Remember These Names Because They’ll Be Popping Up Later

There’s plenty of opportunity for young pitchers to move in 1992, and a few even have a chance to make a difference.

Remember the names Mike Mussina, Cal Eldred, Pat Mahomes, Willie Banks, Hector Fajardo, Mark Wohlers, Lance Dickson, Ryan Bowen, Kyle Abbott and Denny Neagle.

Mussina has pitched 22 innings this spring for Baltimore, allowing two runs, seven hits and two walks. Opponents are batting .109 against him.

“Obviously, the way things are going, I couldn’t have possibly predicted that I would go 18 innings without giving up a run,” he said. “My stuff came together faster than I thought it would, and my control is better than I thought it would be.”

Mahomes, a hard-throwing 21-year-old who last season was the Minnesota Twins’ top minor-leaguer, has been impressive in holding opponents to a .174 average this spring. He pitched five hitless innings his last start. The Twins have also been impressed with Banks, a first-round draft pick in 1987.

“There’s no question that I should go north,” Banks said.

Said Mahomes: “I’d be disappointed. But I’d just have to go to Portland and take care of business.”

The Twins traded Neagle to Pittsburgh for 20-game winner John Smiley, and Neagle is expected to be in the Pirates’ starting rotation.

“I told Denny, ‘You’re lucky. They get rid of Smiley, a 20-game winner, and now you don’t have to worry about going to Portland,’ ” Banks said. “I kinda wish I was in Denny’s shoes. But then again, they kept me and that means the Twins still want me.”

Neagle was 9-4 with a 3.27 ERA last season with Triple-A Portland. He was 20-3 in the minors two years ago, but Pittsburgh pitching coach Ray Miller says the worst thing is to immediately expect him to replace a 20-game winner.

“Everybody’s going to compare him to Smiley, but he doesn’t have five years in the big leagues like Smiley does,” Miller said. “I like what I see in him: a coachable kid with a great arm and a nice, fluid delivery.”

Wohlers came up big for the Braves coming down the stretch last season, saving two games and winning three. He also pitched 3 1-3 scoreless innings in the World Series and playoffs.

But Wohlers has been having his problems this spring, and there were even rumors he might be part of a trade to Pittsburgh for Barry Bonds.

Wohlers looked like he was thinking about the minors -- or a trade -- early in spring training when he walked four Montreal batters with the bases loaded in the eighth inning.

“I guess I’d rather be traded than sent back to the minor leagues,” Wohlers said. “It’s something I try not to think about.”

The New York Mets gave the catching job to Todd Hundley, but he got off to an 0-for-20 start before showing signs of coming out of the slump.

“I think Todd was pressing a little just to get a few hits,” Mets manager Jeff Torborg said. “We know he can do the job defensively, so it’s just a matter of being more comfortable.”

Hundley, the son of former major league catcher Randy Hundley, hit .273 with 14 homers and 66 RBIs for Triple-A Tidewater last season. But he was only 8-for-60 (.133) in 21 games for the Mets.

If Hundley can’t even hit .200 at the major league level, not even Torborg’s patience will help. The problem the Mets have is that backup Charlie O’Brien hit .185 and Mackey Sasser sometimes has difficulty tossing the ball back to the mound.

In keeping with a family theme, Bret Boone hit .429 for the Seattle Mariners this spring before being reassigned on Thursday. Boone, 22, is the son of former major league catcher Bob Boone and the grandson of former major league infielder Ray Boone.

Boone and fellow Mariners farmhand Jim Campanis are trying to become baseball’s first third-generation major leaguers. Campanis, a 24-year-old catcher, was optioned to Calgary last week.

Every spring training there are a few prospects that come along that no one -- including the organization -- have much of a book on. Take for example the remarkable rise of a 62nd-round draft choice Mike Piazza of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Piazza, Tommy Lasorda’s godson, is a statuesque catcher with awesome power to all fields. At Class-A Bakersfield last season, he hit .277 with 29 homers and 80 RBIs.

He’s not quite ready for prime time yet, but look for Piazza to take over for ironman Mike Scioscia in a couple of years. Piazza has displayed tremendous power to all fields.

“He’s going to be some kind of ballplayer,” Lasorda said. “I don’t let friendships or anything else influence my judgment. He has a lot of talent. He’s a helluva prospect.”

Keeping it in the Dodgers family, Los Angeles is also impressed with pitcher Pedro Martinez, Ramon’s brother.

The San Francisco Giants might start 1992 with an all-rookie double play combination as shortstop Royce Clayton and second baseman John Patterson have been impressive in spring training.

Manager Roger Craig was expecting Clayton to push out Jose Uribe, but Patterson’s play is forcing the Giants to reconsider Robby Thompson’s status. At Double-A Shrevport last season, Patterson hit .295 with four homers, 56 RBIs and 41 stolen bases.

“He does all the things you want in a second baseman,” Craig said. “He’s having the type of spring you need to make the jump from Double-A.”

The closest thing to a favorite for the AL Rookie of the Year has to be Cleveland center fielder Kenny Lofton. Lofton, a former Arizona basketball star, was acquired from Houston along with infielder Dave Rohde for rookie catcher Eddie Taubensee and pitcher Willie Blair. It could be the steal of the year.

At Triple-A Tucson in 1991, Lofton hit .308 with 40 stolen bases. The Indians plan to use Lofton as their leadoff batter.

Another rookie outfielder to watch is Derek Bell of the Toronto Blue Jays. Bell, Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year in 1991, hit .346

Sometimes rookies come out of nowhere. A year ago, Jeff Bagwell was a non-roster invitee to the Houston Astros’ camp in Kissimmee. He won a job at first base and the NL Rookie of the Year award by hitting .294 with 15 homers and 82 RBIs last season.

There could also be another two-sport star on the way. Outfielder Brian Jordan of the St. Louis Cardinals also plays safety with the Atlanta Falcons, right alongside Deion Sanders.