ATM report--Sheffield wants a trade or an assurance

[nyy26wc]

1) According to the LA Times, "Beginning another year on bad terms with the Dodgers, Gary Sheffield said Tuesday he has been misled by General Manager Dan Evans and that he wants to be traded before spring training or assured that he will be with the club until his contract expires after the 2004 season."

According to Sheffield, "When somebody tells you something and then they hang up the phone and you know it's not the truth, it's one of those things where you wonder to yourself what you have to do to get the truth. You try to be a man about it and make phone calls to the organization, just to get a direct answer, and you basically don't get a straightforward answer.

"It becomes frustrating to the point where you ask yourself, 'Do I really want to be with this organization?' I don't want to be with an organization that constantly tells me one thing and then does another. I'm not going to sugarcoat that one bit. I deserve enough respect not to be told things like that."

According to Evans, "I spoke with [Sheffield] for the first time this off-season the other night, and I won't discuss the content of that conversation. My experience with Gary has been very positive in the short time that I've been with the ballclub.

"I just won't discuss my plans regarding Gary Sheffield or any other player in the media. And one thing I will never do [is] discuss any contractual matters publicly. I just don't believe that's the way I ever want to do business. And I'm not going to start now."

Sheffield says the problem is the Dodgers tell him he'll still be with the team, but he doesn't trust them. That's the problem now and it was also what he said the problem was before, and during, the 2001 spring training. So, I'm not sure why Sheffield would now believe the Dodgers if they gave him the assurance that he says he wants.

2) According to the Forth Worth Star-Telegram, the Rangers will scout free agent P Pedro Astacio, in his Dominican League game on Saturday.

According to his agent, "His progress [from a shoulder injury that ended his season in August, but he then decided against surgery] is outstanding. The interest is already picking up from teams other than the Rangers. There are enough teams that have sent people to see him throw that they have a good sense of what his condition is. What we are hoping is that any team that wanted a comfort level will be comfortable and satisfied with what they see so they can take a position."

3) According to the NY Daily News, Yankees P Orlando Hernandez prefers to be traded, rather than being moved to the bullpen.

4) According to the Beaver County Times, the Pirates are close to signing free P Mike Williams, who they traded to the Astros at the July 31 trading deadline. The deal could be announced some time this week, possibly today.

5) The Astros signed 3B Charlie Hayes to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.

Hayes was having another bad year to add to his collection before the Astros released him in July. Hayes hit .240 SLG, .293 OBA, .533 OPS, -5 RCAA, .194 OWP, 2.57 RC/G, 4 RC in 31 games in 2001. It was the 13th time in his 14 year career that he had a negative figure in both RCAA and RCAP. Hayes has a .714 career OPS, compared to his league average of .750 and 3B average of .752, -150 RCAA and -137 RCAP.

[CubFan7125]

Originally posted by nyy26wc
5) The Astros signed 3B Charlie Hayes to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.

The Astros must be really desperate after losing Castilla. They should know better, after all the saw up close how bad he was last summer. I wonder if Sean Berry would be interested in a comeback?

[Xanadu Dragon]

The really wacko thing with Hayes is that, as bad as he is, people keep bring him back!

Giants got rid of him in 1989 - - brought him back in 1998.
Phillies got rid of him in 1991 - brought him back in 1995.
Yankees got rid of him in 1992 - brought him back in 1996.

He's due for a return to the Rocks, Bucs or Brewers now.
Stupid Astros got in the way.

[LeGrandOrange]

"Drunken" Charlie Hayes being offered another contract? Yipes.
BTW, what happened to Sean Berry?
Also, if the Astros wanted to bring someone back, couldn't they have asked Ken Caminiti? I mean, yes, he's got problems, but he's better than Hayes.
You know, if this were several decades ago, Lance Berkman would probably be at 3rd base. That's a scary thought, actually...heh.

[CubFan7125]

Originally posted by LeGrandOrange
You know, if this were several decades ago, Lance Berkman would probably be at 3rd base. That's a scary thought, actually...heh.

Not as scary as putting down $25 for a box seat on the 3rd baseline & see Charlie Hayes limp out to to take his position in the field.

[hmrsf]

Originally posted by CubFan7125
Not as scary as putting down $25 for a box seat on the 3rd baseline & see Charlie Hayes limp out to to take his position in the field.

the $25 box seat part. I know I am going to be sick

[Xanadu Dragon]

Yeah, I think the boxes in NY, the ones you can get, that is, go for close to $50 per seat. Houston is $25? I may move!

[hmrsf]

I buy Partiots Day (4/15) and Easter Sunday from her. 6 seats from 1st base. Over $100 at season ticket price for 2 seats 1 game. (last year both games were Yankee......not a bad way to spend Easter, eh?)

Went to Montreal and sat in VIP box 5 or 6 seats from on deck circle. $25 US dollars for adult and 15% discount for children. We went to 3 games for 3 seats for the price 2 games for 2 seats in Fenway. (And I do not own box seats at Fenway!)