Rumors for September, 2010
VIDEO: Cubs Tyler Colvin hospitalized after broken bat punctures chest
Posted by: | CommentsHere’s video of Chicago Cubs’ Tyler Colvin getting impaled by a broken bat off of Wellington Castillo.
Paul Sullivan of The Chicago-Sun Times says that Colvin is in stable condition and the wound was only a few inches from his heart. There was minimal external bleeding and he may remain overnight in the hospital for tests.
MLB.com’s Charlie Nobles says that Colvin will spend at least the next several days at Jackon Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center while doctors seek to prevent him from having a collapsed lung. Doctors are using a pneumothorax procedure to prevent a collapsed lung, since air entered Colvin’s chest wall after a broken bat punctured his chest on the left side near his collarbone. The procedure involves having a tube in the chest opening to keep air from harming the lung.
On a side note, Castillo was using a maple bat. Maple bats have been scrutinized because they break easily and splinter. They have been banned for use in the Minor Leagues.
Baltimore Orioles to upgrade offense this winter
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Baltimore Orioles’ team president Andy MacPhail told Jim Palmer and Gary Thorne (via Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun) that he will concentrate on upgrading the team’s offense this winter. However, MacPhail conceded that the free agent market could be thin.
“It’s not a great year, but there are players out there,” MacPhail said.
MacPhail will be looking for free agent players who have a chance to improve their performance next year, but he understands that the Orioles are not one or two players away from contending in the American League East.
Big name offensive free agents this winter include Jayson Werth and Carl Crawford. Both players are expected to get significant contracts of $15+ million per season, so that may be out of the reach for the O’s.
Nick Cafardo on Tony La Russa, Jacoby Ellsbury, Ozzie Guillen, Andre Ethier
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Here’s the latest from Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe:
There are a few rumors circulating regarding Tony La Russa’ future. One has him going to the Cincinnati Reds if Dusty Baker rejects a contract offer and goes elsewhere. The scenario that makes the most sense is returning to St. Louis, but the Cardinals would have to upgrade their roster.
A couple of New York Mets officials told Cafardo that the team will make a run at Boston Red Sox Jacoby Ellsbury this winter.
Cafardo sees a few problems with Ozzie Guillen managing the Florida Marlins.
A Dodger official close to Cafardo called it “highly unlikely” that Andre Ethier would be traded this off-season.
Cafardo speculates that it’s possible that former Arizona Diamondbacks’ GM Josh Byrnes could work in a consulting capacity for the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Colorado Rockies or New York Mets.
Former Indians manager, Eric Wedge, is a very serious candidate for the Chicago Cubs managerial job.
Red Sox chairman, Tom Werner, could be a candidate to purchase the Los Angeles Dodgers if the McCourt family is forced to sell.
The Toronto Blue Jays are going to consider Don Baylor as a managerial candidate to replace retiring Cito Gaston.
St. Louis Cardinals catcher Jason LaRue retires
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On August 10th, a free for all brawl was sparked by Brandon Phillips between the Cardinals and the Reds. During the brawl, the Reds Johnny Cueto kicked Jason LaRue in the head numerous times. For his actions, Cueto was suspended 7 games. Click here to see the video of the brawl.
According to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, as a result of the kicks to the head, LaRue suffered a severe concussion and has decided to retire as he does not want to risk any further injuries to his head. Resulting trauma to the brain has left LaRue unable to drive or even to cook for himself. Minimal activity creates sensations that he likened to seasickness, as LaRue would develop excruciating headaches and nausea.
“I’m done. It’s a simple decision,” LaRue said. “As a catcher you’re so vulnerable to getting another (concussion). All it takes a foul ball to the head. Even as a backup that happened 3-5 times last year. It’s not a question of if it would happen again, it’s when. Nobody can guarantee anything. It’ll probably be worse.”
LaRue went as far as looking into possible legal action against Cueto for what occurred but decided not to. “I was going to retire on my own terms…. Does it suck that my career is over because Johnny Cueto started kicking me in the head? Yes, it sucks.”
LaRue has spent time during his career with the Red, Royals and Cardinals and is a career 231 avg.
A.J. Burnett shows up to game with a mysterious black eye
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Here’s one that you file under the mysterious injuries pile – New York Yankees pitcher A.J. Burnett showed up to his start on Friday night with a black eye and a swollen cheek, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post.
Costello said that it appears that Burnett had been punched.
Jim Riggleman likely to be Nationals manager in 2011
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There are strong indications from the Washington Nationals’ organization, according to the Washington Posts’ Adam Kilgore that Jim Riggleman will return for his second full season as the team’s manager.
“We haven’t announced a final call, but we’ve made a definite decision,” General Manager Mike Rizzo said. “We haven’t made an announcement to him or to the public.”
Riggleman made $600,000 this season and the team has the option to buyout his contract for next year for $100,000. If they do buy him out, they would need to inform him the day after the finish of the World Series. Kilgore says that it is almost certain the Nat’s will keep Riggleman.
“What we’ve always liked about, as in-game strategist, he’s really good about that,” Rizzo said. “He’s as good as anybody. We’ve gone through some trials and tribulations this year, some real highs and some lows – both extremes.”
“I don’t think it affects the way he does his job one way or the other,” Rizzo said. “The way he goes about his business, he’s managing and preparing like he would if he had a long-term contract or with no contract. That’s just his personality.”
Hiroki Kuroda will wait until season is over before deciding future
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Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed starter, Hiroki Kuroda, is wrapping up his three-year contract, and he isn’t ready to announce his future plans yet, according to MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick.
“As with the last time I was a free agent [in Japan], I’ll make my last start, then I’ll start to think about next year,” said Kuroda.
Gurnick says that the Dodgers are expected to make an attempt to keep Kuroda, but probably not at the $12 million annual salary that he’s making right now.
Could Oscar De La Hoya be the next owner of the Dodgers?
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On Thursday, we heard from former Dodgers owner Peter O’ Malley as he thinks that Frank McCourt should sell the Dodgers.
If McCourt does end up selling the team, add former boxer Oscar De La Hoya to the list of potential buyers.
“Interested? Are you kidding me? It would be an honor to somehow be involved with the Dodgers,” De La Hoya told 710 ESPN in Los Angeles. “We are born, raised and live here in L.A. We are very, very interested. We would be on top of it. Hopefully something will come out of it. Obviously, there are a lot of problems and issues that have to be resolved. But we’re right here waiting and willing.”
In closing he added, “We haven’t even thought about putting a group of investors together. But it wouldn’t be difficult at all.”
List of candidates to replace Blue Jays Cito Gaston continues to grow
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Cito Gaston is retiring at the end of the season. The Blue Jays manager, seems intent on hanging it up and spending more time with his family. In July, we heard the rumors that Sal Fasano could be a dark horse to be the Blue Jays manager in 2011. The 38 year-old managed the Blue Jays single-A club this season and is only 2 seasons removed from his playing career.
We then heard this past week that Don Baylor, Blue Jays third base coach Brian Butterfield and Yankees third base coach Rob Thomson are also expected to receive consideration there.
Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com is hearing other names to replace Gaston in Toronto also include Mets scout Bob Melvin & Nats coach Pat Listach as well as former M’s skipper Don Wakamatsu.
Whoever gets Gaston’s job will takeover a promising team with a bright future. The only downfall to the job is that they belong in the American League East.
Brewers will not pick up Doug Davis’ 2011 option
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What does a 7.51 ERA get a soon to be 35 year old starting pitcher? It gets your mutual option declined. According to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel the Brewers will not pick up their end of the 2011 mutual option for pitcher Doug Davis.
Instead, they will pay the left-hander a $1MM buyout rather than the $6.5MM salary for next season. Davis has been sidelined for several months with a virus in the lining of his heart and then missed more time with elbow tendinitis. He has made only one start since July 9th.
