National League Capsules — Spring 1999

Josh Dubow

Tuesday, Feb. 16, 1999 | 4:03 a.m.

How the NL teams look at the start of spring

A team-by-team look at the National League in spring training, including players each club acquired, re-signed and lost:

EAST

Atlanta Braves

Manager: Bobby Cox (10th season).

Training Town: Kissimmee, Fla.

Park: Disney Wide World of Sports Stadium.

Pitchers and Catchers Report: Feb. 17.

Rest of Squad: Feb. 23.

He's Here: OF Brian Jordan, 2B Bret Boone, P Mike Remlinger, OF Otis Nixon.

He's Still Here: SS Ozzie Guillen.

He's Outta Here: P Denny Neagle, OF Michael Tucker, 1B Greg Colbrunn.

Worth Watching: Rookie Bruce Chen gets a chance to crack baseball's best rotation now that Neagle is gone. Mark Wohlers, who couldn't find the plate last season, attempts a comeback.

Florida Marlins

Manager: John Boles (1st Season).

Training Town: Viera, Fla.

Park: Space Coast Stadium.

Pitchers and Catchers Report: Feb. 21.

Rest of Squad: Feb. 26.

He's Here: C Jorge Fabregas, 3B Mike Lowell, P Braden Looper.

He's Outta Here: SS Edgar Renteria.

Worth Watching: If P Alex Fernandez has recovered from rotator cuff surgery, he and his $7 million contract will likely be shipped out. Then the focus can turn to prospects such as Lowell, Looper, SS Alex Gonzalez and P A.J. Burnett, who will provide foundation for future.

Montreal Expos

Manager: Felipe Alou (8th season).

Training Town: Jupiter, Fla.

Park: Roger Dean Stadium.

Pitchers and Catchers Report: Feb. 20.

Rest of Squad: Feb. 25.

He's Here: OF Orlando Merced.

He's Outta Here: OF F.P. Santangelo, P Marc Valdes.

Worth Watching: For the first time since the strike, the Expos didn't lose any young stars. Vladimir Guerrero is one of the most exciting and powerful young players in the game.

New York Mets

Manager: Bobby Valentine (4th season).

Training Town: Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Park: St. Lucie County Stadium.

Pitchers and Catchers Report: Feb. 19.

Rest of Squad: Feb. 25.

He's Here: 3B Robin Ventura, OF Rickey Henderson, OF Bobby Bonilla, P Armando Benitez, OF Roger Cedeno, P Allen Watson, 2B Mariano Duncan.

He's Still Here: C Mike Piazza, P Al Leiter, P Masato Yoshii, P Dennis Cook.

He's Outta Here: C Todd Hundley, P Mel Rojas, OF Butch Huskey, P Armando Reynoso, C Jorge Fabregas, P Willie Blair, 2B Carlos Baerga, IF-OF Lenny Harris.

Worth Watching: If Edgar Alfonzo's move to second base to accommodate Ventura is not successful, Mets biggest spending spree since 1992 could be a bust.

Philadelphia Phillies

Manager: Terry Francona (3rd season).

Training Town: Clearwater, Fla.

Park: Jack Russell Stadium.

Pitchers and Catchers Report: Feb. 19.

Rest of Squad: Feb. 24.

He's Here: P Paul Spoljaric, P Chad Ogea, OF Ron Gant, P Jeff Brantley, P Cliff Politte, C Tom Prince, P Jim Poole.

He's Still Here: P Ken Ryan.

He's Outta Here: P Mark Leiter, P Jerry Spradlin, P Ricky Bottalico, P Garrett Stephenson, P Mark Portugal, IF Mark Lewis.

Worth Watching: Ace Curt Schilling wants to pitch for a contender - Cleveland, maybe? - but the Phils have held firm so far. Whether he takes the mound for Philadelphia on opening day in Atlanta remains in doubt.

CENTRAL

Chicago Cubs

Manager: Jim Riggleman (5th season).

Training Town: Mesa, Ariz.

Park: HoHoKam Park.

Pitchers and Catchers Report: Feb. 20.

Rest of Squad: Feb. 26.

He's Here: P Scott Sanders, C Benito Santiago, P Jon Lieber.

He's Still Here: P Terry Mulholland, OF Henry Rodriguez, 3B Gary Gaetti, OF Glenallen Hill.

He's Outta Here: OF Brant Brown, P Mark Clark, C Scott Servais, P Mike Morgan.

Worth Watching: If Kerry Wood is throwing curves it means his injured elbow is feeling better. If not, one of baseball's oldest teams could be in for another big drop the year after making the playoffs.

Cincinnati Reds

Manager: Jack McKeon (2nd season).

Training Town: Sarasota, Fla.

Park: Ed Smith Stadium.

Pitchers and Catchers Report: Feb. 16.

Rest of Squad: Feb. 23.

He's Here: P Denny Neagle, OF Michael Tucker, OF Greg Vaughn, OF Mark Sweeney, OF Mike Cameron, P Steve Avery, P Jason Bere, IF Mark Lewis, 1B-OF Hal Morris, C Brian Johnson, IF Jeff Branson.

He's Outta Here: 2B Bret Boone, P Mike Remlinger, OF Reggie Sanders, IF Damian Jackson, 1B Paul Konerko, OF Tony Tarasco.

Worth Watching: GM Jim Bowden bucked the trend and improved through trades rather than free agent signings. If strategy doesn't work, more trades could be in order - like dumping Neagle and Vaughn to a contender.

Houston Astros

Manager: Larry Dierker (3rd season).

Training Town: Kissimmee, Fla.

Park: Osceola County Stadium.

Pitchers and Catchers Report: Feb. 17.

Rest of Squad: Feb. 23.

He's Here: 3B Ken Caminiti, C Paul Bako, P Brian Powell, P Xavier Hernandez.

He's Still Here: IF Tim Bogar.

He's Outta Here: P Randy Johnson, C Brad Ausmus, P C.J. Nitkowski, IF Sean Berry.

Worth Watching: P Scott Elarton made an impressive debut last season. With Johnson gone, he will bear more responsibility this year. The Astros still may make a run to trade for Roger Clemens.

Milwaukee Brewers

Manager: Phil Garner (8th season).

Training Town: Maryvale, Ariz.

Park: Maryvale Baseball Park.

Pitchers and Catchers Report: Feb. 19.

Rest of Squad: Feb. 25.

He's Here: OF Alex Ochoa, OF Rich Becker, P Jim Abbott.

He's Outta Here: OF Darrin Jackson, 1B-DH Bob Hamelin.

Worth Watching: May trade 2B Fernando Vina to open up a spot for rookie Ron Belliard. Which Abbott will show up? The pitcher who was 5-0 in September callup or 2-18 in 1996?

Pittsburgh Pirates

Manager: Gene Lamont (3rd season).

Training Town: Bradenton, Fla.

Park: McKechnie Field.

Pitchers and Catchers Report: Feb. 18.

Rest of Squad: Feb. 24.

He's Here: OF Brian Giles, 3B Ed Sprague, IF Mike Benjamin, P Pete Schourek, OF Brant Brown.

He's Outta Here: P Ricardo Rincon, P Jon Leiber.

Worth Watching: The additions of Giles and Brown may relegate Al Martin, the team's highest paid player, to the bench. Martin has been the Pirates' most consistent hitter since 1993, but slumped to a career-low .239 during an injury-marred 1998.

St. Louis Cardinals

Manager: Tony La Russa (4th season).

Training Town: Jupiter, Fla.

Park: Roger Dean Stadium.

Pitchers and Catchers Report: Feb. 18.

Rest of Squad: Feb. 24.

He's Here: SS Edgar Renteria, OF Eric Davis, P Ricky Bottalico, P Garrett Stephenson, P Scott Radinsky, P Mike Mohler.

He's Still Here: OF Willie McGee, IF Pat Kelly.

He's Outta Here: OF Brian Jordan, OF Ron Gant, P Jeff Brantley, P Cliff Politte, 2B Delino DeShields, P Mark Petkosvek, P Bobby Witt, C Tom Lampkin, OF John Mabry.

Worth Watching: What will Mark McGwire do for an encore after hitting 70 homers last season? La Russa says 75 isn't out of the question. Is it? J.D. Drew gets an opportunity to start in his first full professional season.

WEST

Arizona Diamondbacks

Manager: Buck Showalter (2nd season).

Training Town: Tucson, Ariz.

Park: Tucson Electric Park.

Pitchers and Catchers Report: Feb. 17.

Rest of Squad: Feb. 23.

He's Here: P Randy Johnson, P Todd Stottlemyre, P Armando Reynoso, OF Steve Finley, OF Dante Powell, P Greg Swindell, 1B Greg Colbrunn, P Frank Castillo.

He's Outta Here: P Alan Embree, P Felix Rodriguez, OF Devon White, IF Andy Stankiewicz.

Worth Watching: Spent the money to build one of baseball's best rotations. Can last year's busts Matt Williams and Jay Bell provide enough offense for the new pitchers?

Colorado Rockies

Manager: Jim Leyland (1st season).

Training Town: Tucson, Ariz.

Park: Hi Corbett Field.

Pitchers and Catchers Report: Feb. 18.

Rest of Squad: Feb. 24.

He's Here: IF-OF Lenny Harris, P Brian Bohanon.

He's Still Here: OF Darryl Hamilton, C Kirt Manwaring.

He's Outta Here: P Mike Munoz.

Worth Watching: Lost out on free agents Kevin Brown and Bernie Williams. Leyland will have to work his magic with basically the same players that went 77-85 last year.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Manager: Davey Johnson (1st season).

Training Town: Vero Beach, Fla.

Park: Holman Stadium.

Pitchers and Catchers Report: Feb. 18.

Rest of Squad: Feb. 24.

He's Here: P Kevin Brown, OF Devon White, C Todd Hundley, P Alan Mills, P Mel Rojas, P Greg Cadaret.

He's Outta Here: C Charles Johnson, OF Roger Cedeno, 3B-OF Bobby Bonilla, P Scott Radinsky, P Brian Bohanon, C Tom Prince, P Darren Hall, P Mark Guthrie.

Worth Watching: If Hundley is healthy and 3B Adrian Beltre delivers, Johnson should be able to work his first-year magic on the stagnant Dodgers offense, which ranked 12th in the NL last year. In his first year at his last three jobs, Johnson's teams have made dramatic offensive improvements.

San Diego Padres

Manager: Bruce Bochy (5th season).

Training Town: Peoria, Ariz.

Park: Peoria Stadium.

Pitchers and Catchers Report: Feb. 18.

Rest of Squad: Feb. 24.

He's Here: P Woody Williams, OF Reggie Sanders, IF Damian Jackson, OF Shane Mack, IF Dave Magadan.

He's Still Here: 1B Wally Joyner, OF John Vander Wal, C Carlos Hernandez, P Mark Langston.

He's Outta Here: P Kevin Brown, OF Greg Vaughn, OF Mark Sweeney, 3B Ken Caminiti, OF Steve Finley, P Joey Hamilton, P Scott Sanders.

Worth Watching: How do fans react to dismantling of NL champs after voting for new stadium in November? Padres could be first team to go from last to first to last.

San Francisco Giants

Manager: Dusty Baker (7th season).

Training Town: Scottsdale, Ariz.

Park: Scottsdale Stadium.

Pitchers and Catchers Report: Feb. 18.

Rest of Squad: Feb. 25.

He's Here: P Alan Embree, P Felix Rodriguez, OF F.P. Santangelo, C Scott Servais.

He's Still Here: P Mark Gardner, OF Ellis Burks, OF Marvin Benard.

He's Outta Here: P Orel Hershiser, C Brian Johnson, IF Rey Sanchez, P Alvin Morman, P Jose Mesa.

Worth Watching: With no major additions to the starting rotation, Barry Bonds and Dusty Baker will have hard time keeping Giants in postseason contention.

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