They played a full season and proved dominant. Then came the short season, and their flaws pushed to the surface.
And so the question for the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Oakland A’s and Arizona Diamondbacks, stunning first-round victims all, becomes this: Now what?
In most cases their angry fan bases want change. Sweep out the bums. Import some new heroes.
But how wise is that when you have won more than 60 percent of your games over a 162-game stretch with the very same group that fell on its face in a five-game division series? Where is the wisdom in letting a 3 percent sample dictate your organizational philosophy going forward?
For that’s really all a first-round playoff defeat represents: a 3 percent sample.
“You can’t prepare a playoff team,” Oakland General Manager Billy Beane told reporters. “There’s a certain randomness to a short series.”
Just because they lost to the speedy, small-ballin’ Twins, the A’s aren’t suddenly going to dump their belief in two walks and a three-run Jimmy Jack.
Just because the Angels’ offense batted a ridiculous .376 against them, the Yankees aren’t going to stop spending so much on pitching.
Just because Randy Johnson got knocked around in the opening game against the emotional Cardinals, the Diamondbacks aren’t going to break up their remarkable 1-2 combo, which won a combined 47 games during the regular season. And while the offense hit just .184, Arizona missed Luis Gonzalez and Craig Counsell even more than everyone imagined.
Just because Gary Sheffield went 1 for 16 (.063) against the rampaging Giants, the Braves aren’t going to call the Dodgers and try to reverse last winter’s trade by getting Brian Jordan back.
“If you [predicted] a couple of the players who didn’t perform to their level this playoff, I think everyone in this room would have said you’re crazy,” Braves GM John Schuerholz said.
To their credit, none of the Sad Four fired their managers in the wake of these shocking upsets.
Joe Torre has tenure, not to mention two more years left on his contract at $5.3 million per. Bobby Cox is going to the Hall of Fame. Bob Brenly is one year removed from a World Series title as a rookie skipper.
Only Oakland’s Art Howe has been subject to speculation, but Beane stood by his man even as his longtime favorite, A’s bench coach Ken Macha, was doing his Interviews Across America tour.
“This team did a lot of historic things,” a frustrated Beane said, “and if people can’t understand that, they’re shortsighted, spoiled fools.”
That’s not to say there won’t be changes for each of these glamor teams. In some cases there will be sweeping change, era-ending change.
Roger Clemens might leave the Yankees via free agency. He could be joined in this exodus by fellow free agents Robin Ventura, Mike Stanton, Ramiro Mendoza and John Vander Wal, while fellow Texan Andy Pettitte’s option might not be picked up.
Raul Mondesi, Rondell White, Orlando Hernandez. Where Mount Steinbrenner stops, nobody knows.
The Braves, forced by AOL Time Warner to slice their payroll from $92 million to the $85 million range, probably won’t be able to keep both Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux. Look for Glavine to return at a hometown discount and Maddux to seek greener pastures elsewhere for the final contract of his career.
An upgrade at first base is essential as well, although industry sources say the Braves have no interest in the Marlins’ Derrek Lee. They’d rather get a more fiery type who hits left-handed.
Oakland has said it wants to keep free-agent Ray Durham, who energized the top of its lineup in the final two months. But he won’t come cheap, and they probably view Durham as a center fielder, which means he might prefer to play second base for somebody else.
Plus, the A’s will desperately try to find a way to sign Miguel Tejada, one year away from free agency, to a multiyear deal.
Arizona has already kicked Rick Helling out the door, with Steve Finley, Mike Myers, Mike Fetters and Brian Anderson possibly to follow. Massive red ink won’t allow Jerry Colangelo to go on another winter shopping spree, but they finally clear some dead weight (Todd Stottlemyre, Jay Bell) off the books, so a run at Maddux or even Clemens isn’t too farfetched.
In the end, whether fans want to hear it or not, patience and prudence are the twin hallmarks of a winning organization.
“Blow ’em up real good,” worked on SCTV, but it doesn’t make sense when you’ve proved your dominance over a long span, only to get tripped up by that 3 percent sample everybody remembers.
AROUND THE HORN
Good move by the Rangers to hire Buck Showalter as their manager. Meddling owner Tom Hicks insisted on hiring a big name, but this time he might have gotten the right man. … With Showalter and pitching coach Orel Hershiser in the fold, the Rangers seem to be collecting former ESPN broadcasters. Can Rob Dibble as bullpen coach be far away? … Rangers farm director Trey Hillman had some internal support, but he’d already agreed to a two-year, $2 million deal to manage the Nippon Ham Fighters in the Japanese Pacific League. …
Marlins third-rounder Trevor Hutchinson, younger brother of NFL quarterback Chad Hutchinson, remains one of four unsigned draft picks in that round. Scott Boras is advising the younger Hutchinson, a right-handed pitcher with no college eligibility remaining, and the two sides remain well apart. The Marlins point to the $345,000 the Rockies gave Harvard right-hander Ben Crockett two spots ahead of Hutchinson, but that hasn’t worked. The Marlins would retain Hutchinson’s draft rights until one week before next year’s draft. …
Just six Marlins were named to Baseball America’s Top 15 prospects lists for each of the minor leagues: lefties Dontrelle Willis (Midwest) and Rob Henkel (Florida State) were named as were third baseman Miguel Cabrera (FSL), first basemen Jason Stokes (Midwest) and Adrian Gonzalez (Eastern) and second baseman Jesus Medrano (Eastern). Only the Mets, Royals, Astros and Orioles had fewer than six prospects cited. The Braves led the way with 20 prospects, followed by the Dodgers (18), Indians (16) and Cubs (16). …
Braves pitching coach Leo Mazzone has let it be known he’d like a chance to manage. After 12 remarkable years in his role, Mazzone sounds like he’s ready for a new challenge. The Braves aren’t likely to let him leave to become another club’s pitching coach, however. …
Strange week for Giants manager Dusty Baker, who seemed to be negotiating with the Mets through the media. While reports out of New York have the Mets willing to hold off on a hire until Baker’s season is done, Baker let it be known he would be interested. He also intimated he expected to get a substantial raise from his current deal, which pays him $2.75 million a year, but doesn’t necessarily expect to match Yanks manager Joe Torre ($5.3 million a year). “I don’t want to break the bank,” Baker said. “I have not accom-plished what Joe’s accom-plished, so I don’t see me in position to get equal or even more than Joe. I want to be somewhere close to Joe. Any-where close to Joe is good, right?” Was he talking financially or geographically? …
Ray Durham, the former White Sox second baseman, ripped his previous workplace for encouraging coaches to spy on the players and report their findings to GM Kenny Williams. Said Durham: “You didn’t know who you could talk to or say something to because it always seemed to get back to Kenny. I mean, it was third-grade [stuff].” In particular, Durham was upset with hitting coach Gary Ward and former first-base coach Gary Pettis. …
Cleveland insiders say the Indians will do what they can to retain Jim Thome, probably going as high as $60 million over five years, but GM Mark Shapiro has made it clear the club will not get into a bidding war for its most popular and productive player. The Phillies and Red Sox figure to be among the more intense suitors. …
One scouting director said he was “shocked” the rebuilding Indians caved and gave a $4 million big-league deal to Stanford right-hander Jeremy Guthrie. His $3 million signing bonus ranks as the second-highest in this year’s draft, despite the fact he was taken 22nd overall. That’s the power of Boras for you. Guthrie, who spent two years in Spain on a Mormon mission and refused to pitch on Sundays in college, has been compared to David Cone. Guthrie plans to pitch on Sundays as a pro. …
Alex Rodriguez made a classy move with his $3.9 million donation for a new baseball stadium at the University of Miami, but if you’re going to change the name to honor anybody, it should be program father Ron Fraser. … A-Rod, by the way, got into some hot water in Dallas last week when he was spotted shaking hands in the New York Giants locker room after their win over the Cowboys. …
The Mariners were relieved to learn GM Pat Gillick would return for at least one more year, but Lou Piniella’s status is far from settled. Friends said Piniella was shaken by the recent death of Gary Mack, a Phoenix-based psychologist and Mariners consultant who was one of Piniella’s closest friends. A move closer to his Tampa Bay home remains desirable, although it’s unclear if the Mariners would let Piniella out of the last year of his contract. … As was the case last winter, Gillick is expected to put free-agent outfielder Cliff Floyd at the top of his offseason wish list. Trouble is, the Mariners must keep their payroll in its current $90 million range. Said Gillick of his 93-win club: “I don’t think it calls for an overhaul, but we’ll have to be creative. There will have to be some changes.” … Watching Jason Schmidt dominate the Cardinals last week had to be tough for Gillick and Co. The Mariners offered him a slightly better deal last winter than the Giants, but Schmidt, despite his Seattle-area roots, chose to stay in San Francisco. In turn, the Mariners decided to let David Bell leave via free agency and made an ill-fated deal for third baseman Jeff Cirillo, who moped his way through the worst year of his career. …
No sooner had Eric Karros come out of surgery for his aching left shoulder than Dodgers GM Dan Evans was making plans to upgrade at the position. Evans mentioned the possibility of platooning Karros with a left-handed bat (Tyler Houston?), which would help the team get off the hook for a $9 million option in 2004. The option automatically vests if Karros, who hit just 13 homers this year, gets 500 plate appearances next season, when he’ll make $8 million. If not, the Dodgers can buy out his 2004 option for $1 million. …
Surgery on Craig Counsell’s neck was successful, and he’s expected to be ready for the start of spring training. Further good news: Counsell and wife Jennifer are expecting their first child. …
Upheaval has hit the Reds’ front office, where several key figures have been reassigned/demoted in recent weeks. Among them: assistant GM Doc Rodgers, amateur scouting director Kasey McKeon and assistant scouting director Johnny Almaraz. In addition, widely respected scouting director Gary Hughes was given a different title and is rumored to be considering a jump to the Cubs, where he would be reunited with longtime friend Jim Hendry. Hughes hired Hendry away from Creighton when he was running the Marlins scouting department. …
Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon got a one-year reprieve but it’s hard to see him lasting beyond next season, when his contract expires. By then the Pirates will be that much farther down the rebuilding road, and GM Dave Littlefield will be ready to bring in his own man. … Littlefield, by the way, lost a veteran assistant when long-time scout Lenny Yochim rejected the club’s offer of a part-time role with reduced pay and left the organization after 36 years. Yochim, who turns 74 on Wednesday, still wants to work full time for somebody. …
A Houston TV station reported the Astros will not extend second baseman Craig Biggio’s contract. If so, Biggio’s 15-year run with the club could end next year, when he’ll be paid $8 million. Biggio’s .253 batting average this year was 35 points below his career mark. … Meanwhile, the Astros declined to exercise a $7 million option on catcher Brad Ausmus for next year, although he could still return for a lesser fee. Ausmus can exercise his end of a mutual option for $5.5 million. … Former Blue Jays GM Gord Ash is expected to join the Brewers as assistant GM. Ash had been doing TV work in Toronto for the past year. …
When Willie Randolph interviews in Tampa Bay, it will mark at least the eighth managerial interview he has been granted, so far without success. Randolph, who turned down the Reds job a few years back, has also been interviewed by the Tigers and Mets this year as well as previous dances with the Twins, Phillies, Rockies and Blue Jays. Said the impressive third-base coach of the Yankees: “I guess the window is closing. If I don’t get a shot [this year], it’s not going to happen.” … Some believe Randolph is willing to bide his time until Joe Torre, who has two more years left on his contract, decides to retire. Then again, that could be risky, considering Steinbrenner’s admiration for Yankees first-base coach Lee (Matinee Idol) Mazzilli.
Mike Berardino’s baseball column appears Sundays. He can be reached at and heard Wednesdays from 5-6 p.m. on The Hank Goldberg Show on WQAM (560-AM).
