The White Sox field management is having intense debates now about whether they would be better off beginning the regular season with 9 or 10 pitchers. Nine pitchers would allow them to carry an extra bat at the start.
”That subject leads to conversations that go an hour and a half,” said manager Tony LaRussa. ”Some see a need for 10 and some don`t.”
With so many days off in April, only nine may be practical. But here`s the problem in dropping that one extra pitcher until later in the year: ”We may lose a pitcher we don`t want to lose,” LaRussa said.
Either Dan Spillner or Gene Nelson, both right-handers, would seem to be the relievers in jeopardy. But the word is that there are several different pitching plans. One of them favors one or more from among a trio of minor-league hopefuls: left-hander Bob Fallon and right-handers Steve Fireovid and Al Jones.
LaRussa noted that Spillner is pressing. ”He has not knocked our eyes out, but there has been more good than bad from him,” he said. ”I know he really is pressing like heck for a job. And sometimes that doesn`t give you a true evaluation.”
So keep your eyes open for the possibility of a major shake-up in the pitching staff, even if no trades are forthcoming.
— Nelson Barrera has a better chance to make the club if the Sox take nine pitchers rather than 10. He made some impressive plays in the field Friday during a morning intrasquad game and then again in the 8-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in the afternoon.
But LaRussa has been disappointed recently by Barrera`s swinging at pitches out of the strike zone. ”Again, it`s a matter of someone pressing,” he added.
— Richard Dotson threw 47 pitches Friday in the intrasquad game, and everyone was pleased again with his second game effort of the spring. He has come along more slowly because of forearm muscle tightness.
”I threw only one curve,” Dotson noted. ”Next time out, I`ll start to mix in breaking balls. I felt good.”
— Harold Baines smashed his third home run of the spring Friday against the Blue Jays, who dropped a second straight game to the Sox. Toronto is 10-3 now.
Baines, who anchored a 15-hit eruption, doubled and scored in the fourth inning on a double by Greg Walker.
— Tom Seaver had his scoreless streak ended at 13 1/3 innings by Toronto, but he permitted only that one run on four hits in his five innings.
