Tino Martinez

JUPITER, Fla. - Mark McGwire used to cast a giant shadow in the St. Louis Cardinals' organization. The hulking physical presence and prodigious home run swing made the near-certain future Hall of Famer an intimidating force on offense, and his regular-guy approach to the game made him one of the most popular players in the clubhouse. So how is it that the Cardinals - just months after Big Mac's sudden retirement - appear to be better off without him? The Cardinals club that will open the 2002 exhibition season later this week has a deeper pitching staff and a more balanced lineup than the team that took the eventual world champion Arizona Diamondbacks to the limit in the first round of the playoffs last year.

WHO'S UP Coco Crisp of the Indians is batting .419 (13-for-31) during a nine-game hitting streak. WHO'S DOWN Pedro Martinez of the Mets has allowed four homers in his past two starts after giving up one in his first six. BATTING LINE OF THE DAY Tino Martinez, Yankees 1B R H RBI HR 5 3 3 5 1 PITCHING LINE OF THE DAY Kenny Rogers, Rangers IP H R BB SOAB 9 6 0 0 2

NEW YORK -- Addressing "a highly unfortunate and extremely dangerous on-field incident," American League president Gene Budig yesterday suspended Orioles reliever Armando Benitez and four others for their roles in Tuesday's night's brawl with the New York Yankees.Benitez received an eight-game suspension as the fight's instigator while fellow reliever Alan Mills received a two-game suspension. New York Yankees designated hitter Darryl Strawberry and reliever Graeme Lloyd received three-game suspensions, and reliever Jeff Nelson a two-game sentence.

JUPITER, Fla. - Mark McGwire used to cast a giant shadow in the St. Louis Cardinals' organization. The hulking physical presence and prodigious home run swing made the near-certain future Hall of Famer an intimidating force on offense, and his regular-guy approach to the game made him one of the most popular players in the clubhouse. So how is it that the Cardinals - just months after Big Mac's sudden retirement - appear to be better off without him? The Cardinals club that will open the 2002 exhibition season later this week has a deeper pitching staff and a more balanced lineup than the team that took the eventual world champion Arizona Diamondbacks to the limit in the first round of the playoffs last year.

HittingTino Martinez, Yankees: 2 HRs.Carlos Delgado, Blue Jays: 2 HRs.Nomar Garciaparra, Red Sox: 4 RBIs, HR.Pitching4 David Wells, Yankees: 9 innings, 0 runs, 6 hits.Steve Avery, Red Sox: 7 innings, 1 run, 4 hits.Pub Date: 8/22/98

WHO'S UP Coco Crisp of the Indians is batting .419 (13-for-31) during a nine-game hitting streak. WHO'S DOWN Pedro Martinez of the Mets has allowed four homers in his past two starts after giving up one in his first six. BATTING LINE OF THE DAY Tino Martinez, Yankees 1B R H RBI HR 5 3 3 5 1 PITCHING LINE OF THE DAY Kenny Rogers, Rangers IP H R BB SOAB 9 6 0 0 2

If you paid close attention to the Orioles' 6-0 loss to the Mariners on Monday night, you understand why many people become armchair managers. And why so many others consider the job a no-win proposition that can endanger one's emotional, and occupational, stability.For six innings the teams combined to put 19 runners on base without scoring a run. Twice the Mariners had the bases loaded with less than two outs. Three times the Orioles had their leadoff hitter on, including the first inning, when the first two batters reached safely.

Doubleheader at Yankee Stadium, 4: 05 p.m.Game 1:Mike Mussina (19-10, 4.77) vs. Kenny Rogers (10-8, 4.94)What Mussina throws: Fastball, knuckle-curve, changeup.Mussina of late: He is 8-2 over his last 10 starts, but he's had mixed results in his last two outings, shutting out Detroit Sept. 7, before getting pounded by the White Sox (eight hits and six runs over 3 2/3 innings) last Thursday.Yankees he loves to face:................... Avg. ..... Hits ..... ABCecil Fielder ..... .167 ..... 6 .....

Sage advice to Orioles from second-grade pupilsThe Orioles, and especially Armando Benitez, acted like total idiots. It was because they were frustrated. They were wrong because they shouldn't blame others and hurt them. It's a bad thing to do. I just have to admit, the Yankees are pretty good.When you're frustrated, keep practicing, punch a pillow, wash your face.Michael IngberOwings MillsArmando Benitez shouldn't have thrown the ball at Tino Martinez just because the hitter before Mr. Martinez hit a home run. In my school, we learn that when you get frustrated, not to blame anyone else.

BaseballAmerican League: Named Mariners CF Ken Griffey Player of Week. Griffey hit five home runs in Seattle's first five games, with a .444 batting average, nine runs scored and eight RBIs. Others considered: Orioles CF Brady Anderson (.556), Yankees 1B Tino Martinez (.450) and Tigers 1B Tony Clark (nine RBIs).Cardinals: Placed P Lance Painter (hamstring) on 15-day DL, retroactive to Saturday. Called up C Danny Sheaffer from Triple-A Louisville.Mariners: Purchased contract of former Orioles P Dennis Martinez from Triple-A Tacoma.

NEW YORK-By Bobby Valentine's math starter Al Leiter was due to win a postseason game. Just as Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez had his eight-game postseason winning streak snapped in Game 3 of the World Series, the Mets manager reasoned a pitcher of Leiter's caliber could not go 11 consecutive starts without a victory. "The odds will be with us for him to get a win," Valentine said. The odds might have been with him, but the Mets' offense was not in the Yankees' 4 3 victory last night that gave them the World Series title, four games to one. They scratched out just two runs during Leiter's 8 2/3 innings, so his 132-pitch effort in Game 5 was all but wasted.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Yes, Cal Ripken had a conversation with New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine. And yes, the topic was former Orioles closer Armando Benitez, who was traded to the Mets in December in a three-way deal that brought catcher Charles Johnson. But Ripken's version of what was said differs greatly from Valentine's account.Is anyone surprised?Valentine has been quoted in Newsday as saying that Ripken referred to Benitez's act of hitting New York Yankees first baseman Tino Martinez in the back with a fastball last season, which incited an ugly brawl, as one of the "manliest" things he had ever seen.

HittingTino Martinez, Yankees: 2 HRs.Carlos Delgado, Blue Jays: 2 HRs.Nomar Garciaparra, Red Sox: 4 RBIs, HR.Pitching4 David Wells, Yankees: 9 innings, 0 runs, 6 hits.Steve Avery, Red Sox: 7 innings, 1 run, 4 hits.Pub Date: 8/22/98

BOSTON -- Pedro Martinez once was a bigger outcast than Armando Benitez. He repeatedly hit batters, triggered brawls, faced charges that he was a headhunter. But those days are long gone for a pitcher who last season won the National League Cy Young Award.Benitez, 25, is only a year younger than Martinez, but his own manager called him "very immature" after he hit Tino Martinez on May 19, prompting a brawl between the Orioles and Yankees. Maybe he'll never achieve lasting major-league success.

Sage advice to Orioles from second-grade pupilsThe Orioles, and especially Armando Benitez, acted like total idiots. It was because they were frustrated. They were wrong because they shouldn't blame others and hurt them. It's a bad thing to do. I just have to admit, the Yankees are pretty good.When you're frustrated, keep practicing, punch a pillow, wash your face.Michael IngberOwings MillsArmando Benitez shouldn't have thrown the ball at Tino Martinez just because the hitter before Mr. Martinez hit a home run. In my school, we learn that when you get frustrated, not to blame anyone else.

NEW YORK -- Addressing "a highly unfortunate and extremely dangerous on-field incident," American League president Gene Budig yesterday suspended Orioles reliever Armando Benitez and four others for their roles in Tuesday's night's brawl with the New York Yankees.Benitez received an eight-game suspension as the fight's instigator while fellow reliever Alan Mills received a two-game suspension. New York Yankees designated hitter Darryl Strawberry and reliever Graeme Lloyd received three-game suspensions, and reliever Jeff Nelson a two-game sentence.

SEATTLE -- The Orioles stopped hitting, the bullpen stunk, the rotation collapsed. But through it all, there has been Mike Mussina, who this year has been the difference between mediocrity and last place.Mussina went 7 2/3 innings to beat Seattle, 2-1, last night, and picked up his 14th win of the season, tying him with Boston's Tim Wakefield for the major-league lead. Doug Jones pitched in his first save opportunity since July 28 and converted, for his 20th save."Mussina's been an anchor for us," said Orioles manager Phil Regan.

BOSTON -- Pedro Martinez once was a bigger outcast than Armando Benitez. He repeatedly hit batters, triggered brawls, faced charges that he was a headhunter. But those days are long gone for a pitcher who last season won the National League Cy Young Award.Benitez, 25, is only a year younger than Martinez, but his own manager called him "very immature" after he hit Tino Martinez on May 19, prompting a brawl between the Orioles and Yankees. Maybe he'll never achieve lasting major-league success.

BaseballAmerican League: Named Mariners CF Ken Griffey Player of Week. Griffey hit five home runs in Seattle's first five games, with a .444 batting average, nine runs scored and eight RBIs. Others considered: Orioles CF Brady Anderson (.556), Yankees 1B Tino Martinez (.450) and Tigers 1B Tony Clark (nine RBIs).Cardinals: Placed P Lance Painter (hamstring) on 15-day DL, retroactive to Saturday. Called up C Danny Sheaffer from Triple-A Louisville.Mariners: Purchased contract of former Orioles P Dennis Martinez from Triple-A Tacoma.

Momentum, Cal Ripken said last week, means a lot in this game, and the first three times the Orioles and Yankees met in a series this year, the Orioles weren't playing well. That goes a long way toward explaining why New York won 10 of the 13 games between the teams this year.The Orioles had lost nine of 12 when they played the Yankees in a two-game series at the end of April, and lost both games. The Orioles had lost three of four when went into New York in June, and split the four-game series at Yankee Stadium.