Youth can serve Atlanta the second time around

Sporting News, The, Feb 5, 1996 by Bon Nightengale

Braves Vice President John Schuerholz shakes his head slowly, wincing at the painful memories. It happened 10 years ago. It was another cruel reminder how quickly a baseball team's fate can change.

There were the Royals, winning the 1985 World Series over the Cardinals with Schuerholz as general manager, setting off a celebration heard throughout the Midwest. One year later, Royals Manager Dick Howser was dying of brain cancer, Cy Young winner Bret Saberhagen was plagued by a sore right shoulder and the Royals were finishing 16 games back of the Angels.

"It was a nightmare," Schuerholz says.

Now, Schuerholz and the Braves have the mighty challenge of becoming only the second National League team since the 1921-22 New York Giants (also Cincinnati in 1975-76) to win back-to-back World Series.

And, by the way, the Braves also must find a way to keep their fans from becoming complacent.

"Sure, it's a legitimate concern," Schuerholz says. "People get used to winners. But I think our team will be as strong as any team we've ever had in Atlanta."

The Braves never made their way to headline news this winter. They only re-signed their own players. Their only major trade was sending fifth starter Kent Mercker to the Off oles. No one got fired.

"If you don't win the world championship, you have to do that" Schuerholz says. "You have to make more dramatic moves when you're chasing a team rather than being the team.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it. We've got a very good team, and the thing that makes it more comfortable not to make many changes is the recognition that our team is well balanced."

Yet, the Braves still have managed to assert themselves again as the team to beat in the N.L, particularly with the presence of pitcher Greg Maddux.

Rookie third baseman Chipper Jones only will get better and become a genuine star in this game. Left fielder Ryan Klesko will be better. Javier Lopez should emerge as a frontline catcher. Shortstop Jeff Blauser couldn't possibly have a worse year than 1995. Outfielder David Justice is coming off only an average year. First baseman Fred McGriff is back to hit 30 homers and drive in 100 runs.

In other words, the Braves did nothing that needed fixing, and there's absolutely no reason to believe they won't again have the N.L. East clinched by the Fourth of July and have their playoff rotation set by Labor Day.

"As of right now, it's almost impossible to dose the gap on Atlanta, if you want to be honest," Phillies Manager Jim Fregosi says. "It's almost like going into the season playing for the wild card."

This also is a team that hardly is aging. Only three of its top 16 players have reached their 30th birthday. The youth should severely diminish any chances of complacency.

"I don't think anybody will be coming here waltzing into spring training," Schuerholz says. "We have a lot of young guys who have won one title, but they may want to win five. Guys are not going to say, I'm 21 years old, I've won one world championship, I don't care if I win another one.' The blend of the roster is still young, so they're still hungry.

"I really think these guys will play their hearts out."

That's just what the rest of the league is afraid of.

Where have you gone?

Remember Oakland, the team of the '80s? Well, you wouldn't recognize the bunch.

Remember last year's starting outfield of Rickey Henderson, Stan Javier and Ruben Sierra/Danny Tartabull? Henderson is now a Padre, Javier is playing across the Bay Bridge with the Giants, Sierra is a Yankee and Tartabull is with the White Sox.

Oh, and the 1995 starting rotation?

Dave Stewart: retired.

Ron Darling: released.

Todd Stottlemyre: traded to the Cardinals.

Mike Harkey: released.

Steve Ontiveros: signed with the Angels.

The A's have a chance to be bad this season. I mean, disgustingly bad.

Yet, considering this team has failed to win more than 67 games in a season the last three years, why not junk it all and start over?

"To be honest," General Manager Sandy Alderson says, "I wish I had done this a few years ago. We were paying big salaries to protect ourselves at the gate. It didn't work. We're rebuilding the team with young talent. This is not a plan born out of the new ownership's desire to cut payroll. This is a plan born out of the feeling that this is the right way to do this. ... I'm having more fun putting this team together than I've had the last two or three years, and that's because we're going someplace."

The question, of course, is whether the East Bay area fans will be willing to wait.

This is a franchise that easily could wind up in Sacramento.

Coming back

Don't look now, but the White Sox suddenly have emerged as a strong wildcard contender with the acquisition of outfielders Tony Phillips and Danny Tartabull.

They now have a lineup of Phillips, Robin Ventura, Frank Thomas, Tartabull, Harold Baines, Ray Durham, Ron Karkovice, Darten Lewis and Ozzie Guillen. The top of the order can hit with anyone in baseball.

The key may be Tartabull, whom the White Sox have to pay only half of a $5-million salary. Tartabull is the team's fourth right fielder in four years, and if history stays true, then it could be a brilliant maneuver. Certainly, Ellis Burks, Darrin Jackson and Mike Devereaux played their way into nice contracts the following seasons.