DODGERS SPRING TRAINING: MINOR CHANGES, MAJOR ISSUES : QUESTIONS CENTER ON PIAZZA, NOMO.Byline: Matt McHale Daily News Staff Writer 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 skipped the Dodgers' first spring training workout Saturday, but Fox Sports West did not break into regularly scheduled programming. Hideo Nomo Hideo Nomo (born Aug. 31, 1968 , Osaka, Japan) Japanese baseball pitcher whose success with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995 created new opportunities for Asian players in Major League Baseball. tested his surgically repaired right elbow for the first time under Florida sun and his Japanese countrymen barely looked up from the Olympics. But if the image of the team after the opening workout was serene, the reality is not. For a team marking 40 years 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. and 50 years 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. this season, the most telling anniversary is the 10 years since winning its last postseason game. The Dodgers have given away division titles the past two Septembers but made only minor adjustments to the 1997 team that finished 88-74, two games behind In sports, the phrase games behind, often abbreviated as GB in tables, is a common way to reflect the gap between a leading team and another team in a sports league, conference, or division. 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 in the National League West. Forget for a moment that the Dodgers are expected to change ownership in late March or that Piazza has threatened to become a free agent next winter if he doesn't receive a contract extension by today that would make him baseball's first $100 million player. Who's going to be on the mound in the ninth inning with the tying run on second and Barry Bonds Barry Lamar Bonds (born July 24 1964 in Riverside, California) is a left fielder for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds, the godson of Hall of Famer Willie Mays, and a distant cousin of Hall of Famer Reggie at the plate? ``There are some issues here but nothing that a veteran team can't overcome,'' manager Bill Russell Noun 1. Bill Russell - United States basketball center (born in 1934) William Felton Russell, Russell said Saturday. ``We kept this team intact because we think we can win with it.'' Piazza called the club Saturday saying he would not be here until today, his self-imposed deadline for a contract extension. An extension will not happen today but a new deal could be completed by the end of March. Here are the other issues facing the Dodgers in 1998: PITCHING Russell says finding a closer to replace Todd Worrell Nomo also threw for 10 minutes and said his right elbow is pain free. He won 14 games last year but faded in September. ``I understand why there is concern, I am coming off surgery,'' said Nomo, who last year reached 500 career strikeouts faster than anyone in baseball history. ``But everything is fine. It is good to be here.'' Ramon Martinez Ramon Martinez is the name of several people:
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. , arrives here Monday. Chan Ho Park, who had a breakout season with 14 victories, and Ismael Valdes
``I am very pleased we have four of our five starters back,'' 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. said. ``This is one of our strengths.'' OFFENSE Leadoff hitter Eric Young was given a four-year, $18 million contract after returning to the club last September, but there are many who don't think he can match the numbers he put up at Coors Field. In 1996, Young batted .324 with 113 runs and 53 stolen bases. The Dodgers are hoping this is the year Roger Cedeno finally takes his place in center field. He has split the past three seasons between L.A. and Triple-A. There has been thought to moving Todd Hollandsworth from left to center and trying rookie Paul Konerko in the outfield. One problem: Hollandsworth has to play at his 1996 Rookie of the Year Rookie of the Year may refer to:
The middle of the Dodgers lineup, Piazza, Eric Karros, Raul Mondesi and Todd Zeile, each had at least 30 home runs last season. But hitting with runners in scoring position was a problem. Piazza was sensational, hitting .361 with runners in scoring position and .362 overall. Mondesi batted .310 overall but just .258 with runners in scoring position. Karros was at .266 for the season but .251 in the clutch. DEFENSE The addition of Young at second and Jose Vizcaino at shortstop will improve the team in the field. Cedeno covers more ground in center than retired Brett Butler did last year. Zeile saved several games with his glove at third base last year, but his range is limited. MANAGER Guys are used to managing forever with the Dodgers, but that might no longer be the case. Russell begins his second full season and had some growing pains grow·ing pains pl.n. Pains in the limbs and joints of children or adolescents, frequently occurring at night and often attributed to rapid growth but arising from various unrelated causes. last year. Several late-season strategy moves backfired in San Francisco and it remains to be seen whether that becomes his legacy. He stayed too long with Worrell last year but didn't have much choice. When he tried others, they failed, too. Probably needs to win at least one playoff round to keep his job. Front-office people all received multiyear contracts, but the manager wasn't so lucky. INTANGIBLES As always, questions about team chemistry will be raised when the team is not playing well. Piazza maintains his contract situation will not affect the team. But since he is clearly the team's best player, that remains to be seen. Karros is another player whose mood might become a factor. In 1997, he became the first player in Dodgers history to hit 30 or more homers and drive in at least 100 runs. Yet, he was left unprotected in the expansion draft last December. Claire took a gamble, exposing Karros and veterans Zeile and Young to protect young talent. But afterward, Claire said he thought there was no need to discuss his position with the players. Karros is making $4 million this year, $5 million less than the average of Mondesi's new contract. Karros became upset when Mondesi fired Jeff Moorad, who represents both players, during negotiations even though the agent was suffering from a serious viral infection viral infection, n an infection by a pathogenic virus. A virus acts on the cell nucleus, taking over the genetic material within the nucleus and replicating itself. . More subtle but no less critical could be new pitching coach Goose Gregson. He replaces popular Dave Wallace, who worked with most of the staff when he was a minor-league instructor. ``Dave and I have had very similar careers,'' Gregson said of Wallace, who took a front-office position with the New York Mets
DODGERS IN FLORIDA Last year's NL West race: 88-74, second to Giants in NL West. Full squad reports: Wednesday. The team works out the next day. Opening Day of regular season: March 31 at St. Louis. Home opener: April 7 vs. Arizona. Who's new: SS Jose Vizcaino. Who's gone: SS Greg Gagne, RP Todd Worrell, CF Brett Butler. Whom to watch: Todd Hollandsworth. If he returns to rookie form, he fills the critical spot of left-handed bat in a predominantly right-handed hitting lineup. . . . Antonio Osuna. Closer job is his to lose, but he lost it last year. It will be a successful spring . . .: If they get Mike Piazza signed. It will be a disappointing spring . . .: If they don't. CAPTION(S): Photo, Box Photo: Pitcher Hideo Nomo, who is coming off elbow surgery, says, ``Everything is fine.'' He won 14 games last season but struggled down the stretch. Associated Press Box: DODGERS IN FLORIDA (See Text) |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion