NEW YORK — Yes, Brian Fuentes said, it would be cool to wear Yankee pinstripes. And no, he wouldn’t mind working in New York City’s media hothouse.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean the Rockies’ closer believes he’ll end up here, via a trade in the coming weeks or as a free agent after the season.
“I’m going to look to be a closer, wherever I go,” Fuentes said Saturday.
Many baseball analysts believe the Rockies will deal Fuentes before the July 31 nonwaiver trading deadline. The Cardinals, Marlins, Phillies, Rays and Red Sox are interested. Fuentes said he’s not letting the trade rumors affect him on the mound.
“It’s out of my control, so it’s counterproductive to worry about something you have no control over,” he said.
For the short term, Fuentes acknowledged, most interested teams want him as a setup man for a stretch run to the playoffs. But when it comes to his long- term future, he wants the ball in his hand in the ninth inning.
“I believe I can close,” he said. “I’ve shown I can do it. It’s what I think my niche is.”
Fuentes, making $5.05 million this season, is looking for a big payday as a free agent. But he doubts that will come from New York, where the Yankees have Mariano Rivera and the Mets have Billy Wagner.
“I’m sure Mariano is going to be there for a little bit and Billy is going to be there for a while,” Fuentes said.
Taveras slowed.
Willy Taveras, his left quadriceps still hurting, opened Saturday’s game at Shea Stadium on the bench, his spot in center field taken by Scott Podsednik.
“Willy is in a position now that he’s not able to do what he needs to do at the top of our lineup, so he has to come out,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “It’s probably fatigue. But you don’t need a runner not being able to run in your lineup, or (not) being able to go get balls in the outfield.”
Slowed ever since tweaking his left quads on July 1, Taveras admitted his leg still isn’t 100 percent.
“No, not yet, but it’s getting better,” he said. “The break should give me some time to heal it.”
In Friday night’s 2-1 loss to the Mets, Taveras failed to charge a ball to center that could have been an out. Since injuring his quadriceps, Taveras has just one stolen base, but his 39 steals still lead the majors.
He is hitting 2-for-16 (.125) on the current road trip after popping out as a pinch hitter Saturday.
Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post
