ANAHEIM ANGELS Signed RHP Mark Petkovsek to a one-year contract, avoiding arbitration. [2/10] It’s nice to see a guy like Petkovsek, who didn’t make the majors to stay until he was almost 30, finally get a payday of sorts. While he did have the benefit of finally being left alone in a single role with…
While the Braves and Mets try to one-up each other in making their teams older for a shot at the division title in 2000, one of the division’s have-nots got some good news from the various Caribbean leagues. The Marlins’ Pablo Ozuna, whose off-year in 1999 moved him down many prospect lists, hit .324 for…
On Thursday, three months of speculation came to an end as the Seattle Mariners traded Ken Griffey Jr. to the Cincinnati Reds for Mike Cameron, Brett Tomko, shortstop prospect Antonio Perez and relief prospect Jake Meyer. For more information on Perez and Meyer, take a look at their Davenport Translations. Keith Law: I think the…
ANAHEIM ANGELS Signed LHP Kent Mercker and RHP Eric Weaver to minor-league contracts with spring-training NRIs. [1/26] Signed IF Carlos Garcia to a minor-league contract with a spring-training NRI. [1/31] Signed SS Benji Gil to a minor-league contract with a spring-training NRI. [2/1] Signed DH Todd Greene to a one-year contract, avoiding arbitration. [2/4] Given…
Following the lead of the most recent AL East Notebook, let’s take a closer look at some prospects in winter ball from the Junior Circuit’s Western Division, focusing mainly on those who added impressive performances to their resumes. Anaheim Angels The Angels had the fewest winter ball participants of any team in the division. The…
YET MORE ROCKER “I wouldn’t sit in the same room with him. I wouldn’t sit with someone who’s a racist. He says he’s not a racist, but he makes racist comments.” — Derek Jeter, Yankees infielder “Obviously, this is a big problem for our team. He’s put the whole team in a situation where not…
Colorado Rockies Jody Gerut had a great first half last season, but no way will he grace the confines of Coors this year unless he really comes on and even then it will be only as a September callup. Also, what is your "EqA" supposed to measure? The EqA’s for some Rockies players make no…
You’re probably just as tired as I am of a winter full of old saws. Right now, two in particular strike me as silly, particularly in tandem: "these days, rosters are already sewn up, and spring training is just there to get people ready," and "everyone has to have an established closer to win." That…
The final segment of our review of the Top 40 Prospects from Baseball Prospectus 1999: 8. Jeremy Giambi, LF, Kansas City (BBA: #64, Sickels: #17) What we said last year: "If [Eric] Chavez doesn’t have a smooth transition to the major leagues, Giambi may be the next best bet to win AL Rookie of the…
On Monday, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig suspended Atlanta Braves pitcher John Rocker until May 1 as punishment for his statements against ethnic minorities, immigrants and homosexuals. Jeff Bower: This is patently absurd. It certainly seems that the repercussions from fans and players are more than adequate punishment for the "crime" and act as an adequate…
Winter ball seasons have come to a close, and there are a number of players in the AL East who have played well enough to improve their chances of tripling their per diem in 2000. It’s possible that the winter-league story with the highest profile is that of Morgan Burkhart. Burkhart is a 28-year-old with…
Part 4 of our ongoing review of the Top 40 Prospects from Baseball Prospectus 1999: 16. Chad Hermansen, OF, Pittsburgh (BBA: #37, Sickels: #46) What we said last year: "A year ago he was one of the top five prospects in the game, and he recovered from a terrible start to hit 28 homers, and…
It’s almost embarrassing, actually, the way Gerry Hunsicker, the general manager of the Houston Astros, has made mincemeat of his competition. This winter, he’s traded two players coming off career years and on the brink of being very expensive for three younger talents with significant upside. The trades cleared payroll space to grant contract extensions…
ANAHEIM ANGELS Signed OF Orlando Palmeiro to a one-year contract, avoiding arbitration. [1/18] Signed IF Archi Cianfrocco and RHP Brett Hinchliffe to minor-league contracts with spring-training NRIs. [1/19] Signed RHPs Tom Candiotti and Steve Mintz to minor-league contracts with spring-training NRIs. [1/24] Bringing in both Hinchliffe and Candiotti underscores how desperate the Angels’ starting pitching…
Part 3 of our ongoing review of the Top 40 Prospects from Baseball Prospectus 1999: 24. Peter Bergeron, CF, Montreal (BBA: #40, Sickels: #33) What we said last year: "…Bergeron is not the only prospect heisted from the Dodgers, but he may be the best of them…he has a terrific on-base percentage, his range in…
Note: I originally wrote that Kurt Manwaring was still a Rockies property. Thanks to reader Ed Skibbe for pointing out that the team actually bought out his contract, rather than resigning him, so he’s not their problem anymore. -DP Colorado in Transition When Colorado hired Dan O’Dowd as their new general manager, some organizational change…