Sunday, February 10, 2002
For baseball teams, spring has almost sprung
Just 99 days after World Series, camps ready to open
The Associated Press
Now that Vladimir Guerrero has found out where he's playing this season, he can take aim at another target: those plaster walls high above the left-field fence at Roger Dean Stadium.
Roberto Alomar, Gary Sheffield and Chan Ho Park should start limbering up, too. Because it's time to put away all talk about contraction and get down to the business that fans really care about — break out the bats and balls!
Only 99 days after the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the New York Yankees in Game 7 of the World Series, the shortest offseason in baseball history ends and spring training begins for some teams Tuesday.
It's almost enough to make Cal Ripken want to come out of retirement.
“I would imagine when spring training opens up and they are there without me, it will feel strange, for sure,” the former Baltimore star said this week. “You can't do something for that long and not feel it.”
The Yankees, not wanting to waste a minute with their revamped roster that includes Jason Giambi, will be the first team to get going. By the weekend, pitchers and catchers will have reported to camp for every team.
And though Tony Gwynn and Mark McGwire also are gone, there will be plenty of stars worth watching.
Such as Guerrero.
Until recently, the Montreal slugger wasn't sure where he would wind up this year. Commissioner Bud Selig tried to fold the Expos and Minnesota Twins, but the plan failed and the teams are safe — at least for this season.
“I'm happy because we're going to play one more year in Montreal,” Guerrero said.
“I know I'll be on a team, whether it's Montreal or somewhere else, though I really wish that the Expos franchise would survive,” he said.
Montreal, meanwhile, figures to have a new manager soon.
As part of ownership shifts, manager Jeff Torborg is expected to move from the Expos to the Florida Marlins and Hall of Famer Frank Robinson is likely to take over Montreal.
There are two other new managers: Ron Gardenhire succeeds Tom Kelly in Minnesota, and Jimy Williams replaces Larry Dierker in Houston.
The biggest changes, though, are on the field.
Moises Alou, Juan Gonzalez, Johnny Damon and Brian Jordan were among many top-name players to change places in the winter. And since that ninth-inning defeat in Game 7, the Yankees added Giambi, Rondell White, David Wells, Robin Ventura and Steve Karsay while losing Paul O'Neill, Tino Martinez, Chuck Knoblauch and David Justice.
INDIANS:
Free agent pitcher Jose Mercedes agreed to a minor-league contract and was invited to spring training.
Mercedes, 31, was 8-17 with a 5.82 ERA in 31 starts for Baltimore last season. His 17 losses led the American League. The right-hander has a career record of 33-39 with an ERA of 4.82 in 140 appearances over seven major-league seasons.
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For baseball teams, spring has almost sprung
