July 24, 2007

Angels interested in making a trade?

RANDY YOUNGMAN
Register columnist

ANAHEIM It is late July, so naturally the Angels trade rumors are flying again.

If the whispers are true, the Angels are interested in Texas Rangers first baseman Mark Teixeira, Cincinnati Reds outfielder Adam Dunn and Chicago White Sox outfielder Jermaine Dye.

In late May, before Chone Figgins' bat came back from the dead, there also were rumors the Angels were interested in acquiring Florida Marlins third baseman Miguel Cabrera.

But will the Angels risk breaking up a first-place team by making a major trade before Tuesday's non-waiver trading deadline?

"We're in first place?" Manager Mike Scioscia said, pretending as usual that standings are meaningless except when the season is over and a playoff berth has been clinched.

Yes, the Angels still are leading the division, but their once-commanding, eight-game lead has been steadily decreasing in the past month. Their lopsided loss in Monday's series opener against the Oakland A's was the Angels' sixth defeat in the past eight games and 10 {+t}{+h}in the past 16 games.

It is no secret General Manager Bill Stoneman and Scioscia would like to add one more productive bat to the middle of their lineup; hence, the rampant trade speculation.

The loudest rumor has the Angels offering first baseman Casey Kotchman and prospects to Texas for Teixeira, a power-hitting switch hitter who has averaged 38 homers and 122 RBIs over the past three full seasons and is in the prime of his career at age 27.

This season, despite a lengthy stint on the disabled list because of a pulled quadriceps muscle, Teixeira is batting .301, with 13 homers and 48 RBIs in 74 games, with a .406 on-base percentage (seventh in AL) and a .382 average against left-handers (third in AL).

And when his name was brought up Tuesday night, Scioscia did not even try to downplay the rumors.

"All kinds of names will be bounced around in the next week," Scioscia said. "And he's one of the names you're going to hear."

But why would Texas entertain offers for such a productive player? The word is that Texas has grown weary of dealing with Scott Boras, the high-powered agent from Newport Beach who represents Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez, and is fearful it will not be able to afford his asking price when Teixeira becomes a free agent after the 2008 season.

Would the Angels be willing to trade Kotchman and, say, Brandon Wood, plus a top pitching prospect for Teixeira?

Why would I even waste space asking that rhetorical question? We all know Stoneman's track record for making major trades, especially at this time of year.

I'll believe it when it happens.

Big West Night: Cal State Fullerton baseball coach George Horton and associate head coach Rick Vanderhook attended Monday night's series opener and were able to chat before the game with former Titans players Mark Kotsay and Kurt Suzuki, both former Big West Players of the Year now playing for the Oakland A's.

UC Irvine coach Dave Serrano, the former CSF pitching coach on the 2004 national championship team, also was spotted at Monday's game.

Kotsay was on the 1995 CSF national championship team, and Suzuki was on the 2004 team.

Nostalgic touch:When he was growing up in Regina, Saskatchewan, Ryan Getzlaf and his buddies played a lot of street hockey games during the summer, pretending they were playing for the Stanley Cup.

So Getzlaf turned dream into reality for a day Tuesday, his designated day with the Cup, when the Ducks center and a few of his childhood buddies played a street hockey game in his old neighborhood.

Winning team got to pose with the Cup.

Stanley returns:If you haven't had a chance to see the Cup up close, you'll have another chance Sunday, beginning at noon, when it will be on display to the public at the Huntington Beach Pier during the final day of the U.S. Open of Surfing.

Ba-da-bing!From Jay Leno, noted late-night wise guy: "You know what I think the judge should do to Michael Vick? He should set up a running of the pit bulls. Get like 200 pit bulls, put him in front and just send them down the street after him."

Excellent idea.