BOSTON | Toronto ace Roy Halladay’s apparent willingness to waive the no-trade provisions of his contract prompts the question: Is Gil Meche willing to do the same if the Royals field an attractive offer? “When that time comes,” he said, “then I’ll answer that question. But I’m not going to address speculation. Do I want to go somewhere? No. That’s about all I can say.” Meche seems to sense that he sounds ambivalent, because he quickly adds: “I don’t want to go anywhere,” he said. “I know this is the last year of the no-trade (clause) in my contract, but I would like to be here to win. That’s why I signed to come here in the first place.” Even so, Meche knows speculation always runs rampant as the July 31 nonwaiver trading deadline approaches. And, yes, the Royals’ disappointing season and the search by contenders to add impact arms make him an obvious target. “My name was thrown around in trade talks every summer when I was with Seattle,” Meche said. “I never went anywhere, obviously, but I know the way it works: Teams that don’t think they’re going anywhere look to dump salary.” That the Royals show no inclination to trade Meche does little to quell the rumors and inquiries. The Phillies, Rangers and Cardinals are all actively seeking a proven starter. That list seems certain to grow in coming days. Royals officials say they’d ask Meche to waive his no-trade clause only if presented a can’t-refuse offer. Contract terms shift next year to a limited no-trade clause in the fourth season of his five-year, $55 million deal. The clause disappears completely in 2011. “If everybody is healthy, this is a different team,” Meche said. “Why would I want to leave what could be a good situation? I came here to win. So to leave when we have guys hurt would be a waste. That doesn’t make sense to me.”Outfield shift David DeJesus looked twice at the lineup card Thursday to make sure there was no mistake; that he really was playing center field for the first time since Sept. 23. “I saw eight (on the card),” he laughed, “and said, ‘What is that? The infinity sign?’ I haven’t taken a ball there at all this season. Not even in practice. Even in spring training, I didn’t sniff it at all. “I’ll just go out there and hope it’s like riding a bike.” Manager Trey Hillman put DeJesus in center because he wanted José Guillen, with his sore right groin, to play left field because Fenway Park’s distinctive Green Monster, while tricky, typically limits the ground a player must cover. “José has played left field here before,” Hillman said. “He’s fairly familiar with it, and it will be less taxing on his lower half. Hopefully, that will be better for his legs. David has played center here before.” Newcomer Ryan Freel played right field.Cruz controlVeteran reliever Juan Cruz wobbled a bit Thursday but continues to rebound from a rough stretch in which he yielded 14 earned runs in 8 1/3 innings over nine appearances May 21-June 18 and his ERA spiked from 1.45 to 5.67. “He’s getting the ball down,” pitching coach Bob McClure said. “And because of that, he’s not trying as hard to overpower people. That’s really it. That’s all we’ve talked about for the last month.” Cruz had retired 18 straight hitters over six appearances before starting the eighth inning with successive walks. He still avoided allowing an earned run, which trimmed his ERA to 4.19. Etc.•Birthday wishes today to Hal McRae, who turns 64. McRae spent the last 15 seasons of a 19-year career with the Royals and was the club’s manager during 1991-94.•Willie Bloomquist’s stolen base in the first inning was his 16th of the season. That matches a career high set in 2006 while with Seattle.•DeJesus’ homer in the sixth was his first in 73 career at-bats at Fenway Park.•The Royals won for just the sixth time in their last 23 games at Fenway Park.

Posted on Thu, Jul. 09, 2009 11:22 PM

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Royals notebook: Meche shows no inclination to waive no-trade clause

By BOB DUTTON

The Kansas City Star

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“When that time comes,” he said, “then I’ll answer that question. But I’m not going to address speculation. Do I want to go somewhere? No. That’s about all I can say.”

Meche seems to sense that he sounds ambivalent, because he quickly adds:

“I don’t want to go anywhere,” he said. “I know this is the last year of the no-trade (clause) in my contract, but I would like to be here to win. That’s why I signed to come here in the first place.”

Even so, Meche knows speculation always runs rampant as the July 31 nonwaiver trading deadline approaches. And, yes, the Royals’ disappointing season and the search by contenders to add impact arms make him an obvious target.

“My name was thrown around in trade talks every summer when I was with Seattle,” Meche said. “I never went anywhere, obviously, but I know the way it works: Teams that don’t think they’re going anywhere look to dump salary.”

That the Royals show no inclination to trade Meche does little to quell the rumors and inquiries. The Phillies, Rangers and Cardinals are all actively seeking a proven starter. That list seems certain to grow in coming days.

Royals officials say they’d ask Meche to waive his no-trade clause only if presented a can’t-refuse offer. Contract terms shift next year to a limited no-trade clause in the fourth season of his five-year, $55 million deal. The clause disappears completely in 2011.

“If everybody is healthy, this is a different team,” Meche said. “Why would I want to leave what could be a good situation? I came here to win. So to leave when we have guys hurt would be a waste. That doesn’t make sense to me.”

Outfield shift

David DeJesus looked twice at the lineup card Thursday to make sure there was no mistake; that he really was playing center field for the first time since Sept. 23.

“I saw eight (on the card),” he laughed, “and said, ‘What is that? The infinity sign?’ I haven’t taken a ball there at all this season. Not even in practice. Even in spring training, I didn’t sniff it at all.

“I’ll just go out there and hope it’s like riding a bike.”

Manager Trey Hillman put DeJesus in center because he wanted José Guillen, with his sore right groin, to play left field because Fenway Park’s distinctive Green Monster, while tricky, typically limits the ground a player must cover.

“José has played left field here before,” Hillman said. “He’s fairly familiar with it, and it will be less taxing on his lower half. Hopefully, that will be better for his legs. David has played center here before.”

Newcomer Ryan Freel played right field.

Cruz control

Veteran reliever Juan Cruz wobbled a bit Thursday but continues to rebound from a rough stretch in which he yielded 14 earned runs in 8 1/3 innings over nine appearances May 21-June 18 and his ERA spiked from 1.45 to 5.67.

“He’s getting the ball down,” pitching coach Bob McClure said. “And because of that, he’s not trying as hard to overpower people. That’s really it. That’s all we’ve talked about for the last month.”

Cruz had retired 18 straight hitters over six appearances before starting the eighth inning with successive walks. He still avoided allowing an earned run, which trimmed his ERA to 4.19.

Etc.

•Birthday wishes today to Hal McRae, who turns 64. McRae spent the last 15 seasons of a 19-year career with the Royals and was the club’s manager during 1991-94.

•Willie Bloomquist’s stolen base in the first inning was his 16th of the season. That matches a career high set in 2006 while with Seattle.

•DeJesus’ homer in the sixth was his first in 73 career at-bats at Fenway Park.

•The Royals won for just the sixth time in their last 23 games at Fenway Park.

Posted on Thu, Jul. 09, 2009 11:22 PM

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