MAILBAG: April 13

Q: I have read a lot of articles recently speculating that the AOL/Time Warner merger is really handcuffing the Braves from making any moves. Is this really the case? Why aren't we hearing anything from the AOL/T.W. folks? Along those same lines, the Braves have stumbled a bit out of the gate. They obviously need to go out and get a big bat for the middle of the lineup. Any thoughts on who that could be? -- Richard Lea, Atlanta
PWG: Time will tell on the impact of the merger, with Ted Turner's name out of the press guide. I wouldn't hold your breath for a deal for a big-name player.

	Diamondbacks pitcher Curt Schilling walked none in his complete-game shutout over the Dodgers on April 10.

Q: On April 10, Curt Schilling threw 93 pitches, 73 for strikes. That is an amazing strike-to-ball ratio. Even Pedro has a tough time with that. Any idea if that is extraordinary or am I making something of nothing? Thanks. -- Bradley Johnson, St. Andrews, Scotland
PWG: No, you are not making too much of it. He and Kevin Brown were incredible. ESPN.com's Jayson Stark and I both picked Curt to win the Cy Young.

Q: Is there any concern that Robb Nen is healthy enough to carry the closer role for the Giants this season? Also, do you think Russ Davis will emerge as the everyday third baseman? -- Gary Pitzer, Sacramento, Calif.
PWG: Nen and Felix Rodriguez may be the best, hardest-throwing 1-2 combo in the game. I would worry about Davis, especially until we see how Pedro Feliz does.

Q: Why don't the O's pick up Jose Canseco? I read Hargrove said that "we don't want to bring in a player who's going to block one of our younger kids." Is he referring to spirited youngsters like Brady Anderson, Cal Ripken Jr., David Segui or Jeff Conine -- all who are hitting well below their weight? -- Doug McNamara, New York, N.Y.
PWG: Canseco isn't a serious major-league player. He's a DH who has knocked in 95 runs once in 10 years, and if he goes in the field he gets hurt. The O's need to develop actual baseball players. Canseco is an attraction.

Q: When Shane Reynolds and Moises Alou come off the DL, Dierker has some tough decisions to make. Which starter should get bumped to the bullpen? Should Lance Berkman rest his ailing shoulder, given how hot Daryle Ward has been? -- Brian Cororve, Houston
PWG: Good question. Berkman doesn't want to sit. Ward might never get out of the lineup again.

Q: I know the season is only a week or so old, but are the Red Sox content with Craig Grebeck and Mike Lansing at short or are they still looking at available players? Also, who is manning short down I-95 at Pawtucket? -- Phil Lombardi, Kansas City, Mo.
PWG: They have no prospects in the middle infield. Duquette has told some GMs he will go with what he has, but he has talked to Cincinnati about Donnie Sadler, Cleveland about John McDonald, Atlanta about Mark DeRosa and San Francisco about Ramon Martinez.

Q: What do you think about the start to the season of the two Canadian clubs, the Jays and Expos? Both their rotations have been very impressive -- is this just a fluke or can they be legitimate playoff contenders for the rest of the season? -- Robbie G, Thornhill, Ontario
PWG: There is no reason that the Jays won't be serious contenders as long as their pitching holds up. The single most important development has been the start of Chris Carpenter, who has been absolutely dominating and may be -- as Pat Hentgen and Mike Matheny insist he can be -- a No. 1 starter. Buck Martinez has done a great job restoring the confidence of the Jays' players, and if they hold up in starting pitching until Gord Ash can find another starter, they could be a wild card, especially considering the fact that the Tampa Bay and Baltimore clubs may be the worst (other than Detroit). I like Montreal's everyday club. But I worry that after Javier Vazquez and Tony Armas Jr. they have a lot of starters with arm problems. They are a better-than-.500 team if reasonably healthy, and the fact remains that the difference between the Braves and Mets and the other three NL East clubs is far less than ever before -- which means the chances of the wild card coming out of the East is slight.

	As a Dodger, Ramon Martinez pitched a no-hitter vs. Florida in 1995.

Q: The Pirates have signed Ramon Martinez, but my question is, what does this guy have left after his cuff surgery in '98? I heard he couldn't make No. 5 for the Dodgers because his velocity was only around 88 mph. Do you think that Kris Benson, Jason Schmidt and Francisco Cordova can all come back so the Bucs can make a run? -- Buccofan #1, Mount Union, Pa.
PWG: The Dodgers' people who know Ramon say he threw better this spring than anytime since the operation, and he could help. The Reds agreed, but they couldn't match the $1 million in incentives. Benson plans to come back and may pitch in June. If they're all healthy and pitching well, sure, they could get into the race.

Q: I noticed that you always seem to think favorably of the St. Louis Cardinals. Much more so than other ESPN analysts. Is there a particular reason for that and what do you think of the young Albert Pujols? -- Tom Lawrence, St. Louis, Mo.
PWG: I said that I thought St. Louis was the best baseball town in America when the beer people who hated baseball owned the team, and I think Mark McGwire agrees with me. Pujols is a young Edgar Martinez -- stardom written all over him.

Q: I have a bizarre question. Can you rank (in order of projected upside potential) these four young pitchers: Randy Wolf, Adam Eaton, Jeff Weaver, Bruce Chen. -- Alex Piper, Philadelphia
PWG: Weaver, Eaton, Wolf, Chen -- but 1-2 could switch.

Q: What does Jason Varitek's new deal mean for Red Sox catching prospect Steve Lomasney? Is he considered a strong enough prospect to be good trade bait if the Sox can hold it together and need another quality pitcher for the stretch run? -- Marc McCauley, Washington, D.C.
PWG: Lomasney's injuries have held him back, although he can be a good major leaguer in time. The Sox want to play Varitek and Scott Hatteberg the next two years, then see what happens.

Q: Now that the White Sox have sent down Mark Johnson, is he ever going to be in their plans? Isn't he the best defensive catcher they have? -- Devin Brim, Roeland Park, Kan.
PWG: Johnson is a solid major-league defensive catcher. He didn't lose the job, Josh Paul won it.

Q: Why is Michael Coleman suddenly living up to his potential? Is it the Yankees' uniform? -- Jason Liu, Brookline, Mass.
PWG: Ten at-bats doesn't make a career.

Q: Are the Mariners still trying to swing a trade for a bat? I've heard many say that trades were certain, but it hasn't happened yet. Is Dante Bichette a possibility? -- Emerson Wilson, Omaha, Neb.
PWG: Right now, the M's don't have interest in Bichette, because they don't think he can play left field, they worry about his power in their park and they aren't going to pay those bucks. Eventually, a deal will be struck to redo Bichette's contract so the Red Sox can release him or find a taker.

Q: With Mitch Meluskey going down for the season in Detroit, the Tigers are going with Brandon Inge. Why would Randy Smith not sign a veteran catcher to at least back up Inge, who is 23 years old and has shown great defensive skills but little offense. Phil Garner did not seem happy with this roster move but covered his feelings well. -- Dave Weber, Ann Arbor, Mich.
PWG: Garner is a big Inge fan. The Tigers have to build.