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By this afternoon, the Colorado Rockies will decide whether Jay Payton will be a part of their outfield in 2004.
General manager Dan O'Dowd worked against a 3 p.m. deadline today to tender
Payton a contract, weighing the merits of retaining Payton or signing free-agent
Jeromy -Burnitz.
O'Dowd had hoped to sign Payton to a contract, but Payton turned down a one-year proposal that was believed to be worth more than $3 million after O'Dowd got approval from ownership to exceed his payroll budget.
Payton's agents responded with a multiyear proposal, which doesn't fit in the
Rockies' long-range plan. Ticketmaster. But given the amount of the offer the
Rockies ownership approved for Payton, O'Dowd probably will have the financial
flexibility to tender Payton, even though he has arbitration leverage.
Meanwhile, Burnitz, who finished last season in Los Angeles, said Friday he
would welcome a chance to play in Colorado, and agent Howard Simon said he would
be in touch with O'Dowd this morning.
The agent for shortstop Deivi Cruz, who played with Baltimore in 2003, said
negotiations with the Rockies for his client have been put on hold until the
Payton issue is settled.
The agent for shortstop Rich Aurilia, who played for San Francisco, said he
did have another conversation with O'Dowd on Friday, and there were indications
the Rockies were keeping alive talks with the agent for shortstop Royce Clayton,
who was with Milwaukee the past season.
Because of the need for roster spots, the Rockies do not plan to tender contracts
to right-handed pitcher Scott Elarton and infielder/outfielder Kit Pellow today,
but Elarton is set to sign a minor league deal with the Rockies, and the Rockies
hope Pellow will do the same.
Elarton is being counted on to provide a veteran influence to the Rockies rotation,
and Pellow has the versatility that would make him a favorite to win a spot
on the big-league roster next season. He resumed catching last season in addition
to playing first base, third base and left field.
O'Dowd said he is eager to see what players are non-tendered by other teams.
"We're going to focus on middle infielders, an extra outfielder, bullpen
arms and a starting pitcher," O'Dowd said. "We won't look much at
everyday position players because other than shortstop, the rest of our club
is going to be filled one way or the other."
Right now the big question is Payton.
"He certainly fits our profile (of a successful Coors Field player),"
O'Dowd said. "But with the amount of money we have to work with, we face
decisions. Each player makes a difference, but I don't know if you'd say we
are one player away. It's going to take a lot of things coming together for
us to make something special happen."
Payton is a more complete player than Burnitz, but Burnitz provides left-handed
power and would bring back thoughts of the Blake Street Bombers. He would provide
lineup balance, giving manager Clint Hurdle three left- handed run producers
to hit third (Todd Helton), fifth (Larry Walker) and seventh (Burnitz).
Burnitz has hit 213 home runs the past seven seasons, reaching the 30-home-run
level in six of those seasons. He split last season between the New York Mets
and Dodgers, and while he hit only .239, he hit 31 home runs in 126 games.
"I'd love to be (in Colorado)," Burnitz said. "That's a fun place
to play."
Burnitz, a first-round draft choice of the Mets from Oklahoma State, played
for Hurdle in the Mets minor league system, and he knows O'Dowd from when he
played in Cleveland and
O'Dowd was in the Indians front office.
"I've been talking with Dan for some time, but we've talked a lot a lot
more the last couple of days," Simon said. "I'm sure Dan and I will
talk some more (today)."
Agent Elliott Vallin, who represents Cruz, said he thought something was close,
"but we have to wait and see what happens with Payton. We've been back
and forth the past couple of days, but for now we've put things on hold. I'd
like to get Deivi in a Colorado uniform, and I think we're close."