Sunday, March 24, 2002
Baseball notebook
Bichette opts for retirement
The Associated Press
VERO BEACH, Fla. — Dante Bichette, a four-time All-Star, decided to retire after 14 years in the major leagues.
Bichette struggled at the plate this spring as he tried to make the Los Angeles Dodgers, hitting just .190 with two home runs and four RBI in 16 games. Bichette told Dodgers general manager Dan Evans of his decision Friday.
Bichette, 38, signed a minor-league contract with the Dodgers on Jan.30.
“I would be hurting this team if I were to stick around when my heart really wasn't in it,” Bichette said.
A career .299 hitter, Bichette hit 274 homers and drove in 1,141 runs.
EXPOS DEAL: In a swap of right-handed relievers, the Los Angeles Dodgers sent Matt Herges to the Montreal Expos for Guillermo Mota in a four-player trade Saturday.
The Expos also got minor-league infielder Jorge Nunez and the Dodgers received minor-league outfielder Wilkin Ruan.
Mota, 28, pitched in 53 games for the Expos last year, going 1-3 with a 5.26 ERA in 49 2/3 innings.
Herges, who turns 32 on April 1, was 9-8 with a 3.44 ERA and one save for the Dodgers, working 99 1/3 innings in 75 games.
PADRES: San Diego traded infielder Damian Jackson and catcher Matt Walbeck to the Detroit Tigers for catcher Javier Cardona and outfielder Rich Gomez.
Jackson hit .241 with four home runs and 38 RBI and stole 23 bases last season for the Padres.
Jackson, 28, had a .986 fielding percentage at second base. He also has played shortstop and outfield in the majors.
“Jackson brings the ability to play five positions to our club,” Tigers general manager Randy Smith said. “He gives us more athleticism and experienced versatility off the bench.”
PEDRO WATCH: Pedro Martinez will cut back his pitch total in his next spring start as a precaution, manager Boston Red Sox manager Grady Little said Saturday.
Little indicated Martinez is still working through some discomfort as he returns from a shoulder injury.
Martinez is scheduled to throw 55 to 60 pitches in his start Wednesday, Little said.
Martinez threw 79 pitches against St. Louis on Thursday, allowing four runs in five innings and striking out eight. After the game, Martinez said he felt strong and wanted to increase his pitch count in his next start.
SATURDAY'S HIGHLIGHTS: • Tigers 9, Blue Jays 4 — Jeff Weaver had his best outing of the spring, pitching six shutout innings of three-hit ball.
Weaver (2-2), the Tigers' opening day starter, struck out six — one in each inning.
• Astros 9, Royals 7 — Jeff Bagwell and Geoff Blum hit two-run homers to help Houston.
Adam Everett, competing with Julio Lugo for the Astros' starting job at shortstop, was 2-for-3 with one RBI.
• Dodgers 7, Marlins 3 — Kevin Brown got the better end of a matchup against a Florida pitcher trying to copy parts of his delivery. Brown gave up four hits and one unearned run and struck out five in 3 2/3 innings.
Marlins right-hander A.J. Burnett, experimenting with a delivery that includes Brown's twist and leg kick, had his worst outing of the spring. After striking out the side in the first inning, Burnett lost his command and gave up seven runs in five innings.
“I'm just trying to do too much,” said Burnett.
• Diamondbacks 4, Angels 3 — Curt Schilling gave up one earned run in seven innings for Arizona.
Schilling's next start will be in a minor-league game, rather than against the Colorado Rockies. The World Series co-MVP gave up six hits and struck out six.
• Athletics 6, Padres 4 — Trevor Hoffman hit Mike Colangelo with a pitch with the bases loaded to force across the go-ahead run in the eighth inning. Hoffman (0-1) had not walked or hit a batter in seven spring outings.
• Yankees 5, Indians 1 — Ted Lilly did not allow a hit over five innings for New York. Lilly struck out three and walked two. The left-hander threw just 58 pitches.
“He was terrific,” Yankees manager Joe Torre said.
Lilly will start the season in the bullpen and also be available for spot starts.
• Braves 10, Devil Rays 5 — Javy Lopez hit a pair of two-run homers to lead Atlanta. Tampa Bay has lost nine consecutive games.
• Pirates 5, Rangers 4 — Kevin Young hit a solo home run in the seventh inning. Aramis Ramirez had four hits and knocked in three runs for the Pirates.
• Expos 3, Mets 2 — New York catcher Mike Piazza was forced to leave the game in the first inning after being hit by a pitch in the left thigh, and was listed as day-to-day.
Piazza was iced down and, after being examined by a team physician, walked out of the clubhouse.
“It looked like it hit him on the hipbone and sent a stinger down his leg,” Mets manager Bobby Valentine said. “He'll probably play tomorrow unless he's sore. It's a bruise, which is probably better than if he was hit in a muscle or a joint.”
• Cubs 14, Rockies 7 — Sammy Sosa homered, doubled twice and drove in four runs and Fred McGriff and Mark Bellhorn hit two-run homers. Sosa went 4-for-5.
Sosa hit his third homer of the spring in the third inning off Shawn Chacon, a two-run shot that made it 5-2.
• White Sox 10, Giants 6 — Ray Durham hit a grand slam and Royce Clayton and Aaron Rowland also homered for Chicago. Todd Ritchie got the win after pitching 6 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on 11 hits with no walks and four strikeouts.
SHORT HOPS: Toronto first baseman Carlos Delgado is struggling at the plate this spring, going 7-40 (.175) with one RBI and 16 strikeouts. He was 0-for-3 and fanned twice Saturday.
• New York Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte will work Monday against Philadelphia in his first major-league spring training game since March 3. Pettitte has appeared in two minor-league games since being scratched from a start March 8 because of a strained left elbow.
• Brett Myers' bid to go from Double-A to the Phillies' starting rotation ended Saturday when he was sent back to the minors. Myers, the organization's top pitching prospect, had pitched in four spring games. He was 0-1 with a 3.18 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 17 innings.
• Cubs outfielder Moises Alou sat out his fourth game with a sore muscle in his side. “I'm just taking it easy with him,” manager Don Baylor said. “He says there's some soreness, but not like there was before. Before it was painful. Right now it's just soreness. Give him a couple of days and he'll be back in.”
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