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Young guns highlight arms race
Posted: Sunday April 16, 2000 10:27 AM
Of the 150 starting pitchers in season-opening rotations, just 15 were age 35 and older. Orel Hershiser, at 41, was the oldest. Contrast that with the whopping 48 starters 25 and younger -- including exciting rookie arms like the Cardinals' Rick Ankiel, the Marlins' Brad Penny, the Reds' Rob Bell and the White Sox' Kip Wells -- and you wonder if perhaps we aren't on the cutting edge of a new wave of quality pitching. Giants general manager Brian Sabean speaks of an industrywide "replenishment" in the arms race. Once the Giants get Shawn Estes back, they could have an all-20s rotation, joining the Pirates, Royals and Twins in that youth movement. A comeback in ColoradoDon't be surprised if Mike Lansing gives Andres Galarraga a run for Comeback Player of the Year. The Rockies' second baseman is off to a fast start after back surgery wrecked his '99 season. At 32 he speaks of a new appreciation for the game and his talent. What's more, the gap power that produced 85 doubles over two seasons in Montreal has reappeared now that he's healthy again and can turn on inside pitches without fear. With two years and $12.5 million left on Lansing's contract, the Rockies hope they're finally seeing the player they thought they were getting from Montreal two years ago. Don't expect MLB to downsizeSeveral struggling clubs fear there is strong sentiment on baseball's Blue-Ribbon Economic Panel toward the elimination of two to four downtrodden franchises. But commissioner Bud Selig downplayed this possibility this week, saying, "It isn't anything that I'm really concerned about because I don't believe it solves the problems. I wouldn't spend a lot of time worrying about it." Of course, getting the Players Association to sign off on all those lost jobs would be only slightly less challenging than, say, slipping 'N Sync unnoticed through a classroom full of sixth graders. The return of RockerJohn Rocker's two-week suspension ends Monday, and the social critic/closer will rejoin the Braves for Tuesday's game against Philadelphia. Rocker gets a break, though, on his first road trip. The stops are in San Diego, where they cheered alleged bigamist Al Martin, and Los Angeles, where the hecklers should be on the Santa Monica Freeway before Rocker even starts to warm up. Mike Berardino covers baseball for the South Florida Sun Sentinel and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.
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