Saturday, November 20, 2004 |
Pickoff Moves
More On Guillen Trade
More on yesterday's trade from the Times:"We know we're losing a 100-RBI guy," General Manager Bill Stoneman said of Guillen, who finished a breakout season batting .294 with 27 homers and 104 runs batted in. "... We'll fill those spots as the winter progresses. We'll have another move or two."Hoo, boy, they went the wrong direction with this trade. No way do you start Izturis.Rivera is expected to be a reserve, but the Angels might have found a starting shortstop in Izturis. Stoneman said Izturis, 24, the younger brother of Dodger shortstop Cesar Izturis, would be given the opportunity to win the job in spring training. David Eckstein is slated to move to second base until Adam Kennedy returns from a right knee injury that is expected to sideline him early in the season.
Morales Update
In that same Times article:The Angels are one of five teams that have expressed interest in Cuban defector Kendry Morales, a switch-hitting first baseman and left fielder. Morales, 21, might be willing to sign an incentive-laden contract for the opportunity to play in the major leagues, his agent, David Valdes, said.Chronicles covered this yesterday, based on this Register story. So did RWBB, with Richard going so far as to call it a ruse to force Jared Weaver to sign, or else wait out another year, declaring "the Angels have more leverage than Weaver under the rules of the draft." I'd like to see Weaver in an Angels uniform, but not if Boras is going to try to rape the team along the way."This is a kid that hit cleanup on the Cuban national team at 19 years old," said Eddie Bane, the Angels' scouting director. "This isn't like anyone else who has come out of Cuba. He's legitimate."
Booth Moves
The Dodgers will announce on Monday that Charlie Steiner is Ross Porter's replacement. Fortunately, Eric Karros declined an offer to stay with the team as a color announcer, saving me endless hours of grief.In somewhat older news, the Cubs have hired ex-Diamondback manager Bob Brenly as Steve Stone's replacement. Cub Reporter questions whether he can fit in Stone's "size 27 shoes". It's not quite the leap from Vinny to Rick Monday, but you get some idea of the chasm here.
love your site!
angels got 2 backup guys (at least that, if izturis is good enuf for the ML) for someone who was, um, unwelcome and 3 mill. not bad.
i wouldn't be surprised if the angels DON'T sign weaver. boras can overplay his hand...
brenly isn't that bad - stone is great. but at least he isn't steiner.
lisa gray
astros.mostvaluablenetwork.com
: 11/21/2004 11:36:00 AMNewer› ‹Older
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