Rumors for May, 2010
A statistical analysis of Alex Rodriguez in relationship to the women he dates
Posted by: | CommentsJames Fanellis and Justin Stile of the New York Post did an analysis of New York Yankees Alex Rodriguez and how the lady he dates affects his performance at the plate. Here’s the visual: 
All ladies allowed Rodriguez to have a decent batting average with a low of .286 (with kate Hudson) to a peak of .304 (with ex-wife Cynthia Rodriguez). For those hoping for A-Rod to hit for the fences you should start begging him to get back with stripper Joslyn Morse. He hit a home run once every 11.7 at-bats. Madonna comes in next at one home run per 16.5 at-bats. He’s horrible with Cameron Diaz with a home run per every 31.2 at-bats. Maybe he should start inviting Diaz to the games to change his performance.
PRO Rumors: Milton Bradley opens up
Posted by: | CommentsWill the real Milton Bradley please stand up? Bradley who has been known as a hothead and a locker room cancer recently admitted that he needed help.
On May 4 after striking out in the seventh inning, the slumping former all-star told his manager he desperately needed to do something positive — anything at all — to feel better about his worth to the team.
Manager Don Wakamatsu, realizing Bradley was losing control, pulled him from the game. Bradley bolted from the ballpark, unable to watch the final innings on a clubhouse TV.
While driving home, Bradley was probably thinking “what else could happen.” And that is exactly what happened next. He was stopped by police for speeding. Bradley began arguing saying he’d been going the same speed as the car next to him.
The officer eventually let Bradley off with a warning. After years of stress, anger, frustration, thoughts if suicide and the inability of being able to cope with these feelings Bradley finally admitted he needed help.
“I got home and my heart was pounding,” Bradley said. “It was just one thing after another that night. I couldn’t get it to stop. I felt like I’d been down this road before, where everything keeps happening and leads to something else and you can’t control it. I just wanted it to stop. When you start feeling that the only way you can end it is to kill yourself, that’s not a healthy feeling,” Bradley said. “So, I needed to get away, to step back for a bit. There are too many people I care about in this world to let things go down that road.”
Once the Mariners put him on the restricted list, Bradley spent the first few days speaking with a counselor, who also had come from a sports background. “I understood what I was feeling,” Bradley said. “But I didn’t know why I was feeling it.” Afterward, he began working out daily at Safeco Field when the team wasn’t around, hitting in an indoor batting cage with Mariners mental-performance coach Steve Hecht, who stayed behind with Bradley while the team embarked on the road.
And though Bradley returned Wednesday, 15 days after asking the Mariners for help, his counseling sessions will continue. Bradley is aware that this is only the start of a process to help him feel better about himself.
Bradley will continue to seek counseling as he learns to deal with his emotions. The Mariners are relying heavily on Bradley to help turn their season around and start living up to the early season hype that the media gave them. Bradley might not be able to salvage the Mariners season as they are currently 8 1/2 games out in the American League West and are 3-7 in their last 10 but more importantly he may have gotten the help that he needed to save his life. Maybe we haven’t seen the real Milton Bradley just yet.
Information from The Seattle Times was used in this article.
Blue Jays DFA Dana Eveland
Posted by: | CommentsJordan Bastian of MLB.com is reporting that the Toronto Blue Jays Dana Eveland has been designated for assignment. If he clears waivers, Eveland says that he will report to Triple-A Las Vegas.
Eveland, 26, was acquired form the A’s in exchange for cash considerations in February and he made the Blue Jays’ Opening Day roster with a stellar showing in Spring Training. The lefty continued to look solid over his first six starts, going 3-1 with a 3.82 ERA. Lately, though, things fell apart for Eveland.
“I’ve thrown terribly my last three starts,” Eveland said. “I’m wearing out the bullpen every time I take the field right now. I would do the same thing if I was them. It’s part of the game. I’ve just got to get back to work. I’ve got to figure out what it was that made me successful my first few outings this year. In his last start on Saturday against the D-backs, Eveland lasted on 1 1/3 innings while giving up 8 runs on 8 hits.
“If I end up in Triple-A, I’m not going to be all that upset,” Eveland said. “I really, really like this organization a lot. It’s been my favorite organization I’ve been in, even though it’s only been a couple months. There are great people in this organization and it’s a great team, great guys to be around.
“Top to bottom, it’s the best organization I’ve been in.”
PRO Rumors TV – Sunday, May 23 at 7:30pm PST
Posted by: | CommentsStreaming .TV shows by Ustream
Please join Allan and Ted on PRO Rumors TV with special guest Ray Flowers of Baseball Guys. We’ll be talking San Francisco Giants, NL West and all things baseball. You can watch it at http://www.prorumors.com or http://blog.prorumors.com tonight, Sunday, May 23, at 7:30pm PST.
Roy Oswalt Trade Rumors: Nationals interested
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5/23 16:48: Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post says Nats GM Mike Rizzo did not confirm or deny the interest in Oswalt.
“We have interest in a lot of people,” Rizzo said. “We’re always on the phones, we’re always doing our due diligence on players. Oswalt is a tremendous competitor and a tremendous pitcher.”
5/23 14:19: Bill Ladson of MLB.com says the Washington Nationals are looking to improve their rotation an dhave expressed interest in trading for Houston Astros right-handed pitcher Roy Oswalt.
Ladson adds that if the Nationals could work out a deal, Oswalt, 32, and right-hander Stephen Strasburg would be a perfect 1-2 combination in the rotation. It is unclear what the Nationals are willing to give up in order to acquire Oswalt.
Ladson reminds us of Oswalt’s no-trade clause. Yesterday, Buster Olney of ESPN the Magazine said that Oswalt may be reluctant to go to a team that lost 103 games a year ago.
Philadelphia Phillies Rumors: Scouting White Sox Bobby Jenks and J.J. Putz
Posted by: | CommentsAccording to Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com, the Philadelphia Phillies are scouting Chicago White Sox Bobby Jenks and J.J. Putz.
Levine says the Phillies main concern is the back end of their bullpen. They are not too confident on the health of Brad Lidge.
“The last two outings he (Jenks) has thrown the ball very well,” White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. “The ball is coming out of Bobby’s hand a lot better. I don’t think he’s throwing 97 mph. The scoreboard said 97. I don’t think 97, but he is throwing the ball much better. He’s healthy now. His calf isn’t bothering him.”
The White Sox are not ready to give up on the season, but they are likely to listen to offers if the team continues to struggle.
New York Yankees Rumors: Will Yankees deal catching prospects Romine and Montero?
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Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe says that Francisco Cervelli has exceeded all expections and is now considered a potential starting catcher.
“We knew he could catch in the big leagues all along,’’ said general manager Brian Cashman. “What we didn’t expect is the level of offense he’s given us.
“He’s really been a complete catcher for us. The pitchers love throwing to him. He’s a great kid who works hard with every pitcher. He has a very good arm and really has an excellent feel of how to call the game.’’
Cervellis has been hitting .342 with 17 RBIs and has been solid with runners in scoring position.
Carfardo wonders what the Yankees will do with tier catching prospects Austin Romine and Jesus Montero.
Romine was hitting .328 with 3 home runs and 26 RBIs with Double-A Trenton and according to Cashman, “can catch in the big leagues right now.”
Montero, 20, is more of a hitter than Romine, but has struggled at Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, hitting .244 entering yesterday with 3 homers and 19 RBIs.
Boston Red Sox Rumors: What happens if the Red Sox fall out of the race?
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Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe speculates that if the Red Sox fall out of the race, a number of players could be dealt for prospects to replenish the farm system. Current players that could be traded include: Adrian Beltre, Marco Scutaro, Victor Martinez, Mike Lowell, David Ortiz, and Jeremy Hermida.
Cafardo brings up Ortiz’s $12 million option on his contract for the 2011 season. He notest that one-dimensional players like him do not draw a demand on the open market. He cites Hideki Matsui and his one-year, $6 million deal and the unemployed Jermaine Dye. Ortiz could continue playing next year at a fraction of his current contract. If he continues, don’t expect him to take a pinch hittingrole that Jason Giambi is doing in Colorado.
Lastly, Cafardo says that if Ortize and Martinez continue to hit the way they are hitting now, then there’s no chance the Red Sox will acquire Chris Iannetta. It was reported last week that the Red Sox were tracking the progress of Ianetta.
Milton Bradley: Seeing counselor to handle unpleasant thoughts
Posted by: | CommentsElizabeth Merrill of ESPN.com
spoke with Seattle Mariners troubled outfielder Milton Bradley about his his recent issues of stress and how he’s dealing with it. Bradley recently returned from two weeks on the restricted list and has enlisted a counselor in town with an athletic background and “dealt with anger himself.”
“I wanted to take some time out, get my thoughts together, and just speak to someone and get an understanding from somebody unbiased,” Bradley said. “But you can’t really do that in Chicago. There’s just too much going on.”
Bradley has been struggling with an intense pressure to produce and succeed, and the stress led him to unpleasant thoughts.
“It’s always been like my validation, my worth as a human being is that I’ve been a good baseball player,” Bradley said. “That’s a bad way to look at it, but that’s just how I’ve looked at it. I just really had this hopeless feeling when I wasn’t playing baseball well.
“I know when I start thinking about not living anymore based on the fact that I’m not playing baseball well, that’s when I know I need to take a step back.”
“I’m still human. My heart still pumps the same blood as everyone else. I have feelings and emotions, and my feelings are deep and strong.”
VIDEO: Sparky Anderson enjoys a day at the Tigers and Dodgers game
Posted by: | CommentsHappy Sunday! Long time Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds manager Sparky Anderson spent a day at Dodger Stadium to watch his old team take on the Dodgers.
