Baseball Digest articles from September 2002

Baseball Digest archives from September 2002

The fans speak out. (Letters To The Editor).(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2002... Has there ever been a major leaguer who played all nine positions during a nine-inning game? If so, who did it and when? Steve Mastro Orlando, Fla, Through the 2001 season, there have been four major leaguers who played all nine...

Long hitting streaks still a big challenge in the major leagues. (Warm Up Tosses).(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2002... WHEN LUIS CASTILLO OF THE MARLINS RAN HIS HITTING STREAK TO 31 consecutive games last June 16, he followed a formula that s generally considered integral to such a consistent accomplishment in major league competition. He singled in his...

Boston's Derek Lowe driven to gain success; Red Sox right-hander returned to form by leaving the bullpen and becoming one of the A.L.'s top starters. (Cover Story).(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2002... LAST SEASON DEREK LOWE, FAILED closer of the Boston Red Sox, couldn't walk to the bullpen without hearing the boos. He couldn't enjoy an evening out without getting an earful from fans who were not shy about being up close and personal. ...

Team chemistry: not always a necessary ingredient for winning club; many big league teams have succeeded in capturing championships despite fights, feuds and persistent dislike among teammates.
September 1, 2002... NO DOUBT IT'S AN OVERSIGHT, but if you check Bartlett's Familiar Quotations for the wit and wisdom of Bill North you're sure to be disappointed. Nowhere to be found is North's incisive dismissal of the significance of "team chemistry,"...

Oakland A's young star Eric Chavez now in charge: winning a Gold Glove and hitting 32 homers last season were a big boost for young third baseman.(Interview)(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2002... HIS MOTHER CAN TELL THE difference. She watched her son in Anaheim last April, and she saw more than his two home runs. She saw peace and confidence, Eric back to normal, smitten with baseball all over again. "He looked relaxed," said his...

Hurlers are spending more time on the DL, but many come back stronger: medical advances have allowed moundsmen to return from serious arm injuries that were once deemed career-ending. (The Pitching Wounded).
September 1, 2002... MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL'S MEDical recovery rooms are overcrowded with broken-down pitchers. Major league fans are familiar with the epidemic. Starting pitchers Pete Harnisch and Scott Elarton, Rockies; Joe Mays, Twins; Tom Gordon, Cubs;...

Stranded at gates of Hall: some players hurt their chances for enshrinement by staying too long.(Baseball Hall of Fame)(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2002... THE GREAT JOSE CANSECO WAS down to this: trying out for, and getting cut by, major league teams. Did he then leave gracefully? No. He played in the minors, hitting .172 for Charlotte, the White Sox Class AAA team, desperate for a few more major...

Who belongs in the Hall of Fame?
September 1, 2002... List ten players you would vote for election to the Hall of Fame. You may include players not listed in the chart. Entries without the voter's name will not be counted. Only one entry per reader. To be eligible to receive votes, players...

Brian Giles: Pittsburgh Pirates. (Baseball Profile).(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... FULL NAME: Brian Stephen Giles AGE, HT., WT.: 31, 5-10, 202 Born: January 20, 1971 HOME: San Diego, California STATUS/FAMILY: Married with two children Nickname: B.G. LIFE OUTSIDE BASEBALL: Pretty basic, I like to...

An eye on the ball: Tony Gwynn never lost focus on value of self-study; eight-time National League batting champ strived for perfection at the plate.(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2002... HIS VISION WAS EXTRAORDINARY in the beginning, testing out in spring training every year at 20-10. But then it was 20-15, a decrease alarming enough to Tony Gwynn that he laughingly admits to cheating on eye exams by memorizing the bottom line...

Baseball quick quiz.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... Collect ten points for each question answered correctly. Answers on page 87. (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. Albert Belle is...

During a game, first base is social hub for major leaguers. (Greetings on the Field).(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2002... EARLY LAST SEASON, ICHIRO Suzuki singled and cruised into first base, a location he would frequent throughout the summer. Standing beside him during the next at-bat was Kansas City Royals first baseman Mike Sweeney, who doesn't speak...

The hidden profit behind a deal; the Cubs' trade of Rafael Palmeiro to Texas in 1988 remains unpopular with Chicago fans, but it led to the acquiring of Sammy Sosa.(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2002... IN ONE SENSE, THIS ISN'T THAT unusual of a Chicago story. The successful, young professional moved here in his early 20s. He and his wife rented a place on the North Side and fell in love with the charm of the old ballpark there. They even...

Where have you gone, Carlos May? Former All-Star for the White Sox recalls his career in the majors.(Interview)(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2002... FORMER WHITE SOX SLUGGER CARLOS MAY IS remembered and revered by die-hard White Sox fans as one of the club's standouts during the feel-good, red-pinstriped era of the early 1970s. Along with big boppers Bill Melton and Dick Allen, May...

Free swingers: hitters such as Vladimir Guerrero and Nomar Garciaparra concentrate on putting ball into play.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... SPIDERMAN OPENED THIS YEAR with Tobey Maguire in the starring role. Some baseball people wondered whether the assignment shouldn't have gone to Vladimir Guerrero instead. Guerrero, the Montreal Expos slugger, has some of the longest arms...

Pitch counts changing the development stages of starters. (Current Strategy).(baseball ptiching)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... ADMITTEDLY, THE GAME HAS changed. What happens today cannot be compared to the past. One of the new-fangled inventions that seems to have escaped popular notice is the pitch count. It isn't unusual for a manager to tell his starting pitcher,...

Former Cleveland Indians' slugger Andre Thornton: ex-Tribe star overcame personal tragedy to put together a productive 14-year career in majors. (Where Are They Now?).(Interview)(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2002... WITH NEARLY A DECADE OF consistent success since 1994, it's easy to forget the dark decades of Cleveland Indians baseball. The team never finished above third place from 1960 to 1993. Pennant races--and even the first division--were foreign...

Baseball rules corner: advancing runner should be wary when "ball four" is called.(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2002... IN THE YANKEES-MARINERS GAME AT Safeco Field last April 28, the Mariners' Luis Ugeto, on first base, was stealing on a 3-1 pitch to Mark McLemore. The pitch was called "ball four" entitling Ugeto to second base, but the Seattle base runner...

Players who won league batting or pitching titles with different teams: (since 1900). (Baseball Statistics).(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
September 1, 2002... Players Who Won League Batting or Pitching Titles with Different Teams (Since 1900) BATTING STATS BATTING AVERAGE Player Team Year BA Nap Lajoie Phi. A's 1901...