- Lee Stevens traded to Montreal Expos for David
Segui & cash (three way trade – Segui & cash to Texas from Toronto,
Stevens to Expos, Brad Fullmer to Blue Jays)
Juan takes hefty swing at Texas Rangers
LAKELAND, Fla. – Juan Gonzalez doesn’t know how he will fare with his new team, the Detroit Tigers. One prediction at a time, and this year’s is reserved for his former team.
“I guarantee you, the Rangers will not win this year,” Gonzalez said. “If the players there don’t like it, I’m sorry. Tell them I’m sorry.”
Gonzalez insisted he is not bitter over the Nov. 2 trade that ended his 14-year relationship with the organization. In fact, in joining the Tigers, the two-time American League MVP says he has found “paradise.”
But during two days of interviews at his new spring-training home in Central Florida, Gonzalez questioned his former team’s fortitude and its commitment to understanding the needs of Latin players. He also said the organization has slipped badly since the resignation of team president Tom Schieffer last April 29.
Gonzalez realized his opinions might upset some former teammates, but he made it clear he only respects the opinions of some, not all, occupants of his old clubhouse.
“I have good friends there, a lot of good friends,” Gonzalez said. “But I see [expletive] there, too. A lot of [expletive]. When they see me, face to face, we can talk, no problem. But not behind my face.”
The word Gonzalez used, a vulgar slang euphemism for weak-hearted individuals, showed the depth of his disdain for some former teammates. But his strongest criticisms were directed toward the Rangers’ front office, which Gonzalez said made him feel pressured and often misunderstood. Former Rangers Spanish-language broadcaster Luis Mayoral, a Gonzalez confidant who resigned to become the Detroit Tigers’ first Latin American Liaison, further accused the club of not doing enough to protect the player’s image during his sometime-turbulent Rangers career.
“The people working there in Texas don’t have good relations with other cultures, people from different countries, in my opinion,” Gonzalez said. “They don’t respect, a lot, the Latin players there.”
Some of Gonzalez’s former teammates couldn’t disagree more.
“I think this organization treats its Latin players fairly,” said Rafael Palmeiro, the Rangers’ Cuban-born first baseman. “They have an understanding of our needs. They treat us the same as any American or African-American player. If [Gonzalez] were here, he would not have said those things. I would not have allowed that, because that’s not him talking.”
“They do great, to me,” Rangers catcher and AL MVP Ivan Rodriguez said. “They’ve always been great to me. They’ve been excellent.”
Rangers infielder Luis Alicea, like Gonzalez and Rodriguez a native of Puerto Rico, said he also believes Gonzalez is mistaken.
“This is the first organization [of four] that I’ve been in where they do so much to help the young [Latin] players,” Alicea said. “I’ve had no problem whatsoever here.
“A lot of those things are not coming directly from [Gonzalez]. They don’t come from his heart. They are not his thoughts, and he is being hurt by them.”
Often conferring with Mayoral during one of his two interviews with The Dallas Morning News, Gonzalez also spoke in vague terms of a deteriorating atmosphere around the Rangers since Schieffer’s departure.
“Schieffer is a different mind, you know? He has an international mind,” Gonzalez said. “When Mr. Schieffer was working in the office, everything was so great. Mr. Schieffer is gone, everything goes down, you know?”
Asked to elaborate, Gonzalez said, “Everything goes down. It’s no longer a family. I don’t want to talk about names, but everything goes down, in my opinion. Everything in general. The team’s going down.” Hicks: ‘It’s silly’
Rangers owner Tom Hicks took exception to that assessment.
“I think Tom Schieffer did a great job, and I think the guys we have now are doing a great job,” Hicks said. “Juan has his feelings hurt and I feel sorry for him. But we’re certainly committed to having the best young players we can, and certainly a lot of those players are going to be Hispanic. We have our [scouting and development] program in the Dominican, we’ve reached out with people in Venezuela. We just want to win. And to say we don’t support our Latin players . . . it’s silly.”
As for Gonzalez’s prediction of a gloomy season for the Rangers, Hicks said, “We made the decision the team we had last year wasn’t capable of winning the World Series. We like the chemistry we have now. I’m not saying anything specifically about Juan Gonzalez, but we want people to be disappointed in our clubhouse when we lose, and that wasn’t always the case last year.”
Jim Lites, the dual president of Hicks’ Rangers and Dallas Stars since last May, also defended the decisions made under his watch.
“The decision to trade Juan Gonzalez was made by the baseball people,” Lites said, referring to general manager Doug Melvin and his aides. “We think we improved our team in both the short and long term. We’ve said nothing but good things about Juan Gonzalez, and there was nothing personal about it.”
The Rangers, who owe much of their organizational success to the development of Latin players such as Julio Franco, Ruben Sierra, Rodriguez and Gonzalez, actually are ahead of many teams in assisting foreign-born players. One weekend each spring, the team stages a cultural diversity seminar for its minor leaguers. The Rangers also make available to players special computers and software to help them learn English at an individual pace.
“The Rangers have always been at the forefront of helping Latin players get comfortable,” said Omar Minaya, the former Rangers assistant general manager now with the New York Mets. “They have always made a good-hearted effort.”
Social obstacles
Not all such assistance was available when Gonzalez was ascending the minor league ladder and breaking into the big leagues in 1989 at age 19. Chicago Cubs superstar Sammy Sosa, who like Gonzalez, spoke no English when the two signed with the Rangers at age 16, found that overcoming the language barrier paid off handsomely in popularity and endorsement opportunities.
“For me, it was hard,” Sosa said. “I’m from the Dominican Republic and Gonzalez was coming from Puerto Rico. Neither one of us knew English. We came in and I did the things I needed to do to make adjustments to the language and things. . . . But I kept working and trying hard to learn English to get out of jams.”
Gonzalez, 30, already is regarded as one of the game’s greatest run producers. He joins the Tigers with 340 career home runs, nine more than Detroit Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg and only 60 shy of surpassing the greatest living Tiger, Hall of Fame right fielder Al Kaline.
But Gonzalez’s past also is littered with four failed marriages, instances of moodiness and sometimes petulant behavior, and, last year, his poorly received decisions to skip the All-Star Game if not elected a starter and the Hall of Fame exhibition because his uniform pants didn’t fit to his liking.
The word Gonzalez’s Spanish-speaking peers most often use in evaluating his public persona is “misunderstood.”
“He is like a kid,” Sosa said. “You have to know how to take him and treat him. He’s a really, really sensitive person. . . . If you know how to treat him as a person, he’s the greatest.”
Palmeiro said, “It’s an unfair thing, because [Gonzalez is] not very fluent in English. A lot of times, people misinterpret what he says or is trying to say. It’s not right.”
Managers view
Rangers manager Johnny Oates admitted he and Gonzalez had their disagreements, but that Gonzalez always respected his authority. He advised new Detroit manager Phil Garner to disregard past reports and start Gonzalez with a clean slate.
“Juan didn’t do everything I liked him to do, and Juan and I talked about it,” Oates said. “Juan did some of the little things that were perceived to give him an image that wasn’t truly him. Juan’s a moody guy, and you understand that. But when it comes time to win the ballgame, Juan will be there for you.”
Garner, excited by Gonzalez’s recent spate of Grapefruit League power, can’t wait to enjoy a season with the type of superstar his previous employers in Milwaukee couldn’t afford.
“What we’re looking for are guys to play and produce,” Garner said, “and he plays and produces. He’s special.”
Trade a blessing
Gonzalez said he was initially shocked by the trade, but has come to count it as a blessing.
“Absolutely,” he said. “A very important thing [is] I work for very professional people, sure people. Everybody here in this clubhouse, you see a lot of smiling faces. Everybody’s relaxed. It’s a big difference here. There was too much pressure [in Texas], unsure people.”
Asked where the pressure originated with the Rangers, Gonzalez said, “Oh, probably from the front office, I don’t know. There were great fans, some of the best in baseball. But, anyway, it’s history. I’m super happy here.”
Gonzalez has spent the spring telling inquisitors he is happier now than at any time in his career. He praised Garner, who is allowing Gonzalez to skip spring bus rides and play only home exhibitions. Gonzalez said, “There [in Texas], they treat me good, but not like here. They treat me better here.”
The Tigers wish Gonzalez would prove his devotion by accepting the eight-year, $140 million contract extension offer that reportedly has been on the table since the end of January. But despite his proclamations of finding “paradise,” Gonzalez has signed nothing more binding than autographs this spring.
“I don’t want to talk about contracts. Right now, my mind is on baseball,” Gonzalez said. “I want to see the future of the team, my adjustment to the city. My family will go up there to see if they like the city. But I feel so great here.
“I guarantee you I feel happy. I’ve been smiling a lot here.”
Staff Writer Evan Grant contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on the DMN website here, and was written by Ken Daley.
ST14: Rangers drop game to Blue Jays, 6-2
No time at all today to write a commentary – I’m way too busy today at work. I barely have the time to do this. In fact, the only reason I’m even updating at all is I wanted to have something online about Lee Stevens being dealt away today. :)
DUNEDIN, Florida (Ticker) — Charlie Greene hit a two-run homer and DeWayne Wise doubled in two runs as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Texas Rangers, 6-2, in a Grapefruit League game overshadowed by a three-team trade involving the two clubs.
The Blue Jays acquired Brad Fullmer from Montreal and sent David Segui and cash to Texas, which shipped Lee Stevens to the Expos.
Segui started the game as the designated hitter but was removed in the sixth inning after the deal was completed. Stevens was the starting first baseman before leaving for a pinch hitter in the sixth.
Wise’s two-run double in the fifth inning came off former Blue Jay Tim Crabtree, who took the loss after he was tagged for three runs and five hits in two innings.
Greene allowed the Blue Jays to move out to a 5-2 lead in the seventh inning and Kevin Witt added a solo homer in the eighth.
Clayton Andrews pitched four scoreless innings in relief for the victory. Starter Chris Carpenter allowed one run and four hits in two innings.
Mike Simms hit a solo homer in the seventh inning for Texas.
Doug Davis got the start for the Rangers and hurled three scoreless innings, striking out four.
ST13: Rangers shut out Orioles, 2-0
Three days in a row we go with awesome pitching, winning today 2-0. We won yesterday 3-2, and the day before that 6-1. Pinch me, I must be asleep. :)
We got some awesome pitching again today from the Rangers staff. Darren Oliver, who so far has been spectacular this spring went 4 1/3 innings, throwing 58 pitches, and giving up no hits, one walk, and no runs. In fact, he was perfect through the first 3 innings, I believe. The rest of our pitching for the afternoon (Zim, Glynn, & Benoit) only gave up three hits the rest of the way, preserving the shutout. It wasn’t as great as Boston’s perfect game yesterday (by 6 total pitchers), but given the way the Ranger pitching staff has been giving up runs the last few years, this is a godsend! The Orioles didn’t get a hit until the top of the 6th on a bunt single towards third off of Ryan Glynn.
We got some nice D in the field, too – from Kapler & Evans in the first two innings. From what’s been said in the media the last 48 hours, it’s starting to seem like Tom Evans will start the season at third in Arlington. I think Lamb might have been rushed too much – we’ll see.
Chad Curtis scored both of our runs today – the first being in the first inning when Pudge singled him home from second, and the other in the 6th when Albert Belle misplayed a ball in right, allowing Curtis to score on another hit by Pudge.
Wind was a big factor today, taking away a two run home run by Raffy, as well as two home runs by the Orioles, as well.
Roster Transaction
- Assigned the following roster players to the minor league camp: David Elder, Jonathan Johnson, Corey Lee, Juan Moreno, & Jason Grabowski.
- Assigned the following non roster invites to the minor league camp:
R.A. Dickey, Matt Miller, Reed Secrist, Luis Taveras, Carlos Pena, & Pedro
Valdes.
ST12: Rangers win behind more good pitching, 3-2
Pitching! Pitching! Pitching! Two days in a row – Woo-hoo! :) We also got our first back to back wins of the spring, too.
I always love it when we play the Pirates or Phillies in spring, because I’m from PA, and both of these teams seem more interesting to me for some reason. Wish I could have heard it, though. Hell, I wish Interleague play lets us play them, but it doesn’t. Hopefully Bud will work something out for next season.
Anyway, we got decent pitching again today. Starter Rick Helling went 4 innings, scattering 6 hits, and allowing only 1 earned run, while walking one, and K’ing 4. Zimmerman, Munoz, Cordero, & Chuck Smith went the other 5 and gave up no earned runs (although one unearned was scored against Smith, who got a save). On the flip side, Pittsburgh got great pitching too, with one exception. Jason Phillips, who only went 2/3 of an inning gave up all three runs the Rangers scored, walking three with only one hit – but three walks (including one with the bases loaded to Stevens) is never good. The rest of their pitching went 7 1/3 innings, giving up no earned runs, and only 3 hits. There’s been some buzz about Pittsburgh being better than most people think – if they get pitching like this all the time, they will be.
Speaking of that, the Rangers only had four hits all day – two by Frank Catalanotto, and the others by Gabe Kapler & Bill Haselman. Not really a whole lot there, we didn’t really win this game, it was handed to us by Jason Phillips.
Today’s game is on the radio, that’ll be cool. I wish the Rangers would get their act together with 2000 TV coverage – read something in the paper today that there will be NO spring games on the TV, there are supposed to be three according to the published schedule at the start of spring – I’m hoping they still happen.
ST11: Rangers get some pitching, beat Blue Jays 6-1
Pitching! Pitching! Pitching! This is what the 2000 Rangers are supposed to be all about, and we got it today. Big time!
What a game not to be on the radio. A two hit masterpiece by Kenny Rogers, followed up by three innings of shutout, no hit ball from Tim Crabtree & Doug Davis. The only mistake Kenny Rogers made in his six innings was a solo home run to Shannon Stewart in the fourth. Other than a single elsewhere, that’s all Kenny (or Crabtree/Davis) gave up all game! My – I would have loved to have seen this sucker, these are really fun games to watch, unless of course you’re the team it’s being done to. :)
Royce Clayton continues to rise to the leadoff challenge this spring, going 2-4 with a double and a couple of RBI’s. Ruben Mateo also went 2-4, the remaining 5 hits we got were scattered among 5 other players. We were assisted by two Toronto errors, but for some reason, this just “feels” like a game where we got timely hitting. We did get a solo HR from Chad Curtis who could turn out to be our starting left fielder for awhile if Rusty isn’t ready. If Sele falters in Seattle, it’ll make the Rogers signing look that much better (at least to me)…
Bad news about Rusty Greer – he’s back in D/FW to have himself checked out – could be bad, let’s hope not. Not much movement with Wetteland or Venafro, either. :( Venafro might solve the “What to do about Mark Clark & Matt Perisho” issue (Stick Perisho in the pen, let Clark start unless he sucks the rest of spring) with his injury.
ST10: Rangers drop another one, 7-5 to Twins
I did listen to this game on the radio – or at least most of it. This weekend was a big social weekend for me (saw Weird Al on Sat night, and Mission to Mars on Sunday). Since I got disgusted listening to the Rangers drop another one to the Twins, I bailed out after the Twins scored two more in the 7th – and started to get ready to go out for the evening.
However, there was some interesting stuff in the game. Our first run came rather interestingly, on a fielder’s choice, an error, and a passed ball. The next pitch after the passed ball, Lee Stevens went yard for a two run home run, pulling us within two runs. However, we gave them right back, and I got disgusted. It turns out the Cat hit a home run in the 9th that I didn’t hear (but read about in the box score). Was nice for them to pull it back and make it interesting, but hopefully when we start removing some of the pitchers that aren’t going to be with the club when we break camp, we might start getting some more realistic pitching from the folks who will be pitching after March.
Our boys in the field were rather sloppy in the second, giving up three runs this way: Infield hit, stolen base allowed, error (on Pudge), a walk, a wild pitch, a double, and another infield hit. Blech.
We’re back on the radio Wednesday against the Orioles – Just two more weeks (from yesterday) till the return of Ranger baseball to TV, and three weeks until the start of the new season! :)
ST9: Rangers lose to Reds 6-5. I see Weird Al live.
A Ranger game on the radio during the Spring, but unfortunately, I couldn’t listen. I was headed out to see Weird Al Yankovic in concert. I got to hear the first two innings, but there wasn’t much there to listen to.
I am listening to Sunday’s game as I write this, so I think I’ll just skip commentary on this game short of this.. “Doh! 0-3 against the Reds in the Spring.”
ST8: Rangers top Toronto, 9-5
Back on the radio! Coolness. :)
A roller coaster game for me listening on the radio. We got out early and big, and I was hoping that unlike a lot of other spring games so far, we’d be able to keep the lead. Unfortunately, that wasn’t to be. We got out to a 4-0 lead in the second inning thanks to the second grand slam of the pre-season for the Rangers; this time by Tom Evans, who really has to be given a look for third if he keeps this up for another couple of weeks. Evans’ slam (he was 2 for 3 today) was his fourth homer so far, the 13th by the Rangers, and the second slam (the other was Kapler). There were also two triples in this inning, one by Gabe Kapler, and the other by Royce Clayton. We did score a fifth run when Clayton was hit in by Rusty Greer, I believe. We batted around this inning, and I felt good.
However – after a masterful appearance by Darren Oliver (3 IP, 40 pitches, 1H, 1K, 3 broken bats), he left, and the Jays caught up with home runs in the 4th (Segui off Crabtree), the 5th (Lopez off Munoz), and the 6th (Bautista off Benoit). There goes another big lead. However, the back end pitching was perfect – Doug Davis & Chuck Smith combined to pitch three perfect innings – retiring all 9 they faced.
During this time, we picked up four more runs – one more by the long ball (McDonald who was 2 for 2 off former Ranger Eric Gunderson) in the 8th. I was busy during this time, and didn’t get to pay much attention, I only heard the long ball score personally.
One other highlight was a spectacular catch (going by the radio guys’ voices) by Ruben Mateo to end the 7th inning.
Was a nice win – hopefully our relief pitching gets it going before the season starts. So far they’ve been less than stellar this spring, but that’s not a whole lot to worry about yet. Still feeling good (if different) about 2000.
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