www.vheadline.com Posted: Wednesday, March 12, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

The Tampa Bay Rays have sent top Venezuelan baseball player, Geremi Gonzalez to the minor leagues claiming that he is far from top form.

Geremi isn’t the only casualty … 8 other countrymen have had similar sentences passed against them.

The Cincinnati Reds have sent Rainer Olmeda to the minors, the Royals Alejandro Machado, the Twins Gabriel Torres and Luis Antonio Rodriguez, Yankees Omar Fuentes, Padres Humberto Quintero, Rangers Fernando Lunar and Cubs Eliezer Alfonzo.

All in all, sports commentators confirm that 16 Venezuelan have been sent down during spring training ... with 72 still eligible for major leagues.

kstatecollegian.com Published on Wednesday, March 12, 2003

Petra Sedlmajerova hits the ball in a match against Utah State at Cottonwood Raquet Club on Feb. 15. Sedlmajerova will play Baylor's Vida Mulec this weekend in Waco, Texas. She enters the tournament as K-State's No. 1 singles player, as well as the team's No. 2 doubles player with Paulina Castillejos. Evan Semon/Collegian

Wes Marfield Kansas State Collegian

When K-State (6-2, 2-1) travels to Waco, Texas, to face No. 42 Baylor (4-6, 3-0) at noon Saturday, freshman Jessica Simosa will look to build on her 7-1 record at No. 3 singles.

The Valencia, Venezuela, native started off the spring season 6-0 before suffering her first loss against Oklahoma on Saturday. Simosa also sports a 3-3 record in doubles competition along with her regular partner, sophomore Andrea Cooper.

Despite the fact that she's only a freshman, Simosa's quick start in singles play came as no surprise to Coach Steve Bietau.

"I wasn't surprised," Bietau said. "I got a fairly good look at Jessica during the recruiting process and felt she had the ability to do some really great things in college tennis."

Projected matchups

Singles

1. Petra Sedlmajerova, K-State vs. Vida Mulec, BU
2. Maria Rosenberg, K-State vs. Stephanie Balzert, BU
3. Jessica Simosa, K-State vs. Anna Moncolova, BU
4. Paulina Castillejos, K-State vs. Daria Potapova, BU
5. Hayley McIver, K-State vs. Izabela Mijic, BU
6. Andrea Cooper, K-State vs. Alison Bradley, BU

Doubles

1. Simosa/Cooper, K-State vs. Bradley/Potapova, BU
2. Sedlmajerova/Castillejos, K-State vs. Moncolova/Mulec, BU
3. Rosenberg/McIver, K-State vs. Balzert/Mijic, BU

For any athlete, the transition into collegiate athletics can be a tough step to take. Having to move to a new country, learn a new language and adapt to a new culture can add to the difficulty of that process.

Simosa, who grew up speaking Spanish, said having another native Venezuelan around has been helpful.

"English (has been difficult)," Simosa said. "I speak Spanish, so that's been difficult. Assistant coach Andres Gonzalez is from Venezuela, too, so that's been helpful."

Also helpful is the support Simosa has been recieving from teammates.

"I think she's adapting very well," Bietau said. "Jessica's a very likable person, and what you give out, you tend to get back."

As far as tennis goes, Simosa said the amount of training collegiate tennis players endure has been surprising to her.

"I used to train less," she said. "When i came here, the system was different and the way they train here was different."

In order to adapt to the differences, Simosa has had to put in some extra time practicing.

"Over Christmas break I stayed here and trained every single day after Dec. 24," Simosa said.

Along with her undefeated start this spring, Simosa said playing in the No. 3 singles spot has also been a highlight of her freshman campaign.

"Last semester I thought I was going to play No. 6, but I have improved and now I'm playing at No. 3 and I'm 7-1" Simosa said.

Simosa said she has one personal goal on her mind this year.

"I would like to win conference freshman of the year," she said.

The freshman also said she hopes to help her team move up in the Big 12 standings.

"We're No. 6 in the conference," Simosa said. "We would like to improve on that."

According to Bietau, Simosa has the ability to help her teammates both on and off the court.

"Jessica is a talanted young woman," Bietau said. "She's a good athlete, and she's someone who contributes in a lot of intangible ways. She's a very plesant person to be around, and when things get tough, everyone appreciates her sense of humor."

www.sacbee.com By Nick Peters -- Bee Staff Writer Published 2:15 a.m. PST Tuesday, March 11, 2003

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Many baseball players dread visiting New York, much less playing there, and regard it as intimidating and distracting. New Giants third baseman Edgardo Alfonzo isn't among them.

In fact, playing for the New York Mets his entire career sharpened Alfonzo's focus and made him thrive under intense media and fan scrutiny. In the Shea Stadium pressure cooker, he became one of the most feared clutch hitters in the National League.

Alfonzo, 29, likely will bat fifth in the Giants' order, ostensibly to provide protection for Barry Bonds and to do a reasonable impersonation of Jeff Kent, the RBI machine who usually batted behind him the last six years.

According to manager Felipe Alou, Alfonzo is "a very cold-blooded hitter" who is particularly tough in the late innings. He may not produce Kent's annual 100-plus RBIs, but game-winning hits may flow.

"Edgardo is really patient, and he makes contact," said fellow Venezuelan Andres Galarraga. "I always hated to see him up in game-winning situations because I thought he was more dangerous than (Mike) Piazza. He always put the ball in play."

Alfonzo has the numbers to verify prowess under pressure. In six years as a Mets regular, he always batted higher with runners in scoring position than otherwise. In that span from 1997 through 2002, his RISP average was .327. Overall, it was .296.

"The key is his plate coverage," new Giants batting coach Joe Lefebvre said. "He can hit any pitch with a short, compact swing -- and that makes him dangerous. Playing in New York definitely toughens you up. He can handle anything."

Alfonzo agreed.

"The New York pressure never got to me. The fans and media back there can be tough when you're going bad and great when you're doing good. But it really was no different than playing winter ball.

"When you play in Venezuela, it's very intense from the first pitch to the last, so it makes you very aggressive. And when you play in New York, you have to learn to handle things. There are a lot of distractions and a lot of competition, including the Yankees."

Alfonzo can't explain why he's so successful under pressure, one reason the Giants gave him a four-year, $26 million contract without much competition for his services following two injury-scarred seasons.

"I really don't think about it," he said. "I just try to select a pitch to hit. I've always been able to focus. It's always been part of my game to make contact. I've always hit line drives and used all fields."

The Giants can attest to that. He's a .303 lifetime hitter against them, flourishing in the 2000 playoffs when the wild-card Mets jolted the Giants. He batted .278 in that series, but that doesn't begin to tell the story.

In Game 2, his two-run homer off Felix Rodríguez created a 4-1 lead in a game the Mets won 5-4 in 10 innings. In Game 3 at Shea, his run-scoring double off Robb Nen produced a 2-2 tie in the eighth, and the Mets won 3-2 in 13 innings. In the decisive Game 4, Alfonzo supported Bobby Jones' one-hitter with a two-run, fifth-inning double off Mark Gardner that concluded the scoring in a 4-0 win.

"He never swings at a bad pitch, and his bat doesn't have many holes," Rodríguez said.

Performance of that caliber made "Fonz" a fan favorite in New York, and he thanked the fans with an extremely classy act: spending $15,000 for taxi roof advertisements that show a big red heart and his photo wearing a FDNY cap.

Alfonzo, with the Mets' organization since 1991, plans to remain involved with his supporters in New York. He will continue to reside in Little Neck, Long Island, not far from Shea, during the offseason.

"I love New York," he said. "I did a lot of things with the Hispanic community. You can help people emotionally and spiritually, not just economically. I was involved back there, and it hurt a lot when the Mets didn't bring me back.

"I wanted to be there all my life. But then I understood. Things don't always happen the way you want. San Francisco was the last place I thought about. It was too far from New York. I told my agent to find something close, like Baltimore or Boston.

"I really didn't have any great offers until the Giants called, and I was made to feel at home right away. On my first day in camp, I had guys come up to me and say, 'Thank God we don't have to face you anymore.' That made me feel good."

www.vheadline.com Posted: Sunday, March 09, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

The Venezuelan Baseball Federation (FVB) has made a surprise announcement that it won’t be sending a team to the Pan American games in the Dominican Republic simply because it won’t come home with medals.

FVB president Francisco Serrano says Venezuela is unlikely to be among the top three teams.

“There is no guarantee that we will get any medals and together with the coaches we have taken the decision not to send a team in August.“

Justifying its position, the Federation says it has reviewed the team’s form in international events: 7th place in the Intercontinental Cup in Cuba, eliminated in the Central American Games in El Salvador and 4th place in the Americas Cup in Monterrey (Mexico).

“In view of current performance and the presence of USA, Puerto Rico and host the Dominican Republic, it’s not worthwhile sending a team.”

www.sun-sentinel.com By Juan C. Rodriguez Staff Writer Posted March 9 2003

JUPITER · The way Marlins manager Jeff Torborg describes it, Alex Gonzalez had a hole in his left shoulder.

Diving for Barry Bonds' grounder last May in San Francisco, the Marlins shortstop landed awkwardly and suffered a separation. The pain was overwhelming. Unable to move his arm, Gonzalez writhed.

Trainer Sean Cunningham reset the shoulder in the clubhouse, but the hole in the Marlins' infield remained through season's end. Andy Fox did an admirable job filling in, but ask anyone who observed Gonzalez regularly during the season's first six weeks, and they'll express the same sentiments.

"If he hadn't gotten hurt I think he had a good chance to win the Gold Glove," said Ozzie Guillen, a former major league shortstop and the Marlins' third base coach. "He was playing relaxed. He wanted to be at the ballpark every day and was having fun."

Added infield and first base coach Perry Hill: "He was the best shortstop I'd seen in the National League at that time."

No one had to tell Gonzalez how well he was playing. Though he was a .225 hitter through 42 games, his glove was outstanding.

That another left shoulder injury -- Gonzalez first hurt it in 1996 -- short-circuited a promising season added to the sting. He first underwent shoulder surgery in the minors after a subluxation. He missed three months but was able to finish the season.

"I felt like I was on track for a Gold Glove," Gonzalez said. "That was another reason I felt sad after the injury. I was helping the team making plays, turning double plays. But you never know when you're going to get hurt. You just have to move forward and start the season with the same mentality of aiming for that Gold Glove."

Nothing the Marlins have seen thus far suggests Gonzalez won't contend for it. He's made all the plays defensively. Offensively, he's off to a slow start, batting .154 (2 for 13) in six games, but the Marlins were expecting that.

Gonzalez hadn't seen regular live pitching for a while. He was set to play winter ball in his native Venezuela in early December until political unrest prompted the suspension and ultimate cancellation of the remaining games.

The Marlins initially though Gonzalez could rehab the shoulder without surgery. By July, he was playing with Jupiter of the Gulf Coast League. Gonzalez reached for a pitch during his fifth game and the bat flew out of his hands. Less than a week later he underwent a procedure that usually requires a six- to nine-month recovery.

"I knew what I had to do after that kind of injury," said Gonzalez, who completed a similar rehabilitation program in 1996.

"It was a little tougher after this operation because they had to open my shoulder. I had in mind to recuperate quickly and that's what happened. By November I was in instructional league and was able to hit.

"After the last checkup I had here in December, I had it in my mind I could play. I felt the shoulder was strong and I could swing hard and with one hand. That was one of the things that bothered me after the operation. I got to spring training like nothing had happened, like I never had the surgery or never had the injury because I felt so strong."

Added Hill, who maintained regular contact with Gonzalez during his rehabilitation: "It doesn't look like he's missed a beat to me. He's got full range of motion. He's throwing well. We're all holding our breath for the first time he dives, but he seems 100 percent to me."

That's encouraging for the Marlins, who haven't benefited from a healthy Gonzalez two of the last three years.

In 2000, a left knee sprain sidelined him July 28-Sept. 1.

Physical problems don't encompass all of Gonzalez's shortcomings since he became a major league fixture. Earlier in his tenure he was reprimanded for not hustling in running out grounders.

His lone wolf disposition didn't make him the most popular guy among teammates either.

Guillen made it his mission last season to help his countryman project a better persona. Gonzalez has yet to require a refresher course.

"Everything I wanted to do with him I did last year," Guillen said.

"I talked to him about having fun because you never know how long this is going to last. It's also easier to have fun when you have a manager that understands you and is 100 percent behind you. The attitude he has now is positive and that's what we want from him.

"If he doesn't get hurt, this year we should see the Alex everybody expects to see."

Juan C. Rodriguez can be reached at jcrodriguez@sun-sentinel.com.