RockieBill
01-19-2002, 08:04 AM
Some text By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer
While the Colorado Rockies continued to debate their third-base situation Friday, they moved ahead by submitting proposed salaries for three unsigned players who are eligible for arbitration. And they added infield insurance by signing Tim Bogar.
The Rockies, who never have gone to arbitration, face the possibility this off-season with right-handed pitchers John Thomson and Jose Jimenez and left-handed pitcher Dennys Reyes. Negotiations are continuing with those players.
Bogar, whose deal to play in Japan fell through, signed a minor-league deal. He will be invited to big-league spring training but has agreed to accept an assignment to Class AAA Colorado Springs if he doesn't make the Rockies roster.
Bogar, 35, will give the Rockies an experienced alternative if injuries or inexperience become a problem with shortstop Juan Uribe and second baseman Jose Ortiz.
Bogar, a career .228 hitter, is a nine-year big-league veteran who has played all four infield positions during a career that has been spent with the New York Mets, Houston and Los Angeles.
The debate at third base hinges on Todd Zeile and would be contingent upon the Mets assuming more than $4 million of his $6 million salary in a trade that would send Alex Ochoa to the Mets and also bring outfielder Benny Agbayani to the Rockies.
The Rockies have to decide whether, even at a budget price, Zeile, 35, would be worth the gamble, particularly defensively.
Agbayani would give the Rockies an extra right-handed-hitting, run-producing outfielder.
Arbitration hearings are expected to be scheduled in the first three weeks of February, but assistant general manager Josh Byrnes said efforts to reach a settlement with all three players will continue.
Both sides had to submit arbitration figures Friday. If the case goes to a hearing, the arbitrator must choose between the two proposals with no compromise.
"There's certainly a chance all of them will be settled," Byrnes said. "That's our first option."
Thomson, limited to 14 appearances the past two seasons because of physical and personal problems, was offered $1 million, about triple his $325,000 base salary in 2001 when he went 4-5 with a 4.04 earned-run average in 14 starts. Thomson filed for $1.6 million.
Jimenez, the Rockies' closer the past two seasons, was offered $1.3 million, more than five times the $245,000 he made a year ago. In his first year of arbitration eligibility, Jimenez filed for $2.275 million.
Reyes, who earned $625,000 with Cincinnati last season, was offered $700,000 after going 2-6 with a 4.92 ERA. Reyes, acquired in a trade for left-handed reliever Gabe White this winter, filed for $900,000.
As those discussions continued, O'Dowd took one more serious run at the skip's kid. The Seattle Mariners have reached the inevitable point of trying to trade third baseman David Bell, son of Rockies manager Buddy Bell. David Bell became a proven everyday player without an everyday job last month, when the Mariners acquired third baseman Jeff Cirillo from the Rockies in exchange for pitcher Jose Paniagua, Dennis Stark and Brian Fuentes.
The Rockies have offered a minor-league prospect and cash to the Mariners in exchange for Bell, who hit .260 with 15 home runs last season while playing his home games in the pitcher-friendly surroundings of Safeco Field. While O'Dowd may want David Bell, and Buddy Bell would love to have David Bell, the San Francisco Giants also want David Bell.
While the Colorado Rockies continued to debate their third-base situation Friday, they moved ahead by submitting proposed salaries for three unsigned players who are eligible for arbitration. And they added infield insurance by signing Tim Bogar.
The Rockies, who never have gone to arbitration, face the possibility this off-season with right-handed pitchers John Thomson and Jose Jimenez and left-handed pitcher Dennys Reyes. Negotiations are continuing with those players.
Bogar, whose deal to play in Japan fell through, signed a minor-league deal. He will be invited to big-league spring training but has agreed to accept an assignment to Class AAA Colorado Springs if he doesn't make the Rockies roster.
Bogar, 35, will give the Rockies an experienced alternative if injuries or inexperience become a problem with shortstop Juan Uribe and second baseman Jose Ortiz.
Bogar, a career .228 hitter, is a nine-year big-league veteran who has played all four infield positions during a career that has been spent with the New York Mets, Houston and Los Angeles.
The debate at third base hinges on Todd Zeile and would be contingent upon the Mets assuming more than $4 million of his $6 million salary in a trade that would send Alex Ochoa to the Mets and also bring outfielder Benny Agbayani to the Rockies.
The Rockies have to decide whether, even at a budget price, Zeile, 35, would be worth the gamble, particularly defensively.
Agbayani would give the Rockies an extra right-handed-hitting, run-producing outfielder.
Arbitration hearings are expected to be scheduled in the first three weeks of February, but assistant general manager Josh Byrnes said efforts to reach a settlement with all three players will continue.
Both sides had to submit arbitration figures Friday. If the case goes to a hearing, the arbitrator must choose between the two proposals with no compromise.
"There's certainly a chance all of them will be settled," Byrnes said. "That's our first option."
Thomson, limited to 14 appearances the past two seasons because of physical and personal problems, was offered $1 million, about triple his $325,000 base salary in 2001 when he went 4-5 with a 4.04 earned-run average in 14 starts. Thomson filed for $1.6 million.
Jimenez, the Rockies' closer the past two seasons, was offered $1.3 million, more than five times the $245,000 he made a year ago. In his first year of arbitration eligibility, Jimenez filed for $2.275 million.
Reyes, who earned $625,000 with Cincinnati last season, was offered $700,000 after going 2-6 with a 4.92 ERA. Reyes, acquired in a trade for left-handed reliever Gabe White this winter, filed for $900,000.
As those discussions continued, O'Dowd took one more serious run at the skip's kid. The Seattle Mariners have reached the inevitable point of trying to trade third baseman David Bell, son of Rockies manager Buddy Bell. David Bell became a proven everyday player without an everyday job last month, when the Mariners acquired third baseman Jeff Cirillo from the Rockies in exchange for pitcher Jose Paniagua, Dennis Stark and Brian Fuentes.
The Rockies have offered a minor-league prospect and cash to the Mariners in exchange for Bell, who hit .260 with 15 home runs last season while playing his home games in the pitcher-friendly surroundings of Safeco Field. While O'Dowd may want David Bell, and Buddy Bell would love to have David Bell, the San Francisco Giants also want David Bell.