LOMBARDI, ARNSBERG: MINOR WORK NEEDED.(PLAY BALL)

Byline: Paul Schwartz Staff writer

With each inning spent in the dugout, watching others called on to pitch, Brad Arnsberg knew he was getting closer to the inevitable.

So, when he was informed last week to report to the minor league camp - a sort of thanks but no thanks goodbye - Arnsberg was prepared.

"They didn't even have to tell me," Arnsberg said.

On the same afternoon, across the clubhouse, Phil Lombardi had most of his gear packed into a cardboard box. He, too, was making the trip out of the bigs and back to the minors. "It really wasn't a surprise," he said.

Both Arnsberg and Lombardi are considered players who will one day stick in the majors. One day is obviously not the present.

…