National League

Sporting News, The, Jan 31, 2000

Arizona

BREAK GLASS Veteran RHP Mike Morgan signed a minor league training to compete for a roster spot. Morgan, who had some good outings for the Rangers last season, will try to secure a spot as a long reliever and emergency starter, an important role given the injury questions surrounding righthanded starters Armando Reynoso and Todd Stottlemyre. Morgan, whose career began in 1978 as a 19-year-old with the A's, is trying to play in four decades. With the dub playing 20 games in the first three weeks, there will be little time off for any of the starters, which is where Morgan could fit in.... CF Steve Finley, who suffered a broken bone in his right hand when he fell off a ladder during the holidays, has told dub officials not to worry. He expects to be ready to start spring training on time. Finley, who had his finest offensive season in 1999, could have problems with his swing. As a lefthanded batter, he uses his right hand to guide his swings.... The club signed three catchers to minor league contracts and invited them to spring training. Kevin Clark, Ken Huckahy and Johnny Pachot will be in camp to help with the pitchers during the early part of spring training.

MANAGER ANALYSIS: Buck Showalter inherited a deteriorated Yankees dub in 1992 and had them in the playoffs by 1995. In Arizona, he took the Diamondbacks from 97 losses during their first season in 1998 and turned them into a 100-win club and division champion last season. Showalter often puts in 16-hour days during the season and the offseason. It's common for him to be at the ballpark at 10 a.m. for an evening game. He prepares extensively, examining all kinds of matchups for a given game. Despite all of last year's success, Showalter's handling of his starting pitchers (especially Randy Johnson) and his decision to remove Matt Williams from Game 4 of the N.L. playoffs against the Mets remain controversial. --Pedro Gomez

Atlanta

MAKE A DEAL: The club reduced the number of players eligible for arbitration to one by agreeing to a $3 million deal with new 2B Quilvio Veras. That leaves only CF Andruw Jones eligible, and he and the team aren't far apart in negotiations. Jones fried for $3.8 million, more than 10 times his 1999 salary; the club offered $3.5 million. The team and Jones likely will split the difference.... Filling a need for an extra outfielder, the front office signed Trenidad Hubbard to a minor league contract that will pay him $400,000 if he makes the team. Hubbard, who hit .314 with the Dodgers last season, gives the club protection in case oft-injured OF Reggie Sanders goes down. Hubbard can play all three outfield positions, but he doesn't have much power and batted only .222 as a pinch hitter last season.... Tests showed top SS prospect Rafael Furcal suffered only a deep bone bruise or a slight hairline fracture in his left leg while playing in the Dominican Winter League. He also had an MRI on his sore left shoulder, which revealed nothing more serious than some looseness and won't need surgery. Furcal was advised to rest his leg and strengthen his shoulder with exercises. The dub expects him to be ready for the start of spring training.

MANAGER ANALYSIS: Bobby Cox is regarded as one of the finest managers in the game--and for good reason. Besides leading the Braves to an unprecedented eight consecutive division championships and five pennants, he receives high marks for communicating well with players and eliminating controversy from the clubhouse. Though Cox has few rules, there's no doubt who is in charge. And when a problem comes up, Cox typically handles it in a quiet and low-key manner that doesn't ruffle feathers. Cox still adheres to a managerial philosophy that can best be described as traditionalist. He says he models his style on former Yankees skipper Ralph Houk's philosophy of treating his players like men, which still works even with today's me-generation of athletes. --Bill Zack

Chicago

ANOTHER PIECE: G.M. Ed Lynch has his roster about set as the team prepares to open spring training February 13. The latest piece of the puzzle is 3B/OF Willie Greene, signed as a free agent. Greene, 28, played in 81 games for Toronto last season and batted .204 with 12 homers and 41 RBIs. He had his best year in 1997 with the Reds, hitting 26 home runs and driving in 91 tams. Greene also spent time with the Orioles. The lefthanded-hitting Greene's primary job will be to back up righthanded-hitting Shane Andrews at third base. Lynch admits he hopes to catch lightning in a bottle with Greene.... The Cubs avoided two of three possible salary arbitration hearings by signing relievers LHP Felix Heredia and RHP Matt Karehner to one-year deals. Heredia was the team leader in appearances last season with 69. The team is counting on Karchner being a setup man with RHP Terry Adams traded to the Dodgers ... Lynch briefly explored the possibility of signing RHP Hideo Nome, but the team wouldn't meet his salary demands.

MANAGER ANALYSIS: After five years of Jim Riggleman's laid-back style, the Cubs are in for a big change with Don Baylor. Baylor already has put players on notice that only an all-out effort will be accepted. That also goes for superstar OF Sammy Sosa, whom Baylor wants to concentrate on baserunning and defense in addition to home run hitting. No longer will Baylor have a G.M. breathing down his neck, as was the case when he managed under Bob Gebhard in Colorado. Baylor made sure he got some say in personnel decisions before taking the Cubs job. Baylor brings a reputation as a no-nonsense disciplinarian who has the battle scars of being a former big-league star to back him up. On the field, he'll stress defense and running, two things in short supply recently with this traditionally station-to-station team. He'll also delegate plenty of authority to such aides as Gene Glynn (third base coach and infield-defense coach) and Rene Lachemann (bench coach). --Bruce Miles