DODGERS NOTEBOOK: MOTA SET TO REV UP.Byline: Rich Hammond Rich Hammond Los Angeles Daily News sports writer. Instrumental in bringing the Los Angeles Kings hockey organization closer to the fans. He is the atypical "what a guy" to Kings fans everywhere. Rich Hammond on himself. Staff Writer VERO BEACH Vero Beach (vēr`o), city (1990 pop. 17,350), seat of Indian River co., E Fla., on Indian River (a lagoon and part of the Intracoastal Waterway); founded c.1888, inc. 1919. , Fla. - Once a project so raw his manager wouldn't put him in a game with a lead, Guillermo Mota Guillermo Reynoso Mota (born July 25, 1973 in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic) is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher who is currently on the New York Mets. stunningly has emerged as one of baseball's most highly regarded relievers. Mota arrived at Dodgertown on Wednesday to a rousing reception from his teammates, who know what his right arm means to their chances for success this season. Mota must replace Paul Quantrill ``I'm happy with last year and I don't really want to change anything,'' said Mota, who arrived here one week late because of visa problems in his native Dominican Republic Dominican Republic (dəmĭn`ĭkən), republic (2005 est. pop. 8,950,000), 18,700 sq mi (48,442 sq km), West Indies, on the eastern two thirds of the island of Hispaniola. The capital and largest city is Santo Domingo. . Many teams inquired about Mota this offseason because he's considered a pitcher with stuff good enough to be a closer. Mota said his goal is to become a closer, but then gestured toward Eric Gagne's locker. ``I'm happy to be a setup guy,'' 30-year-old Mota said. ``I feel happy to be the pitcher behind (Gagne) and right now he's the best pitcher in baseball.'' Mota said the Dodgers would miss Quantrill, who signed with the New York Yankees  Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled due to vandalism. , but they seem to have a good replacement. Mota struggled
in 2002, his first season with the Dodgers, and had a 4.15 ERA in 43
appearances. That's when Dodgers manager Jim Tracy
That changed last season, when Mota, armed with a devastating dev·as·tate tr.v. dev·as·tat·ed, dev·as·tat·ing, dev·as·tates 1. To lay waste; destroy. 2. To overwhelm; confound; stun: was devastated by the rude remark. fastball and improved offspeed pitches, threw 105 innings in 75 appearances, struck out 99 and finished 6-3 with a 1.97 ERA. Mota had such a dominating 2003 that Tracy said he would consider using him in save situations if he thought Gagne was being overworked. Gagne had 55 of the Dodgers' 58 saves last season, but Tracy said Mota could get a few more this season, under the correct circumstances. ``Would I consider it? Yeah,'' Tracy said. ``But would I first see where (Gagne) is? Absolutely. He's gotten to the point where he's not going to say yes just to be heroic. ... That's an option, but it's not going to scare me away from Gagne pitching four days in a row, if that's what I want to do. ``With the kind of stuff that (Gagne and Mota) have, that's not fun for opposing batters. I'm not saying guys can't get hits off them, but it's not going to be a fun situation.'' --Impact player: For a 19-year-old pitcher with zero major-league experience, Greg Miller Greg David Miller (born November 3, 1984, in Orange, California) is a Major League Baseball pitching prospect in the Los Angeles Dodgers minor league system. Greg was on the fast track to the majors in '03, but a shoulder injury in the spring of '04 slowed him. has received more than his share of attention this winter and early spring. Miller's name was brought up in almost every trade offer received by former general manager Dan Evans, who refused to part with Miller even though it could have helped the Dodgers' anemic offense. ``That was really an honor,'' Miller said. ``Any time your name comes up in trade talks it's an honor because that means other teams are interested, but I'm glad (the Dodgers) decided to keep me.'' Miller's spring got off to a slow start because of shoulder tendinitis that prematurely ended his 2003 season, but he started a throwing program over the weekend. Miller finished last season at Double-A Jacksonville (Fla.), and he said that's where he expects to begin this season. ``I just want to go out and show everybody that I can be healthy for a while,'' Miller said. --Good first step: By all indications, Shawn Green's first workout at first base Tuesday went well. Green even got his uniform dirty diving for a groundball, and stopped it. Tracy, who made the move from outfield to first base during his playing career in the minors, said he has taken a personal interest in Green's likely move to first. Green has been lukewarm at best about the move, but Tracy has been effusive ef·fu·sive adj. 1. Unrestrained or excessive in emotional expression; gushy: an effusive manner. 2. Profuse; overflowing: effusive praise. in his praise. --Status report: A morning of heavy rain changed the Dodgers' plans and forced them into indoor batting cages. ... Pitcher Joel Hanrahan Joel Ryan Hanrahan (born October 6, 1981 in Des Moines, Iowa) is a Major League Baseball player, a right-handed pitcher for the Washington Nationals. After graduating Norwalk High School in Norwalk, Iowa, he turned down a scholarship to play baseball at the University of (shoulder tendinitis) is scheduled to begin an outdoor throwing program as soon as weather permits. Rich Hammond, (818) 713-3611 rich.hammond(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: GUILLERMO MOTA Pitcher arrived a week late because of visa problems but new primary set-up man got a warm welcome. |
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