DODGERS NOTEBOOK: PIAZZA MOVES CLOSER TO FREE-AGENT STATUS.Byline: Matt McHale Daily News Staff Writer Mike Piazza's agent will be in the St. Petersburg area later this week, but he has no plans to attend the owners meetings or discuss a contract extension with Rupert Murdoch's people after the Dodgers sale is approved. Dan Lozano said Monday his client is comfortable with filing for free agency after the season and doesn't see the need to initiate dialogue with the Dodgers. He also said he doesn't know the source of the seven-year, $105 million contract request Piazza reportedly is seeking. Murdoch's Fox Sports Network first reported the proposed deal, but Lozano insists he hasn't spoken to anyone. He also dismissed speculation that he has had direct contact with Fox. ``Anybody who is talking about a seven-year, $105 million contract being done is mistaken,'' Lozano said. ``I haven't spoken to (Dodgers executive vice president) 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. . I haven't spoken to anyone.'' The Dodgers maintain there will be no discussion until after the sale is approved, but Piazza has said there will be no talks after the season begins two weeks from today. General counsel Sam Fernandez has been the point man on offseason Dodger contracts, including the four-year, $36 million deal Raul Mondesi signed last month. Bob Graziano Bob Graziano is a former president of the Los Angeles Dodgers of American Major League Baseball. He is currently Managing Director for the Western Region of Northern Trust, an investment management company. , promoted to club president last Thursday, is in 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. and will attend the owners meeting with Claire, new board chairman Peter O'Malley
``I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. where any of the Murdoch stuff came from,'' Lozano said. ``I don't even know who their people are.'' Martinez's sharpest outing: Tired of hearing about Ramon Martinez's pitching mechanics and release point? So is he. After limiting the same Cardinals' lineup he is expected to face Opening Day in St. Louis to one hit in five innings, Martinez said he is through worrying about his delivery. ``It's at the point where I am in probably the best rhythm I've ever been in,'' Martinez said Monday. ``My concentration is very good and I think that is one reason I don't worry about the mechanical stuff.'' Martinez raised his spring record to 3-0 and lowered his ERA to 1.68 in 16 innings. He walked two and struck out four, and the only hit he allowed was to opposing pitcher Steve Ontiveros. ``Oh, well,'' Martinez said. ``One bad pitch.'' Pitching coach Goose Gregson said the scare of last season's partially torn rotator cuff rotator cuff n. A set of muscles and tendons that secures the arm to the shoulder joint and permits rotation of the arm. Also called musculotendinous cuff. has motivated Martinez to keep his delivery consistent. ``When you feel that pain, you will make whatever adjustments it takes,'' Gregson said. ``People have been telling him for years to change this and that. But until you feel that pain, it's hard to change.'' Rook rook, term used for a common Eurasian bird (genus Corvus) of the family Corvidae (Crow family), smaller than the American crow. The jackdaw is a European species of the genus. Rooks nest in large colonies, whence the term rookery. gets the hook: The Dodgers faced highly touted 18-year-old left-hander Ricky Ankiel, who made his first start against a major-league team in an A game on Monday. He allowed three runs in two innings and endured a rough first. Ankiel walked Eric Young to open the game and Young later scored on a balk balk the action of a horse when it refuses to obey a command to which it usually responds. See also jibbing. . Todd Hollandsworth reached on an infield single and Eric Karros hit a two-run home run, his third of the spring. Ankiel, who grew up in nearby Port St. Lucie, was expected to be the first player taken in last June's draft. He dropped to the second round because teams feared his agent, Scott Boras, and the $2.5 million asking price. Ankiel, who struck out 162 batters in 74 innings as a senior with three no-hitters and a 0.41 ERA, was USA Today's High Today's High The intra-day high trading price. Notes: In other words, this is the highest price that a stock traded at during the course of the day. More often than not this is higher than the closing price. See also: Today's Low School Player of the Year. He was headed to the University of Miami This article is about the university in Coral Gables, Florida. For the university in Oxford, Ohio, see Miami University. The University of Miami (also known as Miami of Florida,[2] UM,[3] or just The U before the Cardinals paid the money. ``He is a terrific young pitcher,'' Karros said. ``I know I wouldn't have wanted to face him in high school. Most left-handers are finesse pitchers, but he throws hard and with a lot of movement. It's hard to believe he's only 18. When I was 18, I was a bullpen catcher at UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX .'' CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO ``I am in probably the best rhythm I've ever been in.'' -- Ramon Martinez |
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