azdad1978
Championship!!!!
By Dan Zeiger, Tribune
The Diamondbacks’ search for a center fielder via a trade has expanded, not narrowed, which means a deal is not necessarily imminent, team officials said on Wednesday. “We’re trying to be creative and widen the search pattern a little bit,” general manager Joe Garagiola Jr. said. “I’ve had conversations with a lot of teams, some that we have been talking to a lot, others that are new.”
Arizona is having talks with about six clubs, general partner Ken Kendrick said, adding that one team on Wednesday made an unsolicited call to discuss trade possibilities.
The D-Backs want a veteran, defensive-oriented player to start in center, which would provide talented-but-raw Luis Terrero time to season.
“We’re talking right now, but we’re not anxious,” Kendrick said. “It could take two days, or it could take two weeks.”
On Tuesday, Garagiola was to leave for this week’s Caribbean Series in Mexico with other team officials but decided to remain in the Valley when a flurry of activity commenced.
“My gut feeling was that I should stay,” Garagiola said.
Arizona’s top four rumored suitors remain in play, though Arizona might have to start talks over with the Oakland Athletics, who have Eric Byrnes. The A’s have insisted on a minor leaguer that the D-Backs do not want to part with, and Garagiola said a “new avenue” is likely necessary.
Byrnes is likely headed for arbitration and could collect a 2005 salary of $2.5 million, which makes him an affordable option for Arizona.
Mike Cameron of the New York Mets, Preston Wilson of Colorado and Jay Payton of Boston are other candidates.
However, Wilson’s 2005 salary of $12.5 million might put him out of the D-Backs’ price range, even if the Rockies agreed to include cash in a trade.
Cameron, who is due $6 million in ’05 and ’06, is not fond of the idea of moving from center field to right with the Mets’ signing of Carlos Beltran.
However, Cameron has a limited no-trade clause, and New York — which has reportedly cooled at pursuing free agent Magglio Ordonez — might not want to trade him.
Garagiola said Arizona would like to complete a deal soon but will explore trade possibilities, if need be, until the start of the regular season.
“You get into a new phase of six weeks where all kinds of things happen to teams and players, good and bad,” Garagiola said. “Something that was not achievable in January and February might be achievable in March.”
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=35767
The Diamondbacks’ search for a center fielder via a trade has expanded, not narrowed, which means a deal is not necessarily imminent, team officials said on Wednesday. “We’re trying to be creative and widen the search pattern a little bit,” general manager Joe Garagiola Jr. said. “I’ve had conversations with a lot of teams, some that we have been talking to a lot, others that are new.”
Arizona is having talks with about six clubs, general partner Ken Kendrick said, adding that one team on Wednesday made an unsolicited call to discuss trade possibilities.
The D-Backs want a veteran, defensive-oriented player to start in center, which would provide talented-but-raw Luis Terrero time to season.
“We’re talking right now, but we’re not anxious,” Kendrick said. “It could take two days, or it could take two weeks.”
On Tuesday, Garagiola was to leave for this week’s Caribbean Series in Mexico with other team officials but decided to remain in the Valley when a flurry of activity commenced.
“My gut feeling was that I should stay,” Garagiola said.
Arizona’s top four rumored suitors remain in play, though Arizona might have to start talks over with the Oakland Athletics, who have Eric Byrnes. The A’s have insisted on a minor leaguer that the D-Backs do not want to part with, and Garagiola said a “new avenue” is likely necessary.
Byrnes is likely headed for arbitration and could collect a 2005 salary of $2.5 million, which makes him an affordable option for Arizona.
Mike Cameron of the New York Mets, Preston Wilson of Colorado and Jay Payton of Boston are other candidates.
However, Wilson’s 2005 salary of $12.5 million might put him out of the D-Backs’ price range, even if the Rockies agreed to include cash in a trade.
Cameron, who is due $6 million in ’05 and ’06, is not fond of the idea of moving from center field to right with the Mets’ signing of Carlos Beltran.
However, Cameron has a limited no-trade clause, and New York — which has reportedly cooled at pursuing free agent Magglio Ordonez — might not want to trade him.
Garagiola said Arizona would like to complete a deal soon but will explore trade possibilities, if need be, until the start of the regular season.
“You get into a new phase of six weeks where all kinds of things happen to teams and players, good and bad,” Garagiola said. “Something that was not achievable in January and February might be achievable in March.”
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=35767
