Mailbag: Feb. 15

Q: With a healthy John Smoltz, can the Braves win the NL pennant? -- Elton Brown, Atlanta
PWG: Absolutely. They have a lot of physical comebacks that will help -- Chipper Jones, Javy Lopez at 100 percent, B.J. Surhoff, Brian Jordan, Odalis Perez -- and they will have their closer for the whole year.

	Pitchers who throw high heat, like Arizona's Curt Schilling, will benefit from the new strike zone.

Q: I would like to know what you thought about the "open letter" that Curt Schilling wrote? -- Ed Barnhart, Moscow, Idaho
PWG: I thought it was great. One of the things I most admire about Schill is that his heart is there for us all to see.

Q: My cousin Mike Neill, the hitter who hit the game-winning home run against Japan and who made the final catch in this summer's Olympic Games, signed with the Boston Red Sox and will be reporting to spring training. What do you think his chances are of finally getting the break he deserves? -- Steve Enama, Pittsburgh
PWG: That's a great question, because I find it hard to believe there isn't a major-league spot for Neill. He can hit, his character is unquestioned. Problem is, Boston's roster is overloaded, with Mike Lansing, Troy O'Leary, et al.

Q: I was just reading about Andy Morales, who the Yankees have signed from Cuba. Does he really have a chance of beating out Scott Brosius? Also, can you compare him to anyone in the game now? Thanks. -- Zigg, Sylvania, Ohio
PWG: Morales is a good, solid player. How good, it's hard to tell, and the baseball card I have of him says he's 30 on March 12. He has sure hands, can play short, and he's a nice line-drive hitter. He showed power in Baltimore when he homered, but that power is the issue. Comparison? Maybe David Bell and Geoff Blum.

Q: Christian Guzman gained more at the plate in one year than anyone I ever saw. He will probably be one of the best fielding shortstops in the league very soon. I was just wondering if you think he can develop 20 home-run power. He went from not even hitting it out of the infield to eight homers as well as many hard-hit doubles and triples. -- Lenny, Duluth, Minn.
PWG: My guess is that he's going to have 8-10 home-run power, but will be a slasher, which is a home-field advantage since the only turf fields left in the AL are Minnesota and Toronto. The biggest thing for him will be to be more patient. But you're right, he's a fun player to watch, with arguably the best arm of any shortstop in the league.

Q: What are Kyle Peterson's chances of landing a spot in the Brewers' rotation? -- Chris Hohner, Milwaukee Wis.
PWG: Probably not out of spring training, as he has to build back his and the organization's confidence in his stuff and arm. It is different for him now, because this regime did not draft him. But he was always a winner.

Q: Can you tell me the status of Rick Aguilera? Where do you think he will end up playing and at what capacity? Thanks. -- Chuck Bergeon, New Hampshire
PWG: To the best of my knowledge, he has retired to be with his family.

Q: Who do you see becoming the fifth starter in the Chicago White Sox rotation? -- Vinny Sott, Hanover, Pa.
PWG: Jon Garland, pending the Toronto stuff. I think Garland could win 12 games.

Q: What is the outlook on Barry Larkin for the upcoming season? Will he be healthy enough to once again prove himself as one of the top shortstops in baseball? -- Justin Schaefer, North Reading, Mass.
PWG: All indications are that Barry is healthy. The new surface in Cincy will help him.

	Ken Griffey Jr. could bust out with a monster year during his second season in the National League.

Q: How much affect do you think the renovations to Cinergy will have? -- Matt Schmittauer, Cincinnati, Ohio
PWG: Anything we say now is speculation, but management thinks that it will create a jet stream to center and produce a lot of homers. Considering this is the first winter Ken Griffey Jr. has seriously hit, watch out.

Q: Is either de los Santos or Padilla ready to become a stud set-up man in 2001 and a dominant closer in 2002 and beyond? If not, who out there do you see as the next Mariano Rivera? -- J. Grossman, Washington, D.C.
PWG: I don't think there's another Rivera, per se. De Los Santos will be in the Brewer bullpen; Padilla played several years in center field and will take time. One power middle man I could see jumping this year is Francisco Cordero in Texas.

Q: What exactly did you mean by, "disregard when someone tries to argue range factor." It is a bit vague. Do you thing range factor is useless for measuring defensive capability? -- Charles Star, Brooklyn, N.Y.
PWG: Yes, because there's never been a stat that measures range. Carl Everett the worst range factor among center fielders? I don't think so. Defense has too many variables beginning with the pitchers and their consistency executing, not to mention the type of stuff.

Q: How would you rate Geoff Jenkins in terms of left fielders in the game right now? I think he is one of the best and does not get his due from any of the reporters. And how well do you think the Brewers can do this year, with their (hopefully) upgraded rotation, above-average bullpen and good front-to-back lineup. -- Kevin, Mequon, Wis.
PWG: Jenkins has worked his way to being at worst an average left fielder who plays very hard. There are improvements, but I wonder how Jeffrey Hammonds will hold up in center and how Jimmy Haynes and Jamey Wright progress. They need them to become more consistent at this point in their careers.

Q: I have been reading in the Detroit newspapers that the Tigers and Bobby Higginson are way apart in agreeing to an extension. What is the front office thinking? Do they know how important he is to Motown? -- Patrick Plachta, Mount Pleasant, Mich.
PWG: They know. They had some cash crimp this winter, and remember, last spring they couldn't give him away. Higginson is a vital part of that team, and my guess is that they'll keep plodding away.

Q: Do you think the additions the Astros have made to their bullpen will be able to contribute? And do you see Chris Truby having a long stay in Houston? -- Jose Salinas, Houston, Texas
PWG: If Billy Wagner indeed is healthy, the Astros have greatly improved their pen, although I still think Octavio Dotel's best role is in the middle. The question at 27 is whether or not Truby's bat is quick enough. Keith Ginter is going to take grounders at third this spring, and if he can play the position, don't count him out by August. Ginter is a good offensive player.

Q: What do you think of the Padres' chances this year of getting to the playoffs? -- Jason R., Oceanside, Calif.
PWG: I don't think the Pads are looking at this postseason -- although if Sterling Hitchcock is back, with Woody Williams, Adam Eaton, Matt Clement and Hitchcock, they'll have a nice rotation.

Q: Please help us pronounce Mark Teixeira's last name [Teixeira is the Georgia Tech third baseman who Gammons calls "everyone's preseason college player of the year"]. -- Mike Quinn, California
PWG: Teshare-a.