Friday, May 02, 2008 |
Pickoff Moves
Bill Plaschke Answers Scully's Phone Call
... to clarify remarks Vinny made to the New York Times about his retirement:"Are you retiring?"He sighed. He said that print interviews sometimes fail to capture the proper tone in someone's voice.
"It came out a little heavy handed, and it really wasn't like that," Scully said.
"So, um, ah, are you retiring?"
Scully sighed again.
"It's not the end, I believe, or anything like that," he said.
Long-Form Buzzie Bavasi Obit
A much better obituary in the Times today than yesterday's short-form AP piece. It soft-pedals the Dodgers' reasons for letting Roberto Clemente go (odd, considering the Times was the paper to break that story), but it also sheds a little more light on just how tone-deaf he was to this newfangled free-agency thing:For his part, Bavasi retorted that Ryan could be replaced by "two 8-7 pitchers," a reference to the right-hander's 16-14 record in 1979. Later, though, Bavasi admitted that failing to re-sign Ryan was a mistake, as was an offhand comment he made that angered power hitter Don Baylor after the Angels won the division in 1982.When Baylor's picture appeared on a program with two other players who had won most-valuable-player awards as Angels -- Rod Carew and Fred Lynn -- Bavasi said, "What's Don doing in that picture with the two hitters?"
Baylor became so angry that he signed with the New York Yankees for the same amount the Angels offered, and Bavasi, who before free agency was able to make wisecracks with impunity because players had no leverage, regretted the comment.
Roster Notes
- The Angels recalled Reggie Willits (who will get no playing time) and optioned Matt Brown to AAA Salt Lake.
- Howie Kendrick did not make a Thursday rehab assignment and remains shut down with no timetable for a return.
- Maicer Izturis thinks he has nine days to a return.
- Interesting statistical news:
Further research revealed that Joe Saunders and Ervin Santana became only the second pair of teammates in baseball history to go 5-0 in April. The other two were Rick Helling and Aaron Sele, who went 5-0 for the Texas Rangers in April of 1998. . . . Santana, 25, became the youngest active pitcher to reach 40 career victories with Wednesday's win over Oakland.
- Juan Pierre refused to answer whether he still wants to be a Dodger. The feeling is mutual, Slappy.
- Jonathan Broxton should be available today after a side session, or Saturday at the latest.
- Ex-Angel Derrick Turnbow has been designated for assignment. We can get him back! Yay... er, what?
- Rich Harden gave up one run on three hits in his first rehab assignment with AAA Sacramento.
- Update: The Rockies are said to be interested in recent Reds castoff Juan Castro; a secondhand report from Charlie Steiner's XM Radio show today indicated they may have signed him. The Denver Post story linked above says the 35-year-old would most likely end up in AAA Colorado Springs, with his status dependent on how well those in the big club perform.
- Update 2: Something I missed earlier in the week, but former Dodger reserve catcher Mike Lieberthal will sign a one-day contract with the Phillies and retire in that uniform.
Labels: angels, athletics, brewers, dodgers, ex-angels, injuries, obituaries, transactions
Don't be too sure about Willits sitting as much this time. The Times implied GMJ was soon to be the odd man out.
Newer› ‹Older
 |
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.