European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 6, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday april 6, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 23baseball �?T9 a up padres Joe Carter just Over from Cleveland has averaged 31 homers and 108 Bis Over the last four seasons. Free spending padres turn into big daddies by Jim Donaghy a baseball writer Jack Mckeon came to the Winter meetings shopping for a Pennant and came away with some luxury items for san Diego. He acquired Joe Carter in a blockbuster Trade with Cleveland and signed free agent reliever Craig Lefferts. Will it be enough to win the National league West san Francisco the defending no champs have added Kevin Bass. Los Angeles signed Hubie Brooks. All Cincinnati has to do is stay healthy a the Talent is already there. No West preview san Diego padres 1989 record b9-73. 2nd Outlook the padres must avoid last season s 40-46 Start. They got hot at the end but it was too late to catch san Francisco. Key stat the padres allowed 133 homers last season a most in the no. Key arrivals outfielder Joe Carter Pitcher Craig Elferts. Outfielder Fred Lynn. Key departures Pitcher Mark Davis outfielder Chris James Catcher Sandy Alomar or the padres made a Rush at the giants in the final weeks of the 1989 season by winning 29 of 39, but fell Short by three games. Mckeon expects the addition of Carter will make up the difference. Carter has averaged 31 homers and 108 Bis Over the last four seasons. Carter joins Tony Gwynn Jack Clark and Benito Santiago in the lineup. Clark should Benefit most from Carters presence As he was walked a major league High 132 times last season. Despite the loss of by Young Winner Mark Davis who saved 44 games the padres should have enough in the bullpen with the addition of 20-save lefty Lefferts. Mckeon needs a big season from Rookie Pitcher Andy Benes who joins Bruce Hurst de Whitson Dennis Rasmussen and Eric show in the padres  Cincinnati reds 1989 record 75-87. Both Outlook ii the reds slay healthy they can compete with anyone in the no West. Lou i Mella should help ease the reds away from the Pete Rose experience. Key stat from june 10 until the end of the season the reds placed 11 players on the do and went 40-63. Key arrivals Pitcher Randy Meyers outfielder Hal Morris key departures Pitcher John Franco Pitcher Tim Leary there a Talent on this team a lots of it a and Lou Piniella has the Job of putting it together after the sorry Pete Rose Era. Even starter in the reds lineup was Hurt last season except first baseman Todd Benzinger 17 hrs 76 Bis. Shortstop Barry Larkin .342 missed the second half of the season when he sustained an Arm injury and third baseman Chris Sabo the Rookie of the year in 1988, also spent time on the disabled list and slumped to .260 with six homers and 29 Bis. Center fielder Eric Davis hit .281 with 34 homers and 101 Bis. Injuries also decimated the pitching staff. Danny Jackson went from 23-8 in 1988 to 6-11. Jackson is coming off shoulder and toe surgery last season. After Jackson in the rotation the reds have Jose Rijo Tom Browning Rick Mahler and possibly Jack Armstrong Scott Scudder or Ron Robinson. Bullpen staffers Randy Meyers and right hander Rob Dibble give the reds two of the fastest relievers in  san Francisco giants the giants pitching started to fall apart during the playoffs and world series and they Haven to done much to improve on the Mound. Can 40-year-old Rick Reuschel repeat his 17-8 season Scott Garrelts came out of the bullpen last year and finished 14-5 As a starter. The other 1989 record 92-70. 1st Outlook ii a group of Young pitchers does t come through it will be a .500 season. Key Slat the giants had 40 come from Behms victories last season including 15 irom the eighth inning and alter. Key arrivals outfielder Kevin Bass a fielder Dave Anderson Catcher Gary Carter. Key departures pitchers Mike Krukow and Dave Dravecky. How they la finish 1. San Diego padres 4. Los Angeles dodgers 2. Cincinnati reds 5. Atlanta braves 3. San Francisco giants 6. Houston astros will Clark has emerged As one of the game s Best hitters and should get some help by the presence of third baseman Matt Williams for a full season. Williams strikes out too much but is capable of hitting 30-35 homers. Los Angeles dodgers 1989 record 77-83 4th Outlook to gel Back into Contention the dodgers need big seasons irom Eddie Murray and Hubie Brooks key stat the dodgers Lin shed with the Best team Era in the a ors last season at 2 95 but had the lowest batting average at 240 key arrivals ont Liellei Juan Samuel Pitcher Jim Gott. Out fielder Hubie Brooks key departures outfielder infielder Mike Marshall pitchers ale andro Pena and John Tudor infielder Dave Anderson to add some punch. Los Angeles signed free agent outfielder Hubie Brooks 14 hrs 70 Bis for Montreal and traded Mike Marshall and Alejandro Pena to the acts for Juan Samuel. The dodgers toyed with the idea of moving Brooks to third base but he will remain in the Outfield because of the abbreviated Spring training. Samuel will be in Center. One of the biggest reasons the dodgers offence fell apart last season was the loss of 1988 map Kirk Gibson to a hamstring injury. Gibson .213, 9 hrs 28 Bis had of season surgery but May not be ready for opening Day. First baseman Eddie Murray got off to a slow Start but finished with 20 homers and 88 Bis. The dodgers measly run production was a Nightmare for the pitchers. Orel Hershiser had a 2.31 Era but finished 15-15. Tim Belcher 2.82 led the league in shutouts but ended 15-12.�?� Atlanta braves despite giving signs last season they were ready to make a move the braves finished last for the third straight year with a 63-97 record. Reason for optimism comes from a group of Young pitchers that includes Tom Glavic 148john Smoltz 12-11derek Lilliquist 8-10 and Mike Stanton seven saves. 1.50 Era. To help provide the pitchers some runs the braves signed free agent first baseman Nick Esasky. Esasky. Who loved hitting in Atlanta while a member of Cincinnati had 30 homers and 108 Bis for Boston in 1989. Dale Murphy got off to a horrendous Start last season. But finished s Rong with 20 homers and 84 Bis. The braves need his Bat for an entire season. 1989 record 63 97 6th Outlook in n Low years Ito bravos might have the Best pitching the league right now getting close to 500 would tie a big step key stat the braves hit a a or league Low 234 averaging 3 6 runs and 7 9 hits key arrivals Fust baseman Nick Esasky. Catcher Ernie Whitt third baseman Jim Presley. Pitcher Charlie Leibrandt key departures reliever Bruch Sutter first baseman Gerald Perry Houston astros padre slugger Jack Clark who walked 132 times last season will see More Striks with Joe Carter in lineup. A 3 Kiwi a i a a v starters from 1989, Mike Lacoss and Don Robinson combined to go 22-21. Mike Krukow has retired. San Francisco has few worries on offence particularly with the addition of outfielder Kevin Bass who joins Kevin Mitchell major league highs of 47 hrs and 125 Robisi and Brett Butler in the Outfield. The astros needed to make a Trade to come up with a big Bat Over the Winter but did no to. After first baseman Glenn Davis 34 hrs. 89 Bis there a a big drop in Power. Usually reliable second baseman Bill Doran had an awful second half hitting .131. The astros need a big year from Rookie left fielder Eric Anthony 28 hrs 79 Bis at class a Columbus. Mike Scott 20-10 and Jim Deshaies 15-10, 2.91 had solid seasons but Jim Clancy and and Rick Rhoden were big disappointments. The bullpen remains Strong with Dave Smith 25 save Danny Darwin 11-4, 2.36 and Juan Agosto. 1989 record 86-76 3rd Outlook for the Astimos to to so Nous contenders the need a big year irom Rookie enc Anthony 28 hrs. 79 Bis at Columbus key stat Tho astros rallied to win games 18 times Iasi Soa son in their Linal at Bat key arrivals Pitcher Bill Gul Lickson. Infielder Kon obo Klell key departures Pilcher Rick Rhoden outfielder Kevin Bass