Kotsay trade leaves Athletics bare at catcher
Oakland will have to find a
new catcher after jettisoning
catcher Ramon Hernandez
By Laurence Miedema
Knight Ridder Newspapers (KRT)
OAKLAND, Calif. — The A's on
Wednesday resolved the contract is
sues holding up the trade that would
bring Mark Kotsay from San Diego,
but the deal now hinges on the center
fielder receiving medical clearance
from team doctors.
An MRI scan of Kotsay's back,
which hampered him most of this
season, was supposed to be sent to
the A's medical staff earlier this week,
but according to a Padres source the
transfer was delayed because the scan
was misplaced.
A's team doctors should get a look
at them on Thursday, and if all checks
out the widely reported deal will be
completed.
IWtWMWMMHMMMWM
Apparently General Manager Billy
Beane isn't too worried. He boarded a
plane with his wife Tara, on Wednes
day evening for a trip to London.
The A's will send All-Star catcher
Ramon Hernandez and outfielder
Terrence Long to the Padres in the
proposed deal.
Ixmg's days with the A's had been
numbered since he demanded a trade
the day after the season ended be
cause of a running feud with Manager
Ken Macha. The inclusion of Heman
dez leaves the A's with an enormous
void at catcher, but it was the only way
the Padres would consider making
the trade.
Hernandez blossomed as a hitter
this season, setting career highs with
a .273 average, 21 homers and 78 RBIs
and was the hero of the A's playoff
opening win over Boston. But his pri
mary value was behind the plate. Her
nandez's handling of the pitching
staff is considered one of the biggest
reasons the A's led the American
League in ERA the past two seasons.
"It surprises me because he's an in
tegral part of the staff even though
he's not a pitcher; he operates the
staff, " A's left-hander Barry Zito said
Wednesday. "But I understand we're
going for some more offense I'm sure
Billy's got something up his sleeve as
far as a catcher."
(c) 2003, San Jose Mercury News (San
Jose, Calif.). Distributed by Knight
Ridder/Tribune Information Services.
BASKETBALL
continued from page 13
Jersey mishap
When Brooks appeared in his first
exhibition game, he took the court
wearing No. 30. In Monday night's ex
hibition, Brooks wore No. 00.
The Ducks realized after the first
game that No. 30 is a retired number
at Oregon, formerly worn by Ron Lee,
who played for Oregon from 1972-75.
Kent said it all happened by mistake.
"Mis uniform was ordered this
summer and ordered by someone
who doesn't have a total feel for
what numbers are retired and not re
tired," Kent said. "We just got him
another jersey and Aaron was com
fortable with it."
Kent said he has spoken with Lee
about the mishap, and Lee had no
problems with Brooks wearing the
jersey in the first game.
Pre-season rankings
In the annual Pacific-10 Conference
men's basketball media poll that was
released on Nov. 6 the Ducks were
picked to finish fourth.
Arizona was picked as the favorite,
receiving 26 first-place votes. Stanford
earned the runner up bid — earning
seven first-place votes — and Califor
nia was tabbed in third, gamering one
first-pi ace vote.
Do the Ducks feel they deserve to
be chosen fourth after finishing as
the 2003 Pac-10 Tournament
Champions?
"We don't really worry about it,"
Joseph said. "Last year we were picked
second and ended up fifth. Pre-season
polls really don't mean nothing. It de
pends on how you start playing when
you get to the Pac-10."
For the past 10 years, the poll has
picked the correct team seven times,
but only Arizona last year was the cor
rect pick out of the last three.
Injury update
It is still unknown exactly when
guard Jordan Kent and center Matt
Short will return to the court from in
jury, but Ernie Kent said the two are
expected to be out of their boots by
the end of the week.
The Ducks are ready to have the op
portunity of a bigger lineup and more
depth on the bench.
"They are two of our quickest guys
in the post and on the wing," Cross
white said. "It's hard right now
when they're not in there. When
they come in it's going to be a big
boost for this team."
Contact the sports reporter
at jessethomas@dailyemerald.com.
!EFS
Skipper signs with Ducks
The Oregon men's track and field
program caught a big one Wednesday.
Oregon announced on Wednesday
that it signed the 2003 Track and Meld
News Prep Athlete of the Year lommy
Skipper to a scholarship to compete
for the Ducks for the 2004 indoor and
outdoor seasons.
Skipper, who is considered one of
the most accomplished national prep
athletes in history, holds the outdoor
high school pole vault record. I le has
also scored in the state level in the
sprints and javelin, giving him great
versatility in coming to Oregon.
This is our program's best signing
to date, and one of the most notable
additions in UO athletic history,"
Oregon track head coach Martin
Smith said. "Tommy owns incredible
natural abilities and has shown great
maturity in several high-caliber meets.
"To sign the nation's top athlete
and a national record holder is special
honor, and the fact that he's an Ore
gonian with deep Duck ties makes it
■iWWWWK
that much more special."
The Sandy High School graduate
was also recently awarded the 2003
boy's national athlete of the year hon
or after his record-breaking senior
year. Skipper concluded his prep ca
reer taking second in the outdoor na
tional title in June in the USA Junior
Championships in the pole vault at
18 feet and one-half inch.
In the same month, he broke the
national prep record, clearing 18-3 to
win the Golden West Invitational.
Skipper follows in the footsteps of
his brother, Art, who was also a prep
standout that competed at Oregon in
the javelin. The former school record
holder at Oregon threw 259-10 while
in high school.
Women’s track adds coach
Oregon track and field finally com
pleted its coaching staff on Tuesday in
hiring assistant coach Rock Light.
Light will oversee the women's
sprinters, jumpers, heptathletes and
hurdlers after former women's coach
Dan Steele shifted to the men's sprint,
hurdle and middle distance crew to
replace Steve Silvey, who resigned in
September.
"I've been to Eugene for many
meets, and the atmosphere is leg
endary, so it's a part of a dream come
true," Light said. "I'm looking forward
to being a pan of a staff that is incredi
bly talented, excited and hard-work
ing."
Light is best known for his days as
an assistant coach at Louisiana State
from 1989-95.
He oversaw the men's and women's
multi-event and high jump athletes,
and in six seasons, his athletes
claimed four NCAA titles.
— Jesse Thomas
American Cancer Society's
Great American
Smoke-Out
Thursday, November 20th
Smokers often say,
"Don't tell me why to quit, tell me how "
There is no right way to quit, but there are some key elements in quitting smoking successfully.
These 4 factors are crucial:
• Making the decision to quit
• Setting a quit date and choosing a quit plan
• Dealing with withdrawal
• Maintenance or staying quit
Stop by the Health Center's Peer Health Education Office for a free Quit Kit and tips for
staying quit. To make an appointment for free nicotine replacement (either patch or
gum) call 346-4456.
UO Health Center Health Education Program
Call 346-0562 for information.
healthcenter.uoregon.edu