There’s ‘Ray of Hope They Can Unload Castilla

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays hoped to shake down the Tropicana Field rafters this year, acquiring Vinny Castilla and Greg Vaughn while retaining Jose Canseco and Fred McGriff.

The moves failed to produce the anticipated thunder and success, but the D-Rays recently got out from under Canseco when he was graciously claimed by the New York Yankees and they may have found a taker for the $7 million owed third baseman Castilla next season. Castilla has asked to be traded, and Don Baylor, his former Colorado Rockies manager now with the Chicago Cubs, is interested.

“I mentioned him to [former general manager] Ed Lynch way back at the last winter meetings,” Baylor said. “My interest is still there if he’s available, depending on how severe his back pain is. He’s been on the disabled list three times this year. I had him for six years [in Colorado] and he was never on the disabled list for anything like that. He always played.”

Last year, however, Castilla’s home run total fell from 46 to 33, and this year he has hit only six while batting .223 in 71 games.

However, Baylor thinks Castilla could regain his form returning to the National League.

“To me,” he said, “he’s not an American League guy because this [the NL] is more of a fastball league where pitchers challenge you.”

Although the Cubs are reluctant to meet Sammy Sosa’s salary wishes, Baylor said the $7 million owed the fading Castilla would not be a hurdle.

“If he is healthy and we can put a deal together, it is not going to be about the $7 million,” Baylor said.

*

The Detroit Tigers have staged the comeback of the year, rallying from a 9-23 start, rampant injuries and potentially disruptive attempts to trade Juan Gonzalez to reach .500 and become a wild-card contender.

In the process, they may have also convinced management that the distant fences at Comerica Field should be moved in, which could convince Gonzalez to stay, if the Tigers are still interested in retaining him given the number of games he has missed because of injuries.

“If there’s something wrong with the park, I want to correct it,” owner Mike Ilitch said this week. “Right now, it’s something you’ve got to look into deeply. I wouldn’t want to have a park where they’re telling me it’s unfair.”

*

The Texas Rangers set a dubious club record Wednesday: Most games giving up 10 or more runs--22. No surprise that the Rangers were 3-19 in those games.

*

The staggering Seattle Mariners, having lost nine of 10 games to put the Oakland A’s and Angels back in the West Division race, returned to Safeco Field Friday night to face the Central-leading Chicago White Sox, followed by the East-leading New York Yankees.

There is another aspect of the schedule, however, that may be more troubling. They need Alex Rodriguez to lead them out of their dog day performance of August, but September has been the shortstop’s worst month. He has a .267 career average in September, including .183 over his final 115 at-bats last year.

Meantime, Seattle’s pitching and defense have deteriorated, and Manager Lou Piniella says it’s time for his players to muster all of their “heart and character,” adding that he is through trying to talk them through this malaise, that it is up to the players, that meetings are no longer of value.

Piniella, however, seemed to challenge their courage on the eve of the home stand, saying: “I’m concerned that the situation right now might be a little too tough for some of our guys. We’ll find out.”