March 22
It doesn't take a genius to read between the lines. Bobby Valentine wants Benny Agbayani, Steve Phillips wants Jay Payton. Valentine wants Bill Pulsipher as his fifth starter, Phillips wants Dennis Springer or Glendon Rusch -- and Phillips is going to win the way he won when he canned three of Valentine's coaches last season.
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| Benny Agbayani was a valuable reserve player last year, but will begin 2000 in the minors. |
Now, the last outfield spot doesn't mean much, although Payton is a very talented player who, despite never being the apple of Valentine's eye, is worth too much to put on waivers and thus far has not brought the likes of Jose Jimenez in a deal. The fifth starter doesn't mean much, especially since the Mets might need one only once or twice in the first three weeks.
But those decisions are symptomatic of the underground strains that makes one wonder if a 14-16 start will burst the Mets at their seams. Valentine has averaged 91 wins a game in his three full seasons, this after the Mets had suffered six consecutive losing years. Obviously, Phillips has had a lot to do with that as well. But the fact that Valentine -- as well as Phillips, three of their four starting pitchers, 60 percent of their bullpen and two-thirds of their outfield -- is a free agent at the end of this season has become an issue because it clearly rattles the manager. Oh, he says it doesn't, but it does, and it has become a media issue that isn't going away.
Mike Piazza talks about how when he was in his walk year in New York, writers would come up to him on a daily basis and ask about his contract. If the Mets struggle, then the Valentine issue could get hot.
Very hot indeed.
Phillips was piqued when Valentine questioned whether or not this year's team was as good as last year's, and members of the media have suggested that they are constantly being asked to stand on one side or the other, like they're politicians in D.C.
Do players care? Very few. It bothers John Franco a bit, but he's sitting in middle relief in a walk year when he still would like to be a closer. Mike Hampton has wanted to test the waters so it's not a concern to him. It bothers Rickey Henderson, however, whose status has been an irritant.
"I don't think players get into the status of the manager or general manager," says Al Leiter. "They clearly don't side with one or the other."
"A lot of us find all this a little funny," says Franco. "Steve has his agenda, Bobby has his agenda, and we play."
While some players privately feel that Valentine seeks attention too often and joke about television's obsessive shots of the manager's facial expressions during games, it did not affect the way they played last season. And maybe this lame duck issue won't this season, either. But Valentine is sensitive, and with some suggesting that Phillips privately knows that he has an extension, this is one of those things that has a chance to go from a cold war to a hot war.
News, notes and rumors
The Mariners turned down the Blue Jays' offer of Jose Cruz for John Halama and Jose Paniagua, after first offering the two pitchers for Shannon Stewart. The Tigers tried a Bobby Higginson-Halama swap, but the M's are concerned that Higginson's skills have deteriorated. Seattle has never gotten anywhere on Garret Anderson and have kept inquiring about Todd Hollandsworth of the Dodgers, Chris Singleton of the White Sox, Matt Lawton of the Twins, Rondell White of the Expos and Rickey Henderson. "The Mets are still unhappy with Henderson," says one scout following New York. "But I know this -- he still wants to play and still gets on base two or three times a game."
Brady Anderson's palsy of the ankle has afforded the Orioles the opportunity to get Jerry Hairston in every day at second base, which they want to do, and look at Delino DeShields as a center fielder/Tony Phillips kind of player. In the long run, that's how DeShields may best be utilized; if the Cardinals had held onto DeShields last season, they were going to move him to the outfield. Anderson played seven innings in a minor-league game Wednesday, and is progressing.
The Padres' swap of Carlos Hernandez to the Cardinals is being held up while the two clubs haggle over who pays what of Hernandez's contract. One of the kids that would go back to San Diego is RHP John Ambrose, who has a 4.93 ERA in five minor-league seasons, if Hernandez's $3.25 million contract for 2001 can be worked out. The Yankees inquired about Hernandez, but thus far haven't exchanged names and many in the organization do not want to disturb Jorge Posada's elevation to the everyday job.
The Red Sox are going in to watch Sterling Hitchcock's start Friday, and if they'll discuss young hitter Dernell Stenson, San Diego will listen. Boston is shy in the 3-4 spots in the rotation, and may start both Brian Rose and Juan Pena and put either Tim Wakefield or Jeff Fassero in the bullpen.
The Indians believe they have to upgrade their left-handed relief corps. Ricardo Rincon still does not have any bite on his slider, and while Tom Martin throws 93-94 mph, there is serious question about his makeup. "The problem is that there apparently aren't many left-handed relievers out there," says Charlie Manuel. The Indians have inquired about one of Pittsburgh's threesome -- Jason Christiansen (coming off back problems), Jeff Wallace and Scott Sauerbeck -- but John Hart has told people he won't deal Alex Ramirez. The price for Florida's Vic Darensbourg may be high. Ditto Minnesota's Everyday Eddie Guardado. So Hart keeps looking. It's not out of the realm of possibility that sometime during the season the Indians dip into their organization and bring up 6-6 monster C.C. Sabathia, one of two young pitchers (Tim Drew is the other) who made a strong impression on the major league staff.
Around the majors
Valentine has the Mets prepared for their trip to Japan by putting clocks on Tokyo time in the clubhouse.
There are some in Tampa who feel the Wilson Alvarez injury is a blessing, as it allows Larry Rothschild to get Dan Wheeler, Ryan Rupe and Esteban Yan into the rotation. Many have felt that Yan is a prototypical reliever, but his long arm action may be better suited to pitching every five days.
The Astros are only going to have to do without Scott Elarton for a couple of weeks into the season, which is good news since he is considered their starter with the highest upside. "He was dying with pain all last year, sucked it up and pitched well through it," says one veteran. "He's a special guy." When Elarton comes back, it could put Doc Gooden or Chris Holt on the bubble, although they're convinced that Holt can win 10-12 games at the end of the rotation.
A pitching-poor team like the Angels should look at Bobby Witt, who is throwing very well for Cleveland but likely has no spot as a starter.
The Royals got a very tough break when Kyle Snyder, their 6-8 No. 1 pick last June out of North Carolina, suffered a stress fracture of his right elbow. Doctors say he'll only miss 4-6 weeks, but it will be a half season and will set him back until 2001.
One of the best stories of the spring is the emergence of right-handed reliever Ben Weber of the Giants. Weber pitched in the Toronto system from 1991-94, was released, pitched for Salinas in an independent league, two years in Taiwan and then came back and pitched in Fresno last season. "He throws low three-quarters, the ball runs and he has velocity," says one scout covering the Giants. "Pretty good."
Weber experienced the seedy side of baseball in Taiwan, where the mob affects so much of the game. Weber told Bay Area writers of pressures to throw games, and recounted after a playoff rout how two players showed him $100,000 in cash they'd been given. Kevin Hallinan, Director of Major League security, says that baseball closely monitors such activities and that teams have been advised not to sign certain players who have tried to come back to play in the States.
Hallinan's tour of major league camps has included various videos and warnings about strip clubs, which he and DEA officials claim are all run by the mob.
"We give them some horror stories that have opened their eyes," says Hallinan. "We've been fortunate thus far in that we haven't had some of the incidents that they've had in the NFL and NBA, but it could happen." Hallinan is also closely monitoring future John Rocker-type problems. The two cities that he sees as potential problems are, to no one's surprise, New York and San Francisco.
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