Archive for May, 2007

Report: Yanks may void Giambi’s contract

Sunday, May 20th, 2007

According to a report in the New York Daily News, Giambi’s admission in Friday’s USA Today could lead to the Yankees trying again to void his contract if it is ultimately determined that he used illegal drugs after signing him to the deal.

The commissioner’s office is investigating Giambi’s comments and is expected to summon him to a meeting to discuss them. According to the Daily News, the outcome of that meeting will determine in part how the Yankees proceed.

Giambi told USA Today “what we should have done a long time ago was stand up — players, owners, everybody — and said: ‘We made a mistake.’ We should have apologized back then and made sure we had a rule in place and gone forward. … Steroids and all of that was a part of history. But it was a topic that everybody wanted to avoid. Nobody wanted to talk about it.”

The Yankees had considered ending Giambi’s deal after that report surfaced in late 2004. The first baseman/DH’s salary is $21 million for this season and 2008, and the Yanks hold an $22 million option for 2009 with a $5 million buyout clause.

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Clemens signs with Yankees

Monday, May 7th, 2007

Clemens signed a $28 million, one-year contract that will start when he is added to the major league roster for his first start, most likely in three to four weeks. Clemens will earn about $18.5 million under the deal, which will cost the Yankees approximately $7.4 million in additional luxury tax, meaning they are investing about $26 million in a seven-time Cy Young Award winner who will turn 45 in August.

Clemens helped the Yankees win World Series titles in 1998 and 1999.

Clemens had limited his field to the Yankees, Astros and Boston Red Sox, his original team. But when Clemens’ agent, Randy Hendricks, spoke to the Astros and Red Sox in recent days, they said they’d prefer he join up with them in late June or early July. The Yankees, according to Hendricks, said: “We’d like you yesterday.”

Clemens is eighth on the career wins list with 348 and second in strikeouts with 4,604. He was 7-6 with a 2.30 ERA last season for Houston.

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Langerhans Traded Again

Friday, May 4th, 2007

Acquired in a trade with the Braves on Monday, Ryan Langerhans unpacked his bags at Fenway Park on Tuesday and introduced himself to his new teammates. After going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and making an error in center field during Oakland’s two-game split with the Red Sox, Langerhans packed his bags and said goodbye. After a 6-4 loss to Boston on Wednesday, the A’s sent Langerhans to the Washington Nationals in exchange for fellow outfielder Chris Snelling.

“You’ve just gotta laugh,” Langerhans said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Then, with a resigned smile, he added, “I’ve enjoyed my time here.”

Snelling, 25, was batting .204 with a home run and seven RBIs in 24 games with Washington. He made 20 appearances in left field, including 10 starts, and hit .263 over his first 12 games before going 3-for 23 (.130) over his last 12 games.

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Braves trade Langerhans to Athletics

Tuesday, May 1st, 2007

Ryan Langerhans was traded to the Oakland A’s for a player to be named later or cash considerations. Langerhans, who hit .068 in 44 at-bats this season, had been platooning in left field with right-handed-hitting Matt Diaz. Harris, 28, also hits left-handed, but manager Bobby Cox said he hasn’t decided how he will use his new player.

The good news for Langerhans, 27, is that it appears he will get a chance to play center field on a regular basis, as the A’s lost Mark Kotsay in Spring Training to a back injury, and have been rotating players in and out of that position.

Atlanta also purchased the contract of infielder/outfielder Willie Harris from Triple-A Richmond, where he was hitting .362 with 16 runs scored. He will join the Braves on Monday, when they begin a series against Philadelphia in Turner Field.

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