Alumni Notes

From 1996:

If the Red Sox were certain about designated hitter David Ortiz, they would not be uncertain about his position in their lineup.

They would not be considering free agents such as Russell Branyan.

They would not be linked every three seconds to Padres first baseman
Adrian Gonzalez.

Well, the Red Sox are not certain about Ortiz, cannot be certain, even though last season he rallied to hit 26 of his 27 home runs after June 1.

The Sox's interest in Branyan, a left-handed slugger who reached agreement Friday with the Indians, was the latest indication that they might act quickly to replace Ortiz if he again gets off to a poor start.

From the 2000 team:

Former Mariner Cha Seung Baek, the Korean right-hander who last pitched in the big leagues two years ago, is in camp today for a minor league tryout [with the Mariners].

From the 2002 team:

Nothing comes easy for the Indians, but who among the Tribe faithful doesn't already know that?

Having virtually stolen one of their consistent run producers from the Seattle Mariners for Ben Broussard midway through the 2006 season, the Indians could face an unusual dilemma: losing that player to the army.

South Korean males are obligated to serve their country in the military for two years. Shin-Soo Choo, second to Grady Sizemore as an all-around player for the Tribe, is a native of South Korea. Choo has not yet put in his time with the armed forces. He is required to do so after the 2010 season.

But if he leaves baseball behind for two years, there is no guarantee he will return — at age 29 — with his skills intact. Moreover, he would lose two of his prime income-producing seasons (he will be arbitration eligible in October).

So what can he do?

From 2008:

Phillippe Aumont, the hard-throwing 21-year-old righthander acquired in the trade that sent Cliff Lee to Seattle, said the Phillies haven't officially told him whether he will enter the season as a starter or reliever.

But while the decision may not be set in stone, the near-unanimous opinion among team personnel is that he will begin the year as a starter at Double A Reading.

And if you listened to Aumont talk yesterday, it was easy to understand why.