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| Friday, June 23 | ||||||||||
| Yankees step up pursuit of two Astros | ||||||||||
| BOSTON -- While Jose Vizcaino joined the Yankees on
Wednesday, the team stepped up its pursuit of two players whose
names hadn't been at the top of New York's wish list: Moises Alou
and Jose Lima.
However, an Astros source said Wednesday night that Lima is not on the trading block and that, although the club will listen to offers for Alou, he has a no-trade clause and would have to approve a deal. To land Alou, a power-hitting outfielder, and Lima, a pitcher who has slumped badly this season, the Yankees probably would have to part with outfielder Ricky Ledee, top infielder Alfonso Soriano and a top minor league pitching prospect, one of the Yankees officials said. "It's the first time in my career that my name has been mentioned in trade rumors during the season," Alou said before the Astros played the Dodgers. "But rumors are just rumors. Usually, I am asked if I'd agree to go to this place or that place, and that hasn't happened here. I have a no-trade agreement. If I don't want to go anywhere, I won't." Alou is hitting .312 with 10 homers and 27 RBI. Lima is 1-10 with a 7.07 ERA but has pitched well in his last two starts. Following three NL Central titles, the Astros have been a major disappointment, and at 25-44, began the night with the worst record in the majors. "My sister called me from the Dominican and said she heard it on the radio," Lima said. "I guess I'd say I'm shocked. I hope it doesn't happen. I have my family here and a home here. But if it does, then I am a baseball player and I will do my job." While a deal wasn't imminent, talks with Houston had heated up, both Yankees officials said. After losing four straight games to the Chicago White Sox over the weekend, there was speculation New York was getting closer to a trade. Chicago Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa, Detroit outfielder Juan Gonzalez and San Francisco outfielder Ellis Burks have been the top focuses. "I don't know what you're talking about," Yankees manager Joe Torre told reporters when asked about trade talks before Wednesday's game against the Boston Red Sox. "If we play the way we have the last couple of days, I think we'll be fine." The Yankees won the first two games of the four-game series with Boston 22-1 and 3-0, beating Pedro Martinez on Tuesday night. Torre also declined to comment on a report that Philadelphia pitcher Curt Schilling said he'd like to play for the Yankees. "That's another one of those guys I'm not talking about because he's not here," Torre said.The hot topic in the last week has been Sosa. The New York Times reported Wednesday that Cubs officials told the Yankees two weeks ago that they would need a significant package in return for Sosa, one of the game's most popular players. The Cubs have been scouting the Yankees' entire organization for about two weeks, and Yankees officials have been concerned, as they wait to hear from the Cubs, that the asking price will be exorbitant. The Yankees would have to surrender Soriano in a Sosa deal and would probably include prospects like Randy Keisler, a minor league pitcher, as well as right-hander Jake Westbrook and Ledee. For now, New York's only addition is Vizcaino. The versatile infielder, obtained late Tuesday from the Los Angeles Dodgers for Jim Leyritz, showed up with a smile in his new team's clubhouse about two hours before the game. He shook hands with coach Willie Randolph, who he knew from Los Angeles, and manager Joe Torre, before putting on his new uniform. "It's a privilege to be wearing the uniform of a great organization," Vizcaino said. "When you sign as a professional, that's your goal, to win a World Series. I come here and now there's a chance to get one." Torre said Vizcaino will be used as a defensive replacement for second baseman Chuck Knoblauch, who has 13 errors in 48 games, and at third base when Scott Brosius needs a rest. Vizcaino, who also plays shortstop, has two errors in 34 games. A switch-hitter, he's batting .204 with four RBI. Vizcaino, 32, started the season with a .271 average in 11 seasons spent with the Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Cleveland, San Francisco and Los Angeles. "Jose gives us a little more flexibility," Torre said. "He's played the three infield positions. He's a switch-hitter. He gives us a little more depth." Vizcaino was not in the starting lineup Wednesday. Clay Bellinger played second and Knoblauch was the designated hitter against lefty Pete Schourek. Leyritz had been New York's righty DH. Torre said he wouldn't have played Knoblauch at DH without the player's approval. "He'll be out there (at second base Thursday)," Torre said. "I think the problems he's gone through are temporary." Knoblauch made three throwing errors last Thursday and hit a fan in the stands with a throw on Saturday.
El Duque to miss one start The Associated Press contributed to this report. | ALSO SEE Baseball in the Big Apple AUDIO/VIDEO  Hunsicker on the trade talks surrounding Houston.wav: 616 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6 ESPN's Tim Kurkjian doesn't see a trade between the Yankees and Astros.wav: 182 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6 | |||||||||
