Thursday, December 13, 2001
Red Sox find a taker for Everett in Texas
Baseball notebook
The Associated Press
BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox finally managed to unload erratic outfielder Carl Everett, trading him to the Texas Rangers for left-hander Darren Oliver early Thursday morning.
“I'm just disappointed it didn't work out. Disappointed for Carl and disappointed for the team,” Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette said at the winter meetings after the deal was announced at about 1:15 a.m. “Now he gets a fresh start and we get a fresh start for our ballclub.”
Everett was an All-Star his first season in Boston, hitting .300 with 34 homers and 108 RBIs in 2000. But he clashed with two Boston managers this year and struggled on the field, batting .257 with 14 homers and 58 RBIs before his season ended Sept. 8 because of a knee injury.
Boston — Everett's fifth organization — has been trying to dump him all offseason, a task that was more difficult because he is still owed $17.15 million over the next two seasons.
“We're certainly not blind,” Rangers general manager John Hart said. “It's well-documented the problems Carl has had in Boston. At the same time, we recognize the opportunity a new fresh start in Texas will provide to Carl.”
Everett adds another bat to a team that was third in the league in hitting with a .275 average but last in pitching with a 5.71 ERA. Last year, the Rangers paid $252 million for shortstop Alex Rodriguez and finished last in the AL West.
“We talked to some of our senior players, some of our leaders. To a man, they were extremely supportive,” Hart said. “Our players want to win. It's not often that you're able to add potentially 30 homers and 30 doubles and good defense.”
The 31-year-old Oliver went 11-11 last season with a 6.02 ERA in 28 starts and was extremely hittable, allowing 260 baserunners in 189 innings.
Hart declined to comment on whether any money changed hands as part of the deal. Oliver has one year and $5 million remaining on a $19 million, three-year contract.
But the Red Sox are glad to have him instead of Everett, who has shown a volcanic temper and an ability to alienate fans and his teammates alike.
Last year, he exploded in anger at umpire Ron Kulpa, who asked Everett to move his foot in the batter's box. Everett head-butted Kulpa and had to be restrained by teammates and coaches; when he reached the dugout, he knocked over a water cooler and threw a bat.
When Everett returned from his 10-game suspension, he yelled at manager Jimy Williams and said, in earshot of his surprised teammates, “I never liked him, anyway.” Later that year, he argued with teammate Darren Lewis and the two had to be separated by coaches.
The discord was contagious; when Duquette failed to back Williams in the dispute it helped widen the rift between the two. During this past season, after Williams was replaced by Joe Kerrigan and Everett lashed out at him, too, Duquette said the behavior was unacceptable.
But by that time, the only solution was to ship Everett out of town.
“We expressed our interest and concerns to Carl, and when he didn't respond to those interests we thought it was best for Carl to trade him to another market,” Duquette said. “It just didn't work out.”
SANTO LOSES FOOT
Cubs broadcaster and former All-Star third baseman Ron Santo had his right foot amputated Wednesday because of problems caused by diabetes.
“I spoke to him on the phone and he sounded great,” said Mary June Rose, program director for Chicago-based WGN Radio. “He was in good spirits and very alert and positive.”
The amputation was the first of two surgical procedures scheduled for Santo, 61. He is expected to have his right leg amputated below the knee Monday.
Santo, a diabetic since the age of 18, has undergone nine operations in 10 weeks with hopes of correcting a circulatory problem. Doctors determined last week that previous treatments had not been successful, leaving him with only one option.
“The last thing you want to do is lose your leg,” Santo said Tuesday on WGN Radio. “But you have to do what you have to do. It's very difficult, but I know I'm going to get through this. All I want to do is walk again, play with my grandson, broadcast the Cubs and enjoy my life.”
Santo is a nine-time National League All-Star third baseman and has been a Cubs radio analyst since 1990.
YANKEES:
Jason Giambi is finally ready to join the New York Yankees officially.
After days of anticipation, New York planned a news conference today at Yankee Stadium to announce a seven-year contract with Giambi worth about $120 million, a baseball official and a lawyer familiar with the talks said on the condition they not be identified.
New York also reached a preliminary agreement on a $10 million, two-year contract with outfielder Rondell White and closed in on a two-year deal for about $12 million with pitcher Sterling Hitchcock.
MARINERS:
Seattle re-signed Norm Charlton to a $1.25 million, one-year contract Wednesday, keeping together the bullpen that helped the Mariners win an AL-record 116 games last season. Charlton, who was a free agent, went 4-2 with one save and a 3.02 ERA last season.
DIAMONDBACKS:
The World Series champions signed free agent outfielder Jose Guillen on Wednesday to a one-year deal worth $500,000.
Guillen, 25, batted .274 with three homers and 11 RBI in 41 games with Tampa Bay last season, when he was hampered by a sprained knee. He also spent time with Triple-A Durham in 2001.
CONTRACTION:
Talks dragged on for a third straight day Wednesday as lawyers for baseball players and owners tried to put a deal in writing that would ensure no teams are eliminated for next season.
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Red Sox find a taker for Everett in Texas
