2006 MLB General News Thread

#11

Athletics Fire Macha After ALCS Loss

OAKLAND, CA --Ken Macha was fired as manager of the Oakland Athletics on Monday, two days after the AL West champions were swept out of the playoffs by Detroit.

Macha had two years and $2.025 million left on his contract. The A's went 368-280 in his four seasons as manager, but have frustrated management and their fans by failing to get into the World Series.

Oakland won the West with a 93-69 record this year. After sweeping Minnesota in three games in the first round of the playoffs, the A's were eliminated by the Tigers in four straight in the AL Championship Series.

"Not to fault either side, but I felt a disconnect on a lot of levels," general manager Billy Beane said. "Once again, it's not to point the finger at Ken or anything like that. But that disconnect was there and it was something we needed to address as soon as possible."

The Athletics did not announce a replacement, but bench coach Bob Geren is considered a top candidate to be Macha's successor.

The San Francisco Chronicle, citing team sources, reported earlier Monday that Macha's job was in jeopardy due to his trouble communicating with his players and his "callous attitude" toward injured players.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2628358

#12

Giants Fill Managerial Position with Padre's Bochy

QUOTEWith Bruce Bochy set to go to Japan on Monday to manage a group of major leaguers in an exhibition tour, the Giants had to move fast to pry him away from the Padres.

That's apparently just what they did. The San Jose Mercury News reported Thursday that discussions late into the night had resulted in a deal between San Francisco and Bochy, who managed the San Diego Padres to first place in the National League West last season.

The Giants scheduled a news conference for Friday to announce the deal. The Mercury News reported that Bochy will receive a contract of at least three years for more than $2 million per season.

Teams are not allowed to make major announcements during the World Series, but the newspaper reported Major League Baseball gave the Giants permission because Bochy is doing the league a favor. He agreed to replace Terry Francona as manager on the Japan tour when the Red Sox manager withdrew due to illness.

Bochy was the only candidate with major league managerial experience, something Giants general manager Brian Sabean said would be preferred. The Mercury News reported that Mets third-base coach Manny Acta, Angels pitching coach Bud Black and Giants bench coach Ron Wotus were the other finalists for the job.

Bochy, 51, who just finished his 12th season as the Padres' manager, has guided San Diego to back-to-back NL West titles and is the winningest manager in franchise history. He has spent the last 24 years in the organization, dating to his playing days.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2640133

#13

Gary Sheffield Traded to Tigers for 3 Prospects

NEW YORK -- The Yankees and Tigers have agreed on a Gary Sheffield trade, SI.com has learned.

In return, the Yankees will acquire highly touted right-hander Humberto Sanchez and Class A pitchers Kevin Whelan and Anthony Claggett, according to a Tigers source.

The Tigers will extend Sheffield's contract for two years beyond the one year and $13 million remaining.

Sheffield, who turns 38 on Nov. 18, wants to play three more seasons. He topped 34 homers and 120 RBIs in each of his first two seasons with the Yankees but missed most of 2006 with a wrist injury from an April collision with Toronto's Shea Hillenbrand. When Sheffield returned in late September, the Yankees shifted him to first base.

Source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/b ... index.html

#14

Wow! I think that's a bad, bad move for the Tigers. I hope he doesn't destroy the team chemistry the Tigers had.

#15

I dont' think he will. Sheffield likes Leyland and the Tigers was one of the teams that Sheffield wanted to be traded to. The chemistry will be fine

#16

Soriano Signs With Cubs

Chicago radio station ESPN 1000 reported Sunday that the Cubs have agreed to an eight-year contract worth approximately $136 million with outfielder Alfonso Soriano.

The move would clearly mark the highlight in an already busy offseason for the Cubs, who have signed free-agent infielder Mark DeRosa and have re-signed third baseman Aramis Ramirez and righthander Kerry Wood.

But the biggest prize is Soriano, who is coming off an outstanding all-around season for the Washington Nationals in which he hit .277 with 46 home runs and 95 RBI. The 30-year-old ranked third in the National League in homers and also stole 41 bases -- the sixth-highest total in the circuit.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2668465

#17

Howard Wins NL MVP

Ryan Howard had a season that defied convention, one that made him only the second player voted Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in consecutive years.

"I heard sophomore jinx this, sophomore jinx that," he said after beating out 2005 NL MVP Albert Pujols for the award Monday. "I just prepared myself in spring training to go out and perform, stick with my game plan and have fun."

After leading the major leagues in home runs and RBI, Howard received 20 first-place votes and 12 seconds for 388 points in balloting by a panel of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Pujols got 12 firsts, 19 seconds and one third for 347 points.

Cal Ripken Jr. (1982 and 1983) is the only other player to follow a Rookie of the Year award with an MVP the following year. Two players won both in the same year: Fred Lynn (1975) and Ichiro Suzuki (2001).

Pujols, who hit .331 with 49 homers and 137 RBI, defeated Atlanta's Andruw Jones 378-351 in last year's voting after finishing second in 2002 and 2003. Stan Musial and Ted Williams (four times each) are the only players to finish second more often than Pujols, who matched three-time AL MVP Mickey Mantle with three second-place finishes.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2669508

#18

Justin Morneau Wins AL MVP

Justin Morneau won the American League's Most Valuable Player Award on Tuesday, edging Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees after a season in which his 34 homers and 130 RBI helped the Minnesota Twins capture their division.

Morneau received 15 first-place votes, eight seconds, three thirds and two fourths for 320 points in voting by a panel of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Jeter got 12 firsts, 14 seconds, one fourth and one sixth for 306 points.

Boston's David Ortiz was third with 193 points, followed by Oakland's Frank Thomas (174), Chicago's Jermaine Dye (156) and Mauer (116). Santana got 114 points, receiving the other first-place vote.

Morneau is the fourth Minnesota player to win following Zoilo Versalles (1965), Harmon Killebrew (1969) and Rod Carew (1977).

Earning just $385,000 in his third season as a regular, Morneau proved a bargain. Philadelphia's Ryan Howard, voted NL MVP on Monday, made $355,000.

Ortiz earned a $100,000 bonus for finishing third in the voting. Thomas, who left the Athletics last week to sign with Toronto, received a $100,000 bonus for placing fourth. Dye got $60,000 for fifth.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2670876

#19

That Soriano deal is ridiculous. Actually this year has been ridiculously overpriced. There are too many free agents getting amazing amounts of money for being mediocre. I don't know what the Cubs actual payroll is but they've spent a huge amount of money already. Without pitching, I don't think they'll go too far next year.

The winter meetings are over and I just hope my Dodgers don't do anything dumb like trade for Manny. However, with the acquisition of Schmidt they have a few players to use as trade bait to get the last remaining pieces of the puzzle. I can't wait until the season starts!

#20

Rangers Sign Closer Gagne

Posted Tuesday December 12

The Rangers reportedly have lured a second player from the Dodgers in as many days.

Le Journal de Montreal reports that former Dodgers closer Eric Gagne has agreed to a one-year, $8 million deal with Texas. The Rangers reached a preliminary agreement on a one-year, $6 million contract with former Dodgers center fielder Kenny Lofton on Monday.

Gagne had season-ending surgery July 8 to repair a herniated disc in his lower back. He is expected to be healthy and ready to pitch when spring training begins in mid-February.

Gagne was limited to 14 games and eight saves in 2005 and two outings with one save this year. He had surgery in April to remove a nerve from his pitching elbow -- the same arm that required elbow-ligament replacement surgery in 1997.

Gagne became a closer in 2002 and was an immediate success, saving 52 games that year, a franchise-record 55 in 2003 and 45 in 2004. He set a major league record with 84 consecutive saves from late 2002 to mid-2004.

He won the NL Cy Young Award in 2003, when he went 2-3 with a 1.20 ERA and 55 saves, two shy of the record Bobby Thigpen set with the Chicago White Sox in 1990.

Source http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2695054