Scared by the prospect of employing a backstop platoon of Doug Mirabelli (.181) and Kent “I Heart” Huckaby, the Red Sox are hoping to obtain the disgruntled Javier Lopez on waivers, writes the Providence Journal’s Sean McAdam.
The Sox spoke to the Orioles yesterday, who confirmed that they would be willing to move Lopez (above), on the final year of a multi-year deal. Lopez is scheduled to make $8.5 million this year but has lost playing time to Ramon Hernandez and has asked to be dealt.
Lopez, who can become a free agent after this season, was disappointed that he wasn’t traded before Monday’s non-waiver trade deadline. According to a source, Lopez, like many players in the game, was placed on waivers Monday and is expected to clear this afternoon.
The Orioles aren’t expected to ask for much in return for the 36-year-old Lopez. The catcher has approximately $2.7 million left on his 2006 salary, though the Orioles have indicated a willingness to absorb at least some of the remaining money in order to facilitate a deal. The more money the Red Sox pay, the less they’ll have to surrender in terms of a prospect.
Never considered a top-flight receiver, Lopez still throws relatively well. Over the last two seasons, he has also seen action at first base and DH and would give the Sox another option at first base behind Kevin Youkilis. Currently, second baseman Mark Loretta is the team’s primary backup at first.
Days after Atlanta shipped Wilson Betitmet to L.A. for the not-quite-light’s-out Danys Baez, the Macon Journal’s Michael A. Lough is still struggling to fathom what John Schuerholz was thinking.
We all need a little help figuring out the logic behind the hopes of a short-term burst to make the playoffs this year while unloading a guy who would’ve been part of long-term success.
Haven’t we wondered when Betemit would get his chance to play every day? There’s certainly enough anti-Chipper Jones folks out there hoping the call to third base for Betemit came sooner rather than later. After all, Betemit played everywhere on the dirt except first.
Jones has battled injuries more and more as he ages, and Edgar Renteria turns 31 next week, three years younger than Jones. Second baseman Marcus Giles is struggling as the club’s lead-off man and has been banged up more lately.
Betemit’s steady, he’s a clubhouse guy, and he always had Braves on the brain. Atlanta usually doesn’t trade that kind of player.
The Braves better beware. There’s already a team in Atlanta that sends young talent elsewhere and watches it thrive and help the new team do better than the old one. And one doesn’t exactly aspire to be like the Hawks.