Pirates acquire Iwamura from Rays
The Pittsburgh Pirates have been plugging holes after trades for years, but filling the Freddy Sanchez void proved difficult.
On Tuesday, the team agreed to acquire second baseman Akinori Iwamura from the Tampa Bay Rays for reliever Jesse Chavez.
The deal was first reported by ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.
The Pirates tried to work out an extension with Sanchez before the trade deadline, but after he rejected their overture, the Pirates traded him to the San Francisco Giants. Sanchez just signed a two-year, $12 million deal with San Francisco.
Iwamura will earn $4.85 million for 2010, through a club option negotiated in his original contract.
After Iwamura was hurt early in the 2009 season, Ben Zobrist developed into an excellent alternative for the Rays. By making this deal, Tampa Bay saves the $650,000 buyout on Iwamura's contract -- which they would have had to have paid if they had just rejected Iwamura's contract option -- and they get a serviceable and cheap young pitcher in Chavez, who won't be eligible for arbitration until after the 2011 season.
"We've got areas we really need to try to address," Rays executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said, specifically mentioning the bullpen and catcher as priorities this offseason.
When the Pirates traded Sanchez, a three-time All-Star, he was leading the team in hitting. Delwyn Young stepped in at second and batted .266 with seven homers and 43 RBIs, but he struck out 90 times in 354 at-bats. The Pirates' top second base prospect, Chase d'Arnaud, isn't close to being ready for the majors.
Iwamura was batting over .300 early last season for the Rays before sustaining partial tears of the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his left knee. He returned in September and batted .290 for the season in 69 games. He was Tampa's everyday second baseman when the Rays went to the World Series in 2008 and batted .274 with six homers, 48 RBIs and a .349 on-base percentage.
"He is a good athlete with above-average speed and is a tough out with a solid career on-base percentage," Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said. "Additionally, he played Gold Glove-caliber third base for years in Japan and has made a smooth transition to second base."
Once the Rays determined they were not going to pick up Iwamura's option for 2010, Friedman listened to offers for a trade.
"Pittsburgh has been all over us for about a month," Friedman said.
Chavez led Pittsburgh and all major league rookies with 73 appearances in 2009, going 1-4 with a 4.01 ERA in 67 1/3 innings. He was taken in the 42nd round in 2002 by Texas, and made his major league debut with the Pirates with 15 appearances in 2008.
The Rays believe the 26-year-old has the potential to develop into an outstanding reliever.
"This year was a good year," Friedman said. "We feel like he has the tools and ability to have an even better year."
Iwamura was a five-time All-Star and six-time Gold Glove third baseman in Japan. In three seasons in Tampa Bay, he batted .281 with 14 homers, 104 RBIs and 29 stolen bases while playing third base for one year and second for the past two.
His unselfish transition from third to second base in 2008 -- a move that opened a position for All-Star Evan Longoria -- was one of the keys to Tampa Bay's transformation from a perennial last-place team into AL champions.
"It is hard to put into words what Aki has meant to the organization," Friedman said.
Pittsburgh takes on Iwamura's option, which the Pirates can pay because their already low payroll was trimmed when they dealt Sanchez, Adam LaRoche, Jack Wilson, Nate McLouth, Nyjer Morgan and Eric Hinske during the season.
Coming off a major league-record 17th consecutive losing season in which they lost 99 games, the Pirates also needed to make a move to at least appease a dwindling fan base that was angered by yet another season of player departures.
(c) The Associated Press.
Bay keeping open mind about future
BOSTON -- The filing period for free agents hasn't started just yet. So officially, you can still refer to him as "Red Sox left fielder" Jason Bay.
The popular right-handed-hitting slugger did a live chat with Red Sox fans on WEEI.com on Thursday afternoon and remained open-minded about where he will be playing in 2010.
Bay continues to chuckle at the notion that the fact he has a home in Seattle means he would rather play for a West Coast team.
"The window for my career doesn't last forever, so limiting myself to one geographical spot really has no bearing on my decision," Bay said in the chat.
Does Bay have a rough date that he'd like to get a deal done by?
"Ideally, I would like to know where I would like to be sooner rather than later, but [I] understand there is a process to this as well," said Bay.
And for that process, he will rely quite a bit on agent Joe Urbon.
It is still so early in the offseason that not a lot of momentum has built with regard to his contract status since the Red Sox were swept by the Angels in the Division Series.
Players can start filing for free agency once the World Series is over. Bay wouldn't be eligible to sign with a team other than the Red Sox until 15 days after the World Series ends.
Like the rest of his teammates, Bay had high hopes that the Red Sox would have a deep October and perhaps even play into early November. Why did his team get handled so easily by the Angels?
"I can't give you one reason," said Bay. "It was a combination. It was no secret we didn't hit very well. Now do you attribute that to good pitching or poor hitting? I say it was a combination of the two."
This is the first time Bay has been eligible for free agency, so he intends on seeing what is out there. But he continues to speak positively about the season and a half he spent in Boston.
Bay enjoys patrolling the Green Monster, a job previously held by stars such as Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Jim Rice and Manny Ramirez.
"Playing left field in Boston is great for a few reasons. The history of the wall and all the players who have played there in past years make it really special," Bay said. "I think that the Monster is a little intimidating at first, but after getting used to it, I really like the nooks and crannies and the effect that it has on the other team and players who aren't used to it."
And playing for manager Terry Francona?
"Really, really enjoyed the atmosphere that he created," Bay said. "Boston is one of those places there is a lot of media and he does a very good job of not letting that affect his decision and let everybody do their job. I really enjoyed Brad Mills also, and wish him the best. He has great people skills like Tito [Francona], and like it or not, that's what a manager needs."
Interestingly, Bay ended his chat in the following fashion.
"This was the first time I've done an online chat and I really enjoyed the questions and the genuine interest from everybody," said Bay. "We'll see many of you next year????"
Bay's question will be answered in the coming weeks, as the Hot Stove starts to burn.
(c) 2001-2009 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
All Angels need now is a miracle, or three
The dream of a Freeway Series appears to be as dead as the Angels appeared in 10-1 Game 4 loss to Yankees.
It looks like the Freeway Series is now a Freeway Pipe Dream. That is, unless you are talking about the interstate between New York and Philadelphia.
Monday night, in Game 4 of their best-of-seven National League Championship Series, the Dodgers went dramatically. Tuesday night, in Game 4 of their best-of-seven American League Championship Series, the Angels just went.
Comebacks from 3-1 are not impossible, just highly improbable. That's especially true if the third loss is devastating, as it was in the Dodgers' collapse in the ninth. Or if it is wimpy, as it was in the Angels' five-hit, five-men-left-on-base, 10-1 submission to CC Sabathia, Alex Rodriguez and the Yankees.
Sabathia is not Cy Young and A-Rod is not Babe Ruth. The Angels just made it seem that way.
The Word Series will open in the American League city a week from today. If it matches the Dodgers and the Angels, Tom Lasorda will be changing water into wine at home plate at the Big A and Dean Chance will be drinking it.
The Angels will have a day off to think about things and then convene again Thursday. Until then, Tuesday night's predictable and understandably brave words will have to carry them.
"It was one loss, that's it," said Manager Mike Scioscia, a master at keeping an even keel. "Our guys are confident. There is nobody in that clubhouse who is down."
Torii Hunter, also pretty good at this even-keel stuff, but quicker with a quip, said, "We've won three in a row before. We joke about the Rally Monkey, but this one is all on us. We get it done or we don't."
Three games, three more chances, looks like a lot. In reality, it probably is mere formality. Even the Angels loyalists seemed to know that this time, despite a season of comebacks and resurrections and a team that seemed to turn every negative into a positive. The postseason is different, and the Angels, with the exception of 2002, have always seemed to struggle mightily come October.
When Hunter tapped out to second base to end the eighth inning, Angel Stadium became Dodger Stadium. Masses of the red-clad fans headed for the exits, soon to become masses of red tail lights in the parking lot. Some stayed around to mug for the big-screen cameras. Others sat quietly and soaked in the reality.
The only group having a worse night than the Angels were the umpires, who have stumbled and fumbled this series into an embarrassment for Major League Baseball. It was so bad that third base umpire Tim McClelland made an appearance at a postgame news conference -- a rare occasion, indeed -- and fessed up to blowing two calls.
But McClelland and his crew had nothing to do with the outcome of this one. The Angels took care of that themselves.
If this doesn't end with some sort of Miracle-on-34th-Street twist, then it will be yet another great Angels regular season, with yet another sour taste left from the playoffs.
"There's a terrific challenge for us," Scioscia said. "Our guys, you know, they're going to be ready to go, mentally, for sure."
If he is right, that will mean leadoff hitter Chone Figgins will have to emerge from a two-for-16 slump in these first four games; Bobby Abreu and Kendry Morales from the same two for 16; Hunter from four for 17; Mike Napoli from one for 9, and Juan Rivera from two for 17. Everybody was crabbing about Vladimir Guerrero, but he's at least five for 19 with a homer.
But it was more than just statistics Tuesday night.
A-Rod stole second base and there was nobody covering. Maybe they didn't see him coming because he was walking on water.
Several times, on bouncers to first base, the pitcher went to take the throw like he had never done that before: What me? Go where?
It's a long season, and Scioscia's teams don't normally play loose mentally or physically. This night, the Angels did. The grain of hope is more than just a grain mostly because the Angels of 2009 have been resilient, if nothing else.
But down 3-1, against Cy Young and Babe Ruth, is no easy task.
In the end, it was a sad night for Los Angeles baseball.
It was learned that Manny apparently showed his true colors Monday night in Philadelphia, showering instead of sharing. And the proud Angels red is looking a little blue right now.
Oh well, at least the traffic will be lighter on the 5 next week.
(c) Los Angeles Times.
This time, Angels might run wild on Red Sox
One-hundred sixty-seven baserunners attempted to steal against the Red Sox this season.
Only 16 were caught.
The Red Sox's "success rate" of 9.6 percent was the third worst in the majors since 1974, according to STATS LLC.
If you believe in the Angels -- and I do -- that is where you start.
The only way for the Red Sox to stop the Angels' running game is to keep the Angels' hitters -- particularly leadoff man Chone Figgins -- off the bases.
I'm not sure the Sox's rotation, in its present state, is good enough to do that.
The Red Sox rate a clear edge in the bullpen -- an edge so significant, it might negate every perceived Angels advantage.
But how healthy is Josh Beckett? How nervous will Clay Buchholz be in his first postseason? How much can the Sox trust Daisuke Matsuzaka if they pitch him in Game 4, with the other option being ace left-hander Jon Lester on short rest?
At the very least, these are valid questions.
Yes, the Angels went a combined 1-9 against the Sox in the 2004, '07 and '08 Division Series. Yes, the Red Sox spook the Angels the way the Angels spook the Yankees.
Still, this series should be different.
The Angels scored more runs than the Sox in the regular season, something they did not do in '04, '07 and '08.
Their starting rotation, boosted by the addition of left-hander Scott Kazmir, is at least as formidable as the Red Sox's.
And their running game, which produced 15 stolen bases in 17 attempts in the season series, could reverse the Sox's psychological advantage once and for all.
The Sox's inability to throw out opposing base stealers is far more of a problem than it was the three previous times these teams met in the postseason.
In '08, the Sox succeeded in throwing out 22 percent of runners. In '07 the rate was 22.5 percent; in '04, 18 percent. Those percentages all were below average.
But 9.6 percent? That's practically helpless.
The counter-argument -- and it's a good one -- is that the Sox's offense is equally capable of tormenting the Angels' pitching staff, only in a different way.
The Sox will be in their familiar mode, running up pitch counts, trying to force the opposing starter out of the game. If John Lackey, Jered Weaver and Kazmir succumb, this series could end as quickly as the previous three between these teams.
The uncertainty surrounding Angels right-hander Jason Bulger, who received a cortisone shot for biceps tendinitis Sunday, only will increase the pressure on his fellow rookie, setup man Kevin Jepsen. In the matchup of closers, Sox righty Jonathan Papelbon vs. Angels lefty Brian Fuentes is simply not close.
Angels right-hander Ervin Santana, who pitched in relief in the 2005 and '07 playoffs, could play a pivotal role. But the Red Sox boast three relievers -- Papelbon, righty Daniel Bard and lefty Billy Wagner -- who are more overpowering than any of their Angels' counterparts. And righty Takashi Saito had a 1.08 ERA after the All-Star break.
One other thing: The Red Sox, playing in the AL East, face a higher degree of difficulty than the Angels in the regular season. Yet, they finished with a better run differential than the Angels -- an indication that, just as in '04, '07 and '08, they might simply be a better team.
I get that, but the difference between the clubs this time does not appear terribly significant, and the Sox's handicap against the running game tilts the matchup in the Angels' favor.
Hello, law of averages.
Angels in 5.
(c) 2009 Fox Sports Interactive Media, LLC. All rights reserved.
New life for Rockies after bats awaken
PHILADELPHIA -- It's clear by now. Fighting back is the way of the Rockies.
After showing no offensive life in losing Wednesday's Game 1 of the National League Division Series, the Rockies scored four runs off Phillies ace Cole Hamels and withstood a furious comeback attempt to win Game 2, 5-4, on Thursday afternoon.
Ace Aaron Cook pitched five strong innings before turning the contest over to a bullpen that was constructed solidly, if on the run. Carlos Gonzalez had three hits (after two hits in the first game), Dexter Fowler drove in two runs on sacrifice flies, and Yorvit Torrealba knocked a two-run shot -- his first home run in five months.
What it adds up to is a golden chance for the Rockies to add to an improbable story that started with them going 18-28 out of the gate and replacing manager Clint Hurdle with Jim Tracy. After escaping Philadelphia and its raucous crowds -- 46,528, which topped Wednesday's Citizens Bank Park record -- with a split, the Rockies will be greeted by their own wild crowd at Coors Field on Saturday night and Sunday.
The defending World Series champion Phillies won Game 1, 5-1, and were hoping to deliver a crushing blow Thursday. Instead, the Rockies kept Hamels in trouble until he left after five innings.
Gonzalez singled to lead off the game, stole second, took third on Fowler's bunt and scored on Todd Helton's soft infield grounder. Instead of letting the ball roll foul, Hamels grabbed it near the first-base line and threw late to the plate.
Torrealba, who last homered May 6 at Coors Field off the Giants' Randy Johnson, but nonetheless was a key figure in the run to the playoffs, popped a 1-1 pitch from Hamels into the left-field seats. In the Rockies' fifth, Cook singled with one out, took third on Gonzalez's double and scored on the first of Fowler's sacrifice flies.
Cook gave up baserunners in each of the first five innings, but never had one advance beyond first base. He struck out four -- all with a runner on -- and forced two double plays.
The Phils cracked Cook in the sixth when Shane Victorino and Chase Utley singled, and Ryan Howard doubled for one run. Jose Contreras replaced Cook, fanned Jayson Werth and gave up Raul Ibanez's two-run single. Pedro Feliz singled, but Contreras worked Carlos Ruiz into a double-play grounder.
Ryan Spilborghs led off the seventh with a double, and would score on Fowler's one-out fly ball. The Rockies missed a chance to add to the lead in the eighth, when Phils lefty reliever Antonio Bastardo fanned pinch-hitter Jason Giambi with the bases loaded to end the inning.
However, the Rockies' bullpen kept the lead. Matt Belisle, who spent most of the season in the Minors but earned a playoff roster spot with a strong final three weeks, threw a perfect seventh. Rafael Betancourt, acquired from the Indians in July, gave up a Werth two-out homer in the eighth. But Franklin Morales, who also spent time in the Minors, ended the threat by coaxing an Ibanez grounder.
Huston Street, who converted 35 of 37 save chances during the regular season, earned his first save of the 2009 postseason and third career playoff save.
(c) 2001-2009 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
Tigers solve Pavano, have title in sight
DETROIT -- Wednesday was more than just a move to the verge of an American League Central title for the Tigers. Their 7-2 win over the Twins might've been a release for the frustrations of an entire season.
They finally took them out on Carl Pavano. As a result, they have a chance to wrap up their first division crown in 22 years Thursday. A win in their series finale with Minnesota, a 1:05 p.m. ET start on MLB Network and MLB.TV, would take care of it. If not, any combination of two Tigers wins this weekend against the White Sox or Twins losses to the Royals would seal the AL Central crown for Detroit, which hasn't won a division since taking the AL East on the final weekend of the 1987 season.
What looked at one point like a potential disaster for Tigers starter Eddie Bonine soon turned into a drubbing of Pavano, the man the Tigers could never seem to beat. They could hit him, but they couldn't drive in runs against him, a problem that has plagued Detroit against all sorts of pitching this year and kept it struggling to create space atop the division.
He'd beaten the Tigers four times in five starts for two different teams and was trying to become just the third starting pitcher since 1954 to beat Detroit five times in the same season. By the time Magglio Ordonez's bases-clearing, fifth-inning double knocked Pavano from the game as the crowd of 34,775 at Comerica Park roared, the Tigers had saddled him with seven earned runs, the same total he gave up to the Tigers in their other five starts combined.
"We were due," manager Jim Leyland said. "Carl's been tough against us. We finally got him. It took us long enough."
It took almost an entire season.
"It's just amazing what a little end-of-the-season concentration will do for you," said Brandon Inge, whose two-run double set off a four-run second inning.
That wasn't the only amazement.
After Bonine got into trouble in the opening inning, it was amazing that he could pull an escape with just two runs allowed. Consecutive singles from Orlando Cabrera, Joe Mauer and Jason Kubel -- the latter two on two-strike pitches -- drove in the first run before a four-pitch walk to Michael Cuddyer loaded the bases.
What would've been a Delmon Young sacrifice fly instead became an RBI single when Curtis Granderson turned wrong and couldn't run down the ball in deep center field.
By the time Jose Morales ran a 1-2 count full with the bases still loaded, Fu-Te Ni was already warming up. Bonine, who said he tried to be too perfect, had to trust his stuff. So the man best known for his knuckleball, even though he only throws a handful or two per game, had to rear back and fire a fastball.
"I'm not going to give in, but it's got to be a strike," he said. "I can't afford to walk in a run -- just a fastball that obviously had a big part of the plate. ... I dug myself that hole. It's one of those deals where you have to continue to trust it and hope they hit it at somebody or you get them to miss it."
Morales hit it well, but right at second baseman Placido Polanco, who knocked down the ball and picked it up in time to start an inning-ending double play.
Bonine (1-1), a low-key personality who didn't join the rotation until two weeks ago, gave a big fist pump. The Twins shook their heads after being unable to capitalize.
"It looked like we were going to do some serious damage there," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said. "And the freaky fly ball to center field and then we hit into a rocket double play, what are you going to do there?"
Considering Pavano's track record against the Tigers, one might've wondered if two runs would be enough. He retired the side in order in the opening inning and sent Bonine back onto the mound quickly. But while Bonine settled down, Pavano found trouble when back-to-back singles from Miguel Cabrera and Ordonez and a walk to Carlos Guillen -- 0-for-13 lifetime off Pavano entering the night -- loaded the bases with nobody out in the second.
Inge, 4-for-12 off Pavano at that point, didn't wait for Pavano to get ahead. He saw a first-pitch slider and lined it into the gap in left-center field for a two-run double. Two batters later, Ramon Santiago singled in two more.
The aura of invincibility that Pavano owned in Detroit was gone.
"To be honest with you, I think that was kind of big, just because of the track record we had this year," said Inge, whose 83rd RBI matched his career high. "Pavano had won four times against us, going for five. If you give him confidence there, each team could've said, 'Well, here we go again.' He could've said, 'I'm going to own him again.'"
Instead, after Bonine and Detroit's bullpen held Minnesota scoreless the rest of the way, Pavano (13-12) had a short night and long laments.
"I needed to step up and I didn't do the job," Pavano said. "Not only did I let myself down, I let my team down. They needed me today to go out there and put in an effort for a win, and I fell short."
(c) 2001-2009 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
Ryan interested in ownership of Rangers
OAKLAND -- Nolan Ryan said he could be interested in joining one of the groups that has emerged as a potential buyer for the Rangers.
Ryan acknowledged he has spoken with Chuck Greenberg, a Pittsburgh sports attorney who owns two Minor League teams and a sports consulting firm.
"I've visited with Chuck Greenberg several times when they were in the process of looking at the organization," Ryan said. "There is a possibility I could be involved. Right now, I'm in the mindset of waiting for this thing to develop. It's still in the early stages."
Greenberg is one of three who sources have confirmed are bidding for the Rangers. Former agent Dennis Gilbert, who is now a special assistant with the White Sox, is also one of them and Jim Crane, a Houston businessman who owns a freight-forwarding company, is another.
Crane was also one of the bidders for the Chicago Cubs last year and was once a pitcher at the University of Central Missouri.
Ryan said he doesn't know Crane, even though they both have extensive connections in the Houston area. Those are the three bidders that have been identified but that doesn't mean they are the only ones.
"There may be others that I'm not aware of," Ryan said.
Rangers owner Tom Hicks has had all or part of the team up for sale since Spring Training. Hicks initially was hoping to sell 49 percent and retain controlling interest. He has since expressed willingness to sell either the whole franchise or controlling interest in order to pay off substantial debt in the Hicks Sports Group.
Hicks could still stay involved in some manner, depending on the final terms of the sale. Any sale isn't expected to be finalized until early next year.
"I don't know what the driving force will be for Tom," Ryan said. "I don't know when this will get to moving and when we will have a feel for the time schedule."
Greenberg owns Minor League teams in Myrtle Creek, S.C., and State College, Pa. He sold a team in Altoona, Pa., last year. Ryan also owns two Texas Minor League teams in Round Rock and Corpus Christi in addition to his other business interests.
In January 2008, Hicks hired Ryan to be the Rangers' club president. Ryan said he doesn't think the potential sale of the club has affected the players on the field, but it has been on others' minds as the season has progressed.
"Obviously I think from the front-office people there is some uncertainty [about] what will happen if there is a change in ownership," Ryan said. "People wondering who it will be, what direction it will go and how it will impact the front office of the Rangers."
Any change in ownership would require the approval of the other 29 teams.
(c) 2001-2009 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
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