Reds Begin Countdown To Sparky
The regular season hasn’t even started and already the Count-down to Sparky is under way in Cincinnati.
New Reds manager Ray Knight, who might want to think about switching to decaf, is as subtle as Schottzie II during an on-field potty stop. The hyper-intense Knight had a recent shouting match with, among others, star outfielder Reggie Sanders, and there are grumblings he wouldn’t know how to lighten up if someone made him breathe helium.
Meanwhile, the legendary Sparky Anderson is unemployed, but not retired. The former Reds manager happened to mention recently he would have been interested in the Cincinnati opening, but nobody from the Reds bothered to call. Instead, owner Marge Schott all but handpicked Knight to replace Davey Johnson.
Adding to the intrigue is general manager Jim Bowden, who isn’t afraid to pull triggers or issue pink slips. It was Bowden who canned the beloved Tony Perez as Reds manager (smart move, as it turned out), so don’t be surprised by another switch.
The Reds sustained their fourth major injury this spring Saturday when outfielder Eric Anthony hurt his right shoulder while making a catch during Cincinnati’s 5-3 loss to the Detroit Tigers at Lakeland, Fla. He was expected to have X-rays and an examination.
The Belle curve
The Cleveland Indians and Albert Belle are beginning to talk about a contract.
But they appear to be far apart.
Cleveland made what could be its final offer - five years for an estimated $36 million to $37 million, or about $7.4 million a year. That’s about what Cecil Fielder and Frank Thomas make, but it’s still about $1 million a year less than Ken Griffey Jr. got in his new contract extension.
Some in the Cleveland front office believe Belle is as good as gone. He becomes a free agent at the end of the year. His agent, Arn Tellem, made a statistical study for the Cleveland honchos that compares Belle favorably to the great hitters of all time, leaving the impression Belle deserves to be in the salary penthouse next to Griffey. When asked about it, general manager John Hart gave a deadpan reply: “We already knew he was a good hitter.”
Mariners split
In a Saturday morning “B” game in Peoria, Ariz., the Seattle Mariners beat the Padres, 4-2, behind five scoreless innings from Randy Johnson. In the afternoon “A” game at Tucson, Colorado’s Jason Bates hit a run-scoring single in the ninth for a 5-4 Rockies victory. That came after the Mariners rallied from a 4-0 deficit with a four-run eighth inning.
Quotable: From Padres hitting coach Merv Rettenmund, after looking over the Mariners ‘B’ game squad Saturday - which included Johnson, Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez and Jay Buhner: “They must have one hell of an ‘A’ team.”
Camp notes: With just two starts left before his opening-night assignment, Johnson pitched five shutout innings and struck out six Padres. “I was in a bit of a dead-arm stage,” Johnson said, “but I threw a lot of breaking pitches. The velocity will be there some days, some days it won’t, but I’ve got to have my breaking pitch sharp and today it was.” … Buhner lobbied hard all morning to avoid the 4-hour round-trip bus to Tucson and manager Lou Piniella - who didn’t make the trip, either - finally let the right fielder stay in Peoria.
Clearing the bases
Five California pitchers combined on a no-hitter as the Angels defeated the Giants 15-0 in Scottsdale, Ariz. … Here’s a scary thought: Barry Bonds, whose personality is more prickly than a bed of nails, is giving media relations advice to Belle. “Humor them, man,” Bonds told USA Today. “They’re going to write whatever they’re going to write anyway. Try. It’s not that tough. Plus, it’s $50,000 cheaper.” … The Oakland Athletics are bidding for Padres outfielder Melvin Nieves, but look for San Diego to conclude a multi-player deal involving Nieves with Detroit, a swap that could include Tigers right-hander Sean Bergman. … The strangest injury of the spring: While he was running, Dodgers left-hander John Cummings was bitten in the leg by a stray dog. … Oakland’s Mark McGwire is considering retirement after tearing a muscle in the right heel last week. … The name inscribed on Lou Piniella’s Manager of the Year trophy, presented by the Baseball Writers Association, is spelled Pinella. “Writers are known to make mistakes,” Piniella said. … The Phillies may help the Cardinals solve their Ozzie Smith dilemma. Philadelphia, unhappy with the play of Central Valley High grad Kevin Stocker, may be in the market for a shortstop.