March 12, 1996 Table Of Contents

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By Bill Colson

By Tom Verducci

TONY LA RUSSA ST. LOUIS'S NEW MANAGER TALKS ABOUT CHANGING LEAGUES AND CHANGES IN THE GAME

By Tim Kurkjian; Tony La Russa

BASEBALL '96

10 FEARLESS PREDICTIONS

By Hank Hersch

LATIN AMERICAN REVOLUTION THE MAJOR LEAGUES ARE BEING TRANSFORMED BY A FLOOD OF IMPACT PLAYERS FROM LATIN COUNTRIES

By Hank Hersch

EVERYBODY'S FAVORITE BELOVED IN CLEVELAND, ADORED IN PUERTO RICO, CARLOS BAERGA HAS BECOME A LEADER OF LATINS

By Ed Hinton

IN THE BEGINNING SINCE ITS ARRIVAL IN A CUBAN PORT 130 YEARS AGO, BASEBALL HAS SPAWNED GENERATIONS OF LATIN AMERICAN TALENT

By David Sabino

STAR GAZING THE HOUSTON ASTROS SET THEIR SIGHTS ON VENEZUELA AND FOUND A HOTBED OF TALENT

By Mark Bechtel

LETHAL WEAPON PITCHERS KNOW A BAT IS A DANGEROUS TOOL IN THE HANDS OF SEATTLE'S RELENTLESS EDGAR MARTINEZ

By Kelli Anderson

DREAM ON BASKETBALL AND HOCKEY ALLOW PROS TO PLAY IN THE OLYMPICS, SO WHY NOT BASEBALL? HERE'S WHY

By E.M. Swift

DREAM TEAM/UNITED STATES

By Mark Bechtel

DREAM TEAM/CUBA

By Mark Bechtel

DREAM TEAM/DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

By Mark Bechtel

DREAM TEAM/PUERTO RICO

By Mark Bechtel

DREAM TEAM/VENEZUELA

By Mark Bechtel

THEY STAND ALONE WITH BASEBALL PLAGUED BY A PITCHING SHORTAGE, ATLANTA'S STARTING ROTATION IS THE ENVY OF ALL OTHER TEAMS, WHICH STRUGGLE TO BUILD A STAFF

By Tom Verducci

THE MOVES CHART: WHO WENT WHERE THE DEFINITIVE COMPENDIUM OF MAJOR OFF-SEASON PLAYER MOVEMENT (PLAYERS ARE LISTED IN ORDER OF IMPACT ON THEIR TEAMS; KEY IS ON PAGE 71)

Scouting Reports

THE MASTER LIST HOW THEY RANK

RICO BROGNA

By Kelly Whiteside

1 ATLANTA BRAVES

By Kelly Whiteside

2 NEW YORK METS

By Kelly Whiteside

3 FLORIDA MARLINS

By Kelly Whiteside

4 PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

By Kelly Whiteside

5 MONTREAL EXPOS

By Kelly Whiteside

REGGIE SANDERS

By Hank Hersch

1 HOUSTON ASTROS

By Hank Hersch

2 CINCINNATI REDS

By Hank Hersch

3 ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

By Hank Hersch

4 CHICAGO CUBS

By Hank Hersch

5 PITTSBURGH PIRATES

By Hank Hersch

ERIC KARROS

By Kelli Anderson

1 LOS ANGELES DODGERS

By Tim Kurkjian

2 COLORADO ROCKIES

By Tim Kurkjian

3 SAN DIEGO PADRES

By Tim Kurkjian

4 SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

By Tim Kurkjian

SHARP SHOOTER ARMED WITH A 101-MPH FASTBALL, TROY PERCIVAL HAS BECOME ONE OF BASEBALL'S MOST DOMINANT RELIEVERS

By MICHAEL GRANT JAFFE

1 BALTIMORE ORIOLES

By Christian Stone

2 NEW YORK YANKEES

By Christian Stone

3 BOSTON RED SOX

By Christian Stone

4 TORONTO BLUE JAYS

By Christian Stone

5 DETROIT TIGERS

By Christian Stone

2 CHICAGO WHITE SOX

By Marty Burns

3 KANSAS CITY ROYALS

By Marty Burns

4 MINNESOTA TWINS

By Mark McClusky

5 MILWAUKEE BREWERS

By Mark McClusky

1 CLEVELAND INDIANS

By Mark McClusky

1 CALIFORNIA ANGELS

By Marty Burns

2 SEATTLE MARINERS

By Kostya Kennedy

3 TEXAS RANGERS

By Kostya Kennedy

4 OAKLAND ATHLETICS

By Kostya Kennedy

BAD BEHAVIOR AS BASEBALL TRIES HARD TO POLISH ITS IMAGE AND BRING BACK THE FANS, A KEY PROBLEM REMAINS: TOO MANY OF THE PLAYERS ARE STILL ACTING LIKE ...WELL, LIKE JERKS

By Steve Rushin

FREE BIRD WHEN ORIOLES OWNER PETER ANGELOS TALKS, ALL THE OWNERS LISTEN--THEY JUST DON'T LIKE WHAT THEY HEAR

By Johnette Howard

THE WAY IT OUGHTA BE? PEEKING AHEAD TO THE 21ST CENTURY, THE AUTHOR ENCOUNTERS A VERY DIFFERENT GAME

By Tom Verducci

Middle Relievers

THE GREAT MIDDLE CLASS MIDDLE RELIEVERS DESERVE A LOT MORE CREDIT-- AND A GOOD STAT TO PROVE THEIR WORTH

By Tim Kurkjian RESEARCH BY David Sabino

Departments

Al Central

CHUCK KNOBLAUCH

By Lars Anderson

Al West

GARRET ANDERSON

By Kelli Anderson