Baseball Digest articles from May 2002

Baseball Digest archives from May 2002

The fans speak out. (Letters To The Editor).
May 1, 2002... I'm so sick of reading about A-Rod and Derek Jeter being the best shortstops. How many Gold Gloves have they won? They might be stronger offensively, but Omar Vizquel is better defensively. Omar might not put the ball out of the park like...

Crucial questions face many contenders as 2002 season unfolds. (Warm Up Tosses).
May 1, 2002... A CLASSIC BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO TAKEN BEFORE THE START OF THE 1949 season depicted the inimitable Casey Stengel looking wide-eyed upon a back-lighted baseball as though he were gazing at a crystal ball. The photo caption suggested Stengel...

Back on track: Cardinals' Matt Morris focuses on health, endurance and winning.(St. Louis Cardinals)(Statistical Data Included)
May 1, 2002... BY PURCHASING AN OFF-SEAson home near Jupiter, Florida three years ago, Matt Morris made clear the depth of his career commitment. What better spot to recuperate from a major elbow surgery than in the town that includes the Cardinals'...

Punch and Judy: many major league hitters are successful without possessing home run power.
May 1, 2002... THE WIT AND WISDOM OF YOGI Berra and Casey Stengel are justly celebrated and incessantly recited, but no baseball quote is more succinct and to the point than five little words strung together by a master hitter not otherwise eminent for...

Jeff Cirillo makes himself at home with Mariners: third baseman looks to blend in with Seattle's championship caliber team and help it return to post-season play.
May 1, 2002... WHEN JEFF CIRILLO'S IN-LAWS visited the third baseman in Colorado last year, the Seattle-area residents would follow their beloved Mariners on the Internet. On the rare occasions Seattle lost, Cirillo would listen incredulously as his wife's...

Baseball profile.(Ivan Rodriguez)(Brief Article)(Interview)
May 1, 2002... FULL NAME: Ivan Rodriguez AGE, HT., WT.: 30, 5-9, 205 Born: November 30, 1971 HOME: Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico STATUS/FAMILY: Married with three children NICKNAME: Pudge LIFE OUTSIDE BASEBALL: I like to spend time with...

'82 Brew crew remembered: former players recall their march to glory in winning A.L. pennant in Milwaukee 20 years ago.
May 1, 2002... IT'S FUNNY THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE remember. Twenty years later "Stormin" Gorman Thomas recalls the ketchup bottle in the briefcase. "Mike Caldwell would have a $400 valise and the only things he'd have in it were a newspaper and a 32-ounce...

A wiser Wood: Cubs' right-hander prepares himself for a successful season: young hurler continues to learn the art of pitching and hopes to rely more on his teammates and less on strikeouts.(Kerry Wood; Chicago Cubs)(Brief Article)(Interview)
May 1, 2002... KERRY WOOD IS TRYING TO change his image as a pitcher with more fire than flair. The immature days of "Kid K" are behind him, his flaming flirtation with striking out the world just a memory of his more zestful youth. He has grown up...

Baseball Quick Quiz.(Brief Article)
May 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. Going into the 2002...

Where did save rule come from? Baseball historian recalls how he helped develop statistic that measures reliever's effectiveness.
May 1, 2002... I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT BY CREATING the pitching save, which I did 42 years ago, I have helped relief pitchers earn hundreds of millions of dollars. But I don't want anyone feeling sorry for me. I made some money, too. When I presented...

Baseball notes ...
May 1, 2002... * With his 73 homers for the Giants, Barry Bonds set not only a major league record, but also a professional mark. Bonds eclipsed the record established by Joe Bauman, who hit 72 for Roswell of the Class C Longhorn League in 1954. Almost...

Batters who have hit home runs in eight straight games. (Research List).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 1, 2002... THREE PLAYERS HAVE HIT AT LEAST ONF HOME RUN IN EIGHT CONSECUTIVE GAMES IN THE major leagues. Pittsburgh Pirate Dale Long was the first to do it in 1956. Don Mattingly tied the mark in 1987 with the New York Yankees and Ken Griffey, Jr....

Major league baseball's underrated players of 2001 season.
May 1, 2002... AT THE END OF EACH SEASON, A number of players who have performed well receive little recognition. There are several reasons why this happens year after year. A talented player is often overshadowed by a future Hall of Famer on his own...

Hank Aaron: he is best remembered for his home run record, but consistency and all-around play made him one of the game's greatest stars.
May 1, 2002... HE BEGAN AS A WIRY SECOND baseman with a cross-handed batting style. He finished as the most prolific home run hitter in baseball history. Although Henry Louis Aaron lacked the flair of Willie Mays, the muscle of Mickey Mantle, or the...

Catch him if you can: will Hank Aaron's home run record ever be surpassed?(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... ONLY A FEW DARE DREAM OF SURPASSING HANK AARON'S CAREER HOME RUN RECORD. THE LEADING candidates are Barry Bonds and Ken Griffey. But time is already working against any heir apparent. The pressures that face modern-day challengers are in...

1949: when Don Zimmer broke into pro baseball. (Turn Back The Clock).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... BALLPLAYERS ARE OFTEN ASKED about their biggest thrill in baseball, their first or last major league at-bat or pitching start. An equally interesting but seldom reported story is the adventure of breaking into professional baseball in the...

Baseball rules corner: here's a quiz to test your knowledge of the rulebook.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... IT'S TIME TO TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE of the baseball rulebook as the 2002 season gets under way. Following is a list of 10 True or False questions. If you get all 10 correct, call Bud Selig as soon as possible. You might have big league talent. ...

2002 Pre-Season Rosters American League.
May 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.
May 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. ...