By Times Staff and Wire Reports
Published March 12, 2004
CLEARWATER - Brett Myers is a bit of a rare breed. Although not fighting for a job, the Phillies' fifth starter takes spring training statistics very seriously.
Thursday, after allowing two runs and four hits over three innings in a split-squad game against Pittsburgh, Myers was fuming.
"I'm mad," the right-hander, 23, said. "I gave up two runs. That's not a lot, but I'm mad because I could have not given up any.
"How can you get your butt whipped and not care? You're not a man if you say that."
Still, Myers knows a bad Grapefruit League doesn't mean much.
Last spring he was 2-3 with a 6.75 ERA, allowing 18 runs in 24 innings. When the regular season started, Myers began utilizing the talent that made him one of baseball's top prospects and went 14-9 with a 4.43 ERA in 32 starts.
PHILLERS: Third baseman David Bell is day to day with a sore right shoulder. ... Closer Billy Wagner, rebounding from a finger injury, will pitch to batters for the first time today and hopes to pitch an inning Monday against the Yankees.
- RANDY MILLER
Error gets a gold star
DUNEDIN - Reed Johnson failed to come up with a routine pop fly in center in the second inning of Thursday's 6-3 loss to the Reds. The error led to two unearned runs, the only ones off Roy Halladay in three innings.
Halladay said the error actually was beneficial.
"I should almost thank him because there are some things I needed to work on from the stretch," he said. "I think I'm rushing right now. I always try to have a short, quick step to home (pitching from the stretch) but I don't think I'm turning in, and I left a curveball up and a cutter up. It gave me something to work on, so it was kind of one of those blessings in disguise."
A CLEAN DEBUT: Terry Adams' first work of the spring was a three-batter, scoreless inning. Only left-hander Ted Lilly and left-handed reliever Valerio de los Santos have not pitched.
BRIEFLY: Lilly, slowed by a strained left wrist all spring, threw off a mound for the first time. ... Vernon Wells, out a few days with a strained forearm, will play today in Sarasota.
- MIKE GANTER
Bernie won't go to Japan
TAMPA - Centerfielder Bernie Williams, working his way into shape after an appendectomy Feb. 26, will miss the Yankees' opening series in Tokyo against the Devil Rays March 30-31.
"By the time we're ready to leave in a couple weeks, he may be into full-time action but, obviously, at that point in time won't have enough at-bats," manager Joe Torre said.
Williams will remain in Florida to play in minor-league games.
UNDER CONTRACT: New York finalized its $500,000, one-year contract with right-hander Orlando Hernandez.
