 Bagwell's days appear to be numbered and other news
Bagwell's days appear to be numbered
Ken Rosenthal / FOXSports.com
Posted: 10 hours ago
With Opening Day two weeks away, scouts and executives are increasingly skeptical that Astros first baseman Jeff Bagwell will make a successful comeback from right shoulder problems.
"It's hard for him to throw groundballs to the infielders between innings," a rival executive says. "And the ball does nothing off his bat."
Jeff Bagwell's struggles this spring could lead to the end of his long career. (Phelan M. Ebenhack / Associated Press)
Bagwell, 37, has played 14 innings on defense this spring without making an overhand throw. He is 6-for-23 with one double and one RBI.
The Astros filed an insurance claim in January in an attempt to recoup $15.6 million of Bagwell's $17 million salary. They can not collect insurance if Bagwell remains on the active roster. It is unclear whether his appearances in Grapefruit League games this spring would affect their claim.
The Red Sox keep telling the Padres that they won't trade David Wells, but the emergence of right-hander Dewon Brazelton has eased the Padres' rotation concerns, creating the possibility that right-hander Woody Williams will move to the bullpen.
The Padres still want to add another reliever to replace right-hander Doug Brocail, who recently underwent heart surgery. They likely will trade catcher David Ross in the next several days.
The Cardinals are more likely to pursue an upgrade in left field than at second base, but scouts following the team say both positions could be trouble spots.
Outfielders Larry Bigbie and John Rodriguez have been fighting minor injuries, leaving So Taguchi as the leading option in left. Junior Spivey is starting to make more solid contact and play better defense at second, but could end up a significant downgrade from Mark Grudzielanek.
The Braves still want to add a right-handed hitting first baseman to replace the departed Julio Franco, but the Pirates' Craig Wilson probably is too expensive at $3.3 million.
Another potential stumbling block: The Pirates want a starting pitcher for Wilson, and right-hander John Thomson's poor spring is making him less attractive to potential trade partners.
The Braves pursued Jeff Conine as a free agent in the off-season, only to be outbid by the Orioles. Conine, who turns 40 on June 26, signed a one-year, $1.7 million contract with a $2 million mutual option for 2007. The option will automatically vest if he reaches 450 plate appearances.
The Mets, actively seeking rotation help, have signaled a willingness to trade right-hander Victor Zambrano or possibly right-hander Steve Trachsel in a package for a better starter.
One of the Mets' problems is that they don't have many attractive young players beyond outfielder Lastings Milledge and right-hander Brian Bannister. Scouts love Bannister's competitiveness, saying he's more intense than his father, Floyd, a former major-league pitcher.
The Orioles might be willing to trade left-hander Bruce Chen or even right-hander Rodrigo Lopez if they can persuade a potential suitor to overpay.
By far the Orioles' biggest need is in the bullpen; they were dangerously thin even before right-hander Todd Williams was set back by shoulder and calf injuries.
Outfielder Luis Matos could be traded for a reliever or for Cubs second baseman Todd Walker if the Cubs agree to balance the salaries.
The A's lack of a proven situational left-hander is perhaps their only glaring weakness. Joe Kennedy figures to be more of a multiple-inning reliever than a left-on-left specialist, and unlike the Angels of recent seasons, the A's don't have hard-throwing right-handers to counter lefties in the middle innings.
Thus, it will be more difficult for the A's to match up against the top left-handed hitters in the division: the Angels' Garret Anderson and Casey Kotchman, the Rangers' Hank Blalock and Brad Wilkerson, the Mariners' Ichiro and Raul Ibanez.
Angels pitching coach Bud Black on right-hander Jered Weaver, who seems destined to reach the majors this season:
"He has a nice feel for pitching. He pitches aggressively, throws strikes. And his motion is deceptive. He's tall (6-foot-7) and he throws across his body, making it very tough on right-handers. The other day against Oakland, their guys took some funny swings."
Some scouts believe that the Royals should trade third baseman Mark Teahen while he still has value to clear the position for top prospect Alex Gordon.
Royals GM Allard Baird, however, says that Gordon possesses the athleticism and arm strength to play another position, probably right field.
Teahen was the most highly regarded of the three players that Baird acquired for Carlos Beltran on June 24, 2004. Baird envisions him as another Corey Koskie; others wonder if he will hit for enough power.
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