Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • Page 42

Chicago Tribune, Sunday, March 22, 1998 Section 3 5 MAJOR-LEAGUE REPORTPhil Rogers Robinson wants to get game up to speed Camp Reports A DAILY LOOK AT SPRING TRAINING Royals' Appier still has shoulder problem LL. fcgaat A in mini iTir nl iiMiiOirn-iliiiili eight weeks. Appier's velocity has been down this spring, with most of his pitches clocked below 85 m.p.h., well below his normal range of 91-93 m.p.h. He has appeared in four games with a 2-0 record and 2.08 ERA, but he has struck out only three batters in 13 innings. Last season, he averaged 7.5 strikeouts per nine innings, seventh in the American League.

The Royals have long wanted Appier to decrease his emphasis on strikeouts, letting batters hit the ball so he throws; fewer pitches and can stay in a game longer. "Everyone has worked with him to be economical with his pitches," said General Manager Herk Robinson. "But with Ape, if it's not a strikeout, it's not an out." Compiled by Jack Thompson behavior tells a different story. f. inct Hnn't spp it hpine art issue," Texas GM Doug Melviri said.

"If it affects our play, it will be a story. But they are sionals. They work hard and they, play hard." Vi! Touching the bases: The Twins' love left-hander Eric Milton, whom they got from the Yankees in the Chuck Knoblauch deal, He has only one year of pro experience, but appeared to lock up a rotation spot when he threw fiv shutout innings Tuesday against; Pittsburgh. "He has a variety of things to work with," catcher" Terry Steinbach said. "He has sneaky fastball, a good fastball, a-good changeup, he can use both sides of the plate he gives the' catcher a lot to work with." The Pirates hope to be in a baseball-only, natural-grass sta-I dium for the 2001 season.

It will; be built in an area, which is about 30 percent, smaller than Comiskey Park. will be the most intimate ballpark; of all," owner Kevin McClatchyJ said. Jamie Sykes, the trig-; german on Valparaiso's game-winning play against Mississippi, is a center-fielder in farm system. Farm director Tommy Jones calls him "the best athlete we've brought into our The Mariners arrived in Mes on Wednesday without any bats "There will be a lot of 'take' signsj today," Edgar Martinez said. The numbers are in, and they're not pretty.

Florida's starting rotation of Livan Hernandez, Felix Heredia, Rafael Medina, Brian Meadows and Eric Ludwick 16 career victories and only 23 starts in the majors, with 17 of the-starts belonging to Hernandez. If the White Sox decide to io' outside their system to geta; shortstop, they could probably "get Pittsburgh's Lou Collier or Hous-1 ton's Tim Bogar, who lives in Normal, 111. Bogar was the Astros'; best shortstop last year but Is being pushed hard by Ricky Gutierrez. "Ricky has been the: biggest surprise in camp," man-! ager Larry Dierker said. "He's playing like a man I University of Chicago graduate.

Kim Ng says she has been treated with kid gloves since being named an assistant GM with the Yar kees. "People used to apologize tot swearing in front of me unti -they realized I probably swear more than them," she said. Shawon Dunston figures to be Cleveland's starting second base- man, but failed to turn a doublet play in the Indians' first 20 He has been working overtin4 but is having a hard time makiftgV the transition from Phil Rogers covers baseball foty the Tribune. era I HI TIRES EVERY 7,500 MILES. Safety is Our Only Concern.

Premium All-Season Radial Light Truck naaiai DURABLE for Long Tread Lifo! frJA 19 AP photo Bobby Knight, a friend of Cardinals Orioles manager Ray Miller Saturday. Leiter deal and Kansas City continues efforts to improve its thin bullpen. Cincinnati's Dave Burba, the lone holdover from the Reds' rotation last April, has drawn scouts to Sarasota all spring, but could be throwing too well for Reds GM Jim Bowden to deal him. Other veterans who could be on the move: Bobby Witt, Dave Mlicki, Turk Wendell, Tim Raines and Billy Ashley. Coming soon: Although reluctant to advertise their interest, the White Sox appear close to landing the 2001 All-Star Game for Comis-key Park.

Asked about the situation, acting Commissioner Bud Selig says there will be "an announcement on that shortly." When it was still in the American League, Milwaukee was in line to be the 2001 host. But its move to the National League apparently will result in the Brewers taking the game in 2002. That opens a hole for Jerry Reinsdorf to get the event he has been awaiting since new Comis-key opened in 1991. Detroit and Seattle are also seeking the All-Star Game for their new stadiums, with Seattle a good bet in 2003 followed by Detroit in 2005. The big chill: Texas Rangers stars Ivan Rodriguez and Juan Gonzalez grew up in the same small town in Puerto Rico and have played together most of their careers.

Yet they haven't spoken to each other since shortly after the end of last season. Gonzalez, offended by something Maribel Rodriguez told a group of his friends, said last week that the six-time All-Star catcher should "put a zipper on the mouth of his wife." Gonzalez and Rodriguez deny having problems with each other, but their YOU ROTATE INSPECT YOUR DO IT FREE! Because your Aren't you Indiana coach manager Tony La Russa, chats with over his uncertain status with Seattle. The Big Unit keeps trying to talk his way out of the King-dome, recently calling a trade to Los Angeles "my last hope." His focus also is being affected by a pregnant wife and house that is under construction in Scottsdale, Ariz. "This spring has been very difficult for me," acknowledged Johnson, who was 20-4 last year. "I have a lot of stress going on." Spinning wheels: This is one of the biggest weeks of the season.

Teams are trying to fill the holes that have become apparent through spring training, but know they must proceed cautiously. Four springs ago the Texas Rangers moved to find a backup catcher and a reserve infielder. They sent the White Sox three minor-leaguers for Esteban Bel-tre and Junior Ortiz. Among those was former ninth-round draft choice Scott Eyre, who enters this season looking like he'll be part of the Sox's rotation for the foreseeable future. This year's -entry in The Team Most Likely to Be Fleeced contest is Boston.

Despite massive off-season spending, the Red Sox are about to enter the season with baseball's worst outfield (Troy O'Leary in left, Darren Lewis in center and a platoon of Damon Buford and Darren Bragg in right) and 5-foot-6-inch Donnie Sadler at second base. That calls for action. Also look for Cleveland and Houston to make moves to improve their pitching staffs, both of which have been damaged by injuries. The New York Mets have yet to fill Todd Hundley's spot at catcher Boston is offering Scott Hatteberg for second baseman Ralph Milliard, whom the Mets acquired from Florida in the Al CASSIDY RECOMMENDS COME TO CASSIDY WE'LL rovo Passenger Tires Mill mm GENERAL Knowing he would have time to kill, Cubs General Manager Ed Lynch carried a personal goal into spring training to see all the movies nominated for the Academy Award for best picture. He offers this review of Titanic: "Three hours and 17 minutes.

Just like an American League game." Funny, but almost true. The average AL game took 2:57 last year, a full 10 minutes longer than the National League standard. If Hall of Famer Frank Robinson can succeed where others have failed, both leagues will play at a brisker pace this season. He has been appointed the unofficial commissioner of hey-batter-batter-batter-swing-batter, and he takes his mission seriously. "We'll take what we can get, but our goal is 15 minutes," Robinson said.

"This game is not played against a clock, and we understand that. This game is played at a different pace than football, basketball and hockey. It always has been. But we can find ways to play it faster than we have been." Baseball has been talking about speeding up the pace of games for at least a decade, but still spiked feet continue to drag, especially in the AL. The New York Yankees needed 3:06 on the average last year.

In the postseason, the Cleveland Indians averaged 3:31. The Iditarod may be the only sporting event that moves more slowly. Robinson is the best hope if not the last hope for getting managers, players and umpires to cooperate in finding little ways to make things move faster. He has filled many roles in the game and is given a wide level of respect. Plus he talks sensibly.

Robinson has several common-sense suggestions that could save a minute or two every few innings without interfering with the integrity of the game. He wants teams to keep their bat racks filled with game-ready bats for each hitter, so broken bats aren't causes for long delays. He wants managers to signal pitching changes when they leave the dugout. He wants pinch hitters to loosen up under the stands so they don't have to go through all those contortions in the on-deck circle. Those should be relatively simple to implement.

Robinson faces a bigger challenge in getting players to stop fidgeting so much. Umpires have been instructed not to let hitters call time to step out of the box unless there's a reason. Pitchers have been told they must deliver the ball in 12 seconds when the bases are empty. Robinson believes the game can return to the pace of his playing days if players make those adjustments. He says there is a conspicuous difference in how it is played now as opposed to the 1960s and '70s.

"Al Bumbry was telling me about watching an old-timers game this winter on the Classic Sports Network," Robinson said. "He said that after four innings he said, 'Something's going on with this The hitters didn't step out all the time. The guys on the mound worked quicker. We're trying to get that back." Robinson's effort has the blessing of both the players and umpires unions. Umpires can call strikes on hitters who step out of the box while a pitch is being thrown, and balls on pitchers who work too slowly.

Robinson has toured camps spreading his message. He says he will have a designated contact on each team most likely the bench coach who will be notified if umpires are having a problem with a particular hitter or pitcher. Teams can make the necessary adjustments internally. And if they don't? "We're not threatening anybody," Robinson said. "But this will be enforced." Bad moons rising: This is just a hunch, but we're not picking either Curt Schilling or Randy Johnson to make their league's All-Star teams this year, let alone win Cy Young Awards.

Schilling heads into the season trying to kick smokeless tobacco, which he has used since he was 16. Johnson just wants to kick Woody Woodward, the Mariners' general manager. Schilling's decision to quit dipping came after he was found to have a lesion in his mouth, which was believed to be a precursor tq mouth cancer. He said the first two days he went dipless felt "like two weeks," and brought back bad memories of severe withdrawal symptoms he experienced in previous attempts to give it up. "I hope it won't be a problem for (Schilling," Philadelphia trainer Jeff Cooper said.

"It's going to be a challenging battle. It's an addiction." "You wonder how the tobacco companies go to sleep," Schilling said. "It's a drug. I made the choice to start dipping, but I didn't choose the addiction. It's the hardest thing I've ever tried to beat in my life and I still haven't beat it" Johnson is every bit as cranky Royals pitcher Kevin Appier has been sent back to Kansas City for an examination of his ailing right shoulder.

Appier, injured in an off-season fall, had some soreness during a 15-minute workout on Friday. He had been scheduled to pitch against Tampa Bay, but that game was rained out. Appier had already been scratched from his traditional role as the team's Opening Day starter. The Royals planned to have him make his first start against Minnesota April 4, but now manager Tony Muser says there's a 50-50 chance he'll open the season on the disabled list. Appier sustained a shoulder separation and three snapped tendons in November when he fell down the porch steps of his home in Paola, while carrying gifts from his sister's baby shower.

He had surgery, and his arm was in a sling for National League East: Joe Orsulak hit a three-run homer, highlighting a seven-run rally in the eighth inning that lifted the Mets over the Marlins 8-6 in Port St. Lucie, Fla. World Series MVP Livan Hernandez started for Florida and pitched five scoreless innings, allowing four hits. Vic Darensbourg was the loser, giving up six runs while getting only two outs in the eighth. Todd Pratt drove in four runs for the Mets.

Ricky Trlicek was the winner and Efran Valdez retired the side in the ninth for the save. Mets starter Bobby Jones allowed two runs and six hits in six innings. He. struck out seven. Vladimir Guerrero and Shane Andrews hit two-run homers for the Expos, but they lost again, 7-4 to the Dodgers in Jupiter, Fla.

Montreal lost its 12th straight exhibition game and is just 3-19 this spring. Expos starter Matt Wagner, who missed all of last season with shoulder injuries, gave up five hits and four runs in the second inning At Kissimmee, Andres Galarraga hit a wind-aided, three-run homer and the Braves defeated Houston 8-5. Greg Maddux allowed six hits and five runs in six innings, though only three of the runs were earned. The Braves made four errors. Central: The Reds traded utility player Eric Owens to Florida on Saturday for a minor-leaguer to be determined.

Owens, 27, has played parts of the last three seasons with the Reds, hitting .220 with no homers, 13 RBIs and 19 steals in 117 games. The Reds were out of minor-league options on Owens, who arrived in training camp hoping to win a backup role, but outfielder Pat Watkins and infielder Damian Jackson moved ahead of him. Jason Kendall and Kevin Polcovich each had three hits to lead the Pirates to an 8-5 victory over Minnesota in Bradenton, Fla. Kevin Young and Jose Guillen both homered, and rookie Jose Silva (2-0), who will be in Pittsburgh's starting rotation, went six innings for the victory, allowing eight hits and two walks while striking out one. West: Mike Robertson hit a two-run homer and Damian Miller and Andy Fox added solo shots as the Diamondbacks defeated the Giants 6-2 before a record crowd of 11,117 at Scottsdale Stadium.

Barry Bonds hit his first homer of the spring for San Francisco. All of Arizona's runs came off likely Giants No. 5 starter Danny Darwin, who allowed six runs on nine hits in 4Vj innings. Todd Zeile and Thomas Howard homered in the Dodgers' 7-4 victory over Montreal. Mike Piazza doubled and drove in three runs for the Dodgers.

1 11 American League East: Yankees pitcher Hideki Irabu has tendinitis in his right elbow and is likely to stay in Florida when the team leaves to begin the regular season. Irabu, who worked 12Vs shutout innings in his last three exhibition starts, was scheduled to start the Yankees' third game of the year on April 3 at Oakland. The Yankees pounded Kansas City 17-1 in Tampa as Chili Davis hit two homers, including a shot during a 10-run third inning. Alex Gonzalez hit a grand slam and Tom Evans hit a solo homer as the Blue Jays defeated Detroit 16-13 in Lakeland, Fla. Dave Stieb, trying to make a comeback with Toronto at age 40, pitched two innings and allowed two unearned runs in a Triple-A game.

Stieb, who last pitched in 1993 with the White Sox after winning 174 games for the Blue Jays, allowed one hit, walked two and struck out one for Syracuse in a 6-3 win over Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, Philadelphia's top minor-league team. His best fastball was clocked at 87 m.p.h. At Myers, Nomar Garciap-arra was 4 for 4 and scored two runs as the Red Sox beat the Devil Rays 7-5. Neither team had played since Wednesday. To get the pitchers the work they needed, they played 12 full innings even though Boston took the lead in the bottom of the sixth and never lost it.

Central: Manny Ramirez, playing his first game since slapping a clubhouse attendant in the face on Tuesday, hit a tiebreaking, three-run double as the Indians beat Philadelphia 5-2 in Winter Haven, Fla. Ramirez did not travel with the team on Wednesday or Thursday, and manager Mike Hargrove said he had a pulled thigh muscle. Cleveland optioned five players to the minors, including former White Sox pitcher Melido Perez, who is trying to make a comeback after two full seasons out of baseball with arm injuries. Perez, 32, was 0-2 with an 11.05 ERA in four spring appearances. Luis Gonzalez, Tony Clark, Bobby Higginson and Andy Tomberlin all homered for the Tigers in their loss to Toronto.

Justin Thompson, scheduled to start on Opening Day, gave up seven runs on six hits and four walks in just two innings. West: Will Clark and Ivan Rodriguez each homered as the Rangers beat Cincinnati 5-1 in Port Charlotte, Fla. John Burkett (4-0) allowed one run and five hits in lowering his spring ERA to 0.83. Dave Magadan hit a grand slam in the first inning and Jason Giambi drove in four runs in the second in the Athletics' 18-9 victory over a Colorado split squad in Phoenix. GENERAL TIRE TIRE All-Season Light Truck Premium All-Season Radial 1 YEAR FREE Road Hazard Warranty! i i i 1 Optimum -jfll tcton I handling OuWna white lettering Wr 20V75R15 $39 $595 jm 145R12 I Cassidy One-of-a-Kind Service includes: road hazard warranty.

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