Baseball Digest articles from April 2002

Baseball Digest archives from April 2002

The fans speak out. (Letters to the Editor).(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2002... I am hoping you will be able to explain something that's mystified me for over 20 years. As a lifelong Met fan, perhaps I am biased, but I cannot understand why Gil Hodges has not been elected to the Hall of Fame. He was easily one of...

Third basemen fill a crucial, but often overlooked role. (Warm Up Tosses).(baseball)
April 1, 2002... IN THE MATTER OF DEFENSE, SHORTSTOPS, CATCHERS AND CENTER FIELDERS have always been considered the most vital position players in baseball, and as a result generate more attention for their skills than generally accorded other glovemen. ...

2002 National League Preview: early calls have the Cardinals, Mets and Diamondbacks as N.L. division champions with St. Louis as the team to beat for the pennant.
April 1, 2002... ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT BASEBALL IS THAT the game itself generates debate, be it over strategy, the merits of modern players vs. old-timers or the validity of offensive records in this age of eye-popping statistics. Two of the oldest...

2001 Final Major League Standings.(baseball)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 1, 2002... 2001 FINAL MAJOR LEAGUE STANDINGS AMERICAN LEAGUE Last 10 A.L. East W L Pct. GB Games Streak New York Yankees 95 65 .594 --...

2002 American League Preview: Yankees in the East and Mariners in the West will repeat as division champions while the White Sox return as the top team in the Central.
April 1, 2002... IT IS A GOOD THING THE SEASON IS GETTING CLOSER. The offseason has produced a layer of confusion that has been hard to understand. Turns out that contraction was just a bluff by noted jokester/commissioner Bud Selig. At least for one more...

Earning his pinstripes: Roger Clemens blends in with the Yankee Mystique.(baseball players)
April 1, 2002... IT WAS A WEIRD SIGHT FOR A WHILE, but no longer. Roger Clemens is every inch a Yankee. Though he was twice a 20-game winner and won two Cy Youngs in Toronto, he was never really a Blue Jay. You knew he was just passing through. But going...

A baker's dozen: 13 major leaguers look to come back from disappointing seasons in 2001.(baseball)
April 1, 2002... THE 2001 SEASON WAS AMONG THE most memorable of recent decades, with its highlights including a spectacular World Series, Barry Bonds' feat of hitting 73 home runs and the arrival of exceptional rookies of the year in Albert Pujols and Ichiro...

Baseball quick quiz.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Collect ten points for each question answered correctly. Answers on page 95. (If you score 80 or better, you are a baseball expert; 70 or better, superior; between 60 and 70, good, and between 40 and 60, average. 1. Ken Griffey, Jr. has...

Defense opened the doors: Ozzie Smith--Hall of Famer with a steady glove and a whole lot more.(baseball players)(Interview)
April 1, 2002... DEFENSE HAS LONG BEEN THE most neglected aspect of baseball. On occasion, the ignorant have even been known to refer to that vital part of the sport as "boring". Newly elected, first-ballot Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith changed that line of...

Baseball profile.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... FULL NAME: Jonathan Ray Lieber AGE, HT., WT.: 31, 6-3, 230 Born: April 2, 1970 HOME: Mobile, Alabama STATUS/FAMILY: Married with two children NICKNAME: Jon LIFE OUTSIDE BASEBALL: It's a lot of family time. I like to...

Baseball rules corner: here's a rundown on what's fair or foul in baseball.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... FROM THIS CORNER, THE MOST interesting play in last year's postseason took place in Game 3 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium where the Yankees hosted the Diamondbacks. With two out in the fourth, the Yanks had Shane Spencer on second...

Necrology: deaths of former major league players, managers, executives, scouts, umpires and writers (from January 27, 2001 through January 27, 2002).(Obituary)
April 1, 2002... Curt Blefary, 57, American League Rookie of the Year in 1965 when he played left field for the Baltimore Orioles, on January 28, 2001 of chronic pancreatitis and other related ailments at his home in Pompano Beach, Fla. He was a member of the...

Transactions: Major League deals, trades, free agent signings.
April 1, 2002... AMERICAN LEAGUE Anaheim Angels Traded first baseman Mo Vaughn to the Mets for pitcher Kevin Appier. Signed free-agent pitcher Dennis Cook of the Phillies to a one-year contract. Signed free-agent pitcher Aaron Sele of the...

American League Park Directory.
April 1, 2002... AMERICAN LEAGUE PARK DIRECTORY (All major league parks are natural grass except for Minnesota, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Philadelphia and Montreal) ANAHEIM ANGELS Edison International Field Anaheim, Calif. 92806 Telephone (714) 937-6700...

National League 2002 Home Schedules.
April 1, 2002... NATIONAL LEAGUE 2002 Home Schedules * Indicates day game, Boldface type indicates interleague game ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS APRIL 1 *, 2, 3 S.D. 15, 16, 17 * StL. 19, 20, 21 * Col. 30...

American League 2002 Home Schdules.
April 1, 2002... AMERICAN LEAGUE 2002 Home Schedules * Indicates day game, Boldface type indicates interleague game ANAHEIM ANGELS APRIL 1, 2, 3 Cle. 8, 9, 10, 11 Sea. 12, 13, 14 * Oak. 16,...

Loyalty from the stars.(baseball players)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... LOYALTY FROM THE STARS LAST SEASON TONY GWYNN BECAME THE 17TH PLAYER IN MAJOR LEAGUE HISTORY TO PLAY AT LEAST 20 years and spend his entire career with one club. Barry Larkin of the Reds is the leading active player who has spent his...

2002 Pre-Season Rosters--American League.
April 1, 2002... ANAHEIM ANGELS MANAGER: Mike Scioscia (14) COACHES: Mickey Hatcher (7), Bud Black (24), Bobby Ramos (13), Alfredo Griffin (4), Ron Roenicke (12), Joe Maddon (70) No. PITCHERS B T HT. WT. BORN 27 ...

2002 Pre-Season Rosters--National League.
April 1, 2002... ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS MANAGER: Bob Brenly (15) COACHES: Bob Melvin (3), Eddie Rodriguez (14), Robin Yount (19), Dwayne Murphy (21), Chuck Kniffin (50), Glenn Sherlock (53) No. PITCHERS B T HT. WT. BORN 34...