Content provided in partnership with

A.L. spring preview

Sporting News, The, Feb 15, 1999

Anaheim

SPRING SKINNY: The team could have the most prolific offense in franchise history now that slugging 1B Mo Vaughn joins a lineup that features Darin Erstad, Tim Salmon, Jim Edmonds and Garret Anderson. There is potential for more with 3B Troy Glaus, C Todd Greene and 2B Randy Velarde. But the rotation again has questions: Can Chuck Finley (36 years old) and Tim Belcher (37) continue to be productive? Can Ken Hill rebound from elbow surgery that sidelined him for two months in 1998? Can Omar Olivares and Steve Sparks again combine for 18 wins?

Most Popular Articles in Sports: The first family: Archie, Peyton and Eli are incredibly famous, immensely ...; The growing gap: driving distances are skyrocketing on the PGA Tour. So why ...; Which pistol caliber for self defense? Four different people come to four ...; Drag racing - National Hot Rod Association; The world's most popular .22: the Marlin Model 60 just keeps on ticking; More »

TO-DO LIST: If the team can't trade Anderson, Edmonds or Dave Hollins this spring, manager Terry Collins will have to sort out logjams in the outfield and at DH.... New pitching coach Dick Pole will have to shore up a bullpen that, because of elbow injuries, will be without middle reliever Pep Harris for the season and setup man Mike James for at least half the season. Shigetoshi Hasegawa and Rich DeLucia likely will share setup duties, and Mark Petkovsek and Jason Dickson are the candidates to complete the relief staff. Lefthander Mike Holtz needs to regain command of his curveball or face another demotion to the minor leagues.... A key competition will be for the utility infield job, for which Craig Shipley, Luis Rivera, Andy Stankiewicz, Jeff Huson and Tim Unroe are candidates. If speedster Justin Baughman recovers from a broken leg, he could challenge for the job in April or May.... Another big priority: Pacing Salmon and Velarde through spring training so the two, restricted because of injuries last season, remain healthy.--Mike DiGiovanna

Baltimore

SPRING SKINNY: The Orioles have added some power (Albert Belle), some speed (Delino DeShields), some pitching (Mike Timlin, Heathcliff Slocumb) and a frontline defensive catcher (Charles Johnson), but they still will need a lot of good things to happen to compete with the Yankees in the A.L. East. The focus likely will be on the bullpen and the club's new chemistry. Belle and fellow newcomer Will Clark should inject more attitude into a docile clubhouse.

TO-DO LIST: The starting rotation is largely set--with Mike Mussina, Scott Erickson, Juan Guzman and promising Sidney Ponson--but someone is going to have to step up and fill the No. 5 slot. RHP Scott Kamieniecki, just back from neck surgery, wants to be that guy, but newcomer Ricky Bones and minor league prospect Rocky Coppinger will get some attention.... Manager Ray Miller needs to decide how he wants to configure the top of the lineup. DeShields likely will lead off with Brady Anderson hitting second and Belle third, but Miller also could decide to use B.J. Surhoff or even Mike Bordick second, which would push Anderson into an RBI role. Miller already has decided he wants to use Belle as the No. 3 hitter and Clark at cleanup.... Timlin is going to be the closer, and Slocumb likely will open the season as the No. 1 righthanded setup man, but there still is room for a durable righthanded middle guy to go with Bones (who could work in a swing role). The dub should be solid from the left side, if Arthur Rhodes is healthy and Jesse Orosco can pick up where he left off last season.--Peter Schmuck

Boston

SPRING SKINNY: The team never replaced 1B Mo Vaughn, leaving a huge hole in its lineup and its clubhouse. Its offseason signings (2B/DH Jose Offerman and pitchers Mark Portugal, Pat Rapp and Mark Guthrie) are nice additions to a team that earned a wild-card berth in '98, but the loss of Vaughn will remain the focus as spring training begins. Expect SS Nomar Garciaparra, RHP Bret Saberhagen and 3B John Valentin to grow tired of hearing Vaughn's name mentioned during camp.

TO-DO LIST: Solve the muddled first base/second base/DH mess. The team opens camp with Mike Stanley, Reggie Jefferson and Bob Hamelin taking turns at first and DH, with Offerman a candidate for both. The status of 2B Jeff Frye, a favorite of manager Jimy Williams, will affect Offerman's role. If Frye proves he is recovered from a knee injury, Williams probably will prefer his defense. That likely leaves Stanley at first and Offerman as an expensive DH.... Find a creative lineup. With Vaughn's run-producing bat removed, the team must find offense. Offerman adds a new dimension from the leadoff spot, but the team needs consistency in the middle; if not, Garciaparra will see a steady dose of breaking balls.... See consistency from a veteran pitching staff. Unlike previous seasons, there are few jobs up for contention. The rotation seems set, and four of the bullpen jobs are settled.... Stumble upon a surprise hitter. Maybe it will be rookie OF Trot Nixon. Maybe young C Jason Veritek win blossom. Perhaps Hamelin will rediscover his home run stroke. The offense lost with Vaughn's departure must come from somewhere the club doesn't expect.--Paul Doyle

Chicago

SPRING SKINNY: For the first time in the 1990s, the team basically can be written off before camp begins. Gone from the '98 team are slugging LF Albert Belle and slick 3B Robin Venture. Preparing for '99 are another crop of youngsters and a large group of holdovers still trying to prove they belong in the major leagues. Add it all up, and it's going to be on-the-job training from March through October.

A.L. spring preview

Sporting News, The, Feb 15, 1999

Find Research Guides for:

Find Featured Titles for: Sports

Most Popular Articles in Sports

Most Popular Publications in Sports