Odds and Ends
A few links on a slow Friday night:
- Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports that Jon Garland was open to returning to the White Sox this winter. The Sox opted for Bartolo Colon and Garland signed with the Diamondbacks.
- Former major leaguer Gary Matthews had a front-row seat for President Obama’s inauguration, reports Brian Knapp of MLB.com. Matthews and Obama met when their daughters had a dance class together in Chicago.
- Rocco Baldelli made his Red Sox debut against his former team today. Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe writes that Baldelli will be a good fit in Boston.
- Tracy Ringolsby signs off in the final edition of the Rocky Mountain News.
White Sox Sign 22
10:28pm: Quentin gets $550K, while Floyd and John Danks get $520K according to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune.
11:42am: The AP reports today that the White Sox signed 22 players, including Carlos Quentin and Gavin Floyd. Par for the course with prearb players, and we don’t always mention these signings on MLBTR. I am curious, though, to see if the Sox threw Quentin and Floyd a few extra hundred thousand bucks over the minimum as teams sometimes do.
Konerko Discusses Trade Possibility
Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times asked White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko about the possibility of being traded. As a 10-and-5 player, Konerko has the ability to veto any deal. Here’s what Konerko had to say:
"You never know because the answer could be you help them by leaving. I would never be opposed to that. It doesn’t have to be a breakup that’s antagonistic. It doesn’t have to be a thing where heads are butted."
Konerko also spoke about "going through hell" to earn the 10-and-5 rights.
Sox manager Ozzie Guillen indicated Konerko would only be a trade candidate if the team disappoints this year. At $12MM in each of the ’09 and ’10 seasons, he’d need a big first half to become marketable. Konerko will be 33 in March.
Jim Bowden Under Investigation
9:02pm: Chico Harlan of the Washington Post report that some officials within the Nationals’ ownership, including Managing Principal Owner Ted Lerner, are "eager to cut ties with the general manager." They write:
"The Nationals, one source said, are encouraging the investigation to return an answer on Bowden so the parties can ‘go on their merry way.’"
Team President Stan Kasten has stated that he supports every member of the Washington Nationals, regardless of circumstance.
Lerner and his son, Mark, both declined comment, stating that Kasten’s response will stand as the Nationals’ statement on the issue.
The article also mentions José Rijo, who worked with Bowden in both Cincinnati and Washington. Rijo runs a baseball academy in the Dominican Republic and was responsible for brokering the deal for Carlos Daniel Alvarez Lugo, then thought to be a 16-year-old by the name of Esmailyn Gonzalez. Lugo was also four years older than he was believed to be when the contract was signed.
Rijo, a special assistant to Bowden, took a leave of absence and returned to the Dominican Republic this Saturday, but has not been fired. According to Kasten, no team officials have been punished.
MONDAY, 3:21pm: Bowden’s comment: "I’m innocent of any wrongdoing."
SUNDAY, 9:52am: According to SI.com’s Melissa Segura:
A federal investigation into the skimming of signing bonuses given to baseball prospects from Latin America is looking at Washington Nationals general manager Jim Bowden as far back as 1994, when he was GM of the Cincinnati Reds, according to a baseball executive familiar with the investigation.
The Bowden investigation is linked to the David Wilder scandal by way of a scout named Jorge Oquendo. The Chicago Tribune just posted new details on Wilder this evening. Segura doesn’t suggest it, but you have to think Bowden’s job is in jeopardy.
Odds and Ends: Smoltz, Crede, Burnett
A few links for Sunday evening…
- Chicago Tribune reporters Todd Lighty and Oscar Avila have more info on the David Wilder bonus-skimming scandal.
- Terence Moore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution talked to John Smoltz recently about players leaving or choosing not to sign with the Braves.
- SI.com’s Pablo S. Torre digs into Ken Griffey Jr.‘s decision.
- Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel learned that Marlins third baseman Dallas McPherson (42 home runs at Triple A last year) would like 500 at-bats, but a bench role is more likely. McPherson is out of options.
- Joe Crede talked about the White Sox going young, but Ozzie Guillen did not agree.
- Newsday’s Kat O’Brien talked to A.J. Burnett, who was leaning toward the Yankees well before he signed. He chatted often with Alex Rodriguez and Johnny Damon this winter.
- Speaking of Damon, River Ave. Blues points out a passage in Joe Torre’s book about how the Yankees chose Rondell White over him back in ’02.
- Nationals special assistant Jose Rijo is taking a leave of absence, partially because of the Esmailyn Gonzalez scandal. ESPN’s Jorge Arangure Jr. has much more on the situation, after talking to Gonzalez/Lugo’s trainer.
- South Side Sox takes a stab at fixing free agent compensation.
- Orlando Hudson could’ve had $24MM for 2009-11 if he’d taken an offer the D’Backs made before the ’08 season. Nick Piecoro says Hudson’s counteroffer was "so unrealistic that it actually upset people with the Diamondbacks."
Orlando Hudson Rumors: Thursday
Yesterday we learned from MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick that Dodgers GM Ned Colletti has ongoing talks for free agent second baseman Orlando Hudson. Today, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says the Dodgers appear to be the front-runner for Hudson. Signing him wouldn’t affect their chances of locking up Manny Ramirez. MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick says Colletti has also not ruled out relief help from guys like Joe Beimel, Dennys Reyes, or Jason Isringhausen.
Even as divisional rivals the D’Backs may be rooting for the Dodgers to sign Hudson, since they’d receive L.A.’s #17 pick in the June draft as part of the compensation. Rosenthal says the Royals and other unknown clubs remain in the mix for him, with the White Sox, Cardinals, Yankees, and Mets seemingly not seriously involved. Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star discusses the Royals angle in a column today.
Thome Aims For Two More Seasons
According to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune, White Sox DH Jim Thome aims to play two more seasons. Thome’s $13MM option for ’09 vested last year. Thome ranks 14th on the all-time home run list with 541. He’s third among active players, with Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez ahead of him.
Orlando Hudson Rumors: Tuesday
We learned from Ken Rosenthal earlier today that the Dodgers remain interested in free agent second baseman Orlando Hudson. Rosenthal also said that the Royals like Hudson but don’t have the financial flexibility to fit him in.
SI.com’s Jon Heyman has more on Hudson, learning that Dodgers GM Ned Colletti has "had a conversation or two" with the player’s agent since Adam Dunn signed. Colletti also implied that the Dodgers could afford Hudson and Manny Ramirez, if they choose to pursue both. Heyman adds that the White Sox are not a player for Hudson.
Mark Buehrle May Consider Retirement After 2011
According to Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune, White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle "was talking about walking away from baseball after the 2011 season, when his contract expires." Buehrle wondered if he’ll prefer a one-year deal after his current contract ends. He spoke about missing his family deeply when he’s away and guaranteed that he won’t be pitching at age 40.
Speaking of Buehrle, MLB.com’s Scott Merkin has his line on the Sox signing Bartolo Colon: "I think they got him so I wouldn’t be the fattest pitcher on the staff."
White Sox Sign Ben Broussard
According to the Chicago Tribune, the White Sox signed first baseman Ben Broussard to a minor league deal.
Broussard signed for $3.85MM with the Rangers in January of ’08, but was designated for assignment on May 8th. After that he played mostly at Triple A for the Cubs and Yankees. Can you believe that a year later Bobby Abreu could end up with a similar contract?