espn insider

[asianxcore]

[url]http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/insider/columns/story?columnist=law_keith&id=2510329 :vader:

[xbrokendownx]

Buy, hold or sell?

By Keith Law
Scouts Inc.
Archive


The trading deadline is less than three weeks away, and there's not much separation in the NL standings -- about 10 teams still can call themselves contenders without eliciting derisive laughter. Below we will review the needs of each contending club heading into the trading deadline, although it's important to recognize that even the most active club typically addresses only one or two holes, and this year's trade market is not a promising one for major additions.

Note: Any references to games behind refer to the loss column, which is the only games behind figure that matters (and is what's used to calculate a magic number).


Everyone
Every NL team needs at least one more starting pitcher, and several contenders here could use two or three. That's just not happening. The pool of starters who might be traded this summer is shallow, and if 14 teams are racing to acquire the two or three starters who are available, clearly 12 of those clubs will have to help themselves somewhere else. For each team, I've mentioned how many starters they could use, but the focus will be on the other areas of need.

New York Mets
Starters needed: Two or three, depending on El Duque's performance.
The Mets could start printing playoff tickets tomorrow. For them to fail to win the division, they'd have to suffer the greatest collapse in baseball history. Any midseason additions they make should be with an eye toward the playoffs rather than toward winning a division they've already won.

A lot of ink has already been spilled on the Mets' need to acquire a starter because Pedro Martinez isn't 100 percent. That's ridiculous. Pedro is irreplaceable -- and the Mets needed at least one more starter before he hit the DL. The Mets could stretch Aaron Heilman out and put him in the rotation, which is his best role, but that would take some time, and you can't count on his suddenly being the No. 3 starter they lack.

More easily remedied is the Mets' mediocre offensive contributions from their outfield corners. Xavier Nady has been adequate, but Cliff Floyd has been a disaster at the plate, and he's not an asset defensively either. That said, the Mets lead the league in runs scored despite playing in a pitchers' park, so fixing their pitching is the top priority, especially since the Mets will have to deal one of their two blue-chip prospects (Mike Pelfrey or Lastings Milledge) to get anything worthwhile.


St. Louis Cardinals
Starters needed: Three, and that's assuming Anthony Reyes keeps up his solid early work.
The Cardinals are a mess. It's hard to see this team within sniffing distance of .500 if it played in the AL East or Central divisions. The entire offense is wrapped up in three players (Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds), and the team is locked into suffocating contracts with nonproductive hitters in right field and at shortstop. Manager Tony La Russa still regularly benches his one good second baseman, Hector Luna, further handicapping the team's offense. Left field is the easiest upgrade here, in part because the players St. Louis has run out there -- mainly So Taguchi and John Rodriguez -- are so bad.

The rotation is in worse shape than the offense, which can at least still score runs due to the three monsters in the heart of the lineup. Chris Carpenter is having another All-Star caliber season, and Reyes is off to a good start. Jason Marquis has the next-lowest ERA among starters at 5.55, exactly a full run worse than the league's ERA of 4.55. Mark Mulder could come back from his shoulder problem, but is that even a good thing? Adam Wainwright could be the Cardinals' Aaron Heilman, filling a role but not filling the need for a No. 2 or No. 3 starter.


Cincinnati Reds
Starters needed: At least two.
The Reds are second in the NL in slugging percentage, and yet they've been outslugged on the season by their opponents. You could argue that the Reds are the one contender that could use an upgrade to every spot on its pitching staff. Bronson Arroyo may be an All-Star, but he's nobody's idea of a No. 1 starter. The Reds have two guys capable of providing good bulk of innings, and possibly a third in Elizardo Ramirez, but they don't have a front-line starter capable of shutting down great offenses and going mano a mano with the Carpenter/Clemens/Pedro class of starters.

The Reds' bullpen picture isn't much prettier. Todd Coffey is miscast as a high-leverage reliever, and other than the recently-acquired Eddie Guardado the Reds don't have another reliever with an ERA under 4.00. If the Reds really want to rush Homer Bailey to the big leagues, it might make sense to Papelbonize him, whether as a closer or as a setup man, rather than push him into the rotation, where he's likely to underperform.


Houston Astros
Starters needed: One.
One thing I like about the Astros' current position is that they don't have the dire need for pitching that most of their rivals for the wild card and NL Central spots have. The Astros' primary issue is offense: They're getting zero offense from short and center, very little from right, and the organization's affinity for Brad Ausmus has gone past silly to clinically insane. Their acquisition of Aubrey Huff from the Devil Rays on Wednesday should address their offensive shortcoming in right. Meanwhile, their best hitter on the bench, Chris Burke, can't help at any of the trouble spots, and while he's a better hitter and fielder than Craig Biggio, the future Hall of Famer isn't going anywhere. The Astros are most likely to give up on Willy Taveras, their center fielder and a complete cipher at the plate. If they can turn one of those three main offensive sinks into sources, and get Brandon Backe back, I like their chances to catch either the Reds or Cardinals and sneak into the playoffs.


Milwaukee Brewers
Starters needed: Two, including one named Ben Sheets.
If the Brewers get a healthy Sheets back for the second half, it trumps any acquisition they're likely to make via trade. They don't have a glaring hole. With the exception of Geoff Jenkins, every hitter in the lineup is contributing something. Their rotation needs some help, but Sheets is the answer if he's healthy, and getting Tomo Ohka back will also be a positive. The one area where the Brewers can help themselves quickly is the bullpen, where nominal All-Star Derrick Turnbow has been pretty lousy and only situational lefty Brian Shouse has an ERA under 4.00. Right-handed middle relief is usually the easiest thing to come by in the midseason trade market, and it's a way for the Brewers to stay in the hunt without hurting their chances to contend in a more serious way in 2007-09.


Los Angeles Dodgers
Starters needed: Two, because I'm not buying into the Aaron "Small" Sele revival.
The Dodgers boast the league's best offense, and while guys such as Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp aren't going to hit at these levels for the rest of the year, they're probably better than anything the Dodgers might pick up in trade. The bullpen has weathered the losses of Eric Gagne and Yhency Brazoban without too much trouble. The front of the rotation has been excellent, and while I think Tampa got the better end of the Mark Hendrickson-Dioner Navarro deal, Hendrickson is likely to do well in a big pitchers' park, away from the AL East's big offenses.

The Dodgers are, in reality, the best team in the NL West and possibly the second-best team in the league, behind the Mets, so major additions shouldn't be necessary. Adding a middle-of-the-rotation starter behind Brad Penny and Derek Lowe would have the biggest impact, since Chad Billingsley clearly isn't ready and Aaron Sele is due to turn back into a pumpkin in 3, 2, 1 …


Arizona Diamondbacks
Starters needed: Two or three.
The Diamondbacks are in a tough position. Like the Dodgers, they have a fertile farm system that's about to produce a number of above-average major league players. Like the Dodgers, they're in the thick of the playoff race. Unlike the Dodgers, they have a flawed major league club with several needs, and they have to jump a few teams to get into a playoff spot.

Arizona could make some internal moves first before determining whether to buy, hold or sell. Replacing Craig Counsell with Stephen Drew would be one. Dealing Shawn Green (assuming there is such an opportunity), who is hitting a half-empty .305, and replacing him with on-base machine Carlos Quentin would be another. Orlando Hudson hasn't hit well at second base, but I can't see Arizona trading both of their plus defensive middle infielders, which would amount to stabbing Brandon Webb in the back.

What the Diamondbacks can't do internally is add pitching. Webb has been outstanding and should get some overdue Cy Young consideration. Miguel Batista and Claudio Vargas have been serviceable, but not good. Arizona is running an open tryout for its last two rotation spots (the next tryout is Friday at 1 p.m.; bring your glove and a signed permission slip from your parents), and could reap a significant gain from adding even a league-average fourth starter. But will the D-Backs want to sacrifice any of their top prospects -- and they have a slew of them -- for a playoff run this year when 2007 and beyond look so promising?


Colorado Rockies
Starters needed: At least one. If that trick continues to work, the Rockies can focus on the significant holes in their lineup. Shortstop Clint Barmes -- remember when everyone was calling him a future star last April? -- has a .246 OBP. Center fielder Cory Sullivan doesn't get on base and has well-below-average power. And while second baseman Jamey Carroll has hit .324 this season, he's still Jamey Carroll, who came into the year with a .338 career slugging percentage. Barmes is the biggest offender, but since shortstops are hard to come by in trade (other than Julio Lugo, who carries a big price tag; it's not clear that any decent shortstops are available this month), upgrading on Sullivan might be the most efficient way to improve the club.

San Diego Padres
Starters needed: One, but it's hardly a priority.
The Padres are in the hunt for the playoffs because their division stinks. Their offense is terrible, even after you factor in their home park and their set of road parks. On any given day, their lineup has at least four guys in it with sub-.320 OBPs (not counting the pitcher), and only Josh Bard -- who is probably just happy to be away from Tim Wakefield -- is slugging over .500. It would be hard for the Padres to straighten out their offense with one or two trades, and a farm system that's already thin makes it harder. This is one situation where the Padres would be better off punting and trying to regroup for 2007, when Jake Peavy and Chris Young will still be anchoring the rotation and perhaps Adrian Gonzalez, Khalil Greene or Josh Barfield will take a step forward offensively.


San Francisco Giants
Starters needed: One or two.
The Giants, like the Padres, are contenders because of their division rather than their talent level, but unlike the Padres, their optimal strategy is to go for it now, while Barry Bonds is still semi-productive. The Padres have a modest core of young players, whereas the Giants have Matt Cain and … well, Noah Lowry hasn't been the same since straining an oblique muscle in April. That's about it for youth on the roster, where only two everyday hitters are under 30.

One of those, Lance Niekro, has to be the Giants' first target for elimination. There is nothing in Niekro's past or present performances to indicate he has any kind of future. He doesn't hit for average, hit for power, or get on base. And first basemen who can hit a little grow on trees.

The Giants' other major hole is their bullpen, where Armando Benitez has pitched poorly when he's been able to pitch at all, and only Jeremy Accardo has shown even average control. One thing the Giants and other NL teams seeking relief help might consider is that some struggling AL relievers, particularly fly ball pitchers, may fare better with a switch to the weaker-hitting, pitcher-friendly National League.

[livethesounds]

Houston Astros
Starters needed: One.
One thing I like about the Astros' current position is that they don't have the dire need for pitching that most of their rivals for the wild card and NL Central spots have. The Astros' primary issue is offense: They're getting zero offense from short and center, very little from right, and the organization's affinity for Brad Ausmus has gone past silly to clinically insane. Their acquisition of Aubrey Huff from the Devil Rays on Wednesday should address their offensive shortcoming in right. Meanwhile, their best hitter on the bench, Chris Burke, can't help at any of the trouble spots, and while he's a better hitter and fielder than Craig Biggio, the future Hall of Famer isn't going anywhere. The Astros are most likely to give up on Willy Taveras, their center fielder and a complete cipher at the plate. If they can turn one of those three main offensive sinks into sources, and get Brandon Backe back, I like their chances to catch either the Reds or Cardinals and sneak into the playoffs.


HA! at least experts belive they have a shot too

[Jesse2]

HA! at least experts belive they have a shot too

a chance of sneaking into the playoffs in the NL

ooooooooooohhhhh

look out AL teams... the astros are coming!

[livethesounds]

a chance of sneaking into the playoffs in the NL

ooooooooooohhhhh

look out AL teams... the astros are coming!

Ha, you got me, called me out, i dont know if you have noticed or not but i have never said ANY NL team will do worth a shit in the world series. I said a shot to the playoffs, not winning it all.

[Jesse2]

Ha, you got me, called me out, i dont know if you have noticed or not but i have never said ANY NL team will do worth a shit in the world series. I said a shot to the playoffs, not winning it all.

haha I can count on one hand the number of NL teams that don't have a shot at the playoffs.

also, i'm still thinking back to when you were talking about how much better the astros were than the red sox or yankees.

[livethesounds]

haha I can count on one hand the number of NL teams that don't have a shot at the playoffs.

also, i'm still thinking back to when you were talking about how much better the astros were than the red sox or yankees.

yea, theres only like 4 teams actually out of the race, good job. I was actually just sticking up for my team when everybody else said they sucked. and i was also saying that the red sox / yankees get too much hype, i know they are better than the astros, they are much better than the astros. the redsox & yankess...ok well the redsox are better than the only team who has any shot and thats the mets and i dont think they (redsox) will go that far in the playoffs. I just htink the sox/yanks get too much hype because of espn and lots of people like them in this forum. if i HONESTLY thought the astros were better than those teams then i really wouldent belong here. any more irrelivant comments to make?

[Jesse2]

yea, theres only like 4 teams actually out of the race, good job. I was actually just sticking up for my team when everybody else said they sucked. and i was also saying that the red sox / yankees get too much hype, i know they are better than the astros, they are much better than the astros. the redsox & yankess...ok well the redsox are better than the only team who has any shot and thats the mets and i dont think they (redsox) will go that far in the playoffs. I just htink the sox/yanks get too much hype because of espn and lots of people like them in this forum. if i HONESTLY thought the astros were better than those teams then i really wouldent belong here. any more irrelivant comments to make?

first of all, i was referring to this post...

http://absolutepunk.net/showpost.php?p=3435052&postcount=28

secondly, it was completely relevant to what you and i were talking about.

lastly, for the love of god... learn how to spell

[thejetstolehome]

yea, theres only like 4 teams actually out of the race, good job. I was actually just sticking up for my team when everybody else said they sucked. and i was also saying that the red sox / yankees get too much hype, i know they are better than the astros, they are much better than the astros. the redsox & yankess...ok well the redsox are better than the only team who has any shot and thats the mets and i dont think they (redsox) will go that far in the playoffs. I just htink the sox/yanks get too much hype because of espn and lots of people like them in this forum. if i HONESTLY thought the astros were better than those teams then i really wouldent belong here. any more irrelivant comments to make?

the yankees and red sox get more hype because they're A)perennial winners, B)two of the most storied teams in baseball. C)two of the BEST teams in baseball and D) they play in a much harder division and much harder league. as annoying as all the press coverage they get can be, it is deserved.

edit: they also have 2 of the largest fan bases in the country.

[Brownpants06]

anyone want to do the AL side?

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/insider/columns/story?columnist=law_keith&id=2511306&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.es pn.go.com%2fmlb%2finsider%2fcolumns %2fstory%3fcolumnist%3dlaw_keith%26 id%3d2511306

[fire on my lips]

i'd like to see that too

[Jesse2]

Addressing the many needs


By Keith Law
Scouts Inc.
Archive


The trading deadline is less than three weeks away, and there's still not much separation in the standings, with nine AL teams still legitimately in one race or another and about a dozen NL teams still in their races. While I'm giving my opinions on the needs of each contending club as the trade deadline approaches, it's important to recognize that even the most active club typically addresses only one or two holes -- and this year's trade market is not a promising one for major additions.

Note: Any references to games behind refer to the loss column, which is the only games-behind figure that matters (and it's the figure that is used to calculate a magic number).


Everyone

Let's get this out of the way up front: Each team listed here -- except for the White Sox and Tigers (who, not coincidentally, are running away from everyone else in the AL) -- needs starting pitching. Several teams, such as the Rangers, really could use two more starters. That just won't happen; the pool of starters who might be traded this summer is shallow, and if 14 teams are racing to acquire the two or three starters who are available, clearly 12 of those clubs will have to find help somewhere else. For each team, I've mentioned how many starters they could use, but the focus will be on other areas of need.

Boston Red Sox

Starters needed: One, possibly two if Jon Lester falters.
The Red Sox are in first place in the AL East, and they have the fewest needs of any contender outside of the Big Two in the AL Central. That's probably not a coincidence.

Boston's offense has been clicking on most of its cylinders, and the two main weak spots (catcher and center field) are occupied by players early in long-term contracts. If Wily Mo Pena isn't coming back soon, the Sox should look to pick up a platoon-mate for Trot Nixon, who has never hit left-handers well (this year vs. lefties: .227 BA/.366 OBP/.364 SLG). Triple-A Pawtucket outfielder David Murphy could get a trial in that role first.

If you want to get a rise out of a Red Sox fan right now, just mention casually that Julian Tavarez is signed through next year. Then say, "Rudy Seanez." Warning: You may end up drenched in Dunkin' Donuts coffee.


New York Yankees

Starters needed: Three, including one to replace the ghost of Randy Johnson.
The Yankees have two critical needs: (1) getting either Hideki Matsui or Gary Sheffield back in the lineup, and (2) relievers of any variety. Their offense has been among the league's best even without those two bats, so unless the Yanks' medical people determine one isn't likely to return at all this year, the offense probably shouldn't be a priority for GM Brian Cashman.

The relief corps, on the other hand, must make Joe Torre cry when he sees commercials for Prilosec: He'd love to go 24 hours without heartburn. Left-handers Ron Villone and Mike Myers have been OK, but Torre doesn't have a decent righty at his disposal other than Mariano Rivera, who'll be running on fumes by Labor Day if Torre doesn't get some help. Moving Kyle Farnsworth -- if Torre doesn't trust him, he won't use him -- in a deal could give the Yankees some more options, as Farnsworth pitched well in two lower-pressure environments last year.


Toronto Blue Jays

Starters needed: One, possibly two if A.J. Burnett's arm falls off.
The one thing the Jays need more than anything else is some clarity. Are they in or are they out? They're six out in the division race and seven in the wild card, with the Yankees to pass in either chase and the Twins even with them for the wild card.

The Jays have two areas they might be able to address: the middle infield and their right-handed middle relief. While Aaron Hill has turned into a useful hitter (hitting .333/.380/.418 since the end of April), Russ Adams has been a complete cipher, providing no offense while fielding poorly at both shortstop and second base. The Jays would benefit from acquiring one middle infielder, preferably a shortstop so Hill can move back to second.

The other open wound in Toronto is the bullpen. While B.J. Ryan has been the league's best reliever, setup man Justin Speier has been struggling, and the team's second-best reliever of late, Jason Frasor, was just sent to the minors in an apparent fit of pique over his performance Sunday. With dreck such as Scott Downs and Brian Tallet pitching important innings, the Jays could conceivably help themselves in two or three bullpen spots with some smart deals.


Detroit Tigers

Starters needed: Probably none. All hail Jim Leyland.
Although it's hard to see how it's hurt them, the Tigers have been running out a lineup all season that has three major holes in it -- Placido Polanco (.318 OBP, .361 SLG), Brandon Inge (.281 OBP, .463 SLG) and Craig Monroe (.280 OBP). Monroe's performance is the most glaring, as he's been worse than he was in the Tigers' 2003 run at the Mets' single-season loss record, and he has never been more than a fourth outfielder despite all the at-bats the Tigers have given him. None of these three guys was ever so good that the Tigers can afford to ignore the problems he presents, and even upgrading one spot would be worthwhile.

Leyland's ability to pull good relief seasons out of awful pitchers hasn't quite caught up with him in Detroit, and the Tigers could benefit from giving Joel Zumaya a right-handed playmate in the pen, particularly since Todd Jones looks to be finished.


Chicago White Sox

Starters needed: Brandon McCarthy could be the third starter on a handful of clubs, and he can't even crack Chicago's rotation. If Jon Garland keeps stinking up the joint, McCarthy can step in.
They're leading the league in runs scored, and they're tied for third in fewest runs allowed (two runs behind Oakland). They could use a better bat at shortstop, and the overrating of Scott Podsednik should come to an end sooner or later, but the White Sox are the one team that could stand pat in July and have it be the right strategy.


Minnesota Twins

Starters needed: Two, but the one to replace Carlos Silva is most critical.
The Twins have already addressed their greatest need -- giving their talented kids (Francisco Liriano, Jason Bartlett and Jason Kubel) the playing time they had been giving to their overpaid stiffs (Kyle Lohse and Tony Batista). But to make up the enormous nine-game deficit they face for the wild card (with the Blue Jays also in that race), they could stand to add a power bat. Their slugging percentage is the fourth-worst in the AL, and only the Royals have hit fewer homers. A DH with some thump would be outstanding, although if they could add some offense at third base or second, it would also help.


Oakland A's

Starters needed: Two or three, depending on Rich Harden's prognosis.
The A's vaunted starting pitching depth turned out to be a shallow puddle with a mirror at the bottom, although you can't exactly plan for an injury to your likely ace. With a pretty strong bullpen, though, the A's aren't in as dire a pitching situation as some of the other AL contenders.

The offense is the problem here, as the A's are getting little to no offense from third base, second base, shortstop, catcher, center field and left field. A healthy Milton Bradley would alleviate one of the outfield pains, but the A's can't make Bobby Crosby and Eric Chavez wake up via the trade market. An outfield bat or a second baseman with some pop are probably the most likely acquisitions.


Seattle Mariners

Starters needed: One, for Joel Pineiro.
The Mariners are one of the few teams in baseball to have used exactly five starters this year, although they might want to reconsider that, given how awful Pineiro has been. He wasn't any better last year, so it's time to turn the page.

The M's primary need, however, is their offense; they hit for some power but don't get on base, and their offense is heavily concentrated in a few players -- Ichiro, Raul Ibanez, and Kenji Johjima, primarily. But Richie Sexson and Adrian Beltre are immovable objects due to their contracts, and Yuniesky Betancourt might be too due to his defense. The obvious wound to dress is DH, where Carl Everett has hit exactly as poorly as he did last year; Everett needs to go the way of the dinosaurs, and a Roberto Petagine-Eduardo Perez platoon would be worth evaluating before the Mariners make another deal. The injury to Jeremy Reed will also help if it forces GM Bill Bavasi to look for another bat in the outfield.


Texas Rangers

Starters needed: Four. OK, three if Kevin Millwood is healthy. But that's my final offer.
The Rangers' offense has been in the middle of the AL pack this year, which is unusual given their home park. But since the main culprits have been the underperforming Mark Teixeira and Hank Blalock, there's no easy fix here, even if the trade market has some good bats available.

The pitching staff, on the other hand ... let's just say that John Danks can't get here fast enough. The rotation is a lot of smoke and mirrors; when guys like John Rheinecker and John Wasdin are taking regular turns for you, it's time to look for some outside help.

The pen has been disappointing, with Francisco Cordero seeing a return to the wildness that plagued him earlier in his career; journeymen such as Rick Bauer and Bryan Corey have had to pick up the slack. That they've done so is no indication that they're anything more than Rick Bauer and Bryan Corey, so Texas may look to add another right-handed reliever to back up Akinori Otsuka and Cordero.

[bigmike]

Detroit Tigers

Starters needed: Probably none. All hail Jim Leyland.
Although it's hard to see how it's hurt them, the Tigers have been running out a lineup all season that has three major holes in it -- Placido Polanco (.318 OBP, .361 SLG), Brandon Inge (.281 OBP, .463 SLG) and Craig Monroe (.280 OBP). Monroe's performance is the most glaring, as he's been worse than he was in the Tigers' 2003 run at the Mets' single-season loss record, and he has never been more than a fourth outfielder despite all the at-bats the Tigers have given him. None of these three guys was ever so good that the Tigers can afford to ignore the problems he presents, and even upgrading one spot would be worthwhile.

Leyland's ability to pull good relief seasons out of awful pitchers hasn't quite caught up with him in Detroit, and the Tigers could benefit from giving Joel Zumaya a right-handed playmate in the pen, particularly since Todd Jones looks to be finished.
Monroe's on pace for 25 HRs, 83 RBIs. I think I can live with that for a "4th" outfielder.
Inge is on pace for 30 HRs, 89 RBIs. Pretty good for a 3rd baseman having to play half his games at Comerica Park if you ask me. Not to mention the fact that he's tightened up his defense at a position that he's only in his 2nd full year playing, ever in his life. I believe he made only 3 errors or so all of June and came up with constant web jems.
Polanco's career number suggest that he should have a much better 2nd half than 1st half. He's perfect for the #2 spot in the order and is our only real move runners over/sac bunts/contact type hitter. Not to mention he plays a solid defensive 2B, is sure handed, and provides great leadership for the younger guys on the team.
They aren't having as bad of seasons as they are making it out to seem.

I think picking up another solid reliever is our biggest pressing need, followed by picking up a left handed bat.

[Brownpants06]

any insider want to post this? i need a good laugh

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/insider/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=2525120&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.es pn.go.com%2fmlb%2finsider%2fcolumns %2fstory%3fcolumnist%3dcrasnick_jer ry%26id%3d2525120

[Jesse2]

This isn't the first time things have ended badly for Shea Hillenbrand. Three years ago, when the Boston Red Sox signed Bill Mueller to play third base, Hillenbrand was credited with one of the greatest send-me-packing lines in memory.

"They don't know what they have with me," Hillenbrand reportedly said. "If they get rid of me, they'll know what they have. You've heard of Jeff Bagwell?"



Ron Scheffler-US PRESSWIRE
Loose cannon: Shea Hillenbrand has become adept at wearing out his welcome.
Hillenbrand denied the quote, and also pleaded not guilty of using the Ozzie Guillen-Jay Mariotti homosexual slur toward Boston general manager Theo Epstein in a subsequent radio interview. Funny how some athletes just have a penchant for getting misconstrued.

Hillenbrand is no Bagwell, for sure. But he's an ultracompetitive guy who plays hurt and swings a pretty decent bat, even if he's disdainful of working counts and taking walks. He's a career .290 hitter with two All-Star Game appearances on his résumé.

Sometimes it's the extraneous stuff that gets people's attention. Hillenbrand raises exotic animals in Arizona, and he tends to describe behavior that some might consider offbeat with brusque or cryptic responses.

Case in point: One day last year, a Toronto reporter spotted Hillenbrand walking through the clubhouse with an industrial-sized case of Spam. The reporter naturally wondered why, and asked Hillenbrand as a casual conversation starter.

"I was picking some up for someone," Hillenbrand replied, and went on his way.

Like Jeff Kent, Hillenbrand has a touch of the loner in him. Like Kent, he also has difficulty keeping his mouth shut at times. That's a big reason he's a man in career transition today.

The Blue Jays' decision to designate Hillenbrand for assignment Wednesday shocked a lot of people in the industry. It was widely known that Toronto general manager J.P. Ricciardi was shopping Hillenbrand. But this latest roster move clearly makes it more difficult for Ricciardi to get anything of value in return.

Ricciardi, smart enough to know that any disparaging comments he makes could affect the market for Hillenbrand in the next 10 days, is saying as little as possible about the events that led to Wednesday's decision.

"All I can say is, no one is going to be bigger than our organization," Ricciardi said, not once but twice in a five-minute phone interview Thursday morning.

Hillenbrand's undoing in Toronto, pieced together from people familiar with the situation, can be traced to a rather bizarre set of circumstances.

The Blue Jays, already hurting on offense because of Troy Glaus' knee injury and Alex Rios' staph infection, gave Hillenbrand permission to go home this past weekend and be with his wife for three days while the couple finalized the adoption of a daughter. This appears to be a case of an organization trying its best to accommodate a player's personal needs.

Not that Hillenbrand and Blue Jays manager John Gibbons had much of a rapport. According to one baseball source, it would be an understatement to say their relationship was "strained." In fact, when Hillenbrand wanted to go home to be with his wife, he had his agent, Dan Lozano, call and inform Ricciardi rather than tell the front office or Gibbons directly.

Hillenbrand was supposed to return in time for Tuesday's game against Texas at the Rogers Centre. But when the player arrived at the park at 5:30 p.m., Gibbons held him out of the lineup.

Wednesday night, his absence from the lineup was a purely baseball decision. Hillenbrand is hitless in seven career at-bats against Rangers starter Kevin Millwood. Eric Hinske is 4-for-8. So Hinske played, and Hillenbrand sat. And stewed.

Rather than let his displeasure pass, Hillenbrand trashed the Toronto front office for failing to congratulate him about the adoption, and he basically talked his way out of Canada.

The clincher came when a three-sentence message appeared on a board in the Toronto clubhouse reading, "Play for yourselves. Play for your paycheck. The ship is sinking." The comment quickly was linked to Hillenbrand, and Gibbons immediately confronted him in the clubhouse.

Although Gibbons is less impulsive and quick-triggered than Ricciardi -- who last week criticized the middle of the Toronto lineup for "killing" the Blue Jays -- he's enough of a throwback not to accept any behavior that might undermine the team's pursuit of a postseason berth.

Gibbons is the son of an Air Force colonel, and as one baseball friend said, he has a bit of John Wayne in him. With the Yankees coming to Toronto for a huge series that starts tonight, the Blue Jays' manager had more on his mind than soothing Hillenbrand's hurt feelings.

What are the baseball ramifications? San Diego, which needs a third baseman now that Vinny Castilla has been released, seems like an obvious landing spot. But the Padres don't like Hillenbrand's defense and will explore other options first. The Twins and Dodgers are among the other clubs sure to be mentioned in speculation.

If Hillenbrand isn't careful, he's going to get a reputation for being awfully high maintenance.


"Because there is some need for corner position players, I think they're going to be able to move him. Hillenbrand isn't what I'd call a positive guy in your clubhouse, but he's not a bad guy. He's just one of those guys who doesn't feel content or appreciated unless he's playing every single day."
An AL executive
"Because there is some need for corner position players, I think they're going to be able to move him," an American League executive said. "Hillenbrand isn't what I'd call a positive guy in your clubhouse, but he's not a bad guy. He's just one of those guys who doesn't feel content or appreciated unless he's playing every single day."

Maybe the Blue Jays are just paying the price for chasing the Yankees and Red Sox. Early in his tenure with the Jays, Ricciardi said he planned to place a premium on high-character, team-oriented players.

This past winter, Ricciardi gave $55 million to A.J. Burnett, who didn't win many fans with the way his Florida Marlins tenure played out in the fall. The Blue Jays traded for Glaus, who never has been perceived as a great clubhouse guy. And now there's the mess with Hillenbrand.

For what it's worth, another AL front office man thinks Hillenbrand could have an impact for a contending club down the stretch.

"He's a competitor, and he definitely has that 'I'll show you' mentality," the executive said. "Whoever gets him will be getting a motivated player."

Somewhere down the road, Hillenbrand is likely to have a surprise or two in store for his next club. He usually does.

[fire on my lips]

Lovely

[Brownpants06]

interesting. the toronto based pti-ish talk show talked to a couple people whove talked to shea and such. similar stuff.