Baseball Sunday: Around the horn

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Apr 6, 2008 by Combined news services

Fortune cookie

Miguel Batista, Seattle's fifth starter, went to a Chinese restaurant for lunch on Wednesday. When he got to Safeco Field, he showed manager John McLaren the slip of paper that came inside his fortune cookie. "Someone Will Need Your Help This Month," it read.

Sure enough, with closer J.J. Putz on the disabled list and Batista scheduled to throw on the side, McLaren used him to get the save against the Rangers.

Observed Batista: "It's an interesting way of using your bullets."

Opening day?

It was strange enough having the 2008 season officially open in Japan when the Red Sox and Athletics played a two-game series days before the rest of baseball got started. It was odd to have those games starting at 4 o'clock MDT. But this is just plain goofy.

Oakland's Emil Brown hit his first home run of the regular season in the Tokyo Dome. Then, three days later, he hit his first homer of the exhibition season.

Gotta believe that's never happened before.

Luckiest player

Colorado pitcher Jeff Francis started Monday's would-be opener in St. Louis, threw balls on 17 of his first 19 pitches, and gave up four runs in the first and an Albert Pujols homer in the second.

But the game was rained out before it became official, and Francis' ledger was wiped clean.

"Not many baseball players get a mulligan," he said.

Bad rule

Larry Bowa, now on Joe Torre's Dodgers staff, looked silly in spring training when he said he would flaunt the new rules requiring third base coaches to wear helmets. But he was taking an appropriate stand Tuesday night when he refused to get back into the third base coaching box and was ejected by umpire Ed Montague.

Tim Flannery, a longtime third base coach now with San Francisco, wrote a letter of protest to baseball's rules committee about the changes.

"I explained to them for the last 14 years I've researched Jimy Williams, Jim Davenport and Joey Amalfitano," Flannery said. "I picked their brains to the point where they were sick of me, trying to become the best third base coach in baseball. I wanted to know how to do it. They taught me where I was supposed to be, being in the right spot at the right time to be able to make the right decision at the right moment. ... By putting us in the box, we are sitting ducks to get killed."

FANTASY TIPS

RISING: Tim Redding, Nationals, Pitcher: He will be in high demand on the waiver wire after allowing one hit in seven shutout innings against the Phillies in his debut. He's no flash in the pan. In 15 starts last season, he allowed three runs or fewer 12 times and ended the year with a 3.64 ERA. Pick him up.

WILD CARD: Alexei Ramirez, White Sox, Outfielder: The rookie wasn't expected to be a starter, but the Cuban defector was extremely impressive in camp. He showcased the type of power-speed combination that makes fantasy owners drool. Ramirez started the first two games for Chicago in center field, will play some at second base, and should be watched closely.

TOP 10

TEAM . . . . . . . . . . . Last week

1. Boston Red Sox . . . . Still hasn't played in Fenway

2. Chicago Cubs . . . . Kerry Woods has two saves

3. New York Yankees . . . . A-Rod and a good, young staff

4. Milwaukee Brewers . . . . Started 4-1 despite Gagne meltdown

5. Los Angeles Dodgers . . . . Starters only have 7 earned runs

6. Cleveland Indians . . . . Off to slow start

7. Colorado Rockies . . . . NL champ also starting slow

8. L.A. Angels of Anaheim . . . . Injuries killing them

9. Arizona Diamondbacks . . . . Babybacks a year older

10. Tampa Bay Rays . . . . Wimpier name, better results?