PARITY REIGNS

L.A. Times Archives

March 25, 2007 12 AM PT

From the Associated Press

Barry Zito thought about the San Francisco Giants’ chances and was pretty pleased. Payroll no longer is supreme when it comes to World Series titles.

“In 2002, the wild card won. In ’03 the wild card won. And in ‘04, Boston was the wild card and won,” he said. “That’s what’s great about baseball.”

Parity reigns in the major leagues, where there have been six World Series champions in six seasons for the first time since the late 1980s. So while watching the expected -- Barry Bonds’ home runs, Dice-K hoopla and New York Yankees turmoil -- look for surprise teams to emerge.

Last spring, who expected the St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series? How many people thought the Cardinals had a chance after they finished the regular season 83-78?

“There’s no division today that you can say, ‘This team is going to win for sure,’ ” commissioner Bud Selig said. “I can see in some of the divisions three or four teams competing right to the end. In every division there’s enormous competition.”

There’s no shortage of teams hoping for big turnarounds.

The rebuilt Chicago Cubs, who hope to keep their Series title drought from reaching a century, brought in Lou Piniella to set off sparks from the manager’s office, then committed $272 million to Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez, Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis.

Philadelphia, building a team around Ryan Howard, added pitchers Freddy Garcia and Adam Eaton.

“There are more teams with high expectations because of what’s transpired in recent years,” Arizona manager Bob Melvin said. “Ownerships with $60-to-70 million payrolls are saying, ‘Why can’t we do it?’ ”

Need more examples?

Milwaukee, trying to push ahead in a weak NL Central, signed St. Louis postseason star Jeff Suppan to a $42 million deal.

Toronto added two-time AL MVP Frank Thomas in an effort to break the New York Yankees/Boston Red Sox hegemony in the AL East.

“There is so much parity that you don’t go into a three-, six-, nine-game stretch where you’re playing any patsies anymore,” Boston pitcher Curt Schilling said.

Across the major leagues, there are story lines large and small.

Much attention will be focused on Bonds -- on and off the field.

He enters with 734 homers, 21 shy of Hank Aaron’s record. In addition, the 42-year-old left fielder needs 159 hits to reach 3,000, 70 RBIs to get to 2,000 and 143 runs to reach Rickey Henderson’s record of 2,295.

He also takes the field with a unique clause in his $15.8 million, one-year contract. With Bonds under investigation by a grand jury for possible perjury in his 2003 testimony on steroids, the San Francisco Giants insisted on a provision that states the team can terminate the agreement if he’s indicted.

While the probe into steroids by former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, which is starting its second year, is looking at many players, Bonds is the most prominent target. With all the hubbub, commissioner Bud Selig hasn’t committed to be in the seats for No. 756, and Bonds might be unwanted by MLB when the Giants host the All-Star game at their ballpark by the bay on July 10.

“Let them investigate. Let them, they’ve been doing it this long,” Bonds said after his first spring training workout. “It doesn’t weigh on me.”

Others are heading for big numbers, too.

Tom Glavine, the ace of the New York Mets’ staff while Pedro Martinez recovers from rotator cuff surgery, needs 10 wins to reach 300 and will get going right away in the major league season opener at St. Louis on April 1. Randy Johnson, back with the Arizona Diamondbacks after snarling through two unsuccessful seasons with the New York Yankees, starts the season with 280 wins.

San Diego’s Trevor Hoffman is 18 saves shy of 500. Sammy Sosa, trying to restart his career with the Texas Rangers after a year off from the game, needs 12 homers to reach 600. Houston’s Craig Biggio is 70 hits shy of the 3,000 club.

And then there’s Roger Clemens. The seven-time Cy Young Award winner is likely to add to his 348 wins and 4,604 strikeouts. The 44-year-old Rocket won’t decide until May whether to pitch for Houston, the Yankees, Boston or stay retired.

“There’s days where I’m excited about it, maybe I should try it, and then three days later I’m thinking that there’s no way,” he said. “I don’t know that I can put my body through that again.”

The unhappy Yankees are coming off their ninth straight AL East title but another uneasy offseason. Manager Joe Torre nearly was fired after the first-round playoff loss to Detroit, Johnson and Gary Sheffield were traded and the team told Bernie Williams there was no room for him back in the Bronx. The Yankees haven’t won the Series since 2000, and Alex Rodriguez has hinted that he might opt out of his $252 million contract after this season if he doesn’t find success and appreciation.

“I want to be a Yankee and I understand my contract,” A-Rod said coyly. “I understand my options.”

Boston made the biggest offseason splash, bidding $51,111,111 for the rights to Japanese star pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, then signed him to a $52 million deal. Even if he doesn’t throw a gyroball -- a pitch that appears to be more fiction than fact -- Dice-K looked dominating at times during spring training.

“He’s not from this planet. He’s coming from somewhere else. He’s awesome,” Baltimore’s Melvin Mora said after twice taking called third strikes against Dice-K.

Pittsburgh enters with 14 straight losing seasons, two shy of the record set by the Philadelphia Phillies from 1933-48, and is one of the few teams with virtually no title hopes. Atlanta, which dropped to 79-83 after 14 consecutive division titles, also wants to climb back above .500.

Quick bursts are the key for many. Piniella is among seven new managers, joined by Florida’s Fredi Gonzalez, Oakland’s Bob Geren, San Diego’s Bud Black, San Francisco’s Bruce Bochy, Texas’ Ron Washington and Washington’s Manny Acta.

“It’s important for every team, including ours, to get off to a fast start,” Piniella said. “It really buoys confidence and can propel you to a really good season.”

Some teams spent lavishly to fill holes. The Los Angeles Angels brought in outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. for $50 million, then fretted when his name came up in a human growth hormone case that’s ongoing. San Francisco gave Zito $126 million, the richest contract for a pitcher, and even lowly Kansas City parted with money, giving Gil Meche $55 million.

Others already are looking ahead to potential holes next winter, when Atlanta’s Andruw Jones, Minnesota’s Torii Hunter and Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki can become free agents.

For the Washington Nationals, one of the few teams with no playoff hopes, it will be their last season at RFK Stadium before moving to their new ballpark rising along the Anacostia River, south of the Capitol. It will be the next to last seasons for Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium in New York.

While there isn’t any international play planned -- there may be a Beijing opener in 2008, 2009 and 2010 -- there’s a new look, with different material for caps and a changed style for batting practice jerseys. For the first time, all teams will store baseballs in temperature-controlled rooms.

And there’s a new postseason schedule, with three additional off-days that push the start of the World Series to a Tuesday, a requirement in baseball’s new television contract.

“It’s not about money in the playoffs,” said Hall of Famer Willie Mays, Bonds’ godfather. “It’s about getting lucky.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Rookies to watch

* Daisuke Matsuzaka, Boston (RHP) -- Red Sox paid $103 million for Japanese star who throws dizzying array of pitches and was MVP of inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006.

* Alex Gordon, Kansas City (3B) -- Second player picked in 2005 draft was Minor League Player of the Year last season. Cornerstone of Royals’ rebuilding project earned starting job with splendid spring.

* Delmon Young, Tampa Bay (RF) -- Dangerous bat, similar temper.

* Chris Young, Arizona (CF) -- Has all the tools, and a chance to hit leadoff every day.

* Kevin Kouzmanoff, San Diego (3B) -- Became first player to hit first major league pitch he saw for a grand slam last season with Indians. Acquired in trade for promising 2B Josh Barfield.

* Kei Igawa, New York Yankees (LHP) -- Lacks Matsuzaka’s overpowering stuff, but Yankees think he can be an asset at back end of rotation.

* Mike Pelfrey, New York Mets (RHP) -- Touted prospect pitched well enough in spring training to win a spot in uncertain rotation. Could be a key for NL East champs.

* Dustin Pedroia, Boston (2B) -- Arizona State product must prove he can hit big league pitching. But he’ll bat at the bottom of a big-name lineup, so his defense is most important.

* Chris Iannetta, Colorado (C) -- Could be next talented youngster to open eyes with Rockies.

* Akinori Iwamura, Tampa Bay (3B) -- Multiskilled player overshadowed by fellow Japanese imports Matsuzaka and Igawa.

Free agents to watch

Top players who signed free-agent deals in the offseason:

(Listed by size of contract)

* Alfonso Soriano (OF)

Chicago Cubs, $136 million, eight years

* Barry Zito (LHP)

San Francisco, $126 million, seven years

* Carlos Lee (OF)

Houston, $100 million,

six years