N.L

Sporting News, The, Feb 18, 2002

Arizona Diamondbacks www.sportingnews.com/baseball/teams/diamondbacks

JOB OPENINGS: Reggie Sanders, who hit a career-high 33 homers with 90 RBIs last season, moved to the Giants, leaving a hole in right field. Danny Bautista, a career part-timer, has the inside track at the position. David Dellucci, Jose Guillen and Erubiel Durazo also will get a look.... Manager Bob Brenly says the competition is open, but the second base job is Craig Counsell's to lose. If Jay Bell, 36, whose contract is up after this season, can't wrest the job from Counsell, Bell could become a utilityman, filling in at third, short and second. Junior Spivey also will get a look at second.

BREAKOUT PLAYER: Bautista has had more than 271 at-bats in a season only once--in 2000 he had 351, split between the Marlins and Braves--but the team recently gave him the biggest contract of his career with the belief he can become an everyday player. Bautista made a strong impression by batting .391 over his final 19 games of last season. For most of his career, he was categorized as a very good fourth outfielder. He can play center field, has a strong arm and is a .262 career hitter. He hasn't displayed much power (41 homers in 1,540 career at-bats), but he has responded to increased playing time with better offense.

INJURY UPDATE: RHP Todd Stottlemyre, who missed last season because of a damaged nerve in his right shoulder, already is throwing comfortably off the mound.... RHP Matt Mantei, the closer, threw lightly off the mound recently for the first time since undergoing elbow surgery last June. Mantei could be back before the All-Star break.... RHP Bret Prinz, who missed the postseason and most of the final month of the regular season because of a tired shoulder, will be ready to go when camp opens.... RHP Armando Reynoso, who had surgery on a herniated disk in his neck in October, hopes to return before the All-Star break.... Backup C Rod Barajas will not be able to catch for about three weeks. He had thumb surgery to remove scar tissue and will be limited to hitting.

MANAGER ANALYSIS: Brenly is the first manager since the Yankees' Ralph Houk in 1961 to lead a team to a title without having managed in the majors before the championship season. Charged with lightening the mood in the clubhouse, Brenly let the talent on the roster come through. Some of his moves during the World Series drew criticism, but his strategy in the postseason was consistent with his entire season. Brenly has a slow hook with his pitchers. He likes to run and bunt, though his roster isn't suited for that style of play. And he likes to tinker with the lineup, riding a few mainstays and switching reserves in and out based on matchups and who has the hot hand. --Ed Price

BURNING ISSUE Can RHP Todd Stottlemyre come back after missing all of last season with a shoulder injury? If he can hold a rotation spot, RHP Miguel Batista can return to a swingman role, strengthening the bullpen.

Atlanta Braves www.sportingnews.com/baseball/teams/braves

JOB OPENINGS: A lengthy list of candidates, including RHP Darren Holmes and LHP Rich Rodriguez, will fight for two bullpen jobs. Holmes missed last season after undergoing back surgery but says he's fully healthy. With the Indians last year, Rodriguez held lefthanded hitters to a .189 average. LHPs Trey Moore and Chris Hammond and RHPs Dan Wheeler, Jose Cabrera and Jake Robbins also will be in the competition.

BREAKOUT PLAYER: The team was so impressed by rookie 2B Marcus Giles last season that it dumped veteran Quilvio Veras. Giles, 23, responded like a seasoned veteran, handling the leadoff role and playing solid defense, so he is the regular second baseman as camp opens. The club likes his work ethic and power potential. No player has worked harder to smooth out his defense than Giles, and the Braves have had few second basemen through the years with the ability to hit 25 home runs. Though he's built like a tree stump, Giles has terrific opposite field power and showed glimpses of his capabilities by hitting nine home runs in 244 at-bats after arriving in July from Class AAA Richmond. If the team is patient with Giles, he'll hit 20 home runs and keep his average in the .270 range, even though he likely will hit eighth in the order. The question is whether the club is willing to play him every day. SS Wilson Betemit, the organization's top prospect, is coming fast and when the team decides he's ready, he's expected to push SS Rafael Furcal to second base. If that scenario unfolds, it's likely Giles will end up at third, where Vinny Castilla is now.

INJURY UPDATE: Unlike last spring, there's no question about closer John Smoltz's elbow. He's expected to arrive at camp ready to go.... Holmes says his back is fine, though he'll have to prove it by pitching 15-20 innings in spring games.... OF Dave Martinez opted for rest over surgery to deal with a lingering knee problem. ... The team will keep an eye on Furcal, who missed the second half of last season after having shoulder surgery. He is expected to be completely healthy entering camp.