This time of year, scouting directors are usually busier than John
Rocker's security force. So a meeting set for Monday between several
high-ranking baseball officials and all 30 scouting directors is raising eyebrows.
The meeting was scheduled by Sandy Alderson's baseball-operations office. And it is being officially described as merely "educational."
But several club executives say they've been told the purpose of the session is to discuss the explosion of signing bonuses to June draft picks. And that has the agents' fraternity raising management's least-favorite word:
Collusion.
Agent Jeff Moorad, who has been heavily involved in the draft in recent years, had this pointed reaction to the meeting: "I'm confident Sandy Alderson would, at the very least, cover his tracks well, having been guilty of illegal collusion at one level in the past. I can't imagine baseball officials would walk down that path again."
Alderson was traveling this weekend and was unavailable for comment. But Jimmie Lee Solomon, baseball's senior vice president for baseball operations, said any suggestion this session was for collusive purposes was "absolutely wrong."
Solomon said the meeting was simply for "the educational development" of scouting directors, particularly the newer ones, and that it was a chance to "review all the rules that apply to scouting directors and scouting."
"If your job is to be a scouting director and the draft is taking place, we want you fully informed so you know what your rules are and your limitations are," he said. "It's no more nefarious than that."
But one club executive said he'd been informed that the baseball-operations office plans to be "actively involved" in teams' negotiations with draft picks this year, and that he expects scouting
directors at the meeting will be "aggressively encouraged" to keep signing bonuses within "proper parameters."
Solomon, however, said the meeting wasn't even specifically
draft-related, that it was just "a seminar," and that baseball had merely been "trying to find a time to get everybody together." Asked if it didn't at least appear curious that the time picked was when those scouting directors were the busiest, he replied: "Being busy and being educated go hand in hand. We want you to be the most eductated when you're busiest."
Solomon also said negotiating wasn't even the specific reason for the
session. He said the only reason that might come up at all is that "scouts do negotiate, don't they? So if they do, it would be good if they understand negotiating."
All of that notwithstanding, in the wake of this get-together, agents and the players' union will be watching this year's draft negotiations
particularly closely.
"Are they entitled to hold negotiating strategy sessions? Absolutely,"
Moorad said, "just as groups of agents meet. And are they allowed to
collectively strategize? Of course, just as agents and the union, and teams will meet together in the arbitration process. But might I be careful if I were on their side of the table, talking about restructuring their draft signing priorities? I certainly would be advising that, if I were an attorney advising them."
Speaking of high draft picks represented by Moorad, the arrival of 1998's No. 1 pick, Pat Burrell, in Philadelphia could be just a couple of weeks away. After Rico Brogna fractured his forearm Wednesday, the Phillies switched Burrell from left field to first base the next day. And that was a sure sign Burrell will be the first baseman in Philadelphia sooner rather than later. Burrell hadn't played first since last September. So the Phillies want to give him time to get used to the position before rushing him to the big leagues.
But in the meantime, they continue to shop Ron Gant, without much success. If they find a taker, they then would move Burrell back to left. But with both Gant and Brogna as prospective free agents and Burrell's ability to play both positions, the Phillies face some fascinating decisions about their long-term future.
As the Marlins continue to contemplate the No. 1 pick in this year's draft, their short list is believed to include Pepperdine catcher Dane Sardinha, San Diego high school catcher Scott Heard and Hanover (Pa.) high school pitcher Mark Phillips.
But the hottest name these days in the draft scouting scene is Adrian Gonzalez, a John Olerud-type high school first baseman from Chula Vista, Calif. "Best high school hitter I've seen," said one scout. "And a Mark Grace type fielder." But other scouts wonder if Gonzalez will develop enough power to be a first baseman on a contending club. "Of course these days," said one scouting director, "I'm afraid to say anybody won't develop power, because they all do."
There's no better-liked man in baseball than Astros manager Larry Dierker. But rumblings that Dierker is in trouble in Houston won't go away.
In the wake of Ugueth Urbina's injury, the Expos have told other clubs they're willing to trade some of their younger talent for veteran pitching help. The Expos also are believed to have interest in Rickey Henderson.
The less likely it looks that Juan Gonzalez won't re-sign with the Tigers, the more it seems to force the Tigers' hand. "They don't have a choice," says one prominent baseball man. "They must trade this guy. You can't give up a potential closer (Francisco Cordero), a potential ace (Justin Thompson) and a potential 30-homer guy (Gabe Kappler), and then even take the chance he'll walk away for a draft pick."
Add Oakland to the list of teams interested in Rondell White.
Another potential source of conflict between management and the players' union: the Olympics. Sources say the union has asked for big-league service time for any players on 40-man rosters who are part of the Olympic team. MLB is said to be very cool to that idea.
And the list of recently retired players who were asked to consider being part of the Olympic team includes Terry Steinbach, Chili Davis, Gary Gaetti, Tim Raines, Wade Boggs and Tom Candiotti. Steinbach and Davis are thought to be the most interested.
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List of the week
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Most homers in first 15 games at new ballparks:
Enron Field (Houston) 54
Municipal Stadium (K.C.) 52
Coors Field (Denver) 48
Wrigley Field (Chicago) 45
Metrodome (Minnesota) 44
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Useless information dept.
First, let's go to our Randy Johnson Dept., a cottage industry unto itself:
After eight starts, the Unit's ERA is an absurd 0.95. The Elias Sports Bureau reports that no starter has had a lower ERA after eight starts in almost two decades, since Fernando Valenzuela was at 0.50 in the Fernandomania season of 1981.
Since he arrived in the National League in August, 1998, the Unit has made 53 starts -- and given up one earned run or none in more than half of them (27).
The Dodgers' three-hit second inning Wednesday was the first three-hit inning off Johnson all season.
Shawn Green became only the third active left-handed hitter to have a three-hit game against Johnson. The others: Matt Stairs (June 13, 1998) and Jim Edmonds (Sept. 23, 1997).
And Johnson now has struck out at least one hitter in nine straight innings, 14 of his last 17, 19 of 24, 25 of 31, 37 of 49 and 53 of the 67 he's pitched in this season.
But one club the Unit didn't join, thanks to his no-decision Wednesday against Kevin Brown, was the Eight Wins In Eight Starts Club. The only members of that group since 1961, according to Elias: Pedro Martinez (8-0, 1.17 in '97), Dave Stewart (8-0, 2.42 in '88), Andy Hawkins (8-0, 2.89 in '85), Fernando Valenzuela (8-0, 0.50 in '81) and Billy Pierce (8-0, 3.43 in '62). Eh, Andy Hawkins?
Meanwhile, in other useless information ...
Are the Devil Rays the most bizarre team ever? They've now thrown five shutouts -- as many as the Yankees, Braves and Orioles put together. But the Devil Rays' record in games when they allow any runs was 8-21, through Friday. Their team ERA in non-shutouts: 6.55.
Vladimir Guerrero had his first two-strikeout game since last Sept. 19 on Thursday. The Phillies' Randy Wolf did the honors this time. Kevin Millwood got him last time. But how long ago was Sept. 19? Jim Thome had 15 multi-strikeout games (including a five-whiffer and three three-whiffers) in between Guerrero's multi-strikeout games.
Hard to believe, but those Indians spent 21 straight days out of first place until they finally pulled even with Chicago again on Friday. They spent two days out of first in the '98 and '99 seasons combined.
It took four seasons, but the Phillies finally won their first series in Atlanta since the opening of Turner Field last weekend. But there are six NL teams that still haven't done that: the Expos, Brewers, Cardinals, Astros, Reds and Giants.
It would seem like a tough thing to hit an inside-the-park homer and outside-the-park homer in the same game. But the Sultan of Swat Stats, SABR home-run historian David Vincent, reports that when Bret Boone did it Thursday, he was, amazingly, the 10th player to do it since 1990. The rest of this eclectic list: Scott Rolen (July 2, 1999), Rusty Greer (July 21, 1994), Paul Molitor (April 25, 1994), Sean Berry (Aug. 22, 1993), Fred McGriff (July 27, 1993), Harvey Pulliam (Aug. 27, 1991), Ryne Sandberg (July 27, 1991), Mike Pagliarulo (May 19, 1991) and Gene Larkin (May 26, 1990).
More from Vincent: Fernando Vina thumped Pac Bell Park's first
inside-the-Pac homer Tuesday, in Pac Game No. 16. First inside-the-parker in Candlestick Park history came in Game 12: Eddie Bressoud (Giants), on May 7, 1960. Lost in the fog, no doubt.
They say you can't beat that computer age, but the Cubs and Brewers did Monday. Milwaukee's Kevin Barker was able to go from first to third when Cubs pitcher Jon Lieber threw ball four to Henry Blanco, and the ball got by catcher Joe Girardi. But when Cubs media-information whiz Chuck Wasserstrom tried to input a walk-passed ball into the official computer log of the proceedings, he got a message saying that combination of events did not exist. Yeah? Tell it to the Cubs, Hal.
You've gotta love this sport. Brewers pitcher Steve Woodard allowed 13 hits in five innings Thursday -- and still won his first game in 17 starts. He never allowed more than 10 hits in any of the 16 starts he didn't win. "It's a funny game," Woodard said.
The Diamondbacks don't just have the Big Unit. They also have the Little Unit. Byung-Hyum Kim is listed at 5-11, 176 pounds. But he's up to 28 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings this year. And if he keeps up that rate (15.11 K's per nine innings), it would be the highest strikeout ratio in history. Wow.
Boy, how 'bout those Tigers? Until they erupted for nine runs Friday against Roger Clemens and the Yankees, they'd scored two runs or fewer in 17 of their 32 games. They'd scored two runs in their previous four games combined. They'd scored eight runs in their previous seven home games combined. They'd had 10 games in which they either hadn't scored without a home run or hadn't scored at all. Their rotation was 3-20. Their opening-day lineup had played four games together all season. And the last time they overcame a start this lousy to finish over .500 was 1925. Tough year.
Meanwhile, the anti-Tigers, the Diamondbacks, haven't been shut out since last July 10 -- 109 games ago. The Tigers have been shut out eight times since then.
Tim Wakefield pitched in relief for the Red Sox on Wednesday, then started for them Thursday. He lasted 3 2/3 innings. But that was longer than the last pitcher to try this trick. The Elias Sports Bureau's Ken Hirdt reports that was Eric Gunderson, on Sept. 25-26, 1998. He was gone after 1 2/3 innings.
Speaking of Red Sox starters, Pedro Martinez managed to become the first pitcher not named Randy Johnson to lose a 17-strikeout game since Steve Carlton lost his legendary 19-punchout game to the Mets in 1969. The Big Unit has lost three games of 17 whiffs or more (one of 19 in '97, one of 18 in '92 and one of 17 last June).
The guy who outdueled Pedro in Boston last weekend, Steve Trachsel, then pulled off an unprecedented feat. When he beat El Duque in New York for his second straight 1-0 win, Trachsel became the first pitcher in history to win 1-0 games in Fenway and Yankee Stadium in the same season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
It isn't every day you see a guy hit a game-ending grand slam in the 12th inning, as Arizona's Damian Miller did Tuesday. The only other active player to hit a walk-off slam that late is Moises Alou, who hit one in the 14th inning back in his rookie year with the Expos (Sept. 23, 1992).
When was the last time you saw a catcher called for catcher's interference? Well, Minnesota's Matt LeCroy did the impossible last weekend. He got called for interference two games in a row. "That has to be some kind of record," said manager Tom Kelly.
And who's the only active player with a five-hit game in each league? ESPN research whiz Jeff Bennett reports it's (who else?) Wil Cordero. He had one for the Red Sox in '97, then bookended that feat by doing it for the Pirates on Wednesday. And they're both against New York teams (against the Yankees in '97, against the Mets in 2000).
Jayson Stark is a senior writer at ESPN.com. Rumblings and Grumblings will appear each Saturday. | |
ALSO SEE
Jayson Stark archive
Stark: Week in Review
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