Agbayani happy in Boston

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Although he was unaware the Colorado Rockies had placed him on waivers, Hawai'i's Benny Agbayani said he is happy about being claimed on Monday by the pennant-contending Boston Red Sox.

"It caught me by surprise," Agbayani said from his Denver residence last night. "(The Rockies) didn't tell me. They didn't tell my agent."

Agbayani had been assigned to Triple-A Colorado Springs last month. He was batting .205 with four home runs and 19 RBIs with the Rockies before being sent down.

He said he will arrive at Boston tonight at just about the time the Red Sox will be playing the New York Yankees at Fenway Park.

Agbayani said he will probably find out tonight if he will be placed on the Red Sox's 25-man roster. Rosters may expand to 40 on Sunday. But the Major League Baseball Players Association has set Friday as a strike date if a labor agreement isn't reached.

"Then I'll have to fly back to Denver," Agbayani said of the possible work stoppage.

The Red Sox like Agbayani's postseason experience.

"I know he's had a lot of experience with teams that are trying to make it to the playoffs and in the playoffs," Boston manager Grady Little told The Boston Globe. "He has impressed the people we sent out to see him play and we're glad to have him with us."

The former St. Louis School and Hawai'i Pacific University star had game-winning hits for the New York Mets in the 2000 playoffs and World Series.