Home | Business News | Browse by Publication | T | The Sporting News

N.L. reports.

Article Excerpt
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS One of the club's biggest questions is who will hit leadoff. Manager Bob Brenly is leaning toward CF Steve Finley, who filled that role late last season by default. The other possibilities are 2B Roberto Alomar and SS Alex Cintron. Alomar, though, seems to be a good No. 2 hitter because he is able to bunt and hit behind runners, and Brenly liked Cintron in the middle of the order last year. INFIELD ANALYSIS: It has been completely turned over since opening day 2003, and it figures to at least be better offensively. Its defense is just average, however. Richie Sexson provides needed power at first base and is underrated with his glove. Alomar doesn't have the range he once did, but he still is solid. He says he has rededicated himself to conditioning after two subpar seasons. Cintron doesn't have great range at short but showed his prowess with the bat last season. 3B Shea Hillenbrund is a work in progress on defense but should provide a solid bat in the middle of the order.--Rich Draper

ATLANTA BRAVES RF J.D. Drew, who was limited to 100 games last season with St. Louis after undergoing knee surgery, says his knee is nearly back to full strength. He began swinging a bat in mid-January but wont do any serious running until just before spring training. The club has lost Gary Sheffield and law Lopez, so it needs Drew to be healthy. INFIELD ANALYSIS: It's easy to assume the infield will struggle; SS Rafael Furcal made 31 errors last season, and the first and third basemen will be big-league regulars for the first time. But Furcal's defense should be vastly improved, and it wouldn't be surprising if 3B Mark DeRosa and 1B Adam LaRoche prove their doubters wrong. Furcal's error total was alarming, but there's no doubting his range and arm strength. DeRosa's athletic ability should allow him to make a smooth transition from the middle of the infield. Scouts who have seen LaRoche play rave about his bat and glove. Marcus Giles proved last year that he is one of the game's best second basemen.--Mark Bowman

CHICAGO CUBS RHP Kerry Wood doesn't like to run, so he has incorporated riding a mountain bike into his workouts. Wood, who began throwing earlier this month, says he rides around the Phoenix area.... If RHP Ryan Demspter pitches this year, it will be a bonus. The club signed him to a two-year contract last week with an eye toward the future. It believes Dempster, who had elbow ligament replacement surgery last August, could help in 2005. INFIELD ANALYSIS: Gold Glove 1B Derrek Lee should help 3B Aramis Ramirez, who will be a spring training project for coaches Sonny Jackson and Wendell Kim. Ramirez made 33...