Where, oh where, is El Duque going to pitch in 2002? His brother Livan Hernandez claims El Duque is on his way to San Francisco to join him. The only question is how soon the elder Hernandez will join his slimmed down sibling in the Giants rotation.If the Giants could snare Hernandez from the Yankees, (maybe the Bombers would take Jay Witasick back), they would be getting one of the clutch pitchers of all time.

Watching El Duque work in the 2002 postseason, I realized just how smart he is. When in trouble, which can be often, he becomes a different person on the

mound. He takes more time between pitches, each one surgically placed around the strike zone. Two pitches never in the same spot. The batter becomes so confused he pops out with the bases full or otherwise self destructs.

Will the Yankees trade the man who once dominated International Baseball like a college pitcher would tame high schoolers? Not so fast. Yankee skipper Joe Torre knows that the back end of his 2002 rotation contains two potential stories for a TV medical show, lefties David Wells and Sterling Hitch*****.

In their prime, both were outstanding postseason pitchers. Now, both are coming back from major injuries, and who can say what the state of their arms

will be in July or August, let alone October when the real Yankees start playing.

Boomer and Hitch*****’s arm strength and velocity will be watched very carefully in Florida. If and only if, the Yanks are convinced these relics will hold up under the strain of the long season will El Duque be moved to

the Bay Area.

Roger Clemens, the motivator behind the resurgence of Curt Schilling’s career ten years ago, will revive his speech with El Duque this spring. Hernandez is

moody, leaves many with the idea he is eternally unhappy and is a major headcase.

The Rocket will win his 300th game in August 2002 before getting through to El Duque about straightening out the Cuban star’s personal problems.

Don’t underestimate the Rocket’s acumen for sizing up the Yankees chances of regaining the title. Clemens knows pitching is the key and he has seen El Duque work his magic in October. Clemens doesn’t want to roll the dice with Wells and Hitch*****, just yet, in what my be the Hall of Famer’s last year. I don’t blame him.

So, Giant GM Brian Sabean,who has declared 2002 a put up or shut up year for the Giants will patiently wait for the Yankee situation to play out before pulling the trigger on a potential deal to unite the Hernanez brothers.

Personally, I hope El Duque comes West. He is a master and the Giants need him to finish their starting rotation. I’d like to watch him pitch against LA.

Marty Lurie

(510) 338-0907

luriem@earthlink.net