Dismissing speculation that manager Trey Hillman is on the hot seat because of the last-place Royals’ poor start, general manager Dayton Moore told the Kansas City Star that Hill is "exactly what our organization needs at this point in time."
"Trey is a tremendous leader," Moore told the newspaper, "somebody who is very consistent with who he is day in and day out."
Moore admitted, however, that he is disappointed with the team’s poor play. Kansas City is 11-23 after losing 4-0 to Cleveland on Wednesday night. The Royals left 13 men on base in the game.
Kansas City is now 56 games below .500 since Hillman was hired after the 2007 season, replacing Buddy Bell, who resigned. Hillman managed five years in Japan, including the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters to the 2006 title.
"We’ve got to play better," Moore told the Star. "It’s not a question of effort or passion from our coaching staff. It’s all there. But together, we’ve got to perform and win games."
Moore maintained that the Royals can get back into the division race, but also warned that personnel changes are likely if there’s no turnaround.
"I believe in our baseball team," he told the Star. "I believe in the talent that we have here."
Hillman acknowledged his vulnerability in speaking with reporters Wednesday.
"I know it’s the last year of my contract," Hillman said. "I’ve been driven my whole live to be as successful as I could be. I’m still driven the same way. At the end of the day, what Trey Hillman really wants is the Kansas City Royals to be a contending club and to be in position to win baseball games. That’s all I want."
The manager, like his GM, tried to sound hopeful about the rest of the season.
"I’m still 11 games under .500," Hillman said. "I still feel blessed to be here. We’re not where we want to be. We’ve got 120-something games left. Over the years where I’ve been and what I’ve done, I’ve learned the first month and half of a season does not a season make. We can still gain some ground. We’ve still got some time to do some things right."
Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Sporting News staff reports
Dismissing speculation that manager Trey Hillman is on the hot seat because of the last-place Royals’ poor start, general manager Dayton Moore told the Kansas City Star that Hill is "exactly what our organization needs at this point in time."
"Trey is a tremendous leader," Moore told the newspaper, "somebody who is very consistent with who he is day in and day out."
Moore admitted, however, that he is disappointed with the team’s poor play. Kansas City is 11-23 after losing 4-0 to Cleveland on Wednesday night. The Royals left 13 men on base in the game.
Kansas City is now 56 games below .500 since Hillman was hired after the 2007 season, replacing Buddy Bell, who resigned. Hillman managed five years in Japan, including the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters to the 2006 title.
"We’ve got to play better," Moore told the Star. "It’s not a question of effort or passion from our coaching staff. It’s all there. But together, we’ve got to perform and win games."
Moore maintained that the Royals can get back into the division race, but also warned that personnel changes are likely if there’s no turnaround.
"I believe in our baseball team," he told the Star. "I believe in the talent that we have here."
Hillman acknowledged his vulnerability in speaking with reporters Wednesday.
"I know it’s the last year of my contract," Hillman said. "I’ve been driven my whole live to be as successful as I could be. I’m still driven the same way. At the end of the day, what Trey Hillman really wants is the Kansas City Royals to be a contending club and to be in position to win baseball games. That’s all I want."
The manager, like his GM, tried to sound hopeful about the rest of the season.
"I’m still 11 games under .500," Hillman said. "I still feel blessed to be here. We’re not where we want to be. We’ve got 120-something games left. Over the years where I’ve been and what I’ve done, I’ve learned the first month and half of a season does not a season make. We can still gain some ground. We’ve still got some time to do some things right."
Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.
The Phillies sent closer Brad Lidge back to Philadelphia today to have his surgically repaired pitching elbow examined by team doctor Michael Ciccotti, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Lidge was unavailable to close Monday because he experienced stiffness in the elbow, and he wasn’t pleased with how it felt after a throwing session Tuesday.
"We just thought, after thinking about it last night, the best thing to do would be to send him back and let the doctor look at it," Phillies assistant general manager Scott Proefrock told the newspaper.
Lidge told The Philadelphia Inquirer that he isn’t worried about the situation. "It’s really nothing that is alarming unless for some reason it doesn’t get better for a couple of days," said Lidge, who believes the condition is a normal aftereffect of the surgery.
Sporting News staff reports
The Phillies sent closer Brad Lidge back to Philadelphia today to have his surgically repaired pitching elbow examined by team doctor Michael Ciccotti, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Lidge was unavailable to close Monday because he experienced stiffness in the elbow, and he wasn’t pleased with how it felt after a throwing session Tuesday.
"We just thought, after thinking about it last night, the best thing to do would be to send him back and let the doctor look at it," Phillies assistant general manager Scott Proefrock told the newspaper.
Lidge told The Philadelphia Inquirer that he isn’t worried about the situation. "It’s really nothing that is alarming unless for some reason it doesn’t get better for a couple of days," said Lidge, who believes the condition is a normal aftereffect of the surgery.
Sporting News Audio is a weekly series of conversations with Sporting News experts during the MLB season. In this installment, Sporting News baseball writer Ryan Fagan discusses the players who have been most disappointing in the early going.
Sporting News
Sporting News Audio is a weekly series of conversations with Sporting News experts during the MLB season. In this installment, Sporting News baseball writer Ryan Fagan discusses the players who have been most disappointing in the early going.
Stan McNeal analyzes three hot topics in Major League Baseball:
Strike 1: Eckstein and the Padres refuse to fade
David Eckstein still has a baby face but at 35 on a Padres club full of 20-somethings, he has become the old guy in the lineup. "Luckily, we have Matt Stairs, too," says Eckstein of the 42-year-old pinch hitter.
David Eckstein provides a veteran presence on the young Padres.
Eckstein continues to prove wrong all those who, as long ago as 2002, said he didn’t have enough game to play every day. Two World Series rings and a World Series MVP award later, Eckstein has moved from shortstop to second base but still is starting and remains as pesky as ever at the plate (two strikeouts in his first 121 plate appearances this season). He also has embraced his role as veteran leader.
"These guys make that enjoyable," Eckstein says. "I don’t have to remind someone to run hard when they hit a popup. It’s more like make sure you keep up that meanness on the field. I have guys on other teams come up to me and say, ‘You guys play the game the right way.’ "
Pegged for last in the NL West, the Padres have pitched and scratched their way to first place and, at 20-12, are off to their best start since they went to the World Series in 1998. Jon Garland has boosted a rotation that hasn’t completed a game but has a 2.78 ERA, though the real strength of the staff has been the NL’s best bullpen (2.58 ERA).
On offense, only Adrian Gonzalez figures to hit 20 homers. Yet for a small-ball team, the Padres don’t hit much for average (.243) and strike out too much (second only to the Diamondbacks in the NL). So far, though, their lack of production hasn’t caught up to them.
"We’re going to put pressure on the defense other than hitting doubles and home runs," Eckstein says. "That’s the biggest difference with this club."
The Padres lead the majors in steals and make the most of the runs they score. Consider how they beat the Giants in their first four meetings. They walked 12 times Tuesday night and won 3-2. Last month, they got one hit but won 1-0. The previous night, they won on a 10th-inning homer off the left-field foul pole from their most unlikely power source, Eckstein.
"I was more in shock than anything," Eckstein says. "I thought it was going foul but somehow, luckily, in that corner the wind blows it back a little bit and it stayed true."
Eckstein, too, has stayed true. When we talked the other day, it was three hours before first pitch. I told him that I bet he already had been to the batting cage, hit the weight room and had a massage. And that he was ready for batting practice.
"Well, I haven’t gone to the weight room yet because we don’t stretch for another hour. But I will," Eckstein said.
Strike 2: Porcello needs a break(ing ball)
If the Tigers want to stay in the AL Central race, their rotation needs to pick it up. Their league-leading bullpen and Miguel Cabrera-led offense can’t be expected to shoulder such a load for the long haul.
Rick Porcello needs a third pitch.
Dontrelle Willis has been the Tigers’ most effective starter but although he has provided a hopeful comeback story, a 3.99 ERA isn’t what you want leading your staff. Justin Verlander has overcome a slow start and lowered his ERA to 4.50, but Max Scherzer, Jeremy Bonderman and Rick Porcello have ERAs well north of 5.00. The result is a 5.72 for the AL’s worst rotation ERA.
Porcello was one of 2009’s feel-good stories when he won 14 games as a 20-year-old rookie just two years out of high school. Now there is talk that he could benefit from more time in the minors. Porcello has lasted six innings just once this season, and that was against the Royals. He took a 7.50 ERA into Wednesday’s start against the Yankees.
According to a scout, hitters have learned to take advantage of Porcello’s lack of a major league-quality third pitch to go with his fastball and changeup. "I don’t know if he had enough time to let his breaking ball develop," the scout said. "And when a hitter isn’t worried about a guy throwing a breaking ball, all of a sudden their ability to hit goes up."
Strike 3: Practice perfect etiquette
A’s lefthander Gio Gonzalez missed the first two innings of Dallas Braden’s perfect game Friday because he was working out. Once in the dugout, he spent the rest of the game not exactly sure what he was rooting for.
"I didn’t know it was a perfect game until after the game when it was announced," Gonzalez said. "I thought it was a no-hitter. Throughout the game, I’m saying to myself, ‘Come on Dallas, get the no-hitter. Get the no-hitter.’ "
Gonzalez’s teammates couldn’t correct him because they weren’t saying anything. "Nobody was talking," Gonzalez said. "Everybody was on one side of the dugout except Dallas and (backup catcher) Josh Donaldson. They were sitting next to each other, but I don’t think Josh said a word to him.
"You don’t move in a situation like that. You just keep doing what you’ve been doing the whole game. I had a baseball in my hand the whole time, and I didn’t let it go until we won and then I threw it in the stands. Like, ‘Yes, I can get rid of this ball already.’ "
Stan McNeal analyzes three hot topics in Major League Baseball:
Strike 1: Eckstein and the Padres refuse to fade
David Eckstein still has a baby face but at 35 on a Padres club full of 20-somethings, he has become the old guy in the lineup. "Luckily, we have Matt Stairs, too," says Eckstein of the 42-year-old pinch hitter.
David Eckstein provides a veteran presence on the young Padres.
Eckstein continues to prove wrong all those who, as long ago as 2002, said he didn’t have enough game to play every day. Two World Series rings and a World Series MVP award later, Eckstein has moved from shortstop to second base but still is starting and remains as pesky as ever at the plate (two strikeouts in his first 121 plate appearances this season). He also has embraced his role as veteran leader.
"These guys make that enjoyable," Eckstein says. "I don’t have to remind someone to run hard when they hit a popup. It’s more like make sure you keep up that meanness on the field. I have guys on other teams come up to me and say, ‘You guys play the game the right way.’ "
Pegged for last in the NL West, the Padres have pitched and scratched their way to first place and, at 20-12, are off to their best start since they went to the World Series in 1998. Jon Garland has boosted a rotation that hasn’t completed a game but has a 2.78 ERA, though the real strength of the staff has been the NL’s best bullpen (2.58 ERA).
On offense, only Adrian Gonzalez figures to hit 20 homers. Yet for a small-ball team, the Padres don’t hit much for average (.243) and strike out too much (second only to the Diamondbacks in the NL). So far, though, their lack of production hasn’t caught up to them.
"We’re going to put pressure on the defense other than hitting doubles and home runs," Eckstein says. "That’s the biggest difference with this club."
The Padres lead the majors in steals and make the most of the runs they score. Consider how they beat the Giants in their first four meetings. They walked 12 times Tuesday night and won 3-2. Last month, they got one hit but won 1-0. The previous night, they won on a 10th-inning homer off the left-field foul pole from their most unlikely power source, Eckstein.
"I was more in shock than anything," Eckstein says. "I thought it was going foul but somehow, luckily, in that corner the wind blows it back a little bit and it stayed true."
Eckstein, too, has stayed true. When we talked the other day, it was three hours before first pitch. I told him that I bet he already had been to the batting cage, hit the weight room and had a massage. And that he was ready for batting practice.
"Well, I haven’t gone to the weight room yet because we don’t stretch for another hour. But I will," Eckstein said.
Strike 2: Porcello needs a break(ing ball)
If the Tigers want to stay in the AL Central race, their rotation needs to pick it up. Their league-leading bullpen and Miguel Cabrera-led offense can’t be expected to shoulder such a load for the long haul.
Rick Porcello needs a third pitch.
Dontrelle Willis has been the Tigers’ most effective starter but although he has provided a hopeful comeback story, a 3.99 ERA isn’t what you want leading your staff. Justin Verlander has overcome a slow start and lowered his ERA to 4.50, but Max Scherzer, Jeremy Bonderman and Rick Porcello have ERAs well north of 5.00. The result is a 5.72 for the AL’s worst rotation ERA.
Porcello was one of 2009’s feel-good stories when he won 14 games as a 20-year-old rookie just two years out of high school. Now there is talk that he could benefit from more time in the minors. Porcello has lasted six innings just once this season, and that was against the Royals. He took a 7.50 ERA into Wednesday’s start against the Yankees.
According to a scout, hitters have learned to take advantage of Porcello’s lack of a major league-quality third pitch to go with his fastball and changeup. "I don’t know if he had enough time to let his breaking ball develop," the scout said. "And when a hitter isn’t worried about a guy throwing a breaking ball, all of a sudden their ability to hit goes up."
Strike 3: Practice perfect etiquette
A’s lefthander Gio Gonzalez missed the first two innings of Dallas Braden’s perfect game Friday because he was working out. Once in the dugout, he spent the rest of the game not exactly sure what he was rooting for.
"I didn’t know it was a perfect game until after the game when it was announced," Gonzalez said. "I thought it was a no-hitter. Throughout the game, I’m saying to myself, ‘Come on Dallas, get the no-hitter. Get the no-hitter.’ "
Gonzalez’s teammates couldn’t correct him because they weren’t saying anything. "Nobody was talking," Gonzalez said. "Everybody was on one side of the dugout except Dallas and (backup catcher) Josh Donaldson. They were sitting next to each other, but I don’t think Josh said a word to him.
"You don’t move in a situation like that. You just keep doing what you’ve been doing the whole game. I had a baseball in my hand the whole time, and I didn’t let it go until we won and then I threw it in the stands. Like, ‘Yes, I can get rid of this ball already.’ "
NBA:Tweet of the day: LeBron Marino and the Cleveland Chargers? – CBS Sports columnist Mike Freeman.
MLB: In case you missed it, David Letterman gave Dallas Braden a clear shot (or two) at Alex Rodriguez in last night’s 10 list on the Late Show. No. 10: "Grandma’s right. Stick it, A-Rod," and No.1: "Maybe I can give Kate Hudson a call."
And for a more meaningful take on the pitcher, The New York Times has a nice piece on Braden.
Golf/NBA: Golfer Fred Couples has bought a pair of premium Charlotte Bobcats season tickets for next season, a transaction that might’ve been spurred by his recent pro-am round at the Quail Hollow Championship with team owner Michael Jordan, the Charlotte Business Journal reported. There also have been rumors that Couples plans to buy a small ownership share, though team president and COO Fred Whitfield called that a "premature" topic for discussion.
NFL: When first reading the headline "Chiefs visit Fort Leavenworth," Fly thought it was some sort of new "scared straight" program with NFLers visiting the penitentiary that once housed Michael Vick. Nah, the players and GM Scott Pioli took a trip out to Fort Leavenworth, Kan., to visit soldiers at the oldest active Army post west of the Mississippi, KCChiefsBlog reports.
NBA:Tweet of the day: LeBron Marino and the Cleveland Chargers? – CBS Sports columnist Mike Freeman.
MLB: In case you missed it, David Letterman gave Dallas Braden a clear shot (or two) at Alex Rodriguez in last night’s 10 list on the Late Show. No. 10: "Grandma’s right. Stick it, A-Rod," and No.1: "Maybe I can give Kate Hudson a call."
And for a more meaningful take on the pitcher, The New York Times has a nice piece on Braden.
Golf/NBA: Golfer Fred Couples has bought a pair of premium Charlotte Bobcats season tickets for next season, a transaction that might’ve been spurred by his recent pro-am round at the Quail Hollow Championship with team owner Michael Jordan, the Charlotte Business Journal reported. There also have been rumors that Couples plans to buy a small ownership share, though team president and COO Fred Whitfield called that a "premature" topic for discussion.
NFL: When first reading the headline "Chiefs visit Fort Leavenworth," Fly thought it was some sort of new "scared straight" program with NFLers visiting the penitentiary that once housed Michael Vick. Nah, the players and GM Scott Pioli took a trip out to Fort Leavenworth, Kan., to visit soldiers at the oldest active Army post west of the Mississippi, KCChiefsBlog reports.
Rays left field Carl Crawford landed a verbal slap on ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine on Tuesday, a day after Valentine tweaked Crawford for diving to catch a line drive.
"Tell Bobby Valentine to take that. He said I could have caught that ball standing up. And I want to tell him, first inning, just getting warmed up, I definitely couldn’t have caught it standing. Everybody knows if I can catch a ball standing, I’m going to do it because I don’t want to get hurt," Crawford told reporters before Tampa Bay’s game in Anaheim. "I can’t believe he said that."
Then came this haymaker:
"Obviously he don’t know what it’s like to have this kind of ability."
In fact, Valentine was was a football and baseball star — like Crawford — more than 40 years ago in Connecticut. Valentine, like Crawford was recruited by major programs, including Southern California.
Sporting News staff reports
Rays left field Carl Crawford landed a verbal slap on ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine on Tuesday, a day after Valentine tweaked Crawford for diving to catch a line drive.
"Tell Bobby Valentine to take that. He said I could have caught that ball standing up. And I want to tell him, first inning, just getting warmed up, I definitely couldn’t have caught it standing. Everybody knows if I can catch a ball standing, I’m going to do it because I don’t want to get hurt," Crawford told reporters before Tampa Bay’s game in Anaheim. "I can’t believe he said that."
Then came this haymaker:
"Obviously he don’t know what it’s like to have this kind of ability."
In fact, Valentine was was a football and baseball star — like Crawford — more than 40 years ago in Connecticut. Valentine, like Crawford was recruited by major programs, including Southern California.
Under the category of Now It Can Be Told: Giants left-hander Barry Zito has finally explained why he sported a radical new windup on his first day with San Francisco in 2008.
Zito tells the San Jose Mercury News’ Andrew Baggarly he decided to apply new principles being taught by Dick Mills, who had been instructing Zito for years. The changes included an exaggerated leg kick and stride; Zito used a tape measure to determine the latter.
The alterations took Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti by surprise and, Zito says, created friction between the two.
"It was definitely a little rocky because we were at odds," Zito tells the Mercury News. "But I understand in retrospect. I’m trying to do new stuff, and I was not conscious that I probably shouldn’t come to spring training with a completely new delivery after using the same one for six or seven years."
Zito went back to his old windup days later, but two bad seasons followed. In the meantime, he made amends with Righetti and tweaked his approach — more long toss, a change in release point, an improved slider. Now, Zito is once again a solid starter. He’s 5-0 with a 1.49 ERA in six starts this season.
These days, Zito is singing Righetti’s praises and thanking him for his patience. In the process, he also may be inadvertently taking shots at his old pitching coach with the A’s, Rick Peterson.
"In my opinion, when you talk about pitching coaches, there are two guys," Zito says in the Mercury News story. "There’s feel guys and there’s the guy who has, like, a lot of intellectual knowledge of stats and numbers and biomechanics and all that stuff (i.e., Peterson).
"(Righetti) is a feel guy. He knows exactly what it takes to succeed. And I think the people who haven’t succeeded at the big league level try to make up for a lack of feel, of pure pitching at the best level, with that intellectual knowledge. Rags doesn’t need that."
Righetti pitched 16 seasons in the majors and was a Rookie of the Year and an All-Star with the Yankees; Peterson, now the Brewers’ pitching coach, never got beyond Single-A as a minor league pitcher.
Sporting News staff reports
Under the category of Now It Can Be Told: Giants left-hander Barry Zito has finally explained why he sported a radical new windup on his first day with San Francisco in 2008.
Zito tells the San Jose Mercury News’ Andrew Baggarly he decided to apply new principles being taught by Dick Mills, who had been instructing Zito for years. The changes included an exaggerated leg kick and stride; Zito used a tape measure to determine the latter.
The alterations took Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti by surprise and, Zito says, created friction between the two.
"It was definitely a little rocky because we were at odds," Zito tells the Mercury News. "But I understand in retrospect. I’m trying to do new stuff, and I was not conscious that I probably shouldn’t come to spring training with a completely new delivery after using the same one for six or seven years."
Zito went back to his old windup days later, but two bad seasons followed. In the meantime, he made amends with Righetti and tweaked his approach — more long toss, a change in release point, an improved slider. Now, Zito is once again a solid starter. He’s 5-0 with a 1.49 ERA in six starts this season.
These days, Zito is singing Righetti’s praises and thanking him for his patience. In the process, he also may be inadvertently taking shots at his old pitching coach with the A’s, Rick Peterson.
"In my opinion, when you talk about pitching coaches, there are two guys," Zito says in the Mercury News story. "There’s feel guys and there’s the guy who has, like, a lot of intellectual knowledge of stats and numbers and biomechanics and all that stuff (i.e., Peterson).
"(Righetti) is a feel guy. He knows exactly what it takes to succeed. And I think the people who haven’t succeeded at the big league level try to make up for a lack of feel, of pure pitching at the best level, with that intellectual knowledge. Rags doesn’t need that."
Righetti pitched 16 seasons in the majors and was a Rookie of the Year and an All-Star with the Yankees; Peterson, now the Brewers’ pitching coach, never got beyond Single-A as a minor league pitcher.
Braves third baseman Chipper Jones says he has no intention of retiring after this season, even though he is on pace for a subpar season.
"I’m good (mentally)," Jones tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s David O’Brien. "I feel like I’m doing my job. There hasn’t been a point where I got in bed and couldn’t sleep because I’m worried about what’s going on. Those days come when you go 0-for-20 without barreling a ball."
Jones, 38, said last season that he’d walk away from his three-year, $42 million contract if he felt he was no longer productive. He entered Tuesday’s play batting .230/.402/.368, with two home runs and seven RBIs in 112 plate appearances. He is tied for the National League lead with with 25 walks.
"When I’m drawing walks you know I’m seeing the ball good," Jones tells O’Brien. "Everybody points to the RBI, but when there’s not a lot of opportunities you can’t help that."
Jones has made 27 plate appearances with runners in scoring position, going 5-for-18 (.278) with nine walks, the AJC reports.
The 38-year-old Jones has been slowed recently by a groin injury. He left Monday night’s game in Milwaukee after aggravating it, was in the original starting lineup tonight, then was a late scratch.
Sporting News staff reports
Braves third baseman Chipper Jones says he has no intention of retiring after this season, even though he is on pace for a subpar season.
"I’m good (mentally)," Jones tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s David O’Brien. "I feel like I’m doing my job. There hasn’t been a point where I got in bed and couldn’t sleep because I’m worried about what’s going on. Those days come when you go 0-for-20 without barreling a ball."
Jones, 38, said last season that he’d walk away from his three-year, $42 million contract if he felt he was no longer productive. He entered Tuesday’s play batting .230/.402/.368, with two home runs and seven RBIs in 112 plate appearances. He is tied for the National League lead with with 25 walks.
"When I’m drawing walks you know I’m seeing the ball good," Jones tells O’Brien. "Everybody points to the RBI, but when there’s not a lot of opportunities you can’t help that."
Jones has made 27 plate appearances with runners in scoring position, going 5-for-18 (.278) with nine walks, the AJC reports.
The 38-year-old Jones has been slowed recently by a groin injury. He left Monday night’s game in Milwaukee after aggravating it, was in the original starting lineup tonight, then was a late scratch.
Joe Torre disuptes a report by FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal that says the Dodgers’ manager won’t return in 2011 unless ownership ends what Rosenthal calls its "penny-pinching circus."
Rosenthal bases his report on unnamed "friends" of Torre who believe Torre "wouldn’t tolerate" another year under the current setup.
"Obviously they’re not friends of mine," Torre tells MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick. "I don’t really allow those conversations out of my home. I haven’t made up my mind and won’t until closer to the end of the season."
Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and former CEO Jamie McCourt are going through a nasty divorce, and Frank McCourt has insisted on not adding payroll when acquiring players.
Torre also denies Rosenthal’s claim that Torre might be interested in managing the Mets, Cubs or Braves next year.
"Must be the same friends," Torre tells Gurnick. "I refuse to say absolutely, but I have to say it’s very, very remote that ever happens. I certainly don’t anticipate, at age 70, searching around for another managing job." Torre will turn 70 in July.
Torre is in the final year of a three-year, $13 million contract. He initially said that he would retire at the end of the pact, but has since been negotiating on a one-year extension and a future front-office role with the club.
Sporting News staff reports
Joe Torre disuptes a report by FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal that says the Dodgers’ manager won’t return in 2011 unless ownership ends what Rosenthal calls its "penny-pinching circus."
Rosenthal bases his report on unnamed "friends" of Torre who believe Torre "wouldn’t tolerate" another year under the current setup.
"Obviously they’re not friends of mine," Torre tells MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick. "I don’t really allow those conversations out of my home. I haven’t made up my mind and won’t until closer to the end of the season."
Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and former CEO Jamie McCourt are going through a nasty divorce, and Frank McCourt has insisted on not adding payroll when acquiring players.
Torre also denies Rosenthal’s claim that Torre might be interested in managing the Mets, Cubs or Braves next year.
"Must be the same friends," Torre tells Gurnick. "I refuse to say absolutely, but I have to say it’s very, very remote that ever happens. I certainly don’t anticipate, at age 70, searching around for another managing job." Torre will turn 70 in July.
Torre is in the final year of a three-year, $13 million contract. He initially said that he would retire at the end of the pact, but has since been negotiating on a one-year extension and a future front-office role with the club.
Vladimir Guerrero could be poised for another big series against the Athletics.
As the Angels and Mariners try to recover from poor starts, the Rangers and A’s are vying for control of the AL West. They will begin a three-game series at Rangers Ballpark this evening, just a week after Oakland took two of three at home against Texas. In that series, A’s outfielder Ryan Sweeney did the bulk of the damage, homering and driving in six runs. Rangers DH Vladimir Guerrero had an identical line and could be even more dangerous in this series given his career-long success at Texas’ home park.
Unlikely leaders, Part 2
It is no surprise that the Giants are in contention for the NL West title, but it is shocking that the Padres remain in the thick of the race. San Diego swept a three-game series against San Francisco at Petco Park last month, but it didn’t face Tim Lincecum or Barry Zito. That won’t be the case tonight when the teams meet at AT&T Park. Zito will be looking for his sixth win, which he didn’t get until late July last season.
First vs. last
Busch Stadium holds a special spot in the Astros’ hearts, as it was there that they snapped the first of their two eight-game losing streaks this season and picked up their first win of 2010. Of course, Houston was outscored 7-1 in the first two games of that series. The Astros will return to St. Louis tonight for the first of three against the first-place Cardinals. The Cardinals will be looking to avenge that loss, as well as trying to bury the Astros even deeper in the N.L. Central cellar. As usual, expect Albert Pujols to lead the way. In the three games against Houston this season, the reigning N.L. MVP is hitting .455 with a homer, two doubles and five RBIs.
Vladimir Guerrero could be poised for another big series against the Athletics.
As the Angels and Mariners try to recover from poor starts, the Rangers and A’s are vying for control of the AL West. They will begin a three-game series at Rangers Ballpark this evening, just a week after Oakland took two of three at home against Texas. In that series, A’s outfielder Ryan Sweeney did the bulk of the damage, homering and driving in six runs. Rangers DH Vladimir Guerrero had an identical line and could be even more dangerous in this series given his career-long success at Texas’ home park.
Unlikely leaders, Part 2
It is no surprise that the Giants are in contention for the NL West title, but it is shocking that the Padres remain in the thick of the race. San Diego swept a three-game series against San Francisco at Petco Park last month, but it didn’t face Tim Lincecum or Barry Zito. That won’t be the case tonight when the teams meet at AT&T Park. Zito will be looking for his sixth win, which he didn’t get until late July last season.
First vs. last
Busch Stadium holds a special spot in the Astros’ hearts, as it was there that they snapped the first of their two eight-game losing streaks this season and picked up their first win of 2010. Of course, Houston was outscored 7-1 in the first two games of that series. The Astros will return to St. Louis tonight for the first of three against the first-place Cardinals. The Cardinals will be looking to avenge that loss, as well as trying to bury the Astros even deeper in the N.L. Central cellar. As usual, expect Albert Pujols to lead the way. In the three games against Houston this season, the reigning N.L. MVP is hitting .455 with a homer, two doubles and five RBIs.
