Many elements of Sammy Sosa’s forced relocation were intriguing. Three were stunning:
– That the Cubs handed reporters a story about their parking lot surveillance tapes, which showed that Sosa lied about not leaving Wrigley Field until the late innings of the season finale (as if that would be OK).
– That the Cubs would pay about a $15.5 million “golden parachute” to Sosa, who already had received about $106 million from them.
– That Sosa would waive his $18 million option for 2006, which a trade would trigger. Having written for years that it came down to the dollar signs for Sosa, this is the most striking of all.
It has been written, and will continue to be written, that this is exactly how badly Sosa wanted to avoid facing Dusty Baker and the teammates who turned against him. There’s some truth to that, but it’s also worth noting that agents Adam Katz and Tom Reich wouldn’t have signed off on an early free agency if they and the players union didn’t think an early trip to free agency will be best for Sosa.
It’s believed to be unprecedented for the union to allow a player to forfeit this kind of money. That’s why the union killed the deal that would have sent Alex Rodriguez to Boston after the 2003 season.
But Reich, a very influential man with union leaders Donald Fehr and Gene Orza, received approval for the early exit. This is about a calculated gamble that Sosa can become a prominent player in a weak free-agent class next winter, not anything to do with anyone’s comfort.
There will be talk about Sosa possibly signing an extension with Baltimore. This is highly unlikely, however, because Sosa isn’t going to give owner Peter Angelos a long-term bargain and Angelos wanted him only when he was guaranteed to generate more revenue than his expense. It’s also possible the Orioles could move Sosa again at the trade deadline.
Sosa, his agents and even the union are betting Sosa will stay healthy, hit 50 homers (to bring him to 624, only 90 short of Babe Ruth and 131 behind Hank Aaron) and then reap the benefits of a potentially explosive free-agent market.
While Baltimore was Sosa’s target for a one-year deal, keep your eyes on the Yankees and the Red Sox the next time around. Not only do the Yankees have two large salaries likely to come off their payroll after 2005 (Kevin Brown, $15 million, and Bernie Williams, $12 million) but it’s possible they will get a windfall if the 2007 season is played luxury tax-free. That’s a possible if the ’07 season is played under terms of the expired labor agreement.
Sosa also could benefit from the lack of star power in the upcoming free-agent class. Outside of the itinerant Juan Gonzalez, there may not be another former Most Valuable Player available next winter. Table-setters Johnny Damon and Rafael Furcal could be the most attractive hitters in a class that could include Aramis Ramirez, Nomar Garciaparra, Bret Boone, Lance Berkman, Brian Giles, Carlos Lee and Paul Konerko.
Katz and Reich must have sold Sosa that he’s better off seeking a three- or four-year agreement next winter, when his reported age is 37, than he would have been in two years, when it would be 38.
Other possible suitors for Sosa include the Mets, Washington, Anaheim and Texas. You could make an argument about the White Sox, who face decisions on Frank Thomas and Konerko, but it’s hard to see how Sosa could rehabilitate his image that much in one season.
Billable hours
Milwaukee, which hasn’t had an arbitration case go to a hearing since Doug Melvin took over as general manager, could have one go the distance this year.
Ben Sheets, who set a franchise record with 264 strikeouts while going 12-14 last year, is seeking a raise from $2.425 million to $6.5 million. The Brewers offered $5.5 million–not a huge gap, but it appears negotiations have ended.
“There isn’t anything to talk about, really,” assistant GM Gordon Ash said “We’ve agreed to disagree. We’re sticking with our positions, so there’s not a lot to negotiate.”
Junior Spivey, the other player eligible for arbitration, signed Friday for $2.125 million. He was seeking $2.6 million; the club offered $2 million. Then there’s Arizona’s case with Casey Fossum, who went 4-11 with a 6.65 ERA last season but is seeking a raise from $345,000 to $1.35 million. The Diamondbacks grudgingly offered a bid of $800,000 but must be galled that didn’t get the job done. Fossum might have been cut loose if he wasn’t tied to the Curt Schilling trade, which looks like a total bust on Arizona’s end.
Two directions
Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels, who rated as the organization’s best pro prospect before an injury to his triceps limited him to four appearances last year, will miss at least three months after breaking his left hand in a bar fight near the team’s complex in Clearwater, Fla.
“This definitely sidetracks me,” Hamels said. “I got the bitter end of the deal. I definitely learned a lesson.”
Then during the Phillies’ promotional campaign, 24-year-old pitcher Brett Myers sounded like a guy who learned very little humility while going 11-11 with a 5.51 ERA last season.
“Why didn’t I have a great year?” he said. “I had 11 wins, didn’t I? There are guys making $10 million that didn’t have 11 wins. So why are you saying I didn’t have a good year? Because my ERA was bad? I won 11. So let’s just drop it at that.”
Myers compared himself to a young Schilling.
“You guys love Schilling,” he said. “How good was he his first three years? He wasn’t outstanding.”
Bad comparison. Schilling never has had an ERA higher than 4.48 in a season in which he pitched at least 15 innings.
Prodigal son
Only two years after blasting Seattle officials for not making trade-deadline deals, criticism that contributed to his being shipped to the Yankees almost immediately, Jeff Nelson’s back for a third stint with the Mariners.
Nelson made it a point to apologize to team President Chuck Armstrong and CEO Howard Lincoln.
“I said to heck with handshakes, I hugged Howard,” Nelson said. “This is the organization I grew up in, the place I never wanted to leave, the only place I want to play, or my wife Collette and I want to live.”
Nelson was considering retiring strongly before he recently started throwing with some major leaguers. The group included Mariners’ non-roster invitee Aaron Sele, who helped grease the skids with pitching coach Bryan Price. This could be a good team.
Whispers
While 32-year-old Francisco Campos has been the best pitcher in winter ball this season, most recently throwing eight shutout innings for host Mexico against Venezuela in the opener of the Caribbean World Series, he wasn’t among the White Sox’s non-roster invitations to spring training. He spent almost all of last season on loan to Campeche, where he won a Mexican League MVP award for going 12-2 with a 1.47 ERA but is due a long look with the Sox. He could be valuable as a No. 6 starter even if he couldn’t displace Jon Garland. . . . Arizona continues to look for a center fielder to take the job from Luis Terrero, who was the best option after Steve Finley was traded last year. . . . Quick, name the Mariners’ top shortstop? It’s 21-year-old Jose Lopez’s job to lose in spring training, with Pokey Reese as insurance. . . . Colorado seriously is trying to get out from under $19 million left on Denny Neagle’s contract because of his arrest for soliciting prostitution. Arbitrator Shyam Das will hear the case in April, which could set a precedent. . . . The Brewers shied away from signing journeymen because they didn’t want to take playing time away from prospects J.J. Hardy, Rickie Weeks, Prince Fielder, Corey Hart, David Krynzel and Brad Nelson in spring games. Despite the presence of such young talent, the organization honored undrafted University of Wisconsin product Vinny Rottino as its top minor-leaguer. He led the Midwest League with 124 RBIs while playing all over the field.
