BASEBALL DAILY REPORT

The Twins’ Shane Mack says he is the same type of hitter now who once irritated the San Diego Padres.

He still frets over each pitch. He still practices his swing in front of mirrors at home. He still looks at videotapes of great swingers. He still toys constantly with his stance. He still worries.

“But here, that’s OK, they realize I just work hard,” Mack said. “In San Diego, it was like, I was labeled as a worrier. They said I was too hard on myself. They said I tried too hard.”

He laughed and shook his head.

“Tony Gwynn studies film and works all the time, and he’s a ‘perfectionist,’ ” Mack said of his friend and former teammate. “But when I did that, they labeled me a worrier.”

After spending only two partial seasons with the Padres, their former first-round draft pick from UCLA was left unprotected in the winter of 1989 and promptly was acquired by the Twins.

“They took a chance on me,” said Mack, 27. “Then the most important thing was, they gave me a chance.”

He batted .326 in 125 games in 1990, then hit .310 with a career high 18 home runs and 74 runs-batted-in. After batting .333 in the playoffs, Mack is hitless in seven Series at-bats.

Despite much criticism, the Braves are tentatively scheduled to start Charlie Leibrandt in Game 5 Thursday instead of going with Tom Glavine on three days of rest.

Leibrandt gave up four runs in four innings in Game 1. If the Braves had left Leibrandt out of the rotation, then each of their top three starters would have gotten at least two starts each if the series went six games. Because of the current rotation, John Smoltz will receive only one Series start.

“More than likely we’ll leave the rotation like it is, all the way through,” said Brave pitching coach Leo Mazzone. “This pitching staff is mentally tough. We are battle tested. We feel our four guys will stack up against anybody.”

Puckett said he has no plans to change anything even though he is hitless in eight Series at-bats.

“I’m just going to keep swinging and swinging,” he said. “I hope one of those pitches hits my bat, and then the ball goes where there ain’t nobody.”

Puckett said his slump is actually a positive sign.

“For us to be up two (games) to nothing and I’m not contributing with the bat, that says a lot about our team,” Puckett said.