The Baseball Report Volume V Issue 1 - Season Preview Edition!

April 1, 2001

 

From The Editor,

 

Hello everybody! On behalf of the staff of The Baseball Report, I would

like to welcome you to Volume V, and what will hopefully be a ground

breaking year for TBR.

 

Already we have set up a website which can be found at

http://baseballreport.tripod.com.

 

The site features some "Special to the Web" articles from all of your favorite TBR writers, as well as some new interactive options for your entertainment. The site contains an archive of Volume IV, in case any of you would like to look back on our words of wisdom from last year. Finally, the site features some special contests, as you can pick your World Series winner, create your own trades and have them

evaluated by The Baseball Report and more!

 

Check it out at http://baseballreport.tripod.com.  Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

As always, the staff of The Baseball Report encourages and welcomes

feedback, so if you have an opinion or a comment on the issue, drop me a

line. Similarly, if you'd like to advertise in TBR or on the website, email

baseballreport@aol.com.

 

Now, onto the issue...

 

Michael Frankel

Editor-in-Chief

 

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The View From The Cheap Seats by Hollis T. Russell

 

Rickey Henderson - The Last Hurrah

 

Free agent Rickey Henderson met with San Diego Padres General Manager Kevin Towers on Monday, March 19th and agreed to sign a minor-league contract worth around $300,000. Henderson, returning to the Padres for his second stint says he is back because, "I love the game." Once one of the game's highest paid players, his declining skills require the Padres to love the game as well, because after 22 seasons in a big league uniform, he has trouble getting to the high, hard one. His arm, only average at the height of his game is now a liability, but he can still steal bases. Last year playing for the Mets and the Mariners, he stole 36 bases. Not too shabby for a man 42 years of age.

 

Recognized as the premier leadoff hitter in the history of the game, Rickey graduated from Oakland's Technical High School in 1976 as a three sport local hero in football, basketball and baseball. He was All-Oakland Athletic League for three years in baseball and he rushed for over 1,100 yards as a senior tailback on the football team. He received scholarship offers from two dozen colleges to play football, but signed with the A's as their fourth round draft pick in June of 1976 after graduation.

 

After honing his skills for three years in the minors, the A's called him up in 1979 for 89 games, and he began his onslaught on the record book at the knee of the master, manager Billy Martin. Martin, whose game was called "Billy Ball," taught Rickey how to use his awesome base-stealing ability for the good of the team. In only his second season under Martin, Rickey stole 100 bases and in 1982, he broke Lou Brock's single-season record with 130 stolen bases. He was voted to the All-Star team every year from 1980-1991 with the exception of strike-shortened 1981, and he has lead the league in stolen bases 12 times, the last being 1998 at the age of 39.

 

Henderson's return to San Diego means that he will have one more chance to reach some significant career records. He needs 86 hits to become the 25th player with 3,000 hits. He needs 68 runs to break Ty Cobb's career record of 2,245, and he only needs three walks to break Babe Ruth's record of 2,062.  Rickey already holds career marks for stolen bases as the only player to break 1,000 with 1,370. During most seasons, he led the league. In 13 seasons, he claimed 50 or more stolen bases. He also holds the record for most home runs leading off a game with 78.

 

But the question remains, can he still contribute? In 22 seasons, he has gone to post-season play 12 times with a batting average of .284 and 32 stolen bases. In three World Series appearances, winning in 1989 with Oakland and again in '93 with Toronto, he batted .339 with seven stolen bases. But since 1993, his batting average has gone down to .249 with an average of 35 stolen bases a year. He still retains the ability to get on base by walking a lot, but it seems another case of an aging star who is not producing to the level of the past -- hanging around and padding their individual stats. Rickey has always had the reputation of "dogging it," and in more than one of the seven cities he has called home in his career, he has been unpopular for his "Style Dog" attitude.

 

The answer is plain to see if one will look to Rickey's accomplishments over the years. He is one of the greatest players the game has ever seen and if he wants to hold on a while longer to set some individual records that are well within reach, then so be it. Baseball's reputation of turning out the older players to pasture when the young phenoms come up is just another way of saying, win at any cost. It is time for the game to recognize that legends like Henderson are few and far between and they should be honored while they still play the game, not just enshrined in a musty museum. Forget about money for a change and bring respect back to the game, it might be the only way for baseball to return as "Our National Pastime."

 

For more on Hollis T. Russell, check out http://baseballreport.tripod.com

 

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A Stroll Through The American League by Kevin Burke

 

With the 2001 season of Major League Baseball just around the corner, here is a look at what the teams in the American League hope to accomplish. Of course, the goal for all teams in baseball is to reach the World Series, but sometimes this situation cannot be possible for some lower payroll teams.  So, with that said let us move east to west as we begin with the three-time world champion New York Yankees.

 

As always, the American League East is filled with bitter rivalry and fierce competition, with the Yankees seemingly always on the top of the pile in recent history. The Yankees look basically the same with a few key acquisitions. The starting rotation will get a major boost with the addition of Mike Mussina, but the bullpen is still thin -- even with strong-armed closer Mariano Rivera. Three positions to watch will be left field, third base and the fifth starter. Chuck Knoblauch will start in left field most of the time this year with second base being almost up for grabs between Luis Sojo and minor league star Alfonso Soriano. If Scott Brosius does not improve with his bat this year, look for the possibility of Soriano, Cuban star Andy Morales or former Michigan State quarterback Drew Henson pushing the veteran third

baseman to the bench. The fifth starter will be a key position for the Yankees and should be up for grabs by a handful of minor league players and current Major League Yankees. The possibility of the Yanks trading for another consistent starting pitcher somewhere before midseason or possibly before to fill the fifth spot in the rotation is highly possible.

 

Coming in at second place in the American League East last year are the Boston Red Sox. The Sox have been plagued by injuries this spring, having defending two-time batting champion Nomar Garciapara, Manny Ramirez, David Cone, Hippolito Pichardo and recently Brian Daubach all go down. There are a lot of new faces on the Red Sox roster this season, and the team looks for all of them to try to help push the Yanks out of first place. Three positions to watch: short stop, the starting rotation and third base. With Garciapara being out of action for an undisclosed amount of time, look for the Sox to try almost all infielders at this position. The starting rotation

after two-time Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez will now feature a 24

year-old in Tomo Ohka and a 22 year-old in Paxton Crawford, as their fourth and fifth

starters respectively. Look for the rotation to change drastically throughout the season with the likes of Tim Wakefield, Rolando Arrojo, Pete Schourek and long-shots David Cone and Brett Saberhagen being thrown into the mix. Third base will most likely be fielded by newcomer Chris Stynes, but also look for John Valentin to make an impact when he finally does come back, as well as minor leaguer Shea Hillenbrand who has had a terrific spring.

 

The Toronto Blue Jays came in third last year, but if their pitching can be as good as their hitting last year, this team should be a threat to both the Yanks and Sox. The Jays have power in their bats but not with their arms in the starting rotation. After trading David Wells away for roughed-up lefty Mike Sirotka, the Jays' rotation is quite defunct. Newcomer Steve Parris might prove to be a good pick-up but it is also possible that he could be another hole in the rotation. Three positions to watch: second base, the starting rotation and the bullpen. If Homer Bush does not hit and does not field, look for the Jays to use either new addition Jeff Frye or minor leaguer Ryan Freel. The starting rotation as mentioned should be really something to watch as it should change over the course of the season. The bullpen is headed by the hard-throwing Billy Koch, but the question is, do they have anyone else that can keep the game scoreless?

 

What do the Tampa Bay Devil Rays have going for them in the 2001 season? The answer is youth. The minor leaguers should be coming up to help the Major League ballclub this year. The team hopes that all of these young players will help, but the team remains pretty much the same. Three positions to watch are: closer, third base and the first starter in the rotation. Vinny Castilla should be able to bounce back, but if he does not who can fill his role? With Roberto Hernandez gone to the Royals, the D-Rays need someone who can finish games, however, none of their relief pitchers this season saved a game last season except for Doug Creek. Albie Lopez had a good year last year, but the question remains if he is ready to head the rotation.

 

The Baltimore Orioles still have the remnants of the veteran club they had a few years ago, but the infusion of younger players should help boost the ballclub. There are many switches on this club, such as Delino DeShields from second to left to fill the void that Albert Belle left. Three positions to watch: first base, the rotation and Albert Belle. The O's picked up David Segui in the offseason who has been a DH for the most part recently, and they also have minor league infielder Jay Gibbons who is ready to make an impact.

 

The loss of Mike Mussina will be costly for the starting rotation and new addition Pat Hentgen will not be able to aptly fill the void. The last point to ponder is what will happen to Albert Belle. He is still bound to the Orioles by contract, meaning that he cannot go anywhere else to work.  Perhaps he can act as a five million dollar pitching consultant or bat boy.

 

At the top of the American League Central last year was the surprise hit Chicago White Sox. The White Sox definitely showed the American League that they are a contender by winning the Central Division last year, but they failed in the playoffs. The lineup, rotation -- boosted by David Wells -- and bullpen all remain pretty much the same, but will it be enough to defeat the newly empowered Indians? Three positions to watch: center field, catcher and the infield. Jose Valentin has moved to center field. This move may be one of the better ones for the Sox. Valentin suffered defensively at short last year, and moving him elsewhere could be a good decision. Sandy Alomar Jr. will catch for the White Sox this year, but can he stay healthy, and if he does not, who will play catcher? The Sox's defense was not very good last year, but with the addition of Royce Clayton at short, the left side of the field should improve at least.

 

The Cleveland Indians look new and improved for the 2001 season. In losing Manny Ramirez and David Justice, they gained Juan Gonzalez and Ellis Burks who should be able to make up for those two players easily. The rotation should be decent from the one to three spots, but after that, no one knows.  Three positions to watch: catcher, closer and Charles Nagy. Is Einar Diaz really ready to be the starting catcher? If not, Eddie Taubensee should be more than ready to take over. Bob Wickman had a good year last year, but the Indians have not had a steady closer since Mike Jackson. The last factor on the Indian's ballclub is Charles Nagy. Last year, Nagy suffered through the first injury of his career, which kept him out for the season. If Nagy can bounce back, sliding him into the fourth slot in the rotation is a no-brainer and makes this Indian team very dangerous.

 

The best thing to happen to the Kansas City Royals last year was increased production. This boost in production was led by first baseman Mike Sweeny, followed by Jermaine Dye and the constantly smiling Joe Randa respectively.  If this production could flow throughout the club, the Royals could surprise some teams with their offense. Three positions to watch: second base, the rotation, and the bullpen. The Royals picked up second baseman Luis Alicea during the offseason, so he should push Carlos Febles to the bench, but the team seems to remain almost steadfast as to keeping Febles on the field.  Jose Rosado has injury problems again, Mac Suzuki might not be ready to go either. This situation leaves the Royals with a defunct rotation headed by Jeff Suppan. The bullpen has to hold teams this year. If they do not, the addition of veteran closer Roberto Hernandez might have no lasting effect on the team.

 

Detroit almost had a surprise playoff team in the Tigers last year, but those hopes quickly crumbled by the end of the season. Both new additions catcher Mitch Meluskey and outfielder Roger Cedeno should make an impact on this team, both offensively and defensively. Three positions to watch: the rotation, bench and bullpen. The Tiger's rotation is even more defunct than it was last year and they are looking for Brian Moehler to lead this team throughout the season. C.J. Nitkowski will start the season in the bullpen even though he might be more valuable to the team as a starter. The Tigers will also rely on a better impact from players off the bench as well as the bullpen.

 

At the bottom of the AL Central last year was the Minnesota Twins. Not many people in Minnesota come out to see the Twins anymore, but in the 2001 season, they may be missing a good show. The Twins are loaded with young players ready to break-out. However, if these players do not break out then, the Twins will find themselves at the bottom of the barrel once again.  Three positions to watch: all. From catcher to outfield to bullpen, this Twins team is a definite wait-and-see team. The rotation, bullpen and lineup could all be solid if everything goes according to plan.

 

In the American League West, the Oakland Athletics took hold of first place and it doesn’t look like they will let go in 2001. From the starting lineup to the rotation, the A’s look to be ass good if not better than last year. The addition of Johnny Damon will add both power and speed to this already powerful ballclub. Three positions to watch: second base, catcher, right field. Rookie Jose Ortiz posted astronomical numbers last year in the minors (.351, 24 homers, 108 RBI and 22 stolen bases), but can this offense translate to the Major League? Ramon Hernandez did a decent job at catcher last year, but if he were to ever be injured, it is unlikely that Sal Fassano could do as good a job as he did. Jeremy Giambi is a decent right fielder, but he does not help the lineup all too much. Could the A’s bring up a prospect to platoon with Giambi to make up for his batting loss? The idea is very probable as the already young A’s are always looking to make the most of their prospects.

 

The Seattle Mariners look pretty good in the starting rotation and bullpen, but how about the lineup and defense? The outfield defense should be good with the addition of Japanese super-star Ichiro Suzuki, but the infield doesn’t look to be all that good with the loss of short stop Alex Rodriguez. Three positions to watch: shortstop, third base and second base. The Mariners will probably start Carlos Guillen at short and also have the option of putting Manny Alexander there defensively, but neither can provide the power at the plate that the Mariners need. The ratio of errors between whoever the Mariners start at short this season and the play of Alex Rodriguez should be something to watch. Third base was a problem for the Mariners last year and appears as though it will be again this year. David Bell is definitely not the definitive answer at third either defensively or offensively. Brett Boone should do alright for the Mariners at second and if he stays healthy the team should improve at that position.

 

The Texas Rangers opened up their wallets in the offseason and hope that their investments will pan out. The Rangers bought power and defense but forgot to spend a few nickels on pitching. Alex Rodriguez, Ken Caminiti, Randy Velarde, Rafael Palmerio and Andres  Galarraga should improve the infield defense by leaps and bounds especially because the sheer mention of these names in the same sentence seems like it’s the lineup for an All-Star game. Three positions to watch: the starting rotation, bullpen and the bench. The key to the Ranger’s season will be their pitching. Look for a lot of games to be won by one run where the score is 10-9 or 12-11, which brings up another problem. The bullpen will need to keep games close, which is something that this particular Ranger’s bullpen does not seem they will be able to do. The biggest question: can Tim Crabtree be as good as John Wetteland was? The bench will also be key if the Rangers want to win. Frank Catalanotto and Bill Haselman should be fine off the bench and if Chad Curtis and Scott Sheldon can perform as well as they did with their bats last year, the Rangers could be very dangerous.

 

At the end of the AL West are the Anaheim Angels. There is more power on this team than construction workers on a demolition site. However, what good is that power if the Angels can’t field or pitch? Not good at all. The loss of Mo Vaughn for the season will be costly as Scott Spiezio will have to field grounders and dig out bouncing throws. Three positions to watch: first base, rotation and bullpen. As said before, if Spiezio cannot dig out errand throws this defense might be horrible. The starting rotation after Ramon Ortiz is shaky at best, although Ishmael Valdes could have a bounce-back season and be crucial to this ballclub. The bullpen is good with closer Troy Percival and Shigetoshi Hasegawa, but after these two, the Angels don’t have a lot of pitchers they can count on.

 

If nothing else, the 2001 season of Major League Baseball should be quite interesting in the American League. There are so many wait-and-see teams in the AL this year that competition should range throughout the season. Hopefully all of these teams will put on a good show on opening day to kick off what should be a season to watch.    

 

Kevin Burke covers the American League Beat for The Baseball Report.

For more on Kevin, check out http://baseballreport.tripod.com

 

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A Look At The National League by Eric D. Larson

 

The 2001 baseball season is set to start, and crowds are sharing mixed

feelings of anticipation and anxiety, not to mention the endless pre-season

questions.  As is always the case in March, the Major Leagues are stocked

full of eager players and hopeful managers.  Months from now, these dreams

will be either realized or buried in fruitless and brutally long summer

months.

 

While the American League enjoys another year as the home of the defending

World Series champs, the dejected National League scrambles to post another

contestant in the Fall Classic.  No team has emerged worthy of the starring

role, yet the playbill for the upcoming year is sure to be full of action

and suspense.  In the meantime, individual honors such as the League MVP and

Cy Young hopefuls are still a long way from decided.

 

The Chicago Cubs have endured a great deal of changes in their brief

off-season.  Last winter, they lost their consistent slugger Mark Grace to

Arizona.  In addition, few fans slept soundly during the period of Sammy

Sosa’s trade consideration.  But this year has brought a montage of new

faces and budding talent.  Chicago boasted 38 new people in camp this year. 

This is well received by management, simply because that equates to 38

players who had nothing to do with last year’s 162-game debacle.  Throughout

it all, the roster has shown vast improvement.  The pitching rotation is

another story altogether.  If the Wrigley Field natives are going to enjoy

moderate success, the once-phenomenal Kerry Wood will need to prove

successful.  He has emerged this year as a dominant hurler in the

pre-season, but it has to be hard for a club to pin its hopes on a man who

maintained a mediocre 4.80 ERA in the last year.  Sluggers Eric Young and

Rondell White hope to do their part at the plate

 

The Cubs president and General Manager Andy MacPhail is looking forward. 

“We’re better this year because our (farm) system is better,” he said. 

“We’re another year closer.”

 

This year’s prediction: look for the Cubs to be an offensive powerhouse, but

shaky in the pitching department, leaving them  below .500 for another year.

  Perhaps Sammy Sosa will shake the curse and finally win the home run

title.

 

Rookie of the Year honors will more than likely fall upon Ben Sheets.  He

proved his courage and ability in the 2000 Olympics.  After shutting down

the whole rest of the world, the Major Leagues might prove a walk in the

park (ideally, it will be a brand new park in Milwaukee this year).  His

2.14 ERA in spring training is further proof for a memorable rookie year.

 

Expect the young pitcher Nick Neugebauer to emerge from the Minor Leagues

this year and join Sheets as one of the most prominent National Leaguers on

the mound.  Last year, Neugebauer earned first place honors in opposing

batting average, .179,  and struck out almost 13 batters per nine innings. 

Perhaps more astonishing than all this -- Neugebauer is looking better this

year.

 

“From everything I’ve seen so far, he’s really refined his delivery,” said

Bob Apodaca, the pitching coach for the Milwaukee Brewers.  “He looks so

much more fluid.”

 

Many sports analysts have characterized the Arizona Diamondbacks as a very

“focused” team this year in spring training.  This fact is ironic, because

focus was the one trait they lacked during their slide in the latter part of

the season last year.  This time around, age will definitely become an

issue.  With players like Matt Williams and Mark Grace, both a long way from

their rookie years, health will be important.  Their contributions will be

vital to the overall success of the organization.  The bottom line:  to win,

these elders will need to play like hardened veterans.

 

This year’s prediction:  Randy Johnson will edge out his own teammate, Curt

Schilling, for the Cy Young trophy.  Also, count on the D-backs going all

the way to the playoffs this year.

 

Few can tell if the Autumn of 2001 will be painted with the images of San

Francisco, New York, and Atlanta.  More than likely, the Mets will return to

the post-season, riding once again on the bat of Mike Piazza, who will

likely net MVP honors for his offensive and defensive prowess.  The Braves,

fresh off a downhill slide at the hands of St. Louis, will finally suffer a

disappointing season, after countless years in the top of their division. 

Prediction: the Braves’ great dynasty of the 1990’s is finally history.  The

Giants, the most winning team of 2001, started this year without fanfare.

They remain one of the great mysteries in the league.  Maybe that’s the way

they prefer it….

 

Eric D. Larson covers the National League Beat for The Baseball Report.

For more on Eric, check out http://baseballreport.tripod.com

 

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Down On The Farm by Emily Liner

 

Imagine a 19-year-old high school dropout with size 18 feet that has not played organized baseball since the age of 12.  Then imagine that teenager hitting 400-foot home runs from both side of the plate, throwing 95 mile-per-hour fastballs, and having near-perfect fielding ability.  The Tampa Bay Devil Rays found this amazing baseball player in the sugar cane fields of Louisiana.  His name is Greg "Toe" Nash.

 

Last summer, scout Benny Latino decided to go search for this gifted player.  He had not seen Nash in six years, but he remembered him well.

 

"It was a Little League game, and this kid was the greatest little leaguer I'd ever seen.  He was a monster.  He hit two home runs.  He struck out 17 of the 21 batters he faced.  I never forgot him, and with a name like Toe Nash, how do you forget?

 

"I kept his name in my books and kept waiting for his name to pop up somewhere.  I figured he'd be a high school star by the 10th grade, but I never heard of him again."

 

It sounded like a good plan, but there was one problem:  Nash did not go to high school.  When he was 13, he was suspended for fighting and never returned to school.  His mother left him and his younger sister with their father in the little town of Sorrento.  He worked several arduous jobs to earn money for his family.  His uncle, former NBA star John "Hot Rod" Williams, gave him chores to do, too.

 

Nash started playing baseball in the semi-pro Sugar Cane League in nearby Gonzales.  Latino watched him play a game, wondering if he was still the baseball prodigy he seemed to be six years earlier.  "The Hit Man" was amazing.

 

"I couldn't believe what I saw," Latino recalled.  "He hit one homer from the right side, about 380 feet.  He hit one from the left side more than 400 feet.  He pitched and was throwing in the 90s and blowing people away.  He was 'The Natural.'"

 

A few weeks later, Nash showed off for several scouts at the Devil Rays' complex in Princeton, W. Va.

 

"I didn't know what to expect, but the kid was a monster," said Tampa Bay scouting director Dan Jennings.

 

In the outfield, Nash's arm was examined.  He scored about 70 out of a possible 80.  Then he went to the plate.  He hit 10 home runs out of 25 balls on the right side.  He turned around and did the same on the left.  Finally, he took the mound.  He threw 95 mile-per-hour fastballs and curves that broke beautifully.  Jennings likened him to a larger version of Satchel Paige.  Nash signed for a standard minor-league contract with a $30,000 bonus shortly afterwards.

 

For three weeks, Nash played in the Instructional League.  Several scouts got to watch him in action.  Tim Wilken, a scout for the Toronto Blue Jays, was impressed.  Nash reminded him of soon-to-be Hall of Famer Dave Winfield.  However, he figures that Nash is about five years away from the big leagues.  He still has to learn to recognize major league pitching, run bases and other basics.

 

Nash signed with agent Larry Reynolds, the older brother of former baseball player turned ESPN analyst Harold Reynolds.  In February, he attended a clinic held by the younger Reynolds to work on his swing.  He met Barry Bonds, Tony Gwynn, Eddie Murray, Alvin Davis and many other great players and received a lot of advice.

 

Harold Reynolds told fellow ESPN baseball journalist Peter Gammons about the unknown wonder.  Gammons was so intrigued by this rare, talented player that he wrote an article about him on ESPN.com in mid-January.  It received over three million hits in about three weeks.

 

Toe Nash instantly became a national sensation.  Everyone wants to know if he is the real deal or just another Sidd Finch.  Olympic hero Ben Sheets, also from the heart of Cajun country, knows that Nash is a bona fide baseball phenomenon. 

 

"Are you kidding?" asked Sheets.  "I've known Toe Nash since he was about 10.  He is a monster, and he's a natural because he's never really had any coaching.  He is the biggest baseball player I've ever seen.  If he walked into this place, he'd scare the daylights out of every one of you."

 

Nash is just beginning his career, and he is already about as famous as a seasoned major leaguer.  A story about him was featured on the front page of USA Today.  Latino and Nash's agent have received calls about books, movies, an ESPN special, magazine articles, product endorsements and more.  Oprah Winfrey and news programs on ABC and CBS all want a piece of him.

 

Nash has had some trouble with the law recently.  He was arrested five times in the past year, four of them misdemeanors.  He appeared in court on February 12th for a hearing on simple battery and simple robbery charges.  Usually an offender with charges like these would not get off easily.  However, Nash received loads of support from the media and people in his community.

 

"I initially said I wouldn't be part of the same old system that lets athletes get away with things and slip through the system," said assistant district attorney Ben Johnson.  "But on the other side, I prosecute so many youths that have no hope, no place to go, no respect for the law or the system.  So maybe, if we can get one person out of the situation and into a better life, we should."

 

The district attorney's office decided to put Nash on probation for six months.  If he stays out of trouble, his record will be expunged.  Nash was able to report to spring training.

 

Even with the legal problems, Toe Nash has been living in a dream.  He is going to get a GED.  He is playing minor league baseball.  He has a pretty good shot at making it to the bigs.  The town of Sorrento, La. could not be prouder of their incredibly gifted athlete.  The Devil Rays are lucky that this one did not get away.

 

For more on Emily Liner, check out http://baseballreport.tripod.com

 

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*Got some random thoughts or one-liners?  Send them in to baseballreport@aol.com.

 

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TRIVIA QUESTION

 

    Last Issue:  Much is made of the Montreal Expos being forced to deal away promising players in exchange for prospects.  People tend to forget though that is through this method that the Expos acquired Pedro Martinez.  From whom did they acquire Martinez, and whom did they "dump" to get him?

 

      Answer(s):  The Montreal Expos "dumped" Delino Deshields on the LA Dodgers in exchange for Pedro Martinez.

   

       This Issue's Question:  Many baseball fields have a sign on the wall reading: "No Pepper Games."  What exactly is a pepper game, and why is not allowed?

 

To answer, email baseballreport@aol.com subject trivia answer.

 

To submit a question to be asked, email baseballreport@aol.com subject trivia question.

 

Volume IV's Final Leaderboard can be found at TBR's new website, http://baseballreport.tripod.com!

 

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Email baseballreport@aol.com with any comments, suggestions, or opinions you may have.

 

http://baseballreport.tripod.com

 

That's all for this issue. 

 

Till next time,

 

Michael Frankel

Editor-in-Chief

 

Feel free to forward this to anyone and everyone.

 

copyright 2001 The Baseball Report

 

Michael Frankel        Editor-in-Chief

Eric D. Larson          Assistant Editor

Hollis T. Russell       Senior Columnist

Emily Liner              Senior Writer

Kevin Burke             Senior Writer

Jeremy Weisser       Webpage Manager

Susan Levi               Director of Human Resources