Crew reliever Gonzalez aware of trade possibility
MILWAUKEE -- When the Brewers traded closer Francisco Rodriguez to the Orioles on Tuesday, did it raise left-hander Michael Gonzalez's eyebrows? Like Rodriguez, Gonzalez is a veteran free agent who has been heavily scouted in advance of Wednesday's 3 p.m. CT non-waiver Trade Deadline.
"You always have your eyebrows raised when you're a [pending] free agent," Gonzalez said. "Especially when you're a left-hander."
But Gonzalez, who entered Thursday with a 2.88 ERA overall and a 0.87 ERA in his last 13 outings, insisted he pays no attention to trade rumors and rarely checks in with agent Dan Lozano about what Lozano is hearing.
"I'm a guy that's been traded twice already," Gonzalez said. "I've always been a guy who would rather not talk about it. If it happens, it happens. But [the rumors] have never been right on point, and then all of a sudden, it happens."
Gonzalez was traded from the Pirates to the Braves in January 2007, and from the Orioles to the Rangers in August 2011. The Braves are in the market for left-handed relief again, and had a scout at Miller Park this week.