The Yankees Dugout

Mitchell: Lee Smith fuming over lack of Hall of Fame votes

jimfurtado@baseballthinkfactory.org — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:08:00 +0000

A very slow burn, I would imagine. “They’re holding out on me,” Smith said from his home in Castor, La. “I have, like, 200 more saves than two or three guys who are in there. Dennis Eckersley (390 saves, 197 wins) is the only Hall of Famer who has a better save opportunity [percentage] than I do (84 to Smith’s 82). I don’t understand, man. “And Eck had unbelievable numbers as a starter,” Smith added, referring to Eckersley becoming the first pitcher with 20-win and 50-save seasons. “The man has 100 complete games. I have no problem with him. But Goose and Sutter … they were on the ballot for a long time.” Gossage (310 saves) and Sutter (300) have campaigned publicly for the inclusion of Smith. The late Hoyt Wilhelm had 227 saves, and he’s in the Hall of Fame. Hoffman now has 554 and Mariano Rivera is second with 482. “When I retired, nobody seemed to know I was the all-time saves leader for almost 15 years,” Smith said. “Until Trevor Hoffman broke my record, half the people thought Eckersley was the all-time leader.”

Andy Pettitte Rejects Yankees’ Offer, Making Return Uncertain (RR)

jimfurtado@baseballthinkfactory.org — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:36:00 +0000

But Pettitte is not like other players, and the Yankees are not like other teams. Pettitte has pledged his loyalty to the Yankees, and the Yankees have spent lavishly this winter at a time when many clubs are scaling back. A reunion seemed inevitable at the start of the off-season, but now it is uncertain. Pettitte has rejected the Yankees’ one-year, $10 million offer, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations, and there is no standing offer for now. Pettitte could return because some in the Yankees’ hierarchy want him back. But in a winter of aggressive activity, the Yankees have been unwilling to bend for Pettitte. ... Pettitte did not tell the Yankees that he might be included in the report, which said he had used human growth hormone. Pettitte admitted his use and the Yankees supported him publicly. But his performance suffered in the second half of the season, when he usually gets stronger, and he admitted his distracting off-season might have been a factor. In a way, though, such honesty has always been part of Pettitte’s appeal; his sincerity and earnestness have made him a fan favorite… Steady trusty emesis basin...steady.

Shelton: Burrell’s value to Tampa Bay Rays goes beyond numbers

jimfurtado@baseballthinkfactory.org — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:21:00 +0000

This guy is something. Tough company. Lord, if you will. Awe builds. Somberness. If you are a numbers guy, this might be all you need to know about Pat Burrell. He’s going to hit 30 home runs for the Rays this season. That alone is a pretty good reason to say hello. If history is any indicator, Burrell is going to hit somewhere in the .250s, and he’s going to drive in about 90 runs. He’ll walk more than 100 times, and he’ll strike out about 130 times. Lovely things, statistics. And, yes, part of the beauty of baseball is the way the game turns all of us into accountants. ...Again, however, that’s just numbers talk. You know how you judge a player? In part, by how his teammates feel about him. And the Phillies loved Burrell. He was Pat the Bat, after all. Once, his teammates made up a shirt with a photo of Burrell lifting weights on the front with the slogan: Pat Burrell: Man or Machine.

SportTicker: Phillies’ Romero suspended 50 games

jimfurtado@baseballthinkfactory.org — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:50:00 +0000

According to a report on ESPN.com, Phillies lefthander J.C. Romero has been suspended 50 games for using a banned supplement. The 33-year-old reliever, who won the third and clinching game of the 2008 World Series, has been ruled guilty of “negligence,” though Major League Baseball did not say that Romero cheated, according to the report. Romero said on Monday that he bought a supplement from a GNC store in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, last July - and that the Players Association had told players that was acceptable. “I still cannot see where I did something wrong,” Romero told ESPN.com. “There is nothing that should take away from the rings of my teammates. I didn’t cheat. I tried to follow the rules.” Three months after Romero was tested before a game on August 26, the Players Association sent a letter to players. The letter stated, “We have previously told you there is no reason to believe a supplement bought at a U.S. based retail store could cause you to test positive under our Drug Program. That is no longer true.”

Chicago Tribune: Bidding for Chicago Cubs may be near a conclusion

jimfurtado@baseballthinkfactory.org — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:41:00 +0000

Tribune Co., owner of the Chicago Cubs, is close to selecting a winning bid for the team from three finalists, according to people familiar with the sales talks. The Chicago-based media conglomerate has been evaluating bids since the beginning of December and could make a decision within a week to 10 days, sources said. But one source cautioned that the process of narrowing the auction to one bidder still could be derailed, and Tribune Co. could pull the team and its landmark stadium off the market. ... Once the winning bid is chosen, the deal is far from completion. Tribune Co. plans to enter into negotiations with the prospective buyer to work out a sale. Tight credit markets make it more difficult to obtain loans to finance a transaction that could approach $1 billion. ... If the winning bidder is able to finalize a contract with Tribune Co., the buyer must be approved by three-quarters of baseball owners. It is also possible a bankruptcy court judge will have a say in the process, because Tribune Co. filed for Chapter 11 protection Dec. 8. The Cubs are not included in the filing, but the sale would generate proceeds for debtholders.

Dodgers GM on Manny Ramirez: ‘We still have differences’ (LA Times)

jimfurtado@baseballthinkfactory.org — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:22:00 +0000

The Dodgers re-established contact with Manny Ramirez’s agent last week and remain in talks to re-sign the All-Star outfielder, General Manager Ned Colletti said today. “Friday, we talked at length,” Colletti said, referring to agent Scott Boras. “We still have differences on what we think, but we’re still talking.” Other Dodgers nuggets of note: *-The team is still looking at Trevor Hoffman. *-They “remain open to re-signing Takashi Saito, to whom they didn’t tender a contract last month. But, Colletti said, ‘We haven’t heard a peep back.’” Go figure. *-The Dodgers aren’t among the teams that are pursuing Pedro Martinez. *-Colletti refused to comment about Andruw Jones.

Scott Boras on Andruw Jones: He’s “just looking for a situation”

jimfurtado@baseballthinkfactory.org — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 07:36:00 +0000

Andruw Jones still intends to be an everyday player, his agent said today. “We’re just looking for a situation,” Scott Boras said. The Dodgers agreed last week to trade or release Jones by Jan. 15 in exchange for restructuring his contract, for which he is still owed $22.1 million. Jones’ salary will be cut to about $5 million next season and the remainder of the money will be deferred. In the likely case that Jones is released, another team could sign him and be on the hook for only the major-league minimum of $400,000. Boras stressed that Jones never demanded to be traded or released from the Dodgers. The idea for him to leave, Boras said, came out of a meeting he had in November with General Manager Ned Colletti and Manager Joe Torre. Boras said he then relayed the thoughts to Jones. “Both parties made a decision that it was best for Andruw to get a fresh start somewhere else,” Boras said. “We amicably worked out a deal to get this done.” Boras also said he wanted to show the Dodgers his willingness to resolve problems involving his clients. “They took a big pill here,” Boras said of the Dodgers.…Read More ...

Dayn Perry: Too many quality free agents remain

jimfurtado@baseballthinkfactory.org — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:49:00 +0000

Get on with it already. Even though pitchers and catchers report in less than six weeks, a number of alluring free agents remain on the market, and a number of contenders still have needs. So in the service of nudging the market along, we’re here to recommend — nay, demand! — five moves that make sense for all parties involved. Forthwith ... The Mets should sign Derek Lowe. The Cardinals should sign Oliver Perez. The Rays should sign Milton Bradley. The Giants should sign Manny Ramirez. The Indians should sign Ben Sheets.

Andy Pettitte Rejects Yankees’ Offer, Making Return Uncertain

By TYLER KEPNER — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:42:15 +0000

Andy Pettitte has rejected the Yankees’ one-year, $10 million offer, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations, and there is no standing offer for now.

ESPN.com has launched many new baseball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

ESPN.com — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:29:27 +0000

Visit the ESPN Widget Center.