Hey Cansecoites,

Jose is finally making progress with his heel, and could be back in the
lineup as soon as tonight. Don't expect him to play until next week, but
if he runs pain free before tonight's game, he could be activated. It will
be nice to see him playing again, but I'd honestly rather see him wait
another week and come back 100% than I would see him play any more games at
less than 100%.

I'm on an airplane right now, headed to Las Vegas for the weekend, and I
can't help but remember the last time I made this trip - for the Big League
Challenge in February. Now THAT was Jose at his best. I'll never forget
Jose launching homer after homer against Palmeiro, with the crowd on their
feet chanting, "Jo-se, Jo-se." Awesome.

All the latest news is below, including Jose talking about bulking
down. At 7% body fat, he realizes that won't be easy, but I think he's
finally sick and tired of the extra weight contributing to all these injuries.

Mark

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From the Sporting News:
6/14

Designated hitter Jose Canseco has become frustrated with his sore left
heel. Canseco has been on the D.L. since May 25, and it may be a week or
more before he is activated. Canseco was eligible to return on June 9, and
the Devil Rays were hoping he would be back June 13. Canseco has been
taking swings in batting practice, but the problem has been running the
bases. Canseco has not been able to run pain free since the injury.

It was almost a certainty that the Devil Rays would trade Canseco. However,
interest from other teams has cooled since his latest injury. Also, there
seems to be some doubt that Tampa Bay will be moved to the National League
next year, which would mean Tampa Bay could bring Canseco back next season
as the DH.

==========
From USA Today Baseball Weekly:
Let Jose Handle Your Money

Jose Canseco appeared on CNBC via satellite from Tampa recently to discuss
his new financial services company and offer his thoughts on the stock
market. Before Canseco's live appearance, the network interviewed first
baseman Fred McGriff, who half-jokingly wondered why anyone would invest
with Canseco. "I was feeling pretty good about how the show went," said
Canseco, who evidently could not see the McGriff interview while he was in
the studio. "Then I got home and looked at the tape and there's Fred."

As Canseco was leaving the studio, he inadvertently left his cell phone
atop his car, then ran over it, leaving him out of touch for a few
days. Canseco, who is on the disabled list with a foot injury did not seem
that upset about it. "Just the cost of doing business," he said.

==========
From the St. Petersburg Times:

EVEN MORE INJURY NEWS: Jose Canseco has resumed batting practice and says
his sore left heel "feels real good." The next step is seeing if he can run
the bases. The last time Canseco tried to run, his heel began hurting.

"I don't know that I expect him to steal bases, but I'd certainly like to
know that he could score on a base hit if he's on second base," Rothschild
said. "Run reasonably hard without having any chance of hurting it."

Canseco is hopeful of being activated by the time the team arrives in Texas
on Friday.

==========

...Canseco, out of action since May 25 with a strained left heel, said he
``feels good walking'' and is expected to start running within the next few
days. On Saturday, the 35-year-old designated hitter took batting practice
from injured RHP Dave Eiland (hip).

==========
From the Tampa Tribune:
Canseco ready to start bulking down
By Bill Chastain

A scout sitting in the Tropicana Field press box recently commented on Jose
Canseco's physique.

``I saw him in the hotel lobby and couldn't believe it,'' said the scout.

``Looked like one of those super- action heroes from the comic books,
muscles all over the place.''

Indeed, Canseco's muscles have given him the look of a character from Mount
Olympus, but they have made him a mere mortal this season for the Devil Rays.

``Sometimes [a lot of muscle] works against you,'' Canseco said.

After winning the ESPN home run hitting contest in Las Vegas, Canseco
showed up for spring training bigger, stronger, faster - and more
susceptible to injury - than ever.

He'd paid his dues in the off-season doing the work he felt was necessary
to help him ward off the injury bug for the 2000 campaign. Mostly he
concentrated on building up his legs, making sure they could better support
the heavy upper body that has so successfully whipped the bat through the
strike zone over the years.

The chiseled results of his off-season conditioning were awe-inspiring.
Unfortunately, whether Canseco had muscle or fat above the waist, it has
acted like dead weight on his legs and can be looked at as a contributing
factor for the strained right heel that has kept him on the disabled list
since May 28.

``Initially my thing was not to add the weight, just to become stronger,''
said Canseco, explaining how he added the weight. ``Strengthen my legs. And
once I did that, the muscle came on and the weight with it.

``You look at me, you wouldn't think, 250, but you look at me at 230 and
you'd say I look too thin. But I think 230 is my playing weight. So I'm
thinking about next year, if not earlier, just melting down the actual
muscles.''

Manager Larry Rothschild said he has talked to Canseco about his weight in
the past, noting it has affected the wear and tear on his body.

``Even with the weight, he still runs well,'' Rothschild said. ``But if you
look at it as the weight's affecting his injuries, yeah, it's done that I
think.''

Canseco now views the direction of his off-season work as a mistake.

``I need to go thinner,'' Canseco said. ``I'm going to have to. I was 230
two years ago. [With all the work on his legs] I thought I wasn't going to
have any leg problems at all.''

When Canseco won the American League's Most Valuable Player award with
Oakland in 1988, he weighed 230. Given his status as a five-tool player, he
generally was regarded as one of the best players in the game.

Of course, losing 20 pounds is a different proposition for someone like
Canseco. It's not like he's been snacking on Big Macs and cheesecake.
Canseco is 250 pounds of solid muscle on his 6-foot-4 frame; his body fat
is 7 percent.

``I'll have to do a lot of cardio[vascular work],'' he said. ``More reps
[with the weights], [using] less weight. I'm still fast, it's just the
impact of the extra weight on my legs.

``I could start melting down to about 240. Then you start wondering where
you're going to lose the rest of the weight at. Drop down to about 3
percent body fat and see what happens after that.''

Canseco dwell knows he's more valuable if he can play the outfield instead
of being exclusively a designated hitter. If he can drop the weight the way
he wants to, he believes a return to the outfield is in the cards.

``I don't see why not,'' he said. ``If I dropped down to 230 I'll be right
there. In '98, I was playing outfield and stole 23 bases before the All-Star
Game. Then they put me back at DH and I gained my weight back and I didn't
steal after that.

``You just don't see any outfielders playing at 250 pounds. The heaviest is
about 230, Juan Gonzalez.''

Canseco said he has missed playing the outfield.

``Yeah, I definitely do,'' said Canseco, who is probably remembered most
for having a ball plunk him on his head and bounce over the fence for a
home run than for his above-average outfield ability. ``I play it well
enough not to embarrass myself. My arm is still very strong.''

Canseco turns 36 next month, which means right field would probably be out
of the question if he returns to the outfield.

``Left field for sure,'' Canseco said. ``I wouldn't mind playing out there
every day. It's just getting back into that routine. Also, playing every day
helps keep that weight off you. Once you're a DH, you're working out, not
burning as many calories.''

If Canseco losses the weight there's still a question of whether he can
actually make a return to the outfield. But chances are a leaner Canseco
would be in the lineup more often, whether it's as an outfielder or a DH.

==========
...Regular DH Jose Canseco is scheduled to test his sore left heel in
running drills before tonight's game. Canseco, out since May 25, is hoping
to be activated for the weekend series in Texas.

==========
From the St. Petersburg Times:

CANSECO REPORT: Jose Canseco put on an impressive batting practice display
Tuesday afternoon, but the more important test in determining when he will
come off the disabled list will be when he runs the bases. Canseco, out
since May 25 with a sore left heel, likely won't be activated until he
shows that he can run at close to full speed. He may attempt running drills
today, but says he has made progress and wants to make sure to avoid
setbacks. "I'll see how it feels, but I'm not going to be in any hurry," he
said. "I want to be careful not to do something that could lead to being
out another two or three weeks because I'm so close." Canseco had hoped to
be activated for Friday's game, but it may not happen until next week.

==========
From the St. Petersburg Times:
Canseco closer, but not back yet
By Marc Topkin
June 22, 2000

SEATTLE -- Jose Canseco is getting closer to getting back on the field, but
it might be Tuesday before he rejoins the Rays lineup.

Canseco decided to wait until Friday to test his left heel in running
drills, reasoning that he was close enough to being recovered that the two
extra days of rest should be beneficial.

"I didn't want to cut two days off and end up being out another couple
weeks," Canseco said.

Canseco, who last played May 24, said if he runs without pain on Friday
afternoon he would hope to play that night.

But the Rays are likely to take a more cautious approach. Manager Larry
Rothschild said he will want to see how Canseco responds the day after the
drills. That could make Canseco available as soon as Saturday night, but
with the Rays off again on Monday, they might decide to give him the
additional days.

"We'll have to see," Rothschild said. "If he can go from where he is now to
running sprints on Friday and feel good on Saturday then it's obviously a
possibility."

==========
From the Sporting News
6/21

Jose Canseco needs to lose weight.

Canseco added muscle to his legs in the offseason in hopes of avoiding
another back injury. Canseco bulked up to 250 pounds, but is now planning
on dropping down to 230.

Canseco has been on the DL with a sore left heel, and contributing to the
injury has been Canseco's added leg muscle. Canseco is one of the most
chiseled players in baseball, with only seven percent body fat.

Canseco said that by next year, if not sooner, he wants to start melting
down the muscle he has added. Canseco feels if he can get down to 230, he
could again return to the outfield.

Canseco was at 230 in 1998 in Toronto when he last played the outfield. He
also had 23 stolen bases in the first half. But after the All-Star break
Canseco was used primarily as the DH, and he put weight on. Canseco's
stolen base production drastically dropped once that happened. . . .