Rumors for March, 2011
Mets release Luis Castillo
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In a Tweet by Adam Rubin of ESPN, he mentions that second baseman Luis Castillo has been released by the New York Mets. Rubin adds that Mets GM, Sandy Alderson will address the matter shortly.
Last week, we learned that Mets’ manager Terry Collins was in the “not-Castillo camp for second base”. Collins is trying to limit the drama around the 2011 Mets. Not having Castillo around potentially helps that cause.
The switch hitter posted a .604 OPS in 2011, which ranked 291st among 305 players with at least 250 plate appearances in the majors last year and he’s owed $6 million in the last year of his four-year $24 million contract.
No trade interest in Aaron Rowand but some for Schierholtz
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The San Francisco Giants may have a tough decision to make when camp breaks in two weeks. Rookie Brandon Belt is turning enough heads to warrant a promotion to the big league, but if that’s the case a veteran will likely be out of a job, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
“If Belt forces his way on, it would have to be legitimate, and we’re all agreed he would be the seventh hitter,” GM Brian Sabean said. “The caveat is, there are high expectations and we certainly hope he’ll be in a winning situation immediately. There’s more pressure associated with that.”
Resting on the Belt decision are the futures of Aaron Rowand, Travis Ishikawa and Nate Schierholtz. The latter two do not have any Minor League options left, and Rowand carries a large contract with two years left on it.
Schulman says that trading Rowand is unlikely even if the Giants are willing to eat his contract. The team is drawing little to no interest in their veteran outfielder. The same goes for Ishikawa.
However, Schulman says that more teams are looking at Schierholtz because of his left-handed bat, arm and outfield defense, but the Giants may want to keep him.
“I think we’re all more open-minded now because he’s played a lot, and because of that, has faced front-line pitching,” Sabean said. “He’s started a lot of games. It’s not like he’s coming in the second part of a game and not facing major-league pitching. With each day that he holds his own or excels, it turns your head.”
White Sox and Marlins talked trade for Guillen
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Chicago White Sox chairman, Jerry Reinsdorf, cleared the air about the rumored trade involving the Florida Marlins and manager Ozzie Guillen this week, according to Doug Padilla of ESPNChicago.com.
“There wasn’t going to be a trade,” Reinsdorf said. “The Marlins approached us about wanting to talk to Ozzie. OK. We couldn’t trade Ozzie. He has a contract to manage the White Sox. We could let him out of his contract. I love Ozzie, but if Ozzie didn’t want to be here, I would consider letting him out of his contract, but not for nothing. “So, I said to the Marlins, ‘If you want to talk to him, we have to agree on what we get if he decides to leave.’ We couldn’t agree on that. If we had been able to agree, Ozzie probably still wouldn’t have left. We couldn’t have traded him and we would have tried to keep him. I would have gone to Ozzie and said, ‘OK the Marlins want to talk to you and we’ve given them permission to talk to you, but I hope to God you don’t leave.’ It would have been his decision, not our decision.”
In early October there was a buzz that the Marlins hadn’t “given up hope” on getting Guillen to manage in South Beach. They had lot going for them: a new stadium in 2012, a strong Latin community and a bunch of up-an-coming baseball stars. At the end of the day the White Sox kept the guy who won them their 2005 World Series and the Marlins dropped the interim title from Edwin Rodriguez.
Mariners’ Garrett Olson placed on waivers
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The Seattle Mariners are having roster issues as they already have a full 40 man roster. A Major League source close to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports says that left-handed pitcher Garrett Olson has already been placed on waivers.
In 2010, the lefty was 0-3 with a 4.54 ERA and 31 SO in 37.2 innings throughout 35 games with the Mariners.
Rosenthal adds that there are at least five non-roster players that stand reasonable chances on making the team. The Mariners had 23 non-roster invitees this Spring Training. Catcher Josh Bard, infielder Adam Kennedy, right handed pitchers Jamey Wright and Chris Ray and one of two outfielders, Ryan Langerhans or Gabe Gross are among the favorites to make the team.
Rockies may trade Aaron Cook when he’s healthy
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According to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports, the Colorado Rockies may have enough rotation depth to deal right handed pitcher Aaron Cook once he is healthy.
The Rockies would probably go with Ubaldo Jimenez, Jorge de la Rosa, Jason Hammel and Jhoulys Chacin as their first four starters. Rookie Esmil Rogers is having a good Spring Training, and the team believes that John Maine and Greg Reynolds will contribute at some point as well.
Cook though, could be difficult to move because of his high 2011 salary which is $9.25 million. In addition, he arrived to Spring Training with tightness in his shoulder and then he broke a finger by shutting it in a door.
The right hander was 6-8 with a 5.08 ERA in 127.2 innings throughout 23 starts in 2010 with the Rockies.
Tim Brown on Bonderman, Eckstein and Molina
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Here’s the latest from Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports:
– Right handed pitcher Jeremy Bonderman will likely miss at least the first few months of the 2011 season after attracting only Minor League contract offers in the offseason.
– Veteran infielder David Eckstein is still a free agent, but he’s been working out with his brother Rick, the Nationals hitting coach, and expects to continue his career.
– Several teams are in need of catching help, but 36-year old Bengie Molina appears to be ready to hang up his cleats. Recently the Padres inquired on him, but he told them he wasn’t interested.
– Jeff Weaver told his brother, Jered Weaver, that he would only pitch for the Dodgers or retire.
Thrown out Barry Bonds voicemail: ‘You better reach out and page me’
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In an article by the Associated Press, a federal judge barred the jury in Barry Bonds‘ perjury trial from listening to angry voicemails he left with his mistress, Kimberly Bell.
Of the dozens of recordings that the prosecutors had, they wanted to play 11 of them to the panel to showcase Bonds’ “roid rage” when he demanded to know the whereabouts of Bell.
U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston said that the recordings offered “very limited” value to the case.
“You better reach out and page me once in a while or you’re up to something other than that,” Bonds says in one of his voicemails. “Girl, I ain’t playing.”
The dates of the voicemails were not made avaialble, but he dated Bell from 1994 to 2003, and not all messages were bad.
“Hello? I’m working out right now, but I’m calling you to wish you a happy, happy, happy, happy Valentine’s, ’cause you worth all that and all them wishes. Love to you baby, peace,” Bonds was heard telling Bell.
Bonds’ trial for perjury starts on Monday and Bell is expected to testify at some point during the hearing.
GQ Magazine names Phillies fans worst in America
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Spoiler alert for GQ Magazine subscribers. In GQ’s April 2011 magazine (due out on March 22, 2011), writer Adam Winer has named the Philadelphia Phillies fans the worst sports fans in America. (To be fair he named both the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles fans and MLB’s Phillies fans as #1 & #2).
Why did Winer name them the worst?
Just last season alone Citizens Bank Park was the host of a fan being tased (see video here) on the outfield grass and a drunken fan intentionally vomiting on an 11-year-old girl.
“Some of these people would boo the crack in the Liberty Bell,” Pete Rose once said.
Others on the list of worst fans in America include:
#6 – Boston Red Sox
#9 – New York Yankees
Omar Minaya ‘antsy’ to return to baseball
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In an article by Mike Puma of the New York Post, a source says that former New York Mets GM, Omar Minaya, is “antsy” to return to baseball in some role, but he’s exploring his options.
Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com adds that current GM Sandy Alderson met with Minaya in the Dominican Republic earlier this week, where Minaya mentioned that he is trying to figure out if he wants to remain in the organization. Alderson has outlined some possibilities for Minaya.
Minaya is still owed about $2.2 million from the Mets over the next two years and has an offer to rejoin the team in a scouting role. He has not ruled out a return.
“Well, I’d like to hear from him first,” Alderson said in December. “But, to reiterate, he and I have been friends for a long time. I have great respect for him as a baseball person. There’s always room for somebody with his capabilities.”
Competing GMs expect Cardinals to pickup Wainwright’s option
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In an article by Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated, three competing general managers tell him that they expect the St. Louis Cardinals to pick up Adam Wainwright’s $21 million two-year option.
However, general manager John Mozeliak said he “hasn’t thought about” such a deal yet.
Wainwright’s teammate, Matt Holliday, called it a “no-brainer” to pick it up.
The right-hander underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery at the end of February. The team is expected to fill his void from within with Kyle McClellan and Miguel Batista among the internal candidates.
