National League

Sporting News, The, March 6, 2000

Arizona

LIGHTEN UP: LHP Randy Johnson threw 4,206 pitches in his 271 2/3 innings last year, almost 400 more than the next pitcher (according to STATS, Inc). In the past 10 years, a pitcher has exceeded 260 innings 13 limes. Other than Braves RHP Greg Maddux--who did it three times, but doesn't throw as hard as Johnson and keeps his pitch counts down with better control--those pitchers experienced drop-offs or injuries within a few years. Johnson has had back and knee trouble, but never an arm injury. Still, the team would like to ease the burden. Pitching coach Mark Connor says the answer probably will be shorter outings, not fewer starts. The bullpen is more settled now than the first half of last season, which could make manager Buck Showalter more comfortable in removing Johnson.

MR. VERSATILITY: Even though Greg Colbrunn likely will open the season as the first baseman against lefthanders, Showalter also wants him to get time in the outfield and at third to improve the team's depth.... RHP Jim Corsi signed a minor league contract last week. He will compete with RHPs Brad Clontz, Mike Morgan and Byung-Hyun Kim and rookie RHPs Jeremy Ward and Nelson Figueroa for the final relief spot. Clontz is the favorite, but if he disappoints, cutting him by March 13 would mean paying him about $104,000 in severance instead of the full $630,000 from his contract. Corsi, whose out pitch is a palmball, would give the bullpen added experience. He also is adept at holding runners. Morgan likely will end up in Class AAA as a spare starter, with Kim, Figueroa and Ward in the minors gaining experience. --Ed Price

Atlanta

WALLY'S WORLD: Wally Joyner, who battled knee and shoulder problems last season, will miss three to six weeks after suffering a hairline fracture in the first metatarsal bone in his right foot after fouling a ball off his foot. The news was distressing to a team that is counting on Joyner to back up 1B Andres Galarraga., who missed last season because of cancer treatment. Now, Randall Simon's chances of making the team have improved because of Joyner's injury.... Following the example it set in the Adrian Beltre case, baseball fined the team $100,000 because it signed SS Wilson Betemit before he turned 16 and banned it from scouting and signing Dominican players for six months. As in the Beltre case, Betemit was not declared a free agent. Betemit was a .217 hitter in his first two years of minor league ball before blossoming into a prospect by hitting .320 with 53 RBIs last season at Class A Danville.

DEPTH CHARGES: Brian Hunter looks around the clubhouse and sees Bobby Bonilla and Trenidad Hubbard and wonders if there's any room on the bench for him. Bonilla, who can play third base, first and the outfield and Hubbard, also an outfielder, have the inside tracks to jobs. Unfortunately for Hunter, the fourth outfielder's job seems to be Hubbard's to lose. And if the Braves carry Bonilla, there's no room for Hunter. Last season, Hunter was used off the bench primarily against lefthanded pitchers and hit .290. In 57 at-bats against righthanders, he batted .158.... LHP Sieve Avery returned to the Braves last week, signing a minor league contract. He didn't pitch alter July 26 last season with the Reds because of a slight tear in his rotator cuff. --Bill Zack

Chicago

WHO'S ON THIRD? Since the Cubs traded Ron Santo after the 1973 season, 84 players have seen action for the team at third base. Shane Andrews hopes to keep that number on hold. The Cubs signed Andrews, 28, last September, and he impressed them enough to be re-signed for 2000. Andrews has renewed acquaintances this spring with batting coach Jeff Pentland, who has had great success with OFs Sammy Sosa and Henry Rodriguez. Pentland has made some adjustments with Andrews' hands and in his stance, moving him closer to the plate. The idea is for Andrews to make contact more and cut down on his strikeouts without sacrificing his power. Right now, he has a big edge at third base over newcomer Willie Greene.

BULLPEN HELP: With RHP Rick Aguilera set at closer, the only unfinished business is identifying a fifth middle reliever. Already set are LHPs Felix Heredia and Mark Guthrie and RHPs Matt Karchner and Brian Williams. The early favorite for the spot is RHP Greg McMichael, who signed as a non-roster player just before camp opened. McMichael, 33, has battled knee problems in the past and was hampered by shoulder tendinitis last year, when he pitched for the Mets and A's.... Manager Don Baylor is paying close attention to the conditioning of his top three hitters--Sosa, Rodriguez and 1B Mark Grace--with an eye toward keeping them effective all season. That will mean staying with the club's conditioning program all season. And if it looks like someone needs a rest or a day off, he'll get it. That includes Sosa, who played in all 162 games last year and balks at being taken out of the lineup. --Bruce Miles

Cincinnati

PORTUGAL TO THE RESCUE? With Ken Griffey Jr. in the fold, the primary question for the Reds remains: Who will be their fifth starter behind Denny Neagle, Pete Harnisch, Steve Parris and Ron Villone? At the moment, veteran RHP Mark Portugal, who returned to Cincinnati as a free agent after being released by Boston, where he was 7-12 with a 5.51 ERA in 1999, is the de facto favorite. Portugal is in visibly better shape than he has been in years, and he says his arm feels great It also is possible the Reds could trade for another starter during spring training, and not necessarily a fifth guy. They could afford to give up an outfielder, possibly Michael Tucker or switch-hitting Dmitri Young, because they have seven outfielders with major league experience in camp.... The team signed veteran free-agent C Benito Santiago to a non-guaranteed, minor league contract and invited him to major league spring training, a move primarily made to provide insurance in case Eddie Taubensee or Jason LaRue is injured.