DIAMOND NOTES: June 1

So, now the Twins are on for 2003. Is there a contraction partner for Montreal?

Probably not Tampa Bay or Florida because of state antitrust laws, a strong, ambitious attorney general and two owners who say they won't go away, like the Twins' Carl Pohlad. Kansas City? Oakland? "The owners are going to have a practically impossible time contracting before the 2003 season," says one NL general manager. "So maybe they'll have to sell the Expos to a Washington group for what may be a $350 million profit and move on."

"That's the kind of scenario we're all hoping for," says Expos GM Omar Minaya. "We've been going about business as usual. We've been working on the draft, and plan to sign our players. We're trying to improve what we have here. No one's pulled away, and I think our young players are only going to get better. We have shown a lot of heart, like the way we rallied to beat the Braves in Atlanta Wednesday night.

"I'm still hoping that when we get to the end of July that we're in it," he adds. "Then I hope that we'll get the OK to make a couple of deals to improve the ballclub and make a run at it. This team reminds me of where the Expos were in 1993 (before having the best record in either league in '94), and I hope that we can build and be attractive, whether it's to the fans in Montreal or a buyer in another city."

In fact, Minaya has talked to a couple of other general managers about potential July deals involving some of Montreal's better prospects -- RHPs Justin Wayne and Josh Karp, SS Brandon Phillips, OF Grady Sizemore -- for immediate pennant race help. "We'll see," says Minaye. "It's early and we don't know what the future holds, but I hold out hope that this team will live to see another season. So I'm preparing."

While the Twins have been temporarily saved, and GM Terry Ryan has a young team with a great chance to win the AL Central, with Brad Radke out until perhaps the All-Star break, Joe Mays sidelined and Eric Milton inconsistent, they probably need another starting pitcher. "More than perhaps any team in baseball, they have the frontline minor-league talent to trade to get that pitcher," says one AL GM, pointing to OFs Mike Cuddyer and Mike Restovich, 1B Justin Morneau and C Joe Mauer.

But right now, Ryan may not be able to take on any salary. At the end of the season, he may be forced to move a contract or two with Torii Hunter, Jacque Jones, Doug Mientkiewicz and David Ortiz arbitration eligible. The current Minnesota payroll is $41.3 million. The Twins have 11 players signed for 2003 for $41.5 million. Unless Pohlad decides to jump the payroll or sells the team to a buyer dying to win, a couple of core players are going to have to go, because Hunter, Jones, Mientkiewicz and Ortiz could total $7 million to $9 million and still leave them with 10 more players to sign. Hence, Ryan may not be able to add any additional losses to a franchise that in the six previous seasons had revenues lower than any team other than Montreal, albeit coming off eight consecutive losing seasons.

"We should get Mays back. The reports are encouraging," says Ryan. "Kyle Lohse and Matt Kinney have stepped in and pitched very well. Now that we have Corey Koskie back, we're starting to get our lineup on the field. We should get Luis Rivas back in a week to 10 days, and we're going to be all right. This is a pretty good team that plays very hard."

On the hot seat
Managerial death watches seem to be the craze this season, and the countdown for Buck Martinez has begun in Toronto. J.P. Ricciardi has admitted that Martinez "is being evaluated on a series-to-series basis," which has prompted many to believe that third-base coach Carlos Tosca could be the next Jays manager this week if the club's fortunes don't turn.

Understand, Ricciardi isn't saying that this is a team that should be competing with the Yankees and Red Sox; he's been left some dreadful contracts, many of which are unmoveable. For nearly a month, the Toronto GM has been trying to make deals to pare payroll, but thus far has only been able to move left-handed relievers Pedro Borbon and Dan Plesac. While he's tried to find takers for Raul Mondesi, Shannon Stewart, Junior Cruz and Carlos Delgado, there have been none.

At the present, the players that have the most appeal to other teams are Esteban Loaiza and Chris Carpenter. Loaiza is a free agent after this season, has pitched extremely well (Friday night, for instance) and has appeal to teams like the Reds, because he's free at the end of the season, he's pitching for his contract and recently has been throwing in the '90s. Seattle reportedly is interested in Carpenter; Pat Gillick drafted him for the Blue Jays.

These managerial watches get to be a little silly. Don Baylor was under the media's gun, then the Cubs started winning. There have been rumors surrounding Charlie Manuel in Cleveland, but his job is safe. Rangers GM John Hart did all he could do to take the fault off Jerry Narron, but if the Rangers are in last place come the All-Star break, that defense may come under advisement.

The Groom-to-be
One AL manager who makes no bones about wanting to trade for Buddy Groom says, "as far as I'm concerned, next to (J.C.) Romero in Minnesota, Groom is the best power left-handed setup man in our league. Arthur Rhodes has a great arm, but he's a little limited in how much he can pitch, and when. Mike Stanton is great, but he doesn't throw the way he once did."

The remarkable thing about Groom, who'll be 37 next month, is that two years ago he was throwing 90-91 mph with limited command. Now he's throwing 93-95 with extraordinary command. And Baltimore's not trading him without getting a potential cornerstone position player in return.

The Orioles have been talking to Cincinnati about Sidney Ponson, one of several starters the Reds have targeted now that they know they are not going to get Bartolo Colon unless they part with Adam Dunn or Austin Kearns, which isn't happening. Jim Bowden has been shopping Juan Encarnacion and bodies. When Chris Singleton left the O's game Thursday night with "heat exhaustion," it prompted rumors of a deal for Junior Griffey, rumors that apparently had no basis.

Colon and Jeff Weaver right now are the best pitchers who might be on the market. But each requires so much in return that there's little likelihood of a trade. The teams with the most attractive possible packages for a Colon are Minnesota (Cuddyer or Restovich, plus more) and Montreal (Phillips, Sizemore), and they aren't likely to take Colon's contract, as reasonable as it is. Loaiza, Carpenter, Cory Lidle, Jeff Suppan, Ponson, Jamey Wright, Paul Wilson and, of course, Mike Hampton are the affordables.

Braves on the mend
John Schuerholz isn't sidetracked by the run of Braves injuries. "I know that in time we'll have Chipper (Jones) and (Gary) Sheffield healthy and producing," says Schuerholz. "We should get Marcus Giles back in two weeks, Mark DeRosa by midseason. Rafael Furcal is starting to get on base and play like himself. There's going to come a point in time when we have our team out there. We're just fortunate that we've been able to stay right in the race."

The Braves GM denies any talk of a deal for Travis Lee, or any other left-handed bat for first base. "We haven't talked to anyone thus far," says Schuerholz. "Now, when we get to the end of July and we think we need some help, maybe then we'd do something."

The Braves are not to cross far north of their current $90 million payroll. "We knew what it was before the season and we work with it," says Schuerholz. "It's still one of the highest in baseball, and we have a pretty darned good team."

There is concern around the Braves that they cannot re-sign both Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux after this season. But in their division, the Braves know that the entire Mets starting rotation can be free agents, and that the Phillies, supposedly building, are likely to lose Scott Rolen, Doug Glanville, Robert Person and Lee at the end of the season.

Yes, Schuerholz took the weekend to travel to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to watch his son Jonathan play in the NCAA regionals for Auburn.

Simply angelic
The Angels have been good and they've been fun the last two years. But this time, they may have a chance. "We throw a good starter with a legitimate chance to win every day," says Mike Scioscia. "That means something. Kevin Appier and Aaron Sele have really helped the other three pitchers develop. It's obviously helped Ramon Ortiz, who's maturing and learning to use his stuff."

As Scioscia points out, "We score a lot of runs (4th) but we don't hit a ton of homers (4th fewest). But we have a lot of energy up at the top of the order with David Eckstein and Darin Erstad, we don't strike out (fewest in the league) and we hit the ball hard. Most of all, I'm fortunate, because these guys play really hard."

Eckstein and Erstad are the poster boys of the Special Teams AC, but Garret Anderson plays every inning of every game, Bengie Molina has developed into one of the league's best defensive catchers, Troy Glaus is a beast and one of Scioscia's favorites, Scott (Sand Frog) Spiezio, is an all-time gamer. "He's also one of the best defensive first baseman in the game," says Scioscia.

What's encouraging about this run is that Tim Salmon, who never got started, is a big part. Two months ago, many in the American League thought he was done. "The one thing Mickey Hatcher and I saw in spring training was the bat speed," says Scioscia. "He's done a lot of work to get back, but as long as we saw the bat speed, we believed he could make it."

One thing that's happened the last two years is that after playing so hard for 4½ months, the Angels ran into a wall in late August because of their lack of depth. So, if the payroll can be tweaked, this year they may be able to add a couple of bench players, beginning with a left-handed setup man who can strike out left-handed hitters. "We've got a legitimate chance in our division," says Scioscia. "It won't take much if we stay healthy."

It should be noted that in spring training Lou Piniella picked the Angels as the AL West team that most frightened him, proving once again that Piniella is a lot smarter than most of us.

Steroids hysteria
Tim Naehring was playing as recently as 1998. He's now the farm director in Cincinnati. So he has a unique perspective on the steroids hysteria.

"When I played in the big leagues, I didn't see it, and I mean that," says Naehring. "What bothers me is that when great players do great things, now whatever they do may be open to suspicion. That's not right. I thought people in this country were innocent until proven guilty."

In his days coming up through the Boston organization, Naehring was aware of some players who dabbled in steroids. "They didn't have the talent to play in the majors, and so they tried whatever they could," he says. "But not the good players."

Now, as farm director, Naehring has been asked about the Reds and testing. "This is not a cops and robbers thing," Naehring says. "It's not about pursue and punish. It's about education and development and helping young people get to the major leagues, make the most of their abilities and lead productive lives. We have random drug testing, with full tests for steroids. It's a well-run program. It's confidential. I tell our players that if they get caught, they get a gold card to a lifetime of testing and a program, but one to help them. Again, this is not about punishment. Major League Baseball has a tremendous program now in the offseason, where they randomly test (obviously to deal with players going on four-month steroid binges before spring training). It's very well run."

Naehring this spring also instituted a program where all managers, coaches and farm system employees -- himself included -- are tested. "I believe we should send a message to these kids that we're on the same program, and that we take it seriously. It's not to see if some minor league pitching coach is on marijuana, it's to have the instructors side by side with the players.

"And," says Naehring, "the steroid use is a lot less than what a Ken Caminiti claims. I was playing in 1996. I know."

As the owners, who want big home run hitters, try to tie the steroids issue into some moralistic play against their product (the players) as a parcel of the labor negotiations, and push the talk about drug testing, that's not going anywhere. "Ultimately," says an agent close to the union, "it's up the players to decide. They're the ones who have to run their own programs. They have to decide if certain players have given themselves an unfair advantage, and decide how to deal with it and how to help those players if they need help."

Last week, it was gays in baseball, this week steroids. Next week it may be devil worship. Cheating? Does Cameron Diaz whine about the added advantages Pamela Anderson got herself? Do you really think Cook County, 1960, and Palm Beach County, 2000, were on the level, and if you don't, then how do you explain the popularity ratings of John F. Kennedy and George W. Bush?

"I used to think about facing Gaylord Perry and Tommy John," says Mike Flanagan. "I'd go to the mound and the balls would be scuffed or cut up. I thought maybe I should do the same because they had an unfair advantage, but I knew I chose to pitch otherwise. I did fine for myself."

We do get a little carried away with the historical integrity of records. Eras are not comparable. Society is far bigger. That Ken Caminiti or that noted literary and mathematical scholar Jose Canseco says it doesn't tell us anything we didn't already know -- that some players got big with steroids, and in many cases immediately got off them, then maintained their strength and increased their flexibility with trainers. Caminiti cannot backtrack because Tom Verducci's word is gold. Caminiti's is the sad ramblings of a shambles of a man.

This and that