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Diamond Notes
By Peter Gammons
Special to ESPN.com
Feb. 15
Kevin Millar signed a two-year deal with Boston on Saturday. But the process to extricate Millar out of his contract with the Chunichi Dragons became so involved and complex that Chunichi tried to make it so Millar could never play again.
A non-practicing attorney who is now living in Japan tried to extort $150,000 from the Commissioner's Office to broker a deal with the Dragons while the Marlins demanded an additional $300,000 "handling fee" to send Millar to Boston. And the craziness didn't stop there because when Chunichi tried to end Millar's career, the Players' Association had to threaten that it would not sign off on the Mariners-A's games in Japan at the end of March had Millar not been released from the deal.
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| 2002 SEASON STATISTICS |
| GM |
AB |
R |
HR |
RBI |
AVG |
| 126 |
438 |
58 |
16 |
57 |
.306 |
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|
Millar will not be ordering sushi in Fort Myers, in case you're wondering. With Millar, Jeremy Giambi, David Ortiz, Shea Hillenbrand and Bill Mueller to play first base, third base and DH, Boston's bench -- which was a major part of their demise last season -- is now the strongest it's been in years.
Of course, if the world political situation is unsettled, there is still a chance that the trip won't happen anyway. The M's and A's could instead open the season with four games in Oakland.
Dick Pole left his pitching coach job in Montreal to rejoin Dusty Baker and return to the Cubs, but says what impressed him most "is that they really have some good players. They can be very good."
Responding to Javier Vazquez's off-numbers from last season, Pole says, "he pitched as well as ever, he just kept pitching on the wrong day. Something always happened. And the guy who really impressed me is Tomo Ohka. He can pitch with anyone. His fastball naturally cuts, then he learned to run it the other way, so he can command that fastball on both sides of the plate and is one of the best pitchers around."
Expos GM Omar Minaya says to watch right-handed pitcher Claudio Vargas, acquired from Florida in the Cliff Floyd deal, after he had a big winter in the Dominican Repubic, which culminated in him starting and winning the final game of the Caribbean World Series over Puerto Rico.
"We sense a lot of optimism," says Minaya. "Ticket sales for our games in Puerto Rico are going so well that our games may be 90 to 100 percent sold out, so it's taken a lot of pressure off further need to trim payroll. It's very encouraging."
Rod Beck, in camp with the Cubs, says he's throwing better than he has in years after sitting out a year following reconstructive elbow surgery. He's shaved his head and says he's lost 20-something pounds.
"I figure I've had the surgery, now I'm fine, and I can pitch a few more years," says Beck.
Boston wanted to sign Chuck Finley, but can't give up a No. 1 pick in order to do so, which is required since Finley was offered -- and turned down -- salary arbitration from the Cardinals. So, St. Louis eventually hopes to get him back in May.
There are some who worry about a rotation that has Woody Williams, Brett Tomko and Cal Eldred in the 2-3-4 holes, but Mariners coach Rene Lachemann, who watched the Cards from the Cubs bench the last three years, says, "not only do Tony (La Russa) and Dunc (Dave Duncan) get a lot out of those guys, but their defense is really good and makes the pitching a lot better. They are very good up the middle -- Fernando Vina turns the double play better than anyone I've ever seen -- and now adding Scott Rolen makes them the best."
Houston GM Gerry Hunsicker appreciates that money may be tight for his club the next couple of years, but says, "it's really important that we sign and keep Brad Ausmus (a free agent at the end of this season). He's a very important part of our team, especially in developing our young pitching. We need him."
Tony Gwynn's San Diego State team may have two first-round draft choices: Second baseman/center fielder Pete Stonard and outfielder Tony Gwynn, Jr. Stonard, a transfer from Alabama, won't last to the 20th pick in the first round, and Padres GM Kevin Towers thinks Gwynn "is a lot more like his father than people realized before. He can run, hit and play defense." One club's area scouts have Stonard, now playing second base, and Stetson third baseman Brian Snyder in as 8 hitters. That's on a scale of 1 to 8.
Tampa Bay would love to take Southern University infielder Ricky Weeks with the first pick as one scouting director believes Weeks "is the best all-around college five-tool prospect since J.D. Drew." But there will be pressure to look at pitching, which means the Devil Rays will first have to look at Wake Forest's Kyle Sleeth and Richmond's Tim Stauffer.
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| 2002 SEASON STATISTICS |
| GM |
AB |
R |
HR |
RBI |
AVG |
| 146 |
485 |
51 |
6 |
54 |
.249 |
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After a winter of yoga, squash and a ton of hitting capped off with a week at Jim LeFebvre's esteemed hitting school, Jeff Cirillo hopes he can make a run at the comeback of the year award.
"I just was lost (last season)," says Cirillo, who hit over .300 for four straight years (two in Colorado) before plunging to .249 with a .301 on-base percentage. "I couldn't hit one pitch, down and in. But you know what? My swing got long that last year (2001) in Colorado. My doubles went from 53 to 26. So, indeed I need to get back to where I was in 2000."
Cirillo found out that in order to get a Gold Glove you need to produce offensively as well on defense as he went 100 games without an error and didn't get a mention for the award.
John Rocker is still without a job, although signing with Montreal remains a possibility.
Rangers manager Buck Showalter has decided to use Mark Teixeira at first base, and has talked to Rafael Palmeiro about accepting the transition. "Rafael wants to help Mark, and that's great," says Showalter. "I really don't know whether or not he's ready to open the season with us, but everyone seems to feel that he's going to be an outstanding hitter."
The Reds are delighted with the initial work of Aaron Boone at second base. "He's got great feet and athleticism," says Reds GM Jim Bowden. "The most important thing is that he's gotten a vote of approval from (his brother) Bret Boone."
There were several teams stunned at the Freddy Garcia arbitration decision, but as much as it may be a reflection on the very capable work of agent Peter Greenberg, there are indications that if the Commissioner's Office had stayed out of it, Seattle would have won. The Commissioner's Office has been very effective in arbitration, as evidenced by the fact that agent Scott Boras has gone to the table 10 times in five years, and won only once, with Andruw Jones.
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