It's the offseason of hope
Ability to play again would be perfect gift
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Rocco Baldelli might not be out of the woods, but after further evaluation at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Cleveland Clinic he at least has hope that the mitochondrial disorder that nearly ruined his career may allow him to play more than expected.
Lefthander Mark Mulder, meanwhile, who has endured almost three years of shoulder problems, feels his arm angle is almost as high as it was before he first hurt his shoulder, with thanks going to Arizona therapist Joe Hipp.
"Mark was in the office the other day and the excitement in his voice over his arm angle was pretty touching," said agent Gregg Clifton of Mulder, who has a career record of 103-60. "The arm angle isn't quite as high as it was in his prime, but in his mind it is, and the fact he's come so far from where he started is so encouraging to him. He has the confidence now that he's going to pitch at a high level again."
New Brewers manager Ken Macha remembers managing Mulder in Oakland, when he called him "one of the most dominating pitchers in baseball. He had four pitches, a split, a cutter. He jams you. He had a good curveball and he threw downhill. I remember one game in Seattle, a guy hit a bloop to right field and he got to second. There were runners at second and third, nobody out, and Mark just reared back and struck out the side. That, to me, is what makes a great pitcher - a guy who can turn it up a notch when he has to, and Mark did that all the time.
"What a good guy on a team. Great teammate. He had that [6-foot-4-inch] frame, strong, powerful. As a manager he was everything you ever wanted in an ace pitcher."
When told of Mulder's comeback, Macha said, "That's the kind of guy you root for."
There is also the story of one of the nicest guys in the game, Matt Clement, who more than two years after undergoing complicated surgery on his pitching shoulder, will be going to spring training with the Blue Jays in the hopes of making the team.
There's the story of 41-year-old John Smoltz, who is trying to defy the odds and come back, whether it's in May or June, to pitch at a high level again in the majors, and 305-game winner Tom Glavine, who is throwing from 120 feet and wants to resume his career with the Braves after elbow and shoulder surgery. Another former Cy Young winner, Chris Carpenter, continues to try to come back from shoulder problems that have limited him to five appearances in two years.
And how about Trot Nixon? After two years of back pain and demotions to the minors, he finally appears to be healthy, and was signed by the Brewers to a minor league contract last week.
"I just know that Trot is a good guy to have on a team," said Macha, who managed Nixon years ago in Pawtucket. "He brings enthusiasm and leadership and that's the type of hard-nosed player I'm looking for here. It was great that Trot was available. Our lineup is really predominantly righthanded. Our entire outfield is righthanded and our infield, except for Prince Fielder, is all righthanded. So to have a lefthanded hitter available is very important for us."
Long shots? Maybe, but the will to play again is what makes these players' stories so compelling.
Baldelli is one of the greatest athletes ever to come out of New England. Fast, strong, powerful. Even now, he plays with grace, but last season it became clear that it was difficult for him to go nine innings in the field, especially in back-to-back games.
The Red Sox would no doubt love to sign Baldelli, but can he play enough to consider him a fourth outfielder? Can he get to the point where he can DH, and maybe even play two or three times a week in the field? Would that be enough for a team to sign him for a year and take the chance that he would be available to play if a starter went down? Or could he be some team's full-time DH? The feeling is he's moving closer to that.
"The situation has been clarified a little bit better because of further tests," Baldelli told the Tampa Tribune. "It's positive news for my baseball career and my health."
The Phillies, Reds, Red Sox, or Rays may take a chance with Baldelli. According to sources close to the Cumberland, R.I. native, he would love to play closer to New England, but at this point he can't be too picky. The Mets also need a righthanded-hitting outfielder and could get into the mix.
It's the season of hope. And the spirit is alive and well in these recovering players.
Jays' Ricciardi knows the deal
From his first day as general manager of the Blue Jays in 2001, J.P. Ricciardi has known that the Red Sox and Yankees operate on a different plane. Already this offseason, Ricciardi has seen CC Sabathia and his former pitcher, A.J. Burnett, join the Yankees for enormous sums of money. He's watched the Red Sox-Mark Teixeira drama unfold and realizes that this is what the Sox and Yankees go through and there's not a lot he can do about it.
Ricciardi was told to lop some $20 million off last year's payroll, bringing this season's to $85 million. Burnett's departure will save him $12 million.
Ricciardi was involved in talks for free agent shortstop Rafael Furcal, who finalized a deal with the Dodgers Friday, but he wasn't able to move a high-priced player to afford Furcal.
Ricciardi is a big fan of Derek Lowe, but the GM questions whether Lowe would consider Toronto, and if he did, Ricciardi said he'd have to "rob Peter to pay Paul."
Ricciardi, who said "there are still a lot of excellent players on the board," might resort to bottom feeding for free agents.
The Worcester native respects the job the Rays did en route to their Cinderella season.
"They have tremendous young players and they've done a wonderful job grooming those kids into top-shelf major league players," he said.
Unlike the Rays, whose consistently poor seasons led to high draft picks, the Jays' average seasons haven't resulted in a bumper crop of young talent.
Ricciardi feels he must be more creative than ever.
"Orlando Hudson is out there. Jason Giambi is out there. We'll have to see who's out there still when the music stops and see who we might be able to get," Ricciardi said.
If a deal is appealing, Ricciardi might move Scott Rolen or Lyle Overbay. He would have to be blown away by an offer to part with closer B.J. Ryan.
Sabathia's conversation with Burks doesn't stay in Vegas
A few questions for Ellis Burks, special assistant to Indians GM Mark Shapiro:
How did it come to be that when CC Sabathia first came up with the Indians, you took him under your wing?
EB: "CC was in spring training with us and he was like 20 years old. I promised his dad that I would take care of him and show him the ropes, so to speak. I remember setting him up with my tailor and buying him a few suits and he liked them so much that he still uses the same guy. But this was a kid that the moment you saw him pitch you knew he was going to be special. Charlie Manuel was our manager at the time and Charlie gave him a shot in the big leagues and he went out and won 17 games."
Still good friends?
EB: "Oh, yeah. Talk to CC all the time. I went to Vegas a couple days ahead of time [for the winter meetings] and went to the Oscar De La Hoya fight with him. We talked a lot about what he was thinking about doing and where he wanted to play, and I just gave him advice on things."
What did you say?
EB: "At the time, CC really wanted to pitch on the West Coast. He was building a house in Southern California and it would have been so much easier on his wife and kids. That's where his focus was then. But then very quickly he told me he was thinking about pinstripes and that's where I gave him some advice because I've played on both the East Coast and the West Coast."
The advice?
EB: "I just told him that there's a big difference between the two coasts when it comes to things like the intensity of the fans, the intensity of the media, and that you're much more accountable for everything. I told him when you go to New York you've got to know you can handle it. He turned to me and said, 'I think I can handle it.' And I said, 'No, that's not good enough, you've got to know you can handle it before you make a commitment like that.' That's when he turned to me and said, 'I know I can handle it.' And I believe him. He's got thick skin and he's done everything he's ever put his mind to do. He'll be very good there."
Etc.
2. Clay Buchholz, P, Red Sox - There are strong indications that the Sox do not want to deal Buchholz for a catching prospect. This could jeopardize any deal with Texas for Taylor Teagarden or Jarrod Saltalamacchia, though you never know if the Rangers would settle for someone like Daniel Bard. The Sox seem adamant about keeping Buchholz and Justin Masterson, and almost as adamant about Michael Bowden. Suffice to say, it looks as if the Sox might let this play out a bit.
3. Braden Looper, P, free agent - Not offered arbitration by the Cardinals, he's close to signing with the Brewers. Milwaukee has holes to fill with the loss of CC Sabathia and the likely loss of Ben Sheets, so Looper, 12-14 with a 4.16 ERA in 33 starts in 2008, will get a chance to start.
4. Ty Wigginton, INF, free agent - A market is developing for him among four teams - the Reds, Indians, Pirates, and Giants. Cincinnati would like him as a super sub, in the outfield as well.
5. Tampa Bay Rays - Looks as if they'll add Jason Giambi, Milton Bradley, Adam Dunn or Pat Burrell. Seems as if the prices for these guys are dropping rapidly, and the Rays might be able to add a pretty good hitter to replace Cliff Floyd and/or Rocco Baldelli.
6. Derek Lowe, P, free agent - Amazingly quiet. First came the Yankees' decision to go with Burnett over Lowe, and now there seems to be a pause. There's always buzz about the Mets, but now that the Wilpons have been bilked for at least $300 million in the Bernard Madoff scandal, you have to wonder how it will affect the team, even if the Wilpons say it won't. The Phillies still seem like a great fit for Lowe, who is one of the most durable pitchers in the game.
7. Manny Ramirez, OF, free agent - Agent Scott Boras will steer this one, as well. As soon as he gets Mark Teixeira signed, he'll create the next market for Manny. The Yankees, Angels, Nationals, Orioles, and whoever doesn't get Teixeira (except the Red Sox, of course), will be possible destinations.
8. Brian Giles, OF, Padres - We've heard it before, sometimes the best deals are the ones you don't make. Giles turned down the Red Sox, who wanted to trade for him at the deadline. We certainly rode Giles hard for not wanting to play for a winner, and now we find out his former girlfriend filed a lawsuit in San Diego Superior Court Dec. 5, alleging he battered her while she was pregnant and caused her to have a miscarriage. Cheri Olvera charges that Giles began abusing her in 2002.
9. Gabe Kapler, OF, free agent - Kapler indicated he's happy with the interest shown by teams, but he was unwilling to name them. As a righthanded-hitting center fielder coming off a good year, Kapler should be coveted as at least a fourth outfielder. The 33-year-old hit .301 with eight homers and 38 RBIs in 229 at-bats before tearing a shoulder muscle Sept. 10.
10. Jim Edmonds, OF, free agent - It's hard not to love Edmonds's spunk, and the fact he showed he still had something left playing for the Cubs last season (19 homers) after a horrible start with the Cardinals. Could Edmonds be one of those guys the Red Sox bring into spring training and consider as a fourth or fifth outfielder? Don't rule it out.
Nick Cafardo can be reached at cafardo@globe.com.
