Veteran LHP Charlton frustrated by release

By JOHN ROMANO, MARC TOPKIN

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 1, 2000

ST. PETERSBURG -- In the end, the Devil Rays were not overly impressed with Norm Charlton. Apparently, the feeling was mutual.

Charlton, an 11-year major-league veteran who has a history of speaking his mind, took some parting shots after the Rays released him Friday morning.

"I think I can help this team both on the field and off the field," Charlton said. "I think it's unfair for the GM to tell me and my agent that if I have a good spring, I'm on the club. And I had a good spring. And now I'm not on the club.

"I think that's unfair. I've had 11-12 years in the big leagues and I'm 37 years old. If you can't tell it to me like a man, then don't tell it to me at all."

Charlton's performance this spring was somewhat shaky. He had a respectable 4.00 ERA, but opponents were hitting .333 off him and he allowed 19 baserunners in nine innings.

Manager Larry Rothschild said he already had determined Jim Mecir and Albie Lopez would fulfill the roles of setup men in the seventh and eighth innings. That left Charlton as a situational left-hander in the sixth inning.

"It would have been a luxury to keep Norm for the sixth inning," Rothschild said.

The Rays say money did not play a role, but it would have made sense if it did. Charlton would have earned around $1-million with easily attainable incentives, and that is a hefty salary just to face a half-dozen left-handed hitters a week. Jim Morris, who could replace Charlton in the bullpen, will make $200,000.

General manager Chuck LaMar said he was not surprised that Charlton left unhappy.

"I talked to Norm on the phone and Larry talked with him as well. We both thanked him for everything he's done for the organization over the past year," LaMar said. "There is not a more competitive pitcher than Norm Charlton. We want the kind of competitive people who are upset after a decision like that."

THIS TOO SHALL PASS: Closer Roberto Hernandez endured a bit of a scare when he was unable to sleep and began experiencing intense pain Thursday night.

He went to team physician Michael Reilly on Friday morning and passed a kidney stone. Unfortunately, that was not the end of the story.

"They said I've got another one on the way," Hernandez said. "The next one isn't as big as the first one, so it shouldn't be too bad."

Hernandez said the ailment will not keep him from opening the season in Minnesota on Monday.

"It's really only painful when I sleep. Or try to sleep," Hernandez said. "So they're giving me some medication to control the pain. Other than that, I just have to wait for it to pass."

REINFORCEMENT FOR THE PEN: The Rays signed former Oakland closer Billy Taylor to a minor-league contract and he is expected to begin the season at Triple-A Durham.

Taylor, 38, averaged 27 saves the past three seasons with the Athletics. He was traded to the Mets late last year and struggled in a setup role. He was released by the Rockies earlier this spring.

TARGET PRACTICE: Esteban Yan was a couple innings from escaping spring training unscathed. Yan, scheduled to start the third game of the season, was hit in the right forearm by a line drive in Friday's 5-2 loss to Detroit and had to come out of the game.

Yan was sporting a welt on his arm afterward, but said he did not think it would keep him out of the rotation this week.

"It's no big deal. I get treatment, I'll be good," Yan said. "I think I'm ready."

Rothschild said the bruise was on a muscle and not a bone, so Yan should recover quickly.

EDUCATION POWER: Given 10 swings during a pregame demonstration, Jose Canseco hit four home runs to raise $3,750 for Florida Power's Score One for Education charity.

Florida Power has developed the program to raise money for scholarships and mentors for low-income youth.

Florida Power will donate an escalating amount of money for each home run hit by the Devil Rays in a game. The first homer in a game is worth $250, followed by $500 for the second, $1,000 for the third, $2,000 for the fourth and $4,000 for a fifth.

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