The Rockies are right back where they were a week ago with free agent catcher Yorvit Torrealba – far from reaching a deal. With the Mets backing out of a three-year, $14.4 million agreement with Torrealba, Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd resumed talks with agent Melvin Roman on Monday, but no progress was made. The Rockies aren’t moving off their two-year, $7 million offer. Torrealba is asking for a three-year deal or $9 million for two years. ``We are still interested (in re-signing Torrealba), but we are far apart,’’ O’Dowd said. ``We have the same difference we had that led him to accept the offer from the Mets. We will continue to talk with him but we also will continue to move along with other options.’’ One option appears to be on the verge of disappearing – Jason Kendall, who is finalizing a deal with Milwaukee. That still leaves Michael Barrett and Paul Lo Duca along with Torrealba with the Rockies, Mets and Florida the remaining teams looking for a regular catcher. In the last couple of days, the market of available talent has grown with the Brewers looking to unload Johnny Estrada, Baltimore shopping Ramon Hernandez, and San Francisco looking to move Bengie Molina. Second baseman Kazuo Matsui, meanwhile, appears headed to the Houston Astros. That could create an interesting possibility for the Rockies, who a year ago asked for Chris Burke in the Jason Jennings trade, but settled for Willy Taveras. If Matsui signs Houston would seem likely to move Burke, who could fit into the Rockies second base battle, although the feeling right now is Jayson Nix will get the first shot. Nix was MVP of the World Cup, which Team USA won on Sunday by beating Cuba. http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/19/rockies-far-signing-torrealba/
wow, first a black dude, and now an asian dude? I love this GM. I may now go to an Astro game because Kaz Matsui is on the team.
Look at his home and away splits, please don't sign this guy. If they can't get Iguchi, I'd rather they make a trade or give Burke the job and see what happens.
Overpaying for bad players is the hallmark of bad GMs. Let's hope that we didn't spend too much on a guy who's no better than Chris Burke when you take him out of Coors Field. Spend the cash on pitching. Going into next season without a new starter would be a big mistake.
first of all, who is we?? money's going to be coming out of your wallet to pay his salary? what the hell do you care how much money mclane spends? second of all, nobody is worse than chris burke (besides craig biggio). so far, i admire the fact that wade already has his opinions on our current personell, and is adjusting the roster accordingly. none of this wasting time auditioning players like josh anderson, giving burke a zillionth chance to prove he isnt worthless, or waiting half a season to see if lidge still "has it". if nothing else, good to see that we have a gm that knows what he's looking for, and how he wants to fill his roster.
Uh, isn't the most interesting thing in this article the fact that it says the Rockies asked for Burke and settled for Taveras? Has that ever been reported anywhere else?
I'm giving Wade a 9-month observatory period before passing judgment on his moves. Proof doesn't come in until early summer. Just sucks we can't undo all of Purpura's team-killing blunders. Wheeler, Jennings, etc. Evan
