GaryMrMets
07-08-2002, 01:09 AM
http://espn.go.com/mlb/news/2002/0707/1402995.html
Sunday, July 7
Proposed deal in place, but MLB roadblock remains
ESPN.com news services
MONTREAL -- The Montreal Expos, rumored to be in their final season of play, are apparently trying to make the most of it. The question remains, however, will Major League Baseball let them?
Baseball officials with knowledge of the situation have told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark that the Expos and Marlins have agreed on the principal players to be swapped in a potential deal that would send outfielder Cliff Floyd and pitcher Ryan Dempster to Montreal.
The deal is not done and won't become official until it is approved by Major League Baseball, which currently owns and operates the Expos. As of late Sunday night, the two sides were still searching for ways to match up the payroll money, because the Expos would be taking on about $5 million in the deal as currently structured.
In exchange for Floyd and Dempster, the Marlins would receive right-hander Masato Yoshii and left-hander Graeme Lloyd and prospect package headed by pitcher Josh Karp, who was Montreal's No. 1 pick in 2001 and was on the U.S. team in Sunday's Futures game as part of All-Star week.
"There are a lot of rumors flying around,'' Karp said. "It's a crazy situation, seeing a lot of guys in the organization being traded.''
The Expos need approval from Major League Baseball to raise their payroll. Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria sold the Expos to the other 29 teams in February after the contraction plan fell through.
There has been no comment on whether MLB has vetoed the trade. But commissioner Bud Selig, who ultimately would have to OK this transaction, has reportedly been telling people the Expos are not allowed to add to their payroll in any significant way.
One source said he thinks now that despite all this talk, the deal "might not happen." Clearly, if MLB was willing to approve the trade as it was last structured, it would have been done already, since they have already agreed on the players.
Baseball officials sitting in the scouts and general managers section of the Futures game at Milwaukee's Miller Park said Expos GM Omar Minaya and Marlins GM Larry Beinfest talked by cell phone during much of the game.
"They picked up the phone at the same time. They hung up the phone at the same time," said one observer. "I think it's pretty easy to read into that what they were talking about."
If the deal is finally completed, it would come on the heels of last month's acquisition of pitcher Bartolo Colon from Cleveland.
The Expos also were discussing a deal that would bring them Orlando Hernandez from the New York Yankees.
Floyd, who began his career with the Expos and recently said he'd welcome a trade back to Montreal, was hitting .289 with 18 home runs and 57 RBI going into Sunday.
Dempster, a Canadian native, was 5-8 with a 4.79 ERA in 18 starts.
Hernandez, expendable following the Yankees' deal for Detroit pitcher Jeff Weaver during the weekend, is 5-2 with 2.89 ERA. El Duque, who has been bothered by a bad back this season, has been one of baseball's best postseason pitchers ever.
Montreal had scouts watch Hernandez on Friday, when he made his first start in nearly two months and pitched six shutout innings against Toronto.
While the Yankees and Expos were talking, they weren't close to a deal, two baseball officials with knowledge of those talks said Sunday.
Saturday, Floyd just wanted the deal to be over.
"I'm just tired of it," Floyd told The Miami Herald. "I just hope it's over quick."
The Expos entered Sunday's action nine games behind Atlanta in the NL East, but 5½-games behind Arizona for the wild card.
"(The Expos) are a good team. ... They are getting better," said Floyd, who prefers not to play on artificial turf because of past knee problems. "Things aren't what you would like to see in terms of revenue and fans, but you're talking about my knees, something that can shorten my career."
Floyd's contract states he can block trades to six teams, but Montreal is not one of them. Floyd reportedly took the Expos off the no-trade list last offseason, never considering the Expos to be in the playoff hunt this season. The Expos might not be done. ESPN's Peter Gammons reports that pitcher Brad Penny is very much available. Other "names" being mentioned: All-Star second baseman Luis Castillo, first baseman Derrek Lee, outfielders Preston Wilson and Eric Owens, catcher Charles Johnson, reliever Vic Darensbourg and right-hander Julian Tavarez.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Dempsterhttp://espn.go.com/i/mlb/profiles/players/6006.jpg
Floyd http://espn.go.com/i/mlb/profiles/players/5177.jpg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oh, how I would like to see the Mets somehow get outfielder Preston Wilson and catcher Charles Johnson from the Marlins.
Sunday, July 7
Proposed deal in place, but MLB roadblock remains
ESPN.com news services
MONTREAL -- The Montreal Expos, rumored to be in their final season of play, are apparently trying to make the most of it. The question remains, however, will Major League Baseball let them?
Baseball officials with knowledge of the situation have told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark that the Expos and Marlins have agreed on the principal players to be swapped in a potential deal that would send outfielder Cliff Floyd and pitcher Ryan Dempster to Montreal.
The deal is not done and won't become official until it is approved by Major League Baseball, which currently owns and operates the Expos. As of late Sunday night, the two sides were still searching for ways to match up the payroll money, because the Expos would be taking on about $5 million in the deal as currently structured.
In exchange for Floyd and Dempster, the Marlins would receive right-hander Masato Yoshii and left-hander Graeme Lloyd and prospect package headed by pitcher Josh Karp, who was Montreal's No. 1 pick in 2001 and was on the U.S. team in Sunday's Futures game as part of All-Star week.
"There are a lot of rumors flying around,'' Karp said. "It's a crazy situation, seeing a lot of guys in the organization being traded.''
The Expos need approval from Major League Baseball to raise their payroll. Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria sold the Expos to the other 29 teams in February after the contraction plan fell through.
There has been no comment on whether MLB has vetoed the trade. But commissioner Bud Selig, who ultimately would have to OK this transaction, has reportedly been telling people the Expos are not allowed to add to their payroll in any significant way.
One source said he thinks now that despite all this talk, the deal "might not happen." Clearly, if MLB was willing to approve the trade as it was last structured, it would have been done already, since they have already agreed on the players.
Baseball officials sitting in the scouts and general managers section of the Futures game at Milwaukee's Miller Park said Expos GM Omar Minaya and Marlins GM Larry Beinfest talked by cell phone during much of the game.
"They picked up the phone at the same time. They hung up the phone at the same time," said one observer. "I think it's pretty easy to read into that what they were talking about."
If the deal is finally completed, it would come on the heels of last month's acquisition of pitcher Bartolo Colon from Cleveland.
The Expos also were discussing a deal that would bring them Orlando Hernandez from the New York Yankees.
Floyd, who began his career with the Expos and recently said he'd welcome a trade back to Montreal, was hitting .289 with 18 home runs and 57 RBI going into Sunday.
Dempster, a Canadian native, was 5-8 with a 4.79 ERA in 18 starts.
Hernandez, expendable following the Yankees' deal for Detroit pitcher Jeff Weaver during the weekend, is 5-2 with 2.89 ERA. El Duque, who has been bothered by a bad back this season, has been one of baseball's best postseason pitchers ever.
Montreal had scouts watch Hernandez on Friday, when he made his first start in nearly two months and pitched six shutout innings against Toronto.
While the Yankees and Expos were talking, they weren't close to a deal, two baseball officials with knowledge of those talks said Sunday.
Saturday, Floyd just wanted the deal to be over.
"I'm just tired of it," Floyd told The Miami Herald. "I just hope it's over quick."
The Expos entered Sunday's action nine games behind Atlanta in the NL East, but 5½-games behind Arizona for the wild card.
"(The Expos) are a good team. ... They are getting better," said Floyd, who prefers not to play on artificial turf because of past knee problems. "Things aren't what you would like to see in terms of revenue and fans, but you're talking about my knees, something that can shorten my career."
Floyd's contract states he can block trades to six teams, but Montreal is not one of them. Floyd reportedly took the Expos off the no-trade list last offseason, never considering the Expos to be in the playoff hunt this season. The Expos might not be done. ESPN's Peter Gammons reports that pitcher Brad Penny is very much available. Other "names" being mentioned: All-Star second baseman Luis Castillo, first baseman Derrek Lee, outfielders Preston Wilson and Eric Owens, catcher Charles Johnson, reliever Vic Darensbourg and right-hander Julian Tavarez.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Dempsterhttp://espn.go.com/i/mlb/profiles/players/6006.jpg
Floyd http://espn.go.com/i/mlb/profiles/players/5177.jpg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oh, how I would like to see the Mets somehow get outfielder Preston Wilson and catcher Charles Johnson from the Marlins.