NATIONAL LEAGUE.(brief notes on baseball teams and tournaments)

Arizona

GIVE ME THE BALL: New manager Bob Brenly told ace LHP Randy Johnson he intends to limit Johnson's pitch count, especially early in the season. Johnson has thrown more pitches than anyone in baseball for two years running. Brenly thinks taking Johnson out of games with a comfortable lead after six or seven innings will keep him fresher late in the season. How that plays out might be interesting. Johnson is fiercely competitive and loathe to give up the ball. The workload of 1999 didn't seem to bother him last season--at least early in the year. There should be some interesting conversations on the mound.... Erubiel Durazo, playing in the Mexican Pacific League, seems to be recovering nicely from his right wrist problems. Durazo was hitting the ball well, but he had yet to play a game in the outfield. Because the team signed Mark Grace to play first base, it wants Durazo to give the outfield a try.

STARTING PITCHERS ANALYSIS: The rotation should rank among the most formidable in baseball. Johnson has won two straight Cy Young Awards, and RHP Curt Schilling would be the No. 1 starter almost anywhere else. LHP Brian Anderson is solid, and RHP Armando Reynoso is a savvy veteran. The only weak link is RHP Todd Stottlemyre. Injuries kept him out of the lineup for much of the past two seasons. The team's depth ends with Stottlemyre. --Ed Price

Atlanta

STILL TINKERING: The team has holes in the bullpen and on the bench. Relief is of particular concern because of the loss of LHP Terry Mulholland and the uncertain status of RHPs Scott Kamieniecki and Kevin McGlinchy. The nucleus of a solid bullpen is present in LHP Mike Remlinger, RHP Kerry Ligtenberg and LHP John Rocker, but there's little behind the trio. The dub hopes LHP Odalis Perez, 22, will play a role, but his future remains clouded.... Though the team discussed moving 3B Chipper Jones to the outfield, it seems likely it will have the same lineup as it ended with last season. But unless OF Bobby Bonilla and 1B Wally Joyner are signed, the bench will have a vastly different look. Dave Martinez is an excellent addition but has done little pinch hitting. Keith Lockhart was 1-for-25 as a pinch hitter last season, and no other returning player had more than two pinch hits.

STARTING PITCHERS ANALYSIS: How much did the team miss RHP John Smoltz last season? LHP Tom Glavine and RHP Grog Maddux combined for 40 wins. The remaining starters combined to win 36 games. The importance of Smoltz's return can't be overemphasized. RHP Kevin Millwood's comeback from a mediocre season (10-13) is equally important. RHP John Burkett was a big surprise, winning nine games as fifth starter, and he'll be relied upon to produce the same again. --Bill Zack

Chicago