Outfield: No Castillo, No Jones
According to the Los Angeles Times, the Dodgers, the MLBPA and Scott Boras agreed to reduce the $15 million due to Andruw Jones next season to $5 million, with the difference being paid out over the next six years.
Hmmm, I wonder if the Mets could do this with Luis Castillo?
Buster Olney of ESPN.com believes the Dodgers will contact the Mets, Braves and Reds. However, “A source with knowledge of the trade talks said even with Jones’ salary reduced for 2009, the Mets are virtually certain to pass on a deal for the outfielder.”
I feel people may have misunderstood last week’s rumors connecting the Mets and Jones. To me, it wasn’t so much that Omar Minaya was interested in Jones, it’s that he was angling to swap Jones’s terrible contract for Castillo’s. However, the Dodgers have no interest in Castillo, according to published reports, and so that’s that. In other words, no Castillo, no Jones.
By the way, according to Impacto Deportivo, Jones has left, or was asked to leave, the Dominican Winter League.
His team’s broadcasters are quoted in the article as saying Jones even looks bad on defense.
In the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, David O’Brien suggests that the Braves look to re-acquire Jones on a minor-league deal, since he has said he would like to return to Atlanta.
