Centrists

When asked by reporters to name the top starting pitcher in the NL East, Mets lefthander Johan Santana picked … himself, according to the New York Daily News.

Santana went 13-9 with a 3.13 ERA last season but had season-ending elbow surgery in early September.

Santana, 31, has been throwing off a mound since last month, though he won’t pitch in a Grapefruit League until the second week of action.

"I’m able to now throw my fastball with no problems and throw my breaking ball and my changeup without feeling that sharp pain in the back of my elbow now," Santana told the Daily News. "I’ll be able to throw all of my pitches pain-free. That’s a big plus for me."

Spring training officially opened Thursday when 12 clubs held workouts for pitchers and catchers. Let the 44-day countdown to opening night begin.

If six-plus weeks of camp sounds like too many, you must not be a starting pitcher who has to slowly build arm strength for the long season. You definitely aren’t a starter seeking a strong spring in your attempt to bounce back from a disappointing 2009.

The quartet below has something else in common: All loom large in their teams’ chances to contend.

Carlos Zambrano, Cubs

The Big Z isn’t quite as large after dropping about 15 pounds and reporting to Arizona with a new, close-cropped haircut. Zambrano needed a change after a season in which he made nearly as much news for his dislike of sit-ups as he did for his pitching.

The Cubs are paying their ace righthander $17.875 million this season to win more than nine games and pitch more than 169 1/3 innings. Zambrano went on the disabled list twice last season, once because of back spasms that were attributed in part to a core that he admitted should have been better-conditioned.

"He’s got a lot of pride so he took to heart what happened last year," pitching coach Larry Rothschild said. "We need him to be out there with his good stuff consistently, and I don’t think he was."

Rothschild plans to tweak Zambrano’s spring routine to "refresh him a bit" but said, "There’s only so much you can do as far as using him (in exhibitions). We have to get him ready to start."

Cole Hamels, Phillies

One positive from the Phillies’ failure to win the World Series: Hamels, the darling of the 2008 playoffs, didn’t have to worry about an offseason celebration tour. The lefthander didn’t have much to gloat about after going 10-11 with a 4.32 ERA in the regular season, and 1-2 with a 7.38 in four postseason starts.

This spring, Hamels is expected to work on his curveball and experiment with a cutter, which would be a fourth pitch in his repertoire.

Chad Billingsley, Dodgers

He is only 25 but the righthander is entering his fifth season at a crossroads. Is he the guy who went 0-3 with a 5.16 ERA in his final six outings and was left out of the postseason rotation? Or is he the All-Star who went 9-4 in the first half?

His problems could be partially attributed to a balky left knee that is stressed because of a stiff landing on his delivery. Billingsley also struggles because he loses confidence and lets that affect his performance.

After Billingsley was pummeled by the Phillies in the 2008 NLCS, Dodgers manager Joe Torre was concerned enough to have a heart-to-heart chat with him before last season. Torre’s talk seemed to help, for the first half anyway.

Oliver Perez, Mets

Perez typified the Mets’ misery in ’09. He was lousy from the start after signing a three-year, $36 million deal in the offseason. Perez went on the disabled list in May with a left knee injury, returned in July and continued to struggle. His season ended in late August when he couldn’t make it through the first inning against the Phillies. He had surgery in September.

According to early reports, Perez is throwing free and easy so far. He needs to regain his command after walking 58 in his 66 innings last season.

"The big emphasis this spring will be on throwing strikes," Mets manager Jerry Manuel said. "If he can do that, being lefthanded gives him a tremendous opportunity to be productive for us in our ballpark. It’s a matter of us getting him to be somewhat consistent."

They have 44 days to try.

Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.

CLEVELAND — Mark Shapiro got out of his chair, turned toward his protege and hugged him.

Each man was congratulating the other. Shapiro is moving up. Chris Antonetti is moving up.

The Cleveland Indians’ long-term vision is in place.

Shapiro will be promoted to team president after this season and be succeeded as GM by Antonetti, his assistant for the last nine years.

Paul Dolan, son of owner Larry Dolan, will shift from president to chief executive officer, a title held by his father.

"I strongly believe we have a very solid leadership team that will be the core of this franchise for years to come," Dolan said. "(Shapiro) has built a culture here that is the envy of the industry."

The Indians’ announcement on the eve of spring training Thursday could be considered the team’s biggest move of the winter. Cleveland lost 97 games last year, then followed it up with a quiet offseason, offering a few minor league contracts to free agents, but little else.

Cleveland has been forced to gut its team since winning the AL Central and coming within one game of the World Series in 2007, trading away former AL Cy Young winners CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee, along with All-Star catcher Victor Martinez.

"I can’t change the economic demographics of our marketplace," Dolan said. "What we can do is put the best people in place. I feel with the team we have in place, we have the best folks to do what’s necessary within the confines of our market to succeed. They’ve got what they need, given our limitations."

Antonetti is certainly familiar with the Indians’ history. He is entering his 12th season with the team after joining the baseball operations department as an unpaid intern in 1999.

Shapiro said beginning next season, Antonetti will have the final say on all personnel decisions.

"That’s Chris’ show," Shapiro said. "What I hope is I’ll be a resource. He will know that I’m here if he wants to draw upon my experiences as GM.

"Usually because of the amount of information we’ve processed, we usually arrive at the same point anyway. I’d assume that same thing will continue to happen."

The 35-year-old Antonetti has been coveted by teams with GM openings, but passed with the understanding he would eventually receive his chance in Cleveland. He has taken on a larger role in personnel decisions recently, including playing a key role in the trade that sent Lee to Philadelphia last summer for prospects.

"It’s impossible to simulate sitting in that chair," Antonetti said. "The pressures of actually being the one making those decisions is different from where I sit. But because of the opportunities Mark has provided to actually be the point person on trade discussions or free agent discussions, from that standpoint I’m prepared. I’ve had those opportunities that will make me a successful GM."

Shapiro is handing over the job in much the same way he inherited it from former GM John Hart in 2001. A son of prominent agent Ron Shapiro, he was selected major league executive of the year by The Sporting News in 2005 and 2007.

But Cleveland also traded Sabathia, Lee and Martinez during his tenure. When injuries hampered the Indians’ ability to contend in ’08, Shapiro dealt Sabathia to Milwaukee for prospects. Faced with dwindling revenue and another underachieving team last season, the Indians traded Martinez to Boston and Lee to the Phillies for more prospects.

Following last season’s disappointing finish, Shapiro fired Eric Wedge, the manager he had hired before the 2003 season. Thursday he called firing Wedge after last season one of his toughest moments. Manny Acta will replace Wedge as manager this season.

"I had visions of always working with one manager throughout my entire career," Shapiro said. "I view that as a collective failure."

Having a baseball mind as president, rather than a businessman like Dolan, is a new structure for the Indians and one that haven’t had since Hart was the GM and Hank Peters retired as president in 1991.

Shapiro and Antonetti are faced with rebuilding the franchise yet again amid an angry fan base that is upset with the way the team has been torn down so soon after an ALCS appearance.

"At different times along the way … we’ve had to face a lot of the same skepticism," Shapiro said. "We put our heads down, we worked hard and we put ourselves in position to experience special times. We feel we’re in good position going forward to experience the same kind of success and hopefully this time, when we get to that threshold, we’ll push over it."

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

TODD’S 10 SPRING QUESTIONS

1. Is the Red Sox’s move toward pitching and defense a wise one, or did they sacrifice too much offense? This is the way to go and is an approach a lot of clubs will adopt. But Boston fans initially might have a tough time embracing 3-hour games over 3-run homers.

2. Is new Astros manager Brad Mills inheriting a veteran-laden team that could surprise people or an aging team destined to be a disappointment? Houston has a good mix of talented veterans and good young players. The veterans must get the younger guys through the cold streaks; the youngsters must help the old guys through the dog days. I like the Astros’ battle-tested guys (Lance Berkman, Roy Oswalt, Carlos Lee, Pedro Feliz).

Texas needs a healthy Josh Hamilton to be dangerous in the AL West.

3. Which team has the potential for the biggest turnaround? Last year, the Nationals won about 17 games, which is good for a college basketball team. They added good veteran arms in Matt Capps and Jason Marquis, and they still have the Big Donkey, Adam Dunn.

4. Which playoff team from 2009 has the most cause for concern? The Phillies. The bullpen will be in flux until Brad Lidge is healthy. And they dealt Cliff Lee for no reason at all. (Why not keep him and Roy Halladay?) Instead, they will hang their hat on Joe Blanton.

5. What other team could be doomed by the back end of its bullpen? The Yankees are one 40-year-old elbow away from a disaster of epic proportions. Then again, they have been that way for the past several years, and they won it all last season.

6. Which player who missed much of the 2009 season most needs to prove he is healthy? The Rangers need Josh Hamilton to produce like he did in 2008. But he can’t play at a high level with a sore back.

7. Which player who struggled last season most needs a strong spring to rebuild his confidence? Manny Ramirez. Did the 50-game suspension hurt him, or is this an example of a slugger aging right before our eyes? The Dodgers don’t want a repeat of last season, and neither does Manny.

8. Which contenders have the most work to do after major offseason roster turnover? The Mariners, Tigers and Angels. The players have to get used to playing with one another and get to know personalities. Because these teams all have strong managers, I don’t expect any problems.

9. The Angels have five solid starters, but do they have an ace after losing John Lackey? Plenty of teams would love to have Scott Kazmir, Joel Pineiro, Ervin Santana, Joe Saunders or Jered Weaver atop their rotation. They all can be big-game pitchers, but a No. 1 gives your team a chance to win every time he pitches. The Angels have a collection of No. 2 starters. With good coaching, they could have more than one No. 1.

10. How much will new hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo help the Cubs? Jaramillo is the best hitting coach in the game. He takes guys’ swings and works with them in a way that helps them feel confident. His pedigree is unprecedented, and Jaramillo will get the Cubs to hit.

TODD’S TOP WINTER ANSWERS

1. The Cardinals re-sign left fielder Matt Holliday. He hit .353 with 13 homers and 55 RBIs in 63 games after joining St. Louis in late July.

Matt Holliday signed on to wear the birds on the bat for the next seven years.

2. The Phillies finally complete a trade for ace Roy Halladay. He is hoping to make his first postseason with the two-time defending National League champion Phillies.

3. The Mariners trade for left-hander Cliff Lee. With Lee and Felix Hernandez, Seattle now has perhaps the best 1-2 punch in the majors.

4. The Yankees trade for center fielder Curtis Granderson. Prepping for a repeat, the Yankees get younger, stronger and faster.

5. The Mets sign slugging left fielder Jason Bay. Bay, who hit a career-high 36 homers for Boston in 2009, joins a team in desperate need of offense.

6. The Mariners sign third baseman Chone Figgins. Seattle gets stronger—and weakens the AL West rival Angels in the process.

7. The Red Sox sign right-hander John Lackey. With Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Lackey, the Sox have arguably the best top three of any rotation in the majors.

8. The Angels sign World Series MVP Hideki Matsui. He hit 28 homers in 2009 and will replace Vladimir Guerrero at DH.

9. Atlanta signs closer Billy Wagner. He will anchor a bullpen that lost late-game relievers Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez.

10. Detroit signs closer Jose Valverde. His 116 saves since 2007 are tied for fourth-most in the majors.

Todd Jones, a former major league closer, is a regular contributor to Sporting News.

This story first appeared in the Feb. 15, 2010, edition of Sporting News magazine. If you are not receiving the magazine, subscribe today, or pick up a copy, available at most Barnes & Noble, Borders and Hudson Retail outlets.

MLB.com reports the Diamondbacks are exploring long-term contracts for third baseman Mark Reynolds and right fielder Justin Upton.

"We always have those conversations. Whether we can get them done or not, I don’t know," general manager Josh Byrnes told the Web site during the club’s fan festival last weekend. "It’s an issue we try to stay ahead of. We’ve talked to those guys. We’ll see if it leads to a deal or not."

Reynolds, 26, and Upton, 22, are considered two of the Diamondbacks’ core players. Both are under the club’s control for the next four seasons.

Reynolds confirmed to the Web site that discussions have taken place.

"It’s kind of a sticky situation," Reynolds was quoted as saying. "I don’t really want to say much about it, but there are talks. There’s years being thrown back and forth right now. No money yet, but it could be anywhere from a two- to three-year deal with a couple of options is what I hear. I think the week of the 15th there’s going to be some formal offers made, at least that’s what my agent told me."

The Chicago Sun-Times reports the White Sox are increasingly confident they will sign free-agent outfielder Johnny Damon. The newspaper quotes an unnamed club source as saying he would be "surprised if he didn’t sign with us."

Damon’s best two options appear to be the White Sox and the Tigers. White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski has been trying to recruit Damon to Chicago, going so far as to play a round of golf with Damon. Plus, reports indicate that Damon’s wife would prefer not to move to Detroit.

"It’s his decision now," Pierzynski told the Sun-Times on Wednesday. "Everyone knows how I feel about it and how much I would like him to sign with us, but it’s his choice now. If he signs with us it would really help. If he signs with Detroit, well, then it helps them."

Damon, meanwhile, told SI.com that his wife’s preferences are secondary. "She’s going wherever I go," Damon told SI.com’s Jon Heyman in a text message.

FoxSports.com reported that the White Sox are offering Damon a one-year contract with significant deferred compensation. The site pegs the present-day value of the offer at $4.5 million.

Padres CEO Jeff Moorad tells the San Diego-Union Tribune that he wants first baseman Adrian Gonzalez to remain with the club past the 2011 season when his contract expires.

"I’m still hopeful that Adrian and his representatives help us structure a contract that we can afford and fits into our long-term payroll," Moorad said in an interview with the newspaper. "At some point, (general manager) Jed (Hoyer) will explore whether there is a creative approach that works for all. Until then, I’m going to remain optimistic."

Many observers believe the Padres will not be able to afford Gonzalez, who will make $10 million over the next two seasons. The team reportedly has been gauging trade interest since 2009. The Boston Red Sox have been the team linked the closest to the discussions.

Gonzalez, 27, slugged 40 home runs and compiled a .958 OPS, both career highs, last season.