www.cincypost.com By Tony Jackson Post staff reporter

Shortstop Rainer Olmedo has the goods on defense, but it's at the plate where the 22-year-old needs to improve.

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- The uniform number, 71, seems to cover every inch of Rainer Olmedo's tiny back, and it's definitely too big for a player the Reds once held in such high regard.

A couple of springs ago, before he was 20 years old, the 5-foot-11, 155-pound infielder wore No. 2, the kind of number you don't get as a non-roster invitee to spring training unless someone in a position of power thinks your future is promising. At the time, Olmedo was considered a middle infield star of the future, an electrifying fielder who eventually would supplant either Pokey Reese at second base or Barry Larkin at shortstop.

Today, through no fault of his own, it's no longer clear where Olmedo fits in. Reds general manager Jim Bowden beamed as he announced at the winter meetings last December he had acquired Felipe Lopez, the latest in a long line of guys tabbed to eventually replace Larkin. And Aaron Boone, the manager's son and a potential All-Star, is moving to second base, where he is expected to be an everyday presence for years to come.

"I'm not really worried about it," said Olmedo, who won't turn 22 until May 31. "I know they have got a lot of experienced guys, but the big leagues are still a couple of years away for me anyway. I work very hard. I'll just keep doing that and see what happens."

 Olmedo was added to the 40-man roster in November to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, but he still has all of his minor-league options, so the Reds can afford to let him develop at his own pace.

In the four minor-league seasons since Reds scout Johnny Alamaraz signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Venezuela, Olmedo has a .247 average. He has little power, having hit just eight home runs, and he has never driven in more than 41 runs in a single season. But he does have considerable speed, he is a switch hitter, and he is a good bunter. Those three factors combined could add untold points to his average if he ever perfects the art of bunting his way to first base.

There are aspects of his game, however, that already have been perfected.

"I think he's a major-league defensive player already," Cleveland Indians shortstop Omar Vizquel said. "But obviously, the hardest part of what we do is the hitting. If he wants to get to the big leagues and be an impact player, that's the part of the game that he has to work on. I don't think he will ever have any problems with the fielding part."

Vizquel, the veteran and three-time All-Star, is a fellow Venezuelan and a mentor of sorts to Olmedo, and the two speak frequently during the offseason. Just before a spring-training game between their clubs Tuesday -- the Reds beat the Indians, 4-2, before 3,595 at Chain of Lakes Park -- Vizquel said what impresses him most about Olmedo is the questions he asks, which demonstrate a willingness to seek advice and to learn.

Phillip Wellman, Olmedo's manager at Class AA Chattanooga last year, said it wasn't until early in the season that Olmedo learned to be so receptive to others' advice.

"As much as he developed as a player, I think being 20 years old, he also grew up last year," Wellman said. "I'm talking on and off the field. It was good that we had some older veterans playing around him, and that helped him grow up a little bit. I don't think he was really accustomed to having somebody get on him or offer constructive criticism. He took it really hard, and it seemed to hurt his feelings.

"But as time went on, he became more open to it. I think he realized that I was wearing the same uniform he was and that all I was trying to do was help him."

Olmedo probably will begin this season back at Chattanooga, partly because he still is at that stage developmentally and partly because the Reds will stock the roster at Class AAA Louisville with older players such as Gookie Dawkins and non-roster invitees Felipe Crespo, Kelly Dransfeldt and Wilton Guerrero.

But just because Olmedo is wearing a high number in spring training doesn't mean his stock has fallen, or that Bowden and manager Bob Boone have soured on him. If they had, he wouldn't have been added to the 40-man roster.

All that has changed for Olmedo is that with the addition of Lopez and the decision to move Aaron Boone to second, there are now more players standing in his way. But he arguably is one of the most dazzling defensive players in the organization.

"When we had him and Dawkins up the middle last year, they did some things I had never seen before," Wellman said. "Stuff that just made you say, 'Wow.' "

www.sunspot.net By Joe Christensen Sun Staff Originally published March 5, 2003

O's, Mora on opposite sides of fence he's swinging for Player sees dollars in HRs; team cites falling average

Instead of serving as the Orioles' super utility player or their perpetual 10th man, he's their everyday center fielder. He's a powerful presence in their lineup, and his strength helps propel the team back to the top, putting him in the playoffs for the first time since 1999, when he was a New York Met.

"If you play me in one position every day," Mora said, "I can hit .270 with 80 RBIs and 30 home runs."

The Orioles appreciate Mora's desire and admire his resolve, but they have an entirely different view of his ideal role. They see him as a table setter who's not afraid to lay down a bunt, sacrificing power numbers for average. However, Mora, in his quest for an everyday starting job, has tried to morph himself into a home run hitter.

For Mora, it all goes back to a conversation he had last year with Orioles third baseman Tony Batista.

"I used to hit .290 or .295 with six homers," Mora said this week. "I never got a chance to play. I said to myself, 'What do I have to do?' I was talking to Tony, and he said, 'If you want to play, if you want to make money, you have to drive in runs. You have to hit for power.' "

Mora hit 19 home runs last season, which was quite a spike, considering he had never hit more than eight in any of his previous 10 professional seasons.

Something else changed, too. After entering the season as a .259 career hitter, his average dropped to .233. Mora thrust himself into the Orioles' everyday leadoff role and was one of the team's top players for three months, but after the All-Star break, he hit .195.

He had 18 home runs entering September, and using an upper-cut swing, he looked as if he were on a mission to reach 20 for the season. With the team in a tailspin down the stretch, Mora hit .137 over the final month.

"Melvin's not a power hitter," Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said. "He had 19 home runs last year; in today's game, that's not a power hitter. Twenty years ago it was, but today it's not. Melvin's game is using the whole field, getting on base any way he can, bunting the ball, and scoring runs.

"In talking to him, he was saying his approach was to try to hit the ball out of the ballpark - a lot, especially the second half of the season. I think that the results were obvious to everybody."

Still, there was a payoff for Mora.

After making $350,000 last season, Mora was eligible for arbitration for the first time, and his salary for this season rose to $1.73 million.

Fans might cringe when a modern-day athlete talks about the need to make more money, but Mora's is a special case. He has six children now, including a set of quintuplets, and the medical bills are high. He also gives money back to his family in Venezuela.

Orioles hitting coach Terry Crowley, a former bench player himself, probably understands Mora's situation as well as anybody. But Crowley said he wants all of his hitters to place a greater emphasis on team-based fundamentals this season: bunting and situational hitting.

"I'm not trying to say Melvin didn't do that last year," Crowley said, "but we will be better."

In 2001, Mora led the Orioles with 17 bunt hits.

Last year, he had one.

"In his defense - and I'm always going to defend my hitters - the first baseman and third baseman were breathing down his neck," Crowley said. "The opportunities to bunt were not great."

Mora has spent extra time this spring on his bunting and said he plans to make it a bigger part of his repertoire. In yesterday's 11-1 loss to the Minnesota Twins, Mora went 0-for-2, popping out to shortstop and flying out to left field. For the spring, he's still batting .364.

Hargrove has said that, ideally, with the rest of the lineup healthy, Mora would start about two or three times a week this season. The Orioles have talked about trading Mora this spring, but teams have told them he's too expensive at his current salary. The Orioles know he'll still be a hot trade commodity at the waiver deadline, especially for National League contenders.

Mora said that's out of his control, just like the everyday lineup decisions.

"I know Mike Hargrove has a tough job," Mora said. "There are a lot of good players here. I'm just going to do what I can do, and we'll see what happens."

www.whittierdailynews.com120351220648,00.html 3/5/2003 By Gabe Lacques , Staff Writer

Even though he has pitched just two innings this spring and has thrown less than 20 pitches, Francisco Rodriguez can sense a different mentality from opposing hitters.

In short, that mentality is to attack before Rodriguez has the count is in his favor.

"If a hitter goes deep into a count with me, he's in trouble,' Rodriguez said Tuesday after throwing a scoreless inning in the Angels' 5-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs at HoHoKam Park. "I'm going to attack him. So these guys are being aggressive, swinging early in the count. I'm trying to go after them and be aggressive. I have to attack.'

The result has been two lightning-quick outings. Tuesday, Rodriguez retired the side on just five pitches even though Corey Patterson reached on a wild pitch after striking out. Rodriguez induced a double-play ball from Nic Jackson to end the inning, then called it a day.

After two spring training outings, Rodriguez's line looks like this: Two innings pitched, no hits, no runs and just 17 pitches.

Tuesday's outing was so brief, Rodriguez didn't have a chance to work on a changeup he hopes to develop to go along with his more established fastball and slider.

Rodriguez pitched just four innings of winter ball because of political unrest in Venezuela, but he said his arm feels lively. He's only concerned with fine-tuning his mechanics this spring. He also said he's not taking anything for granted, even in the wake of his record-setting five- win performance last October.

"I'm not sure I'm making the team, so I'm working hard on that,' he said. "I've told you guys before, what I did is in the past.'

Pitching coach Bud Black is pretty sure Rodriguez will make the club. He also said when a pitcher is as talented and competitive as Rodriguez, outings tend to be over before he can work on supplementary pitches, especially when the word is out about the Angels' 21-year-old talent.

"That's his competitive nature coming out,' Black said. "I'd want to hit as early (in the count) as I could against Frankie, too.'

It seems likely pitcher Jarrod Washburn will be able to make his opening night assignment. Washburn originally said the Grade 1 sprain of his AC joint he suffered Monday would sideline him a week to 10 days, but he said Tuesday he could be throwing off a mound sooner than that.

Doctors told Washburn the pain in his shoulder would be worse the next morning. But he woke up Tuesday and discovered the shoulder actually felt better.

"Maybe I'll come in (today) and all the pain will be gone,' he said.

That might be wishful thinking. But even if Washburn can't throw off a mound for a week, as was originally believed, he said he would need only two weeks to build up sufficient arm strength to make a start in a regular-season game. If Washburn returns Monday, he will have 20 days to get ready for opening night.

Washburn also made sure to absolve reliever Brendan Donnelly of any blame for his injury. Washburn fell on his shoulder trying to avoid a collision with Donnelly in a fielding drill; Washburn was actually the baserunner on the play.

"He has nothing to feel bad about,' Washburn said. "He didn't have anything to do with it.'

The Cubs won Tuesday's game on Augie Ojeda's sacrifice fly off Mark Lukasiewicz in the bottom of the ninth inning. Starter Kevin Appier, who threw three scoreless innings, escaped the first inning unscathed despite giving up three hits and a walk. Appier allowed just one baserunner after that.

Fifth-starter candidate Matt Wise gave up a two-run home run to David Kelton but nothing else in three innings. Robb Quinlan hit a three- run homer for the Angels. Former USC standout Mark Prior looked sharp in a three-inning, one-hit, two-strikeout stint for the Cubs.

Tim Salmon, easing his way into shape after off-season knee surgery, was scheduled to bat in a simulated game Tuesday ... Catchers Jason Hill and Jared Abruzzo and infielder Dallas McPherson were sent to minor league camp. McPherson needs treatment on his back and is not expected to return. Hill has a shoulder injury and will return to big league camp.

Gabe Lacques can be reached at (626) 962-8811, Ext. 2239, or by e-mail at gabe.lacques@sgvn.com .

www.bayarea.com Posted on Mon, Mar. 03, 2003 By JIM SALISBURY Philadelphia Inquirer

SARASOTA, Fla. - Ken Griffey Jr. has taken notice of the additions the Phillies made in the off-season, particularly the one Bobby Abreu made to his body.

While discussing the Phils' roster renovations - Jim Thome, Kevin Millwood, etc. - before Monday's exhibition game, the Cincinnati Reds star brought up the subject of the beefed-up Phillies rightfielder.

"Bobby came in bigger," said Griffey, wide-eyed and chuckling. "When I saw him , I was like, `Darn, I've got some furniture at home. Can you help me move it? I could just throw it on your back.'

"He looks good. He looks a lot bigger, especially across the chest. I go lift, but I don't swell up like that. They need to get him some Spandex."

Griffey isn't the only one who has noticed that Abreu is filling out his uniform a little more this spring. Several scouts have commented about it in recent days and wondered whether the extra bulk will hurt his game.

Here's the skinny on Abreu's bulkier body:

Abreu said he ended last season weighing 210 pounds and that he now weighs 215. He believes that he will be down to 210 by the end of spring training.

The bulked-up frame, he said, was a result of hard work, nothing more, in the weight room. He said he probably put on a few more pounds than usual because the winter baseball season in his native Venezuela was shortened due to political unrest in the country. Abreu usually plays winter ball.

"I'm all right," Abreu said, laughing about the subject of his weight. "I spent a lot of time in the weight room."

Manager Larry Bowa said he has no concerns about Abreu's weight or physical condition.

"It doesn't bother me," Bowa said. "He's five or six pounds over what he was at the end of last season. Part of it, I'm sure, is that he didn't play this winter.

"I'm not worried about his weight at all. If it was an issue, I'd tell you. It's a non-issue. He looks really strong and he's swinging the bat well."

Could the increased brawn be a sign that Abreu wants to hit for more power this year? His home-run totals rose steadily from 17 in 1998 to 31 in 2001 before dropping to 20 last season.

"No, I'm not trying to hit more home runs," Abreu said. "I can't do that. I have to play my game."

Abreu homered Saturday against the Atlanta Braves, but he maintains that home runs just happen. When he is going good, he hits many line drives, especially to the gaps. He is also a patient hitter with tremendous plate discipline. Those strengths - the gap power and the patience - were reflected in his statistics last year: He led the National League with 50 doubles and ranked sixth with 104 walks.

Speed is also a big part of Abreu's game. He has stolen 36 and 31 bases, respectively, the last two seasons.

Abreu, who will turn 29 next week, said his speed will not be affected by his beefier body.

"My running is fine," he said with a smile.

Abreu has gotten off to a good start at the plate this spring. He hit a hard single up the middle in the Phils' 7-2 loss to Griffey and the Reds Monday at Ed Smith Stadium. He is 3 for 6 so far.

As for the rest of the Phillies' winter additions - Millwood, Thome, etc. - Griffey is as impressed with them as he is with Abreu's bulkier physique.

"Millwood is tough," Griffey said. "He comes right at you."

An "Oh, wow!" look swept across Griffey's face when Thome's name came up.

"He's just so strong, country strong," Griffey said. "I was looking at his bat. It looks like something I'd warm up with. Mine looks like a toothpick compared to his.

"He'll make a big difference in their lineup. One swing of the bat and he can give you three quick runs."

Contact staff writer Jim Salisbury at 215-854-4983 or jsalisbury@phillynews.com.

www.chron.com March 3, 2003, 12:02AM By DALE ROBERTSON

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Andres Reiner is a citizen of the world. He was born in Hungary, grew up in Venezuela and has lived in Houston since the late 1970s. But Andres Reiner is not a political man.

"My wife calls me a baseball addict," he says, "and I think she's right."

About the time the Soviet Union collapsed and the Berlin Wall tumbled down, Reiner was realizing his life's dream -- opening the first baseball academy in Venezuela on behalf of the Astros. That convergence was coincidental but harmonic nonetheless. Suddenly, the planet seemed as though it would be a less bellicose place. No longer would two antagonistic superpowers be staring each other down, a push of a button away from the apocalypse.

With the first and second worlds getting out of each other's faces, the rest, or third world, couldn't help but profit, right? Venezuela in particular, because of its sizable oil reserves, looked particularly primed to take a bold leap forward into the full flower of modernity, if only its leaders would stop lining their pockets with the brunt of the country's petroleum profits.

They didn't, of course, and the deeply ingrained corruption led the frustrated, impatient citizenry to turn to Hugo Chavez for salvation. But although the hard-left-leaning strongman president instituted sweeping policies of "reform," his medicine proved more unsettling to the Venezuelan system than the disease had been, and the most ominous fit of social unrest Reiner has seen in his 67 years would be the result.

Because of the fallout from the general strikes and massive protests directed toward the Chavez government in recent months, the nation's oil revenues figure to drop by at least 50 percent, and half the population could be unemployed by the middle of the summer. Understandably, crime is soaring, as Astro Richard Hidalgo would learn over the offseason when he was shot in the arm while being robbed.

So much for a stable backdrop in which to teach baseball skills, an avenue of escape for at least a few of the nation's impoverished kids.

Reiner, who just returned from a month at the academy, tries to stay positive. The irony of the unraveling situation isn't lost on him. He says Venezuelans' passion for baseball -- it's the nation's favorite sport by far -- never has been greater despite the angry mood of the populace.

"This is bad stuff, and it can still get much worse," he said. "But the more poverty there is, the more desperate people become to find a way out for their children."

Reiner's official title with the Astros since 1997 has been special assistant to general manager Gerry Hunsicker for international scouting and development. He came to spring training to counsel Hunsicker on how the organization should proceed in light of the uncertainties. A number of teams -- 18 besides the Astros have a bricks-and-mortar Venezuelan presence -- are in the process of or considering moving their players and staff to the Dominican Republic until normalcy returns. Therefore, Venezuela's summer league schedule remains in jeopardy. The winter league was shut down shortly after it began.

Reiner's advice to Hunsicker, whose mind is not made up: Ride it out.

"Even if there is only one other team to play," Reiner said, "I think we should stay. Safety is not an issue. The players and the instructors are safe. And there is no anti-American sentiment, not at all. If anything, the people believe it is the United States who will help solve the problem."

Which might become a problem in itself. The United States is a tad distracted by matters other than South American socialists these days, and you wonder how long the Venezuelans will patiently suffer on the back burner.

The Astros' facility, located within the secured confines of Venezuela's only privately owned oil company, Venoco, recently underwent a major renovation to rank it among the finest in Latin America and the Caribbean. Sixteen of the academy's graduates have risen to the major-league level, and Reiner believes as many as 15 of the current prospects living there have major-league potential.

Given Venezuela's population of 25 million -- compared to 4.5 million in the Dominican Republic -- the number can multiply exponentially in the years to come if Chavez doesn't act rashly.

"He could, you know, like Fidel (Castro), throw professional baseball out," Reiner said. "Will he? I don't think so, but ... "

Reiner measures his words when he speaks about the government, saying, "They could put me in jail."

And he contends Chavez "has done everything he said he would do. It's just that the people never once believed he would actually do them."

The Astros should know by the end of March if the Venezuelan season is a go or if they'll have to transport everyone to the Dominican. A referendum that could determine Chavez's political fate is scheduled for Aug. 19, but it's also possible the power-obsessed president won't allow it to happen because he's aware there are enough votes on the street to oust him.

Were he to block the referendum, things could get scary. Some warn of a possible full-scale civil war. Reiner discounts that "because the Chavez side has all the big weapons," but he concedes that as much as he wants to believe baseball will continue to grow and prosper in his adopted country, there are troubling uncertainties.

Ultimately, though, he's an optimist.

"I survived the second World War," Reiner said. "I will survive this."