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Will Blue Jays deal Delgado?
By Peter Gammons
Special to ESPN.com
DIAMOND NOTES: Oct. 13
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| Delgado |
One Toronto executive has let it be known that Carlos Delgado could be available, but one teammate suggests that he may
demand a trade, which last year could have resulted in the club being forced
to trade him or risk free agency. But if he does so, it will put a tremendous
amount of pressure on management. Now, this is not the winter for too many players to be free agents, but there are some curious rumblings out on a team that has a chance to be very good. ... Orlando Hudson, who some in the Toronto organization feel can be a Gold Glove, 15-20 home run, athletic third baseman, is off to a huge start in the Arizona Fall League, leading in steals and near the top in most offensive categories, including an OPS over 1.500.
Speaking of the Arizona Fall League, Cincinnati OF Austin Kearns has gone off as the early star. "Kearns, (Junior) Griffey and Adam Dunn is the superstar outfield of the future," says one exec. ... Jim Bowden is working the phones hard, trying to get pitching for Dmitri Young and Pokey Reese. ... There could be a few slick middle infielders available. The Neifi Perez-Tony Muser thing didn't work too well, and Neifi would like to be traded.
Player reps have no idea what the commissioner's office plans when the Basic Agreement expires in three weeks. But they are concerned. They claim that they were making concessions on combining and splitting Internet and licensing revenues, on changing the amateur draft and helping with the revenue-sharing process with Paul Beeston when Beeston had the plug pulled on him.
The Padres are sending Sean Burroughs to the Instructional League this week to work at second base now that concerns about Burroughs' shoulder have been cleared up. The Pads would still like to sign Phil Nevin to an extension past this next season, and Nevin has improved so much at third base that they decided to try Burroughs at the new position. Burroughs has speed (a 6.8 60), good hands and a sound arm, and they want to see if he has the feet to turn the double play. ... Yes, Danys Baez did hit 100 mph on consecutive pitches in Game 2 of the Cleveland-Seattle series.
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| Giambi |
For months, Jason Giambi and Beane thought they could revisit the deal they essentially had done in spring training, only to have it vetoed by owner Steve Schott over one year of a no-trade provision. Now Giambi is resigned to being out of Oakland, as Schott repeatedly has been quoted as saying that the club lost Mark McGwire and won, and they can win without Giambi. No they can't.
It would be a shock if the Astros retain Larry Dierker, and the veteran players have grumbled long and increasingly loud about him. If it happens, the first two names recommended will be Buck Showalter and Jimy Williams.
Colorado Rockies stats are always skewed, but lost in Juan Pierre's 202 hits is the fact that he had more hits on the road (102) than at Coors Lite, and batted .321 with a .365 on-base percentage on the road. But then there's Alex Ochoa, who had three solid seasons, showed power, got to Coors Lite and did not hit a home run in more than 130 at-bats.
Larry Bowa and Randy Wolf went through a lot of rocky moments during the season, but at the end, Bowa called Wolf into his office and told him he would be the centerpiece of next season's rotation. Stay tuned.
Mets folks are asking a lot of questions about Giambi. If Nelson Doubleday doesn't sell, that may open the purse strings to go after Giambi, Moises Alou or one of the many bats that could be sold off by smaller-market teams, like Mike Sweeney. ... When legendary Red Sox scout Joe Stephenson passed away last month, he asked that donations be sent to the Association of Major League Players, which helps former players. John Harrington donated $25,000. The Stephenson family will never forget.
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