GaryMrMets
06-13-2005, 04:28 PM
Everyone's a contender in wild, wild NL East
By PAUL NEWBERRY
.c The Associated Press
ATLANTA (AP) - Ninety years ago, perhaps the greatest pennant race in baseball history played out in the long-forgotten Federal League.
The Chicago Whales, Pittsburgh Rebels and St. Louis Terriers all went to the final weekend of the 1915 season with a chance to win the championship. When the sun finally set - literally, forcing umpires to cut short the deciding game because of darkness - Chicago had beaten St. Louis by one-thousandth of a percentage point, with Pittsburgh only a half-game out.
The way things are going in the NL East, there could be a similarly thrilling chase to the wire involving three, four - oh, what the heck - maybe all five teams.
Washington was leading going into this second weekend of June, but the streaking Nationals could plunge all the way to the bottom in a matter of days. Florida was only 3 1/2 games out of first - in last place - entering the weekend.
In between, the Philadelphia Phillies, perennial division champion Atlanta Braves and New York Mets were all claiming contender status.
Can it stay this way all season?
``It's unusual, but why not?'' said Willie Randolph, the Mets' first-year manager. ``I don't think that you can look at any of these teams and say, 'Well, they're going to fall out.'''
Indeed, it's very unusual for more than two teams to contend for a division championship.
In 1982, the Braves won the NL West by one game over the Dodgers and two over San Francisco. Six years later, Boston edged Detroit by one game for the AL East championship, with Toronto and Milwaukee only two games back.
Those are the only times since 1969, when the leagues split into divisions, that more than one team has finished within two games of the winner in a full season.
The Braves rarely have been challenged in the East, winning 10 straight titles by an average margin of 10 1/2 games. But they're already girding themselves for a thrilling down-to-the-wire race.
``It's going to be a long season,'' catcher Eddie Perez said. ``This division has to be the toughest in baseball. All the teams are loaded. If there's any team people thought wasn't going to be good, it's Washington. Well, look at them. They're a very good team.''
Indeed, the team formerly known as the Montreal Expos is among the most surprising in baseball, entering the weekend with a seven-game winning streak and 10 victories in its last 11 games.
The relocated Nationals have turned the come-from-behind victory into a ho-hum occurrence. They trailed in 23 of their first 33 victories, including 10 in a row before leading the whole way to beat Oakland 4-3 Thursday.
Not bad for a team with a $48.5 million payroll, the lowest in the division and less than half the Mets' nearly $105 million.
``We're right there with them,'' general manager Jim Bowden said. ``We have some strengths that other teams don't have. We have some weaknesses. ... But when you look at the whole picture, our team can compete.''
Philadelphia, a major disappointment last season, surged into contention by winning 12 of 14 games. Clearly emboldened, the Phillies bolstered their bullpen by trading for Detroit closer Ugueth Urbina, who will serve as a setup man to Billy Wagner.
In a race as close as this one, the GMs figure to play a vital role. The team that does the best job of plugging its holes is likely to be the one that's on top at the end. As Bowden said, ``These teams are too evenly matched all the way through. They've all got pimples.''
The Braves - everybody's favorite until someone knocks them off - have plenty of blemishes, largely because of injuries and a major meltdown by new closer Dan Kolb.
Starting pitchers Mike Hampton and John Thomson are on the disabled list, as is the team's best hitter, Chipper Jones. Not surprisingly, the Braves were going through a miserable stretch, having lost four straight series and nine of 13 games.
Still, they were only 2 1/2 games behind the Nationals before a weekend series against Oakland.
``That's good for us, because right now we stink,'' outfielder Brian Jordan said. ``We're just trying to hold down the fort.''
Kolb had 39 saves for Milwaukee last season, but he's already lost the closer's job in Atlanta. The right-hander was 1-5 with a 7.36 ERA, having surrendered a staggering 28 hits and 20 walks in his first 22 innings.
The Braves have been using Chris Reitsma to finish games, but they're reticent about designating him as their new closer, an attempt to preserve Kolb's fragile confidence.
``We're going to need them both,'' manager Bobby Cox said.
As a last resort, the Braves could turn to a couple of pitchers they just selected in the amateur draft. Joey Devine of North Carolina State and Georgia's Will Startup were closers in college, and one of them might be in Atlanta come September.
The lineup, meanwhile, looks downright feeble without Jones, relying on as many as four rookies at a time.
Still, no one is counting out a team that has won 13 straight division titles (the first three in the NL West).
``They're going to be in it regardless of how many people get hurt,'' Florida pitcher Dontrelle Willis said. ``Bobby Cox is always going to have those guys ready to play.''
Atlanta second baseman Marcus Giles figures a tight race might actually benefit the Braves. After all, that streak of division titles includes only one World Series championship, and they haven't made it past the first round of the playoffs since 2001.
``Running away with it is the last thing we need to do. We've run away with it the last three years and haven't gone to the World Series yet,'' Giles said. ``I think we get a little too caught up in winning the division. We always want to pat ourselves on the back ... for winning 13 in a row. Let's see how many World Series we can win in a row, or even get to.''
The Mets' chances likely will hinge on their two major signees last winter: pitcher Pedro Martinez and outfielder Carlos Beltran.
Martinez has been a godsend for the Mets' rotation, going 7-1 with a 2.45 ERA. In his last start, he took a no-hitter to the seventh inning against Houston.
``He takes the city on his shoulders every time he goes out to pitch,'' teammate Doug Mientkiewicz said.
Florida was considered the most likely team to challenge the Braves' divisional dominance. The Marlins mimicked Atlanta by building a strong rotation, led by 10-game winner Willis, and they bolstered their lineup with the addition of slugger Carlos Delgado.
But the 2003 World Series champions have been burned by their bullpen. On Tuesday, they demoted relievers Nate Bump and Matt Perisho after a 1-6 road trip.
Even though the Marlins had lost 12 of 15 overall, they expect to be contending at the end. So does everyone else.
``It doesn't change your intensity or your approach or your preparation,'' Florida third baseman Mike Lowell said. ``But it does have you looking at the scoreboard a lot more often.''
AP Sports Writers Mike Fitzpatrick in New York, Tim Reynolds in Miami and Howard Fendrich in Washington contributed to this report.
06/10/05 16:38 EDT
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
By PAUL NEWBERRY
.c The Associated Press
ATLANTA (AP) - Ninety years ago, perhaps the greatest pennant race in baseball history played out in the long-forgotten Federal League.
The Chicago Whales, Pittsburgh Rebels and St. Louis Terriers all went to the final weekend of the 1915 season with a chance to win the championship. When the sun finally set - literally, forcing umpires to cut short the deciding game because of darkness - Chicago had beaten St. Louis by one-thousandth of a percentage point, with Pittsburgh only a half-game out.
The way things are going in the NL East, there could be a similarly thrilling chase to the wire involving three, four - oh, what the heck - maybe all five teams.
Washington was leading going into this second weekend of June, but the streaking Nationals could plunge all the way to the bottom in a matter of days. Florida was only 3 1/2 games out of first - in last place - entering the weekend.
In between, the Philadelphia Phillies, perennial division champion Atlanta Braves and New York Mets were all claiming contender status.
Can it stay this way all season?
``It's unusual, but why not?'' said Willie Randolph, the Mets' first-year manager. ``I don't think that you can look at any of these teams and say, 'Well, they're going to fall out.'''
Indeed, it's very unusual for more than two teams to contend for a division championship.
In 1982, the Braves won the NL West by one game over the Dodgers and two over San Francisco. Six years later, Boston edged Detroit by one game for the AL East championship, with Toronto and Milwaukee only two games back.
Those are the only times since 1969, when the leagues split into divisions, that more than one team has finished within two games of the winner in a full season.
The Braves rarely have been challenged in the East, winning 10 straight titles by an average margin of 10 1/2 games. But they're already girding themselves for a thrilling down-to-the-wire race.
``It's going to be a long season,'' catcher Eddie Perez said. ``This division has to be the toughest in baseball. All the teams are loaded. If there's any team people thought wasn't going to be good, it's Washington. Well, look at them. They're a very good team.''
Indeed, the team formerly known as the Montreal Expos is among the most surprising in baseball, entering the weekend with a seven-game winning streak and 10 victories in its last 11 games.
The relocated Nationals have turned the come-from-behind victory into a ho-hum occurrence. They trailed in 23 of their first 33 victories, including 10 in a row before leading the whole way to beat Oakland 4-3 Thursday.
Not bad for a team with a $48.5 million payroll, the lowest in the division and less than half the Mets' nearly $105 million.
``We're right there with them,'' general manager Jim Bowden said. ``We have some strengths that other teams don't have. We have some weaknesses. ... But when you look at the whole picture, our team can compete.''
Philadelphia, a major disappointment last season, surged into contention by winning 12 of 14 games. Clearly emboldened, the Phillies bolstered their bullpen by trading for Detroit closer Ugueth Urbina, who will serve as a setup man to Billy Wagner.
In a race as close as this one, the GMs figure to play a vital role. The team that does the best job of plugging its holes is likely to be the one that's on top at the end. As Bowden said, ``These teams are too evenly matched all the way through. They've all got pimples.''
The Braves - everybody's favorite until someone knocks them off - have plenty of blemishes, largely because of injuries and a major meltdown by new closer Dan Kolb.
Starting pitchers Mike Hampton and John Thomson are on the disabled list, as is the team's best hitter, Chipper Jones. Not surprisingly, the Braves were going through a miserable stretch, having lost four straight series and nine of 13 games.
Still, they were only 2 1/2 games behind the Nationals before a weekend series against Oakland.
``That's good for us, because right now we stink,'' outfielder Brian Jordan said. ``We're just trying to hold down the fort.''
Kolb had 39 saves for Milwaukee last season, but he's already lost the closer's job in Atlanta. The right-hander was 1-5 with a 7.36 ERA, having surrendered a staggering 28 hits and 20 walks in his first 22 innings.
The Braves have been using Chris Reitsma to finish games, but they're reticent about designating him as their new closer, an attempt to preserve Kolb's fragile confidence.
``We're going to need them both,'' manager Bobby Cox said.
As a last resort, the Braves could turn to a couple of pitchers they just selected in the amateur draft. Joey Devine of North Carolina State and Georgia's Will Startup were closers in college, and one of them might be in Atlanta come September.
The lineup, meanwhile, looks downright feeble without Jones, relying on as many as four rookies at a time.
Still, no one is counting out a team that has won 13 straight division titles (the first three in the NL West).
``They're going to be in it regardless of how many people get hurt,'' Florida pitcher Dontrelle Willis said. ``Bobby Cox is always going to have those guys ready to play.''
Atlanta second baseman Marcus Giles figures a tight race might actually benefit the Braves. After all, that streak of division titles includes only one World Series championship, and they haven't made it past the first round of the playoffs since 2001.
``Running away with it is the last thing we need to do. We've run away with it the last three years and haven't gone to the World Series yet,'' Giles said. ``I think we get a little too caught up in winning the division. We always want to pat ourselves on the back ... for winning 13 in a row. Let's see how many World Series we can win in a row, or even get to.''
The Mets' chances likely will hinge on their two major signees last winter: pitcher Pedro Martinez and outfielder Carlos Beltran.
Martinez has been a godsend for the Mets' rotation, going 7-1 with a 2.45 ERA. In his last start, he took a no-hitter to the seventh inning against Houston.
``He takes the city on his shoulders every time he goes out to pitch,'' teammate Doug Mientkiewicz said.
Florida was considered the most likely team to challenge the Braves' divisional dominance. The Marlins mimicked Atlanta by building a strong rotation, led by 10-game winner Willis, and they bolstered their lineup with the addition of slugger Carlos Delgado.
But the 2003 World Series champions have been burned by their bullpen. On Tuesday, they demoted relievers Nate Bump and Matt Perisho after a 1-6 road trip.
Even though the Marlins had lost 12 of 15 overall, they expect to be contending at the end. So does everyone else.
``It doesn't change your intensity or your approach or your preparation,'' Florida third baseman Mike Lowell said. ``But it does have you looking at the scoreboard a lot more often.''
AP Sports Writers Mike Fitzpatrick in New York, Tim Reynolds in Miami and Howard Fendrich in Washington contributed to this report.
06/10/05 16:38 EDT
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.