Ben Maller's MLB rumors
by FOXSports.com
Tigers were willing to trade Kenny Rogers
Multiple industry officials indicated that the Tigers were willing to deal veteran left-hander Kenny Rogers. But he was 1-5 with a 7.53 ERA in August and allowed six earned runs in his last two starts before the deadline. -- Detroit Free Press
GM Ricciardi expects Jays to stand pat
While Toronto's division rivals prepare for free-agent spending sprees, Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi is planning a quiet off-season of internal re-arming. "I don't really know how much we're going to look to spend," Ricciardi said over the weekend at Yankee Stadium. "I mean, we'll do some things. But we'll probably be more judicious in how we do it." By contrast, the flailing Yankees are warming their charge cards in advance of a frontal assault on the best available talent. Names dangling for them include Milwaukee starter CC Sabathia, Angels slugger Mark Teixeira and the Jays' own A.J. Burnett. "They're always going to do things that we can't do," Ricciardi said of the Yanks. "But we're pretty excited about what we have here and what we have coming. We're probably more set going forward. Obviously, we want to improve our offence." -- Toronto Star
Yanks Robinson Cano fires back at critics after latest error
Robinson Cano is the first one to admit that he made a poor decision Saturday, opening the door for a devastating Yankees loss. But the 25-year-old second baseman said Monday that much of the criticism he has drawn in recent months is unfair, including the charge that he ducked reporters following his game-changing miscue. Cano bolted the clubhouse before reporters had a chance to speak with him on Saturday, but he said he saw the media assembled around Alex Rodriguez as he prepared to leave, and when nobody stopped him on his way out of the clubhouse, he just kept walking. "People think I just left because I didn't want to talk to the media; that wasn't it at all," Cano said, clearly bothered by the situation. "I would rather talk to (reporters) when I make an error than when I'm swinging good. Why wouldn't I want to talk to (the media)? I'm there every day." -- NY Daily News
Cubs Soto's breakout almost for Orioles
The Cubs should thank the Baltimore Orioles for taking a pass on Geovany Soto three years ago. In their eagerness to unload Sammy Sosa and his $17 million contract to the Orioles, the Cubs and Baltimore apparently discussed Soto, a Cubs minor-league catching prospect at the time, as a possible throw-in to the deal. The Orioles, according to a league source, talked themselves out of demanding that Soto be part of the transaction. Instead, Baltimore received Sosa and cash in exchange for Mike Fontenot, Jerry Hairston Jr. and David Crouthers on Feb. 2, 2005. Soto has done a nice job handling the Cubs' pitching staff and in July became the first National League rookie catcher to start an All-Star Game. He is five home runs shy of the Cubs' rookie record of 25, set by Hall of Fame outfielder Billy Williams in 1961, when he was NL Rookie of the Year. -- Chicago Tribune
Royals won't deal Meche, Soria or Greinke?
Officials with other clubs say the Royals appear open to trading anyone except Gil Meche and Joakim Soria, though the price for Zack Greinke effectively takes him off the market, too. -- KC Star
Ownership wants Cashman back with Yanks in '09
Brian Cashman rarely travels with the Yankees, but he plans to make all four legs of this trip. "I feel I'm where I need to be right now," Cashman said. "It's as simple as that." Cashman said he had no meetings scheduled with ownership on the team's trip this week to Tampa, Fla., and he did not expect to address his contract status until the off-season. Cashman is unsigned past this season, but ownership seems to want him back. -- NY Times
Dodger Kent's Hall of Fame career over?
Jeff Kent will have surgery Tuesday on an injured knee. If isn't able to come back this season, his tenure with the Dodgers might be over. It will be a cold, abrupt end to a Hall of Fame career, and a fitting farewell for time so misspent in Los Angeles. -- LA Times
Will Tigers release Renteria?
Edgar Renteria is ticklish only in that the Tigers have no everyday answer at shortstop. They will not want to take on his $11 million salary, which makes it all but certain that Renteria is playing his final month in Detroit. Another factor that could only help push the Tigers to release Renteria is that Boston (for which Renteria played in 2005) must pay Renteria's 2009 option buyout of $3 million if the Tigers let him go. Danny Worth, who was Detroit's No. 2 draft pick in 2007, was on his way to Triple-A Toledo for a fast-track training program as the Tigers' starting shortstop next season until Worth developed a cyst in his throwing shoulder. That torpedoed the remainder of his season and now leaves his development in doubt. Renteria has been hitting fairly well the past month. But his range remains inadequate and his salary is over the top for a team that must begin to do business differently in 2009. -- Detroit News
Cards Carpenter stuck in bullpen
The Cardinals activated Chris Carpenter from the disabled list Monday and assigned him to relief work, a role he has not experienced since 2000 with the Toronto Blue Jays. Carpenter, who left the game Aug. 10 against the Chicago Cubs with muscle pain near his right shoulder, will initially be confined to one-inning appearances, according to manager Tony La Russa. -- St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Guardado knows that, at 37, his next clubhouse prank as a Minnesota Twin could be his last
So the once-and-present Twins reliever sometimes lives on high alert in the clubhouse, but Eddie Guardado hardly minds; he is delighted just to be there. Eight months ago, the left-hander wasn't certain if he ever would get another chance to cut the toes off teammates' dress socks, or light a batboy's shoelaces on fire. "It's been in the back of my mind ever since I had Tommy John (surgery) in 2006," said Guardado, 37. "You come back in here every day, especially after a bad day, you're getting older, and you start to think, 'This might be it.' " -- Pioneer Press
Hendrickson not wanted by Marlins in '09
It's safe to assume that Mark Hendrickson, a free agent after the season, won't be returning to the Marlins in 2009. But by excelling out of the bullpen since losing his spot in the starting rotation, Hendrickson won't go unemployed, either. ''I'm showing myself, and perhaps everybody else, that I can do pretty much any role,'' Hendrickson said. Hendrickson, the Marlins' Opening Day starter, had a 0.66 ERA in nine relief appearances in August and a 2.28 ERA since moving to the bullpen full-time in mid-July. Without revealing specifics, Hendrickson said he made an adjustment that helped put his season back on track. ''I'll keep that between me and myself,'' he said. ``I hit a stretch [as a starter] in the middle of the year, and I know exactly where it came from.'' -- Miami Herald
Pirates Alvarez comes off badly in contract feud
The Pirates tell me Pedro Alvarez is a good player and a good kid. I'll take their word about his potential as a big-time slugging third baseman. But that good-kid business? I'm not buying it. Not now, anyway. Alvarez looks like a louse to me. A coward, too. Some blame Pirates officials for the contract limbo with Alvarez, their No. 1 pick in the June draft. I asked general manager Neal Huntington point blank the other day if he had any concerns that he screwed up and missed the Aug. 15 midnight deadline to do a deal with Alvarez and he shook his head and said absolutely not. That must be true because, as we all know, Huntington and Co. are "the single best management team in all of baseball, maybe in all of sports." At least that's what Pirates owner Bob Nutting told us in an incoherent moment soon after the team thought it had a contract with Alvarez. Many more have blamed Alvarez's agent, Scott Boras, for Alvarez's refusal to come to Pittsburgh to sign the paperwork, saying Boras is after more than the $6 million bonus Alvarez agreed to either a minute before or a minute after the midnight deadline, the exact time to be determined in an arbitration hearing Sept. 10. It's always easy to blame agents for everything wrong in sports. They're hated like lawyers and the media. It's especially easy to blame Boras, who's the best at what he does and gets the most for his client with no regard for what impact it might have on the team. Excuse me, but isn't that his job? I'm blaming Alvarez. -- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Saito could return to Dodgers?
It had been presumed Takashi Saito, out since July 12 with a sprained ligament in his right elbow, would be lost for the season, but Saito might attempt to throw a simulated game next week and said he is optimistic about a 2008 return. "I'm very confident that I'm going to be back on the mound this season," Saito said through an interpreter. The Dodgers have been encouraged by Saito's ability to throw fastballs in twobullpen sessions without pain. Saito next will attempt to throw breaking balls off flat ground and then possibly, as soon as next week, a simulated game. -- LA Daily News
Royals after OF Ibanez, SS Furcal?
The marquee names, such as CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira, are likely to be beyond the Royals' reach, but GM Dayton Moore appears to have sufficient spendable payroll to pursue reliable veterans such as Raul Ibanez and Rafael Furcal. -- KC Star
Lowell set to return to BoSox lineup
Mike Lowell set his sights on returning from the disabled list on Friday after taking batting practice yesterday for the first time since suffering a strained right oblique Aug. 12. Lowell took approximately 35 swings in the indoor batting cage prior to the Red Sox' 7-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles, and felt well enough to join a regular hitting group for another 35 swings. The veteran third baseman said he felt no discomfort and hopes to increase his reps today, which should earn him clearance for activation when the team heads to Arlington, Texas, for a three-game series with the Rangers. -- Boston Herald
A's Frank Thomas may need surgery
It is possible that Oakland's Frank Thomas will require surgery on the quad. Thomas had a 30 percent tear of the muscle in late May and missed more than two months. It is highly unlikely that Thomas, who has 521 career home runs, will play again this season. -- SF Chronicle
Rockies manager: I choose to hate the Dodgers
Long before Clint Hurdle was a manager, he was a fan with irrational beliefs and knee-jerk responses to every game. Still is, when a Detroit hockey or football team is involved. It was in this context that he made a surprising admission last Saturday. "I just hate the Dodgers. I love to see them lose," Hurdle said. "It's nothing personal with anyone there. You know how some people love the Yankees? I choose to hate the Dodgers." -- Denver Post
Mr. October: Gary Sheffield can be productive in 2009
Gary Sheffield, who will turn 40 on Nov. 18, is under contract for $14 million next year. The Tigers' assessment of how much he can contribute will be a big factor in their off-season plans. Reggie Jackson, a special adviser to the Yankees, spoke with Sheffield often during the slugger's three seasons in New York. Jackson said he believes Sheffield "can come back and have a productive season" in 2009. "It's going to depend on the kind of start he gets and how he prepares himself over the winter," Jackson said. "The ballclub is going to want to improve itself next year, so his first three or four weeks of the season are going to be extremely important. That's a reality of life. That's what it is. "Physically, he looks fabulous. But when you have these (injuries) happen to you, and you can't play, the world goes on. It doesn't wait for you. It waits for Alex Rodriguez. It waits for Ryan Howard. It waits for Jake Peavy. It doesn't wait for a guy that's 40." -- Detroit Free Press
Yanks pass on adding Melky and Hughes to roster
The Yankees would rather have Melky Cabrera continure playing for Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, than sitting on the bench with them. Phil Hughes has recovered from his rib cage injury, but he will build up his innings in the Arizona Fall League, probably not with the Yankees. "If there's a spot to pitch him, I'll do it," Cashman said. "But I'm not going to bring him to sit, just for the chance to be around it. He's been around it. Now he just needs to pitch." -- NY Times
Dodgers manager Torre says it won't be first for Jones
Andruw Jones is back with the Dodgers, whatever that means. The Dodgers activated Jones from the disabled list Monday, as part of their Sept.1 roster expansion. Jones reclaimed his old locker and shagged some balls during batting practice but otherwise doesn't seem to have a role. Jones' right knee, which was surgically repaired in May and kept him out for six weeks, apparently is still sore, with what manager Joe Torre described, rather vaguely, as "irritated. It's like a bruise." "It's not something that needs any attention," Torre said, "other than getting it to feel better." There's no assurance that will happen, or that Jones - who is making $18.1 million this season and hitting .161 - will see any extended playing time with the Dodgers this month. If it happens, it almost certainly won't be at first base. Jones spent some significant time at first base with Triple-A Las Vegas while rehabbing his left knee - which also has been hurt this season - and while Torre said he is confident Jones could play first base for the Dodgers, he won't. "I don't see myself taking James out," Torre said, referring to first baseman James Loney, who is hitting over .300 and extended his hitting streak to 12 games Monday with a first-inning RBI single. -- LA Daily News
Julio to join Braves bullpen
The Braves have added another arm to the their group of September call-ups and will bring up Richmond closer Jorge Julio Tuesday with five others. The Braves are in desperate need of arms. It was obvious Sunday in Washington, D.C. when Elmer Dessens took the mound in the eighth inning with a one-run lead. The Braves have a host of relievers who've logged more than their share of innings -- Will Ohman and Blaine Boyer were tied for the majors' lead in appearances (71) entering this series -- and now Manny Acosta is dealing with shoulder stiffness trying to build his velocity back. Julio is 1-2 with a 2.04 ERA and 13 saves in 38 games for Richmond. He's also walked 23 in 39-2/3 innings to go with 45 strikeouts. The Braves signed him as a minor league free agent on June 11 after he'd been released by Cleveland. "He's been throwing good," Cox said. "[But yes] we need arms." -- Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Royals GM: we stink, trades coming
It's September and, once again, the Royals are light-years from playing meaningful games. So what now? General manager Dayton Moore is as mad as anyone. That was evident last weekend as he sat in the dugout at Comerica Park in Detroit, lips drawn tight, while watching his club work its way through batting practice. Moore is vowing major roster changes before the club gathers next February for spring training in Surprise, Ariz. "I've made up my mind on this team," he said. "I've got a pretty good idea on where we need to go and what we need to do. I've been watching this team for two years now. It's the same (core) group of guys." In short, Moore has seen enough. The current mix of players isn't working. His solution is to make another major push this winter in the free-agent market while escalating efforts to revamp the roster through trades. -- KC Star
Can Freddy Garcia pitch his way into the Tigers rotation?
Jeremy Bonderman is on track to return to the Tigers' rotation. Less certain is the fate of three left-handers: Kenny Rogers, who likely will retire; Dontrelle Willis, who has not come close to pitching his way back into big league form; and Nate Robertson, whose "flexibility" issues have some wondering if his sharp slider and two-seam fastball will ever again have their old bite. It could conceivably leave the Tigers looking at a rotation of all right-handers next season: Bonderman, Justin Verlander, Armando Galarraga, Zach Miner, and -- if he gets a chance during September -- newly acquired right-hander Freddy Garcia, who pitched briefly at Triple-A Toledo last month and is now working with the Tigers. -- Detroit News
Dodgers Ethier to leave team for birth of first child
Dodgers OF Andre Ethier is expected to leave the team for several days this month to be with his wife, Maggie, for the birth of the couple's first child, Torre said. Ethier declined to provide the expected delivery date or otherwise address the situation. "That's personal stuff," he said. -- LA Times
Marlins add McPherson's 42 homers
Dallas McPherson, who paced all minor-leaguers with 42 homers for Triple-A Albuquerque, will join the Marlins Get your Marlins Tickets now! tonight along with infielder Robert Andino and right-hander Frankie De La Cruz. A 2001 second-round pick and former top prospect in the Angels' system, McPherson last appeared in the majors Oct. 1, 2006. The Marlins signed him as a free agent to compete at third base. His bid was derailed in spring training because of some minor injuries. McPherson ranked 13th among all Triple-A hitters with a .997 on-base plus slugging percentage. -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Mets Beltran limping after slid into umpire
Carlos Beltran did not know what to think about the bizarre circumstances in the eighth inning. Trying to score on Ryan Church's double to left-center, Beltran said he never saw the plate umpire Ed Rapuano until he slid into him while scoring. Rapuano fell on Beltran, who said his knee bent back underneath his body. "I was trying to avoid the catcher's tag, and all of a sudden I hit the umpire," Beltran said. "He went kind of like, 'How do you feel?' And I'm like, 'Look at me, I'm limping.' " Beltran said he felt a "pinch" behind his knee when he stood up. Before the bottom of the ninth, Beltran told Manager Jerry Manuel that the knee felt unstable, so Endy Chavez replaced him. The Mets vice president Tony Bernazard said the Brewers' medical staff examined Beltran and found no structural damage. No additional tests were planned. -- NY Times
Tanner: Cox not to blame for Braves problems
It's not Bobby Cox. "No, this isn't his fault," said Chuck Tanner, referring to the Braves' free fall in the National League East standings. That said, Tanner, who should know such things, suggested that this really is the reincarnation of his 1988 Braves, which isn't good, by the way. Those other Braves lost 106 times. The current ones are wretched, but they already have more victories than the 54 for those other Braves. Whatever that means. That means little if you listen to Tanner, the accomplished manager of yore, speaking over the phone from his home in New Castle, Pa. As a major league scout nowadays for the Pittsburgh Pirates, he remains close to the game. That's why he noted a similarity between his Braves of 20 years ago and the current ones imploding in their division. -- Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Outman gets look from A's?
Josh Outman, 23, was part of the Joe Blanton deal with Philadelphia in July, and he went 1-0 with a 1.76 ERA in a five-game stint with the River Cats. Outman's fastball registered as high as 97 mph, and he was consistently working in the mid-90s, according to Sacramento manager Todd Steverson. One scout said that Outman could be an Alan Embree-in-training, a hard-throwing lefty reliever. Outman also has started at both Sacramento and Double-A Midland, and though he is expected to provide bullpen help this month, Outman could be an option in the rotation at some point next year. -- SF Chronicle
Rays Garza is AL East killer
Rays starter Matt Garza is 7-2 at home with a 2.47 ERA (fourth in the AL), and he's tough vs. AL East foes, going 12-4 in his career as opposed to 8-16 against the rest of baseball. -- St. Petersburg Times
Padres hope Antonelli stops the merry-go-round at second base
In their search for a second baseman, in fact, the Padres have paid several million dollars for negative returns. "We're hoping Matt Antonelli can be the guy," Kevin Towers said yesterday before Antonelli, the club's first draft pick in 2006, made his major league debut. When the Padres dealt Barfield, who was coming off a solid rookie season, CEO Sandy Alderson and Towers said that it was harder to find a third baseman than a second baseman. While that may be true, the second-base position became a large money pit for the Padres. -- San Diego Union-Tribune
Pudge wants starting role in '09
Pudge Rodriguez will be a free agent and said he won't think about potential scenarios until the end of the season. One thing is certain. He's not ready to abandon a starting role. "There is no doubt in my mind he can play every day," said Girardi, a former catcher. "How many years that'll be? I'm not sure. You never know how a body is going to hold up." -- Detroit News
D-Backs Eckstein goes to game with Cards players
David Eckstein called it an irony that he played his first D-Backs game against St. Louis, for whom he won the 2006 World Series MVP award. He and his wife drove to the park Monday with former teammates Russ Springer and Ryan Franklin, and Springer -- a former D-Back -- directed them to the park. -- East Valley Tribune
Royals September call-ups include Shealy and Kaaihue
It seems the Royals found Kila Kaaihue's breakthrough season too much to overlook. Kaaihue, 24, will be among four players from Class AAA Omaha who will join the roster Tuesday as September call-ups. Major League rules allow rosters to expand in September from 25 to 40 players. Ryan Shealy and relievers Yasuhiko Yabuta and Devon Lowery will also join the roster. Omaha completed its season Monday in 13-8 victory at Iowa. The Royals are also likely to activate pitchers Jimmy Gobble and John Bale from the disabled list. More moves are coming Tuesday because the Royals must clear space on their 40-man roster for Kaaihue, Lowery and Yabuta. -- KC Star
Kotchman back with Braves after stay with ill mother
Casey Kotchman returned to the Braves Monday after spending two weeks at his mother's bedside. Kotchman said his mother suffered hemorrhaging in her brain on Aug. 19 and has been in neuro-intensive care in a St. Petersburg hospital. Kotchman said his mother is stable and her pain has decreased, though doctors are still trying to identify what's causing her problem. He said emergency room doctors initially diagnosed it as an aneurysm but further tests haven't yet confirmed it. "She's in good spirits," Kotchman said. "She's responsive, she's stable. They're still doing more tests. They haven't found [an aneurysm] yet. They do an angiogram tomorrow to rule that out." Kotchman said his mother, Sarah Kotchman, 55, felt severe head and neck stiffness and pain when she woke from a nap the night of Aug. 19, "the worst headache you could possibly imagine," he said. A neighbor called 911. -- Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Brewers add 10 players to roster
Brad Nelson was like a kid going to Disneyland for the first time. Except he's 25 years old and this was his first chance to breathe in the rarefied air of a big-league clubhouse. Nelson was one of 10 players called up from the minor leagues by the Brewers as major-league rosters expanded Monday. Among others were likely future shortstop Alcides Escobar, catcher Angel Salome and third baseman Mat Gamel. -- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Pirates keep Van Benshoten in minors
The Pirates most notable omission was pitcher John Van Benschoten, sent back to Indianapolis in late July and converted to relief. He had a 5.09 ERA in nine appearances, but most of that damage came in the first three. -- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Who Knew?
27 - Consecutive hits by the Cubs that have been singles. They haven't had an extra-base hit since Alfonso Soriano's eighth-inning homer Friday. -- Houston Chronicle
Did You Know?
Though their home run rate has seen a marked downturn, the Marlins remain on pace to top last year's single-season franchise record (201). They have hit 176 through 138 games, putting them on track for 206. -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel
How About That?
Dustin Pedroia's 33 runs scored in August were the most by a player in the month since Willie Wilson scored 34 for Kansas City in 1979. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was the most runs scored by a Sox player since August 1950 when Dom DiMaggio and Billy Goodman each had 35. Pedroia, who established a record for Sox second basemen with 184 hits (breaking Del Pratt's 1922 mark of 183), also swiped second base in the eighth inning, giving him 17 in 18 attempts this year. His 94.4 percent success rate is the best mark in the league (minimum 15 attempts).-- Boston Herald
Who Knew?
Monday's two RBIs leave Albert Pujols nine shy of becoming the third player in major league history to reach 100 RBIs in his first eight seasons. He would join Ted Williams and Al Simmons in select company while moving past Joe DiMaggio. Pujols is also hitting .519 (28 for 54) in his last 14 games. -- St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Did You Know?
Oakland has failed to score more than six runs in 37 consecutive games, the team's longest such streak since the Kansas City A's went 37 games in 1965. It's the longest streak by an AL team since Milwaukee went 40 games without scoring more than six runs in 1988. -- SF Chronicle
How About That?
The Royals entered September trailing first-place Chicago by 20 games and fourth-place Cleveland by 8 1/2 games. It is the 13th time in 14 years the Royals opened the season's final month at least 11 1/2 games behind the division leader. -- KC Star
Who Knew?
With his 30th home run, Miguel Cabrera , 25, became the youngest Tiger to hit 30 home runs and 30 doubles in a season since Hank Greenberg did it at 24 in 1935. No Tiger of any age had done it since Bobby Higginson in 2000. -- Detroit News
Nats could move Triple-A team to Richmond?
Some Richmond fans have paid attention to the minor league affiliate migrations that are set to occur after the season, hoping that in some way the Washington Nationals could enter the Richmond market. MASN, the Nationals' broadcast network, already airs in Richmond, and the Nationals' top minor league affiliate, Class AAA Columbus (Ohio), has announced it is ending its agreement with the Nationals following this season, most likely in favor of the Cleveland Indians. "This would become a Nationals town," Tom Schaefer, 54, said while watching a game between the Braves and the Columbus Clippers at The Diamond earlier this season. "Truthfully, it hasn't been as much a Braves town in the past few years because of MASN, because of the Orioles, because of the Nationals. But if the Nationals come here, oh, man!" If nothing else, having a Class AAA affiliate in close proximity to the major league club is advantageous for promotions and rehabilitation assignments. -- Washington Post
Ben Maller can be heard weeknights on "The Third Shift on Fox" via the vast Fox Sports Radio Network. The show is broadcast live Monday-Friday from 2am till 6am (est). Check your local radio listenings for the FSR affiliate in your town, listen to XM Satellite Radio Channel No. 142 or via live streaming audio online at FoxSports.com/Radio. Say hi to Ben at myspace.com/benmaller. Interact with Ben's fans and talk sports on Ben Maller's forum Questions, comments and news tips can be sent to Ben via e mail at BigBen@Foxsports.com or Ben@BenMaller.com.
advertisement
