No Deals Are Imminent as Deadline Nears
SEATTLE — With six days before the trading deadline, General Manager Bill Stoneman said Saturday he had no deals in sight.
In his previous four years in Anaheim, his pennant-race acquisitions have been bit players -- outfielder Ron Gant and pitcher Scott Karl in 2000 and outfielder Alex Ochoa in 2002. Stoneman never has traded his top prospects, at any time, and he’s probably not about to start now unless the Angels get Randy Johnson in return.
“Are there guys out there you would trade one of those guys for? Yes,” Stoneman said. “Is it likely something like that will become available? Probably not.”
Of the Angels’ top five prospects, three are injured. Triple-A pitcher Bobby Jenks is out for the year after elbow surgery, double-A pitcher Ervin Santana is shut down for the second time this season because of a sore arm, and triple-A first baseman Casey Kotchman suffered a shoulder strain Friday in his first game after missing 19 because of a wrist strain.
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Although Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said he did not believe Seattle second baseman Bret Boone -- or anyone else with the Mariners -- ordered pitcher Bobby Madritsch to throw at Vladimir Guerrero on Friday, Guerrero said Saturday he wasn’t so sure.
“He doesn’t know and he doesn’t really care what they were doing,” interpreter Diego Lopez said.
Boone visited the mound before Guerrero was hit on the right wrist, saying he warned Madritsch to be wary of runner Chone Figgins. Guerrero, who pointed and yelled at Boone, said he was “fine” with him and ready to move on. Scioscia said the wrist remained swollen, but Guerrero had regained some strength, and the Angels ordered no further tests after an X-ray Friday showed no fracture. Scioscia said he hoped Guerrero and fellow outfielder Garret Anderson (strained groin) could return by Monday.
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The Angels scratched Jarrod Washburn from today’s start after he tore cartilage in his chest area in his previous start. Ramon Ortiz will start today, and Washburn said he believed he could make his next scheduled start Friday, although Scioscia did not rule out using him against the first-place Texas Rangers on Wednesday.... As expected, the Angels put outfielder Jeff DaVanon (back spasms) on the disabled list and recalled infielder Alfredo Amezaga from triple-A Salt Lake.... Clarification: After Jose Guillen told reporters he did not attend a players’ meeting Wednesday, Scioscia checked with players and was told Guillen did indeed attend.
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