M’S Nix Yankees’ Offer For Johnson
Major League Baseball
The Seattle Mariners have turned down a New York Yankees offer to trade reliever Mariano Rivera for Randy Johnson, the Seattle Times reported Monday.
Mariners general manager Woody Woodward did not specifically confirm the trade offer, but told the newspaper: “We need a starting pitcher back in any deal for Randy. If we don’t get one, if we don’t get what we are looking for, then we are fully prepared to go into the season with Randy on our team.”
The Mariners announced last week that they would not extend Johnson’s contract after the 1998 season.
The newspaper said the Mariners were concerned about Rivera, saying there were suspicions he had shoulder trouble late last season, when he saved 43 games.
The Times said three clubs have made trade offers to the Mariners for Johnson.
Toronto offered starting pitcher Juan Guzman and outfielder Shawn Green for Johnson, the newspaper said.
The New York Mets are also interested. They’ve offered some combination of starting pitchers Bobby Jones, Dave Mlicki and Rick Reed along with outfielder Carl Everett.
Martinez headed for Boston?
N.L. Cy Young winner Pedro Martinez of Montreal is close to being traded to the Boston Red Sox, but there’s a catch - no deal can be announced until the end of the expansion draft today.
The Red Sox reportedly will send pitching prospect Carl Pavano to Montreal as part of a three-player package.
The Boston Herald reported that a trade agreement was in place, and ESPN later said the same thing.
The Boston Globe, however, said the Red Sox were about to send Pavano and two minor leaguers to the Florida Marlins for reliever Robb Nen.
Braves sign Weiss
Atlanta signed shortstop Walt Weiss to a $9 million, three-year contract in a deal that signals the end of Jeff Blauser’s tenure as the Braves’ starting shortstop.
Weiss, who will be 34 on Nov. 28, spent the last four seasons with Colorado. He hit .270 with four homers and 38 RBIs in 121 games in 1997 and completed a $4.35 million, two-year contract, declining to exercise a $1.5 million player option.
Weiss was the American League’s rookie of the year in 1988.
“We are pleased to add a player of Weiss’ caliber to our roster,” Braves general manager John Schuerholz said. “It was essential that we solidify this position on our team for the next several years.”
Expansion draft is here
The 1997 Major League Baseball expansion draft for the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays will begin at 1 p.m. PST at the Phoenix Civic Plaza.
“We’re going to get some players,” said Tampa Bay manager Larry Rothschild. “We’ve had people who’ve been working at this two years, and they’re finally going to see the fruits of their labor. When the time comes to call out the names, there’s naturally going to be a lot of excitement.”
While the Devil Rays are keeping their No. 1 choice a secret, much of the predraft speculation has focused on Brian Anderson, a pitcher from Cleveland.
Myers, Orioles close to deal
The Baltimore Orioles are making progress in contract talks with free-agent relief pitcher Randy Myers and could re-sign him by the end of the week, according to the Washington Post.
The 35-year-old left-hander was 2-3 with a 1.51 earned-run average and a major league-leading 45 saves in 61 games with Baltimore this season.
Clearing the bases
Florida Marlins outfielder Bobby Bonilla underwent successful surgery on his left Achilles tendon and will be back at full strength in six weeks, the team said… . Russ Meyer, who pitched in three World Series in the 1950s, died of congestive heart failure at the age of 74.