'97 PRIORITY: FIND HITTERS.Byline: Tim Brown Timothy Donell Brown (born July 22, 1966) is a retired wide receiver, who played in the National Football League. He spent sixteen years with the Oakland Raiders, during which he established himself as one of the League's most prolific wide receivers. Daily News Staff Writer Moments such as these belong to baseball's general managers. Postgame clubhouse. Playoff elimination. They make the changes. And so Fred Claire Fred Claire (b. October 5, 1935 in Jamestown, OH) is a former major league baseball executive who served in numerous roles for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1969-1998 including the role of general manager from 1987-1998. , the Dodgers' executive vice president, stood on the back end of his club's division-series demise, on the front end of an offseason that he will dictate. The Dodgers lasted only three games into October. They lost 5-2 to the Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From to the present, the Braves have played in Turner Field. on Saturday night at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium • • [ , and everybody grabbed a Samsonite. While it wasn't his fault the Braves' ERA was 0.96 over three games, that pitching staff stomped on a batting order Noun 1. batting order - (baseball) a list of batters in the order in which they will bat; "the managers presented their cards to the umpire at home plate" lineup, card with, among others, two rookies and a veteran unwanted by every other team in baseball. ``We're closer,'' Claire said. ``We will go into next year with more than we went into this year with.'' The specifics are to come. ``We have to keep our defense where it is and we have to improve our offense,'' Claire said. ``That's the basic script.'' Given that chance in August, Claire held tight to his prospects. Partly as a result, the Dodgers finished the regular season 13th in the National League in batting average batting average n. Baseball A measure of a batter's performance obtained by dividing the total of base hits by the number of times at bat, not including walks. Noun 1. , 12th in runs and last in on-base percentage. In three playoff games the Dodgers scored five runs, two of them unearned, and they scored 10 runs in their season-ending seven-game losing streak. It lost them the National League West. It cost them another postseason. ``It sure as heck isn't enough for me,'' Claire said. ``This isn't where I want to be.'' The Braves? ``I think that comes from their maturity and they're experienced,'' Claire said. ``The Braves have that. It didn't happen overnight. Sometimes it takes young teams a while to get that. It's tougher to do in baseball today than it's ever been. For all of us.'' Third baseman third baseman n. Baseball The infielder stationed near third base. Noun 1. third baseman - (baseball) the person who plays third base third sacker Tim Wallach n. 1. A petulant, bad-tempered mood; a huff. 2. A petty quarrel or argument; a tiff. tr.v. miffed, miff·ing, miffs To cause to become offended or annoyed. at the question. Inappropriate, he said. Shortstop Greg Gagne Greg Gagne may refer to:
``I'm a little ways from that decision,'' he said. ``I'll go home and think about it.'' There are other guys. Second baseman Delino DeShields' contract ran out while he rode manager Bill Russell's bench for the final two games of the division series. Claire probably won't make that mistake again. Third baseman Mike Blowers is arbitration eligible. Center fielder Brett Butler would return under the proper conditions, though there are a lot of those he has to consider. Center fielders Chad Curtis and Wayne Kirby are free to go, as is Mark Guthrie, so strong between the starters and closer Todd Worrell, but eager to become a starter again. ``If there's anything we learned, we're not at the Braves' level,'' said first baseman Eric Karros, who has a new contract to negotiate this winter. ``That's what I learned this series. We need to make some improvements.'' Catcher Mike Piazza also has some contract discussions ahead. ``It's tough to say,'' he said of Claire's offseason direction. ``I'm really burned right now on baseball, the way the week has gone for us. I'm not thinking about front-office moves.'' He'll leave it to Claire. It's his time of year. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: (color) Tim Wallach reacts after leaving two men onbase with a flyout. Associated Press |
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