Canadian Press

7/21/2006 12:04:32 AM

TORONTO (CP) - Mike Mussina didn't mince words when asked whether Alex Rodriguez was hurting the New York Yankees with his sloppy defence.

"I don't know what's going on," said a pained Mussina. "I know he's played better. I know he's disappointed in the way he's playing. It's not him right now. We need him back the way he's supposed to be."

A throwing error by Rodriguez led to a four-run sixth inning for the Toronto Blue Jays, but it took an 11th-inning homer from Vernon Wells to beat the Yankees 5-4 on Thursday.

Baseball's highest-paid player helped the Jays get on the board when he threw high and wide of catcher Jorge Posada while trying to throw out Aaron Hill.

"It's a play I should have made," Rodriguez said. "It got away. I just tried to throw it around the runner and kind of pulled it.

"I was a little hesitant. It was hit a little soft but I felt I had a play at home and I think I was right."

But Mussina wasn't in a forgiving mood.

"All he had to do was throw it on target," Mussina said. "He would have been out by 20 feet."

After giving up just two singles through the first five innings, New York's staff ace coughed up three straight hits after Rodriguez's gaffe as the Jays took a 4-3 lead.

"It bothers me when it all mounts up like that, especially after pitching so well for five innings," Mussina said. "When you get momentum going like that it's tough to stop."

Rodriguez has made 17 errors this season, the most by any Yankee. He made a career-high three miscues in Monday's 4-2 win over Seattle before leaving the game with a sore toe.

"It's something that's not fun to go through," he said, denying he wants out of New York. "You just keep working on it. You definitely don't want to hurt your teammates doing it but at the same time you've just got to work through it."

Yankees manager Joe Torre came to the defence of his all-star third baseman, saying Rodriguez's high profile makes him an easy target for criticism.

"He made the right play, I thought," Torre said. "It looked like he never hesitated. I didn't get any indecision on his part. It looked like the ball kind of sailed on him."

Still, Torre said the poor fielding was something Rodriguez is "going to have to answer for."

Both Torre and Rodriguez agreed the problem was mechanical and could be fixed by throwing from a different arm angle.

"When he's on top the ball is going to be truer," Torre said. "It's the same thing as a pitcher throwing sidearm. You're going to see more movement on the ball."

Rodriguez sounded confident in his ability to recover quickly.

"It's definitely mechanics," he said. "It really becomes staying on top of the baseball. Pitchers, catchers, everybody does it at some point. You've just got to get your target, get your footwork and stay on top of the baseball."

Welcome to the Major League Baseball trading deadline season, where you too can pick names out of a hat, throw them against the wall, and see if they stick.

So … Soriano?
Sox may be sold on star, or just trying to thwart Tigers

By Dave van Dyck
Tribune staff reporter

July 23, 2006, 11:15 PM CDT

While the public focus has been on acquiring a relief pitcher, White Sox general manager Ken Williams never has been afraid to make a surprising splash. Thus he didn't deny rumors Sunday that his team is among four "finalists" in the running for Washington left fielder Alfonso Soriano.

Believed also to be in the bidding are the Tigers, the Yankees and the Angels. The Nationals want young players in return, especially pitchers, and the Sox are as well stocked as any team in baseball.

Baseball sources believe Soriano, who has 31 homers and 25 stolen bases, could be dealt before the July 31 trade deadline.

But reports out of Washington on Sunday indicated that he may wish to remain a National.

"Does Alfonso need another distraction? There seems to be a race to the artificial clock," Soriano's agent Diego Bentz said. "He loves Washington. He loves his teammates and playing for Frank Robinson."

Asked about rumors that the Sox are interested in Soriano, Williams replied: "It doesn't surprise me. I knew it would come out. Whoever gets him, it will be a high price to pay."

Would the Sox be willing to trade a bright future for a shot at a second straight World Series?

"What year is this?" Williams asked. "Can't you win the 2008 championship in 2006?"

Williams was somewhat cryptic about the entire scenario, which leads to these questions:

Is he interested in Soriano, or does he just want to make sure Detroit doesn't get him?

Does he maybe just want to show interest in Soriano to drive the price so high that Detroit will have to back off?

Williams did say this: "I know what Detroit and Minnesota are trying to do. We will just have to work hard to make sure we have a chance to compete."

Another question: What happens to left fielder Scott Podsednik if the Sox acquire Soriano? Does he supplant Brian Anderson in center? Is Anderson part of the package being offered?

While saying he would see what the potential was for adding an "impact-type bat to help increase our chances to score runs at greater rate," Williams also said: "What I don't want to do is make people in the clubhouse feel uneasy. They should feel uneasy enough with the way the last week has gone."

The Sox have seen Cliff Politte released and Chris Widger designated for assignment.

Sox scouts are looking at reliable relievers who can throw the seventh or eighth innings, mostly Politte's role last year.

"What we'd like to have happen is Sean Tracey show us a little bit more and insert him into the equation," Williams said. "I would always prefer to bring in someone from the organization to fill a need than have to make a trade and give up talent.

"That said, time is getting short, and we will explore whether there is the possibility of getting an impact-type guy for that seventh-eighth-inning bridge. Or maybe there's a chance to get two guys."

Or a chance the Sox will do very little.

"Sometimes you're able to make Jose Contreras or Freddy Garcia impact-type [deals], and sometimes it's Geoff Blum," Williams said. "Who's to say that the smaller things don't turn out to be the biggest?

"We don't need a whole heck of a lot. I would prefer it if we didn't need a darned thing. [But] if we need go get outside help we will exhaust every avenue."

Sox get a pitcher; Soriano next?


Chicago Tribune

July 24, 2006, 4:14 PM CDT

The White Sox traded a pair of minor league pitchers to the Kansas City Royals Monday for right-handed relief pitcher Mike MacDougal.

The 29-year-old McDougal (6-4, 185) has one save and hasn't given up a run in four innings of relief for Kansas City this season. He had been sidelined for much of the season with strained muscle in his right shoulder area; he was just activated July 13. Last season the 2003 American league All-Star had a 3.33 ERA in 70.1 innings and was 21-for-25 in save situations.

Kansas City Royals picked up minor-league pitchers Tyler Lumsden and Daniel Cortes. To make room for MacDougal, the White Sox will make a corresponding roster move prior to tonight's game vs. Minnesota.

Lumsden, a 23-year-old left-hander, was 9-4 with a 2.69 ERA with Double-A Birmingham. Cortes, a 19-year-old righty, went 3-9 with a 4.01 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 20 games Single-A Kannapolis.

The Sox are also "extremely close" to trading for Nationals outfielder Alfonso Soriano, a source close to the situation told ESPN The Magazine's Tim Kurkjian. The Nationals have great interest in pitcher Brandon McCarthy .

Soriano joined Washington last offseason in a trade from Texas, and the Nationals shifted him from second base to left field. Soriano is batting .288 with 31 homers, 62 RBI and 25 steals.

The slugger is scheduled to become a free agent at the end of the season.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.