Juan Gonzalez

Odds & Ends: Tigers, Branyan, Indians, Beckett

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | February 19, 2010 at 4:12pm CDT

Links for Friday…

The Tigers have offered longtime slugger Andres Galarraga the chance to come to camp as an instructor and mentor, according to MLB.com's Jason Beck.
The Rays pushed hard for Russell Branyan, but didn't have the at bats he was looking for, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
Indians GM Mark Shapiro tells Rosenthal that he has "a lot to learn" about the business side of running a team. Shapiro will become team president after the season.
Former Indian Juan Gonzalez is playing right field in the Puerto Rican Baseball Federation, according to Alex Figueroa Cancel of Primera Hora. Thanks to Nick Collias for the translation.
Alex Figueroa Cancel reports that Jose Vidro signed a similar deal to play in the same league.
Jon Lester tells Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com that the Red Sox will miss Josh Beckett if he signs elsewhere as a free agent. Beckett will hit the open market after this season if the Red Sox don't extend him first.
And ESPN.com's Keith Law offers a preliminary look at the top 50 prospects in this year's draft. Bryce Harper leads the way.

Cardinals Leaning Towards Keeping Barton

By Cork Gaines | March 16, 2008 at 12:30pm CDT

Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes that Brian Barton is one player that may not switch teams prior to the regular season. Barton was selected by the Cardinals with the 10th pick of the Rule 5 draft from the Indians. The Cardinals are said to be deciding between keeping Barton or 2-time MVP Juan Gonzalez who is battling an abdominal injury.

"When you have a (Rule 5) guy, if there’s a way that guy can fit on your ballclub, you try to figure a way if you see a legitimate major-league future," La Russa said.

While Gonzalez’ spring numbers are solid (.308-1-5), Barton has also played well (.350) and offers the team more position flexibility as Gonzalez has been used primarily as a DH in the spring.

Barton must be offered back to the Indians for $25K or be kept on the 25-man roster all season. The Cardinals could try to work out a trade with the Indians that would allow them to option Barton to the minors, but Strauss says this path is unlikely considering how well Barton is playing.

Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here.

Odds and Ends: Crisp, Stewart, Meyer

By Tim Dierkes | February 20, 2008 at 11:28am CDT

Let’s round ’em up!

I’m doing a fantasy baseball mailbag feature at The Hardball Times. Check out the first entry.
Nothing really new from Coco Crisp…if he loses the center field battle, he’ll probably prefer a trade.
The Brewers are close to a minor league deal with Russell Branyan, who might have a hard time sniffing the big league roster anytime this season.
The Toronto Star relays from J.P. Ricciardi that the Blue Jays no longer have an offer on the table for Shannon Stewart.
Turns out Oakland’s Dan Meyer has a fourth option, meaning he’s likely to lose the fifth starter battle to Dana Eveland.
I can’t help it…I love the Juan Gonzalez story. I’m rooting for him for no apparent reason.
Mark Teixeira didn’t offer much info regarding extension talks with the Braves. He did refute that report about building a home in Atlanta and another about a rift with Scott Boras.
Peter Abraham thinks the Yanks should trade Hideki Matsui.

Cardinals Considering Juan Gonzalez

By Tim Dierkes | January 17, 2008 at 8:58am CDT

This one isn’t a prank…the Cardinals are considering signing Juan Gonzalez and inviting him to Spring Training. Every year there are rumors about comeback attempts. It would be surprising to see Gonzalez in the St. Louis outfield at any point in 2008, but you never know.

Juan-Gone is 38 now, and hasn’t been in the Majors since that infamous one at-bat in 2005 with the Tribe. He’s 66 home runs away from 500.

Report: Juan Gonzalez Signs With Yankees?

By Tim Dierkes | December 29, 2007 at 12:44pm CDT

UPDATE, 12-29-07 at 12:43pm: I’m told the article is the equivalent of an April Fool’s joke.

FROM 12-29-07 at 10:38am:

El Vocero, one of the bigger newspapers in Puerto Rico, is reporting that the Yankees signed Juan Gonzalez to a two-year, $2MM deal. This report definitely makes me raise an eyebrow, for three reasons:

In both 2006 and 2005, odd reports surfaced about teams being interested in Gonzalez, only to have the teams publically deny interest a day or two later.
It seems absurd to give Gonzalez two years or $2MM when he hasn’t played in the Majors since that one at-bat in 2005. He’s 38 currently.
The Yankees would seem the last team with room for another DH.

Juan Gone Still On The Radar?

By Tim Dierkes | February 9, 2007 at 8:42am CDT

Despite published reports to the contrary, Tracy Ringolsby says the Tigers and Orioles are considering extending a spring training invite to Juan Gonzalez. He adds that despite Bill Stoneman’s denial, the Angels had scouts watching Gonzalez in Puerto Rico this winter.

Now let us all sit back and wait for those three clubs to re-deny interest. It’s funny to me that the clubs even felt compelled to comment on the rumor in the first place.

Juan Gone Still On The Radar?

By Tim Dierkes | February 9, 2007 at 8:42am CDT

Now let us all sit back and wait for those three clubs to re-deny interest. It’s funny to me that the clubs even felt compelled to comment on the rumor in the first place.

Juan Gonzalez Wants Back In

By Tim Dierkes | February 6, 2007 at 8:40am CDT

It was bound to happen sooner or later – Igor, aka Juan Gonzalez, is attempting another return to the Majors. Published reports in Puerto Rico named the Angels, Tigers, and Orioles as interested parties. Update: the Orioles aren’t interested after all. And the Tigers denying interest as well. Ah, there we go – the Angels are not pursuing him. That was awesome – each team systematically denied any interest in Gonzalez within a few days of the rumor surfacing.

The slimmed-down Gonzalez spent last year in the Atlantic League and he’s currently playing in the Caribbean Series. Baseball Prospectus’s Derek Jacques reports:

"Juan Gonzalez makes the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz look nimble and flexible. Watching him run the bases, I constantly expected to hear a loud snapping sound followed by a trail of body parts. Igor still has the long looping swing, but his bat speed isn’t where he can really turn on Dessens’ heat in the third. He’s trying to cheat, and it just isn’t working."

Last year, Gonzalez was said to be in the best condition of his life and supposedly drew interest from the Cubs, White Sox, Red Sox, Athletics, and Rockies.

Juan Gonzalez Wants Back In

By Tim Dierkes | February 6, 2007 at 8:40am CDT

The slimmed-down Gonzalez spent last year in the Atlantic League and he’s currently playing in the Caribbean Series. Baseball Prospectus’s Derek Jacques reports:

Last year, Gonzalez was said to be in the best condition of his life and supposedly drew interest from the Cubs, White Sox, Red Sox, Athletics, and Rockies.

Juan Gonzalez Tries Out For Rockies

By Tim Dierkes | March 24, 2006 at 1:31pm CDT

The Juan Gonzalez saga is fairly amusing for a lazy Friday afternoon, so let me take another crack at translating a new El Nuevo Dia article.

Yesterday, Juan Gonzalez tried out for the Colorado Rockies in Puerto Rico. He’s reportedly in magnificent physical condition. That report has been passed along to Colorado’s front office, but there is no agreement as of yet.

Gonzalez tried out for the Athletics on Monday, and worked for the Red Sox and Cubs previously. Despite reports that Gonzalez was due in Red Sox camp this week, a close friend of Gonzalez’s told El Nuevo Dia that he never signed a contract with them. His agent has negotiated with the Sox, but he’s still a free agent. There may have been a verbal agreement in place prior to the Wily Mo Pena trade.

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