Sunday, May 28, 2000
REDS NOTEBOOK
Houston has some problems
By Chris Haft
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Billy Wagner's descent from being possibly the best reliever in the majors to a mere mortal has been one of the most stunning developments of the early season.
Before this year, Wagner had converted 97 of 110 save opportunities. This year the Houston Astros relief ace has blown six of 10 while recording a 5.73 ERA. Two of those failures occurred in back-to-back games against the Reds a couple of weekends ago. It was obvious that Wagner lacked the zip that made him virtually untouchable from 1996-99, when he allowed 158 hits in 252ö innings.
After making some uncomplimentary remarks about Wagner during the Reds series, Astros manager Larry Dierker has attributed his closer's woes to the team's failure to generate late-inning leads repeatedly. Without those, said Dierker, Wagner has lost his edge.
“Last year, what really vaulted him from being just a strikeout pitcher to the Fireman of the Year was he could put his fastball on the corner anytime he wanted to,” Dierker said. “He hasn't been able to do that this year. He'll do that when we start giving him more leads and he gets more consistent work.”
Wagner isn't the Astros' only problem. They just might not be that good overall. Monday, they blew a seven-run lead in the ninth inning at Milwaukee — the worst ninth-inning collapse since the franchise's inception in 1962.
Dierker has been part of that history, as a pitcher, broadcaster and manager, for all but two of those years. So he was qualified to say of the come-from-ahead loss: “That's the worst I've seen.”
Pitching usually tells the story. In the Astros' case, they've never recorded a team ERA above 4.37 in their previous 38 years. This season's team ERA entering the weekend was 5.59.
PHILLY RISE, FALL: Philadelphia's Pat Burrell made quite an impact in his first week as a major leaguer. The highly touted prospect singled home the first run and tripled in the final run as Philadelphia overcame a 7-0 deficit at Houston to win, 9-7, last Wednesday. Burrell's triple hit Tal's Hill, the Crosley Field-like incline at Enron Field, where the center-field wall is 436 feet away.
On the other hand, staff ace Curt Schilling has struggled mightily since throwing 123 pitches in a May 6 shutout at Atlanta. That move by manager Terry Francona has been second-guessed, since it was Schilling's second start since returning from arm problems. Schilling has posted an 8.62 ERA in three outings since then. Overall, he has allowed 42 hits and nine homers in 30ö innings while posting a 5.58 ERA.
CLANNISH CUBS: The Chicago Cubs don't like those rumors of the New York Yankees' interest in obtaining outfielder Henry Rodriguez. The Yankees reportedly would give up outfielder Ricky Ledee and a pair of minor leaguers.
“It's not the time to make that move,” star slugger Sammy Sosa said. “We have to stay together. What are they going to do, bring in some young kids? Then nobody will go to the ballpark. Jeez, we're not even two months into the season, but everybody thinks it's September.”
Even Sosa's name has been mentioned in similar rumors, since the Yankees are said to be desperate for another powerful outfielder.
Cubs first baseman Mark Grace told his teammates in a meeting how they could stop being nagged by these whispers.
“I said, "Do you know how you send the trade rumors away? Win. Start winning. By hook or by crook, just win,'” Grace said. “Not only will the trade rumors go away and guys won't get released and guys won't get sent down, but this town will get behind us.”
DOTTED LINE: Deferred payments continue to grow as a contractual fashion trend, as Pittsburgh outfielder Brian Giles demonstrated recently when he received a five-year, $45 million deal. It includes $12 million in deferred payments and a $5 million signing bonus to be spread over the deal's final two years.
Giles' contract was immediately preceded by the six-year, $54 million package St. Louis gave Jim Edmonds, who also took deferred payments. The Reds, of course, are deferring nearly half of Ken Griffey Jr.'s nine-year, $116.5 million contract.
This structure not only gives players longterm security, but it also gives clubs the financial room to accommodate other players.
“The way my contract is structured, it gives the Pirates some flexibility to sign Jason Kendall, Todd Ritchie and Kris Benson and get those pieces we need to win,” Giles said. “That's what I want to do — win. And I think we're not too far from being a winner now.”
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Houston has some problems
