Jason Giambi conformed to the Yankees commandment “Thou shalt not sport beards,” shaving his goatee and taking the dough for a chance to become a pinstriped legend.
Ruben Rivera ignored the biblical commandment “Thou shalt not steal,” swiping Derek Jeter’s bat and glove in spring training to earn a swift release.
Blending into the background of the Bronx Zoo this spring was the lean and mean grilling machine, David Wells, controversy-free for six straight weeks and counting.
The American League pennant race figures to be much the same as it was in 2001, with the Yankees leading the way again. Only the names have changed. The Yankees said goodbye to Paul O’Neill, Chuck Knoblauch, Tino Martinez and Scott Brosius, mainstays of the team that has dominated the league since 1996. But Boss Steinbrenner went out and bought an MVP candidate in Giambi, gave closer-type money to setup man Steve Karsay and added veterans Wells, Robin Ventura, John Vander Wal and Rondell White to the mix.
What can derail New York? Outside forces or a combustible clubhouse.
Seattle has the toughest follow-up act in ages, trying to improve on a 116-victory season, get past the New York roadblock and play in its first World Series. Meanwhile, the White Sox will try to win it all with a “Kids R Us” rotation, Oakland hopes three aces can trump Giambi’s absence, and Boston fans are praying that the real Pedro Martinez can be located before the end of spring training. Someone wearing his uniform is looking a lot like Steve Trachsel.
Can the AL possibly top the intrigue of its 2001 campaign? In the immortal words of Joaquin Andujar, “You never know.”
OK. But at least we can guess:
Shape shifting
C.C. Sabathia and Ivan Rodriguez were among the AL stars who reported to camp way out of shape this spring, while a slimmer David Wells had a noticeable bobblehead look going for him–large head, small body.
The shape of AL umpires also bears watching in 2002–the new generation of umps is beginning to grow as large as the last one. Memo to Bud Selig: Get your umps off the Ken Kaiser diet.
Whose curse is it, anyway?
Boston’s World Series title drought is blamed on “the Curse of the Bambino,” while Cleveland’s is blamed on “the Curse of Rocky Colavito.” Cubs honors go to “the Curse of the Billy Goat,” after a tavern owner’s goat that was denied entrance to Wrigley Field during the 1945 World Series. The White Sox have not won a World Series since 1917, but unlike the other championship-challenged franchises, the Sox don’t have an official curse to blame for their decades of failure. Here are our candidates for an official White Sox curse:
“Curse of the Black Sox”
Threw 1919 World Series to Reds
“Curse of Bill Veeck”
Boycotted Sox Park after owners dissed him in ’81
“Curse of the Dybber”
Base-running gaffe in Game 4 of ’83 ALCS
“Curse of the Commander”
Fisk denied entrance to clubhouse in ’93 ALCS
Book it
This hasn’t happened yet in 2002, but it probably could:
New Boston owners announce plans to expand the bleachers at Fenway Park, adding 2,000 new seats on Landsdowne Street, hovering over the Green Monster in left field. A local neighborhood group, “Friends of the Green Monster,” will file a lawsuit to halt construction.
Comiskey daze
Five must-attend dates at Comiskey Park in 2002:
%% DATE DAY OPPONENT HIGHLIGHT
May 27 Mon Yankees Robin Ventura’s return
June 10 Mon Mets First-ever Sox-Mets game
June 28 Fri Cubs Opener of Sox-Cubs series
April 12 Fri Orioles Home opener
July 28 Sun Royals Carlton Fisk Bobblehead Day
%% Quote of the spring*
“My name should be Ron-DL.”
– Yankees outfielder Rondell White, hoping to avoid his ninth trip to the disabled list in the last seven years.
(* not including Derek Bell’s “Operation Shutdown” remark)
Elementary, my dear Watson
Bob Watson, baseball’s new vice president of on-field operations, insists umpires will be serious about enforcing rules to speed up the game.
A pitcher has 12 seconds to deliver the ball once a batter gets set. If he continuously violates this rule, the umpire can call a ball for every violation.
Batters will be encouraged to stay in the box instead of stepping out to adjust their batting gloves after every pitch.
“We want the batter to stay in the batter’s box and hit, and the pitcher to stay on the mound and pitch,” Watson said.
If Watson can achieve this goal, he will automatically earn baseball’s Man of the Year Award.
Magglio mania
After a few years of playing second fiddle to Frank Thomas, Magglio Ordonez proved he can be “the Man” in the Sox’s lineup during the second half of 2001. Now Ordonez should be ready to take his game to another level.
With 355 RBIs since 1999, Ordonez trails only Sammy Sosa’s 409 and Vladimir Guerrero’s 361 in RBIs among right fielders over the last three seasons. With Kenny Lofton at the top of the Sox lineup and Thomas back, a healthy Ordonez should get enough RBI opportunities to make an MVP run. Here’s a preseason top 10 for AL’s MVP:
%% POS PLAYER TEAM
1. Magglio Ordonez White Sox
2. Jason Giambi New York
3. Bret Boone Seattle
4. Alex Rodriguez Texas
5. Ichiro Suzuki Seattle
6. Nomar Garciaparra Boston
7. Derek Jeter New York
8. Mark Mulder Oakland
9. Jim Thome Cleveland
10. Manny Ramirez Boston %%
AL leaders in non-revenue-producing categories
Not everyone enters the 2002 season truly believing he can win the home run or ERA title. But anyone can lead the league in some of the less renowned categories.
Look for these guys to lead the league in some-thing or other:
%% CATEGORY PLAYER TEAM
Hit by pitch Frank Menechino Oakland
Disabled list time Rondell White New York
Home runs allowed Paul Wilson Tampa Bay
Infield hits Kenny Lofton White Sox
Hit batsmen Jeff Weaver Detroit
Walks allowed C.C. Sabathia Cleveland
Balks Mark Buehrle White Sox
Pickoffs Mark Buehrle White Sox
Picked off Chuck Knoblauch Kansas City
Caught stealing Chris Singleton Baltimore
%%
Once in a lifetime
These things actually happened in 2001, and probably never will happen again:
20 straight
The Yankees won 20 straight Roger Clemens starts between May 26 at Cleveland and Sept. 19 at Chicago.
Nice hardware
Ichiro Suzuki won a batting title and a stolen base title and was Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player.
No walking
Frank Thomas went 41 plate appearances without a walk in his final 11 games before he was injured, the longest stretch in his 12-year career.
TRIBUNE WRITERS’ 2002 PICKS
Rick Morrissey’s picks
EAST: Yankees; CENTRAL: Indians; WEST: A’s; WILD CARD: Mariners
WORLD SERIES: Yankees over Cardinals
MVP: Alex Rodriguez, Texas
BATTING CHAMPION: Paul Konerko, WHITE SOX
CY YOUNG: Pedro Martinez, Boston
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Carlos Pena, Oakland
MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Joe Torre, New York
Phil Rogers’ picks
EAST: Yankees; CENTRAL: Twins; WEST: A’s; WILD CARD: Mariners
WORLD SERIES: Braves over Athletics
MVP: Magglio Ordonez, WHITE SOX
BATTING CHAMPION: Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle
CY YOUNG: Mike Mussina, New York
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Hank Blalock, Texas
MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Ron Gardenhire, Minnesota
Paul Sullivan’s picks
EAST: Yankees; CENTRAL: White Sox; WEST: Seattle; WILD CARD: Red Sox
WORLD SERIES: Mariners over Giants
MVP: Magglio Ordonez, WHITE SOX
BATTING CHAMPION: Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle
CY YOUNG: Pedro Martinez, Boston
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Nick Johnson, New York
MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Lou Piniella (the name as published has been corrected in this text), Seattle
Teddy Greenstein’s picks
EAST: Yankees; CENTRAL: White Sox; WEST: Seattle; WILD CARD: Red Sox
WORLD SERIES: Yankees over Cardinals
MVP: Nomar Garciaparra, Boston
BATTING CHAMPION: Mike Sweeney, Kansas City
CY YOUNG: Mike Mussina, New York
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Carlos Pena, Oakland
MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Grady Little, Boston
