SoxFan1 Posted December 17, 2003 Share Posted December 17, 2003 Vizquel Staying with Indians Vizquel staying with Indians By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer December 17, 2003 CLEVELAND (AP) -- The one team Omar Vizquel was willing to go to didn't want him. So, the proposed shortstop swap sending Vizquel back to the Seattle Mariners for Carlos Guillen is off. ``I expect him to be our opening day shortstop,'' Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said Wednesday. Vizquel had waived his no-trade clause and only needed to pass a routine physical exam to complete the deal. However, after putting Vizquel through some agility drills and a medical checkup at Safeco Field on Tuesday, the Mariners apparently were concerned about the condition of Vizquel's surgically repaired right knee and called off the deal. ``There were a lot of complicated issues,'' Seattle assistant GM Lee Pelekoudas said. ``That's as far as we can go with it. The player was never our property. To go into any greater details would be inappropriate.'' Vizquel, with more than 10 years of big league experience and at least five straight in Cleveland, could have vetoed the trade but was excited about the chance to go back to the team he started his career with. The nine-time Gold Glove winner played for Seattle from 1989-93 and still has a home in Issaquah, Wash. He told Shapiro the Mariners were the only other team -- other than the Indians -- that he would play for. After being informed Tuesday night by the Mariners that the deal had fallen apart, Shapiro spoke with Vizquel for 15 minutes. ``He's fine mentally,'' Shapiro said. ``He wasn't looking to leave, and we were not looking to get rid of him. He is an important part of this team.'' Vizquel, 36, had two operations on his knee last season. ``Based on the medical information I have, I'm not concerned at all,'' Shapiro said. ``He's 80 percent right now. Our staff says he'll be 100 percent by opening day.'' Trading Vizquel, who will make $6 million next season, for Guillen, who makes $2.5 million, would have given the Indians money necessary to complete their pitching staff and sign a second baseman. The club withdrew its $2.4 million, one-year offer for free agent second baseman Todd Walker on Tuesday. The Indians have made proposals to two other second basemen, but would still be willing to explore a deal for Walker. Notes RHP Bobby Howry agreed to a minor league contract. Howry, 30, had elbow surgery last summer. ``If he's healthy, I expect him to take a spot in ourbullpen,'' Shapiro said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sox-r-us Posted December 17, 2003 Share Posted December 17, 2003 ``He's fine mentally,'' Shapiro said. ``He wasn't looking to leave, and we were not looking to get rid of him. He is an important part of this team.'' Anyone think the BoSox and Texas will say similar stuff if their deal falls apart too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Honda Civic Posted December 17, 2003 Share Posted December 17, 2003 does anyone else see this a purely posturing by the M's... Look at it this way... They knew the Manny Arod deal was going to go down, moving nomar, and setting the dominoes in action. Maybe they were ready for a deal involving jose. The physical was just an out when it became apparent that a much larger deal was a possibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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