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Insider | Short Hops
Be careful this Christmas. Be very careful.
There was Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski on Detroit radio station WXYT this week, telling listeners that the club has determined that reliever Joel Zumaya's inflamed right forearm that knocked him out for a part of the ALCS resulted not from the stress of pitching ... but from too much time playing a video game.
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| Joel Zumaya's PlayStation injury was not exactly sweet music to Detroit's ears. (Getty Images) |
Dombrowski told the radio station that the Tigers' training staff determined Zumaya's injury was more consistent with that of a guitar player than a baseball pitcher. At the team's request, Zumaya stopped playing the game -- then worked a pain-free World Series (though he did join in the other pitchers' reindeer games of overthrowing the bases).
No word on whether Zumaya will consult with Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano, who suffered through a bout of tendinitis in his pitching arm two summers ago before it was cleared up after doctors determined the lefty had been spending too much time on the Internet.
- The White Sox still need a leadoff hitter and center fielder, so keep an eye on the developing situation with Toronto center fielder Vernon Wells. He's not a leadoff hitter, of course, but he certainly could fill the order in center.
- All is still quiet on the western front with the Los Angeles Angels, whose owner, Arte Moreno, promised in September to make a big move this winter. Though they talked with Boston last week about Manny Ramirez, they refused to acquiesce to the Red Sox's request of either closer Francisco Rodriguez or setup man Scot Shields, starter Ervin Santana or shortstop prospect Erick Aybar for Ramirez.
- Look for San Diego to sign second baseman Marcus Giles after he was cut by Atlanta. Giles in the past has expressed interest in playing on the same team as his brother, outfielder Brian, and the Padres would like to add insurance behind/alongside Todd Walker at second.
- Barry Zito isn't expected to sign until next week at the earliest. The Mets and Rangers remain in prime position to land him.
- Clubs that have expressed interest in Jeff Suppan: Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Kansas City, Houston, Philadelphia, Seattle, the Yankees and St. Louis. Right now it appears as if Suppan is being priced out of St. Louis' grasp, which is why Cardinals GM Walt Jocketty is talking more and more of moving Adam Wainwright into the rotation for 2007.
- Quick, somebody buy Daisuke Matsuzaka a new winter jacket! Or at least take him shopping for one. He showed up in Boston looking like an Eskimo ready for a ski trip.
- Waffle House: David Wells, hedging on retirement, will host San Diego GM Kevin Towers for dinner on Monday night. There is a chance he will join the Roger Clemens plan, skip retirement and pitch for the Padres in '07 ... or join Bruce Bochy in San Francisco ... or take Arizona's money.
- Regarding Arizona, Phoenix-area resident Mark Mulder continues sorting through free-agent offers and would like to make a decision before Saturday: He's to be married that day. The Diamondbacks remain in play, as do Texas, the Mets, St. Louis, Cleveland, San Francisco and perhaps even Oakland.
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Another vaunted Yankees prospect bites the dust: Cincinnati this week
designated pitcher Branden Claussen for assignment, though the
Reds hope he clears waivers and they can hang onto him.
Regardless, this procedural move speaks volumes. Claussen once was supposed to be the next big thing when he was in the New York farm system, but instead becomes just another byproduct of the Yankees' overhyping their prospects (and others buying into it) in order to increase their trade value. The Yanks got what they needed -- Aaron Boone in the Claussen trade on July 31, 2003, and you remember the rest. Boone hit the Game 7 homer to beat Boston in the ALCS and ultimately cost Sox skipper Grady Little his job.
Claussen, meanwhile, was listed among the names the Reds were counting on when they took out a full-page, advertisement in the local newspapers a few days after the '03 trade deadline that served as an open letter to fans who were angry at the dumping of Boone and others after tax dollars were used to fund a new ballpark. So far, so much for Claussen playing a central role in a Reds' resurrection. - ATM around the corner: So closer Eric Gagne signs a one-year, $6 million deal with Texas (with incentive clauses that could make it worth $11 million) and the Rangers are negotiating with Zito. Both Gagne and Zito are Scott Boras clients -- as are Alex Rodriguez (10 years, $252 million from Rangers owner Tom Hicks several years ago), Chan Ho Park (five years, $65 million) and Kevin Millwood (five years, $60 million), which produced this great line from Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times: "When Boras talks to Tom Hicks, does he first have to enter a PIN number?"
