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Boston transition continues
DIAMOND NOTES: March 9
When the last day of February finally came, the new owners of the Red Sox had spent the two months since their public coronation biding their time. John Harrington did not want a transition team, saying "until you pass papers, you don't move into the house," and the group of John Henry, Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino agreed and waited to take control.
They said nothing about the Dan Duquette situation, but knew he would go, and that the scouting department would immediately be reconstructed with David Chadd and other scouts Henry trusted from his Marlins days.
But when they waited five days to fire Joe Kerrigan, the group criticised by fans and folks around the game. But as a group, the owners agreed it was inappropriate to feel out the players until it was their team, and anyone who knew Lucchino in San Diego knew that he is a legal mind who believes in process, which means he won't make snap judgments or decisions. After four days, they decided it best to try to move forward with a new manager.
What they have found is that the process isn't as easy as expected. They had reservations about experienced managers like Felipe Alou, Buck Showalter and Tom Kelly, but while the Indians immediately granted Grady Little permission to drive to Fort Myers, Fla., on Thursday and interview Friday, Oakland GM Billy Beane denied permission on Ken Macha and Houston owner Drayton McLane denied permission for Tony Peña to do the same. Beane didn't completely deny permission for his bench coach to interview, but he asked for compensation in return, to which Lucchino wouldn't accede. Now, Beane has lost his trusted aide J.P. Ricciardi and one of the game's best scouting directors, Grady Fuson, and in the latter case watched as the commissioner's office turned into The Waffle House in deciding compensation for the A's after the Rangers hired Fuson. If Oakland gets off to another slow start, Macha is there ... only how many jobs can a guy like Macha get a shot at?
Beane knows that while it appears chaotic to make changes in spring training, it's better to make those changes in March than let them fester until May; he knows, because he fired a pitching coach and hired Rick Peterson during spring training, a move he has never regretted. The Red Sox owners are doing the same thing, and if Little, Glenn Hoffman or Macha is in place by Tuesday and has a clear feel for what should be a pretty good -- very good if Pedro Martinez holds up -- team by March 31, then the decision will have made sense.
The new Boston owners have more changes they want to make, although they have had some stumbling blocks. On Sunday, Padres president Bob Vizas said, "If the Red Sox ask for permission to talk to Theo (Epstein, the team's director of baseball operations) and Sam (Kennedy, on the business side), we obviously will grant permission because they are special circumstances," meaning each grew up less than two miles from Fenway Park as high school classmates in Brookline, Mass. Epstein and Kennedy don't even have contracts, but there are issues between John Moores and Lucchino that may make the pursuit of better jobs sticky issues, although Vizas went on record as opening the door for Epstein and Kennedy.
Around the majors
Rangers GM John Hart has a blank check, and has told other GMs that he will go out and get a pitcher or two before the spring is over. And with Carl Everett checking in at 258 pounds, center field may still be a concern.
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| 2001 SEASON STATISTICS |
| GM |
W-L |
IP |
H |
K |
ERA |
| 28 |
14-11 |
182.2 |
208 |
102 |
4.34 |
|
|
From a scout who's been out of the National League for three years: "I was surprised that Shane Reynolds is down in that 84-85 range these days. He used to have good stuff, but fighting through the injuries may have taken its toll." OK, but when it comes to rookie LHP Carlos Hernandez, former Mariners GM Woody Woodward says "wow" and another scout says the kid is the best young pitcher in Central Florida: "The way Wade Miller and Roy Oswalt are throwing, having a left-hander with great stuff like Hernandez in there makes that potentially a tremendous staff." Adam Everett takes to every bit of instruction Jimy Williams can offer, and the 'Stros are a lot better team than some realize. ... Third baseman Morgan Ensberg has been trying too hard early on, but he should be fine.
Brady Anderson's hair is one issue, but he is having a spring that he hasn't had in years. He's lost his bulk and could end up a very important character for the Indians, playing all three outfield positions and hitting out of the leadoff spot, especially with Alex Escobar down. ... Watching Eddie Murray enthusiastically run every part of the Cleveland hitting and how organized he is makes one realize that soon he will be a formidable managerial candidate.
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| 2001 SEASON STATISTICS |
| GM |
W-L |
IP |
H |
K |
ERA |
| 21 |
7-7 |
121 |
121 |
84 |
4.31 |
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Leo Mazzone is very encouraged by Kevin Millwood's comeback: "I don't know exactly what his injury or injuries were, but he's freer, throwing easy, he's up over 90 and his ball has life." Next stop, Albie Lopez. Mazzone is trying to get Lopez to keep his fastball down and away to right-handed hitters and "learn to elevate the ball on purpose."… Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine are both free agents at the end of the year, which prompted another GM to suggest "this will be the perfect season for John Schuerholz to step down rather than deal with that. After what's he done, he shoudn't have to go through anything like that."
One scout's report on Kazuhisa Ishii's outing for the Dodgers: "He looked like nothing worse than a third starter. He threw 93-94, he changed hitters' sight lines, he changed speeds and showed a cople of different speeds of breaking balls. He's really good." Omar Daal, who isn't throwing well yet, and Eric Gagne appear headed for the pen, and Gagne may get a shot at closer. Matt Herges isn't throwing as well as he can, but it is very early in the spring. ... By the way, it should be no surprise that scouts rave about Odalis Perez this spring. And wonder if Mark Grudzielanek's hand problems aren't something to be concerned about. ... White Sox scouts in Florida have let it be known that Royce Clayton is very much available, but say that while the Dodgers want Bobby Howry, he likely won't be traded. ... Florida is shopping Antonio Alfonseca. ... The Mets are pleasantly surprised by Kane Davis, which might in turn make Grant Roberts available, and they can get something decent for Roberts.
News, notes and other stuff
The Oakland front office had no comment on the commissioner's office's ruling that while Texas violated the rules in tampering with and hiring Grady Fuson to a job different from which they asked permission for the interview. But they are livid. A $300,000 fine? Tom Hicks gave twice that much to a former Clemson outfielder with no place to play and who had two at-bats last year. "It's a bloody joke," one big-market GM says. "They talk about big-market, small-market, but this is the classic example of the fact that they don't act like it. There are no rules now, and if Boston wants Billy, they should get him to quit. The cowardly have ruled that there are no rules."
People keep asking about the Braves and first base, but Bobby Cox loves Wes Helms, and the fact that his OPS was 1.560 and leading the NL in walks through the first week of spring didn't hurt. "Wes is going to produce," one Braves coach says. "And, anyway, Julio Franco is still as good a hitter as we have."
Joe Kerrigan has returned home outside Philly, where he and wife Abigail are building a house. He has not heard from the Yankees, but has from Texas -- where the Oscar Acosta-Jerry Narron relationship is already strained -- but could go into TV with ESPN. No, he will not return as pitching coach of the Red Sox. To his credit, Kerrigan never said a thing when new ownership took over and never talked to him, left predicting the Sox would win 90-100 games and said the two youngsters who impressed him most were "Wilton Veras, who's regained his confidence, and Shea Hillenbrand, who is working really hard to improve his strike zone, and has."
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| 2001 SEASON STATISTICS |
| GM |
HR |
RBI |
BB |
OBP |
AVG |
| 151 |
32 |
114 |
41 |
.338 |
.288 |
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|
The more Eric Chavez learns about the Oakland hitting discipline philosophy, the closer he edges to stardom. "When I signed, I just looked at pitches and swung and didn't know what I was doing," Chavez says. "I didn't buy into what they preached, but once I got to the big leagues I did." Superstardom. Asked what Chavez could be if he went to the plate 600 times looking only for the right pitch to hit, Beane answered: "Barry Bonds." ... If Cristian Guzman's shoulder indeed will never be the same, and Corey Koskie and Torii Hunter have continued physical problems, one wonders about the Twins and if their outstanding starting pitching can carry them. It's a good team, but doesn't need these problems.
How could Jeff Cirillo not have hit a home run off a left-handed pitcher last season playing at Coors Lite Field? ... The Dodgers tried to get a scout from an opposing team interested in Mike Trombley. "Sorry," the scout told Dan Evans, "our gun can't measure fastballs below 84." ... If you're a Padres fan and you look at the current roster of everyday players and see all the Dennis Tankersley-Ben Howard-Jake Peavy-Mark Phillips-Eric Cyr pitching coming, understand that Sean Burroughs is the first of their bats on the come. Xavier Nady (probably LF), Jake Gautreau (probably 2B), Tag Bozied (3B/OF), Vince Faison (OF) are almost as promising as the pitching. ... Brian Cashman on Andy Pettitte pulling himself out of Friday's start because of tightness in his elbow: "We'll have an MRI for precaution, but this encouraged me because he had the sense to not try to be brave. It's early March. There is plenty of time to get right and not risk a serious injury."
The Kansas City career of LHP Jose Rosado may be nearing an end. Rosado has a non-guaranteed $2 million contract, so he can be released. Saturday he topped out at 81, averaged 79 with his fastball, 70 with his change and 67 with his curveball. ... Much has been made of C.C. Sabathia's weight, but he's actually down more than 10 pounds from his September weight of 305.
A future generation might give us the next best guitarist or pitcher in Charles Kahlil Trucks. His mother is the great singer Susan Tedeschi, his father is the guitarist extraordinaire Derek Trucks and his great, great uncle is the one-time star Tiger pitcher Virgil "Fire" Trucks.
You know it's spring ...
White Sox 2B-SS Tim Hummell has an OPS of more than 1.600. But this is a sleeper. Look at the White Sox and see Hummell, Joe Borchard, Joe Crede, Josh Paul and you have another phalanx of good young players coming in behind the Magglio Ordonez/Paul Konerko group that is now established.
Hideki Irabu and Orlando Hernandez lead the AL in wins with two. 52 tied for third.
The five top NL teams in slugging train in Arizona. Ditto the top three in AL.
J. Giambi leads the AL in walks. Of course, it's Jeremy.
Final thoughts
Scott Hatteberg's three music picks of the spring:
1. Jack Johnson
2. Actual Tigers
3. John Mayer
The Indians have three players in camp from New Hampshire: 2B Greg LaRocca, RHP Sean DePaula and RHP Chad Paronto. "Who," asks LaRocca, "can beat that?"
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