D-Backs moving Womack to left
Posted: Thursday March 04, 1999 07:37 PM
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The move from right to left field makes no difference to Tony Womack, for he hasn't played either position. AP |
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- Tony Womack,
still not at all happy about switching from second base to the outfield,
will play in left field instead of right for the Arizona
Diamondbacks.
"I think he feels a little more comfortable over there," Arizona manager
Buck Showalter said Thursday. "I think the throws will be a little bit
better for Tony. We'll see how it goes. It's a better fit for us as a team.
Nothing is set in stone, but that's the way we're going to start out."
Womack, acquired from Pittsburgh to be Arizona's leadoff hitter, has
known since he joined the club last week that he was being switched to the
outfield. Initially, the plan was to have Womack play in right.
But Showalter decided instead to move Luis Gonzalez
from left field to right and have Womack start in left. Gonzalez has never
played right field. That means Arizona center fielder Steve Finley
will have an outfielder on each side with no experience at the position.
Womack, the NL steals leader the last two seasons, has made no secret
that he doesn't like leaving the infield, but said Wednesday after his
first outfield workout that he knows he must accept the change.
"It's over. We've got to get ready for the season," Womack said. "They
traded for me to be an outfielder and now is just the time to accept it and
move on."
Womack said Showalter's decision to move him to left makes little
difference.
"I've never played either one before but he thinks left is a better place
for me," Womack said.
Showalter said no one should think that the move means Jay Bell is a
better second baseman than Womack is.
"It doesn't preclude him playing second again sometime in his career.
It's not at all that he can't play second base, it's just that he can make
the move a lot easier than Jay can," Showalter said.
Gonzalez said he will move to right field with no complaints.
"If it's going to make it easier on Tony to do that, whatever," Gonzalez
said. "This is a good team and I'm not here to cause any rumbles. I just
want to do whatever helps the ball club."
Womack said he worked on outfield techniques for about a 30 minutes
Wednesday.
"I still throw like an infielder," he joked. He said he's figured out the
best way to handle any throwing deficiencies. I'll just throw it to the
closest guy."
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