Baseball Digest articles from February 2004

Baseball Digest archives from February 2004

From the publisher.(Editorial)
February 1, 2004... Dear Readers: DUE TO ADVERSE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN THE magazine industry, BASEBALL DIGEST regretfully announces that it will reduce its 12-month-a-year frequency of publication which has remained the same since 1969. The reduction...

Letters to the editor.(The fans speak out)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2004... It was rather amusing and, of course, the politically correct thing to do for Commissioner Bud Selig, former Cubs pitcher Rick Sutcliffe and others to come to the rescue of Steve Bartman, the fan at Wrigley Field who single-handedly jinxed the...

With 3,319 career hits, Paul Molitor merits Hall of Fame status.(Warm Up Tosses)
February 1, 2004... SHORTLY AFTER BEING NAMED BATTING COACH FOR THE SEATTLE MARINERS following the 2003 season, Paul Molitor was looking back on his major league career as an active player. "If I had to pick one, highlight year, it probably would be 1993, my...

Eric Gagne's perfect season: since late August 2002, right-handed relief specialist has recorded 63 consecutive saves and last season, the Dodgers' closer converted all 55 of his save opportunities.(Los Angeles Dodgers)(Cover Story)
February 1, 2004... ERIC GAGNE DOESN'T FEEL PERFECT. He hung a few up. He overthrew a few fastballs. He can remember a curveball or two that slipped from his hand. "If you don't give up any runs, any hits, any walks, any base runners at all, and if you throw...

Reviving the past: Josh Beckett's World Series performance could have an effect on the three day's of rest theory for starting pitchers.(Florida Marlins)
February 1, 2004... Amazing! Extraordinary! Unbelievable! Remarkable! Wondrous! Phenomenal! Incredible! Heroic! The preceding burst of exclamations is a mere sampling af the terms of awe applied--or implied--by overwrought sports writers to Florida Marlins...

Record holder: Barry Bonds equals another National League high mark: giants slugger reached base safely in 58 consecutive games in 2003, tying the National League's top performance in that category set by Hall of Famer Duke Snider in 1954.
February 1, 2004... Barry Bonds holds numerous National League records, some of which are also major league marks. For example, he possesses the N.L./M.L. records for most homers, season, 73 (in 2001), and highest slugging average, season, .863 (2001). Among...

National League 2003 Batting Champion Albert Pujols: Cardinals slugger has performed at a high level of consistency in his first three major league seasons.
February 1, 2004... FORTY-SIX YEARS IN THE ST. LOUIS organization have given Mike Shannon a deep and lasting Cardinals perspective. He began playing for the team in 1962, when Stan Musial was winding down his glorious career and Bob Gibson was becoming an All-Star...

Second baseman Mark Loretta finds a home in San Diego: former utility player hit .314 with 13 homers and 72 RBI as a starter for Padres in '03.(Not Flashy Just Dependable)
February 1, 2004... WITH THE MODERN EMPHASIS on home runs and swinging for the fences, it's easy to overlook the other aspects of baseball. Consistently doing the so-called "little" things such as advancing runners, getting on base for run producers, and...

Baseball quick quiz.
February 1, 2004... Collect ten points for each question answered correctly. Answers on page 90 (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. Who is the...

Former reliever Gene Garber recalls 19-year career and his role in baseball history.(Where Are They Now?)(Atlanta Braves pitcher)
February 1, 2004... "IT WAS THE MOST NERVOUS I EVER WAS IN MY WHOLE LIFE about throwing strikes," Gene Garber recalled vividly more than 25 years later. "I was in plenty of pressure situations during my career, extra-inning games, late-inning tie games where a...

Baseball profile: Carl Everett--Outfielder.(Montreal Expos )
February 1, 2004... FULL NAME: Carl Edward Everett AGE, HT., WT.: 32, 6-0, 215 Born: June 3, 1971 in Tampa, Florida HOME: Bradenton, Florida STATUS/FAMILY: Married with five children NICKNAME: Big Dog or "E" LIFE OUTSIDE BASEBALL: I'm a...

Jim Northrup recalls his playing days with Tigers.(Turn Back The Clock)(Detroit Tigers)
February 1, 2004... JAMES THOMAS "JIM" NORTHRUP, who came from a small town in his home state of Michigan and went on to fashion a first-rate major league career, was one of many heroes for the Detroit Tigers when the Motor City ballclub won the 1968 World Series...

Baseball rules corner: spectator interference calls liable to create controversy.
February 1, 2004... WITH THE CHICAGO CUBS FIVE OUTS away from advancing to the World Series for the first time since 1945, a Cubs fan (Steve Bartman) tried to grab a foul ball at Wrigley Fieid preventing Cubs' outfielder Moises Alou from catching it. The...

Rookie of the year.(2003 Major League Award Voting)(Illustration)
February 1, 2004... AMERICAN LEAGUE Player, Team Pos. 1 2 3 Tot. Angel Berroa, Royals SS 12 7 7 88 Hideki Matsui, Yankees LF 10 9 7 84 Rocco Baldelli, Devil Rays CF 5 5 11 ...

Cy Young.(2003 Major League Award Voting)(Illustration)
February 1, 2004... Roy Halladay, Tor. Blue Jays Eric Gagne, LA Dodgers AMERICAN LEAGUE Pitcher, Team T 1 2 3 Tot. Roy Halladay, Blue Jays R 26 2 -- 136 Esteban Loaiza, White Sox R 2 16 5 63...

American League Most Valuable Player.(2003 Major League Award Voting)(Illustration)
February 1, 2004... Most Valuable Player Alex Rodriguez, Rangers Player, Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 Alex Rodriguez, Rangers 6 5 6 6 2 1 Carlos Delgado, Blue Jays 5 8 3 1 1...

National League Most Valuable Player.(2003 Major League Award Voting)(Illustration)
February 1, 2004... Most Valuable Player Barry Bonds, Giants Player, Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 Barry Bonds, Giants 28 2 2 -- -- -- Albert Pujols, Cardinals 3 29 -- -- -- -- Gary...

2003 Defensive stats for each position.(Illustration)
February 1, 2004... National League 2003 Gold Glove Winners 1B Derrek Lee, Marlins 2B Luis Castillo, Marlins 3B Scott Rolen, Cardinals SS Edgar Renteria, Cardinals OF Jim Edmonds, Cardinals OF Andruw Jones, Braves OF Jose Cruz, Jr.,...