On this day in 2002, the Yankees released outfielder Ruben Rivera, who allegedly stole teammate Derek Jeter’s glove from his locker at the club’s Spring Training complex and proceeded to sell it. On with some links …
- Veteran Mark Ellis is excited to be with a big market club such as the Dodgers and sounds excited about the team spending competitively in the future, writes John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. Ellis also wants to see his former club, the A’s, get the new stadium that they’re pushing for.
- Mike Bauman of MLB.com believes that the Rangers’ rotation will be just as solid as it was last year even following the departure of C.J. Wilson.
- It wouldn’t surprise MLB.com’s Bill Ladson if Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo traded for a center fielder for the long term before the season started. Ladson also sees John Lannan being dealt before Opening Day.
- Orioles reliever Kevin Gregg would like to remain with Baltimore despite rumors of a possible trade, writes Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com: “I wasn’t blind to the fact that this team was a work in progress, and that’s part of what drew me here. [I wanted] to be a part of it,” Gregg said. Gregg signed a two-year deal with the O’s prior to 2011 that includes a $6MM vesting option for 2013 based on appearances.
- Free agent outfielder/DH Magglio Ordonez would like to play in 2012 but isn’t close to signing and is currently in his native Venezuela, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com. Maggs, 38, batted just .255/.303/.331 in 357 plate appearances last season, though he posted respectable offensive numbers as recently as 2010.
- The Mariners could boast a terrific rotation right now had they retained the likes of Cliff Lee, Brandon Morrow, Doug Fister and Michael Pineda, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com, but GM Jack Zduriencik instead opted to trade off those arms in an attempt to replenish a thin farm system. Now, the M’s are pinning their hopes on young, cost-controlled hurlers Taijuan Walker, Danny Hultzen and James Paxton, as well as a few other prospects.
Cliff Lee was a free agent after the year. They would have had to extend him.
He mentioned the possibility of them doing so at the press conference when he was traded to Seattle.
Ruben Rivera=Class Act
The irony is Mariano Rivera is his cousin.
I know, probably the biggest gap among cousins that ever played the game. Mariano is one of the best closers to ever play the game while Ruben was one of the most washed outfielders (arguably) to play the game.
Well it’s either Mariano or Hoffman.
Definitely Rivera
No WAY is it either. Hoffman was never as dominant, reliable or consistent as Mo. Mo is, has and always will (likely) be the best reliever in the history of the game.
He’s literally a Ruthian/Mays type player… Beyond generational.
If Ordonez wanted to play so badly, he should have called all of the teams who needed a DH or OF and asked if I could practice alongside the team as a NRI during Spring Training, if they liked what they saw, they would have first crack to sign him. Isn’t that pretty much what Eric Chavez did with the Dodgers and ended up with the Yankees as a result?
I’m sure the other part that drew Gregg there was the 2 year 10 million contract the O’s handed out to him. Considering the Jays declined his option for less years and less money per year, he was rather fortunate to get that contract and he didn’t hesitate to take it.
Magglio posted a line of .419/ .444/ .558/ 1.003 in 45 PA with the Tigers last September. He was playing on a busted leg to start the season, but could hit, sans power, when he got himself healthy. That was his last hurrah. That, and his homwer down the line off Weaver. One of the greatest Tigers ever. Time to call it a career, IMO.
Many people don’t realize how great he was. If he had played his career with the Yankees, people would be asking if he should be in the Hall.
Even if he played for the yankees I dont think he would be HOF material. He was a good player, but I dont think he quite gets there. He had some very very good years (like the year he hit above .360), but to me did not have enough of those good years. Unless he plays again he will finish with less than 300 hr, and 100 sb. At another position those stats could be overlooked, but he was a rightfielder, so the defensive additions would be negligible. And compared to his equivalents his career stats are not what they should be for me.
There are 22 current players with more home runs than him, 2100 hits, and no mvp, ill pass.
Instead some NYY fans say it about Mattingly.
Andy Dirks for John Lannan?
He is not exactly future CF Nats are looking for, but then again I don’t expect Lannan to fetch us too much in return.
I can’t believe Cliff Lee asked Jack Z about wanting to be extended and we turned him down
Actually, I’m pretty sure he wanted to test the open market.
I don’t think they ever started negotiations but I don’t remember the Mariners even attempting to sign him long term.
Thank goodness they didn’t though.
A nice rotation is great, but means nothing when you have no offense to support that rotation.
2011 Giants?
Second place in the west division. Either way, check out the batting stats. Mariners offense is dead last.
Well don’t I look smart……
Come on, I meant 2010….
If I remember correctly, San Diego Padres went on a 15 game losing streak during the season which allowed the Giants to catch up and get in. Then they got hot at the right time and since the post season is a crap shoot they essentially won. Though, pitching was the main part of that post season run. The giants offense is nowhere near as bad as the Mariners.
Yeah, at least with the Giants, they have above-average position players such as Posey and Sandoval for the middle of their lineup along with the likes of Schierholtz (who was clutch when healthy), Cabrera (coming off a breakout year with free agency in a year), and Sanchez (who when healthy is a solid #2 hitter). Plus, if Huff can rebound and/or Belt can inch closer to his potential, then the Giants offense should be much better than it was a year ago.
It’s an even year, so Huff bouncing back is all but guaranteed.
The only 2 guys that you mentioned that i would want are Sandoval and Posey. People want to remark how bad the Mariners offense is without those 2 guys the Giants were brutal to watch offensively which allowed the D-Backs to win the division.
Still multiple atmospheres above the Mariners’ offense
Goodness…..last in runs, runs per game, hits, AVG, OBP, SLG, TB, RBI, and BB. Second-to-last in HR.
The only traditional statistic they weren’t at least below-average at was stolen bases, but they were still near the bottom in CS. They were last in GIDP though, so there’s that.
Sorry, I’m sure you’re aware of that. I knew the offense was bad, just didn’t expect to see those numbers…..yikes.
Richie Sexson could almost crack that lineup again huh? 😉
They will get better, several fair drafts. It’s hard to pick that high in June and even not accidentally not get a few jewels and seattle has done that ok the last few seasons.
A real shame that they didn’t take more of an advantage though and spend more when they had a chance before the new CBA went into effect.
If you don’t get on base you don’t GIDP :-). Unless you meant with last that they had most GIDP, then it is even worse than I thought
Yes, the mariners could have had a nice rotation if time wasn’t a factor. #5 man Randy Johnson, perhaps?
None of the guys listed are old or retired…
…and don’t forget the legendary Dick Pole back in 1977.
I’m confused as to what long-term CF Rizzo would be able to get with a trade involving Lannan and I’m sure a few prospects