Mar

PRO Rumors: Floating realignment, Liriano as closer, Huston Street, Prince Fielder, DUI, Bret Boone, lucky Rays jersey

By Allan

Here are your Wednesday evening PRO Rumors:

A 14-person “special committee for on-field matters” has discussed a “floating” realignment where a team would not be fixed to a division. According to Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated, Teams will be “free to change divisions from year-to-year based on geography, payroll and their plans to contend or not.” Verducci says that the idea has gained strong support from the committee members. Divisions would loosely follow geographic lines, so teams could not join a division more than two time zones outside its own. The realignment could affect the number of teams in a division, teams changing leagues and interleague games.
Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports says that the Twins declined to say if they would consider Francisco Liriano as a replacement for Joe Nathan, but they did not rule out the possibility. The big question is whether Liriano will be able to stay healthy as a reliever.
Tracy Ringolsby of FOXSports says that Rockies closer Huston Street is ready to throw batting practice on Friday and his right shoulder inflammation has settled.
Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports says that the Yankees and Red Sox may not be in the bidding when Prince Fielder is a free agent, so he questions if the Phillies, Mariners, Cubs and Dodgers could be in play.
George A. King III of the New York Post says that Mark Newman, a Yankees senior vice president in charge of the minor leagues was a charged with a DUI late Monday night.
Former Seattle Mariners second baseman Bret Boone has been hired as the manager of the Victoria (B.C.) Seals. (The Seattle Times)
Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times says that Tampa Bay Rays’ first base coach George Hendrick started wearing No. 95 (with no name) Friday when his usual No. 25 jersey did not make it. The Rays have won five straight since and are thinking of making the switch permanent.