Major League Baseball
AL notes: Reactivated Ordonez, Sox break off talks

By Larry Stone
Seattle Times staff reporter

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White Sox outfielder Magglio Ordonez is an interesting player to watch in the upcoming weeks.

He's a pending free agent for a team in contention, which tugs Sox general manager Kenny Williams in opposite directions. Ordonez, unexpectedly activated on Thursday without undergoing a rehab assignment for his surgically repaired left knee, said he has broken off contract talks with Chicago.

Some in Chicago believe that Ordonez will sign next year to play in Chicago — for the Cubs. The White Sox reportedly were engaged in recent trade talks with Atlanta involving Ordonez, in a deal that would have brought Russ Ortiz and Andruw Jones to Chicago, but tabled those discussions to acquire Freddy Garcia.

"If they trade me, I won't have any hard feelings," Ordonez told the Chicago Tribune. "It's a business. Anything can happen."

The Sox, however, went 17-19 with Ordonez on the DL and are facing life without Frank Thomas, who has an ankle injury that might require surgery.

• The Athletics are trying to figure out what's wrong with Barry Zito, whose inconsistency is threatening to turn Oakland's Big Three into a Big Two. An American League scout told the San Francisco Chronicle that Zito is tipping his pitches, but pitching coach Curt Young, after reviewing Zito's tape, couldn't find it.

Oakland GM Billy Beane, meanwhile, continues to deny speculation that the A's would trade Zito for a young second baseman.

• It's amazing what Texas has accomplished in the first half with a rotation that has been in shambles. Now Nick Bierbrodt, after two starts in which he threw only 52 strikes in 127 pitches, has been optioned to the minors. His replacement, right-hander Nick Regilio, becomes the Rangers' 22nd pitcher used this season.

The rotation remains unsettled beyond Kenny Rogers and Ryan Drese, though Ricardo Rodriguez will obviously get more starts after his complete-game, three-hit shutout over Cleveland. Joaquin Benoit is probably the No. 3 starter, with Regilio and R.A. Dickey in the running for the fifth spot.

What about Chan Ho Park and his $65 million contract? He remains in the Arizona League on injury rehab and is unlikely to pitch again this year.
 
• The Indians had four All-Stars with their $34 million payroll, more than the $127 million Red Sox (three) and the $100 million Angels (two).

The only thing keeping Cleveland from contention this year is a horrific bullpen, which got a boost Tuesday with the return of former closer Bob Wickman. He missed all last year and the first half of this year recovering from Tommy John surgery.

To clear a spot for Wickman, Cleveland released its erstwhile closer, Jose Jimenez, as well as failed setup man Scott Stewart, thus eating $1.8 million in contracts. Jimenez, in 31 appearances, was 1-7 with an 8.42 earned-run average.

Not only was Stewart 0-2 with a 7.24 ERA, but Cleveland gave up outfielder Ryan Church and infielder Maicer Izturis to get him in a winter trade with Montreal. On the day Stewart was released, Izturis was leading the Pacific Coast League with a .351 average, and Church was third at .347.

• The Tigers are showing some spark this year. In the span of five games, they had eight ejections.

• The most amazing part of the triple play turned by the White Sox against Anaheim on Wednesday night? The fact that catcher Bengie Molina, who hit the ball, was out at first base by four or five steps. With runners on first and second, Molina hit a chopper to White Sox third baseman Joe Crede, who stepped on the bag to start the 5-4-3 triple play.

Molina, battling hamstring problems, is in a close "race" with Edgar Martinez as the slowest player in baseball.

"I always figured I'd be on the field for a triple play, but I figured I'd be the one hitting into it," Chicago first baseman Paul Konerko said.