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Mets eying more deals
By Peter Gammons
Special to ESPN.com
DIAMOND NOTES: Jan. 12
The Mets have pulled back slightly on the Bubba Trammell deal with the Padres, although there's still a possibility of a four-player trade involving Bruce Chen and either Benny Agbayani or Jay Payton for Trammell and a young pitcher. The Brewers continue to badger the Mets about a Jeromy Burnitz-Glendon Rusch trade; the potential of high strikeout rates with both Burnitz and Mo Vaughn, however, scares the Mets. The Mets also have interest in Raul Mondesi.
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| Reese |
If the Tigers sign Pokey Reese in the next dew days, they might then trade Shane Halter to Colorado. Halter fits a team like the Rockies, who need to carry at least 12 pitchers, because he can play seven positions. Boston continues to have interest in Reese, especially since GM Dan Duquette feels he needs him for Nomar Garciaparra protection at shortstop, but Reese's .308 lifetime on-base percentage and scary downward career path leave Reese a $1.5-to-$2 million player in most teams' opinions.
Toronto continues to shop Mondesi and Brad Fullmer.
The Diamondbacks are the current front-runners for Rick Helling, while the Mariners, Mets and Rangers appear to be the leaders in the pursuit of Pedro Astacio. But one of the team's GMs expressed concern about Astacio's demands for a two-year contract, considering Astacio's shoulder injury, which cropped up in September. Then when Astacio had to skip Friday's start in the Dominican Winter League because of the flu, more flags went up.
Indians catcher Tim Laker went through a complicated series of serious surgeries recently. He pulled through and will likely be in spring training. Laker quickly learned about Indians GM Mark Shapiro, whose only concern was for Laker and his family, which is why Mark Wohlers was so eager to sign with Cleveland.
Boston gets one of its better young pitchers back in Juan Pena, who had a strong winter in the Dominican after missing 1½ years following Tommy John surgery.
"I'm throwing the ball as well as I ever did," says Pena. "When I went to the Dominican, I had doubts. I had pain and some stiffness on the outside of the elbow, and no one had been able to tell me what was wrong. But as soon as I got with Nao Presinol (the legendary trainer/guru who works with Juan Gonzalez, Pedro Martinez and nearly 100 other players) he knew just what the problem was and worked it out. He's absolutely incredible."
Pena suffered through a miserable 2001 season. The Red Sox optioned him, although he couldn't pitch in April, so they didn't have to pay him the major-league minimum. After Pena filed a grievance, the Red Sox forced him to stay with Class A Sarasota and try to pitch rather than go to Fort Myers and rehab. That's just the way the Red Sox treat people -- the exact opposite of the Indians. There isn't a player that doesn't hope that the organization is gutted on the scouting and development end, for humane as well as baseball reasons.
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| Benson |
Pirates GM Dave Littlefield says he expects Kris Benson to be pitching by midseason following his surgery, "but we're using Kerry Wood and Matt Morris as our examples. Morris pitched mainly in relief and got back slowly. That's what we'll probably do with Benson." And hope one of the league's most promising pitchers makes a Morrisesque comeback in 2003.
The Braves apparently had a two-year deal with Terry Adams done before he took a physical, which is how he ended up with a one-year deal with options in Philadelphia.
One GM jokes that "with all the deferred money -- unfunded -- and no draft picks, the next GM of the Rangers will be in a big hole." Hey, owner Tom Hicks hired John Hart to win and win now. But the Rangers had one signed pick in the first round last year and will have one in the first four this season.
Other GMs will closely monitor Carlos Pena, who seems assured of starting the season in the minors for the Rangers now that Juan Gonzalez has returned. Hart will keep third-base prospects Mark Teixeira and Hank Blalock, but if he needs a major chip to get pitching come July, Pena could be that chip.
And to think: I didn't realize Tigers great right-hander Virgil (Fire) Trucks, who pitched two no-hitters in 1952 and won 177 career games, is the uncle of Allman Brothers drummer Butch Trucks and the great uncle of guitarist Derek Trucks. So when Derek and wife, Susan Tedeschi, have their first child six weeks from now, will he be the next Virgil (Fire) Trucks?
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