THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, June 17, 1996 TAG: 9606170149
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Bob Molinaro
LENGTH: 64 lines
To the list of things that don't seem as young as they once did, add Triple-A baseball players.
Take the Norfolk Tides, who feature eight players 30 or older.
The average age of the Tides' 25-man roster exceeds that of the parent club, the New York Mets.
The Mets have only four players 30 or older.
So, is this such a big deal? The Mets, after all, are recognized as one the youngest teams in the major leagues.
Still, most of us, when we think of minor-league baseball, envision fresh-faced prospects on their way up, not recycled former major leaguers.
But check it out. This is the new reality.
In the Tides' 4-2 victory Saturday night over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, winning pitcher Mike Gardiner threw to catcher Chris Howard. Both are 30.
Behind Gardiner was 32-year-old shortstop Luis Rivera and 31-year-old centerfielder Gary Thurman. Playing leftfield was Andy Tomberlin, 29. Matt Franco, 26, started at third.
The other starters were Brian Daubach, Jason Hardtke and Alex Ochoa, all 24.
The average age of the starting lineup? 28 years.
``It's an older league this year,'' Tides manager Bobby Valentine said of the International League.
A year ago, the Tides seemed very young. Pitchers Wild Bill Pulsipher and Jason Isringhausen were just kids, 21 and 22, respectively. Paul Wilson was 22. They're big leaguers now.
So is shortstop Rey Ordonez, who last summer, at 22, lit up Harbor Park with his glove.
``Last year,'' Valentine says, ``was a unique situation.''
The demographics of the 1996 Tides are more in keeping with the way Triple-A operates. International League rosters are full of former big leaguers on the downward spirals of their careers.
It has to do with past expansion, and franchises rushing young pitchers to the majors, and the new economics of professional baseball. Today, Double-A is the end of the developmental phase for most players. That is where you find most of your exciting, young talent.
More and more, Triple-A is a place to meet players like Gardiner, a journeyman on the rebound.
The best pitcher in the International League this season, the righthander has worn the uniform of several big-league clubs.
So have Mark Lee and Rick Reed, two other 30-something Tides pitchers.
For the veterans, is Norfolk another step down the slippery slope to oblivion? Not necessarily.
``Expansion is right around the corner,'' Valentine points out, ``and all these guys know that.
``They play baseball the way it's supposed to be played. They watch the game. They talk the game. It's a pleasure managing players like that.''
Because of the promise of expansion, or the sheer professionalism of the 30-somethings, a ``been there, done that'' attitude has not permeated the clubhouse of the first-place Tides.
``I have a great group of veteran players,'' says Valentine. ``That may sound trite, but it's the difference between night and day when you have guys who have major league experience, but still want to learn and get better, compared with veterans who are just collecting a paycheck.''
As major league talent dilutes, big-league paychecks beckon. For the 30-somethings, another opportunity is just around the corner. by CNB