Angels’ Scioscia Planning Lineup Tweaks
Photo from AP Photo
After his team absorbed a 4-1 loss to the Red Sox in Game 1 of the American League Division Series Wednesday night, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said yesterday he would consider some “minor adjustments” to his lineup, no doubt in hopes of avoiding an 11th consecutive playoff loss to the Sox.
“We’re considering a few things and the core of our lineup will remain the same,” Scioscia said. “We have a lot of confidence in what our guys can do on the offensive side, and if you look at the last 60 or 70 games that we played, I think you saw an offense that can grind it out or hit the home run and break games open.”
Against Jon Lester, that was not the case. Despite getting nine hits (six off Lester), the Angels were unable to manufacture more than one run, which came in the third inning when Torii Hunter hit a single to left that scored Garret Anderson for a 1-0 lead. The lack of production from the bottom third of the order was stark: 0 for 9 with three strikeouts against Lester.
Among the tweaks Scioscia was considering were in the outfield.
“Well, the field is cut down a little bit with Vlad [Guerrero] DHing, and the bats we’re going to look at are either Gary Matthews or Juan Rivera and Kendry Morales,” Scioscia said. “I don’t think it’s going to come down to one player. As far as the whole lineup, we need to pressure teams every inning and it’s going to have to be as a cohesive unit, and if one player brings continuity, sure, it can have an impact.”
Full Story: Boston.com
Padres Could Trade Peavy
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Coming off a 99-defeat season, Padres General Manager Kevin Towers said yesterday he considers no player “untouchable” and will find out the trade value of every player.
Towers, speaking recently, also said pitcher Jake Peavy will not be exempted from his offseason fact-finding mission and that he would be shirking his duties if he did not find out Peavy’s value on the trade market.
“Are we going to shop Jake Peavy? No,” said Towers last Wednesday. “It’s a time of year to gather information. If it’s something that makes sense, you’ve got to talk as an organization.”
Unless Towers gets dazzled, it appears Peavy, 27, will be with the club to open the 2009 season. But Peavy’s salary will jump from $11 million to $15 million in 2010, and the pitcher himself said he has pondered whether he could become too expensive for the Padres in, say, 2011, when his salary will be $16 million.
“If they think they need to get rid of me to make the team better, they might trade me,” Peavy said. “But I hope it doesn’t come to that.”
One potential catch: As part of the $52 million extension Peavy received last season from CEO Sandy Alderson and Towers, he also obtained full no-trade powers through 2010.
Peavy’s consent, therefore, would be needed for a trade to any of the other 29 clubs.
Full Story: San Diego Union-Tribune
Giants to Make Run at CC Sabathia
Photo from Reuters Pictures
Rather than weaken the rotation, the Giants might take one bold move to strengthen it. There are indications the Giants plan to investigate the Hope Diamond of free-agent pitchers this winter, CC Sabathia, to gauge his interest in returning to his native Bay Area.
The team does not plan to wade into the rest of the market for starters. As Sabean said Monday, “We’ll look heavily in the market for relief help. Whether we decide to do that with a starting pitcher remains to be seen because I think the price is going to be exorbitant.”
Sabathia is going to command a massive contract, too, but could be the one starter worth the millions he gets. His signing also could provide Sabean the flexibility to move other pitchers for offense.
The question is whether Sabathia wants to come to San Francisco. One national columnist reported the Giants are his first choice, but Sabathia told The Chronicle in June he was wary of pitching so close to his Vallejo home.
Sabathia is not the team’s highest priority, however. More offense is, and Sabean said he expects it to come via trade rather than free agency. Besides the Angels’ Mark Teixeira and Dodgers’ Manny Ramirez, the list of impact free-agent bats is skimpy.
Full Story: SF Chronicle
Cashman Wants to Remain with Yankees
Photo from Reuters Pictures
While Brian Cashman remained mum about his future, the buzz smothering the Yankees New York Yankees universe yesterday focused on the GM telling the Steinbrenner family he wants to return.
An announcement could come as soon as tomorrow.
“Sooner than later,” Cashman said with a smile when asked about reaching a decision.
Hal Steinbrenner, who wants Cashman back, hasn’t made an offer. However, there are indications Cashman could tell Steinbrenner he wants to return and negotiate later.
With Hank Steinbrenner fading from the picture, Hal has been in touch with Cashman more than his older brother. Cashman and Hal work very well together and Hank hasn’t been involved in meetings with Hal and Cashman and his involvement has decreased.
Cashman is in the final leg of a three-year deal that paid him $5.4 million.
Friday, Cashman promised a quick decision when the season ended. Since yesterday’s game was rained out, the Yankees and Red Sox will end the regular season with a dual-gate doubleheader today.
Getting a GM in line is the first step in attempting to rebuild a team that underachieved this season and didn’t make the playoffs for the first time in 13 years.
Full Story: New York Post
Has Sheets Thrown Last Pitch as a Brewer?
Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
Ben Sheets took a few steps off the back of the mound and got a pat on the backside from Prince Fielder.
The right-hander’s day, and probably his career as a Milwaukee Brewer, was finished. But the job wasn’t even close to being completed.
Sheets gave the ball to interim manager Dale Sveum and made the trek from the rubber to the first-base dugout. He was booed loudly, then cheered softly.
Sheets was yanked in the third inning of the most important start of his career, the one where he had the opportunity to be the hero of Milwaukee - the city, not just the franchise.
But his sore right elbow and the Chicago Cubs’ “B” team wouldn’t allow it, as Sheets was ripped for four runs in 2 1/3 innings, leading to the Cubs smacking the Brewers, 7-3, Saturday afternoon at Miller Park.
A victory would have clinched at least a tie for the wild card and put the Brewers one step closer to their first playoff berth in 26 seasons, sending this town into a weekend utopia of tastier adult beverages and post-season anticipation with Sheets forever the man who sent them there.
Instead, the defeat dropped the Brewers back into a tie for the wild-card berth with the New York Mets, who needed a complete game from ace Johan Santana on short rest to beat Florida, 2-0.
“I felt pretty good at the beginning, but that didn’t last long,” Sheets said. “The third inning jumped on me pretty good. It was pain.
“That’s it. That’s all I had. . . . It was all I had. . . for the year.”
Sheets left no murkiness on that front. Unless he has a remarkable healing, he will be a cheerleader for whatever remains of this season.
Full Story: Journal-Sentinel
Girardi Alienates New York Media
In his first season as Yankees manager Joe Girardi has managed to alienate the media covering the team. This is a dangerous situation for a guy who, depending on how the Bombers start 2008, could quickly find himself on a list of endangered managers.
When media types begin to derisively refer to you as “a clown,” you have problems.
Thursday night, Girardi lied to reporters before Yankees-Blue Jays, saying Mariano Rivera was sent home to take a routine, season-ending physical. The closer actually returned to New York to get an MRI on his right shoulder, a fact GM Brian Cashman confirmed to reporters over the telephone during the game.
Girardi exacerbated the situation during his postgame interview. He served up a coverup. Girardi rehashed his pregame spiel about Rivera telling him “his whole body is cranky.” No one bought what Girardi was selling. The reporters continued to probe. Girardi became indignant, saying: “I don’t care if you believe me.”
This uptight performance did not thrill Cashman. He privately apologized to a few scribes after Girardi bent the truth. On Friday, Girardi, undoubtedly prodded by the GM’s apology, offered a public one of his own (”I have shortcomings, I have things I still have to learn.”).
Maybe that’s a start, but Girardi better start caring more about media relations, and playing it straight, before it’s too late. Next season he enters the second year of a three-year deal. The organization - and to some extent the media - cut him slack along the road to the Yankees’ first dark October since 1993. If things go downhill fast in ‘08, Girardi will be a marked man - a scapegoat for impending failure.
Source: New York Daily News
Pettitte Pitched Injured, Wants to Return
Andy Pettitte said it makes him feel “sick” to know the Yankees will miss the playoffs. He also stepped up to take blame for the team’s failures, but Pettitte also admitted that he has been pitching with his left shoulder bothering him and he will be shut down rather than pitch Saturday.
“It’s given me a little bit of trouble,” Pettitte said of his shoulder.
Pettitte underwent an MRI during the last homestand, and it showed no structural damage. But he has thrown 204 innings, and there is no reason to push things now.
Pettitte, 36, is normally a strong second-half pitcher. This year, though, he went 10-7 with a 4.03 ERA in 20 starts before the All-Star break and 4-7 with a 5.35 ERA in 13 starts after.
When asked to evaluate what went wrong for this team, Pettitte said: “I just look at, the big thing was me personally. I just think I pitched terrible.”
Pettitte will be a free agent after the season and has not definitively said he will pitch next year. However, he certainly sounds as if he wants to return. He has talked about wanting to pitch at the new Yankee Stadium.
Source: Newsday
Jason Giambi to Toronto?
After Jason Giambi hit .195 with three homers and six RBI through the first five weeks of the 2005 season, the Yankees asked him to go to the minors, but he refused. He went on a tear after that, finishing the season with a .271 average, 32 homers and 87 RBI, enough to earn him Comeback Player of the Year honors.
While injuries cost him half of both the 2004 and ‘07 seasons, Giambi played in at least 139 games in each of his other five years with the Yankees, hitting at least 32 home runs in each.
Where will Giambi go from here? The Yankees hold a $23 million option for 2009, which they will certainly buy out for $5 million. Giambi hopes to play for several more years, so he’ll be looking for a multiyear deal this winter.
One potential suitor could be the Blue Jays, according to a source, as Giambi has a relationship with GM J.P. Ricciardi from their days together in Oakland and Toronto could use another big bat.
Source: NY Daily News
