ATM report--"Unpatriotic" owners

[nyy26wc]

1) Leonard Koppet has a great column on MLB's lack of patriotism. According to Koppet, MLB shows unpatriotic selfishness "[b]y refusing to share, with the rest of the American business community, the secret of their greatest discovery: how to lose millions year after year, stay in business and even double their revenue.

"Such selfish secrecy can only be called unpatriotic.

"What with the war against international terrorism, our first recession in a decade, rising unemployment, increasing business failures, record bankruptcies (including a giant like Enron), falling stock prices and new pressures on workers and industries from global competition — at a time like this, they have found a unique formula for success through failure, which can be maintained indefinitely.

"And they won't tell the rest of us how they do it?"

The full column is at
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/10/sp...ll/10KOPP.html

2) Rockies P Scott Elarton had arthroscopic shoulder surgery is expected to miss the entire season. Elarton's absence leaves Pete Harnisch, Jason Jennings and Denny Stark competing for the 5th starter's role. Meanwhile, Mike Hampton, Denny Neagle, John Thomson and Shawn Chacon are the team's other 4 starters.

3) According to ESPN's Peter Gammons, Rangers GM John Hart has told the other GMs that he'll acquire a pitcher or two before the season starts. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports the Rangers are interested in John Thomson, Chris Carpenter and Orlando Hernandez, with Gabe Kapler, Rusty Greer and Frank Catalanotto available as their trait bait. But, according to the Dallas Morning News, Hart doesn't think he'll be make a trade by Opening Day, but if he can, Sidney Ponson and Carpenter are the top of his list.

4) Cubs 3B Bill Mueller will have knee surgery on Monday and GM Andy MacPhail says he's expected to return "sometime in April."

Mueller hit .448 SLG, .403 OBA, .851 OPS, 11 RCAA, .635 OWP, 6.92 RC/G, 41 RC in 70 games in an injury plagued 2001 season. He set career highs in SLG, OBA, OPS, RCAP (10) and just missed in 2001 (he had 12 in 1998), while it was his 2nd year with a .400+ OBA and the 4th time in his 6 year career that he had a .380+ OPS. Mueller has a .773 career OPS, compared to his league average of .781 and 3B average of .774, 31 RCAA and 24 RCAP in 667 games.

5) The Astros cut Ps Greg Miller, Wilfredo Rodriguez, Wayne Franklin, Jason Jacome, Jamie Arnold and Mark Guerra, sending them to the minor league camp.

6) The Redsox interviewed Felipe Alou for their MGR job. They also received permission from the Dodgers to interview 3B coach Glenn Hoffman, but Hoffman turned them down.

7) The Devil Rays signed P Marc Wilkins to a minor league contract.

Wilkins had a 6.75 ERA and -5 RSAA in 14 games with the Pirates in 2001. After starting his career with 4 consecutive years with a positive RSAA (ranging from 1-5), he's had a negative figure in each of the past 2 years. Wilkins has a 4.28 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.58, and 4 RSAA in 245 games.

8) Yankees P Ramiro Mendoza had a bone scan and other tests on his stiff neck, which showed he doesn't have any structural damage, but there isn't a timetable for him to return to the mound.

Mendoza had a 1.45 ERA and 65 RSAA in 2001 and has a 1.28 career ERA and 405 RSAA while he regularly appears in 35 games each year in which the starter blows it early but Mendoza's remarkable pitching turns the game around the Yankees win.

Oh wait, Yankees fans just act as though Mendoza pitches at that level.

In the real world, he's been a productive pitcher, but not even close to the level of praise he's "earned". No, earned isn't the right word. Merely received is a much better choice of terms.

Mendoza had a 3.75 ERA and 8 RSAA in 56 games in 2001 and has a 4.18 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.53, and 25 RSAA in 215 games.

9) The Mets cut Ps Tyler Walker, Eric Cammack and Aaron Heilman and 1B Danny Peoples, sending them to the minors.

10) The Royals cut Ps Mac Suzuki, Brad Voyles and Orber Moreno, sending them to the minors.

11) According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, "Bowa indicated that Tomas Perez, Ricky Ledee and Todd Pratt are virtually guaranteed spots on the Phillies bench. That leaves two or three reserve positions open, depending on whether the team carries 11 or 12 pitchers. Dave Hollins, Kevin Jordan, John Mabry and Felipe Crespo are the lead candidates for the remaining bench jobs."

12) Mariners MGR Lou Piniella says the team is looking for a 2nd lefty out of the pen, to go along with Arthur Rhodes. Since the only candidate in camp is 30 year old career minor leaguer Matt Jarvis, Piniella says they may have to make a trade. Meanwhile, according to the Cincinnati Post, the Mariners have some interest in Reds P Gabe White.

[Fritz Buelow]

Hoffman turned them down? What's that all about?

[nyy26wc]

From the LA Daily News--

"I appreciate the honor of being able to be considered for the Red Sox job," Hoffman said Saturday. "I've come to think about it and I withdrew my name from it because of what's going on here. I just want to thank the Red Sox for thinking of me, and all my years of playing there, and hopefully it's not a closed chapter.

"But at this point in time in my career, I see what's going on here with the Dodgers, the good things we're doing, and in my heart I just couldn't leave them with what we're doing."


From the LA Times--

Hoffman, 43, who was contacted by new Boston owner John Henry on Saturday, didn't want to elaborate, but it was clear the uncertainty surrounding the Red Sox and a reluctance to move his wife and five kids across the country were factors. "It's no knock on Boston, but it's an unstable situation there," Dodger Manager Jim Tracy said. "There are a lot of interim tags, and [Hoffman] is concerned about that. He's experienced a similar situation here, coming in midstream. You'd like to bring in your own people, but that's difficult to do with three weeks before opening day."

Hoffman replaced the fired Bill Russell as Dodger manager on June 21, 1998, and guided what many considered a weak Dodger team to a 47-41 record the rest of the season. But the Dodgers were sold to Fox, Kevin Malone replaced Tom Lasorda as general manager, and Malone hired Davey Johnson as manager.

Hoffman, who interviewed for the Dodger job before Tracy was hired, aspires to be a big league manager, and he didn't think Saturday's rejection would damage his chances.

"This was a great opportunity for someone to show interest and to get my name out there," Hoffman said. "But with three weeks to go before the season, if I'm not jumping in there 100% committed, it wouldn't be fair to them or us."

[Fritz Buelow]

Thanks Lee.

Guess sometimes being # 2 in a safe place is better than # 1 in an unsettled place?