Glavine stays put; Bonds’ future in doubt
Tom Glavine returned to the New York Mets and Ray Durham stayed with the San Francisco Giants on Friday as teams started preparing for next week’s winter meetings.
Clubs had to make decisions by midnight on whether to offer salary arbitration to their former players who became free agents. Oakland offered arbitration to Barry Zito, the top available starting pitcher on the market, but San Francisco declined arbitration with Barry Bonds.
In the past, the deadline was Dec. 7 and players not offered arbitration couldn’t re-sign with their former teams until May 1. But under baseball’s new labor contract, agreed to during the World Series, the deadline lost much of its importance.
Now, free agents can return to their former teams at any time. By not offering arbitration, all a club loses is the right to receive amateur draft picks if it loses a highly ranked player to another team. Free agents who were offered arbitration have until Dec. 7 to accept.
Houston declined to offer arbitration to all five of its former players who are free agents, a group that includes Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte.
Among the free agents who did receive arbitration offers were starting pitchers Jason Schmidt (San Francisco) and Vicente Padilla (Texas); relievers Keith Foulke (Boston), Ron Villone (New York Yankees) and Guillermo Mota and Roberto Hernandez (New York Mets); and infielders Julio Lugo (Los Angeles Dodgers) and Tony Graffanino (Milwaukee).
Also, free-agent utility infielder Geoff Blum and the San Diego Padres agreed to a $900,000, one-year contract. Left fielder Scott Podsednik agreed to a $2.9 million, one-year contract with the Chicago White Sox that avoided arbitration. Hernandez was close to an agreement with Cleveland.
Glavine agreed to a $10.5 million, one-year contract with New York and opted against a possible return to the Atlanta Braves. Now the Mets can relax as they talk to Zito and discuss possible trades this off-season.
“With Tommy now on board, I think we still will look at ways to improve the starting rotation,” general manager Omar Minaya said.
Steroid probe lacks power
Former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell said his probe into steroid use in baseball has been delayed because he lacks power to order testimony.
Mitchell was hired by commissioner Bud Selig last March following more than a year of allegations against Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and other stars. No timetable was set for Mitchell’s report.
“When I began, I was, of course, aware that I do not have the power to compel testimony or the production of documents,” Mitchell said in a statement.
Selig sets retirement date
Bud Selig said he plans to retire as baseball commissioner in three years – and he really means it this time.
“My contract is going to be over. I’m going to be 75 years of age. I want to teach – I’ve already had some great offers – and want to write a book,” Selig said.
Selig has repeatedly said in the last two years that he intends for this to be his final term as commissioner. Still, many owners think he can be persuaded to change his mind.
“There’s no story here,” Selig said.
Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, a close friend, thinks Selig is serious about leaving after this term.
“He has been saying this since his last extension,” Reinsdorf said. “I don’t doubt that he means it now. I don’t know if he can be persuaded to reconsider.”
In April 2003, Selig said he would leave at the end of 2006.
“I think that will be enough. There’s no question, because there are other things I really would like to do,” he said then.
In August 2004, he accepted an extension through 2009.
Around the league
The Seattle Mariners released right-hander Jorge Campillo, who was designated for assignment on Nov. 20. Campillo pitched one game for Seattle last season… Former major league manager Buck Showalter joined the Cleveland Indians as a senior adviser. … Former major leaguer Rick Renteria has been named manager of the Portland Beavers, the Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres.