Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 8, 1990 TAG: 9004080085
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JIM DONAGHY ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Each decade produces its share of moments and stars, and they always seem to be there.
Try to enter Yankee Stadium without seeing Lou Gehrig at first base or the Babe in right field. Can a doubleheader be played at Wrigley Field without thinking about Ernie Banks?
The last decade brought Mike Schmidt's 500th home run, Nolan Ryan's 5,000th strikeout and 50 consecutive steals by Vince Coleman - all moments to be remembered.
A new era begins Monday with Opening Day and the start of baseball in the 1990s.
If the end of the '80s is any indication, this decade may be remembered for the ultimate union of power and speed.
There already have been some predictions.
"I think it's very possible I could steal 50 bases and hit 50 home runs," Oakland right fielder Jose Canseco said.
Canseco, who had 42 homers and 40 stolen bases in 1988, is one of the strongest hitters in baseball history and provided one of those frozen moments in time in last year's American League playoffs.
In Game 4 at Toronto, he launched a home run into the third deck of the SkyDome about 500 feet away.
In the 1950s and '60s, Mickey Mantle found new territory with his power and Canseco seems on the threshold of doing some incredible things himself.
Bo Jackson has the same potential. Last season, Jackson hit 32 homers with 105 RBI and 26 stolen bases for Kansas City.
He often sends home runs into the dancing waters at Royals Stadium and is only getting stronger.
Cincinnati center fielder Eric Davis and Texas right fielder Ruben Sierra also seem likely to dominate the decade with their power and speed.
"Ruben is only 24 and players usually don't reach their prime until 28 or 29," said Tom Grieve, general manager of the Rangers. "He's just going to get better."
Last season, Sierra hit 29 homers with 119 RBI. He also led the AL in triples with 14.
Houston's Eric Anthony, Texas' Juan Gonzalez and Milwaukee's Greg Vaughn are the stars on the rise in the outfield.
Sometime before the decade is very old, Rickey Henderson will probably surpass Lou Brock's all-time stolen base record.
"Rickey is the best leadoff man in baseball," Oakland manager Tony LaRussa said. "I'm not sure we'll ever see one like him again."
If he keeps going, Baltimore shortstop Cal Ripken might cause a lot of excitement sometime in the mid-1990s.
Ripken enters the decade having played in 1,250 consecutive games but has a long way to go before threatening Gehrig's mark of 2,130.
"There isn't a shortstop around who does as many things as well as Cal," Baltimore manager Frank Robinson said.
St. Louis shortstop Ozzie Smith won the Gold Glove in each year of the 1980s and will probably add a few to his collection in the early '90s.
Of the upcoming shortstops, Smith likes what he sees in Shawon Dunston of the Chicago Cubs.
"He gained a lot of confidence in his ability last year," Smith said. "He certainly has the best arm I've seen."
The '90s should help solidify Boston third baseman Wade Boggs' place among the greatest hitters ever and a spot in the Hall of Fame.
Boggs enters the decade with a .352 lifetime average and seven consecutive seasons with 200 or more hits. Last year, he missed only 59 balls in 1,101 swings and has given an entire new meaning to the term "contact hitter."
New York Mets third baseman Howard Johnson has already reached the 30-30 club twice and has emerged as a team leader.
"I'm 29 now and have reached the point where I know others have confidence in me," Johnson said. "I don't have to worry about proving anything."
The next 10 years, should bring some wonderful battles for supremacy at first base between Will Clark and Mark Grace.
It started in the National League playoffs in October 1989 when Clark and Grace staged their own personal one-on-one hitting contest.
In his first three full seasons with San Francisco, Clark averaged 29 homers and 104 RBI. Last year, he hit .333 with 23 homers and 111 RBI.
"I concentrated on hitting for average last season," Clark said. "I wasn't concerned about homers. Now, I've gotten stronger through weight training, and I'd like to keep the average up there and add a few more homers."
There's plenty of talent at first in the AL, too.
Don Mattingly, who will be 29 on April 20, is a .323 lifetime hitter and has averaged 114 RBI in six full seasons with the New York Yankees.
This season, Oakland first baseman Mark McGwire will try to become the first player to hit 30 home runs in each of his first four years.
The measure of consistency at second base remains Ryne Sandberg of the Chicago Cubs. Last year, he became the first second baseman in the '80s to hit 30 home runs. Sandberg was the first Cubs second baseman to do it since Rogers Hornsby in 1929.
Sandberg also played 90 straight games without making an error and won his seventh straight Gold Glove.
Starting in 1990, a potentially classic battle starts at catcher as rookies Todd Zeile of St. Louis and Sandy Alomar of Cleveland begin their major league careers. Their personal battles could be reminiscent of the confrontations between Johnny Bench and Thurman Munson in the 1970s.
On the mound, Dwight Gooden won his 100th game for the New York Mets last year at the age of 24. He's healthy once again and throwing at 93 mph.
Bret Saberhagen enters the '90s with two Cy Young Awards and he won't be 26 until April 11.
By the middle of the decade - or sooner - Ben McDonald, Steve Avery and Jim Abbott should be among the premier pitchers. And don't be surprised to see Scott Burrell pitching somewhere. He's currently playing basketball at Connecticut.
Sometime this year, Ryan may win his 300th game. He enters the season with a career record of 289-263 and 5,076 strikeouts.
Whenever it is, Ryan's 300th will be one of the moments to remember in the '90s.
by CNB