Results tagged ‘ Dodgers ’
Teixeira: Sox swap shows baseball is “all result business”
As the Yankees were winding down from their 3-1 win over the Indians last night in Cleveland, the clubhouse televisions were tuned to coverage of the wild deal in the works between the Red Sox and Dodgers that figures to send Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto to Los Angeles.
Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira – who considered signing with the Red Sox before inking his big deal with the Yankees for the 2009 World Series-winning season – shared his thoughts on the rumors with reporters:
What’s your reaction to the trade reports?
“It’s interesting. It just shows that it’s an all result business and the Red Sox aren’t used to not making the playoffs. You have three really good players that might be on the move and I guess it’s all null if it doesn’t happen. But if you’re not winning, you’ve got to find something else to mix it up.”
As a player with a big money deal, are you surprised to see Crawford and Gonzalez being moved?
“Yeah. One of the reasons that I didn’t sign with Boston was they don’t offer full no-trade clauses. I would hate, personally as a father and a husband, I would hate to uproot my family here in New York and get traded somewhere else. That’d be devastating. I could play baseball anywhere, really, but to have to uproot your family — that would be really tough. And Boston doesn’t give full no-trade clauses. This is what could happen.”
Ever regret that decision not to sign with Boston?
“I have never once questioned my decision to come here. This is the most amazing place to play baseball. Living in New York is unbelievable. But I’ll be honest with you, a no-trade clause helps because your family can set roots. You know that if you have a bad game, they’re not going to trade you. You know that even if your team might have a bad stretch, they’re not going to look at you as, ‘Oh, you’re the reason why. We’re getting rid of you.’ This is a tough business and whether that trade goes through or not, just the fact that they’re talking about getting rid of three guys they committed to just shows that it’s all about winning. It’s not show-friends, it’s show-business.”
Think these drastic changes could help Bobby Valentine?
“I really don’t know him that well. I worked out at his facility, I see him once or twice an offseason and we small talk about baseball. I really don’t know him that well, so I really don’t know. He’s got a great facility. I love working out there. I really do.”
What’s it like to be traded like that?
“I was in a different situation where I was about to be a free agent anyway and I was kind of a hired gun for two stretch runs. It’s a little different for me. It’s flattering, it actually is, because the team wants you to help them make the playoffs or make a run in the playoffs. Like I said, if I was to get traded now – which isn’t going to happen – it would completely rock my world because of my family. That’s the tough part. I don’t know what family situation these guys are but that would be my No. 1 concern.”
If you hadn’t been traded, would you feel so strongly about no-trade clauses?
“Maybe not, actually. Maybe not. I know how difficult it is to uproot your family. I tell people, the last two years before free agency, I was a gypsy. I lived all over the plate. So it’s not easy, it really isn’t, and that was one of the big reasons that I wanted a full no-trade clause.”
Yankees have not made offer to Kuroda
NEW YORK – The Yankees have not made an offer to free agent right-hander Hiroki Kuroda, according to a person with knowledge of the club’s thinking.
A report by the Japanese news outlet Sponichi suggested that the Yankees had already presented a one-year, $12 million offer to the hurler, who turns 37 in February.
The Yankees continue to look for ways to add starting pitching that could slide behind ace CC Sabathia, and they did show a level of trade interest in Kuroda last summer when he was with the Dodgers. But the person said that the report of an offer is not true.
Kuroda finished 2011 with a 13-16 record and 3.07 ERA in 32 starts for Los Angeles, striking out 161 and walking 49 in 202 innings.
In four Major League seasons, Kuroda is 41-46 with a 3.45 ERA in 115 games (114 starts). His catcher for the first three seasons with the Dodgers was Russell Martin, who is entering his second season in New York.
Remember this guy?
It’s been incredibly quiet on the Manny Ramirez front of late, which has caused a slowdown in the rest of the market as well. Talented big league hitters like Bobby Abreu and Adam Dunn aren’t going anywhere until Manny finds a new home, as the pecking order plays out.
One place it does not appear Ramirez is headed will be the Yankees, despite the clamor that continues on the message boards, blogs and talk radio every day.
As part of our ongoing hot stove coverage, I was enlisted to try and break down why Manny won’t be in pinstripes next season, especially because the Yankees have already spent $423.5 million on CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira. What would be another, say, three years and $75 million?
It might seem like Monopoly money to many of us, but all signs point that the Yankees won’t be pushing for Manny. They made their choice between Ramirez and Teixeira, picking a younger player who will help them at a position of greater need for a longer period of time. And yes, they intend to come in with a lower payroll in ’09.
Sure, they never officially bowed out on Ramirez – Hal Steinbrenner says all avenues remain open, and bits of Scott Boras’ history with the Yankees (Johnny Damon, Teixeira) seems to indicate the Bombers might get a last crack once more. Hey, they write the checks.
But Brian Cashman made his stance clear in this quote: “The decisions we made this winter would complicate my ability to be aggressive in the free agent market as we move forward. I’ll leave it at that.”
My best guess? Dodgers. The full rundown of Manny’s situation, as it relates to the Yankees, will be on Yankees.com and MLB.com later today.
Bryan Hoch
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