MAILBAG: April 7

	Martinez

Q: What are the chances that Seattle Mariners DH Edgar Martinez will make it to the Hall of Fame? He's one of the premier right-handed hitters (and clutch hitters) in the game. I understand the factors that would prevent him from making it, such as the DH issue and the lack of exposure and media respect playing in the Northwest. But what do you think? -- Erik, Bothell, Wash.
PWG -- I would love to see it, and there's no question he is one of, if not the, best DH of all time. But he did not play a position for any length of time, and I think that will hurt him on the ballot.

Q: Will the Los Angeles Dodgers be using a committee approach for saves the entire season? Who is the best bet to become their premier closer? -- Tim, Montoursville, Pa.
PWG -- Privately, they're hoping that Eric Gagne takes the job as the season progresses. Same in Baltimore with Jorge Julio, and don't be surprised if J.C. Romero doesn't end up closing for the Twins.

Q: Why do you have such a low opinion of the New York Mets? You ranked them as the eighth-best team in the National League? This team is really going to surprise you. -- Andy Kaul, Queens, New York
PWG -- My, are we defensive, or what? There was no rating in order. I picked the Astros to win the wild card, which could mean that I picked the Mets to be the fourth-best team, which is right around where I'd have ranked them. They are a very good team, but going into the season there are huge concerns about the middle relief in front of Armando Benitez. And no one knows how Shawn Estes and Jeff D'Amico will fare -- I think Estes will have a big season -- or if Pedro Astacio will stay healthy. But the Braves have pitching-depth concerns, as well.

Q: How much of an impact do you think Jason Isringhausen will have on the St. Louis Cardinals pitching staff this year? -- Trevor Gillentine, St. Louis, Mo.
PWG -- Healthy, he puts everyone else in roles. Steve Kline is tremendous, Mike Matthews is throwing the ball very well and Dave Veres has the heart of a lion. Some scouts felt that Isringhausen had begun changing his delivery near the end of spring training and worried about a blowout, but that may be pure speculation. Worth watching.

Q: Do you think Paul O'Neill has an outside shot at the Hall of Fame? Over 2,000 hits, 1,000 RBI, a batting title in '94 and five rings to his credit have to count for something, right? -- Chip, Mount Vernon, N.Y.
PWG -- Paul was an extraordinary player, a great competitor and one of the best people you'd ever meet, but 281 homers and an OPS of .833 won't get him in. Dwight Evans had 385 homers, an .845 OPS, led the league in homers once and was the best defensive right fielder of his era -- by far -- and he didn't get a sniff.

Q: What are your three favorite baseball stadiums and your three least favorite? -- Patrick Lenihan, Pearl River, N.Y.
PWG -- My favorite new parks are Pac Bell, Camden Yards, Safeco and PNC Park. My favorite old ones are Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium and Wrigley Field. My least favorite is a tie between Olympic Stadium, Shea Stadium, Comiskey Park, The Vet, HHHdome.

	Sheets

Q: Do you think the Milwaukee Brewers have what it takes to break that streak of nine losing seasons? Opening day was pretty convincing, if they can stay healthy. -- Jeff Osterberg, Florence, Wisc.
PWG -- It will be tough, but it isn't manager Davey Lopes' fault. Their hope is that Ben Sheets and Nick Neugebauer stay healthy and that they can get some stability in the bullpen. If they pitch well enough to get to .500, Dave Stewart is the pitching coach of the year.

Q: Why doesn't MLB use NFL-type scheduling to address part of the competitive-balance problem? For example, the Yankees would have the most difficult AL schedule this year, while the Devil Rays would have the least difficult. -- Gary Gilbert, Scottsdale, Ariz.
PWG -- The schedule has been tampered with enough, and the wild card creates unfair schedule advantages. Baseball needs better ways to even the playing field, so teams in the bottom half of revenues can win postseason series.

Q: I'm a die-hard New York Yankees fan, and I'm angered by all the comments that they buy the World Series. That the Yankees are bad for baseball. Can't other owners do the same thing that Steinbrenner does? Spend money to get money. -- Bruce, Rehoboth, Mass.
PWG -- No, they cannot spend $130 million because they don't have the available revenue streams. But through last year, the Yankees had no bad contracts; the Dodgers and Red Sox did and still have $70 million teams to whom they're paying $110 million.

Q: Can you please explain to me why baseball cannot set up a system with Direct TV (or some satellite) to broadcast every game (except the nationally televised games)? Football has done it with Sunday Ticket; baseball has Season Pass, but it only offers 35 games per week. I want to see all of the Boston Red Sox games in Florida, not three (if I'm lucky) per week. -- Big Sox fan, Port St. Lucie, Fla.
PWG -- Baseball has never understood that television is a marketing tool. The game needs some visionaries in many areas.

Q: Why is it that you like to poke fun at teams that haven't had success recently? On Baseball Tonight, you tease teams such as the Montreal Expos and Tampa Bay Devil Rays while you drool over teams like the Yankees and Oakland Athletics. You've been in the business long enough to know there can be surprise teams (e.g., 2001 Twins). How about giving every team a little respect (at least at the beginning of the season)? -- Lewis Wooton, Hanover, Ind.

	Sturtze

PWG -- On Tuesday and Wednesday nights, we gave them a lot of air time, and tried to be enthusiastic, though with that pathetic crowd in Montreal on Wednesday, it's hard. If the Expos and Rays are ahead of the Yankees and A's two months into the season, they will get lots of attention. Believe me, I'd love to see pitchers Paul Wilson, Tanyon Sturtze and Joe Kennedy have huge years for the Devil Rays, and I do believe that their bullpen can be pretty good. But when you have power shortages at short, third, center and left... As for the Expos, if Tony Armas Jr. gets going, with Javier Vazquez and Carl Pavano, they have a strong Big Three, as well as some fine players (Peter Bergeron's start gives a glimmer of hope). But they are thin, and it's doubtful other owners will allow them to spend some money to get better.

Q: I play varsity high school baseball at Boise High School, and our coaches make us watch Baseball Tonight every night. I've noticed many major-league players have an open stance, yet our coaches try to get us away from doing that (they say it makes it harder to hit an outside curveball and an inside fastball). Why do so many major-league players use an open stance? -- Josh Cromie, Boise, Idaho
PWG -- It all depends on what they do to get to the ball. Even a hitter like the Orioles' Tony Batista, who has a pronounced open stance, gets back into hitting position.