Thursday, November 10, 2005
Angels looking at a number of power issues
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. - The Angels seem destined to land either Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez in a trade or White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko as a free agent, but if they want to add a less expensive hitter, free agent Nomar Garciaparra could make a good fit as a third baseman and DH.
Then again, the Angels might simply promote Kendry Morales, who is third in the Arizona Fall League with a .380 batting average. Second baseman Howie Kendrick &3151; the Angels' best minor league hitter, according to one club official — is fourth in the AFL batting race. Another Angels' prospect, shortstop Brandon Wood, leads the league with 13 homers.
The Mariners, a team with a history of wooing Japanese talent, made a point of expressing interest in Japanese catcher Kenji Jojima shortly after he became a free agent Tuesday night, three days ahead of his major-league counterparts.
Jojima, 29, would face a unique language barrier communicating with major-league pitchers, but he caught two foreign pitchers per season during his 10-year career in Japan, and his transition would not be unlike what American-born catchers face in handling pitchers from Japan, Korea and Spanish-speaking countries.
Jojima's agent, Alan Nero, says that Jojima understands English and can speak "baseball language," but needs work on his conversational skills. The Mets and Devil Rays are among the other clubs interested in Jojima. The Mets have also been the most aggressive early suitor for Bengie Molina, the Angels' free-agent catcher.
Don't expect Bobby Valentine to return to the U.S. from Japan unless the Dodgers offer him the chance to become both their manager and GM, which looks unlikely. After leading the Chiba Lotte Marines to the Japan Series title, Valentine is talking to the team about a four-year extension that could be worth as much as $20 million.
The Mets and Cardinals are among the high-revenue teams expected to bid for free-agent right-hander A.J. Burnett, and don't rule out the Yankees and Red Sox. Lesser clubs like the Blue Jays, Nationals and Mariners also want Burnett, but the big spenders would be more likely to add an extra year to his contract or spend the extra millions necessary.
The Braves are expected to increase their offer to free-agent shortstop Rafael Furcal from three years to four and perhaps add a fifth year as a club option. If the Braves sign Furcal, trading second baseman Marcus Giles, a free agent after the 2007 season, could be a possibility. If Furcal departs, the team could pursue a stopgap at short or go with rookie Tony Pena Jr. while upgrading the offense and possibly pursuing an elite closer such as Billy Wagner or B.J. Ryan. Pena is ready defensively.
The Rangers, conducting their annual manhunt for pitching, could trade one or more hitters from a group that includes second baseman Alfonso Soriano, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and outfielders Kevin Mench and Laynce Nix. Soriano continues to draw interest from clubs who view him as an outfielder, even though he wants to remain at second. The Padres, Mets, Dodgers, and Royals represent possible fits, though one Mets official said he considers Soriano a fallback possibility.
Even though the Dodgers face the loss of free-agent right-hander Jeff Weaver, they're open to trading left-hander Odalis Perez, a pitcher in whom the Nationals, and other clubs have had interest in the past. The idea behind trading Perez would be to free salary for other pursuits. Good luck — Perez, 28, is owed $7.25 million in 2006, $7.75 million in '07 and a $1.5 million buyout or $9 million club option in '08.
The off-field troubles of former Orioles right-hander Sidney Ponson are well-documented, but that hasn't stopped a number of teams from expressing interest in signing him as a free agent. In a thin market for pitching, Ponson might be worth a shot at the right price. He's only 29, possesses a terrific arm and in the right environment might snap out of it — emphasis on "might."
The Blue Jays, shopping for a corner outfielder, know they might not get what they want on the free-agent market; after Brian Giles, the talent drops off considerably. Jacque Jones is a lesser free-agent option, while trade possibilities could include the Rangers' Kevin Mench and Phillies' Bobby Abreu or Pat Burrell and the Braves' Kelly Johnson or Ryan Langerhans.
The Tigers, in the market for a closer, are one of many teams that covet free-agent left-hander B.J. Ryan. Manager Jim Leyland and coaches Gene Lamont and Rafael Belliard currently are in the Dominican Republic meeting with three of team's Domincan pitchers — Franklyn German, Fernando Rodney and Roman Colon. They also plan to watch Tigers center fielder Curtis Granderson, who is playing for Licey in the Dominican Winter League.
Source: http://msn.foxsports.com/
Then again, the Angels might simply promote Kendry Morales, who is third in the Arizona Fall League with a .380 batting average. Second baseman Howie Kendrick &3151; the Angels' best minor league hitter, according to one club official — is fourth in the AFL batting race. Another Angels' prospect, shortstop Brandon Wood, leads the league with 13 homers.
The Mariners, a team with a history of wooing Japanese talent, made a point of expressing interest in Japanese catcher Kenji Jojima shortly after he became a free agent Tuesday night, three days ahead of his major-league counterparts.
Jojima, 29, would face a unique language barrier communicating with major-league pitchers, but he caught two foreign pitchers per season during his 10-year career in Japan, and his transition would not be unlike what American-born catchers face in handling pitchers from Japan, Korea and Spanish-speaking countries.
Jojima's agent, Alan Nero, says that Jojima understands English and can speak "baseball language," but needs work on his conversational skills. The Mets and Devil Rays are among the other clubs interested in Jojima. The Mets have also been the most aggressive early suitor for Bengie Molina, the Angels' free-agent catcher.
Don't expect Bobby Valentine to return to the U.S. from Japan unless the Dodgers offer him the chance to become both their manager and GM, which looks unlikely. After leading the Chiba Lotte Marines to the Japan Series title, Valentine is talking to the team about a four-year extension that could be worth as much as $20 million.
The Mets and Cardinals are among the high-revenue teams expected to bid for free-agent right-hander A.J. Burnett, and don't rule out the Yankees and Red Sox. Lesser clubs like the Blue Jays, Nationals and Mariners also want Burnett, but the big spenders would be more likely to add an extra year to his contract or spend the extra millions necessary.
The Braves are expected to increase their offer to free-agent shortstop Rafael Furcal from three years to four and perhaps add a fifth year as a club option. If the Braves sign Furcal, trading second baseman Marcus Giles, a free agent after the 2007 season, could be a possibility. If Furcal departs, the team could pursue a stopgap at short or go with rookie Tony Pena Jr. while upgrading the offense and possibly pursuing an elite closer such as Billy Wagner or B.J. Ryan. Pena is ready defensively.
The Rangers, conducting their annual manhunt for pitching, could trade one or more hitters from a group that includes second baseman Alfonso Soriano, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and outfielders Kevin Mench and Laynce Nix. Soriano continues to draw interest from clubs who view him as an outfielder, even though he wants to remain at second. The Padres, Mets, Dodgers, and Royals represent possible fits, though one Mets official said he considers Soriano a fallback possibility.
Even though the Dodgers face the loss of free-agent right-hander Jeff Weaver, they're open to trading left-hander Odalis Perez, a pitcher in whom the Nationals, and other clubs have had interest in the past. The idea behind trading Perez would be to free salary for other pursuits. Good luck — Perez, 28, is owed $7.25 million in 2006, $7.75 million in '07 and a $1.5 million buyout or $9 million club option in '08.
The off-field troubles of former Orioles right-hander Sidney Ponson are well-documented, but that hasn't stopped a number of teams from expressing interest in signing him as a free agent. In a thin market for pitching, Ponson might be worth a shot at the right price. He's only 29, possesses a terrific arm and in the right environment might snap out of it — emphasis on "might."
The Blue Jays, shopping for a corner outfielder, know they might not get what they want on the free-agent market; after Brian Giles, the talent drops off considerably. Jacque Jones is a lesser free-agent option, while trade possibilities could include the Rangers' Kevin Mench and Phillies' Bobby Abreu or Pat Burrell and the Braves' Kelly Johnson or Ryan Langerhans.
The Tigers, in the market for a closer, are one of many teams that covet free-agent left-hander B.J. Ryan. Manager Jim Leyland and coaches Gene Lamont and Rafael Belliard currently are in the Dominican Republic meeting with three of team's Domincan pitchers — Franklyn German, Fernando Rodney and Roman Colon. They also plan to watch Tigers center fielder Curtis Granderson, who is playing for Licey in the Dominican Winter League.
Source: http://msn.foxsports.com/
