily bested Jorge Cantu (28) and Brian Roberts (18), and Soriano chipped in 30 steals, marking the third time in his career that he's etched his name into the 30-30 club. Alfonso drove in a career-high 104 runs (second to Cantu) and scored 102 times (second to Chone Figgins). The only real detriment to Soriano's value was his .268 average, but we can forgive that number in the face of his other four, outstanding stats. Cantu, Roberts, and Figgins deserve praise for making this a close race.Shortstop – Michael Young, RangersAnother position, another Ranger. We all expected Miguel Tejada to rule the shortstop position again this season, but Young stepped up to the proverbial plate and took over the top spot. Young captured his first batting crown by hitting .331, and he ranked second at his position in RBI (91), second in runs (114), and second in homers (24). Tejada, Derek Jeter, and Jhonny Peralta all posted fine stats as well, but Young's four-cat dominance set him well above the competition. The only thing Michael didn't do was steal bases (five), but only a couple AL shortstops bothered to pilfer even 15 pillows this season.Third Base – Alex Rodriguez, YankeesWill the Rangers sweep the four infield spots? No, don't be silly. Rodriguez is arguably the best player in all of fantasy baseball, and it's not even a close issue when we narrow the scope to AL third basemen. A-Rod overwhelmed his competition by 20 homers (48 to 28), 13 RBI (130 to 117), 11 runs (124 to 113), and 26 batting points (.321 to .295). For good measure, Alex tossed in 21 steals, which ranked second at the position. Yeah, he's pretty good.Outfield – Manny Ramirez, Red Sox; Gary Sheffield, Yankees; Vladimir Guerrero, AngelsFantasy owners could have easily picked this trio when the season opened, but the voting was closer than we would have expected. Ramirez was an easy choice, as his 45 homers, 144 RBI, and 112 runs rank him right alongside A-Rod, Teixeira, and Ortiz as the elite players in the AL. Sheffield also finished well ahead of the rest of the outfield field. He ranked second in homers (34), second in RBI (123), sixth in runs (104), and ninth in average (.291), and he chipped in 10 steals. The third choice? That's where the voting turned hostile. Guerrero's stat totals (.317, 32 homers, 108 RBI, 95 runs, 13 steals) suggest he's the man for the spot, but we can argue that he didn't produce enough bang for his preseason buck. Cases could be made for Hideki Matsui, Grady Sizemore, Carl Crawford, and Johnny Damon providing more return on their initial investment and thus being more valuable. We've gone back and forth and forth and back and finally chose Vlad. Feel free to argue amongst yourselves. We're moving on.Designated Hitter – David Ortiz, Red SoxWe've discussed Ortiz throughout this article, and he's the obvious choice for this spot. Only A-Rod posted better five-cat numbers this season, and only Teixeira and Manny bear mentioning in the same breath or sentence. Ortiz set career-highs in homers (47), RBI (148), and runs (119), and he batted .300. Heck, he also chipped in one steal. Although he's not even close to Big Papi, Travis Hafner deserves mention here. After a slow start to his campaign, Hafner came on strong and finished at .305 with 33 homers, 108 RBI, and 94 runs. Nice work, Pronk.Starting Pitchers – Johan Santana, Twins; Mark Buehrle, White Sox; Bartolo Colon, AngelsThe big news here is not necessarily who is included but who is excluded. Randy Johnson (mild) and Curt Schilling (serious) provided different levels of disappointment and angst to fantasy owners this season and opened the door for Buehrle and Colon to make this list. But we begin with Santana, who led the AL in strikeouts (238) and WHIP (0.97) for a second straight season. He also produced 16 wins (tied for fifth) and a 2.87 ERA (second). Buehrle spent April in the fantasy shadow of teammate Jon Garland, but in the end, there's no doubt who led the White Sox staff. The lefty won 16 games for the second straight year, ranked third in ERA (3.12), tied for sixth in WHIP (1.18), and placed 11th in strikeouts (149). Colon followed up a rocky 2004 with one of the finest seasons in his career. Bartolo led the AL in wins (21) and was very solid in ERA (3.48), WHIP (1.16), and strikeouts (157). Other hurlers who deserve praise for their fantasy efforts include Johnson, Garland, John Lackey, and Cliff LeeCloser – Mariano Rivera, YankeesWe entered the season figuring that the AL contained four top-tier closers, and three of the four didn't disappoint. Rivera, Joe Nathan, and Francisco Rodriguez could easily share this honor, but we went with the Yankee due to his 1.38 ERA and 0.87 WHIP, which were clearly the best marks amongst AL closers and also the top single-season stats of Mariano's career. Rivera tied Nathan for third in saves (43) and added in seven wins and 80 strikeouts. We'll also hand blue ribbons to Nathan, K-Rod, Bob Wickman, and Danys Baez for their wonderful contributions.

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

Rogers, Palmeiro avoided accountability for their actions

The ongoing unaccountability for pro athletes continued unabated this week.
Kenny Rogers, who was suspended by MLB commissioner Bud Selig for 20 games, had that suspension reduced to 13 games and returned to action Wednesday.
The suspension resulted from Rogers shoving a couple of TV cameramen around without cause, sending one to the hospital. He was angry about ongoing problems with the Rangers regarding an extension of his contract. That was sports news in Texas, and he didn't like the coverage.
When the cameramen tried to get shots of him coming on the field in a pre-game setting, he instigated the shoving affair. The cameramen were where they had a right to be, doing what they had a right to do.
The case was appealed to an arbitrator by the players' association. They argued that Selig exceeded his authority by both hearing the initial case and considering the initial appeal as well.
On other cases, Selig had delegated his authority to Bob Watson in the MLB office to make the initial rulings and then Selig heard the appeals. There was nothing to prevent Selig from doing both under the rules. It's just that he hadn't.
The arbitrator did not reduce the suspension for that reason, however. Instead, he said Selig "overreacted." In other words, he just didn't agree with Selig's ruling and altered it to time served.
"It sends the wrong message to every one of our constituents," Selig said.
MLBPA boss Donald Fehr said, "We always thought (the original penalty) was out of line."
Selig is right and Fehr is wrong, even if Fehr is just standing up for the players as he is paid to do.
Rogers' acts were entirely beyond justifiable. As one sign said on Wednesday when Rogers returned to face the Red Sox, "Know when to hold 'um, know when to fold 'um and know when to walk away from cameramen."
Rogers went through the normal public apology route, reading a message probably written by his agent. He has yet to apologize to the team for his acts and may yet be sued for any lasting injuries suffered by the cameramen.
Where are the criminal charges? If you or I had done what Rogers did, we would have been arrested on the spot, charged with assault and had bail set.
There is no reason Rogers should have been treated any differently. The whole incident is on tape, the best evidence a prosecutor could want.
Even if the cameramen didn't want to press charges, that is not their ultimate decision. The prosecutor can bring charges anyway, especially with the rock-solid evidence available.
Selig is also losing another battle with the MLBPA. He cannot get an answer from them on his request that a much more dramatic penalty structure be instituted for steroid use.
No one — except the players — believes the 10-game suspension meted out for the first steroid offense is remotely close to being appropriate. Selig knows the refusal of the players to act is an invitation to Congress to get involved and issue its own penalty system.
Two Congressmen have called for Selig to make the facts available in the Rafael Palmeiro case. Another fight with the MLBPA may be on the horizon since they are not going to want any of the facts released.
Palmeiro has danced around the issue of his steroid use, trying to get people to believe he really didn't know what he took, while he refuses to come out and detail exactly what happened.
Palmeiro can say whatever he wants since rules of privacy in the matter are designed to protect the players. He can waive that protection and tell all. If he really did take steroids by accident, why wouldn't he say it?
The Orioles ownership was ready to be without Palmeiro for the rest of the year, maybe forever, but he wants to come back. If the Orioles were to say no, that could be viewed as an attempt to add punishment to the offense in violation of the collective-bargaining agreement.
So, the Orioles are swallowing hard, along with the Commissioner, and they will now have to see the Palmeiro saga continue on a daily basis as the pennant races heat up.
Players and the MLBPA have argued lately that the office of the Commissioner long ago stopped being an official that represented baseball and instead represents the interest of the owners. That is generally true.
However, it is increasingly clear that the players' association also has but one interest, and that is the support of the players no matter what. That is understandable, but it's not necessarily a good thing.
In both the Rogers and Palmeiro situations, the Commissioner and the MLBPA could have found some common ground in the best interests of the game.
With a new CBA to be negotiated next year, it would be nice to have the sides working together on these matters to set the stage for the bargaining to come. That was not the case, and it will make the reaching of a new accord next year that much tougher.

Source: http://www.usatoday.com/

Sox should strike while fire is hot

October 9, 2005
They have taken pains, all of them -- Theo and the Trio -- to keep negotiations on a new deal for general manager Theo Epstein out of the public purview. Principal owner John W. Henry's most recent public comment on the issue, a couple of weeks ago, was to express confidence -- little doubt, actually -- a deal soon will be in place. On the surface, the match between franchise and brainy native son appears to be too perfect to be trifled with.
''We look forward to a prompt resolution so that we can deal with the myriad issues that will face us this offseason," president and CEO Larry Lucchino wrote in an e-mail yesterday.
But with the Red Sox season over and Epstein just three weeks from free agency -- the three-year contract he signed in 2002 expires Oct. 31 -- the Sox would seem to be running an unnecessary risk by not striking a deal quickly. There will be too many other opportunities available this winter -- jobs in Arizona, Washington, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, Baltimore, San Diego, and New York (Yankees) have either opened or could open -- for the Sox to allow Epstein to discover just how wealthy and powerful another major league owner would like to make him.
So what has kept a deal from being struck already? In a perfect world, Epstein would undoubtedly prefer greater autonomy under the very hands-on Lucchino. Although some sources with some inside knowledge insist Epstein has broached the topic of reporting directly to Henry, Lucchino said yesterday ''there has been no exploration or discussion of 'chain of command' issues," and Henry also disputed the accuracy of the sources.
Most likely Epstein understands the structure here is not going to change and is averse to creating the perception of wishing to usurp Lucchino's power. Yes, occasionally there is tension in his relationship with Lucchino, the sources say, Epstein at times chafing at having to justify his baseball decisions to Lucchino, whose biography proudly points out he is the first president/CEO to win pennants for two franchises since Larry MacPhail did so with the Brooklyn Dodgers (1941) and New York Yankees (1947). Lucchino, who turned 60 last month, also has two World Series rings, the one he was awarded as the Orioles' general counsel in 1983 and the one he earned last season.
But how much conflict is there? One source cautioned against describing it as such, saying it was the kind of tension that often arises between mentor and protege. It was Lucchino, after an initial push from Dr. Charles Steinberg, who identified Epstein as a talent from the time he arrived as a PR intern in Baltimore. Lucchino took Epstein with him when he went to the Padres, pushed him to go to law school, and placed him under the tutelage of Padres GM Kevin Towers, then persuaded Henry to take the boldest step of all and anoint him baseball's youngest general manager at 28 years 11 months.

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

Lamb shows why Garner wanted to keep him in the lineup

Sat, Oct. 15, 2005
HOUSTON - Under normal circumstances, Mike Lamb might not have even been in the Houston Astros lineup.
Against a right-handed pitcher, yes. With Chris Burke also in the starting lineup, no.
But manager Phil Garner went against his normal thought process, not wanting to make Lamb the odd-man out to keep the streaking Burke in for Game 3 of the NL championship series. So both started.
This time, it was Lamb who came up big.
Lamb hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning off Matt Morris, and later the left-handed hitter had a double and scored the go-ahead run in the Astros' 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals that gave Houston a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
"Last year, he was incredibly good, and this year he struggled a little bit early," Garner said. "But when it came to crunch time, he started coming on."
The game was still scoreless when Lamb put a golf-like swing on a pitch that was low and outside. He connected and the ball went the opposite way, landing in the left-field stands - not far from where Burke hit his game-winning homer in the 18th inning of the NL division series-clinching victory over Atlanta last Sunday.
"I think my power sneaks up on me as well as everybody else," Lamb said. "I've always been a hitter that uses the whole field and hits for batting average with the dimensions here. My ability to go the opposite way has been a benefit."
Especially with that wall just 315 feet down the left-field line.
After St. Louis had tied the game at 2, Lamb fought off several inside pitches with one out in the sixth. He eventually doubled into deep center field, well over Jim Edmonds' head onto the base of "Tal's Hill" - that irregular grassy mound in play more than 400 feet from home plate. Lamb scored on Jason Lane's single to put the Astros ahead to stay.
Burke had homered as a pinch hitter in Game 1 of the NLCS, then in Game 2 started in left field while Lamb sat. Burke had a triple, an RBI single and scored twice in the 4-1 victory.
"The joke was, how loud are the boos going to be if he didn't play today," Lamb said.
Usually, keeping Burke in the lineup would have meant him starting in left field, Lance Berkman moving to first base and Lamb watching.
But Lamb had also played well this postseason - he's now hitting .429 (6-for-14) with hits in all four playoff games in which he's appeared, after hitting .325 with five home runs in his last 27 regular-season games during September and October. He was also 5-for-14 with three homers in his career against Morris going into the game.
Willy Taveras sat instead, with Burke making just his second start of the season in center field (Burke went 1-for-4 with four putouts). Berkman played left.
"(Garner) talks a lot about how he does things just on gut feeling," third baseman Morgan Ensberg said. "And we just roll with it."
In the field, Lamb cleanly picked Larry Walker's hard grounder starting the second. He was going to toss the ball to the base, but when he saw Roger Clemens wasn't close enough, he sprinted and slid into the side of the base for the out.
Clemens then pulled him up by the back of his jersey.
"It was my fault, because once he made the play, I thought it was going to be somewhat of an easier play," Clemens said. "Then we made eye contact."
Lamb almost made an incredible diving, backhanded stab of Abraham Nunez's grounder in the fifth, but he was shielded by runner Yadier Molina. The ball deflected off the heel of his glove, but stayed in the infield, making Molina stop at second.
Lamb started his career in Texas, and was the starting third baseman as a rookie in 2000, though he lost the role after that. He was traded to the Yankees on Feb. 5, 2004, for a minor leaguer, and less than two weeks later, the Rangers traded Alex Rodriguez to New York.
A-Rod moved from shortstop to third, and Lamb was traded to the Astros for a minor leaguer by the end of that spring training.
"Until Alex got there, I think I was going to play every day," Lamb said. "Hopefully, one day, I can be an everyday player again. ... But being here in Houston has been a blessing for me, there's no doubt."

Source: http://www.kentucky.com/

Yankees are bound for chaos

Sunday, October 16, 2005

Not only are the Yankees the first $200 million baseball team. They're the first $200 million baseball team with flaws.
The American League Championship Series is in progress without the Yankees, who appeared in six of the past seven ALCS. Or the Red Sox, who took the Yankees to seven games in back-to-back ALCS thrillers.
How to explain the premature elimination of teams that ranked 1 and 2 in payroll?
Easy. They ranked 22 and 24 in pitching.
Only the Diamondbacks, Rangers, Rockies, Reds, Devil Rays and Royals had worse team ERAs than the Red Sox (24th). The Yankees (22nd) barely finished ahead of the Orioles. When it came to the game's most important ingredient, the two biggest menaces ranked among a wasteland of feeble teams.
We were fooled into believing they'd overcome their mound deficiencies because of their explosive lineups, the Yankees with their long string of All-Stars and the Red Sox with their powerful middle of the order. But when the four remaining postseason teams ranked in the top five in ERA, we're reminded that pitching rules.
It's easy to blame Alex Rodriguez for his .133, no-RBI playoff, but Mike Mussina and Randy Johnson were largely responsible for fumbling away the playoffs to the Angels. The bullpen had no middle relief, and relying on Shawn Chacon and Aaron Small -- a combined 17-3 despite their mediocre pasts -- was never the intention for a team that gambled and lost on Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright.
Defense was also a problem with both the Yankees, who had below average defenders at several positions, and Red Sox, who committed the fourth most errors and turned the fewest double plays in the AL.
Even though the Red Sox took a bigger step backward -- from winning it all to winning not a single playoff game -- it's the Yankees who are in a far more chaotic state. The Red Sox had a good run and appeared satisfied, knowing how hard it was in 2004 to win their first title in 86 years.
It's a different story for the Yankees. Their manager, perhaps contemplating whether he wants to follow through with the final two years ($13.1 million) of his contract, went into hiding. Their pitching coach, no longer willing to take the owner's abuse, resigned. Their most expensive player ($25 mil is what A-Rod averages) called himself a "dog." Their general manager, actually in tears after the playoff loss, could be on the verge of joining a less stressful team. Their owner, a madman, is close to pushing the red button.
So what's next for the bullies-turned-weaklings? They'll say goodbye to Bernie Williams, Tino Martinez, Kevin Brown and probably Tom Gordon, who can be free agents, and they'll re-sign Hideki Matsui to another three-year deal. Other players remain under contracts with which the Yankees are stuck, but they need to upgrade their defense (first by adding a competent center fielder) and create bullpen depth, and they'll need to figure out a rotation that incorporated every down-and-out pitcher but Kirk Rueter.
Brian Cashman, whose contract as Yanks GM expires Oct. 31, is a candidate to replace Ed Wade as the Phillies' GM.
But first, Joe Torre. Remember, that $200 mil doesn't include the manager's deal (or the $50 mil-plus the Yankees had to pay for revenue sharing and luxury taxes), but Torre always was the valuable voice of reason in a tumultuous environment, helping to shelve constant distractions and turn the focus to winning. But where is he now?
While Torre usually addresses New York's teeny media corps within a day or two of the season, he has gone underground, saying he won't resurface until the coming week. In the meantime, his closest confidants have been taking turns taking shots at George Steinbrenner, whose public praise for the Angels and manager Mike Scioscia was viewed as a vicious slap at Torre. Pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre went out swinging, just as Don Zimmer did two years ago.
Perhaps it wouldn't be such an issue if Torre hadn't promised in early August -- after Steinbrenner ripped him for how he was using his bullpen; Torre let Alan Embree pitch to Paul Konerko, a mistake -- to respond to all criticisms after the season. The Yankees were 5 1/2 games out of first place at the time and went on to win the AL East by a tiebreaker. But in the end, despite an eighth straight division crown, the Yankees failed for a fifth straight year to win the World Series.
Torre is doing himself no favors, leaving others to speculate about his future and whether he'll quit or be fired, possibly to be replaced by all-too-available Lou Piniella. Piniella got more out of Rodriguez in the postseason than Torre did -- A-Rod hit .340 in 15 Seattle playoff games. Torre's absence goes against what he always resembled, a composed, resilient leader who stood up to the endless pressures, and it hints that he finally might have cracked.
But he won't walk away from $13.1 mil, even if it means laboring through two more years of George's ire. Nothing will change. Steinbrenner will continue to add expensive players, without acknowledging the team concept that prevailed in the late '90s. A-Rod, the Big Unit, Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield, all lured by the money and an easier path to a championship, proved unequal to the sum of their parts.
Don't feel sorry for Torre, 65, who accepted the terms along with the millions. He became a Hall of Fame manager only after Steinbrenner hired him, and now he's worn down and losing more confidants. Isn't it amazing how a $200 million machine can be so broken?
What's up with Wash: Back when there was an opening, third-base coach Ron Washington was interviewed for the A's manager's job, and then he returned to Alabama, where much of his family relocated from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
Washington's brick house was severely damaged by the flood, as he expected. He doesn't know yet if he needs to tear it down. He lost many personal possessions, but he's not complaining, knowing family members evacuated in time. He was quick to point out his wedding pictures were saved.
Asked about the Gold Glove Award that Eric Chavez gave him as a gift of appreciation, Washington said it's still intact in a glass case, though the flood water had taken it to another part of the house.
"I had it above the fireplace," Washington said. "I came back and found it down the hall, near the bedroom."
Around the majors: A little known codicil in the guidebook to hiring managers: Teams don't need to interview minorities if they simply decide to hire their interim manager. It happened with Baltimore's Sam Perlozzo and Cincinnati's Jerry Narron. There were no other interviews. Seems fishy. ... Perlozzo wants to hire ex-A's shortstop Mike Bordick as a spring training instructor. ... Theo Epstein's contract as the Boston GM will expire Oct. 31, and he's asking for a significant raise, but nothing close to what the Bosox offered Billy Beane two years ago, five years at reportedly more than $13 million. ... The Padres don't expect to re-sign free agent catcher Ramon Hernandez. CEO Sandy Alderson said the payroll will stay about the same, and the preference is to pursue their other free agents, Trevor Hoffman and Brian Giles.

Source: http://www.sfgate.com/

Rangers consider small-ball approach

10/19/2005
Home runs alone don't bring happiness.
The Rangers got that message loud and clear in 2005. Their 260 homers brought them close to a Major League record, but all that bashing from the top of the lineup to the bottom didn't prevent the Rangers from dropping 10 games off their 2004 pace en route to a 79-83 finish.
"We'd trade some of those homers for some wins," first baseman Mark Teixeira aptly noted as the season was winding down.
If the Rangers are going to make significant improvement in 2006, the pitching -- both from a rotation and bullpen standpoint -- has to get markedly better. Early indications are that the club will try to add a couple of experienced starters and a couple of experienced bullpen arms to what is already in place. But there's also a sense that for Texas to be all it can be in the American League West, the Rangers need to mix in some small ball to go with the long ball.
"There's a game you play to beat the No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 starters and the middle of the bullpen," Rangers manager Buck Showalter said. "But there's also a game you play to beat the No. 1 and No. 2 starters and the eighth-inning and ninth-inning relievers. That's something we have to get better at."
In other words, you can't just sit back and wait to crank out homers against the elite pitchers. You've got to move runners over, take walks, show some aggressiveness on the base paths and manufacture a run here or there while hoping your own pitching holds up.
A check of the final statistics illustrates Showalter's point. The Rangers' success is largely based on what they can get done against the Angels and A's in the AL West. Against the premium pitching on those two clubs, Texas didn't do much in 2005.
Bartolo Colon was 4-0 against Texas in four starts with a 2.28 ERA. The Rangers hit just .231 against him. The Rangers did manage a .287 batting average against Jarrod Washburn, but that didn't resonate in the win column -- the left-hander was 1-0 with a 2.30 ERA against Texas.
Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez converted all six save opportunities against Texas, holding the Rangers to a .237 batting mark.
Oakland's Rich Harden was 2-1 with a 1.48 ERA in three starts against Texas. The A's right-hander held the Rangers to a .165 average. Barry Zito was 2-0 with a 4.29 ERA and limited Rangers' hitters to a .184 batting average.
Oakland closer Huston Street converted all five of his save chances against Texas, while compiling a 2.45 ERA and holding the Rangers to a .244 batting mark.
Because it's so tough to pound the ball and string together hits against the top-line pitchers in the AL West, the notion of adding a small-ball element and adding a different dimension to the offense, particularly against No. 1 and No. 2 starters and closers, takes on credence.
"I think our overall hitting approach is really good," center fielder Gary Matthews Jr. said. "But there are times when all of us have to do a little more to make sure we're scratching out runs somehow and some way when the power game isn't there." The Rangers had only nine sacrifice bunts in 2005 and their .267 batting average ranked eighth among 14 AL clubs. Perhaps they could steal a page from the White Sox, who traded home run hitter Carlos Lee to Milwaukee for speedy outfielder Scott Podsednik before the 2005 season. Podsednik gave Chicago a go-go element at the top of the lineup, and the White Sox landed in the World Series.
A leadoff hitter with great speed and a keen eye would figure to score a siege of runs batting ahead of Michael Young, the consummate No. 2 hitter.
But even if the Rangers can't acquire such a player this winter, they figure to emphasize to the existing players that it's important to have a small-ball element to go with all their power.
"You aren't going to have many big innings against the top pitchers, and you can't have an ego when you are facing those guys," Showalter said. "You have to put the ball in play, move runners [up]. You have to beat the real good ones to go where you want to go."

Source: http://texas.rangers.mlb.com/

White Sox seize game one as the Rocket flames out in World Series

Sun Oct 23.

CHICAGO (AFP) - Joe Crede and Jermaine Dye blasted solo homers as the Chicago White Sox pounded out 10 hits to beat the Houston Astros 5-3 in the opening game of the 2005 World Series.
"I was just fortunate to be right spot at right time," Crede said Saturday. "There is no bigger stage to perform on than this one so it is big honour."
The White Sox take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven Fall Classic which features the champions of Major League Baseball's American and National Leagues.
The Astros and White Sox have suffered through two of the longest World Series droughts in history, ensuring that 2005 will mark the sixth consecutive year that a different club will be crowned champion.
"Although we had a great chance to score more runs, you just saw Chicago baseball," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "It is the White Sox. The way we run.
"I think when you execute well and get clutch hits like the base hit with two outs, that's the team that has a better chance to win."
Cuban pitcher Jose Contreras won the battle of the October veterans as he outduelled Houston's starter Roger Clemens, who is considered one of the greatest pitchers in MLB history.
But the Rocket fizzled on Saturday, lasting just two innings due to a sore hamstring. Clemens gave up three runs on four hits in taking the loss in front of a sold-out crowd of 41,206 at US Cellular Field.
He was replaced by Wandy Rodriguez, who allowed the home run to infielder Crede that gave a 4-3 lead to a White Sox club that is seeking its first title in 88 years.
Contreras pitched seven innings, had two strikeouts and gave up six hits to register the victory.
The White Sox are winning in the post-season by blending traditional baseball with today's power game.
Dye hit a solo homer in the first inning for Chicago but the south-siders also benefitted from some timely hitting, smart baserunning and a strong bullpen.
Chicago got a run off a single by AJ Pierzynski in the second. Pierzynski scored later in the inning to make it 3-1 on a two-out double by shortstop Juan Uribe.
Outfielder Dye blasted a 383 foot solo home run to the bullpen in right field off Clemens to give the White Sox a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
It was the first post-season home run for Dye, who was signed as a free agent by Chicago despite a reputation as being injury prone.
Astros left fielder Mike Lamb tied it 1-1 in the top of the second with a solo shot of his own that sailed 408 feet into the centre-field bleachers.
Lamb, who was originally drafted by the Rangers in 1997, was making the first World Series at-bat of his career.
Pierzynski and Carl Everett scored runs for the White Sox in the bottom of the second to make it 3-1. Pierzynski singled on a fielder's choice to drive in Everett and then scored when shortstop Uribe doubled.
Clemens was replaced to start the bottom of the third by 26-year-old rookie left hander Rodriguez who split time between the Astros and their farm teams in Round Rock and Corpus Christi in 2005.
Afterwards Clemens said he was hobbled by a strained left hamstring.
"I had the problem in the second inning and fought my way through it," Clemens said.
"The fluid already started to build up in my leg. So they gave me some medication, and I am going to get it treated."
In the third, Astros infielder Lance Berkman hit a clutch double to right field to score two runners and tie the game at 3-3 for Houston who are trying to follow the footsteps of the 2002 Anaheim Angels and win the World Series in their first try.
Houston manager Phil Garner was not happy with his pitching in game one.
"We gave them too many opportunities," Garner said. "There were too many walks and we pitched behind the whole game."
Chicago regained the lead for good in the fourth as Crede drove a high fast ball from Contreras over the left-field fence and just out of the reach of leaping Houston outfielder Willy Taveras.
The White Sox stumbled in the bottom of the seventh but they were saved by hard-throwing Bobby Jenks who struck out Jeff Bagwell with a 100mph fastball leaving two runners stranded on base.
Jenks was outstanding in pitching 4 1/3 scoreless innings with four strikeouts in posting the save.
"He (Bagwell) chases fastballs up above the zone. I was sticking to what I do best, going with my strengths and against his weaknesses," Jenks said.
Astros Garner was particularly impressed with the job Jenks did.
"Nobody hits Jenks," he said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/

Blum leaves former teammates glum

10/26/2005
HOUSTON -- Geoff Blum, who has spent much of his career in baseball's low-rent district, moved into the palace in the wee minutes of Wednesday morning.
Moved? How about, knocked on the door then kicked it in and made himself at home?
Blum, a 32-year-old journeyman who for three weeks had the best seat in the house to view the White Sox swagger through postseason, finally came out of the dugout.
And he went out of Minute Maid Park, turning the proverbial childhood fantasy into man-sized reality.
"C'mon, we're all kids. We all dreamt about it," an effervescent Blum said a few minutes after last-call all around town. "In some of my myriad of dreams, playing Wiffle Ball with my brother in the backyard, I had a couple of World Series at-bats.
"But nothing quite like this."
Few man have had anything like this.
Blum's two-out homer off Ezequiel Astacio in the 14th inning helped end the longest World Series game in history, a 7-5 victory that moved the White Sox within one win of their first World Series title in 88 years.
For Blum, it also ended a career-long wait to dress for a World Series -- then another three-week wait to actually get another at-bat in a postseason game. His only previous at-bat had come in the opening game of the Division Series against Boston.
"There was a lot of pent-up aggression going into that at-bat," Blum said. "I've been waiting for it for a long time.
"And guys were screaming on the bench about how tired and hungry they were ... so what better time to do it than right here, right now?"
It took more than five hours to get to that "right now" in a game that would last 5 hours, 41 minutes.
One way to look at it is that a record-long World Series game was needed for Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen to look down his bench and remember some supporting actors.

Touching them all
By hitting a homer in the 14th inning, Geoff Blum became the 30th player in World Series history to go yard in his first at-bat of the Fall Classic.
Player
Team
Year
Geoff Blum
Chicago White Sox
2005
Mike Lamb
Houston
2005
David Ortiz
Boston
2004
Troy Glaus
Anaheim
2002
Barry Bonds
San Francisco
2002
Andruw Jones *
Atlanta
1996
Fred McGriff
Atlanta
1995
Ed Sprague
Toronto
1992
Eric Davis
Cincinnati
1990
Bill Bathe
San Francisco
1989
Jose Canseco
Oakland
1988
Mickey Hatcher
Los Angeles
1988
Jim Dwyer
Baltimore Orioles
1983
Bob Watson
New York Yankees
1981
Amos Otis
Kansas City Royals
1980
Doug DeCinces
Baltimore Orioles
1979
Jim Mason
New York Yankees
1976
Gene Tenace *
Oakland A's
1972
Don Buford
Baltimore Orioles
1969
Mickey Lolich
Detroit Tigers
1968
Jose Santiago
Boston Red Sox
1967
Brooks Robinson
Baltimore Orioles
1966
Don Mincher
Minnesota Twins
1965
Roger Maris
New York Yankees
1960
Elston Howard
New York Yankees
1955
Dusty Rhodes
New York Giants
1954
George Selkirk
New York Yankees
1936
Mel Ott
New York Giants
1933
George Watkins
St. Louis Cardinals
1930
Joe Harris
Washington Senators
1925
* homered in first two at-bats
"Our group -- four scrubs came through," said Blum with a smile, alluding to the batting practice rotation in which reserves bring up the rear. "But getting down into these crunch time situations, 14 innings into it, forces Ozzie's hands to throw us in there. So it turned out pretty good."
While their own bullpen kept a tight lid on the Astros, the White Sox wasted little time assaulting the bottom of Houston's bullpen. But after Jermaine Dye began the 14th with a single off Astacio -- pitching for the first time in a month, since Sept. 24 -- Paul Konerko bounced into a crushing double play.
Yet, the situation played into Blum's hands.
"I never faced Astacio before, so I just talked with [batting coach] Greg Walker about what he's got," Blum said.
"And I found myself in a great situation: 2-0 count, two outs. I figured, why not take a chance right here? And I lucked out that it was a fastball that I could handle, and I hit it out."
For the record, it was Blum's second home run as a member of the White Sox, who acquired him in a July 31 deal from San Diego.
His first had come on Aug. 29, against the Rangers in Arlington. Blum clearly likes hitting in the state of Texas.
While his former Padres teammates also found their way into this October -- making Blum one of four players who split their seasons between two playoff teams -- the rest of his career has been divided among Montreal and Tampa Bay ... and Houston.
Blum spent the 2002-03 seasons here as a popular member of the Astros. And, presumably, as one of their Killer B's.
"You'd have to ask them," he said. "I don't know who keeps books on the Killer B's. But I think I might be voted out now."
Nonsense. On a magical night that droned on into morning and increased baseball's buzz, he was the only genuine Killer B on the premises.
"The stars were aligned right," Blum said. "And the roof was open, so they could look down on us and take care of us."

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

Hale back with club as third base coach

Sunday, October 23, 2005
CHICAGO - DeMarlo Hale didn't get the Red Sox' managerial job when he interviewed two years ago, but he evidently left quite an impression with the organization.
Hale, who spent seven seasons as a manager in the Red Sox minor league system, returned yesterday at the major league level as Terry Francona's new third base coach. The 44-year-old Hale spent the last six years in the Texas Rangers organization, including the last four in the majors as the team's first base coach.
``This is a great opportunity,'' said Hale said from his Orlando, Fla., home. ``In baseball, you always talk about moving up and going from first base to third base is progress. It's an exciting move for me.''
Hale replaces Dale Sveum, who left the Sox last week after two seasons in order to take the same position with the Milwaukee Brewers. The Sox are still searching for someone to replace reassigned first base coach Lynn Jones. Bullpen coach Bill Haselman is expected to move to first base, with a former pitcher taking over Haselman's former role. Internal candidates include minor league pitching coaches Al Nipper and Mike Griffin.
Hale, who will enter his 20th pro season, had a successful run as a minor league manager in the Red Sox system during the Duquette era and went 491-471 in seven seasons. At the Double A level in 1999, he was named Minor League Manager of the Year by Baseball America, USA Today Baseball Weekly and The Sporting News.
Unlike Sveum, who came to the Sox from the Pittsburgh organization, Hale arrives with a thorough knowledge of AL outfielders and stadiums.
``This job is different than most because of the passion of the New England fans and the unique situation of that park,'' Hale said. ``You've just got to be willing to meet the pressure and trust your judgment.''
Epstein's dealing
Negotiations on a new contract for GM Theo Epstein will continue this week. Multiple sources indicated that all sides expect a deal to be reached late in the week.
The sides are still working on financial terms, but the difference in what is being offered and what is being sought is not insurmountable. Reports of acrimony between Epstein and team president Larry Lucchino appear to be unfounded.

Source: http://redsox.bostonherald.com/

Hershiser to talk to Dodgers

Friday, October 21, 2005

The Rangers have given the Dodgers permission to interview pitching coach Orel Hershiser about the club's managerial position.
Rangers spokesman Gregg Elkin said Hershiser will interview early next week, although a time and place had not been finalized. Hershiser, 47, pitched for the Dodgers from 1983 to 1994. He pitched a major league record 59 consecutive scoreless innings in 1988 before winning two games in the World Series, a five-game victory over Oakland.
The Dodgers have been searching for a manager since the departure of Jim Tracy on Oct. 3
Hershiser was hired by the Rangers in 2001 as an associate to then-general manager John Hart. He was named pitching coach in 2002. This season the Rangers were 12th in the American League with a 4.96 ERA and finished with a record of 79-83.

Source: http://www.dallasnews.com/

Hershiser will have interview

10/22/2005
As expected, the Dodgers will interview Texas pitching coach Orel Hershiser for their vacant managerial position early next week. Dodgers general manager Paul DePodesta said Friday he wasn't sure what day that interview will take place.
DePodesta also said Hershiser will be the final candidate interviewed, meaning the Dodgers' next manager will be either Hershiser, Terry Collins, Jerry Royster, Alan Trammell, Ron Wotus or Torey Luvullo.
It also means former Detroit bench coach Kirk Gibson, who like Hershiser was a 1988 World Series hero for the Dodgers, isn't a candidate for the job.
Hershiser is the only candidate with no previous managerial experience. But he has made no secret of his desire to manage - and more specifically his desire to manage the Dodgers - and DePodesta seems reasonably convinced Hershiser is ready.
"There is no question he is very bright," DePodesta said. "He is a leader, and he certainly understands what it takes to win. He was a 17th-round draft pick and not originally thought of as much of a prospect, and he made himself into ... possibly a Hall of Famer. It's hard not to like a guy like that, especially given his intelligence and history here with this organization.

After saying early on in the search process that the club would have a manager in place by the end of October, DePodesta is now allowing for the possibility that it won't. Major League Baseball embargoes all major announcements during the World Series, which begins tonight, runs at least through Wednesday and could go through Oct. 30.
Hoffman courted: Dodgers third-base coach Glenn Hoffman is believed to have received an offer from former Dodgers manager Jim Tracy to join Tracy's staff in Pittsburgh, but one source expressed doubt that Hoffman, who lives in Anaheim Hills, will accept.

Source: http://www2.dailynews.com/

Levine leaves Rockies for Texas

10/20/2005
The changing face of the Rockies' front office underwent its first nip-and-tuck Wednesday. Thad Levine accepted the Texas Rangers assistant general manager's position and Jerry Dipoto has verbally agreed to join the Rockies' broadcast team, though a contract has not been finalized.
"Thad brings creativity, energy and much-needed professional skills to our organization,'' said Texas GM Jon Daniels.
Levine, Colorado's senior director of baseball operations, worked six years under GM Dan O'Dowd, playing a significant role in contract negotiations.
Dipoto, the pro scouting director, has an oral agreement in place to work as an analyst for Fox Sports Rocky Mountain, splitting time with George Frazier. Dipoto is also coveted for other jobs in baseball. The Mets offered Danny Montgomery a scouting position, but he elected to remain the Rockies' national cross-checker.
As employees were leaving, O'Dowd worked on bringing back relievers Mike DeJean and Dan Miceli. Steady progress has been made with DeJean. The Rockies continue searching for a catcher - with Texas' Rod Barajas unavailable, the focus shifts to Josh Bard and Kelly Shoppach - and veteran starters.

Source: http://www.denverpost.com/