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Posted By	Discussion Topic: Yanks Say Bye Bye to Knoblauch and Martinez.....
Psycho Bitch	posted on 12-19-2001 @ 8:54 AM
Psychopath Registered: Jul. 01	Forgive me if this was already posted but I didn't see it anywhere..... Knoblauch going to Kansas City Royals sign left fielder to one-year deal By Robert Falkoff KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Recruiting pays dividends, and not just in college athletics. Free agent Chuck Knoblauch and the Royals became an item Tuesday, as Knoblauch signed a one-year deal. He reportedly will make in the $2 million range to play left field and bat leadoff for a Kansas City team looking to bounce back from a 97-loss season. Why Kansas City? Knoblauch, an 11-year veteran with four championship rings, said his decision had a lot to do with a recruiting visit from Royals General Manager Allard Baird a couple of weeks ago in New York. Knoblauch and Baird talked baseball over a leisurely breakfast for three hours. In short, Knoblauch knew he was sincerely wanted. "That may have won me over," Knoblauch said. "Talking to him ... meeting him face-to-face and having him tell me about the team and the organization ... it really made me start thinking hard about Kansas City. It sounded like a place that would be best for me and present me with the opportunity to play every day. That was probably the one thing that maybe turned the corner for me with Kansas City." With the Royals, Knoblauch gets the opportunity to bat 500 to 600 times and rejuvenate a career that hit a down note in 2001, when Knoblauch hit just .250 with a .339 on-base percentage for the Yankees. The Royals get an experienced leadoff man who they think can jumpstart the offense and add a fiery and savvy component in the clubhouse. "Not only will he fill the leadoff role that we need, but I also am excited about him bringing a winning attitude," Baird said. "I can tell you from personally spending three hours in that breakfast meeting, we've got an extremely motivated player." Knoblauch is a close friend of Royals reliever Jason Grimsley, another ex-Yankee who came to Kansas City with aspirations of rejuvenating his career. Grimsley established himself as Kansas City's set-up man last year and signed a new two-year deal toward the end of the season. Knoblauch is hopeful his big market to small market odyssey will turn out just as well. "I mentioned to [Baird] I was looking for the opportunity to get back to knowing I would play every day," Knoblauch said. "When you're driving to the ballpark, just knowing you are going to be in the lineup every day makes a difference." Knoblauch, 33, isn't sure what went wrong last year, but he's determined to prove it was an offensive aberration. "If I knew, I would have corrected it," Knoblauch said. "Hopefully, I won't have to experience that again. There are ups and downs in your career and that was definitely a down. I really don't know what happened. All I know is that season is over and it's a new beginning for me in Kansas City." Baird feels Knoblauch's average swooned last year because he was lifting the ball too much, and that point was made at the Baird-Knoblauch breakfast. Lamar Johnson, the Royals' hitting coach, emphasizes the "line drive-down" approach. Even with an uncharacteristically low .339 on-base percentage, Knoblauch stole 38 bases for the Yankees last year. Baird said he anticipates Knoblauch stealing about 40 bases. "His legs are good; his reads on the bases are good. This guy has plenty of baseball left," Baird said. Baird also thinks Knoblauch will be a stabilizing force in the clubhouse. "He's going to bring a calm and easiness to the young players," Baird said. "Chuck has a great sense for playing 162 games and not getting too up or too down. There's a clubhouse issue that's very important." Royals pitcher Blake Stein, who has faced Knoblauch many times, thinks the Royals have definitely upgraded their offense with the new leadoff man. Kansas City has been searching for a proven leadoff man since trading Johnny Damon last January. -------------------------------------------------- Martinez Signs with Cardinals ST. LOUIS -- Tino Martinez signed a three-year contract with St. Louis on Tuesday, giving the Cardinals a power-hitting replacement for Mark McGwire at first base. "I don't think any of the fans expect me to do what he (McGwire) has done," Martinez said. "I do think they expect me to go out and produce." Martinez, replaced in the New York Yankees' lineup by the signing last week of free-agent slugger Jason Giambi, was introduced at a news conference. The value of the contract was not disclosed. "You are never able to truly replace a player of Mark McGwire's stature," general manager Walt Jocketty said. "When looking at Tino's credentials, we felt that he was the perfect guy to not only help offset the loss of McGwire, but he'll also be someone who will lend valuable leadership to our ballclub." Martinez said the Cardinals were his first choice once he learned the Yankees planned to go with Giambi. "As soon as Mark McGwire announced he would retire, I started thinking it (St. Louis) would be a great place to go," he said. The 34-year-old Martinez hit .280 with 34 homers and 113 RBI last season for the AL champion Yankees. He has driven in at least 100 runs in six of the past seven seasons and is a two-time All-Star, a good fielder with a career .996 fielding percentage. Perhaps more important for the Cardinals, he was part of a Yankees team that won four of the last six World Series. "We've got a winner that's been added to the St. Louis Cardinals," Manager Tony La Russa said. Martinez, a left-handed hitter, is a career .274 hitter with 263 homers and 1,002 RBI in 12 seasons -- six with Seattle, six with the Yankees. The Cardinals have been searching to fill a hole in their lineup since McGwire retired in November. The team had also expressed interest in free-agent outfielders Reggie Sanders and Moises Alou. Thank you Sluggo:)....I Y the Brokenjaw and the Luna B* I have made some big mistakes, and I've paid a heavy price, I found a little peace between will and sacrifice, I have watched as all my dreams went walking out the door, and I think I deserve just a little more And I'm already gone...Felt that way all along...Closer to you every day...I didn't want it that much anyway....Try not to spend my number ;).
TeenWeek what's a status?	posted on 12-19-2001 @ 9:02 AM
O&A Board Regular Registered: Oct. 00	Martinez will be missed. He was a great 1st baseman for the Yankees. It is too bad, St. Louis does not play the Yankees in interleague, but yankees fans should suck it up and go to Shea for Tino's first game back in NY and thank him for the last 6 years. Knoblauch will not be missed.

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