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Rothschild -- again -- seeks a stable lineup

By MARC TOPKIN

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 25, 2001

ST. PETERSBURG -- Larry Rothschild would like a little stability in his world. Actually, in his lineups.

For a variety of reasons -- most of them not good -- Rothschild has been forced during his first three seasons to be one of the most creative managers in the majors.

Because of injuries and ineffective performances, he mixed-and-matched his way to 139 lineups in 162 games during the 1998 season, the second-highest total in the majors. He used 138 in 162 games in 1999, and 138 again in 161 games last season.

He's said this before -- and he knows it -- but this year, for a number of reasons, he really, really wants to establish what amounts to a "regular" lineup and stick with it.

"I think the advantages are that everyone hitting in a certain spot in the lineup knows what's expected," Rothschild said. "They know what they have to do. They learn to trust each other and it's easier to pass the baton."

For example, a hitter should know that if an opponent is trying to pitch around him that he shouldn't give in and make an easy out because the next batter, or the one after that, is capable of getting a big hit.

Further, "for the guys not in the lineup, they learn what their roles are," he said. "They may not like them but that's how they can help the team. You have more defined roles. When you don't have that, roles get very much less defined and the picture gets a little more scrambled. You can do that in one or two positions, but you don't want to have to do that on a daily basis. If you do, you do. But most of the better teams don't do those things at all."

Rothschild joked that he'd like to get through the season with one lineup, but 100, or 110, would be a reasonable number.

"You're going to use different lineups because you want to keep the role players ready so they can fulfill the roles you need them in," Rothschild said. "They're not going to be ready by you playing them once a month. You'd like to play them one or twice a week. You're going to have different lineups, but you don't want to have to change lineups because of injury or lack of performance. If you can stay away from those things you're better off."

JOSHING, OR NOT: Should the Rays keep 19-year-old Josh Hamilton in the majors? As they mull the question internally, they are getting plenty of help. ESPN.com ran point-counterpoint columns on the subject.

Staffer Tim Kurkjian argues that rushing players that good isn't a bad thing, and that the Rays have nothing to lose: "They're not a good team, nothing truly good has happened to the organization in its three years of existence and fan interest is down."

Rany Jazayerli, an editor of the Baseball Prospectus, counters that the Rays should put the kibosh on Josh because his long-term development could be retarded and having him in the majors now will make him eligible for free agency a year sooner. "If Hamilton wants to see an example of what can happen when a talented player is rushed to the big leagues, he only needs to look at the player whose roster spot he might take this spring: Jose Guillen."

X-RAYS REPORT: Now battling for a spot in Oakland's rotation, Cory Lidle claims he had a running feud with pitching coach Bill Fischer last season. "He didn't want me to pitch my game," Lidle told the Oakland Tribune. "He wanted me to pitch his game, and he pitched 50 years ago. He wanted me to throw fastballs outside and he wanted me to throw a slider. I don't even throw a slider. I didn't have a great season and there are no excuses, but we went back-and-forth all year." X-RAYS REPORT: Slowly, the Red Sox think Rolando Arrojo is adjusting to the idea of being a middle reliever and setup man. Texas, meanwhile, has expressed interest. ... Outfielder Quinton McCracken is trailing in a four-way battle for one spot on the Cardinals bench. ... Bobby Witt, who pitched for the Rays in 1999 and made just seven appearances for Cleveland last season, is the leading candidate to be Arizona's No. 5 starter. ... Norm Charlton has a shot at a spot in Seattle's bullpen.

HOO-RAYS: This should be a big week for trade rumors, if not actual deals. Catchers John Flaherty and Mike DiFelice are likely to draw some interest. ESPN.com reports the Rays are getting calls about centerfielder Gerald Williams but are not likely to trade him. ... The Festival of Baseball, hosted by Wade Boggs, raised more than $100,000 for charity.

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