March 2006 - Baseball Wiretap
Red Sox Will Look To Deal For Izturis
Although the Red Sox insist they're committed to Alex Gonzalez for his defense at shortstop and not concerned with his sub-.300 on-base percentage, they are getting ready to engage in trade talks with the Dodgers for Cesar Izturis as soon as he comes off the disabled list.
Looks Like Rocket Would Remain In Houston
Despite speculation suggesting that Boston and the Yankees are moving up on Roger Clemens' list, the Astros remain the heavy favorite to keep the Hall of Fame-bound pitcher, most baseball people believe.
Though Clemens' family enjoyed New York, word is his wife, Debbie, and their four sons prefer Houston. Recent reports out of Boston suggest the Red Sox are a big player, but as one person who knows Clemens well said: "Roger cares a lot about his image. If he goes to Boston after the way things ended in New York, what would that say? He wants to go to the Hall of Fame as a Yankee."
Alou Powers Out A Walk-Off Job
Moises Alou's game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth gave the Giants a 3-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday.
Williams Returns From DL
Todd Williams was activated from the 15-day disabled list Saturday to help Baltimore's struggling bullpen.
Williams, out since spring training with shoulder and leg injuries, is supposed to anchor middle relief efforts for the Orioles, whose bullpen ranked last in the majors with a 5.83 ERA before Saturday's game.
On His Way To 74?
Albert Pujols set a major league record for home runs in April when he hit his 14th leading off the eighth inning Saturday against Washington Nationals reliever Jon Rauch.
The St. Louis slugger, who entered the game tied with Ken Griffey Jr. (1997) and Luis Gonzalez (2001) for the most home runs in the first month of the season at 13, hit a 2-1 pitch an estimated 411 feet into the Cardinals' right-field bullpen to give St. Louis a 2-1 lead.
It was Pujols' 32nd RBI, tying the team record for April set by Mark McGwire in 1998.
Sheffield And Hillenbrand Exit After Collision
Gary Sheffield and Sheah Hillenbrand left Saturday afternoon's game after colliding in a play at first base.
Sheffield suffered contusions on his left wrist and right knee and is day-to-day.
The Yankees defeated the Blue Jays by a final score of 17-6.
Frandsen Picks Up Three Hits In Giant Debut
Kevin Frandsen made his big-league debut Friday, and it didn't take long to pick up his first big-league bruise. And first big-league dirt stain.
"Just keep on getting dirty," he said.
Frandsen, the Giants' best second-base prospect since Robby Thompson -- he comes with Thompson's gritty makeup and athletic ability and even wears eye black for every game -- reached base in his second plate appearance when drilled in the left elbow by Miguel Batista, and he scored from first base on Barry Bonds' bases-loaded double, sliding into home even though the Diamondbacks made no throw.
When Frandsen's career is over, perhaps many years from now, as the Giants predict, he can look back at his debut and recall a 10-2 victory. Judging by comments by the 23-year-old from San Jose, it seems that's all that mattered even though he had three hits.
"I really feed off what the team does," Frandsen said. "Winning is everything for me. It's not about individual performance. It's never been about that. I've never been 'the guy.' I've always been the guy to set the table. My job is to get on base and play good defense. That's not going to change."
Mets' Pitcher Suspended 50-Games
Yusaku Iriki, who was a phone call away from the Mets, received unwelcome news Friday when the commissioner's office notified the Japanese pitcher he had been suspended 50 games for violating baseball's drug policy.
Iriki, 33, tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance, and becomes the third player in the Mets' organization to do so since the season began. Jorge Reyes and Waner Mateo, both pitchers at Class A Hagerstown, were suspended earlier this month.
The Mets signed Iriki to a one-year, $1-million contract this offseason in the belief he could help them either out of the bullpen or as a spot starter. But Iriki's stock had slipped since the end of spring training. The Mets put him through waivers earlier this month to make room on the 40-man roster, and when he went unclaimed, they outrighted him to Triple-A Norfolk.
Mench Homers In 7th Straight Game
Kevin Mench homered in his seventh straight game for Texas, but made the final out against Wickman as the Cleveland Indians held on to beat the Rangers 7-6 Friday night for their third straight victory.
"I was coming after him because he already had his homer tonight," Wickman said after yielding a run in the ninth before getting Mench to pop out with a runner on third for his fifth save.
Wickman thought he had Mench struck out on a 2-2 pitch.
"I wanted that punch-out," he said. "I was going for a strikeout. I figured if I went and got beat it would have been on good pitches. I made a lot of good ones to him."
Marlins' Owner Yells Cabrera And Willis Are Staying In Florida
Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria is a soft-spoken man, but when the topic turned to the future of his marquee players, Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera, his voice boomed through the tunnels beneath Wrigley Field.
"They're not going anywhere. I've said that 15 times," Loria said Wednesday, his voice rising as he walked from the field to the clubhouse during the Marlins' series in Chicago.
"We're trying to build a team. We build around those two guys. It's the same thing as building an art collection."
Rocket Telling No Secrets
"I stay in touch with him, but he hasn't said anything," Derek Jeter said of Clemens. "He really hasn't."
Schilling Expects To Retire After 2007 Season
"I've got another year left after this one and then I'm done," said Schilling yesterday. "God willing I can stay healthy the next two years, but after that I'm done."
No MLB Celebration When Bonds Passes Ruth
?Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's record,? Selig said. ?We don't celebrate anybody the second or third time in.?
New York Approves $2 Billion For New Stadiums
The City Council played ball with the Mets and Yankees yesterday by approving stadium-financing deals worth nearly $2 billion combined. The stadiums are scheduled to be ready for 2009's Opening Day.
Burnett's Comeback Will Be Mental Too
"I'm going to pick it up slow," said A.J. Burnett. "Pain is one thing, but what I'm feeling is different. I'm not going to go back out there until I'm 100 per cent."
Who Will Own The Nationals?
After months of delay and missed deadlines, Major League Baseball's senior leadership appears close to picking a new owner for the Nationals.
Mora Deal Finally Complete
Sources close to the Melvin Mora contract negotiations said much of the framework to a three-year extension is complete.