Look Out For The Orioles
With training camps opening last week, here’s a team-by-team peek at what to look for in the American League.
American League East
Baltimore: Pity the fool who once hung the nickname “Stand-Pat” on GM Pat Gillick, who pulled off some of the game’s biggest deals while in Toronto (Joe Carter and Robbie Alomar for Tony Fernandez and Fred McGriff) and has been making nonstop changes since coming out of semi-retirement in Baltimore. Gillick’s biggest move was to grab 2B Alomar again; an Alomar-Cal Ripken DP combo should rank as one of the game’s best ever. But the O’s also have a new manager (Davey Johnson), new closer (Randy Myers), two new lefties (David Wells and Kent Mercker), and a new all-purpose star (B.J. Surhoff).
Boston: GM Dan Duquette’s revolving door through which 53 players passed last season hasn’t stopped spinning. The Red Sox come into the season with a new catcher, Mike Stanley, new center fielder, Alex Cole, new second baseman, Wil Cordero, a new closer, Heathcliff Slocumb, and two new pitchers, Tom Gordon and Jamie Moyer. DH Jose Canseco also has been told to bring his glove to camp; if he can stay healthy, the Red Sox plan to use Canseco much more in RF. Roger Clemens had a stiff shoulder for much of the summer but went 7-2 down the stretch; Knuckler Tim Wakefield was 14-1, but finished 2-7. Aaron Sele tries to come back from shoulder problems.
New York: Boss Steinbrenner puts his fat neck on the line once again after sweeping aside GM Gene Michael and manager Buck Showalter and hiring Bob Watson and Joe Torre as their replacements. There’ll be no Donnie Baseball, either, as Don Mattingly retired and will be replaced at 1B by ex-Mariner Tino Martinez. C Mike Stanley also was allowed to leave, his place taken by Joe Girardi, while rookie SS Derek Jeter should displace Tony Fernandez. Reliever Jeff Nelson, who also came from Seattle in the Martinez deal, should be a terrific setup man for John Wetteland. With David Cone re-signed, pitching could be spectacular, if LHP Kenny Rogers can handle New York heat, LHP Jimmy Key comes back from shoulder surgery and Doc Gooden finds old glory. A lot of ifs.
Detroit: Biggest change in Tigertown is the absence of Sparky Anderson. The reigning dean of big-league managers quit, his place taken by novice Buddy Bell, who won raves as a coach in Cleveland. New GM Randy Smith, late of San Diego, tried to satisfy Cecil Fielder’s request to be traded, but found no takers for Big Cec. Smith brought in a couple of old Padres, 1B Eddie Williams and OF Phil Plantier, to boost the Tiger offense. SS Alan Trammell opted to return for a 19th season, but DP partner Lou Whitaker is gone, replaced by Mark Lewis. Pitching, as usual, is hopeless.
Toronto: One rival club executive says the former world champion Blue Jays have slid to skid-row status. That may be harsh, but this is a team that lost Devon White, Al Leiter, Robbie Alomar and Paul Molitor in the off-season and clearly is committed to reining in its budget. Carlos Delgado should finally break through as DH and Otis Nixon will be an adequate replacement for White, but manager Cito Gaston will conduct a casting call at 2B to find someone to take Alomar’s spot.
American League Central
Chicago White Sox: How to make up 32 games in the standings? For openers, GM Ron Schueler has given the Sox an entirely new outfield, bringing in Tony Phillips, Darren Lewis and Danny Tartabull, and a new DH, Harold Baines, the former Soxer who originally was signed by Bill Veeck and returns at age 37. If Tartabull, who has been a bust the last two seasons, can regain his former thunder, he’d be ideal protection for the Big Hurt, Frank Thomas, who could use the help. Sox still looking for rookies James Baldwin and Scott Ruffcorn to crack the rotation, and hope that Jason Bere (8-15, 7.19 ERA) can find his control. Sox can’t compete if closer Roberto Hernandez blows 10 saves again.
Milwaukee: The low-budget Brewers wanted to sign a free agent last winter, and kept getting rejection slips. B.J. Surhoff went to Baltimore and Paul Molitor went home to Minnesota. Finally, ex-Oriole Ben McDonald decided to join the Brew Crew, where he instantly becomes the staff ace. The spectacular but erratic Chuck Carr, the ex-Marlin, is the new center fielder. Good luck. The Brewers are dangerously thin at catcher; Kelly Stinnett, a backup with the Mets, may become No. 1 here.
Cleveland: Albert Belle says the Indians should break the A.L. record of 111 wins set by the ‘54 Tribe, and is there anyone who wishes to argue? Manager Mike Hargrove has a choice of four bona fide No. 1 starters in Dennis Martinez, Orel Hershiser, Charles Nagy and new addition Jack McDowell, who should win 20 games just by showing up. Martinez and Hershiser could break down because of age, but kids like Alan Embree, Chad Ogea and Julian Tavarez are in the wings. The new first baseman is Julio Franco, fresh from a tour of Japan where he supposedly proved he can field, too.
Kansas City: There was some thought that the cost-conscious Royals would dump ace Kevin Appier, but that hasn’t happened - yet. GM Herk Robinson has redone the K.C. infield, with 1B Joe Vitiello, 2B Bip Roberts, SS Jose Offerman and 3B Joe Randa the likely new look. Mike Macfarlane returns to do the catching after a short term in Boston, and Tim Belcher was signed to take Tom Gordon’s spot in the rotation. The sensation here is the kid center fielder, Johnny Damon, the 22-year-old out of Orlando who bats leadoff, has outstanding speed and hit .282 in 47 games after an August callup.
Minnesota: Last summer, Twins GM Terry Ryan traded closer Rick Aguilera to the Red Sox for top pitching prospect Frankie Rodriguez. Aguilera then re-upped with the Twins as a free agent, and announced his intentions of becoming a starter, joining Rodriguez (5-8, 6.13) in the rotation. Aguilera, 34, began his career as a starter with the Mets; pitching-poor Twins could use the innings. Rookie Todd Walker, who hit 21 home runs in Double-A, may be switched from second to third; Dave Hollins, late of the Red Sox and Phillies, takes over at 1B. OF Marty Cordova hit 24 HR and also stole 20 bases; he impressed enough people to be named A.L. rookie of the year.
American League West
Oakland: The glory days are a distant memory for the A’s, whose new owners have stripped the payroll and left new manager Art Howe with a virtual expansion team. Small wonder Tony LaRussa and pitching coach Dave Duncan fled to St. Louis; the A’s are unsettled at all three outfield positions and Todd Van Poppel (4-8, 4.88) becomes the staff veteran at age 24. The only remnants from the championship seasons are C Terry Steinbach, 1B Mark McGwire and closer Dennis Eckersley, and rumors persist that the 41-year-old Eck will rejoin LaRussa in St. Louis.
California: The Angels have to live with the memory of one of history’s great collapses, losing a 13-game lead to the Mariners, but should contend again. Randy Velarde is the new second baseman, and Tim Wallach took the short ride down the freeway to become the new third baseman. Steve Ontiveros has spent most of his career on the DL, but he was an All-Star in Oakland before getting hurt again last season and gives manager Marcel Lachemann a nice right-handed complement to his left-handed troika of Mark Langston, Chuck Finley and Jim Abbott. Lee Smith’s knee injury, suffered on a hunting trip, leaves the bullpen uncertain, though Troy Percival, with his 99 mph fastball, appears ready.
Seattle: Ken Griffey complained when GM Woody Woodward lost some of the key components of last season’s division winners: 1B Tino Martinez, reliever Jeff Nelson, 3B Mike Blowers. But Junior wound up signing a long-term deal, apparently convinced that the Mariners can compete with a lineup that now includes 1B Paul Sorrento, the ex-Indian, 3B Russ Davis, the one-time Yankees prospect, LHP Sterling Hitchcock, another ex-Yank, and OF Luis Polonia, citizen of the world. Alex Rodriguez, has been told by manager Lou Piniella that the SS job is his to lose; he has done it all in the minors. Was there a better money pitcher last year than Randy Johnson?
Texas: The Rangers will miss Kenny Rogers. In the last three seasons, they were 52-35 when the lefty started, 160-173 in all other games. Outbid by the Yankees, GM Doug Melvin used the money to sign Ken Hill, Bobby Witt and closer Mike Henneman. With Otis Nixon off to Toronto, Melvin picked up CF Darryl Hamilton from Milwaukee and brought in Damon Buford from Baltimore to challenge him. Lots of teams, notably the Mets, have inquired about power-hitting 3B Dean Palmer, one of the few players Melvin could trade and get value in return. A healthy 1B Will Clark and OF Juan Gonzalez would help.
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