Hey everyone...

This was just announced. Jose Canseco is now a New York Yankee. I have
about 2 weeks of news to send out to you, but I wanted you all to know this
ASAP. I'll email more details (and then the old news) later.

-Mark

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From the AP:
Yankees claim DH Jose Canseco on waivers from Devil Rays
August 7, 2000

BRONX, NEW YORK (TICKER) -- The New York Yankees added a powerful bat for
the stretch run today, claiming Jose Canseco off waivers and breaking up
the Tampa Bay Devil Rays' own version of Murderers' Row.

The injury-prone Canseco has 440 career homers, third among activate major
leaguers behind only Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds.

There was speculation that the Yankees were interested in Canseco, a
favorite of owner George Steinbrenner, prior to the July 31 trade deadline.
Instead, they acquired him for just the pro-rated portion of his $3 million
contract. Canseco also has a club option for 2001.

"Obviously the Yankees have had their eyes on him for a while. He gives us
another option off the bench or as a DH for Joe (Torre)," general manager
Brian Cashman said. "In essence I got a player with great run production
capabilities for nothing."

Canseco likely will serve as the righthanded designated hitter, which would
mean more time in left field for the lefthanded-hitting David Justice,
acquired from Cleveland in late June.

"I think his role might be utilized more as DH or bat off the bench,"
Cashman said. "I think the health of the roster from day to day will
dictate how Joe mixes and matches."

The 36-year-old Canseco is batting .257 with nine homers and 30 RBI. He has
been limited to 61 games this season, missing close to two months with a
strained right heel.

This past offseason, the Devil Rays acquired Greg Vaughn and Vinny Castilla
to join a lineup that already included Canseco and Fred McGriff. But the
foursome rarely played together this season due to injuries and the Devil
Rays own the worst record in the American League at 47-62.

When Canseco came off the DL on July 18, it marked the first time since May
24 that the power-laden quartet were in the same lineup.

Canseco ranks 24th on the all-time home run list and needs two more tie
Dave Kingman. Canseco and McGriff are the only players to have a 30-homer
season with four teams and the 15th to reach that mark in eight different
seasons. Canseco's career home run total is the most of any player at the
time they were acquired by the Yankees.

Canseco has been on the DL 12 times in his 14-year career. The six-time
All-Star and the 1988 AL Most Valuable Player missed 36 games last season
after back surgery to repair a herniated disk.

"I talked with Jose and he said his back is no problem. He reports no
problems with the back," Cashmna said. "Sometimes with the swings he takes,
it would be hard to take those swings if the back was bothering you. He
doesn't get cheated."

Last season, Canseco was the first Devil Ray elected to the All-Star Game,
although he was forced to sit out the contest for the third time in his
career. He missed the 1989 game with a broken hand and the 1992 contest
with a sore right shoulder.

Cashman seemed hopeful Canseco would join the team by the start of Friday's
West Coast road trip and added that no roster move will be made until he
reports. One possible casualty is outfielder Ryan Thompson, who is hitting.
194 in 16 games.

Canseco came up through the Oakland Athletics' organization and was AL
Rookie of the Year in 1986, when he hit 33 homers and drove in 117 runs. He
was baseball's first "40-40" player in 1988, hitting 42 homers and stealing
40 bases as he led Oakland to the pennant.

Canseco signed with the Devil Rays prior to last season after a resurgent
year in Toronto in 1998, when he hit 46 homers and drove in 107 runs in 151
games.

The Devil Rays replaced Canseco on the roster by calling up outfielder
Quinton McCracken from Durham of the International League.

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From the AP:
Yankees claim Canseco off waivers from Tampa Bay
By Josh Dubow
August 7, 2000

NEW YORK (AP) -- The New York Yankees acquired Jose Canseco on Monday,
claiming him off waivers from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and adding another
strong bat to their lineup.

``Hopefully he can effect a few games for us down the stretch and be a
positive impact as we try to'' win a third consecutive World Series,
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said.

The 36-year-old slugger is hitting .257 with nine homers and 30 RBIs in 61
games this season. He missed 46 games with a strained left heel.

``Canseco can give us a quality right-handed bat to help our production,''
Cashman said. ``He gives Joe (Torre, Yankees manager) another quality
option off the bench or in the DH role, depending on how he sees fit.''

Canseco has 440 homers -- more than any player acquired by the Yankees --
and is 24th on the career home run list. A favorite of owner George
Steinbrenner, he will be used mostly as a designated hitter.

Canseco has had many health problems -- most notably a bad back -- in a
career that includes winning the MVP unanimously with Oakland in 1988, the
same season he became the first player to hit 40 homers and steal 40 bases.
But the Yankees are convinced that health will not be an issue.

``He's had no problems with his back this year,'' Cashman said.

From 1998-99, Canseco averaged a homer every 12.66 at bats, the third-best
ratio in the AL behind Ken Griffey Jr. (11.86) and Manny Ramirez (12.28).
His career ratio of one every 15 at bats is fifth among active players and
ninth in major league history.

``I definitely think if I had someone else's back, I could play until I'm
45 easily,'' Canseco joked during spring training. ``I'll probably have the
most home runs compared to the most surgeries.''

Last season, Canseco was leading the AL with 31 homers before undergoing
surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back just before the All-Star
break. He returned Aug. 19, two weeks earlier than expected, but a hand
injury contributed to him hitting just three homers the rest of the season.

The Yankees inquired about Canseco before last month's trade deadline, but
were told by Tampa Bay that he was not available because he was part of the
Devil Rays' future. That apparently changed very quickly.

The Yankees, who paid Tampa Bay a $20,000 waiver fee, will be responsible
for the remainder of Canseco's $3 million contract this season, which will
be just under $1 million. The Yankees hold a $4 million club option for
next season.

The Devil Rays tried to work out a deal with the Yankees, but when Cashman
was unwilling to give up any players, Tampa Bay decided to shed his salary.

``We are very aggressive on the way we claim players,'' Cashman said.
``Essentially we got a player for nothing.''

The Yankees were three games behind Toronto in the AL East when they
acquired David Justice on June 29 from Cleveland. They have gone 21-12
since then -- helped by the Denny Neagle trade on July 12 -- and have a 3
1/2 -game lead.

New York also picked up infielder Jose Vizcaino and outfielder Glenallen
Hill in the last month to bolster their squad.

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Mark Petrillo
mark@...
Canseconet.com - The Jose Canseco Site