National League

Sporting News, The, May 21, 2001

Arizona

18-18: T 4th

Club keeps pipeline to D.L. flowing ailing Reynoso

Less than six weeks into the season, the Diamondbacks have used the disabled list eight times. Last Saturday, RHP Armando Reynoso became the sixth pitcher--and fifth starter--to go on the D.L. this season. Since Reynoso has not made a start since May 4, he likely will make a minor league rehab start before rejoining the club. He likely won't be activated until May 24 or later. RHP Miguel Batista will get his third spot start, Saturday at Chicago, to help fill the void.... To fill Reynoso's roster spot, RHP Erik Sabel was called up for the second time this season. After pitching in seven games for the Diamondbacks' division-winning 1999 squad, he went 4-11 with a 7.23 ERA at Class AAA in 2000. The problem? He had elbow pain beginning in May but didn't reveal it until August. He had surgery last September 13 and has since recovered.

SCOUTING REPORT: Sure, RHP Randy Johnson can throw 98 mph consistently. But the pitch that makes him a complete pitcher--and the key to his 20-strikeout game on May 8--is his slider. He throws it 88 to 89 mph and it looks like a fastball coming out of his hand. But when it's sharp, it breaks down and in toward righthanded hitters' shoe tops, making it very tough to hit once the batter commits to swinging. Because Johnson throws so hard, he gives up some home runs. And because he is 6-10, even a slight mechanical problem can result in poor command. But he has underrated command and a decent pickoff move.

SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: Extra adrenaline is not necessarily a good thing RHP Curt Schilling was admittedly anxious for his start Friday against the Phillies, his former team. But if being pumped up gave Schilling any extra velocity, it also may have hurt his command. Schilling didn't pitch with his usual precision that night. Not only did he match his season high with two walks, Schilling gave up four hits after getting two strikes on hitters, proving he was wild in the strike zone and unable to make the pitches he wanted to finish off hitters. --Ed Price

TSNumber

.444

The team's winning percentage against lefty starters. It was 55-33 (.625) in such games the past two seasons, but Tony Womack, Damian Miller and Mark Grace are struggling this year.

BATTERS        AVG    G    AB    R    H   HR

Dellucci( )   .424   20    33   12   14    4
Gonzalez( )   .331   36   139   34   46   17(a)
Durazo( )     .324   20    34    7   11    4
Bell          .307   32   114   21   35    5
Sanders       .286   28    98   22   28   10
Grace( )      .268   33   112   17   30    3
Williams      .268   34   127   16   34    4
(*)Barajas    .267   15    30    5    8    3
Counsell( )   .259   26    58    7   15    2
Bautista      .250   22    40    1   10    0
Miller        .241   29    87   11   21    1
Womack( )     .222   28   108   18   24    0
Finley( )     .216   34   125   15   27    1
Colbrunn      .200   22    35    3    7    1

BATTERS       RBI    OBP   SB    K   BB   E

Dellucci( )    11   .525    0    6    6   1
Gonzalez( )    36   .411    0   23   14   0
Durazo( )      11   .368    0    7    3   0
Bell           21   .396    0   20   17   1
Sanders        28   .340    3   32    6   0
Grace( )       13   .359    0   10   14   1
Williams       20   .319    0   20    8   5
(*)Barajas      4   .313    0    7    2   0
Counsell( )     2   .377    0    6   10   0
Bautista        3   .250    0    5    0   0
Miller          9   .295    0   18    7   3
Womack( )       3   .294    5   13    9   5
Finley( )      12   .300    2   22   15   1
Colbrunn        4   .282    0    6    3   0

GRAND SLAMS: Sanders (1)

PITCHERS         ERA   W-L     IP       H    R   ER

(*)Prinz        0.00   1-0    6.2       4    0    0
Johnson( )      3.26   3-3   60.2(a)   43   22   22
Schilling       3.34   5-1   59.1      58   23   22
Batista         3.86   1-2   25.2      23   13   11
Kim             4.12   2-1   19.2      12    9    9
Swindell( )     4.38   0-1   12.1      11    6    6
(*)Brohawn( )   4.50   1-1   12.0       9    6    6
Ellis           4.88   3-1   31.1      31   17   17
Reynoso         6.40   1-4   32.1      42   24   23
Springer        7.24   0-0   13.2      15   13   11
Anderson( )     7.36   0-3   25.2      38   26   21

PITCHERS        HR       K      BB   SV   AVG.

(*)Prinz         0       3       2    3   .167
Johnson( )       8      92(a)   15    0   .201
Schilling       13(a)   66       7    0   .253
Batista          2      10       8    0   .256
Kim              1      24      14    0   .190
Swindell( )      3       7       1    0   .244
(*)Brohawn( )    0       6       6    1   .237
Ellis            0      12      14    0   .274
Reynoso          8      11       8    0   .321
Springer         3       8       4    1   .273
Anderson( )      6       8       9    0   .345

SHUTOUTS: Johnson, Schilling (1)

COMPLETE GAMES: Johnson (2), Schilling (1)

(*) Rookie

( ) Lefthanded

(#) Switch hitter

(a) League leaders in bold

Statistics provided by STATS Inc. through Saturday, May 12.