PITTSBURGH -- In some ways, Monday afternoon happened exactly like Jason Michaels envisioned it this offseason, sitting in PNC Park preparing for the Pirates' home opener. The fact he was in the visitors' clubhouse with an Astros uniform on was the only deviation from the script.

When the 2008 season concluded, the Pirates decided not to pick up the outfielder's option, but there did seem to be early interest to re-sign him to be part of the outfield rotation here. When Michaels never heard from the Pirates, he sought employment elsewhere, landing a spot in Houston as a backup outfielder and right-handed pinch-hitting option off the bench.

Considering how things played out prior to the year, it wouldn't have been surprising for there to be some bitterness. But that's not a part of Michaels' makeup, and he's chosen instead to just turn the page and start fresh.

"I have no ill feelings towards them at all," said Michaels, who was in the Astros' starting lineup and in center field for the first time in 2009 on Monday afternoon. "I understand it's a business. that's just the way it is. I wish them a lot of luck.

"I enjoyed being here and being over there with those guys last year. There's a lot of great players over there, and for years to come, too. I enjoyed it, I really did. They're going to have a good team."

Over the Astros' first six games, Michaels had picked up just three pinch-hitting appearances, going 0-for-3 with a strikeout. With Houston facing lefty Zach Duke on Monday and manager Cecil Cooper trying to give a push to an offense that scored just 16 runs over its first six games, Michaels was hitting sixth, giving Michael Bourn the day off.

"We needed to get Jason Michaels into the lineup, get him some at-bats," Cooper said. "He's going to be a guy who's going to help us throughout the year, particularly against left-handed pitching. I thought this was a perfect day. He knows this club pretty well, so it's a good opportunity for him. Hopefully, that will help to jump start us a little bit."

With Michaels staying within the NL Central, he will have the opportunity to beat up on his former teammates, not that revenge is a motivator for him. Getting the Astros back on track and keeping up with a fairly even division is enough to get him going.

"It's a tough division," Michaels said. "I think all the teams are pretty equal. It's going to be a battle all the way to the end.

"I think everything is fine," he continued about the Astros' slow start. "I don't know what it is. I don't really have an answer for that. We need to start today and win today."

(mlb.com)

The Astros signed Jason Michaels to a one-year, $750,000 contract plus incentives, essentially filling the club’s other backup outfielder’s role for the 2009 season.

With Michaels and Darin Erstad to go along with starters Carlos Lee, Hunter Pence and Michael Bourn, the Astros’ outfield is set for next season, barring injuries or trades.

Michaels, who has history with Astros general manager Ed Wade as a former member of the Philadelphia Phillies, played with the Cleveland Indians and Pittsburgh Pirates last season. Despite a .224 batting average, the career .271 hitter drove in 53 runs over 286 at-bats last year.

“I had Jason in Philadelphia, and in 2005 he and (Kenny) Lofton shared time in center field and were very productive,” Wade said. “He’s a veteran bat off the bench and is also capable of playing all three outfield spots off the bench. … From a talent standpoint he can play all three outfield positions. He can go out and play every day if needed, too.”

The righthanded-hitting Michaels is a .286 career hitter against lefthanded pitching, providing a complement to the lefthanded hitting Erstad on the bench.

“We wanted a righthanded bat,” Wade said. “We’re down (Mark) Loretta at this point, and we think that Jason can go out there and give us a professional at-bat similar to what Loretta did.”

A few days after not tendering a contract to Ty Wigginton because of economic concerns, the Astros would still like to find a third baseman on the free agent or trade market.

“We have a handful of guys who we’re talking to about coming into the third base mix,” Wade said. “At the very least we’d like somebody to come in and share time with Geoff Blum. At the same time we’re going to give (prospect) Chris Johnson a chance to come into the spring training and see what he can do.”

Marc Lancaster, of The Tampa Tribune, reports the Tampa Bay Rays could pursue free-agent OF Jason Michaels (Pirates).



(kffl.com)

PITTSBURGH (AP) - The Pittsburgh Pirates have declined their $2.6 million 2009 option on outfielder Jason Michaels.

The 32-year-old does not get a buyout. Michaels batted .271 last season.

He was drafted in 1994, 1996, and 1997, but did not sign, before he was selected by Philadelphia in 1998. He stayed with the Phillies through 2005 and then went to the Cleveland Indians before being traded to Pittsburgh on May 9. He has a career batting average of .224.

(piratesdaily.com)

PITTSBURGH -- As general manager Neal Huntington prepares to shape the Pirates' 2009 roster, he said he plans to approach both outfielder Jason Michaels and utility man Doug Mientkiewicz about the possibility of each fitting into next year's club.

"They have both played well for us in the field and they've been great for us in the clubhouse," Huntington said. "They are the type of people that we would love to bring back. And it's our hope that we'll be able to provide a situation for them that they feel is the one that they want."

The bottom line, however, is that both players' decisions will likely come down to the amount of playing time and money the Pirates can offer to each.

Michaels came to the Pirates in May after being squeezed out of a role in Cleveland. He appeared in 102 games for the Pirates, hitting .228 with eight homers and 44 RBIs in 228 at-bats. The 32-year-old outfielder filled in at all three outfield positions.

Michaels has a $2.6 million club option for 2009 the Pirates will not pick up, and there isn't a buyout attached to the option. However, while the team isn't willing to pay that price tag for Michaels, the Pirates are still hopeful that the soon-to-be-free agent Michaels will consider returning.

Asked the final day of the season if he saw himself returning to Pittsburgh in '09, Michaels responded: "Absolutely. I think there could be a role for me on this team again, [much] like the role that I had here this year."

At first glance, there would seem to be minimal playing time possible for Michaels considering the outfield stockpile that the organization has at the Major League and Triple-A levels. Outfielders Nate McLouth, Nyjer Morgan, Brandon Moss and Steve Pearce all finished the season with the big league club, while top prospect Andrew McCutchen is not far away from joining them.

However, a potential left-handed-hitting starting outfield of McLouth, Moss and Morgan could make Michaels an intriguing fit as a right-handed-hitting veteran backup.

"There's an opportunity for Jason to pick up multiple at-bats against left-handed pitching," Huntington explained further. "It would also allow [manager John Russell] to rest one of the three regular outfielders."

(mlb.com)

PITTSBURGH -- On the 11th anniversary of Francisco Cordova and Ricardo Rincon's combined no-hitter against the Astros at Three Rivers Stadium, the Pirates pulled off another miracle.

Click here to watch video!

This time, instead of Mark Smith (who hit a pinch-hit three-run homer in the 10th to win the no-hitter), Jason Michaels hit the game-winner in the 10th inning, propelling the Pirates to an unlikely 12-11 come-from-behind win over the Cardinals at PNC Park on Saturday night.
"I've never had a walk-off home run, professionally," Michaels said. "That was awesome."

The home run capped off a six-run comeback which started in the seventh. The Pirates came into the bottom of the inning down 9-3, and managed to make it a 10-6 heading into the ninth.

That's when things started to get crazy.

Michaels and Jack Wilson reached base to begin the ninth, and Nate McLouth brought them home with a deep blast to right-center field to make it 10-9.

Then, with runners on the corners with one out, Jason Bay sent a dribbler to short. But middle infielders Cesar Izturis and Aaron Miles were unable to complete the double play and Luis Rivas scored to tie the game at 10.

Troy Glaus appeared to have ended the Pirates' hopes in the top of the 10th with a solo home run to left field, but Michaels answered the Cardinals third baseman with a two-run shot to win the game.

"That was one of the more amazing games I've ever been involved in," Bay said. "That was something I'll never forget."

"They kept after it," manager John Russell said. "It looked like we were well out of reach. We kept pecking away. I think the biggest thing is these guys never quit. They always battle. They pull for each other. It's been phenomenal."

The comeback overshadowed Yoslan Herrera's rough Major League debut. The Pittsburgh right-hander's unorthodox, toe-tapping delivery seemed to be too confusing for the Cardinals at first, as he struck out Cardinals sluggers Albert Pujols and Rick Ankiel in succession to end the first inning.

Herrera's Houdini act in the second was even more impressive. After loading the bases with no one out, Herrera got a pop out before inducing second baseman Adam Kennedy into an inning-ending double play.

But that's when Herrera's luck finally ran out. The Cardinals ended up scoring six runs off Herrera over the next three innings. In total, the rookie gave up 11 hits, four walks but struck out four in 4 1/3 innings.

"I thought he was OK," Russell said. "He throws a lot of offspeed stuff, so he's got to use his fastball to really set that up. I thought occasionally he went too soft, too often and they made the adjustment on him. I think he's got good stuff. I was very intrigued by what I saw."

The barrage was part of a 22-hit attack -- the most hits in a game by the Cardinals this season.

Jason Bay gave the Pirates an early 2-0 lead in the first on a home run to right-center field. Bay's blast, his 18th of the season, tied him with Al Oliver for 10th place on the Pirates' all-time home run list. Bay then passed Oliver with another two-run homer in the eighth to pull the Pirates within four.

The Pirates left fielder now has 51 RBIs this season to go along with 19 home runs. He is now one home run short of tying Kevin Young (136) for ninth place on the all-time list.

Doug Mientkiewicz was thrown out of the game in the fourth after a play he helped create. Pujols hit a line drive that caromed of Mientkiewicz's glove toward the tarp along the baseline. Pujols took a hard turn around first and appeared to be tagged out by Luis Rivas at second, but umpire Eric Cooper called the Cardinals first baseman safe.

Television replays showed that Rivas applied the tag to Pujols' right shoulder before he touched the base. Mientkiewicz was ejected moments later for arguing the call.

McLouth kept the Cardinals from scoring more than two runs in the sixth with a pretty diving catch in right-center field. McLouth then got up and threw a dart to LaRoche at first to double up Troy Glaus.

(mlb.com)

Jason Michaels hit a game-tying grand slam as the Pirates beat the Cardinals on Monday night.
Jason Bay singled in Nate McLouth to put the Pirates ahead for good. The homer was the first of Michaels' season. He's now 12-for-37 with 11 RBI since joining the Pirates in early May, but he'll remain bench player.

(rotoworld.com)

NEW YORK -- The Indians found a trading partner for Jason Michaels.

Michaels was shipped to the Pirates on Thursday for a Minor League player to be named later. The outfielder had been designated for assignment by the Tribe on Tuesday to make room for Ben Francisco.

The Indians owed Michaels $2.15 million this season, and it appears as though they will continue to assume the bulk of that contract. The Tribe had signed Michaels to a two-year deal before the '07 season.

Michaels' ousting was the first major move by an Indians team trying to get its struggling offense going. The 32-year-old Michaels, who platooned with David Dellucci in left field and started against left-handed pitching, was batting .207 with a .258 on-base percentage and .276 slugging percentage.

The Indians first acquired Michaels in a trade with the Phillies before the 2006 season. Cleveland tried him out as a replacement for Coco Crisp as the starter in left field before making him a platoon player in '07.

(mlb.com)

The Indians designated Jason Michaels for assignment and he is already drawing interest. The Rays, who need help from the right side of the plate, could use his bat at the plate and at all three outfield positions, if needed. Michaels is hitting just .207 this season but is a career .277 hitter. He has been an average hitter all his career, but he could help the Rays from the bench. The Rays are also looking at Jacque Jones, Brad Wilkerson, and Kenny Lofton. What about Sammy Sosa or Barry Bonds? Probably not. The main reason Bonds has not been signed is because no one wants to pay 15-20 million for one year to a guy who will hit between .260-.280 with 20-30 homeruns -- not to mention the cloud of reporters he would bring to the clubhouse. If he could still hit 40 or maybe 50 homeruns he would be valuable, but until he lowers his asking price, he won't be signed.

(mlb-rumorrs.blogspot)

The Indians have decided to cut ties with veteran outfielder Jason Michaels. The move will be made official tomorrow. Michaels played in 21 games for the Indians this season and he was 12 for 58 (.207 avg, .534 OPS) with 3 runs scored, 9 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Michaels played in 249 games for the Tribe in three seasons and he was 216 for 819 (.264 avg) with 123 runs scored, 16 homers, 103 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. Michaels will be replaced on the roster by outfielder Ben Francisco. Francisco has played in 2 games for the Indians already this season and he was 2 for 6 (.333 avg, .833 OPS) with 2 runs scored and 1 RBI. Francisco will likely take over Michaels’ role as the right handed swinging half of a platoon in left field. This is a smart move by the Indians but it will not solve all of the offensive problems that they have had this season. Michaels will likely have little trouble getting a job with another major league team.

(indianslocker.com)

Since today's first game is against a left handed pitcher, we get a peak at Jason Michaels before we do David Dellucci. And an interesting decision has come to light with that. It turns out Eric Wedge will be going with Michaels in the 2 hole rather than Asdrubal Cabrera, who will bat in the 7th spot. However Cabrera will still bat 2nd against right handed pitchers. This could be because of 1 of 2 things. They don't want to put that much pressure on the young Cabrera. Or the Indians just like Michaels. I know I do in terms of a left handed hitting role player. Michaels is a scrappy guy and will make those small plays, a guy that will take some pitches and lay down a bunt. Or it could be a little bit of both.

(tribetimereport.com)

David Dellucci and Jason Michaels have more in common than playing left field for the Cleveland Indians.

Both are aggressive players willing to do whatever they can to stay in the lineup. Neither likes sharing his job, and both deal with the part-time status by attacking each opportunity straight on.

Manager Eric Wedge believes their combined tenacity will make the second year of the platoon plan a success.

"If you add it all together, I think we'll do much better out there," Wedge said Thursday.

"Jason does a heck of a job against left-handed pitchers and is really committing to be better against right-handers. I really feel like if David can stay healthy, he's going to have a good year. He's a good hitter."
Michaels is having a strong spring, hitting .323 (14-for-36) with three homers, four RBIs and two stolen bases.

"I still believe I can play every day and make a contribution," said the 31-year-old, who held a starting job two seasons ago in his first year in Cleveland before sharing the position with Dellucci and then midseason pickup Kenny Lofton in 2007.

"It's tough to platoon, but when your role changes, you have to change with it," Michaels said. "This game is about adjustments." Click here to continue reading...

Indians outfielder Jason Michaels is drawing interest from about a half a dozen teams, according to the Plain Dealer. Michaels hit .270 with 7 HR in 105 games last season, but is a pretty decent fielder who is off to a solid spring start. He is a leader in the Indians clubhouse and could help out any team who needs a filler because of an injury. The Mets and Rays are two teams that come to mind because Michaels does not have a big contract, and will not take much to land in a trade. The Indians have Ben Francisco and Franklin Guitierrez in the outfield and they could platoon in right field in 2008. Both are solid players and one of the two will most likely become their everyday starter. Other teams that might take a look include the Padres and Rangers.

(mlb-rumors.blogspot.com)

CLEVELAND - Jason Michaels is the Indians' hitter with a hot hand, or maybe two when he grabs a bat.

It was Michaels' three-run homer in the seventh inning that propelled the Tribe to another come-from-behind win against the Oakland Athletics, this time 4-3 on Thursday afternoon at Jacobs Field.

Michaels is sneaking up on the public consciousness as a guy who counts. That was not the case last year, when he generated little excitement, a natural consequence of a .267 batting average, nine home runs and 55 RBI in 494 at-bats.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Jason Michaels capped a five-run first inning with a three-run homer, and the Cleveland Indians avoided a sweep by beating the Kansas City Royals 10-3 on Thursday night.

Casey Blake added a three-run triple and also doubled for the Indians, who have the majors' best home record at 17-4 but are still two games under .500 (11-13) on the road. Ryan Garko had three hits for Cleveland, including a two-run single in the first.

Starter Jeremy Sowers (1-4) earned his first victory since beating Toronto 7-2 on Sept. 5, 2006. Sowers went seven innings, giving up one run and six hits with one strikeout and one walk before Roberto Hernandez relieved him to start the eighth.

Hernandez gave up Shane Costa's RBI single and left after walking Alex Gordon to load the bases with two out. Aaron Fultz walked Ryan Shealy, forcing in a run that got Kansas City within 10-3.

WINTER HAVEN, FLA. - What do you make of this? Jason Michaels' role has been reduced to playing left field against left-handed pitchers, yet the Indians rewarded him with a two-year contract?

Is this a great country or what?

``I guess I'm their kind of player, not just on the field but in the clubhouse,'' Michaels said. ``It really instills confidence in you. It's awesome. After five one-year contracts -- which is kind of nerve-racking -- I'm excited.''

Michaels also is excited about the season. Hey, why not? The Tribe has not lost a game, but Michaels, 30, has been around long enough to know the difference between reality and wishful thinking.

Outfielder Jason Michaels will come to Cleveland on Monday to take a physical which should make his new two-year, $4.25 million contract official.

Michaels was one of four Indians who filed for salary arbitration last week. Right-hander Jason Davis is the only one who hasn't reached an agreement.

The Indians signed free agent David Dellucci to a three-year, $11.5 million contract in December. At worst he is going to platoon with Michaels in left field. If Dellucci shows he can hit lefties, he could play every day.

CLEVELAND - Outfielder Jason Michaels and the Indians reached a preliminary agreement Monday on a $4.25 million, two-year contract and reliever Matt Miller and Cleveland agreed to a $560,000, one-year deal.

Michaels, who hit .267 with nine homers and 55 RBIs last year, gets a $100,000 signing bonus and salaries of $2 million this season and $2.15 million in 2007. Cleveland has a $2.6 million option for 2009.

In addition to his salary, he could earn $600,000 annually in performance bonuses: $50,000 each for 350 and 400 plate appearances, $100,000 each for 450 and 500 plate appearances and $150,000 each for 550 and 600 plate appearances.

ARLINGTON, Texas - Jason Michaels wants to stay with the Indians. He also wants to be an everyday player.

Can he do both? That is a question that will be on Michaels’ mind as he waits to see what direction Cleveland’s front office will take this winter.

“I know I would be a better everyday player next year than I was this year,” Cleveland’s left fielder said Saturday. “I’m not saying that to be arrogant. I’m saying that because I know it in my heart. I’m confident of it. I will be better next year, without a doubt.”

When outfielder Jason Michaels received the Roberto Clemente Award from the Indians last week, it showed that good can come from bad.

Michaels, while he played for the Phillies, was arrested for assaulting a Philadelphia policeman outside a nightclub at 3 a.m. on July 3, 2005. Michaels, already in an anger management program, was sentenced last January to six months probation and 100 hours of community service through the Police Athletic League.

A week later, Michaels was traded to the Indians to replace left fielder Coco Crisp. The obligation followed him.

"I wasn't sure what I'd have to do," Michaels said.

When Michaels found out he could work with children, he told John Carter, the Indians' director of community affairs, to put him on his speed dial.

"Jason turned out to be my go-to guy," said Carter, responsible for keeping track of Michaels' hours.

Michaels, 30, never became too involved in the Philadelphia community in his four seasons there. He had no choice with the Indians, and started working with the Boys and Girls Club in Winter Haven, Fla., in spring training.

"The kids came from some pretty tough family lives," Michaels said. "I talked to kids from 10 to their early 20s. They didn't have a whole lot.

CHICAGO -- Jason Michaels has been in the Majors for parts of the past five seasons.

But at times this year, he's felt like just as much of a rookie as the young kids he is now surrounded by in the Indians' clubhouse.

Between taking on an everyday role for the first time in his career and moving to the American League, Michaels has found 2006 to be a challenge.

"This whole year has been a big adjustment," he said. "I'm just trying to figure it out."
Acquired by the Phillies over the winter to replace Coco Crisp in left, Michaels has had sporadic success at the plate in the No. 2 spot of the order.

He's currently in an upswing, having hit in 11 of his last 15 games entering Friday, batting .333 (19-for-57) with eight RBIs in that span. He's now .

The thinking was that a visit from a Major League ballplayer would perk up some of the kids at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital.

In reality, quite the opposite happened.

"They inspired me," said Indians left fielder Jason Michaels of the kids. "That's basically what it came down to. They inspired me."

That June visit to the hospital, which treats children with cancer, heart trouble, cystic fibrosis and other illnesses, was far from Michaels' only endeavor to help out in the community.

So when it came time for the Indians to select their nominee for the 2006 Roberto Clemente Award -- given annually to the player who best demonstrates the values Clemente displayed in his commitment to the community and helping others -- Michaels was an easy selection. This might be just his first year with the club, having been acquired in a winter trade with the Phillies, but he hasn't wasted any time making an impact on the Cleveland area.

"Coming to a new team," he said, "it's a good chance to get out in the community."