[情報] Q&A: Rockies' Fuentes loose as trade rumors fly
http://0rz.tw/ac4sh
At this time a year ago, few would have imagined that Rockies left-hander
Brian Fuentes would regain his trade value, much less become a desirable free
agent.
Fuentes blew four saves between June 22 and July 1 in 2007, each game ending
in a walk-off defeat. Not long after, he went on the disabled list with a
strained lat muscle.
By the time he returned in August, Manny Corpas had taken his job. Corpas
remained the closer and Fuentes the setup man as the Rockies made their
stunning run to the World Series.
But none of that lasted, either. Less than a month into this season, Fuentes
reclaimed his old role. And as the Rockies try to recover from their dismal
first half against the Mets at Shea Stadium (MLB on FOX, Saturday, 3:55 p.m.
ET), he is very much in demand.
The Rays, Red Sox and Yankees are interested in Fuentes. So are the Mets,
Phillies and Angels. The Rockies are almost certain to trade Fuentes,
regardless of their position in the standings. They do not intend to re-sign
Fuentes as a free agent, and Corpas is again pitching well enough to close.
Fuentes, in a telephone interview with FOXSports.com, discussed life in the
rumor mill, his approach to free agency and the Rockies' chances of returning
to contention.
As good of a closer that he is, Fuentes keeps everything in perspective.
Q: How difficult is it being involved in trade rumors?
A: I've gone through it almost every year I've been in Colorado. Around
deadline time, my name starts popping up. Now that I'm going into my sixth
year and free agency, it seems like it's coming up more. You hear a lot of
speculation, a lot of rumors. It's hard to tell what's true. I know there's a
lot of posturing going on among the GMs.
For me, I just roll with it. I'm happy to be closing again. Our team, we're
not completely out of it. My No. 1 wish is to stay here, help the team win,
go back to the playoffs with Colorado.
Q: How disappointed would you be if the Rockies got back in contention and
still traded you?
A: Pretty disappointed. I really enjoy the team and my teammates. I feel like
if we put it together, the bullpen will be better with me than without me.
At the same time, I understand it's a business. If I was in the front office
with Colorado, I'd be looking to do the same thing, make the team better. If
that's what they want to do, I'm comfortable with it.
Q: Are the Rockies back in it?
A: We'll have a good indication after this road trip. We've had such
struggles on the road (14-33) and played so well at home (25-21). We'll get
back in contention, then give it all back and end up where we started.
Fortunately, Arizona has cooled off quite a bit. If by the deadline we can
get within five games — that's probably the magic number to determine
whether we are buyers or sellers.
Q: Speaking of trades, the Rockies were the opponent for CC Sabathia's first
start as a Brewer. What was that like?
A: Pretty cool. I was surprised to see the crowd was so big. I've never seen
that stadium so crowded. With CC on the mound, it was almost like a playoff
atmosphere.
Q: Would it be like that for your first appearance with a new team?
A: (chuckling) I don't know. We'll see what happens. They gave CC a standing
ovation when he came out and played catch. It was pretty amazing.
Q: You had your struggles last season, lost your closer's role. Yet, the team
reached the World Series. How do you look back on it?
A: It was satisfying. I'm not going to lie. When I blew four saves in a row,
went on the disabled list, then went back into the setup role, it was
disappointing.
But once I came back and we got back into contention, had that winning
streak, all of those things didn't matter. At the end of the year, going to
the NLCS and World Series — even though the World Series didn't turn out the
way we wanted it to — it was a very satisfying season.
Q: You were traded once before, when you went from the Mariners to the
Rockies with Jeff Cirillo for right-handers Jose Paniagua and Denny Stark on
Dec. 15, 2001. What was that like?
A: A little disappointing. I was young. I didn't understand the process very
well. I figured I was being cast off. I was a throw-in with Cirillo. It was
one phone call, and, "Hey, you're going to Colorado."
I had no idea it was coming. I was thinking, "Oh gosh, I've got to go pitch
at Coors Field for the next couple of years." But actually, it was a blessing
in disguise. Seattle was an old team looking to win right then and there. It
wasn't a good fit.
I went to Colorado, they gave me an opportunity to pitch on a regular basis.
It actually turned into a very good deal.
Q: You've spent your entire career in Colorado, except for 10 appearances
with Seattle as a rookie in 2001. Some players struggle when they move from a
mid-sized market to a larger one. How do you think you would adjust?
A: I guess you never know until you actually do it. But pitching in the ninth
inning, you shut out all the external factors — the score, how many games in
a row your team has won. Closers have to have such short memories, such an
ability to shut it all out.
Going to a big-market team with a lot of bustle — whether it's New York,
Philadelphia, wherever — I'd be OK with that. You have to handle it
professionally when you're on the field. It's something that gets left behind.
Q: How are you approaching free agency?
A: I knew going into free agency that I wanted to have a really good year. I
also knew I'd be setting up. My main objective was to close. I feel I can
close in Colorado or anywhere else. But it's not my choice.
It's the same thing as last year, when I got put into the setup role. There
wasn't a whole lot I could do about it. All I could do was pitch the best I
could. Now that I'm back closing, it's where I believe I should be.
Q: Do you have a geographic preference for where you end up?
A: Obviously, there are places you'd rather play than others. Geographically,
being a West Coast guy, I would be happy to go to the West Coast. But as far
as the business end goes, I want to go where I can close. If it's Bangor,
Maine, I'll go there.
It's a matter of where I fit. I know there will be guys moving on to other
teams, teams taking different directions. We'll have to wait and see what
opportunities are out there for me to look into. I don't mind playing
anywhere. If there's an opportunity to close, I'd like to do it.
Q: But if you get traded, you probably would set up.
A: That's more likely to happen than not. Most teams in contention already
have closers. You look at what most teams need, it's a nice bridge to the
closer. If I can be part of that ... it's one of those things that's out of
my control. I'm OK with it, OK setting up, filling that role for the time
being. At the end of the year, we'll figure out what we want to do from there.
Q: A lot of the Rockies could be traded — yourself, Matt Holliday, Garrett
Atkins, others. How much do you guys talk about that in the clubhouse?
A: It's almost like a running joke. We all know there's nothing we can do
about it. There's speculation they might want to move Matt, (Yorvit)
Torrealba, Willy Taveras, myself. We joke about it. It's a relaxed atmosphere
in the clubhouse.
I know Dan O'Dowd has mentioned he will keep it all under wraps, not talk
publicly if they're getting close. That's nice to know, that your GM is not
just going to throw names out there.
Q: How often do people outside of the media ask you about getting traded —
friends, family people like that?
A: I get questions from my friends and family. They're probably more scared
than anything. They don't want to bother me. They think they might throw me
off if they ask every day. They look online, too. They probably know as much
as I do.
Who knows? Four or five teams have interest. It probably will come down to
the last week or day or two. Whatever Colorado feels will make the team
better, that's what they're going to do. I don't blame 'em.
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