Solving Johnson Still a Problem
The more players you ask about facing Arizona pitcher Randy Johnson, who will oppose Dodger ace Kevin Brown today, the wider the range of opinions on how to approach the hard-throwing 6-foot-10 left-hander.
Dodger first baseman Eric Karros: “You try not to do much at all; take nice, easy swings and let him supply the power.”
Catcher Paul Lo Duca: “You have to be aggressive. If you see anything good, anything close to the strike zone, you better swing because it might be the only pitch to hit you get.”
Outfielder Marquis Grissom: “You have to be patient.”
Three different approaches, three sets of results: Karros vs. Johnson has been an all-or-nothing proposition; he has a .222 career average, 12 strikeouts--and three home runs--in 27 at-bats against him. Lo Duca has a .389 average with one home run against Johnson. Grissom is batting .040 (one for 25) with 15 strikeouts.
“Your first goal is to get some base runners,” Dodger Manager Jim Tracy said. “The only way you can wear down and fatigue a premier power pitcher is to force him to pitch out of jams. If there’s no one on base and he’s constantly throwing out of a windup, it’s very difficult to do anything with him. But he’s up against a formidable foe, and they realize that too.”
After a shaky first month, when Brown suffered a setback in his recovery from elbow surgery and struggled to find any consistency, the right-hander seems to have found solid footing, giving up four earned runs and 17 hits in 19 1/3 innings of his last three starts.
Brown has a 3-1 record and 1.69 ERA in 12 starts against Arizona. Johnson, who has a 98-mph fastball and a vicious slider, has a 4-2 record and 2.55 ERA in 10 starts against the Dodgers.
TODAY
DODGERS’
KEVIN BROWN
(2-3, 3.30 ERA)
vs.
DIAMONDBACKS’
RANDY JOHNSON
(8-1, 2.07 ERA)
Bank One Ballpark, Phoenix, 1:30 p.m. PDT
TV--Channel 13. Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).
Update--Alex Cora started at shortstop in place of the struggling Cesar Izturis on Saturday night, but Izturis, who has six hits in his last 39 at-bats, will be back in the leadoff spot today.
