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Clement gets sage advice from Palmer
A decade has passed since Nolan Ryan turned around the career of a struggling Randy Johnson with a lengthy discussion. More recently, Ryan talked to Kerry Wood on the phone to get the Cubs' ace straightened out. The Marlins can only hope struggling right-hander Matt Clement experiences a similar boost after chatting this week with Hall of Famer Jim Palmer. When Clement walked up to Palmer on Tuesday afternoon in the Marlins' clubhouse, he was hoping the Hall of Fame pitcher would autograph a baseball for him. Clement got the signature. Better still, he received a 10-minute dissertation on the art of pitching from the retired Orioles great, now one of the club's television broadcasters. "Anytime you get the chance to pick the mind of a Hall of Famer, somebody that had as great a career as [Palmer] had, you have to take advantage," Clement said. "His knowledge of the game is incredible. He didn't just get by. He understands [baseball] way more than the normal person does." As he did in a similar session on Monday with Clement's rotation mate Ryan Dempster, Palmer talked about the importance of sound mechanics, repeating your delivery, dedication to your craft and maximizing your strengths. The three-time Cy Young award recipient and eight-time 20-game winner asked both Clement and Dempster the same question: "What do you do best?" He then urged both young pitchers to trust their stuff and stick to what works. He also praised the work of Marlins pitching coach Rich Dubee, telling the players that they are in good hands. Palmer said Dempster asked him for keys to relaxing on the mound. Palmer, who retired in 1984, told the story about having the ball fall out of his hand during his windup at the 1970 World Series. "That was embarrassing," Palmer said, "but it showed how relaxed I was." Clement considers himself fortunate to have worked with pitching coach Dave Smith and closer Trevor Hoffman during his Padres days. Clement used to talk regularly with Tony Gwynn to better understand a hitter's mindset. But Tuesday was the first time he had talked with a Hall of Fame pitcher about the game. Clement, 26, is blessed with some of the best movement in the game. His slider can be downright nasty. But for some reason he is just 30-35 with a 4.91 ERA in his career. He has gone 29 starts without winning consecutive decisions, dating to early last August. And for the second straight year he ranks among league leaders in walks allowed and hit batsmen.
Vander Wal wants one more chance at playoffsWatching the Fred McGriff no-trade saga unfold this week, you couldn't help but wonder what John Vander Wal was thinking.Citing family considerations, the 37-year-old McGriff rejected an opportunity to help the first-place Cubs reach the World Series for the first time since 1945. Meanwhile in Pittsburgh, Vander Wal sits and waits for a similar chance. In fact, after the McGriff deal fell through, the Cubs turned their attention to more versatile players like Vander Wal and Baltimore's Jeff Conine. The Marlins and Mariners remain potential suitors as well for Vander Wal, the outfielder/first baseman who ranks second among active players with 116 career pinch hits. "You hear people talking about you, and frankly it's an honor to hear there's teams in contention that want you to be part of their ball club," Vander Wal said recently. "Ultimately, though, that's something that's out of my control. "You already have enough on your mind just going out there and playing the game. You really have to block stuff like that out. This game's hard enough as it is." That's not to say Vander Wal, 35, isn't scanning the Web sites, looking for the latest trade rumors. Having experienced the postseason with the 1995 Rockies and 1998 Padres, he desperately wants to get another taste of October. "I'm not sure how many more years I have left to play this game," he said. "I still have a burning desire to get back to the playoffs and help a team get to the World Series. That's everybody's goal." Vander Wal is signed through 2002 at $1.85 million a year. Upset by the Pirates' signing of Derek Bell this winter, Vander Wal waived his no-trade clause except for five teams, including the Phillies, Twins, Expos and Blue Jays. "I want to get back to the playoffs," he said. "I want to get back into that atmosphere. There's nothing like playing in October. It's the best. It's incredible. You hope everybody gets the chance to be in that type of situation. Once you do, you realize what all the hard work you've done and what the reward is. "Just getting here to the majors is a reward in itself, but getting to the playoffs is another level."
Let's make a deal?If the Phillies are going to stay near the top of the NL East, most observers feel they will have to add another arm or two, preferably impact arms. But while Philadelphia GM Ed Wade insists he's seriously trolling the waters for help, rival teams have been put off by Wade's low-ball offers."They don't want to give up anything," a major league source said. "They tried to get [reliever] Ugueth Urbina from the Expos but they made a hideous offer. Same thing with Pedro Astacio. " Astacio may be just 6-11 with a 5.14 ERA and a $9 million option for next season, but he has drawn active trade interest from at least 11 clubs, including the Cardinals, Dodgers, Diamondbacks and Twins. Half of his 20 starts have been quality starts, and he has lasted at least six innings all but five times. So you can imagine the Rockies' dismay when they heard the Phillies offer: Class AAA outfielder Jason Michaels and a low-level prospect currently on the disabled list. "It doesn't make any sense," the source said. "They have a good young club and a real shot at the East, but the Phillies are very wary of taking on any salary. It's almost like ownership wants to make sure everybody gets a [profit-sharing] check at the end of the year." Mike Berardino covers baseball for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.
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