The Weekend Rumor Mill

We've all heard the phrase, "Beggars can't be choosers." That is a philosophy that would serve some out-of-work players who seem to have an overinflated sense of entitlement. For example, the Mets would love to add Claudio Vargas to their pitching equation, but they have not been able to convince him to make a few starts at Triple-A New Orleans before moving up to Queens. Given the Mets' current pitching shortage (caused by the amazing fragility of Pedro Martinez), Vargas likely would have needed to make only one or two tuneup starts with the Zephyrs before earning a promotion to New York. But that apparently wasn't good enough for Vargas, who feels that he deserves to pitch in the major leagues right away. Now Vargas will surely be able to find another suitor, but it's debatable whether he'll find work with a team that is as good as the Mets are...

The Dodgers thought they had a deal with Marcus Giles, only to have the journeyman second baseman reject the idea of starting a comeback at Triple-A. Like Vargas, Giles may have passed on a good situation. With the Dodgers running through third baseman the way that Joan Rivers runs through plastic surgeries, Giles would have been in line for a quick promotion. He has the skills to play third base, and could have received some playing time at second base behind the aging Jeff Kent. Giles apparently feels that Triple-A baseball is beneath him, but let's not forget how brutally he played for the Padres last season. A week or two of minor league ball would have been well worth the tradeoff for an eventual job, with a contending team, in the major leagues...

Not only have the Nationals played well during the first week of the season, but they have seen the trade value of Nick "The Stick" Johnson rise appreciably. Johnson's loss of weight, coupled with his surprising mobility, have convinced some scouts that he's fully recovered from his broken leg. The Giants, who are desperate for help at just about every position, have made inquiries into Johnson's availability. They'd love to make Johnson their starting first baseman and cleanup man, return Rich Aurilia to a utility role, and move Bengi Molina out of the cleanup spot. The latter situation has been a source of embarrassment for the Giants, who look to be headed toward 110-plus losses in the first season after Barry Bonds...

In the meantime, the Giants continue to shop every available veteran on their roster, with the exception of Aaron Rowand. One of their best trading chips, Randy Winn, has already endured injury by hitting himself in the ankle while swinging a bat, putting a crimp into Brian Sabean's immediate plans of a makeover...

Finally, I'm not sure why the Marlins decided to reacquire Wes "Dark Helmet" Helms from the Phillies--while also taking on the balance of his $2.5 million salary. After all, a journeyman like Helms is not going to make one bit of difference in the Marlins' ability to make the playoffs. Given how cheap the Marlins have become in regard to their payroll, it's surprising that they would spend so much on a fringe player who doesn't play third base well enough to handle the position everyday, and doesn't hit well enough to play first base everyday. Helms might have made sense as a role player for a contending team, but not a rebuilding ballclub in south Florida.