Posted: Friday April 05, 2002 12:50 PM
Updated: Friday April 05, 2002 5:27 PM
Kenny Lofton is off to a fast start with three hits, two walks, two runs and two RBIs in his first three games with the White Sox. AP
By Jacob Luft, CNNSI.com
Not everybody can be a glitzy offseason acquisition. While the Jason Giambis and Chan Ho Parks grab the headlines, lesser names often are taken for granted.
Established veterans are routinely let go at bargain-basement prices for various reasons -- They had an off year ... they have a big salary ... they rip the organization in the local newspaper ... they get old ... their acts get tired, etc.
But as a few lucky teams are finding out early this season, one team's lump of coal can become another club's diamond.
After last season, the Yankees would have done anything to get rid of David Justice and his $7 million salary, even if it meant trading him to the Mets for Robin Ventura and his $8.5 million salary. The move has paid off: Ventura, who hit .237 in 2001, homered for the game-winning runs in the Yankees' first two victories of the season.
Justice, a .241 hitter last season, is now with the A's, where he is hitting 7-for-15 with two home runs and seven RBIs.
David Wells' career ERA in 63 career games with the Yankees. His ERA with other teams is 4.13.
"The guy makes a ton of money, that doesn't necessarily mean he's smart. He should look at the scoreboard and realize I'm not trying to hit him."
-- Oakland pitcher Cory Lidle, who twice plunked Rangers shortstop Alex Rodriguez on Thursday.
The Reds once said they wouldn't trade Pokey Reese for anybody, even Ken Griffey Jr. Well, in the offseason he was a part of three different clubs -- the Reds, Rockies, and Red Sox -- before ending up with Pittsburgh, where he has solidified an awful infield and swung a decent bat.
Longtime Indians star Kenny Lofton didn't attract much interest in the free-agent market, eventually signing a one-year deal for $1.25 million with the White Sox. In his first three games, Lofton has scored three runs and stolen two bases.
Rockies third baseman Todd Zeile, another Mets castoff, hit only 10 home runs last year but looks poised to at least double that total after having offseason elbow surgery. Then there's David Wells, who only won five games last year for the White Sox. In his first start back with the Yanks, Wells threw 7 1/3 shutout innings to beat the Orioles 1-0.
The ultimate souvenir
How much would you pay for an authentic piece of (used) Bazooka chewing gum from Diamondbacks slugger Luis Gonzalez?
If you are willing to part with hundreds of dollars for said item, then hurry up and click over to www.nocontraction.com and place a bid (then head straight to a shrink to have your head examined).
The Web site is auctioning off Gonzo's used gum from a spring training game. The gum, which was supposedly found near first base at Tucson Electric Park by a security guard, is in a lucite case and comes with a certificate of authenticity.
The Web site promises that all proceeds will benefit athletics at Lakeview High School in southwestern Minnesota, so at least this is not a case of somebody trying to make a quick buck. The latest bid as of Thursday night is $500 and climbing.
Marlins GM Larry Beinfest was feeling pretty smart last week when he moved closer Antonio Alfonseca to the Cubs in massive salary dump disguised as a trade.
Not only did Florida clear a projected $12 million off the books, it also passed along the chronic headache known as Matt Clement to Chicago along with Alfonseca. It mattered little to Beinfest that he was only getting the enigmatic Julian Tavarez and some mediocre minor leaguers in return. The trade was a win-win all the way ... until the season started.
Without Alfonseca, the Marlins bullpen blew a 6-1 lead in the opener and lost 7-6, then nearly blew another 6-1 lead on Wednesday before hanging on for a 6-5 victory. Marlins relievers have allowed eight earned runs in 2 2/3 innings, which might by why Brad Penny was motivated enough to toss a four-hit shutout against the Expos on Thursday.
Third time's the charm Gary Sheffield, Derrek Lee and Lance Berkman can make a claim Barry Bonds cannot -- they have homered in each of their team's three games this season. (Four Red Sox also homered in their only official game.)
Break 'em up
The Devil Rays are the seventh team to start 3-0 after losing at least 100 games the previous season. They are three games above .500 for the first time since April 24, 1999, 19 games into their second season. This is the latest in a season Tampa Bay has been in first place, but it probably won't last long with three games in the Bronx this weekend.
Welcome to the club Mo Vaughn hit his 300th home run Wednesday, making him the second current Met to have reached the milestone (Mike Piazza, 314). Two other teams have a pair of 300-homer guys -- the Cubs with Sammy Sosa (451) and Fred McGriff (448) and the Rangers with Rafael Palmeiro (447) and Juan Gonzalez (397).
Doh-nuts
This Padres have been shut out in the first two games of a season twice -- in 1974, when the Los Angeles Dodgers won 8-0 and 8-0 at Dodger Stadium, and this season against the Diamondbacks.
Rodriguez
Major leaguers exceeded $2 billion in salary for the first time this year, but evidence shows the majority of the money is going to a shrinking group of players. The number of millionaires dropped from 425 to 413, and the median salary -- the point at which an equal number of players are above and below -- fell to $900,000 from $975,000. ... Twenty-five major leaguers will make eight-figure salaries this season, led by Alex Rodriguez's $22 million. That includes retired Oriole Albert Belle at $12,368,790, the majority of which is covered by insurance. ... Vice President Dick Cheney will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Rangers home opener Friday. What, he wasn't welcome at The Stadium Formerly Known as Enron Field? ... The Dodgers' offense might be worse than expected. L.A. managed a total of two runs and 12 hits in being swept three straight by the Giants. ... Why are the Devil Rays 3-0? One reason is the play of shortstop Chris Gomez, who has been a hitting machine since arriving from the Padres. He hit .302 with eight home runs in 189 at-bats with Tampa Bay last season and is hitting .366 (4-for-11) with a home run in 2002. Gomez has never hit higher than .267 in a full season. ... There is hope for the Red Sox and ailing ace Pedro Martinez, and it mainly comes from the schedule: 25 of their next 29 games are against teams that finished last year with losing records. ... The Rangers dropped three of four to the A's, thanks largely to reliever Dan Miceli, who was on the mound when the A's scored the winning runs Tuesday and Wednesday. ... MLB brass vehemently denied the Forbes report that the sport made $75 million last season instead of the $232 million it claimed in losses. Apparently some of the discrepancy can be traced to minor league operations. MLB claims it does not profit from the minors, but Forbes says that is simply not true.
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Marlins GM Larry Beinfest was feeling pretty smart last week when he moved closer 
