Lamb embarrassed about being cut

By JOE CHRISTENSEN, Star Tribune

Last update: August 26, 2008 - 9:08 AM

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SEATTLE — Mike Lamb said he felt "embarrassed" Monday, when the Twins designated him for assignment to clear a roster spot after trading for reliever Eddie Guardado.

Lamb was in the first year of a two-year, $6.6 million contract, so the Twins ate $3.8 million with the move.

Signed to be an everyday third baseman last offseason, Lamb played himself onto the bench and was let go after batting .233 with one home run and 32 RBI in 236 at-bats.

"I'm embarrassed for having gotten fired," Lamb said. "I wish it had turned out better."

Lamb mentioned Twins General Manager Bill Smith and assistant GM Rob Antony, who signed him as a free agent.

"Bill and Rob stuck their necks out for me," he said. "I hope it's not held against them."

The front office did consult with the Pohlads before making the move, but manager Ron Gardenhire said cutting Lamb was the right thing to do. The Twins have 10 days to trade him or release him.

They could have sent Brian Buscher to Class AAA Rochester for one week and brought him back as a September callup, but Gardenhire simply didn't find Lamb a good fit.

"His energy level wasn't what we expected," Gardenhire said. "He's more of a veteran, laid-back guy, and we play at a different level. We like to run. We like to do all kinds of things. He's a veteran off-the-bench type of guy; that's what he looks like to me, and we were looking for something a little different.

"That's probably why it didn't work out."

Lamb, 33, agreed his performance lagged but didn't think his laid-back approach was the issue.

"If it was a problem, I wish someone would have told me," he said. "I would have thrown stuff if I needed to."

He chuckled after that last line, proving his dry sense of humor was still intact.

Easy, Tiger

Gardenhire spoke with Denard Span about his outburst toward umpire Brian Gorman after being called out on strikes to end Sunday's game against the Angels.

Span threw his bat, threw his helmet and got in Gorman's face before first base coach Jerry White intervened. Gorman ejected Span, even though the game was over, and Span could face penalties from the commissioner's office.

"I told him, 'You've gotta control yourself,' " Gardenhire said. "We all get mad. I argue with umpires because I want my players to stay in the games."

Gardenhire said Span's helmet could have bounced and hit the umpire, causing serious trouble.

"He's too nice of a young man in the first place," Gardenhire said. "He's playing too well."

Span said he thought the 3-1 and 3-2 pitches from Francisco Rodriguez were both balls.

"I'm battling my tail off against a pitcher that's already good," Span said. "I felt like [Rodriguez] doesn't need help. He already has 49 saves. He don't need help from the umpire to get 50."

He added: "I know I'm a rookie but a game like that, ninth inning, everybody has to buckle down. I'm trying to buckle down, the pitcher has to buckle down -- same thing with the umpires."

Minor leaguer suspended

Eliel Sierra, an outfielder on the Twins' Dominican Summer League team, received a 50-game suspension for testing positive for a metabolite of Boldenone, Major League Baseball announced.

Sierra was one of five minor leaguers suspended Monday for performance-enhancing drugs.