Major League Club Scouting Reports on Top Prospects for 2001.(baseball)

High expectations follow minor league star pitchers Jon Rauch of the White Sox and Ryan Anderson of the Mariners

WITHOUT BEATING AROUND THE bush--or the bush leagues --the long and the short of it is that 2001 should be a prosperous year for rookies judging by the wealth of young talent coming off outstanding minor league showings last season.

Putting it another way, the "long" might be comprised of two exceptionally talented pitching prospects both of whom considered at least a smidgen taller than 6-10 Randy Johnson, the Arizona Diamondbacks' reigning strikeout king and National League Cy Young Award winner of 2000.

The rookie twin towers, both about 6-11, are right-hander Jon Rauch of the Chicago White Sox and lefty Ryan Anderson of the Seattle Mariners.

Rauch won recognition in several quarters as minor league player/pitcher of the year for 2000. Anderson has been called Seattle's new "Space Needle" for his slender build as well hailed as the second coming of the "Big Unit", the tag pinned on Johnson when he was with the Mariners.

As for the "short", there's Stubby Clapp, the 5-8 rookie who made a huge impression as a "gamer" in the St. Louis Cardinals' farm system and appears ready to put up a sizable bid for a job on the big league club this spring.

Height or lack of it aside, Rauch, Anderson and Clapp are among the credible candidates for the 2001 rookie of the year awards in each league. (Just in case someone is tempted to discount Clapp's chance because he's stubby, it should be noted that Albie Pearson, American League Rookie of the Year in 1958, was much shorter at 5-5).