N.L. Central

Sporting News, The, August 9, 1999

Teams are listed alphabetically

The Chase, part II

The power isn't gone. Far from it. One year after enthralling the country with the pursuit of Roger Maris' season home run record, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa once again find themselves tied for the major league lead.

The chase heated up again last week when McGwire finally caught Sosa, and then passed him last Friday. But Sosa responded a day later with a two-homer game to regain the lead, only to see McGwire catch up again Sunday. As the week began, the dance of the home run kings was well under way, and with both teams mired in the lower reaches of the division, it's about all Cardinals and Cubs fans can get excited about.

The timing is good, too, with Sosa and the Cubs coming to St. Louis next week.

--Ed Guzman

The race, then and now

MCGWIRE                  CATEGORY                         SOSA

45               HRs through August 1,1998                   42
40               HRs through August 1,1999                   40
Moody, surly           Demeanor '98            Cheery, amicable
Moody, surly           Demeanor '99            Cheery, amicable
34-24           Record when homered in '98                30-24
14-22          Record when homered in '99(*)              22-15

(*) Through Sunday

McGwire in '98: "Wouldn't it be great if we finished in a tie?"

Sosa in '98: "This is fun ... We're pushing each other. We're not going to stop now. We're doing a great job together."

McGwire in '99:"I wish I can do something when we win ... It's not that much fun to answer these questions now."

Sosa in '99: "I think last year was more exciting ... This year feels good, but not exciting like last year."

Chicago

48-53: 6th

Farnsworth, Bowie give team two rookie starters

If RHP Kyle Farnsworth stays in the rotation, the team will have two rookie starters-Farnsworth and LHP Micah Bowie-to go with Kevin Tapani, Jon Lieber and Steve Trachsel. The team sent LHP Terry Mulholland and SS Jose Hernandez to the Braves for Bowie, 24; RHP Ruben Quevedo, 20; and a minor league player to be named. Farnsworth has been working out of the bullpen to perfect his breaking pitches to complement his above-average fastball. The team says Bowie has an average fastball but good breaking stuff and control, as suggested by his 82 strikeouts and 14 walks in 73 innings pitched at Class AAA. ... Reliever Rick Aguilera went on the 15-day disabled list last Sunday because of a strained left calf. The Cubs recalled RHP Steve Rain from Iowa to take Aguilera's spot. Rain had 24 saves at Class AA before getting a brief call-up with the Cubs in July. ... It looks like 3B Gary Gaetti has his job back. Tyler Houston apparently had won it, but his hitting went south, and he committed too many physical and mental errors.

DOUBLE TAKE: Look for Jose Nieves to play at shortstop as the team decides what its double-play combination is going to be for 2000. 2B Mickey Morandini is a free agent, and if the team doesn't bring him back, it could have an a rookie combination next year of Nieves and 2B Chad Meyers, currently at Class AAA Iowa. Manager Jim Riggleman says he also will experiment with Nieves at third base. The organization likes his range, hands and "plus" arm. ... With Sammy Sosa and Henry Rodriguez in the lineup, the team has no problem with 1B Mark Grace not hitting for power as long as he's hitting line drives and knocking in runs. He's doing that with a team-high 26 doubles to go with 59 RBIs.

SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: With the addition of Bowie and the move of Farnsworth to the rotation, LHP Dan Serafini finds himself back in the pen as a long to middle reliever. The team thinks Serafini's fastball-slider repertoire is better suited to relief because hitters get only one look at him during a game. -Bruce Miles

GRADING OUT

OFFENSE C

All eyes are on Sosa as he gears up for another home run hitting spree.

PITCHING D

With Farnsworth and Bowie in the rotation, the Cubs get an early look at next year.

DEFENSE D

Not much range, so fielders have to catch everything hit to them and make smart plays.

CUBS

                AVG     G    AB    R     H   HR   RBI

Hill           .335    59   167   33    56   16    38
Rodriguez( )   .331    86   290   50    96   18    69
Grace( )       .321   101   374   76   120   11    59
Sosa           .307   101   398   80   122   40    93
Alexander      .303    52   119   14    36    0    13
Morandini( )   .266    92   335   48    89    3    30
Blauser        .258    63   132   31    34    7    19
Reed( )        .255    59   145   15    37    2    18
Houston( )     .251    77   195   21    49    9    25
Goodwin( )     .239    84   142   14    34    0     8
Santiago       .234    82   278   23    65    5    28
Gaetti         .202    72   188   17    38    8    34

                OBP    SLG   SB     K   BB    E

Hill           .372   .671    4    40   11    4
Rodriguez( )   .414   .586    2    66   42    4
Grace( )       .408   .484    2    20   57    6
Sosa           .370   .668    6   102   41    4
Alexander      .344   .403    3    17    8    6
Morandini( )   .337   .364    6    37   33    2
Blauser        .373   .477    2    33   18    5
Reed( )        .355   .379    0    36   22    4
Houston( )     .324   .431    1    48   21   15
Goodwin( )     .288   .296    2    37   10    2
Santiago       .290   .349    0    54   21    5
Gaetti         .270   .367    0    35   17    7
GRAND SLAMS: Gaetti (2), Grace (1)

                  ERA    W-L    G      IP     H    R

Adams            3.24    3-2   27    33.1    32   14
Lieber           3.88    8-4   20   127.2   155   67
Tapani           4.50    6-8   19   112.0   118   61
Heredia( )       4.66    3-0   45    36.2    34   21
Sanders          4.94    4-4   41    74.2    81   44
Aguilera         5.72    4-3   28    28.1    33   19
(*)Farnsworth    6.55    2-4   17    67.1    87   52
Trachsel         6.66   3-14   22   127.0   146   97
Serafini( )      6.75    3-2   33    52.0    70   42
Beck             9.18    2-4   19    16.2    29   17
(*)King( )       9.45    0-0    8     6.2     9    8
(*)Bowie( )     13.50    0-1    3     4.0     8    6

                ER   HR     K   BB   SV   Avg.

Adams           12    6    29   13    9   .252
Lieber          55   16   109   34    0   .299
Tapani          56    6    59   27    0   .273
Heredia( )      19    4    34   13    1   .246
Sanders         41   15    65   31    2   .277
Aguilera        18    6    20    6    4   .297
(*)Farnsworth   49   17    35   28    0   .312
Trachsel        94   25    86   41    0   .289
Serafini( )     39    6    15   28    1   .332
Beck            17    3     8    6    7   .382
(*)King( )       7    2     2    8    0   .333
(*)Bowie( )      6    1     2    4    0   .421