DODGERS NOTEBOOK: LACK OF VERSATILITY LEADS TO RELEASE OF TRAMMELL.Byline: Tony Jackson
Anthony (Antonio) Jackson, best known as Tony Jackson Staff Writer VERO BEACH Vero Beach (vēr`o), city (1990 pop. 17,350), seat of Indian River co., E Fla., on Indian River (a lagoon and part of the Intracoastal Waterway); founded c.1888, inc. 1919. , Fla. - The Dodgers released outfielder Bubba Trammell Thomas Bubba Trammell (born November 6, 1971, in Knoxville, Tennessee) was a Major League Baseball outfielder and designated hitter. He is an alumnus of the University of Tennessee. on Wednesday, a move that probably means nonroster infielder Olmedo Saenz is a lock to make the team. Of the players in camp competing for a spot, Trammell was the only one who was strictly an outfielder, and he clearly didn't fit on a club where versatility has become the buzzword A term that refers to the latest technology or a term that sounds catchy. If not a flash in the pan, new technologies become mainstream. For example, Java was a hot buzzword in the 1990s, but should remain a major topic for decades. . The Dodgers acquired Jason Grabowski Jason Grabowski (born May 24, 1976 in New Haven, Connecticut) is a Major League Baseball player. In the 2005 offseason, his contract was sold to the Orix Buffaloes of Japan's Pacific League. from Oakland and Jayson Werth Jayson Richard Gowan Werth (born May 20, 1979 in Springfield, Illinois) is an outfielder in Major League Baseball who currently plays for the Philadelphia Phillies. He has usually been a bench player, but injuries to regular right fielder Shane Victorino and his backup Michael from Toronto this week. Grabowski and Werth can play on the infield and in the outfield, as can Jason Romano Jason Anthony Romano (born June 24, 1979 in Tampa, Florida) is a outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for several teams from 2002-2005. In 2006 he was in the minor league system of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He is also the brother of comedian Ray Romano. and Jolbert Cabrera Jolbert Cabrera [HOLE-bert kah-BRAY-rah] (born December 8, 1972 in Cartagena, Colombia) is a baseball outfielder/infielder who until recently played with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks in Japan's Pacific League. , both of whom also figure to be on the opening-day roster as bench players. Trammell also has only 76 career at-bats as a pinch hitter in seven major-league seasons. ``Really, the decision came down to a matter of fit, not performance,'' Dodgers general manager Paul DePodesta said. ``Bubba bub·ba n. Slang 1. Chiefly Southern U.S. Brother. 2. A white working-class man of the southern United States, stereotypically regarded as uneducated and gregarious with his peers. obviously played well the last couple of weeks. But when you see the transactions we made the last couple of days, they show that we need a lot of versatility from each (bench) guy.'' The release clears a spot on the 40-man roster, which probably will go to Saenz because he has more pinch-hitting experience than the strikeout- prone Jose Hernandez, a former All-Star shortstop with Milwaukee. Manager Jim Tracy wouldn't say Saenz has secured a spot. But what he did say was intriguing. ``We look more at the track record of Olmedo Saenz,'' he said. ``Olmedo Saenz, over the course of (his career), has been a guy who can have a minimal number of at-bats and have very good success. If you look at his last couple of years with Oakland, he's a guy who can sit for a few days and then have an at-bat in a critical situation and come up big.'' When the subject turned to Hernandez, Tracy said remarkably little. ``Hernandez is still in the mix, but no decision has been made,'' he said. Tracy also said all 36 of the players in camp probably will fly to Los Angeles with the team tonight and be available for this weekend's Freeway Series. Opening-day rosters must be finalized by 9 p.m. Saturday night, and the Dodgers probably won't make any cuts before then. --New arrivals: Grabowski and Werth arrived at Dodgertown on Wednesday. Grabowski, 27, wasn't going to make the Oakland roster, was out of minor- league options and planned to declare free agency if he had cleared waivers. Grabowski had a close relationship with DePodesta when DePodesta was the A's assistant GM. ``I consider him a good friend,'' Grabowski said. ``If I needed to talk to somebody, I went right to him. It definitely makes it a lot easier when you're coming to a new team. He knows me and knows what I can do.'' Werth, 24, was going to make the Blue Jays' roster in essentially the same role he will assume with the Dodgers, but he believes the National League is better suited for a utilityman because of the absence of a designated hitter. ``I came off the bench a little bit last year, but it's a little bit different in the AL because you get a lot fewer (pinch-hit) at-bats,'' he said. ``Even if you do come into a game in the late innings, it's usually just for defense.'' Tony Jackson, (818) 713-3675 tony.jackson(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): box Box: BEYOND THE BOX SCORE |
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