Rocco Baldelli tells Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that, despite having to retire at age 29, he considers himself fortunate to have had as much time as he did in the majors. "I have no regrets," Baldelli said. "I played major league baseball. I got to the big leagues and I had some moments I'll never forget." Cafardo opens this week's column by wondering what might have been, had Baldelli stayed healthy throughout his career. The Globe writer also shares a handful of hot stove notes….
- Although recent trade rumors involving Grady Sizemore and Fausto Carmona were quickly shot down, Cafardo says if both players are healthy and playing well this year, they could be "major trade deadline chips."
- Four teams are in discussions with agent Jim Masteralexis, regarding client Manny Delcarmen. We heard earlier this month that the Rays had interest in the ex-Red Sox, so they're likely one of the four.
- One executive told Cafardo that he's surprised Lastings Milledge is still available. While the exec's team doesn't need another outfielder, he argued that "you just don't give up" on a talent like Milledge.
- Scott Schoeneweis, who hopes to play this season, is being considered by the Diamondbacks.
- Friends of Pedro Martinez say the right-hander has yet to get pitching out of his system. Pedro will turn 40 later this year, and didn't pitch in the bigs in 2010, but he had success for the Phillies in 2009, compiling a 3.63 ERA, 7.5 K/9, and 1.6 BB/9 in nine starts.
- Cafardo speculates that Boston could be a good fit for Jeremy Bonderman on a minor league deal.
I agree with Cafardo about Bonderman. I believe he could be a nice depth signing in the minors.
Honestly, with the Tigers trotting out Ryan Raburn and Brennan Boesch here and there, I think trying to pick up Milledge on a minor league deal with incentives wouldn’t be a bad move. It’d be insurance and depth if anything.
i actaully like the idea of milledge. i dont think boesch is going to be the first half MVP type player that we saw. he is not MLB material. i hate to say it but its true. raburn could be good but i think he will do better in a similar role as last year. starts 4 or 5 times a week and sits out the other 1-3. we really dont have a a number two guy in the order and lastings could fit that nicely. i would love if he platooned with raburn.
If you want Milledge you might as well change your name to 100_Problems.
I don’t buy into the clubhouse cancer type crap and I think Leon Durham in Toledo could be a good mentor for time spent there. Leyland hasn’t put up with a ton of shit(excluding Sheffield) and I wouldn’t say Milledge is anywhere as bad as Gary ever was.
Would love to see the Tigers take a flyer on him.
wow. the problems jokes are gettin really old. its not clever when its done so much. and at least my team didnt sign jayson werrth to the worst contract of all time. id rather have a cheap milledge than the contract youll be dealin with for the next 7 years
Riggleman is singing “I got 99 problems and a Mill-edge ain’t one”.
Lastings Milledge is a clubhouse cancer. He has so much talent, but doesn’t seem to care. It is saying that the Nats and Pirates are the two teams that got rid of him.
Yeah, you would know considering you spend so much time in the clubhouse with him, right?
Do we have Milledge among us?
First of all, many will tell you a good clubhouse doesn’t lead to winning; winning leads to a good clubhouse. Washington and Pittsburgh were both awful long before Lastings Milledge got there. The Pirates also waived Bronson Arroyo and lost him for nothing. Does that mean he was a clubhouse cancer?
Secondly, even if Milledge does misbehave, if the Tigers can get him on a minor league deal, does anyone really care if he disrupts the clubhouse of the Toledo Mud Hens?
Good God Cafardo! Just STFU already, everyone knows you’re full of $%&*. You’ve been caught in a lie and you know nothing of baseball outside of Boston.
I’m not so sure that he knows much about baseball inside of Boston either.
How many times do the Indians have to make denials that they are trading Sizemore and Carmona?
They will not sell low on Sizemore-they just won’t. If he does play well, they need to keep him. They do not have a ready replacement for him; the system is light on upper level outfield talent at the moment. The only way they consider a trade is if they are made an offer they can’t refuse. Now, who is going to do that with all of the questions about his health? How this rumor keeps floating around is beyond me. It makes no BASEBALL sense for the Indians to move him right now or even mid season.
As for Carmona-they have to have someone that could replace his two hundred innings if he were to be moved. With all the youth and question marks in their rotation they would be shooting themselves in the foot if they were to move him and count on the youngsters for even MORE innings than they are already counting on them for.
Having said that, if the Indians do trade them before they have adequate replacements in place, I’m going to be mad. So mad that I will find a different AL team to root for!
”…. he argued that “you just don’t give up” on a talent like Milledge. ”’
Well, the Mets, the Nats and the Pirates did.. If you can’t make yourself valuable for bottom teams, maybe you’re not part of the solution..
Bondo if goin’ to BoSox