BASEBALL Gonzalez mulls Montreal trade
The Rangers slugger will likely wait until Saturday to make a decision.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Texas slugger Juan Gonzalez will likely take until the last minute before deciding whether to accept or reject a trade to the Montreal Expos, he said Thursday.
"I'm calm and I'm in control," he said. "I will probably wait until Saturday."
Gonzalez, who is the last year of his $24 million, two-year deal with Texas, has until Saturday morning to invoke a no-trade clause.
If he accepts the deal, the two-time AL MVP will move from the last-place Rangers to Montreal and into the thick of the NL wild-card race.
The Expos reached an agreement with Texas on Tuesday to acquire Gonzalez. The Rangers were expected to receive prospects, possibly three of them, if the 33-year-old outfielder accepts the trade.
"I was surprised, but that's business," Gonzalez said. "We're not winning and I'm not a pitcher."
Normal routine
Just like he had the previous two days, Gonzalez went through his normal pregame routine Thursday, which included batting practice and trying to avoid reporters' questions about the trade. He was out of the starting lineup for the third straight day.
"I have to continue to work out and go through my routine," he said.
Montreal general manager Omar Minaya, who has a long history with the slugger, traveled to Texas on Wednesday in hopes of convincing Gonzalez to accept the deal. After meeting with Gonzalez and his attorney, Jeff Moorad, Minaya declined to talk about what was said.
Minaya is credited with helping develop Gonzalez for the Rangers in the mid-1980s, when he coached the Gulf Coast Rangers for three years.
Rangers manager Buck Showalter said Gonzalez was available to play, but that he preferred not to use him before the issue was settled. Gonzalez missed seven of 11 games before Sunday because of a tender right elbow and then a tight left groin.
"I think he should be pretty healed up," Showalter said. "He's available if I want to use him. I'd rather wait until Saturday to consider anything else."
History
Gonzalez is hitting .286 with 18 homers and 50 RBIs, but the Rangers have made it clear that they want to move forward with younger players and that he won't be re-signed after this season.
Gonzalez originally signed with the Rangers in 1986 when he was just 16 years old, made his major league debut three years later and became an everyday player in 1991. He was the AL MVP in 1996 and 1998 and then was traded to Detroit in a nine-player deal in November 1999.
During his one season with the Tigers, he rejected a trade to the New York Yankees, and then went to Cleveland as a free agent for one year before returning to Texas.