National League

Sporting News, The, June 25, 2001

Arizona

41-27: 1st

Mantel and Williams pay for trying to return too soon

Two recent medical setbacks seem to have been the result of players trying to hurry back from the D.L. too soon. Closer Matt Mantei suffered what was believed to be a torn elbow capsule on April 24. An MRI showed a "microtear" of his elbow ligament, but there was some suspicion it was an old injury. Mantei tried to come back a few weeks later, felt more discomfort, and another MRI showed a 95 percent tear in the ligament. He will undergo elbow surgery this week. In the meantime, 3B Matt Williams, trying to come back from strained hip flexor and a strained hamstring in his left leg, ran at about 70 percent on June 10. But he did not respond well to a more rigorous test on June 13 and hasn't played since. ... RHP Armando Reynoso was placed on the D.L. last week for the second time this season, marking the ninth time this year the team has used the D.L. for a pitcher. Reynoso had a shoulder strain, but it was not believed to be related to the shoulder woes that caused him to spend most of May on the D.L.

SCOUTING REPORT: Rookie RHP Bret Prinz will get the bulk of closing duties with Mantel out. After his first season in the minors, Prinz adjusted his delivery from over the top to almost sidearm, and his career took off. He can throw 93-94 mph, but he doesn't have the kind of movement on his fastball that allows him to just throw it down the middle and challenge hitters. His slider also has a tendency to flatten out at times. Prinz, 24, must hit his spots to be effective.

SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: Although SS Tony Womack has the speed managers love in a leadoff man, Bob Brenly says IF Craig Counsell will bat first for the time being. Counsell has three bunt singles this year to Womack's one, and he is more apt to draw a walk. Womack has been dropped to eighth in the order. Counsell's versatility pays off in the field, too; Brenly has decided Counsell has better range at second base than Jay Bell, so Bell has been moved from second to third with Williams out.--Ed Price

HOT PROSPECT

Lyle Overbay, 1B

After setting a short-season rookie record with 101 RBIs in 1999, he split last year between Class A South Bend and AA El Paso. At El Paso this season, Overbay is batting .351, and had a 5-for-5 game.

BATTERS       AVG   G   AB   R   H  HR  RBI   OBP  SB   K  BB   E

Gonzalez( )  .357  68  258  59  92  27   61  .445   0  38  35   0
Grace( )     .323  58  189  31  61   9   38  .422   0  13  31   3
Dellucci( )  .322  44   90  20  29   5   15  .390   1  21   8   1
Bautista     .300  45   80   6  24   1    9  .333   1  10   4   0
Bell         .297  63  232  43  69   9   31  .392   0  40  36   3
Moeller      .294   5   17   3   5   0    0  .294   0   4   0   0
Durazo( )    .283  47   99  18  28   9   29  .365   0  21  13   1
Sanders      .258  53  190  35  49  16   47  .321   4  59  14   0
Counsell( )  .248  56  157  22  39   3   11  .343   2  22  21   1
Miller       .248  52  157  16  39   2   14  .312   0  27  13   4
(*)Spivey    .231   9   13   4   3   1    2  .375   0   3   3   0
Finley( )    .228  62  224  28  51   4   27  .310   3  34  26   2
Womack( )    .220  59  246  30  54   0   11  .264  16  26  13  11
(*)Ryan( )   .000   1    1   0   0   0    0  .000   0   1   0   0

GRAND SLAMS: Grace, Sanders (1)

PITCHERS          ERA    W-L     IP   H   R  ER  HR    K  BB  SV  AVG.

Mohler( )         0.00   0-0    1.0   0   0   0   0    2   0   0  .000
(*)Prinz          0.95   2-0   19.0  13   3   2   2   12   9   6  .188
(*)Sabel          2.19   3-0   24.2  21   6   6   2   10   2   0  .233
Johnson( )        2.64   8-4  105.2  78  32  31   9  159  32   0  .207
Schilling         2.71  10-2  106.1  93  33  32  17  115  15   0  .231
Swindell( )       3.13   1-1   23.0  20   8   8   4   16   4   2  .235
Batista           3.15   4-3   54.1  40  22  19   3   33  25   0  .214
Kim               3.77   2-2   43.0  29  18  18   2   53  23   3  .199
Ellis             4.59   6-2   66.2  71  36  34   6   25  24   0  .281
(*)Brohawn( )     4.94   1-3   23.2  25  13  13   1   13  13   1  .291
(*)Bierbrodt( )  11.57   1-0    7.0  11   9   9   1    9   5   0  .333

SHUTOUTS: Johnson, Schilling (1)
COMPLETE GAMES: Schilling (4), Johnson (2)

(*) Rookie

( ) Lefthanded

(#) Switch hitter

League leaders in bold

Statistics provided by STATS Inc. through Saturday, June 16.

Atlanta

36-30: 2nd

As Millwood's return nears, Smoltz's remains uncertain

A pair of ailing pitchers are heading in opposite directions. RHP Kevin Millwood pitched Saturday from a mound for the first lime since he went on the disabled list May 7 with inflammation in his shoulder. He hopes to return to the rotation after the All-Star break. Meanwhile, RHP John Smoltz didn't begin playing catch until this weekend; a timetable for his return is uncertain. Dr. James Andrews, who diagnosed inflammation in Smoltz's elbow and shoulder, thinks he should be able to begin pitching again in about a week. Smoltz isn't convinced, and he says the setback will make him more conservative in his return.... It's fairly certain 3B Chipper Jones will be at the All-Star Game, but it's unclear how many Braves will join him. RHP Greg Maddux has the N.L.'s second-best ERA (2.45), but he's not among its win leaders. John Rocker is tied for the N.L. saves lead (19), but his selection undoubtedly would be unpopular in the commissioner's office. No other Braves player, except possibly RHP John Burkett, whose 2.51 ERA ranks third in the N.L., deserves All-Star consideration.