News
2/17/2002 2:00 pm ET
Roundup: Wells OK after mound session
Fetters to rescind trade demand
From wire reports
TAMPA, Fla. -- New York Yankees pitcher David Wells reported no problems Sunday, one day after his first throwing session off a mound in seven months.
Wells underwent back surgery last summer. He threw for 10 minutes Saturday, one week earlier than expected.
"I feel good, and that's a good sign," Wells said. "I was a little stiff (Sunday) like every morning. After exercising, it loosened right up."
Wells is scheduled to throw again on Monday. He is competing with Sterling Hitchcock and Orlando Hernandez for the final two spots in the Yankees' rotation.
"You get to watch him early, although the decision won't be made until as late as possible," manager Joe Torre said.
Yankees owner George Steinbrenner signed Wells to a $7 million, two-year contract during the offseason.
"He's a consumate Yankee," Steinbrenner said Sunday. "I've got a hunch he's going to be a great surprise."
Wells went 5-7 with a 4.47 ERA in 16 starts with the Chicago White Sox last season.
He threw a perfect game, and was a key member of the Yankees' 1998 World Series championship team before being traded in a multi-player deal with Toronto for Roger Clemens the following spring.
-- The Associated Press
Fetters plans to rescind trade demand
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Mike Fetters, who filed a trade demand in November, intends to rescind it if he's not dealt by the March 15 deadline.
Fetters, acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 31, had the right to file the demand during the 15 days following the World Series because the was traded during a multiyear contract.
"I'm not saying a trade won't happen," Fetters said Sunday. "But as long as I've got this uniform on, I'm going to give the Pirates all that I've got. I expect to be a Pirate this year."
Fetters, a 37-year-old right-hander, was 1-1 with a 4.58 ERA and eight saves in nine chances while pitching in 20 games with the Pirates.
If the Pirates don't trade Fetters by March 15, he would become a free agent but would lose the remainder of his contract: a $2.15 million salary this year plus a $250,000 buyout of a $2.75 million club option for 2003.
"I just wanted to test the waters and see what kind of interest there was out there for an old right-handed pitcher," Fetters said. "Obviously, it didn't do much good. Either no one was interested or the Pirates really didn't push a trade."
Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield said he tried to accommodate Fetters during the offseason and will continue to explore trade possibilities during Spring Training.
"We talked to quite a few teams," Littlefield said. "To some degree, at times, there was interest, but it wasn't overwhelming. It never got to the point of fruition."
In other training camp news Sunday, catcher Jason Kendall missed his second consecutive workout because of back spasms.
"It was drastically better," Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon said. "But he felt a little twinge, we felt better having him sit out another day to be on the safe side.
Left-handed pitcher Wilson Guzman reported to camp after missing the first two days due to a visa problem.
-- The Associated Press
Bronx team founder says decision to withdraw motivated by restrictions
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- Rolando Paulino, whose Bronx team was stripped of its third-place finish in last year's Little League World Series because of an overage pitcher, said his team withdrew from the league over restrictions.
Paulino said he did not want to continue with the Little League Inc. because the organization would not allow his team to compete with outside teams. The decision by the Rolando Paulino Little League to withdraw was announced last week.
"In the U.S. there are about 50 Hispanic leagues, and if we continued with Williamsport we would only play with three. That is not possible," Paulino was quoted as saying in Sunday's editions of Hoy.
The team, nicknamed the Bronx Baby Bombers, has joined with the Pony league, according to Paulino.
"This league is more open and we think we can do a better job there," Paulino was quoted as saying.
Paulino was banned for life from Little League last year after officials determined that Danny Almonte was 14 years old instead of 12 and had not played in the required regular-season games.
The Paulino team was stripped of its district, state and region titles and of its third-place finish at the Series and remained in Little League on a probationary basis.
Paulino's team has been in the Dominican Republic participating in competitions around the Caribbean country
2/17/2002 2:00 pm ET
Roundup: Wells OK after mound session
Fetters to rescind trade demand
From wire reports
TAMPA, Fla. -- New York Yankees pitcher David Wells reported no problems Sunday, one day after his first throwing session off a mound in seven months.
Wells underwent back surgery last summer. He threw for 10 minutes Saturday, one week earlier than expected.
"I feel good, and that's a good sign," Wells said. "I was a little stiff (Sunday) like every morning. After exercising, it loosened right up."
Wells is scheduled to throw again on Monday. He is competing with Sterling Hitchcock and Orlando Hernandez for the final two spots in the Yankees' rotation.
"You get to watch him early, although the decision won't be made until as late as possible," manager Joe Torre said.
Yankees owner George Steinbrenner signed Wells to a $7 million, two-year contract during the offseason.
"He's a consumate Yankee," Steinbrenner said Sunday. "I've got a hunch he's going to be a great surprise."
Wells went 5-7 with a 4.47 ERA in 16 starts with the Chicago White Sox last season.
He threw a perfect game, and was a key member of the Yankees' 1998 World Series championship team before being traded in a multi-player deal with Toronto for Roger Clemens the following spring.
-- The Associated Press
Fetters plans to rescind trade demand
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Mike Fetters, who filed a trade demand in November, intends to rescind it if he's not dealt by the March 15 deadline.
Fetters, acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 31, had the right to file the demand during the 15 days following the World Series because the was traded during a multiyear contract.
"I'm not saying a trade won't happen," Fetters said Sunday. "But as long as I've got this uniform on, I'm going to give the Pirates all that I've got. I expect to be a Pirate this year."
Fetters, a 37-year-old right-hander, was 1-1 with a 4.58 ERA and eight saves in nine chances while pitching in 20 games with the Pirates.
If the Pirates don't trade Fetters by March 15, he would become a free agent but would lose the remainder of his contract: a $2.15 million salary this year plus a $250,000 buyout of a $2.75 million club option for 2003.
"I just wanted to test the waters and see what kind of interest there was out there for an old right-handed pitcher," Fetters said. "Obviously, it didn't do much good. Either no one was interested or the Pirates really didn't push a trade."
Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield said he tried to accommodate Fetters during the offseason and will continue to explore trade possibilities during Spring Training.
"We talked to quite a few teams," Littlefield said. "To some degree, at times, there was interest, but it wasn't overwhelming. It never got to the point of fruition."
In other training camp news Sunday, catcher Jason Kendall missed his second consecutive workout because of back spasms.
"It was drastically better," Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon said. "But he felt a little twinge, we felt better having him sit out another day to be on the safe side.
Left-handed pitcher Wilson Guzman reported to camp after missing the first two days due to a visa problem.
-- The Associated Press
Bronx team founder says decision to withdraw motivated by restrictions
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- Rolando Paulino, whose Bronx team was stripped of its third-place finish in last year's Little League World Series because of an overage pitcher, said his team withdrew from the league over restrictions.
Paulino said he did not want to continue with the Little League Inc. because the organization would not allow his team to compete with outside teams. The decision by the Rolando Paulino Little League to withdraw was announced last week.
"In the U.S. there are about 50 Hispanic leagues, and if we continued with Williamsport we would only play with three. That is not possible," Paulino was quoted as saying in Sunday's editions of Hoy.
The team, nicknamed the Bronx Baby Bombers, has joined with the Pony league, according to Paulino.
"This league is more open and we think we can do a better job there," Paulino was quoted as saying.
Paulino was banned for life from Little League last year after officials determined that Danny Almonte was 14 years old instead of 12 and had not played in the required regular-season games.
The Paulino team was stripped of its district, state and region titles and of its third-place finish at the Series and remained in Little League on a probationary basis.
Paulino's team has been in the Dominican Republic participating in competitions around the Caribbean country
