DATE: Tuesday, May 13, 1997                 TAG: 9705130465

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   75 lines

AGBAYANI STARS FOR TIDES IN EXHIBITION VICTORY OVER METS NORFOLK OUTFIELDER HITS TOWERING BLAST IN SECOND INNING.

The New York Mets used their exhibition game with the Norfolk Tides Monday to audition three minor-league pitchers.

But Tides outfielder Benny Agbayani stole their stage.

The Hawaiian Hammer unloaded six homers to win the pre-game home run hitting contest, but saved his most impressive blast for the second inning of the game.

Agbayani's shot off Jesus Sanchez was last seen flying high over the concession stand in the leftfield picnic area, some 400-plus feet from home plate. It was the highlight of the Tides' 9-4 victory in a seven-inning exhibition before a crowd of 6,696 at Harbor Park.

Sanchez had been called up from Double-A Binghamton to pitch for the Mets so that the major league team would save its arms for regular play. Sanchez lasted two innings, giving up 11 hits. But none were as impressive as Agbayani's shot.

The rest of the International League is probably happy that the Tides took an off day and filled it with a Mets exhibition, for Agbayani has been terrorizing any and all pitching of late.

The 5-foot-11, 220-pounder, who has held down the No. 3 spot in Norfolk's order since Opening Day, has gone 9 for 18 in the Tides' last four games, upping his average to .323, which ranks his seventh in the IL. His 41 hits rank him fourth in the IL.

``Benny's my kind of player,'' Mets manager Bobby Valentine said. ``I'm in Benny's corner all the way.''

That doesn't mean, however, that Agbayani will be going to the major leagues any time soon.

Valentine doesn't want the 25-year-old to join the Mets if it's only to ride the bench. And the Mets have a pretty fair leftfielder in Bernard Gilkey.

``I just see Benny as an everyday player and I want to see him develop and he's still developing,'' Valentine said.

About a year ago, the Mets organization saw what happens to Agbayani when he doesn't play regularly. Relegated to fourth outfielder status at Double-A Binghamton by since-departed manager John Tarmargo, Agbayani was hitting a woeful .170 at this time last season. But Valentine had seen enough good in Agbayani during spring training that he didn't hesitate bringing him up to Triple-A Norfolk when the Tides needed an outfielder.

Agbayani stayed with the Tides the rest of the season and hit .278, stole 14 bases and finished second in the IL in triples with nine.

``Not too many opportunities have come my way since I've been playing pro ball,'' Agbayani said. ``But when I got called up to the Tides and they let me play every day, that was an opportunity that I had to take advantage of.''

The way Agbayani has been hitting lately, one would think he was spending extra time in the batting cage. It's just the opposite. Agbayani's extra time practicing is devoted to improving his fielding.

``I'm just trying to get to the ball quicker and use better footwork,'' Agbayani said.

Agbayani has now played in 136 Triple-A games, six shy of a full minor-league season. And combining this year and last, he's hit .289 with 11 home runs, 76 runs batted in and 20 stolen bases. Better than fair numbers. Are they good enough to earn a callup to the major leagues?

``I don't want to be one of those guys who goes up and down,'' Abgayani said. ``When I get there, I want to stay and play every day. I've got somebody in the big leagues now who's in my corner. I'll just keep doing my part.''

Notes: The Tides take off for Richmond today, where they will play a two-game series before returning to Norfolk Thursday to begin an eight-game homestand. ... LHP Joe Crawford (3-1, 4.55 ERA) will start tonight for the Tides against Richmond RHP Kenny Carlyle (1-1, 2.78). ... Norfolk's Scott McClain was second to Agbayani in the home run hitting contest with four, followed by Gilkey (3) and New York's Butch Huskey (2). New York's Gary Thurman and Norfolk's Wes Chamberlain each had one. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]

BILL TIERNAN/The Virginian-Pilot

Ten-year-old Les Fleming, with cap and sunglasses, persuaded New

York Mets' pitcher John Franco to sign his baseball Monday at Harbor

Park.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu