Baseball Guru
03-19-2002, 11:20 PM
By Bruce Miles Daily Herald Sports Writer
Posted on March 18, 2002
MESA, Ariz. - Back in 1997, the Cubs had a pair of excellent pinch hitters in Dave Clark and Dave Hansen.
The Cubs need bench help this year, and one player gaining attention is nonroster man Angel Echevarria.
The 30-year-old Echevarria signed with the Cubs in December after he spent 2001 in Milwaukee. Echevarria came up in 1996 with Colorado, managed at the time by current Cubs boss Don Baylor.
As a pinch hitter, Echevarria has a lifetime average of .245 with 5 homers and 28 RBI.
"I've been in that role since I came up," he said Sunday. "So I have a routine that I keep with and I do daily, which keeps me focused and ready for the games. It's both mental and physical. You look at the other team. You see what kind relievers are in town. You have a better idea. During the fifth inning, I start my stretching.
"I think the mental aspect of it is what you really have to tackle."
Echevarria is batting .303 (10-for-33) with 3 homers and 9 RBI this spring. Saturday, he homered over the hitting background in center field against the Angels in Tempe. He can play first base and the outfield, and with the Cubs needing a backup first baseman, that may help him stick.
"He has experience coming off the bench," Baylor said. "He knows how to do it. He can play left, right, pinch hit and play first base. He's worked real hard."
Stuck in the middle: The Cubs figure to have a pretty good starting rotation. Jeff Fassero and Kyle Farnsworth should be fine as setup men/co-closers.
It's bridging the gap between the starters and the closers that has the Cubs concerned right now. With Julian Tavarez back in the rotation, the Cubs either have to make a trade or hope pitchers such as Jesus Sanchez, Donovan Osborne, Courtney Duncan, Scott Chiasson and Carlos Zambrano come through.
"I noticed on our club that bridge we're going to cross over into the eighth and ninth we have to shore up with either our guys here or somewhere else," Don Baylor said. "We have to be solid there.
"The first part of the year you're always looking for guys to get you there. It's early in the season. Guys (starters) are not going to go into the seventh, eighth inning. So you're going to need that middle group.
"Really, I'd like to keep Farns in that role he was so successful in last year. Hopefully that happens with Fassero and Farnsworth. They may switch off and not really get too far out of their roles."
If help comes from outside, it probably won't be there until the final week of spring training.
"We have people down in Florida, our scouts looking at different things," Baylor said. "This week will be an interesting week. The following week there will probably be more names out there."
Bere opens at home: The Cubs will open the season in Cincinnati with a rotation of Jon Lieber, Kerry Wood and Juan Cruz.
Don Baylor will save veteran Jason Bere for the home opener, April 5 against Pittsburgh. Julian Tavarez will go the next day, with Baylor not planning to skip his No. 5 starter, even with an off-day in Cincinnati.
It was vintage Lieber in Sunday's 3-0 victory over the White Sox. He worked 6 scoreless inning, giving up 1 hit.
"Plus he wanted to go another inning," Baylor said. "What's new?"
This and that: Second baseman Delino DeShields returned to the lineup after battling soreness in his right groin. He underwent hernia surgery before last season, while with Baltimore, and this latest injury may have been related. ... Shortstop Alex Gonzalez (groin) ran Sunday and says he might be ready to go Tuesday or Wednesday. ... Outfielder Roosevelt Brown (thumb) may be back today. Left-handed reliever Mark Watson has pitched scoreless ball in 8ยบ innings. ... Sunday's attendance of 12,632 at HoHoKam Park was a sellout.
Posted on March 18, 2002
MESA, Ariz. - Back in 1997, the Cubs had a pair of excellent pinch hitters in Dave Clark and Dave Hansen.
The Cubs need bench help this year, and one player gaining attention is nonroster man Angel Echevarria.
The 30-year-old Echevarria signed with the Cubs in December after he spent 2001 in Milwaukee. Echevarria came up in 1996 with Colorado, managed at the time by current Cubs boss Don Baylor.
As a pinch hitter, Echevarria has a lifetime average of .245 with 5 homers and 28 RBI.
"I've been in that role since I came up," he said Sunday. "So I have a routine that I keep with and I do daily, which keeps me focused and ready for the games. It's both mental and physical. You look at the other team. You see what kind relievers are in town. You have a better idea. During the fifth inning, I start my stretching.
"I think the mental aspect of it is what you really have to tackle."
Echevarria is batting .303 (10-for-33) with 3 homers and 9 RBI this spring. Saturday, he homered over the hitting background in center field against the Angels in Tempe. He can play first base and the outfield, and with the Cubs needing a backup first baseman, that may help him stick.
"He has experience coming off the bench," Baylor said. "He knows how to do it. He can play left, right, pinch hit and play first base. He's worked real hard."
Stuck in the middle: The Cubs figure to have a pretty good starting rotation. Jeff Fassero and Kyle Farnsworth should be fine as setup men/co-closers.
It's bridging the gap between the starters and the closers that has the Cubs concerned right now. With Julian Tavarez back in the rotation, the Cubs either have to make a trade or hope pitchers such as Jesus Sanchez, Donovan Osborne, Courtney Duncan, Scott Chiasson and Carlos Zambrano come through.
"I noticed on our club that bridge we're going to cross over into the eighth and ninth we have to shore up with either our guys here or somewhere else," Don Baylor said. "We have to be solid there.
"The first part of the year you're always looking for guys to get you there. It's early in the season. Guys (starters) are not going to go into the seventh, eighth inning. So you're going to need that middle group.
"Really, I'd like to keep Farns in that role he was so successful in last year. Hopefully that happens with Fassero and Farnsworth. They may switch off and not really get too far out of their roles."
If help comes from outside, it probably won't be there until the final week of spring training.
"We have people down in Florida, our scouts looking at different things," Baylor said. "This week will be an interesting week. The following week there will probably be more names out there."
Bere opens at home: The Cubs will open the season in Cincinnati with a rotation of Jon Lieber, Kerry Wood and Juan Cruz.
Don Baylor will save veteran Jason Bere for the home opener, April 5 against Pittsburgh. Julian Tavarez will go the next day, with Baylor not planning to skip his No. 5 starter, even with an off-day in Cincinnati.
It was vintage Lieber in Sunday's 3-0 victory over the White Sox. He worked 6 scoreless inning, giving up 1 hit.
"Plus he wanted to go another inning," Baylor said. "What's new?"
This and that: Second baseman Delino DeShields returned to the lineup after battling soreness in his right groin. He underwent hernia surgery before last season, while with Baltimore, and this latest injury may have been related. ... Shortstop Alex Gonzalez (groin) ran Sunday and says he might be ready to go Tuesday or Wednesday. ... Outfielder Roosevelt Brown (thumb) may be back today. Left-handed reliever Mark Watson has pitched scoreless ball in 8ยบ innings. ... Sunday's attendance of 12,632 at HoHoKam Park was a sellout.