From the Palm Beach Post’s Joe Capozzi.
Slugging right fielder Gary Sheffield would return to the Marlins in a proposed deal that would send right-hander A.J. Burnett and right fielder Juan Encarnacion to the New York Yankees, according to a National League source.
An American League source confirmed that the Yankees are interested in Burnett and Encarnacion and have talked to the Marlins about them. But that source also said connecting Sheffield to the discussions “might be premature.”
Burnett, who was sought by the Yankees in December, also has attracted interest this week from the Baltimore Orioles.
Burnett is a free agent after the season and is not expected to re-sign. But if the Marlins remain in contention, they might be content to keep Burnett all year and then lose him to free agency, as the team did with Carl Pavano last season, in exchange for a first-round draft pick.
The Marlin probably will have a surplus of starters soon. Right-hander Josh Beckett is expected to be activated from the disabled list today, injured right-hander Ismael Valdez is due back after the All-Star break and rookie left-hander Scott Olsen has been impressive.
Lovers of free expression and godly behavior alike will be thrilled to know that the Post is now publishing Todd Jones’ blog.
Todd Jones’ beard thing really bothers me. Not because I don’t like facial hair, but because it reminds me of when frat boys all of a sudden started sporting earings (you know, to make themselves look ‘cool’ despite the inherent impossibility.) Jones is going for some kind of bad-boy thing that just isn’t happening. He looks way too much like John C. Reilly (who, himself, was not very convincing as a cop in Magnolia). But Rod Beck, now there’s a guy who can pull off intimidating facial hair.
The hair on Beck’s head is far scarier than his beard. But either way, Jonesy deserves props for being the majors’ most prominent bear, even if narrow minds make it hard for him to come right out and say so.
he looks like he should be driving a beer truck.