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Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Pickoff Moves

Today's Birthdays

Bobby Brooks CAL b. 1945, played 1973, d. 1994-10-11

Larry French BRO b. 1907, played 1941-1942, All-Star: 1940, d. 1987-02-09. He spent most of his career with the Pirates and Cubs, in whose latter service he helped to the 1935 pennant. He pitched the last two seasons of his career with the Dodgers — and had a career year in the final one, perhaps aided by the talent drain caused by World War II. He joined the Navy in 1943 and retired from that service in 1969 with the rank of captain.

Dan McFarlan BRO b. 1873, played 1899, d. 1924-09-23

Jose Moreno CAL b. 1957, played 1982

Red Owens BRO b. 1874, played 1905, d. 1952-08-20

Art Parks BRO b. 1911, played 1937, 1939, d. 1989-12-06

Vic Power CAL,LAA b. 1927, played 1964-1965, All-Star: 1955-1956, 1959-1960, d. 2005-11-29. A colorful first baseman who won seven Gold Gloves at the position, he played mostly for Kansas City and Cleveland, where he had four All-Star appearances; he spent part of 1964 and all of 1965 with the Angels, the final two years of his career. He was good with a quip, too: confronted in 1951 with a Syracuse restaurant that told him, "We don't serve colored people here," he shot back, "That's okay, I don't eat colored people."

Fernando Valenzuela LAN,CAL b. 1960, played 1980-1991, All-Star: 1981-1986. I haven't the time this morning to detail his career at the level it deserves, but his rise coincided with the Dodgers' 1981 title; his secret was a screwball that some observers called the best since Hall of Famer Carl Hubbell's. These days working in the Dodgers' Spanish-language broadcast booth, and occaisionally found in Mexico, where he sometimes pitches in winter ball.

Eddie Williams LAN b. 1964, played 1997

No Scully?

Any ballot of favorite broacasters minus Vin Scully... okay, now I get it, it's a nomination bid for the Ford Frick award, but ...

Weaver, Zito, Gagne Lead Free Agency Declarations

The full list of yesterday's free agency filings includes Barry Zito, Jeff Weaver, Eric Gagne, Greg Maddux, Sean Casey, Bengie Molina, and Bernie Williams.

Update: Jon Heyman at Sports Illustrated says that Greg Maddux is looking for a two-year deal. I'll save you the incredible slowness that is the SI.com website and its Javascript-inflated load times, and excerpt the relevant part:

Hall of Fame lock Greg Maddux and the Dodgers are discussing a return, with the team suggesting a one-year deal and Maddux, who has 333 career wins, looking for a two-year contract. Maddux, 40, was the player that helped put the Dodgers into the playoffs when he was acquired from the Cubs at the trade deadline, and he loved it there. So the guess here is that they work it out, one way or the other. Friends thought Maddux was miserable enough with the Cubs that he might call it quits after 2006. That's obviously changed.
Also, the San Francisco Chronicle says Brian Sabean has called Nomar Garciaparra's agent recently.

Troy Percival, Angels In Talks

Troy Percival and the Angels are expected to hold talks "soon" about his return to the organization in some capacity. Percival worked for Detroit last season as an advance scout, and desires a position somewhere in baseball, "anything from [managing] in the minor leagues to [being] a roving instructor" according to Adam Kennedy's agent, Paul Cohen. He has had "multiple offers" from various clubs in various capacities.

Comments:
i'd only give Maddux a one year deal
 
i really wish Fernando would have hung 'em up along time ago oh well.

bluebleeder
 
Assuming Bud Black is offered (and accepts) the Padres' managerial position, the Angels will have an opening at pitching coach. I'm a bit skeptical about giving the major league pitching coach position to a guy who was still taking the mound (or trying to) this past season, especially with Dave Wallace available, but you never know.
 

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