A.L. Pitchers Getting Offensive
Some pitchers may want to put in for overtime this spring. Their workouts have been stretched to include drills that are alien to them.
“We’ve been practicing sliding and bunting, we’ve got the pitchers swinging,” said Tom Kelly, manager of the Minnesota Twins. “We’ve been practicing every day. The only thing we haven’t done is run on the bases. We’ve been sliding and bunting and swinging, all for nine games on the road. You’re talking about the pitcher getting up twice in the game, 18 at-bats. And I might kill him. He might hurt himself.”
Interleague play … coming to a ballpark near you.
That’s why Kelly and some other American League managers have their pitchers working overtime. Under the rules for baseball’s grand experiment, the first time teams from one league will play teams from the other during the regular season, when A.L. teams play in National League parks, the designated hitter will disappear and pitchers will bat in their place.
“We’re spending a lot of time to watch this pitcher go up and get embarrassed,” Kelly said. “If we have a man on, is there any secret that this man will bunt or attempt to bunt? If he does bunt it, it will probably be a double play. He might be better off striking out. I just hope they don’t get hurt trying to slide or swinging the bat.”
This could be the only season pitchers have to worry about hitting in interleague games. Under the new collective bargaining agreement, if the clubs want to expand the interleague schedule in 1998 from this season’s 15 and 16 games per team to 24 to 30 per team, the designated hitter will be used in all games.
Interleague games beyond 1998 are subject to further negotiation with the Players Association.
Marlins are on a roll
With Gary Sheffield homering twice in one split-squad game, the new-look Marlins won twice and improved to 11-0.
The Marlins have already surpassed their entire win total of last spring, when they finished 9-22-1. Their 11 straight wins are a team high - exhibition or otherwise. Florida has outscored opponents 79-33, outhit them 135-85 and outhomered them 9-3.
Injury report
Four-time N.L. Cy Young Award winner Greg Maddux sustained a bruised left leg when he was struck by a ball hit by Mike Piazza at West Palm Beach, Fla. He is expected to make his next start Thursday.
Orioles second baseman Roberto Alomar jogged, played catch and hit off the tee as he continued to work his injured left ankle back into playing shape.
Omar Vizquel, Cleveland’s Gold Glove winning shortstop, will be sidelined for at least a week because of tendinitis.
New York pitcher Jeff Nelson probably will make his first spring appearance Thursday or Friday. The right-hander, slowed by elbow inflammation, threw 50 pitches during an 11-minute batting practice stint Saturday.
Yankees’ Ruben Rivera returned to Tampa, Fla., to begin rehabilitation following surgery on his right shoulder.