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NL notebook

By Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published October 6, 2000

Braves aces continue to struggle

ST. LOUIS -- John Smoltz, where are you?

Tom Glavine didn't do any better than Greg Maddux, and now the Atlanta Braves are one loss from missing the NL Championship Series for the first time in a decade.

"It's hard to believe what you're seeing with the way these two games have gone," Atlanta pitching coach Leo Mazzone said after Thursday's 10-4 loss to St. Louis. "We're so spoiled with the great pitching we've had over the years.

Glavine, a two-time Cy Young Award winner and five-time 20-game winner, gave up seven runs in 21/3 innings.

"Getting yourself in a hole, getting behind in the count, obviously makes your job tougher," Glavine said. "Not a lot of things are going well for us right now."

During the season, Maddux is 240-135 and Glavine 208-125. But in post-season play, Maddux is 10-11, Glavine 10-12.

Smoltz, out for the year because of elbow surgery last spring, is 14-4 in the post-season.

Glavine, who failed to hold a 2-0 first-inning lead, made his quickest exit in 255 starts since August 1993.

It was reminiscent of his start against Pittsburgh in Game 6 of the 1992 NLCS, when he allowed eight runs -- seven earned -- in two innings.

Kevin Millwood (10-13) appears likely to start Game 3.

BAKER DENIES CONTACT: San Francisco Giants manager Dusty Baker denied the Los Angeles Dodgers have contacted him about their manager's job.

Former Dodgers first baseman Steve Garvey told ESPN radio that general manager Kevin Malone had contacted Baker.

"They can't approach me; I'm under contract," Baker said. "That's tampering. You can't do that, and I wouldn't dare do that."

Dodgers spokesman Derrick Hall denied contact was made.

The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday that Dodgers manager Davey Johnson was told he won't return next season.

BELL SITS: A sprained right ankle kept New York Mets outfielder Derek Bell of Tampa out of the lineup Thursday night when the Mets and Giants played Game 2. His bat might have kept him out otherwise.

Bell moved from his position to the dugout in the bottom of the third inning Wednesday, having injured the ankle one batter earlier while pursuing Barry Bonds' run-scoring triple. He was replaced by Darryl Hamilton.

He had been displaced by Jay Payton earlier in the revised batting order, assigned to No. 7, a position he hadn't filled this season.

Bell declined to comment.

He began the playoffs having produced one hit in his final 28 at-bats of the regular season, four hits in 28 at-bats against the Giants this season and one hit in 20 career at-bats against Giants starter Livan Hernandez. And batted .159 in 126 at-bats since an Aug. 7 ninth-inning home run in Houston.

He lined out in his only plate appearance before the injury.

Also, New York claimed right-handed pitcher Jason Middlebrook off waivers from San Diego and designated infielder/outfielder Mark Johnson for assignment.

DODGERS: Catcher Chad Kreuter agreed to a two-year contract. Kreuter, who had a $500,000 base salary this season, gets a $200,000 signing bonus, $800,000 next year and $1-million in 2002. The Dodgers have a $1.2-million option for 2003 with a $300,000 buyout.

EXPOS: Catcher Lenny Webster was scheduled to have arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder today because of tendinitis that bothered him throughout the season. Webster, 35, is expected to be ready for spring training.

MARLINS: Infielder Chris Clapinski and outfielder Mark Smith refused outright assignments to the minor leagues and opted for free agency. Reliever Joe Strong and reliever Brian Edmondson were sent to Triple-A Calgary.

PHILLIES: Ruben Amaro of Philadelphia's farm team system, Bob Boone of Cincinnati and Larry Bowa of Seattle will be interviewed for the managerial opening next week, the team said. Previous names on the candidates list are John Vukovich, a Phillies coach since 1988, and Darren Daulton. Boone and Daulton are scheduled to talk to the Phillies on Wednesday at their spring training complex in Clearwater. ... Dominican shortstop Carlos Rosario Rodriguez, 17, who signed on his birthday Wednesday for a $700,000 bonus, was 0-for-1 in an Instructional League game in Clearwater and handled one fielding chance.

ROCKIES: Colorado exercised its $725,000 option for next season on utility player Terry Shumpert. Shumpert, 34, was the second-best pinch hitter in the NL at .326.

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