DODGERS NOTEBOOK: KARROS READY THIS TIME FOR STRONG START.Byline: Matt McHale Daily News Staff Writer On Eric Karros' baseball treadmill, it is hardly worth mentioning that the Dodgers begin playing exhibition games today. Karros has appeared in 267 consecutive games at first base and played last season in all but 11 innings. He went almost immediately into his grueling offseason workout program in Hermosa Beach Hermosa Beach (hûrmō`sə), city (1990 pop. 18,219), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1907. It is a residential suburb and a popular resort noted for its fine, sandy beaches and excellent surf. and reported to spring training a day early. There also were countless trade rumors during the winter, especially after he was left off the Dodgers protected list at the expansion draft in November. A lot to consider, especially with a left shoulder that doctors said needed surgery. ``That was the last thing I was going to do,'' Karros said. ``I'd rather be in a position where I am in control of getting better. There are a lot of unknowns when you have an operation.'' Karros, 30, strengthened the worn down area by weightlifting and stretching exercises. He added cardiovascular training and, unlike teammate Mike Piazza Michael Joseph Piazza (born September 4, 1968 in Norristown, Pennsylvania) is an American Major League Baseball player who currently plays for the Oakland Athletics. He began his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and played for the Florida Marlins, New York Mets, San Diego Padres , who bulked up over the winter, arrived under his playing weight of 226 pounds. ``In the past year there were some adhesions that built up in the shoulder,'' said Dodgers orthopedist Frank Jobe. ``Surgery was considered, but he's a good patient and knows what it takes to get better.'' Improving the Dodgers from last year's disappointing second-place finish Noun 1. second-place finish - a finish in second place (as in a race) runner-up finish finish - designated event that concludes a contest (especially a race); "excitement grew as the finish neared"; "my horse was several lengths behind at the finish"; "the will require more time. They had a two-game lead in the National League West with 11 to play but were swept in San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden and never recovered. ``There is a lot that happened, but we're here to put that behind us,'' Karros said. ``There is a good atmosphere here, a baseball atmosphere. In the last few years there were issues like (Tom Lasorda's) retirement and whether Brett Butler Brett Butler can refer to different people:
For the first time in several years, Karros did a lot of hitting during the winter. Although he became the first Dodger in history to have at least 30 home runs and 100 RBI RBI abbr. Baseball runs batted in Noun 1. rbi - a run that is the result of the batter's performance; "he had more than 100 rbi last season" run batted in three consecutive seasons, Karros was equally known for slow starts. In 1996, he was bothered by a strained hamstring and slumped until June. Although he finished with career highs in homers (34) and RBI (111), his average dropped 38 points from the year before. Last season, Karros batted .266 with 31 homers and 104 RBI but hit just .251 with runners in scoring position In the sport of baseball, a baserunner is said to be in scoring position when he is on second or third base. The distinction between being on first base and second or third base is that a runner on first can usually only score if the batter hits an extra base hit, while a runner on . Like the team, he started slowly, batting .228 in April and .245 in May. ``By hitting during the winter, I come here a little more prepared,'' Karros said. ``Instead of doing it all when I get here, I've been working already. That can only help at the start of the season.'' EXHIBITION OPENER Today: 10:05 a.m. vs. Houston Radio: AM 1150, KWKW (1330 Spanish) Starting pitchers (1997 records) Shane Reynolds SPRING TRAINING '98 FACT: In their nine pennant-winning seasons in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , the Dodgers have had five winning exhibition records. The best was 1988 when the Kirk Gibson-inspired club went 21-11. The Dodgers also were 17-7 in 1974 and 1976. Their worst spring was 1966 when they went 10-16. They say spring training numbers are written in the sand, (i.e. meaningless), but the stats might have been an indicator of Mike Piazza's season. He batted .388 with five homers and 16 RBI. He finished the regular season hitting a career-highs .362 with 40 homers and 124 RBI. NOTES: Right fielder right fielder n. Baseball The player who defends right field. Noun 1. right fielder - the person who plays right field outfielder - (baseball) a person who plays in the outfield Raul Mondesi will make his first spring appearance against the Astros today. The club has given him extra time to get his legs in shape. . . . Bill Russell Noun 1. Bill Russell - United States basketball center (born in 1934) William Felton Russell, Russell (.552 137-111) enters his second full season with the highest winning percentage among active managers. He does, however, trail Atlanta's Bobby Cox QUOTES: ``Hopefully we will play better early in the season because that is what really got us last year,'' said Russell, whose team dropped five games behind San Francisco after just 23 games. ``For the first two months last year, we were two games below .500. Our starting pitching was great. We just didn't score any runs.'' CAPTION(S): 2 Boxes BOX: (1) SPRING TRAINING '98 (see text) (2) EXHIBITION OPENER (see text) |
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