Hernandez Is Take-Charge Kind of Guy

Livan Hernandez figured his role on the Florida Marlins’ pitching staff would change this season--but not quite so much.

He has assumed a leadership position in only his first full season because team officials slashed the payroll, trading high-priced veterans who helped the Marlins win last season’s World Series.

This season’s rookie-dominated staff has struggled, but Hernandez’s strong performance has helped their transition. Manager Jim Leyland needed Hernandez to do more than his share, and he has.

“We have a lot of young guys out there, guys who are in their first season in the big leagues, and they’re learning right now,” Leyland said. “When you’re in that situation, you need your veterans to pick you up, and that’s what Livan is doing.

“He hasn’t been around that long himself, but he’s been through a lot already and he knows how to pitch. With everything we’ve been through, we’ve really needed what he’s been doing.”

The right-hander has met Leyland’s expectations, leading the Marlin starters in most categories. Hernandez, who defected from Cuba in 1995, is 10-8 with a 4.38 earned-run average, and among the league leaders with 189 innings pitched and seven complete games.

“It makes me feel good to pitch a lot of innings,” Hernandez said. “I want to pitch as much as I can to help my team win games.

“We have a lot of rookies, so I’m trying to help the team. If I can pitch a lot of innings, that will make everything easier [for the rest of the staff]. This is how I can help.”

Hernandez, 23, was called up to the Marlins last season and went 9-3 with a 3.18 ERA in 17 starts, finishing second in voting for the NL rookie-of-the-year award. He was selected the most valuable player of the league championship series and World Series after going 4-0 during the postseason.

The Marlins won’t be celebrating a championship this season, but Hernandez is hoping that his older brother, pitcher Orlando, 28, will as a member of the New York Yankees. In his first major league season since defecting last December, El Duque is 8-3 with a 2.85 ERA.

“I’m very happy that he [escaped] Cuba and is with the Yankees now,” said Livan, who speaks with his brother several times a week. “He’s doing a good job with the Yankees, and he has a good chance to get a [World Series] ring. That would make me happy if we both had them.”

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What has Randy Johnson meant to the Houston Astros?

The left-hander has three victories--including two shutouts--in three starts since being acquired from the Seattle Mariners on July 31. Moreover, crowds of 52,071 and 40,217, respectively, attended Johnson’s first two starts at the Astrodome, far exceeding Houston’s average of 27,631.

Owner Drayton McLane Jr. is so impressed by Johnson’s impact that he’s now considering trying to sign him to a multiyear deal, instead of only renting him for the stretch run and postseason as originally planned.

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In a showdown of division leaders, the San Diego Padres won two of their games against the Atlanta Braves at San Diego last week.

The Braves are statistically superior to the Padres in many areas--but not in the bullpen.

“The thing that’s tough about these guys, especially since they acquired Randy Myers, is that if you’re down by one or two runs going into the seventh inning, the game is pretty much over,” Atlanta left-hander Denny Neagle said. “They’re really impressive.”