6-4-2 — an Angels/Dodgers double play blog: Roster Moves

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Wednesday, March 30, 2005

Roster Moves

Thanks to Jon and Friendly Fenway for some of these:

According to to reports appearing in both MLB.com and the San Diego Union-Tribune, Dave Roberts has been sidelined with a groin injury that may keep him out of action for as much as a month. Xavier Nady would then be the starting centerfielder, but as my friend Jo says, watching any of the San Diego outfielders is like watching a troup of dancing bears.
After Hideo Nomo's first set of injuries in the 90's, he toiled for some of the lesser lights of the majors, including the Mets (who were not so bad at the time), the Brewers, and the Tigers. Now he's made the Devil Rays as a fifth starter, thus postponing his inevitable exit from professional baseball another few weeks. I wish him the best of luck, especially facing the Yankees.
The Rockies have acquired Byung Hyun Kim, the enigmatic former Diamondback, from the Boston Red Sox, in exchange for erstwhile top prospect Jason Young. The Sox will pay in excess of $5.6M of his $6M salary remaining.
Former Angel futilityman Alfredo Amezega has made the Rockies' opening day roster, leaving us to wonder what kind of brilliant line he will produce in the thin air at Coors Field.
Dallas McPherson has been sent to the minors after injuries prevented him from playing during virtually all of spring training. The Angels starting third baseman will probably be Robb Quinlan. Also shipped down was pitcher Chris Bootcheck.
The Angels also reached a contract agreement with Andy Fox after being cut from spring training by the Twins. Fox, a 4-A player, appeared lately with the Marlins, Rangers, and Expos.
Defying all reason, the Mets picked up Benji Gil from the Mariners, in exchange for an unspecified amount of cash, this after hitting .304 with one homer and an RBI in spring training. He will report to the Mets' minor league camp. Gil hit 8 for 12 in the 2002 postseason as an Angel.
Update: Padres manager Bruce Bochy's contract extension has been put on hold indefinitely, according to MLB.com. The gun's to his head now; it's win the division or die for the Padres.
U.S.S. Mariner passes on a report saying that Aaron Sele may have won himself the fifth starter job for the M's.
Update 2: According to Ken Gurnick of dodgers.com, both 3B Norihiro Nakamura and reserve SS Oscar Robles will likely not make the team. Nakamura would be sent down to the minors, and Robles, hitting .414 in spring training, would scamper back to the Mexican Leagues.
The Dodgers will also likely pick up a former Houston farmhand, right-handed starter D. J. Houlton, as a Rule 5 draftee. Houlton pitched four scoreless innings in today's exhibition game.
Also expected to make the team are LHP Kelly Wunsch and RHP Buddy Carlyle. 32-year-old journeyman Wunsch has a long career, and has mainly been used in relief of late, spending 2000-2004 in and out of the Chisox. Last year, Carlyle mainly started for the Yankees' AAA-Columbus club, and played briefly with the Padres in 1999 and 2000.
Update 3: Philadelphia has offered Rule 5 draftee outfielder Shane Victorino back to the Dodgers. Victorino hit .235/.278/.335 in 200 AB at Las Vegas last year, and .154/.200/.231 line in 52 AB in spring training with the Phils.
Former Angel RHP Al Levine was released by the Giants, who also let go of LHP Wayne Franklin.
Update 4: The Cubs have traded IF Cody Ransom to the Rangers. Ransom, you may recall, was critical to the Dodgers winning the division last year. With the Giants up 3-0 at Dodger Stadium and needing a win to prevent elimination, San Francisco brought Ransom in as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning. He booted a routine groundball hit by Izturis, loading the bases and setting up a single by Werth to tie the game; Steve Finley's grand slam home run won the game and the division. The Giants released Ransom in the offseason.