10 Players on the Hot Seat in '99

Jason Michael Barker

We often speak of managers who are on the proverbial "hot seat;" managers for whom the time has come to produce wins on the field or else get run out of town. The same sentiment holds true for players, who also must produce or risk being traded, or worse, benched.

Often this is a player who has just signed a big contract, to whom the fans and the team are looking for big numbers on the field. Or it could be a player recently acquired in a costly trade, in which case the team expects production at the risk of looking foolish in the eyes of the fans and the baseball world. Finally, the player on the hot seat might be a once-promising youngster, who has one more chance to prove he belongs in the big leagues.

1. Kevin Brown, Dodgers
Perhaps no other player in baseball will feel the pressure that Kevin Brown will next year. After all, Brown signed the game's first $100M contract this offseason, and anything less than another Cy Young-caliber season will likely be viewed as a disappointment.

The Fox-lead ownership has poured a ton of money into the Dodgers for 1999, and no doubt they're expecting at least a division title. It all begins with Brown, who will anchor an otherwise young and untested rotation (Darren Dreifort, Chan Ho Park, Ismael Valdes, and Carlos Perez).

2. Bret Boone, Braves
Granted, Boone will probably hit far enough down in the Atlanta lineup that his offense won't matter much, but he's going to be expected to produce nonetheless. The primary reason for the expectations is how Boone got to Atlanta, and I'm not talking about a chartered flight.

In Denny Neagle, Michael Tucker and prospect Rob Bell, the Braves gave up quite a bit (some would say more than market value, but I'll leave that up to you to decide) in trade, and if Boone falters there are sure to be more than a few folks wondering why they didn't simply sign Roberto Alomar or Delino DeShields instead. Here's hoping Bret thinks all those people in the stands are really yelling "Booooone!"

3. Todd Hundley, Dodgers
Kevin Brown will certainly be the most scrutinized Dodger this upcoming season, but Todd Hundley just might have the biggest impact on the team. If he's healthy and hitting like he did for the Mets in 1996 and 1997, great. But if his shoulder is still bothering him to the point where he can't catch regularly, or if he simply falters, the Dodgers will have given up a promising young outfielder (Roger Cedeno) and a top-notch defensive catcher (Charles Johnson) for, well, nothing.

4. Roger Clemens, Blue Jays
The Rocket will be the man on the spot whether he's still in Toronto when the season starts, or if he's dealt to Houston or another club. If he remains in Toronto, he'll be expected to put up another Cy Young-type season, as he's done in winning the award each of the past two seasons. If he struggles, no matter the reason, fans will be quick to label him as disgruntled and not giving it his all, a situation remarkably similar to that of Randy Johnson in Seattle last year.

If Clemens is dealt to a contender, he'll be expected to anchor the rotation and more than make up for whatever talent was dealt in exchange. If he winds up in Texas, there will be the added pressure of performing in front of his home-state fans.

5. Paul Konerko, White Sox
This might be Paul Konerko's last chance to prove that he's not a complete bust in the big leagues. A year ago Konerko, then with the Dodgers, was considered one of the top prospects in baseball. He was given a shot at a starting job due to injuries, but faltered early and returned to the minors.

Upon struggling after another call-up he was dealt to Cincinnati, where he hit slightly better but continued to struggle. Now with his third team in less than two years, Konerko will be called upon to replace the offense lost with the departure of Robin Ventura and Albert Belle. Still just 23, he must show that he can hit major league pitching.

6. Jose Mesa, Mariners
Contestant # 217 in Lou Piniella's Tilt-O-Whirl Bullpen (copyright Derek Zumsteg), Mesa will enter the season as the Mariners' undisputed closer. That should last until he blows consecutive saves or Randy Myers is acquired, whichever happens first.

Unlike many members of the Seattle bullpen, Mesa has a history of success as a closer. He had a great run from 1995 until 1997, then struggled last season both before and after being traded to San Francisco. Seattle management is of course using the ole' "change of scenery" line, but if Mesa falters he'll be another in the long line of bullpen scapegoats, while Piniella's ineptitude once again goes unpunished.

7. Jaret Wright, Indians
The Tribe failed to acquire an ace starter before last season's trading deadline, and they came up empty this offseason as well. That means their 1999 rotation will be headed by Bartolo Colon and 1997 postseason hero Jaret Wright.

You may recall that Wright, who began the 1997 season at AA Akron, won three games in the playoffs at the tender age of 21 and was heralded as pitching's next phenom, only to finish 1998 with a 12-10 record and a 4.72 ERA. Colon stepped up last season to win 14 games with a 3.72 ERA, and next season is Wright's turn to take that next step toward becoming a top pitcher.

8. J.D. Drew, Cardinals
As if his huge contract weren't enough, J.D. Drew added to already unreasonable expectations by hitting .417 with five home runs in just 14 games in his September callup. Next season he'll be replacing Ron Gant, who's no superstar, but a powerful bat nonetheless.

Drew will also be asked to protect Mark McGwire in the St. Louis batting order, play the stellar defense for which he's come to be known, live up to the hype, and win National League Rookie of the Year. If he's close to as good as he's been advertised, he should be able to accomplish all of that and more in his first full season.

9. Albert Belle, Orioles
The five-year, $65 million contract carries expectations and pressures with it to be sure, as does his stellar offensive performance over the past few seasons. But above all, Albert Belle is under pressure to play nice for his new team in Baltimore. Between Belle, feisty Will Clark, Cal Ripken and seemingly meek manager Ray Miller, the O's clubhouse should be an interesting thing to watch.

If the team struggles again, look for Belle to be blamed (rightfully or otherwise) for poor clubhouse chemistry, especially if he ticks off the media or is arrested for something. If the team is playing well, of course, none of this will matter anyway.

10. Mo Vaughn, Angels
As with Belle, Mo Vaughn will be expected to live up to the big contract he signed this November, as well as to put up his usual offensive numbers: .315 average, 40 homers, 120 runs batted in. And again like Belle, there are greater expectations as well. Despite some good talent over the past couple of years, the Angels have yet to get over the hump and win their division. They got close in 1995, but blew a huge lead down the stretch.

They fell apart in 1996, losing 91 games, then rebounded in 1997 only to lose the division by six games. Last season they were even closer, finishing a mere three games behind Texas. Lack of leadership has been cited as the reason for the Angels' late-season collapses. Enter Mo Vaughn, considered to be one of the game's best when it comes to leadership in the clubhouse. The pressure's on, Mo.

about the author

Jason Michael Barker has been trying to recreate the glory of his rookie writing year. Let him know he's definitely topped highlights like "I Go to the Store" and "Bikes are Fun" at jmb@strikethree.com.