Hey Cansecoites...

Jose was on the Yankee bench tonight, but he pinch hit and flied out to
right field. I REALLY hope he doesn't end up being a bench player for
long. Jose not being in the starting lineup just isn't right...

All of today's stories are below... I have to warn you, most of them are
pretty depressing. It sounds to me like the Devil Rays didn't want Jose
and neither does anyone in New York. The NY media is already questioning
the move and calling Jose a "240-pound nuisance." See for yourself.

Take it easy,
Mark

P.S. I don't care if Jose is there or not, I still hate the Yankees.

==========
From Yankees.com
Yanks Claim Canseco From Devil Rays
By Tom Rose
8/7/00

The prospects of a Yankee three-peat look pretty good today as the Bombers
added another powerful bat to their already stocked lineup, claiming
slugger Jose Canseco off waivers from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Canseco, who ranks 24th on the all-time homer list with 440 bombs, will be
used off the bench as a pinch-hitter and as a right-handed DH.

"It will give us another option off the bench or in the DH role," said
Yankees GM Brian Cashman from his office during Monday's game with the
Mariners. "I've been very aggressive on the waiver claims, so in essence I
got a player with a lot of run production capabilities for nothing. He's
going to fit in and help us and hopefully be another weapon for Joe to
utilize."

The 36-year-old slugger his hitting .257 with nine homers and 30 RBI in 61
games for Tampa this season -- sitting out 46 games with a strained left
heel. He signed with Tampa as a free-agent on December 10, 1998 and was a
valued part of a revamped Devil Ray lineup that included Fred McGriff,
Vinny Castillo and Greg Vaughn.

Over his 14-year career, he's hit over 30 homers eight times and driven in
more than 100 runs six times. Despite his advancing age, he's averaged 34
homers and 92 RBI over the past three seasons. Canseco was the first
major-league player to notch a 40-40 (40 homers, 40 steals in 1988) season,
but nagging injuries have kept him quiet on the basepaths in recent years.

Cashman insisted that Canseco's back hasn't been a problem for the slugger
of late. His stint on the DL earlier this season was caused by a strained
left ankle.

"It's hard to take some of those swings if your back is bothering you,"
Cashman said. "He doesn't get cheated."

Canseco's played in the outfield only six times since the beginning of the
1999 season, but Cashman hasn't ruled out giving him a glove and sending
him out there.

"That remains to be seen. I think in fairness to Jose, his role will be as
a bat off the bench and DH as Joe sees fit," the GM said. "The health of
the roster on any given day dictates how Joe mixes and matches. Sometimes
you might see him out there."

The Yankees will be responsible for the remainder of Canseco's $3 million
contract this season, which will be about $1 million. He'll be eligible for
free agency after the season.

"The organization has always been enamored with this man's power. He's been
one of the game's biggest names. His career has obviously been held back by
injuries, because he obviously would have been able to accomplish so much
more. Hopefully he's got some more thunder left in that bat.

"Maybe he can affect a few games for us down the stretch, like some of the
other additions have, and be a positive influence on what I hope is going
to be a three-peat."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom Rose is the webmaster of Yankees.com.
Contact him at trose@....

==========
From the Sporting News:
Yankees get something for nothing in Canseco
By Albert Dickson

The Yankees are not known for being frugal, but they should earn some
points for this one. Just days after the Devil Rays say that Jose Canseco
is off limits, New York acquires the slugger off the waiver wire. The move
adds another big bat to the Yankees' lineup, but Canseco's health remains a
question. New York, ranked No. 5 in this week's Power Poll, could have used
his bat on Monday, as the Yankees again fall to the Mariners, 8-5, their
third straight loss.

==========
From the AP:
Puzzler: Yanks add Canseco to puzzle

The Yankees were thin at left field-DH-bench until trading for David
Justice and Glenallen Hill. Now they're overstaffed with Monday's
acquistion of Jose Canseco, a move that puzzled Joe Torre. The Yankees also
brought Luis Sojo back into the mix as insurance with Chuck Knoblauch on
the DL.

Canseco bringing bat to Bronx

NEW YORK -- Yankees manager Joe Torre and Jose Canseco are in agreement:
Neither knows what the slugger's role will be with New York.

"I'm stunned," Torre said Monday after New York claimed Canseco on waivers
from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. "I don't get surprised too often, but I was
surprised. Hopefully, he will help us win a game."

That wasn't exactly a ringing endorsement.

Canseco, who has been an everyday player -- when healthy -- for his entire
career, also was a bit confused.

"I don't know how I'm going to fit in," he said. "I really don't know what
they want me to do. I don't know my role yet."

Torre will try to fit Canseco -- who has a feared bat to go with his bad
back -- into a crowded left field/DH slot that already includes David
Justice, Glenallen Hill, Luis Polonia and Ryan Thompson.

One of those players, possibly Polonia, could be let go to make room for
Canseco when he arrives Tuesday. Canseco could also be used off the bench,
even though he has only six hits in 35 at-bats as a pinch-hitter.

"My job is to manage the players who are in uniform," Torre said. "I have
no opinion of the move. I know what Jose is capable of. There's no question
that he's a threat, but this was a surprise."

Torre's assessment of Canseco was in sharp contrast to his reaction to New
York's second Monday addition -- backup infielder Luis Sojo, acquired from
from Pittsburgh in a trade for minor league pitcher Chris Spurling.

"He was one of our leaders the last few years," Torre said of Sojo, who
played four seasons with the Yankees. "I know he'll be pleased coming back
and the guys will be happy to see him."

It was unclear if the Yankees actually wanted Canseco or were more
interested in blocking Oakland from adding a needed right-handed bat.
Canseco was placed on waivers Thursday and Yankees GM Brian Cashman put in
a claim, one day before Oakland acquired Mike Stanley.

The only other AL teams the Yankees could block were Chicago and Seattle,
which both have entrenched designated hitters. And NL teams likely had no
interest.

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

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, about
$900,000. The Yankees hold a $4 million club option for next season with a
$500,000 buyout.

"I was happy in one sense and depressed in another sense," Canseco said. "I
made a lot of great friends here in Tampa, and in that sense I'm sad I'm
leaving. I'm getting an opportunity to play for a team in contention right
now."

Canseco's addition pushes the Yankees' payroll to about $112.6 million
pending a roster move when Canseco reports. Of the 34 players on the active
roster or disabled list, 21 make more than $1 million.

"The Tampa Bay Devil Rays got the opportunity to give young players at-bats
and save $2 million," Devil Rays general manager Chuck LaMar said. "To
them, it may not be nothing. To us it's a lot."

The Yankees, who inquired about Canseco before last week's trade deadline,
have been busy the past two months, acquiring Justice, Denny Neagle, Jose
Vizcaino, Hill and Polonia.

They were three games behind Toronto in the AL East when they got Justice
on June 29 from Cleveland. They are 22-13 since and held a three-game lead
over Boston in the AL East heading into Monday night.

"In 1998 and 1999, the team told us that we didn't need to make any moves,"
Cashman said. "This club told us that we needed to shore up this area and
that area. Other teams have closed the gap and we needed to respond."

Canseco, 36, is hitting .257 with nine homers and 30 RBI in 61 games this
season. He missed 46 games with a strained left heel. Canseco is 24th on
the career list with 440 homers and has long been a favorite of owner
George Steinbrenner, who Cashman said was not consulted on the claim.

"We made the decision as an organization when we put Jose out on waivers
that if someone claimed him, there was tremendous chance I would let him
go," LaMar said. "It makes no difference if that team is the New York
Yankees. The decision had already been made both baseball-wise and
financially."

Canseco is 24th on the career list with 440 homers and has long been a
favorite of owner George Steinbrenner, who Cashman said was not consulted
on the claim.

"As an organization, we've always been enamored with this player," Cashman
said. "He's one of the game's biggest names. His career has certainly been
held back by injuries. Hopefully he has more left in him and his bat can
help us down the stretch."

While playing for Oakland, he was a unanimous winner of the 1988 American
League MVP award, also becoming the first player to hit 40 homers and steal
40 bases.

His career dropped off as injuries took their toll. The Yankees and Canseco
are convinced health will not be an issue, although it likely will prevent
him from playing much in the field.

"The back is 100 percent," Canseco said. "The foot is healing and is about
90 percent."

But the Yankees will use him for his bat, as they try for a third straight
World Series title. His career ratio of one every 15 at-bats is fifth among
active players and ninth in major league history.

"I know the Yankees have a great history," he said. "What they've done the
last four or five years has been incredible. Everyone wants be associated
with a winning club. I'm happy to be considered by the Yankees as someone
who can help them."

==========
From the St. Petersburg Times:
Devil Rays let Canseco go
After numerous trade rumors, and nearly as many injuries, the Yankees grab
the slugger off the waiver wire.
By Marc Topkin
August 8, 2000

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Devil Rays gave Jose Canseco away for nothing Monday,
allowing the charismatic slugger to be claimed off waivers by the New York
Yankees.

And they couldn't have been much happier about it.

The Rays, general manager Chuck LaMar said, essentially had decided on a
plan of addition by subtraction, figuring it would help the team to
eliminate nearly $2-million they could have owed Canseco and free up the
playing time to see some of their younger players in the final 52 games.

With little if any interest in Canseco before the non-waiver trading
deadline, the Rays put Canseco on waivers Tuesday. The Yanks claimed him
Thursday, though there is some question if they really wanted him or merely
were engaged in high-stakes gamesmanship, either to prevent another team
from getting Canseco, or to satisfy owner George Steinbrenner, who has
coveted him for a while.

LaMar said he didn't sense much interest from the Yankees in working out a
trade. He could have pulled Canseco back off waivers and kept him, but
decided instead to allow the Yankees to have him.

"We gain two ways," LaMar said. "We lose a heck of a guy in Jose Canseco,
but we gain from the standpoint that we give Steve Cox and Jose Guillen and
Jason Tyner and Greg Vaughn possibly as DH those at-bats, and this
organization over the next several months saves $2-million."

Steinbrenner told the New York Times: "I think (Yankees executives) got
caught up in something they didn't think about, but I'm behind my people.
I'm totally supportive of what they did. I'm happy the man is coming here,
and I'm hoping he does the job for me."

Canseco, 36, was a bit surprised and somewhat saddened by the news. "It's
like a double-edged sword," he said. "I was kind of happy in one sense and
depressed in another. I made a whole lot of friends here. ... I thought I
was going to finish my career here."

Canseco got off to a smashing start as a Devil Ray last season, hitting an
American League-leading 31 homers in the first half. But he had back
surgery July 11 and has not been nearly as productive since.

Through the 1999 All-Star break, he averaged one home run every 14.85
at-bats during his career (428 in 6,357 at-bats). Since then, one every
26.8 (12 in 322).

He was sidelined for 35 games after the surgery, then limited by a sore
hand. This season, he spent 46 games on the disabled list with a sore left
heel. He was hitting .257 with nine home runs -- fourth on the team -- and
30 RBI.

"Obviously my career here started out great," Canseco said. "It didn't end
up as positively as I would have liked it to."

Canseco, a former rookie of the year and American League MVP, had been
traded three times and twice was a free agent. But he never had been waived.

"I would have thought they could have gotten some Twix bars or something
for the kitchen," he said.

Canseco, who signed a one-year contract with two one-year options, made
$3-million in salary this season with the chance for up to $2.4-million
more in incentives based on plate appearances.

By letting him go, the Rays will save about $910,000 in salary for the rest
of this season, a $500,000 buyout that would have been due if they didn't
pick up the 2001 option, and a share of the earned incentives, which could
total $800,000. They also receive the $20,000 waiver fee from the Yankees.

In New York, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman sounded almost boastful,
saying, "We are very aggressive in the way we claim players. Essentially we
got a player for nothing."

LaMar, though, said that was not the case.

"For an organization to spin it to make it look like they got "something
for nothing,' well then $2-million obviously is nothing," LaMar said. "To
us it's a lot. To them it may not be anything, but it's a $2-million swing
financially. And, very candidly, with their interest in Jose Canseco, or
the lack of it, if you would, there was never a case where we negotiated,
... there was never a name of any player discussed.

"He was claimed and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays got the opportunity to give
young players at-bats and to save $2-million and we did just that. For them
to say anything else is not right."

There also was talk that the Yankees tried to acquire Canseco before the
trade deadline, but LaMar said there were two discussions and they didn't
amount to much.

Vaughn, bothered by a sore shoulder, is likely to be the primary DH for a
while. Guillen will play more in rightfield, Cox will get some time in
left, and Tyner should get more playing time.

Canseco was excited about the opportunity to compete again for a
championship. "A ring definitely would be exciting," he said.

The Yankees figure to use Canseco as a part-time DH and pinch-hitter,
though manager Joe Torre said he was "stunned" by the acquisition and
wouldn't elaborate.

==========
From the Tampa Tribune:
Canseco's ride was fun while it lasted
By Joe Henderson

You have to admit one thing.

In his season and two-thirds among us, Jose Canseco gave us a pretty good
three months.

He also has been essentially useless to the Devil Rays for little more than
a year now - a fact underscored Monday when they allowed the Yankees to
simply claim him on waivers.

The talk show goobs might want to barbecue General Manager Chuck LaMar for
not getting a player in return. Think about it though. As if any club would
even surrender a pair of used sweat socks for a 36-year-old guy so
acquainted with surgical procedures he should have his own link off the
Internet site WebMD.com.

Bad back, bad heel ... you name it, and that part of Canseco's body
probably has been broken. He sure was fun to watch when he was healthy,
which lasted about 82 games in 1999. Canseco led the American League with
31 homers and brought excitement to the Trop - yes, it's true - before the
inevitable medical bulletin, advising he needed back surgery.

That was 13 months ago.

Since then, he has played in just 92 games with 12 home runs. He became
just another old guy with a big contract and a bad back.

That was not exactly stop-the-presses news, by the way. Canseco knew he was
the most likely member of the ``Hit Show'' to move on.

The Rays needed Canseco last year and whatever excitement he could bring,
but in the last two weeks LaMar has reshaped the team. Canseco and Bubba
Trammell were essentially designated hitters who were taking at-bats away
from Steve Cox and Jose Guillen.

Rick White and Jim Mecir were two parts of a solid bullpen, but they
fetched a potential leadoff man in Jason Tyner and one of the game's top
pitching prospects in Jesus Colome.

Brent Abernathy, obtained for Steve Trachsel, could be the Rays' second
baseman of the future. Miguel Cairo certainly seems to think so, based on
the way he has played lately.

With Canseco, it's now addition by subtraction.

The Rays save about $2 million in this deal - $1 million in salary owed for
the remainder of this season, around $500,000 in incentives and $500,000 in
the buyout they surely would have used to avoid paying him $4 million next
season. There was no way Canseco was going to be back here at that price.

ALWAYS the chance Canseco will hit 20 home runs in the next month for the
Yankees. Jose likes a big stage and it doesn't get bigger than the team in
pinstripes. Leaving the Trop for Yankee Stadium certainly didn't hurt
Dwight Gooden.

But there's also the chance Canseco will pull a back muscle while trotting
out a double-play grounder. If he does, George Steinbrenner rifles through
his pocket for the spare change needed to pay off the balance of Canseco's
contract and sends him on his way.

Either way, the Rays can't be worried what happens to Canseco now....

...It was fun while it lasted. For three months anyway.

==========
From the Tampa Tribune:
Yankees grab Canseco
By Bill Chastain

Chuck LaMar tried to call Jose Canseco early Monday morning to give him the
news the New York Yankees had claimed him on waivers.
``I had the cell phone turned off, sleeping,'' Canseco said. A friend
finally let him know the Devil Rays general manager was trying to contact him.

Canseco knew what it meant: ``I said, `uh-oh.' ''

LaMar explained the move.

``We made the decision as an organization when we put Jose out on the
waiver wire, that if someone claimed him, there was a tremendous chance I'd
let him go,'' LaMar said.

By trading Steve Trachsel and Mark Guthrie and waiving Canseco, the
organization will save about $4 million alone this season, depending on
incentives. In addition, not having Canseco in the lineup will give more
at-bats to youngsters like Jose Guillen, Steve Cox and Jason Tyner while
allowing Greg Vaughn the opportunity to be the designated hitter when he's
not 100 percent physically.

One question that lingered was why the Devil Rays didn't receive anything
for Canseco. Even Canseco joked about it, saying: ``I thought we got some
Twix bars or something from them.''

A report out of New York said LaMar told the Yankees prior to the July 31
trade deadline that Canseco was part of the Devil Rays' future. In the same
report, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was quoted as saying: ``We
are very aggressive in the way we claim players. Essentially we got a
player for nothing.''

LaMar, who normally does not address such reports, chose to address this
one. ``To set the record straight, I'm not going to give you any personal
conversations I had with Brian Cashman,'' LaMar said. ``But I will tell you
this much. There was a never a discussion about players with Jose Canseco.
There was never a name swapped in the Jose Canseco situation.

``For an organization to spin it that they got something for nothing, well,
$2 million obviously is nothing. To us, it's a lot. To them it may not mean
much, but it's a $2 million swing [in salary and incentives] financially.
There was never a case where we negotiated and Chuck LaMar asked for too
much again. Or the Tampa Bay Devil Rays were looking for young prospects
for Jose Canseco. There was never a name of any player discussed. For them
to say anything else is not right.''

LaMar said he engaged in two conversations with the Yankees prior to the
trade deadline.

``Neither one of those conversations ever led to the sharing of names,
which will tell you how deep those conversations went,'' LaMar said. ``I
wouldn't even call them trade discussions. Was there some interest there?
Probably. But was it a case where we came out and said Jose Canseco was a
huge part of the puzzle for the future? Absolutely not. For them to even
allude to that fact is not the case. We had baseball talks between the
Yankees and the Devil Rays, but no names were discussed the last couple of
months.''

The fact he cleared waivers through most AL teams is a good indication of
the lack of interest in Canseco, who played in just 61 games this season,
hitting nine home runs and driving in 30 runs. That's a stark contrast to
the first half of 1999, when Canseco was selected to the All-Star team
after hitting 31 home runs.

``I thought he elevated this entire organization and got us to the next
level,'' LaMar said. ``The first half of last year, he had about as good a
power first half as anybody in the history of this game.''

Yankees manager Joe Torre admitted he was ``stunned'' by the move. ``I
don't get surprised too often, but I was surprised. Hopefully, he will help
us win a game.''

Canseco said didn't know how he would fit in with the Yankees yet.

``I just know I am a New York Yankee right now,'' Canseco said. ``And the
only thing I can do is try to help them out as much as possible to win
games. I'm just hoping I can fit in in New York and become a part of that
winning atmosphere.''

Canseco admitted he thought he would end his career in a Devil Rays
uniform, and he expressed some regret.

``I just wish we could have put together more of a winning season for the
fans and everyone,'' he said.

Neither Canseco nor LaMar ruled out the possibility of Canseco returning to
the Devil Rays as a free agent.

``It's baseball,'' Canseco said. ``Anything can happen.''

==========
From the NY Daily News:
Bombers Waive in Canseco
By Anthony McCarron

George Steinbrenner finally has Jose Canseco in pinstripes. But the coveted
slugger became a Yankee yesterday not because the team pursued him
specifically, but because a waiver claim backfired, and Joe Torre certainly
didn't seem happy.

The Yankees, always aggressive on the waiver wire, claimed Canseco solely
to block competing contenders from adding his potent bat to their lineup.
But Tampa Bay decided to shed Canseco's contract and let the Yankees have
him for the $20,000 waiver price, so the Yankees will assume the remainder
of his $3 million deal, paying Canseco slightly under $1 million for the
final 56 days of the season.

GM Brian Cashman admitted that his intent was to "prevent certain others
from getting him." But now that Canseco is a Yankee, Cashman said, "my
intent is to have him help the club.

"The organization has always been enamored by this man's power and he's one
of the games biggest names ... Hopefully, he's got some more thunder left
in his bat."

There may be thunder on the Yankee horizon. When asked about the move,
Torre said he was stunned.

"It has nothing to do with yes or no as far as agreeing with it," Torre
said. "I'm the manager and I have to manage the players on this team. I
don't have an opinion one way or another. It's a surprise."

When asked if Canseco would be a regular, Torre said, "I don't know."

When Cashman was told that Torre said he was shocked about the transaction,
Cashman shrugged. Cashman was asked if the manager had been kept up on how
Canseco's acquisition had developed.

"We do a number of waiver claims a day," Cashman said. "I don't bother Joe
Torre with that. I think everybody here feels he can help us."

Steinbrenner does. Cashman said The Boss' reaction to the claim backfiring
was, "Well, hopefully, he'll help us."

So neither the White Sox nor Mariners nor any National League heavyweight
such as the Braves or Mets has the righthanded slugger, but the Yankees
must find a place to put Canseco's considerable bat (440 career homers) and
presence, beginning today - Canseco was scheduled to be on an 11 a.m.
flight to New York from Tampa.

It likely won't be as the regular DH, because lefty-swinging David Justice
(.348 in 30 games as a Yankee) is there against righthand pitchers and the
Yanks already have a righthand DH in Glenallen Hill, who hit his fourth
Yankee homer in 25 at-bats yesterday.

Several Yankees said they were eager to have Canseco join the team, though
they all admitted they were surprised by the announcement.

Canseco, 36, was hitting .257 with nine homers and 30 RBI in 61 games for
the Devil Rays. He is 24th on the all-time homer list and he is third among
active players behind Mark McGwire (552) and Barry Bonds (479).

He missed 46 games this season with a strained left heel but said that his
foot was 90% and he felt he was running better every day. Canseco had back
surgery last season but he said his back is 100% now.

The Devil Rays tried to talk the Yankees into trading a player for Canseco,
but the two sides couldn't agree on a deal. Tampa could have pulled back
Canseco and completed a swap with Cashman or kept Canseco, which may have
been wise considering that there is a cheap club option at $4 million for
next season. Ultimately, though, Devil Rays GM Chuck LaMar decided to
jettison Canseco.

Canseco said he liked the idea of joining a contender - a roster move will
be forthcoming - and joked that he saw his role on the team as "playing a
little shortstop, maybe some third base. I really don't know how I'm going
to fit in there. I don't really know my role. Obviously, I'd like it to be
the everyday DH.

"At this point, I'm a Yankee and my main issue is to help them win,
whichever way, shape or form."

==========
From the NY Post:
Nobody's Happy Over Canseco

JOSE Canseco is property of the Yankees, and if you can find anyone in the
organization excited about that development, the NYPD would like to hire
you as a private investigator. Hunting down a criminal in a city of 8
million is a breeze by comparison.

Yankee GM Brian Cashman put in a claim on Canseco as a defensive move to
block a potential trade to another team - a practice generally encouraged
by George Steinbrenner - and the Yankees ended up having to keep him
because the Devil Rays did not withdraw him after the claim.

You sit in Cashman's chair and sometimes there is no way to win. You don't
block Canseco, he clears waivers and a week later the Red Sox trade for
him, you hear about it from The Boss. You do claim him and you run the risk
of getting stuck with a player who doesn't fit.

"My intention now is for him to help the club," Cashman said. "At the time,
I was certainly trying to prevent others from getting him."

The one guy who could have made Canseco feel welcome yesterday was former
Red Sox and Blue Jays teammate Roger Clemens. He could have explained what
his pal brings to a team. He declined.

Asked after yesterday's 8-5 loss to the Mariners for a minute to stop and
talk about Canseco, Clemens put his hands up in the air, sported a shocked
expression and said, "I'm done. I'm heaving tomorrow."

His shock was over being asked to talk some 27 hours before he is scheduled
to pitch.

Clemens is heaving for the Yankees tonight. Torre looked as if he felt like
heaving yesterday - into a commode, not from a mound - when asked about the
next body scheduled to spin through the revolving clubhouse door.

"I'm a little stunned," Torre said.

Under normal circumstances, Cashman would run an acquisition past Torre
before making it. Not this time.

"We make a number of waiver claims every day," Cashman said. "I don't
bother Joe Torre with that."

Thumbs up or thumbs down, Joe?

"I don't have an opinion one way or another," Torre said. "I'm manager of
the team. My job is to manage the players who wear the uniform."

Ouch. Just a hunch: Torre did not head home, kiss his wife and daughter and
proceed to stitch the word "welcome" onto a mat he would place in front of
Canseco's locker.

The personable Canseco, once among the game's greatest stars, is accustomed
to serving as a designated hitter on a daily basis. That won't happen here.
David Justice and Glenallen Hill, the Yankees' two primary designated
hitters, have combined for 12 home runs in 137 at-bats for the Yankees.
Three of those, two by Justice, came in yesterday's loss.

Canseco, a one-dimensional player at this stage of his career, hit nine
home runs in 218 at-bats for the Devil Rays.

"I think I can play shortstop or third base," Canseco joked, in keeping
with the theme of the move. "I really don't know how I'm going to fit in."

Steinbrenner takes great pleasure in blocking trades other clubs try to
make by having his "baseball people" claim players on waivers. Normally,
the club placing a player on waivers will withdraw him. In this case, the
Devil Rays, who had no trade for Canseco worked out with anyone, let the
Yankees have him.

Had the Yankees passed on Canseco and had he cleared waivers, the Devil
Rays could have dealt him later in the month to a contender who might have
an injured player Canseco could replace.

If Cashman could have foreseen this result, he wouldn't have claimed Canseco.

At times during his career, Canseco craved the opportunity to play for the
Yankees, and there were times the Yankees craved what a bat like Canseco's
could do for them. Now is not that time.

Canseco did his best to put a happy face on the transaction during a
conference call with reporters.

"I'm getting a chance to play for a team that's in contention, and that's
the New York Yankees," Canseco said. "In that sense, I'm happy."

It's the right thing to say, but is anybody really, really, really happy
this deal came down? Anyone?

Yes. His name is Ozzie Canseco and he is Jose's twin brother. Ozzie plays
for the Newark Bears of the independent Atlantic League. He recently set
the league's home-run record.

"I spoke with him today after they announced the trade and he's really
happy about it," Jose said. "He's doing great. He's hitting home runs and
has a lot of RBIs. He's happy. I'll be closer now and he can come up and
watch me play some games."

Even that will be a tricky proposition. It will be anybody's guess what
days Canseco will play. Jose, on the other hand, can make the trip to
Newark and be assured of seeing his brother play.

Oh, well, at least somebody feels good about this deal.

==========
From the NY Post:
Arrival of Canseco Causes Shock Waves
By Brian Lewis

If the Yankees were trying to corner the market on right-handed DHs, or
block another contender from picking up Jose Canseco, they surely
accomplished both feats yesterday.

In a stunning turn of events, the Bombers claimed the oft-injured slugger
Canseco off waivers from Tampa Bay - and the Devils Rays didn't pull him back.

Now the question is, what do the Yankees do with him?

GM Brian Cashman has always been aggressive in putting claims on players
just to block other teams, like a chessmaster pinning an opponent.

But yesterday Canseco actually fell into the Yankees' lap for the bargain
price of a $20,000 waiver fee.

Still, Canseco - who arrives on a 2:30 p.m. flight today - doesn't care if
the Yanks use him as a DH or pinch-hitter, and doesn't care how he gets to
The Bronx, as long as he's in pinstripes

"I more or less thought of that - if I were put on waivers, other teams
need right-handed power, like Toronto, Boston. I might get picked up and
hurt the Yankees. That definitely came into my mind, but I don't think it
would [matter to him])," said the 36-year-old "Bash Brother," who has 440
career home runs and insists he has more left in him.

"I'm definitely happy," he added. "It's exciting to go to a team in
contention, with a chance to win a division and go to the World Series. The
Yankees have great history. Everybody wants to be with a winning club. I'm
just happy to be considered by the Yankees as somebody that can help."

It would seem the Yankees felt the best way Canseco could help would be by
not adding his still-potent bat to another contender's lineup.

"I don't know [how he's going to fit in on the Yankees] - I'm a little
stunned," said Yankee manager Joe Torre.

"I don't get surprised very often. He's gonna wear our uniform, so we
anticipate he'll help us win some games, but I don't have an opinion one
way or the other. But this is a surprise."

Especially since they already had righty DH Glenallen Hill, and lefty
DH/LF-types Dave Justice and Luis Polonia. But Canseco has long been a
George Steinbrenner favorite, and Cashman inquired about Canseco two weeks
before the trading deadline, only to be told the Devil Rays weren't dealing
him.

But Cashman put in a claim and waited until they waived him, denying them
any compensation.

"My intention is to help the club. At the time, that meant preventing
others from getting him," said Cashman, who admitted the move was a done to
block other teams. "

Mark McGwire (the other Bash Brother, from their Oakland days) and Barry
Bonds are the only active players with more homers than Canseco.

But it's Canseco's health, not his power, that's in question. Canseco hit
46 home runs in 1998, and had 31 after 82 games last season. But he missed
35 games after surgery on July 11 for a herniated disc, and he hit just
three homers in his last 31 games. He's hitting .257 with nine homers and
30 RBIs this season after missing 46 games with a strained left heel.

"The back is 100 percent, and the foot is 90 percent," Canseco said. "I
definitely think [he can play] outfield. I didn't say how well, but I can
definitely play the outfield. I don't really know what they want me to do,
DH, pinch-hit. I'd like my role as the everyday DH, but I'll do whatever
they want me to do to help the team. It's not about individual players.
It's about helping the organization win another championship."

With 55 games left in the season, the Yanks will pay just under $1 million
of Canseco's $3 million contract this year. The team holds a $4 million
club option for next season, with a $500,000 buyout they'll likely use.

Pending a move today - with Ryan Thompson - the Yanks' payroll is $112.6
million.

==========
From the NY Times:
Latest Move Is Subtraction Not Addition
By Jaack Scurry
Steve Nesius for The New York Times

Brian Cashman's acquisition of Jose Canseco creates questions for the Yankees.

George Steinbrenner's Rotisserie baseball executives woke up last Thursday,
found out that Jose Canseco was available on the waiver wire and
inexplicably pounced on him. So the Yankees started the process that forced
them to add the player that Steinbrenner has always adored, a player with
bulging biceps, with Page Six possibilities and with a flickering marquee name.

Why? Why did the Yankees need a 36-year-old player who does not own a
glove, who lumbers around the bases as if he is playing slow-pitch softball
and who is such a productive home run hitter this year that he has four
more than Clay Bellinger? The Yankees should have given the dangerous
choice deeper thought since Canseco fits them as comfortably as Madonna
would fit in as a librarian.

But General Manager Brian Cashman knows how Steinbrenner operates, and he
knows that Steinbrenner would probably have shouted in his ear if another
team claimed and got Canseco. Cashman claimed Canseco and 47 other players
last Thursday to block opponents and, for worse, not better, the Yankees
wound up stuck with Canseco when the Tampa Bay Devil Rays let him go
yesterday to save slightly less than $1 million.

A decision that is made to pacify Steinbrenner is not always logical, and
this one was not. Cashman and the Yankees made their first error in two
months, a blunder that will not help a team that has been carefully
remodeled to ensure that a third straight World Series title remained
possible.

Steinbrenner spoke deliberately during a telephone interview yesterday and
was reluctant to answer several questions about how Canseco became a
Yankee. The owner sounded as exasperated as Cashman and Manager Joe Torre
about the stunning and unnecessary addition of Canseco.

"I think they got caught up in something they didn't think about,"
Steinbrenner said. "But I'm behind my people. I'm totally supportive of what
they did. I'm happy the man is coming here, and I hope he does the job for me."

These are not your 2000 Yankees from spring training. These are your 2000
Yankees from today, born of many changes that have given an aging team with
flaws a better chance to survive through October. Until yesterday, Cashman
and Mark Newman had made flawless decisions.

They scooped up Denny Neagle and David Justice long before the nonwaiver
trading deadline. They made a smart move to acquire Jose Vizcaino. They
rescued and revived Dwight Gooden and they added some power in Glenallen
Hill, who is better than Canseco. The Yankees also made a $66,000
investment in Luis Polonia last week. A few hours after the Canseco deal,
they obtained the former Yankee Luis Sojo from Pittsburgh because Chuck
Knoblauch was disabled, another shrewd trade. But the Canseco claim was
terrible, reducing Torre to a succession of "I don't knows" about Canseco's
role.

"I'm a little stunned," said Torre, who made no attempt to disguise his
disgust. "I don't get surprised very often. I was a little surprised."
Cashman added, "We got him so now, hopefully, he can fit in."

When Polonia was signed, a nervous Ryan Thompson asked a reporter if he
would be bounced off the 25-man roster. Thompson was not, but he will find
out today that he has been sacrificed to make room for Canseco.

This is senseless because Thompson is a stellar defensive outfielder who
can play all three positions. Now Thompson will be jettisoned for a
designated hitter who might be a designated pinch-hitter in the Bronx.
Without Thompson, who plays center field if Bernie Williams is injured?
Obviously, Canseco, who joked that he could play shortstop or third base,
makes the Yankees much less flexible until the rosters expand on Sept. 1
and might give them as many D.H.'s as starting pitchers.

"I really don't know how I'm going to fit in with the New York Yankees,"
admitted Canseco, a walking, talking distraction who longingly said he
would like to be the full-time D.H. "I just know that I'm a New York Yankee."

Cashman leaned back in his office chair last Thursday night, with the bags
under his eyes drooping like hammocks, and talked about how stressful the
waiver period can be. A general manager must gamble, not only trying to
make his team better, but also trying to prevent other teams from
improving. When Harold Baines went from Baltimore to Cleveland in the
waiver period last year, a move Cashman could not block, Steinbrenner went
ballistic.

"Sometimes," Cashman said, "I hate this."

Still, even if another team wanted Canseco, the Yankees should not have
cared. This was Canseco, not John Wetteland or Pedro Astacio. Canseco has
440 career homers and was a potent slugger as recently as 1998 with 46
homers, but he has a fatigued body and has struck out once every 3.4
at-bats this year. Too bad Steinbrenner's passion kept the Yankees from
ignoring Canseco.

Canseco will show up at Yankee Stadium today, 12 years after he hit 42
homers and was the American League's most valuable player. He becomes a
more muscular Wilson Delgado on a team that did not need him, a team whose
owner has long been intrigued by Canseco and is now stuck with an
albatross. Why, George, why?

"I've always liked Canseco," admitted Steinbrenner, an admiration that made
Cashman react and brought the Yankees a 240-pound nuisance.

==========
From the NY Times:
Yanks Get Canseco, but the Question Is Why?
By Buster Olney

The Yankees wanted Jose Canseco in the past and could not get him. They
finally got him yesterday, acquiring the slugger on waivers. But they don't
really want him or need him; they just wanted to make sure he wasn't going
to play for somebody else.

Canseco, beset by injuries in his career, is a struggling 36-year-old
designated hitter who cannot be used in the outfield because of defensive
deficiencies. The trouble is, the Yankees might have as many as five
players who would be most effectively deployed as a designated hitter.

Manager Joe Torre, who gushed over the previous deals for Denny Neagle and
David Justice, was far more reticent about this move. "I'm a little
stunned," he said after the Yankees' 8-5 loss to Seattle yesterday
afternoon, their third straight defeat. "I'm a little surprised. I don't
have an opinion one way or another."

Torre was asked how much Canseco will be used. "I don't know," he said,
without elaborating.

George Steinbrenner, the Yankees' principal owner, said of his executives:
"I think they got caught up in something they didn't think about, but I'm
behind my people. I'm totally supportive of what they did. I'm happy the
man is coming here, and I'm hoping he does the job for me."

The Yankees, meanwhile, placed second baseman Chuck Knoblauch on the
disabled list because of inflammation in his right elbow, reacquired the
veteran utility infielder Luis Sojo in a trade and will take outfielder
Ryan Thompson off the 25-man roster.

Canseco and Sojo are expected to arrive before tonight's game against Oakland.

In recent weeks, the Yankees have added Justice, Neagle, designated hitter
Glenallen Hill, outfielder Luis Polonia, infielder Jose Vizcaino and
pitcher Dwight Gooden. Now they have a spare part named Canseco. "I think I
can play shortstop, and a little bit of third base," Canseco said. "I
really don't know how I'm going to fit in there."

The Yankees paid $20,000 for Canseco, who has 440 career homers, after
claiming him on waivers from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The Yankees will
also pay a little less than $1 million in salary for this season, as well
as incentive payments he might soon achieve. These are the costs for the
Yankees' procedural aggressiveness, for placating the championship
obsession of Steinbrenner, who has been particularly interested in Canseco
in recent years.

Canseco hammered 46 homers for Toronto in 1998 and 34 homers in 113 games
for Tampa Bay last year, in a season cut short by back surgery, and has not
been the same player since. He averaged one homer for every 14.85 at-bats
before the operation. He has averaged one homer every 26.8 at-bats and a
strikeout for every 3.4 at-bats since then.

But he has been a huge star in his controversial career, and Steinbrenner
loves stars. When the Yankees were struggling for offense in late May,
Steinbrenner asked the Yankees' officials if it would be worthwhile to
acquire Canseco. Tampa Bay's asking price was high and the Yankees turned
elsewhere, trying to deal for Juan Gonzalez and Sammy Sosa before
eventually getting Justice.

Shane Spencer wrecked his knee the day before the All-Star Game break,
however, and the Yankees were back in the market for a right-handed hitter.
Before getting Hill on July 23, General Manager Brian Cashman called Chuck
LaMar, the general manager of the Devil Rays, and asked if Canseco was
available. LaMar repeated his high demand, and Cashman traded for Hill, who
has been highly effective, banging four homers in 25 at-bats, including a
solo shot in yesterday's loss to the Mariners.

After the July 31 trade deadline, teams began filling the waiver wire with
players; no player can be traded in August or September unless he is sent
to the team that makes the claim, or unless he has cleared waivers. As
always, Cashman aggressively placed claims, some because the Yankees have a
genuine interest in a player, and some because they wanted to prevent
players from going to another team.

Tampa Bay placed Canseco on waivers last Thursday. The order of waiver
claims is based on won-loss records, worst to best, and the Yankees were
11th among 29 teams, with Oakland, Seattle and the Chicago White Sox
picking behind them. Teams submit waiver claims on the same day without
knowing if another team has placed a claim.

So Cashman had to weigh the pluses and minuses of claiming Canseco. If
Cashman passed on Canseco, then there was a chance a team with a better
record could land him or that he could clear waivers and be traded to a
Yankee rival, such as Toronto. If that happened, Steinbrenner presumably
would have been apoplectic.

If Cashman gambled and claimed Canseco, then Tampa Bay could choose to
withdraw Canseco from waivers and keep him, thereby making it impossible
for the Devil Rays to trade him the rest of the season. The Devil Rays'
other option was to simply let the Yankees keep Canseco. Last year, the
Yankees placed a claim on Chicago's Frank Thomas, and for a couple of days,
the White Sox debated whether to give Thomas, with his huge contract, to
the Yankees before they withdrew him from waivers just before the deadline.

So Cashman decided to place a claim on Canseco, along with 47 other claims,
and on Friday, LaMar called to tell him the Yankees had the pre-eminent
claim. For two days, the Yankees rebuffed LaMar's requests to work out a
trade, probably in the hope that LaMar would keep Canseco.

But LaMar called Cashman at 11 a.m. yesterday to say he was giving Canseco
to the Yankees. Torre learned about the transaction just before the start
of the game yesterday and was surprised. A cameraman told Derek Jeter about
the move just before the start of the game. Reliever Mike Stanton, a former
teammate of Canseco, heard the news while listening to the game on the
radio in the clubhouse, and when Stanton went to the bullpen in the fifth
inning, he told the other relievers.

Canseco was a controversial figure in the early part of his career, but he
has matured and will not likely threaten the Yankees' chemistry. But now
Torre must figure out a way to use Canseco. The manager's preference is for
Justice to be his designated hitter, to save the wear and tear on his legs,
a priority considering that Justice has hit 29 homers this year.

Torre can't use Canseco without playing Justice in the outfield. He can't
play Canseco without benching Hill. To make room for Canseco, the Yankees
had to dump Thompson, who is their only true backup center fielder.

Unless Torre completely diminishes Hill's role, it would seem Canseco's
primary job will be as a pinch-hitter. The Yankees also have the option of
trying to pass Canseco through waivers and unloading him, and even if
Cashman doesn't want Canseco, then he will at least have the luxury of
sending him to a particular destination. "We'll see how he does," Cashman
said. "He might wind up playing a key role."

"We all know what Jose Canseco is capable of," Torre said.

Canseco's salary is $3 million for this year, and he will receive $175,000
if he reaches 300 plate appearances, $175,000 more if he reaches 350 plate
appearances, $200,000 for 400 plate appearances and $250,000 for 450 plate
appearances. There is a club option for 2001, at $4 million.

Canseco is nearing 300 plate appearances but may not get many more, playing
for a team that really doesn't want or need him.

==========
From Newsday:
Cashman Becoming Rotisserie Chicken
By Joe Gergen

IN TERMS OF PHILOSOPHY, the acquisition owed more to the teachings of Mae
West than Gabe Paul. The latter, while serving as general manager of the
Yankees, contended that a team can never have too much pitching. In
contrast, the movie legend proclaimed that too much of a good thing can be
wonderful.

The Yankees do not have too much pitching, as they demonstrated for a third
consecutive game yesterday when Denny Neagle was rapped by the Mariners in
an 8-5 Seattle victory. But they certainly appear to have a surplus of
high-priced hitters whose outfield skills make them ideal for the role of
designated hitter.

For those who thought the addition of Glenallen Hill might have been the
final piece to their jumbled puzzle, there is the hulking prospect of Jose
Canseco on deck at Yankee Stadium. Can Bob Cerv be far behind? With no
apparent concern for providing more ammunition to those who decry
baseball's imbalance, the Yankees added the third-leading active home run
hitter to their ever-changing roster. It's not that they have great plans
for Canseco, but Brian Cashman said he could not afford to pass him up when
his name appeared on the waiver wire. "We got a guy with a lot of offensive
possibilities," the GM said, "for nothing." In other words, the Yankees
didn't have to return a player, major league or otherwise, to the Devil
Rays for the muscleman with 440 homers to his credit.

They do have to send a check for $20,000 to Tampa Bay and they do have to
pay the remainder of Canseco's $3-million salary, or approximately $1
million. For some teams, that might be regarded as a major investment. With
the Yankees' overall payroll approaching $110 million, it's just a drop in
George Steinbrenner's bottomless well.

On a day when Hill - a Yankee for all of two weeks - hit his fourth home
run since joining the team and collected three hits, the team added another
player in Hill's one-dimensional, righthanded image.

Perhaps that's unfair to Canseco, although he did attempt to field a fly
ball with his head on one memorable occasion and gave it a boost over the
fence. He always wanted to contribute more than just home runs to his teams.

Recall that he stole 40 bases for the Athletics in his signature season of
1988. Recall also that he badgered Texas manager Kevin Kennedy into letting
him pitch in a blowout against the Red Sox in 1993 and tore a ligament in
his right elbow, costing him the season's last four months. "I don't think
you'll see us do that," Cashman said.

That doesn't mean Joe Torre might not be tempted. If the Yankees have a
shortage anywhere right now, it's not in the category of outfielders or
former outfielders. In a period of seven weeks, Cashman has picked up David
Justice, who hit his seventh and eighth homers for the team yesterday, and
Luis Polonia as well as Hill. The manager said he had no idea how and when
he will employ Canseco. "I'm a little stunned," he said. "I'm not surprised
very often, but this time I'm surprised." All of Cashman's previous
acquisitions have played significant roles in the team's return to first
place in the AL East. Justice and Neagle have been outstanding, Jose
Vizcaino has helped the Yankees overcome the ailments suffered by second
baseman Chuck Knoblauch (the team added more insurance yesterday by
completing a deal for veteran Luis Sojo), Polonia has been a pest to
opponents and Hill is batting .320 since changing leagues. "Everyone has
been a good fit," David Cone observed. "I don't think the front office gets
enough credit." Canseco's arrival, however, may be a case of the front
office overreacting to Steinbrenner's prod. The owner hasn't let Cashman or
any of his "baseball people" forget they turned down a trade for Jim
Edmonds in the spring. One could only imagine the telephone call if he had
learned that Canseco, a trophy player from the late 1980s along with Darryl
Strawberry, Dwight Gooden and Roger Clemens, had been claimed by the White
Sox or some other contender.

Cashman conceded that blocking such a move by a team the Yankees might face
in the playoffs was a major consideration. "Yeah, that would be part of it,
absolutely," said the GM, standing behind his desk on which rested a
looseleaf binder entitled "Postseason manual 2000." "Since 1998 we've been
very aggressive trying to stop other teams from getting better." They may
have been too successful for their own good yesterday. The Devil Rays
decided not to pull back Canseco and to save some money instead. The best
spin Cashman could put on it was that the celebrated newcomer was "going to
be another option off the bench or in a DH role for Joe." The good news,
rightfielder Paul O'Neill decided, is Canseco is "a guy who has a chance to
hit 500 [career] home runs." And the bad news? "We're running out of
numbers," he suggested.

Actually, that shouldn't be a problem. The Yankees will have to cut a
player when Canseco reports today and the obvious choice is Ryan Thompson,
an above-average outfielder who hasn't hit a lick. It so happens he
currently wears No. 33, Canseco's number.

==========
From Newsday:
Oops! Jose a Yank
Cashman's claim stuns Torre, creates questions
By Tim Logan and Lawrence Rocca

Because of who his boss is, Brian Cashman has become one of the most
aggressive general managers in baseball when it comes to blocking August
waiver trades. Yesterday, that aggressiveness backfired. The result: Jose
Canseco is a Yankee, and one seemingly without a role.

With David Justice and Glenallen Hill already on the roster, the team seems
to have no need for a player as one-dimensional as Canseco, 36, who is
hitting .257 with just nine home runs in 218 at-bats and cannot play in the
field.

Joe Torre, who might feel pressure to play the high-profile Canseco, said
he did not know where he will put him yet. "I'm a little stunned," he said.

"I'm not surprised very often, but I am this time." To make room for
Canseco, the Yankees are expected to outright outfielder Ryan Thompson,
leaving them with no backup for centerfielder Bernie Williams and cutting
down on Torre's options.

For now, the move has George Steinbrenner's blessing, at least according to
Cashman. "George said, 'Hopefully he can help us,'" the GM said.

But maybe that's because The Boss helped to create this very situation.

When rivals made trades in Augusts past, as Cleveland did last year for
Harold Baines, Steinbrenner would angrily ask Cashman why he hadn't blocked
the moves.

So wary of Steinbrenner's potential reaction had Canseco ended up with any
of the Yankees' chief competitors, Cashman put in a claim on the slugger,
fully expecting the Devil Rays to pull him back. That would have made it
impossible to trade him before Aug. 31, the date he would have to be with a
new team to play with that team in the postseason.

Cashman had good reason to believe Tampa Bay GM Chuck LaMar would pull him
back. The Devil Rays were extremely difficult to deal with during the
numerous occasions the Yankees tried to trade for Canseco this year, so
there was little reason to believe they would simply give him to the
Yankees for the $20,000 waiver fee. But that's exactly what happened.

Although only the White Sox and Mariners remained among American League
teams to put claims on Canseco and neither team was likely to do so
considering their current DH situations, had Canseco cleared waivers, any
team could have traded for him. Cashman didn't want to take that chance.

"I was certainly trying to prevent others from getting him," he said. "We
want to prevent these guys as much as we can from shoring up because right
now we have just a 3½-game lead." Canseco is third among active players
with 440 home runs, and despite the multitude of back, elbow and heel
injuries he has suffered, the Yankees were interested in him in late May.
But when the Devil Rays asked for too much, the front office steered
Steinbrenner away from Canseco and embarked on a long pursuit of Juan
Gonzalez and Sammy Sosa. They eventually netted Justice and added Hill and
Luis Polonia.

It is unclear how Canseco will fit into the mix. He has been less
productive at the plate than Justice and Hill have been, and he missed 46
games with a strained left heel that still is not 100 percent. He has hit
just two home runs since returning from the disabled list July 17. The
Yankees must pay the remainder of his 2000 contract, almost $1 million.

Canseco will arrive in New York this afternoon and said he will likely
dress for tonight's game against the Athletics. "I'm definitely excited to
be going to a team that's in contention," he said.

Whatever role Canseco fills, former teammate Mike Stanton is optimistic
he'll blend right in. "In the clubhouse he'll be a good fit," said Stanton,
who played with him in Boston. "He's the type of guy who'll cut up and
joke, just like the rest of us. He should fit fine." Left Over The Yankees
added Jose Canseco, but they probably don't need him. With the recent
acquisitions of David Justice, Glenallen Hill and Luis Polonia, the team's
vulnerability in leftfield and at DH seemed to be solved. Here's a look at
how the trio has done since joining the Yankees and what Canseco has done
this season with the D-Rays.

==========
From the Toronto Star
Hall travesty averted by Canseco deal
By Garth Woolsey

Guess his acquisition yesterday on waivers by the Yankees means that Jose
Canseco has escaped the clause in his contract with Tampa Bay that said,
when he enters the hall of fame (he's a shoo-in), that he'll have to do so
in the uniform of the, ahem, Devil Rays.

Whew, said the keepers of the game's proud traditions in Cooperstown. Swing
and a miss, travesty averted.

Canseco, recall, stroked 46 homers, most of the gargantuan if no one on
base variety, for the Blue Jays only the year before last. Then, claiming
he was low-balled in contract negotiations by Gord Ash, who was suspicious
of the big guy's spotty health record, baseball's first 40-40 man beat a
retreat to his hometown of Tampa where he proceeded to hit some more long
balls, when not sidelined (like Ash said) by more injuries than a Lindros.
Last year, Canseco had hit a league-leading 31 homers when a herniated disk
in his back shelved him before the all-star break; this season, one of his
muscle-bound feet betrayed him for 46 games.

Between Canseco and the enlistment of the current main man, Brad Fullmer,
the Jays ran through a dizzying (or maybe just dizzy) array of DHs
including, forgettably, Dave Hollins, Willie Greene, Mark Dalesandro, Tony
Fernandez, Geronimo Berroa, Pat Kelly, Anthony Sanders, Willis Otanez,
Kevin Witt, etc.

Where are they now? With respect, who cares?

But there's Canseco back swinging for the fences again - proud owner of 440
career homers, including a record two top-deck SkyDome shots - now in
George Steinbrenner pinstripes, poised to stick pins in his Ash doll and
the Jays' deflating bubble.

Mere money is no obstacle for the vertically and horizontally integrated
Yanks - they'll pick up the remaining $1 million (U.S.) of Canseco's $3
million salary, with a club option at $4 million for next year. Whatever it
takes.

When the Steinbrenners absorbed salary and acquired outfielder David
Justice from Cleveland on June 29, they were three games behind the Ashes
in the AL East. Between then and yesterday's latest addition, they went
21-12 while in the process adding more talent and salary in Denny Neagle,
Jose Vizcaino and Glenallen Hill.

In the same stretch, the Jays went 14-20 while falling into third place in
the division, 4 1/2 back of New York, and adding relative bargains Steve
Trachsel, Mark Guthrie, Dave Martinez, Rob Ducey (since returned to sender)
and Mickey Morandini.

While losing, of course, Raul Mondesi. And, more than likely, the division
to the Yankees.

==========
From the NJ Record:
No way! Jose?
August 8, 2000
By Bob Klapisch

The expression on Joe Torre's face went from shock to disgust, effectively
ending the discussion about Jose Canseco -- the new Yankee no one wants.
Not the players, not Torre, not even general manager Brian Cashman, who
claimed Canseco off waivers Monday and was forced to take ownership of the
American League's least-needed hitter.

What, exactly, will the Bombers do with Canseco?

Better question: How did he even get here?

Only Cashman knows, and he was drifting in a daze after an 8-5 loss to the
Mariners. The Yankee executive claimed Canseco not because he imagines
to-the-planets home runs or dramatic pinch-hitting appearances in
September, but only to block a future trade between Tampa Bay and the Blue
Jays.

Cashman was merely playing defense against his Eastern Division rivals,
particularly the Blue Jays, whom everyone in the Bronx continues to fear.
With David Wells inching closer to a 25-win season, the Jays could've been
bold enough to pay heavily for a right-handed hitter such as Canseco to
replace injured Raul Mondesi.

That's why the Yankees plucked Canseco off waivers -- convinced that the
Devil Rays would pull him back. And that would have prevented Canseco from
being dealt directly to Toronto since, in theory, he never cleared waivers.

Instead, Tampa Bay GM Chuck Lamar happily unloaded Canseco in the Bronx,
effectively calling Cashman's bluff. That left the Yankee executive
embarrassed and red-faced, knowing he'd squeezed the Yankees' already-full
roster and costing George Steinbrenner about $1.4 million.

The Yankees are forced to assume roughly the final third of the slugger's
$3 million salary for 2000. In addition, Canseco is owed a $500,000 buyout
if the Yankees don't up the $4 million option for 2001, which they will
certainly not.

"All I can say is, we've been very aggressive here since 1998, and we've
made a lot of moves to improve this team," Cashman said. In other words,
the tough little GM says he deserves a Get Out of Jail pass for this one,
since Denny Neagle, David Justice, and Dwight Gooden were all his creations.

So far, Steinbrenner appears to have accepted the Yankees' mistake with
uncharacteristic calm. He'd better, since Cashman's paranoia is the direct
result of The Boss' relentless second-guessing. For now, "George's reaction
seems to be, 'Maybe [Canseco] can help,' " according to a club official.
That might be true, but only if Canseco plays.

That decision is still Torre's, however, and it was obvious the manager
wants no part of a one-dimensional designated hitter whose only remaining
skill is hitting home runs. Canseco might look menacing in his uniform, but
he has just two blasts since coming off the disabled list July 17.

In fact, Canseco is a mere whisper of the player who in 1988 became the
first major-leaguer to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in the same
season. These days, he's mostly bluster; just 1-for-29 (.034) with runners
in scoring position and two outs.

Canseco's appeal is cosmetic, especially to The Boss, who's always been a
sucker for long home runs and movie-star looks. But Yankee people say
Canseco can't compare to Glenallen Hill for day-by-day value. And besides,
no one, least of all Canseco, knows how the slugger will react to spending
his Yankee life on the bench.

"I've never in my 15- to 16-year career been a pinch hitter," Canseco said.
"I've always been a position player or a DH, but if that's what they have
in mind, it's something I'll have to get used to."

Cashman emphasizes that any roster overcrowding, which will probably cost
Clay Bellinger a spot, will be alleviated by Sept. 1, when major league
rosters expand to 40. By then, the Bombers will know if Canseco can really
hit, or if he's just a muscle-bound mummy.

But this much is certain: The Yankees are back to the days of frantic
personnel changes, an ugly reminder of the late Eighties and early
Nineties, when the Mets were still the city's best baseball product and
Steinbrenner remade his club every few weeks to keep up.

That all changed in the late Nineties, when the Bombers became the major
leagues' model of class and efficiency. But this season, "the rest of the
league has closed the gap on us," said Cashman, explaining why there have
been eight roster changes in less than two months: Neagle, Justice, Hill,
Gooden, Jose Vizcaino, Luis Polonia, Canseco, and Luis Sojo, who was
acquired from the Pirates on Monday as Chuck Knoblauch went on the disabled
list.

The metamorphosis has been so dizzying, it's fair to ask: Just who are the
Yankees? For whom are Bomber loyalists supposed to root if the club's
philosophy has become so mercenary?

It's not surprising that Cashman offers no apologies, nor does he feel any
need to justify the Yankees' exploding payroll, which now hovers at $110
million. As the GM put it: "The good thing for our fans is that we, as a
team, have a mission statement, and that's 'win now,' We don't' want to
cheat them.

"We tried leaving our roster alone for as long as possible, but it was
clear we needed to make some changes."

That explains the blitzkrieg in Cashman's office, day after day, hour after
hour. That explains why he claimed Canseco, even when the Yankees didn't
want and sure didn't need a fading offensive threat.

And that sure made it easy to understand Torre, when someone asked if he'd
considered how Canseco will be used.

"I don't know," the manager said curtly. He really doesn't.

==========
From the Bradenton Herald:
Rays get nothing in return
By Roger Mooney

The Devil Rays got Jose Canseco cheap. The Yankees got him even cheaper.
The Rays shelled out $2 million plus incentives to sign Canseco to a
free-agent contract back in December of 1998.

All the Yankees had to do was clear a roster spot after claiming the
oft-injured designated hitter off waivers on Monday afternoon and pay the
balance of this year's salary - approximately $2 million.

The Rays received nothing in return. No prospect from the Yankees farm
system. No player to be named later.

Nothing.

"I thought they'd get some Twix bars," Canseco, 36, joked after he cleaned
out his locker and said his good-byes. "Couldn't they get something for the
kitchen?"

Rays general manager Chuck LaMar said that was never discussed.

When the Rays placed Canseco on waivers on Aug. 1, LaMar said they were
prepared to let him go should he be claimed.

As it turned out, the Yankees claimed Canseco two days later after nine
teams passed. At that point, LaMar had three options: pull Canseco back;
pull him back and work out a trade with the Yankees; or, let him go.

They chose the third option despite claims by Yankee GM Brian Cashman that
the Yankees were very interested in a deal before the July 31 trading deadline.

"There was never a discussion (with the Yankees) about players for Jose
Canseco," LaMar said. "Because of their interest level in Jose, there was
never a name swapped. To say they got something for nothing, that would
make $2 million nothing."

Perhaps the Yankees claimed Canseco to block one of the other
playoff-contending teams with a better record than New York (Chicago,
Seattle and Oakland) from grabbing Canseco. Maybe they figured the Rays
would pull him back. In which case, they are now stuck with a
one-dimensional player with a bad back, a bad foot and bad hamstrings.

Or, perhaps the Rays just wanted to unload some more baggage.

The official statement was the move creates more playing time for
outfielders Jose Guillen and Jason Tyner and first baseman/outfielder Steve
Cox.

With Canseco gone, the Rays can now use Greg Vaughn as the designated
hitter, at least until his sore right arm heals, and give Guillen the job
in right field while Cox and Tyner platoon in left.

"One of the reasons the move was made now is that we have to find out about
the young players," LaMar said. "We've been talking about them for two years."

LaMar was also glad to save the $2 million.

"Hit Show" we hardly knew ye.

Canseco thanked the Rays for taking a chance on him when no other team
would. After hitting a career-high 46 home runs with Toronto in 1998,
Canseco became a free agent and found only one taker - the Devil Rays.

And, the Rays were glad to have him.

Coupled with Fred McGriff, they now had two legitimate home run hitters.

LaMar said Canseco elevated the team from an expansion club to the next
level - a team that could win at least 70 games.

Canseco responded with a major league-leading 31 home runs before his back
gave-way at the All-Star break. He missed 35 games because of surgery to
repair a herniated disc, then returned to hit only three more home runs.

The addition of Greg Vaughn and Vinny Castilla last offseason fueled dreams
of four hitters with at least 40 home runs.

Never happened.

Injuries and slumps plagued the bunch.

Canseco missed another 46 games while on the disabled list because of an
injured heel.

Since July 8, 1999, Canseco has hit 12 home runs, including nine this season.

While he hit the occasional moon blast off a catwalk, Canseco's days with
the Rays will be known more for his injuries. He sat out 36 percent of the
time.

How will he remember his days in Tampa Bay?

"Brief," he said. "I thought I was going to finish my career here."

Canseco left the Rays the same way he arrived: talking about the perfect
world. If healthy, he could easily hit 50, 60 home runs a season, he said.
If healthy, he could easily play until he's 40. If healthy, he could easily
reach 600 home runs.

"It can happen," Canseco said about playing a full year. "Miracles can happen."

But, they won't happen in Tampa Bay. Not from Canseco, and not from the guy
they got for him, either.

==========
From Yankees.com
Fitting The Pieces Together
Fan favorite Luis Sojo is back in the Bronx.
By Spencer Fordin
8/8/00

There is no crisis, yet still the reinforcements keep coming. Now, it's Joe
Torre's job to figure out what to do with them.

One day after the first-place Yankees acquired Jose Canseco and Luis Sojo,
Torre started the process of fitting the pieces together.

"I called Luis Polonia, Glenallen Hill and Jose in," Torre said. "I said,
'Bear with me. We'll figure this thing out.'"

Between those three players and David Justice, Torre will staff the open
slots at left field and designated hitter. Neither Hill or Canseco have
good defensive reputations, so they both probably figure into the DH
rotation. The only problem with that is the fact that both of them swing
from the right side of the plate, interfering with a potential platoon.

Not only that, but Torre has stated several times that he doesn't want
Justice to be his everyday left fielder, because he wants to keep him fresh
through the rest of the season. If Justice starts a game at DH, that means
that both Hill and Canseco will likely be on the bench.

That's why it was a little surprising to see that Canseco would be the
newest Yankee, briefly at least, before they got Sojo. Canseco has been a
superstar throughout his career and might not take kindly to time on the
bench. In a winning situation, anything goes, and he may be persuaded to
accept a lesser role if it results in more success.

"We're here to win games," Torre said. "We're not here to create stars. We'
re just trying to win as many games as possible.

Canseco can definitely help them do that, especially when you consider that
he was acquired for nothing, except the $20,000 waiver fee. The Yankees
didn't surrender a player, a prospect, or a draft pick for him - for that
reason, whatever he can offer will be an advantage.

"I'm liable to do anything," Torre said, not giving any hints as to how
he'll react to his strength in numbers. "The rules allow it to happen. When
you 're a team like the New York Yankees, whatever you can do to keep
winning is what you do."...

==========
From the AP:
With Canseco in, Thompson is out

NEW YORK -- Jose Canseco came to the New York Yankees unsure of what his
role will be. Luis Sojo landed in the team's starting lineup.

Both players were acquired by the world champions Monday, Canseco off
waivers from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Sojo in a deal that sent a minor
leaguer to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

When they arrived Tuesday, manager Joe Torre didn't know where noted
slugger Canseco would fit in. However, Torre put Sojo in Tuesday night's
lineup at second base, hitting ninth.

Canseco, who has been an everyday player when healthy, hasn't played the
outfield since spring training and even he doesn't know what need he can fill.

"I have no idea," Canseco said Tuesday. "I'm going to take some fly balls
and go from there."

He was still surprised about the move.

"After going through rumors the last few years of how Jose might be traded
to the Yankees, and going through the deadline and not hearing anything,
all of a sudden you get a call, it's a little unusual," he said.

The Yankees designated outfielder Ryan Thompson for assignment to make room
for Canseco....

...Torre will try to fit Canseco -- who has a feared bat to go with a bad
back -- into a crowded left field/DH slot that already includes David
Justice, Glenallen Hill and Luis Polonia.

The manager met with Hill, Polonia and Canseco before the game.

"I said bear with me there, we'll figure this thing out," Torre said.
"We're not here to create stars, all three have been established players.
All we're trying to do is win games."

Canseco could also be used off the bench, even though he has only six hits
in 35 pinch at-bats.

It was unclear if the Yankees wanted Canseco or were trying to block a
contending team from getting him. Canseco was placed on waivers Thursday
and general manager Brian Cashman put in a claim, one day before Oakland
acquired Mike Stanley.

"Fortunately for me, I'm with an organization that can afford to do this,"
Torre said. "This was a bit of a surprise because it happened so quickly. I
don't concern myself with who they are, but how they can fit it. Hopefully
we can keep our focus."

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, about
$900,000. The Yankees hold a $4 million club option for next season with a
$500,000 buyout.

The Yankees, who inquired about Canseco before last week's trade deadline,
have been busy the past two months, acquiring Justice, Denny Neagle, Jose
Vizcaino, Hill and Polonia.

Canseco, 36, is hitting .257 with nine homers and 30 RBI in 61 games this
season. He missed 46 games with a strained left heel.

Canseco is 24th on the career list with 440 homers and has long been a
favorite of owner George Steinbrenner.

While playing for Oakland, he was a unanimous winner of the 1988 American
League MVP award, also becoming the first player to hit 40 homers and steal
40 bases.

His numbers dropped off as injuries took their toll. The Yankees and
Canseco believe health won't be an issue, although it might prevent him
from being more than a DH.

"The back is 100 percent," Canseco said. "I'm gradually getting better and
better. The issue will be winning games. I'm just here as one of the parts.
I've been an everyday player, so it's something you have to handle. As you
get older, roles do change for you."