mlb MLB Discussions - American League V

quote Fox Sports

The second baseman, a 12-year veteran with 252 homers, was designated for assignment. Seattle has 10 days to trade him or put him on waivers.

"It's tough. I was looking at it, and I think it's all for the better," Bret Boone said in a press conference after he was cut by the Mariners. (jim Bryant / Associated Press)

Boone, 36, is hitting .231 with seven homers and 34 RBIs. He was benched for four games two weeks ago to work on his swing with batting instructor Don Baylor. On his return, he played well during a three-game series in San Diego, but manager Mike Hargrove said Sunday that "he has reverted back to where he was before."

Seattle is responsible for the remainder of his $8.25 million salary this year. Boone talked to his teammates after the game, then spoke with reporters.

"There was no anger. It was kind of sad," Boone said. "Once it happened, I went home. I just wanted to collect myself and watch and think about what happened. I want to go get a fresh start somewhere. I want to win."

He added that he wants to go to a team where he'll be an everyday player.

Boone hit .331 in 2001 with 37 home runs and 141 RBIs. He finished third in the AL MVP vote behind Oakland's Jason Giambi and the winner, teammate Ichiro Suzuki.

"I'm very disappointed on how I've played to this point," Boone said. "Sometimes change is good. It lights a spark and you get back to being more like your self. It's just time."

General manager Bill Bavasi said the10-day period to deal with Boone "was to put a deadline on ourselves as well as anyone who has interest in him."

"People mistake designating a player as a loss of leverage," Bavasi said. "You have to evaluate the leverage you had. A deadline applies some sort of leverage. I don't want to say we are hopeful of making a deal that significantly improves this club. Our goal right now is to make as fair a deal as we can make and find a place where he can play every day."

Bavasi said that he had talked to several clubs about potential trades involving Boone. He said he had the makings of a deal a week ago "but it didn't have legs."

"We had some decent discussions but as you know very little happens in baseball without a deadline," he said. "We felt a change was in order. We want to get better every day. We want to improve our club right now. It's as much as getting Jose Lopez on the club as it was to designate Bret Boone for assignment."

Bavasi said that Boone was "very, very professional" when told the news two hours before Sunday's 2-1 win over Texas. Boone's father, Bob, and grandfather, Ray, were both major leaguers.

"He understands the business," Bavasi said. "That's not to say he was happy about it. He likes Seattle. He has had a lot of good times here. So it's difficult."

Shortstop Jose Lopez and outfielder Chris Snelling were recalled from Triple-A Tacoma, and infielder Dave Hansen was placed on the 15-day disabled list with an inflamed elbow.

Lopez was hitting .264 with four home runs and 11 RBIs for Tacoma. He had missed the first six weeks of the season after surgery to repair a broken bone in his left hand. While Boone was benched, Lopez played second for the Mariners and hit .250 with a pair of doubles and four RBIs in six games. He was sent back to Tacoma after Boone returned to the starting role.

quote MLB.com

NEW YORK -- Reliever Rafael Betancourt has run afoul of baseball's drug-testing policy and has been handed a league-mandated 10-day suspension, Indians general manager Mark Shapiro announced on Friday.

Betancourt, 30, is the first Indians player to test positive for use of banned substances. He is on the 15-day disabled list. His suspension, which started immediately, can run concurrently.

"The Cleveland Indians strongly support Major League Baseball's testing program for performance-enhancing drugs," Shapiro said in a statement. "In addition to this support, we continue to implement an aggressive educational program at the Major and Minor League levels.

"We want our players to be aware of the short- and long-term dangers of these substances."

Shapiro announced Betancourt's suspension after the clubhouse had closed before the start of their Friday night game with the Yankees. Players, including union representative Jody Gerut, were unavailable for comment.

Before going on the DL last Sunday, Betancourt had appeared in 29 games for the Tribe, and had a 2-2 record with a 2.21 ERA.

Since the policy went into effect, Betancourt would be the third Major League player to test positive for steroids or performance-enhancing drugs. (The others are Twins reliever Juan Rincon and Devil Rays outfielder Alex Sanchez.)

In a written statement, Betancourt, who will lose 10 days' pay, vowed to appeal the suspension.

"I am very angry and disappointed with Major League Baseball's decision to suspend me," Betancourt said in his statement. "I am going to file a grievance to clear my name. I am very sorry if this has caused any embarrassment and I apologize to my family, the Cleveland Indians organization, my teammates and all the fans.

"I look forward to resolving this matter and returning to the Indians as soon as possible."

Commissioner Bud Selig and the 30 team owners have gone on record as saying that they want to root steroids from the sport. Selig has pushed for tougher penalties, even for first-time offenders like Betancourt.

Selig has proposed a 50-game suspension for the first offense, 100 games for a second offense and a lifetime ban for a third.

Under his proposal, amphetamines would also be on the testing list, and players would be subject to increased random testing. An independent party would be hired to oversee the entire drug-testing program.

"Both [at] the executive council and at the meeting of the 30 clubs, everyone felt very strongly about this," Selig previously told MLB.com. "They wanted to show that in this particular group, there never has been equivocation and there isn't now. We had a very long and detailed discussion. And out of it came the resolution, first passed by the council and then the clubs."

Union chief Donald Fehr has said that the union would be willing to talk about the proposal.

quote Drew Gooden

When the *bleep* did Al Leiter get traded to the Yanks? I totally missed that, and let me guess, they just gave away a couple of crappy prospects that they'll never need to get him?