Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, May 12, 1990 TAG: 9005120235
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JOHN SMALLWOOD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Philadelphia Phillies' organization wants the former Timesland Athlete of the Year from Castlewood High. They offered him a new contract in January.
Talford has had the contract for a while, "It's just a matter of if I want to sign it or not."
Why wouldn't he?
Mainly because Talford, 21, also is a budding basketball star at East Tennessee State University.
Talford shows promise in both sports; but, by his admission, "I'm not really getting much better at either one."
"When I play basketball, I don't pick up a baseball," Talford said. "When I play baseball, I don't do any basketball. Whatever sport I'm in at that time, I try to put all my concentration and ability into that one."
And that's the decision he faces. Does he give up one sport to concentrate on the other, and if so, which one?
Thus far, Talford hasn't come up with an answer.
Selected by Philadelphia with its 24th pick in the June 1988 draft, Talford played 13 games that summer with Martinsville Phillies. He had nine hits in 24 at-bats (.375) with a home run.
Not a bad start to a professional baseball career.
But in the fall of 1988, Talford was in Johnson City, Tenn., attending East Tennessee State on a basketball scholarship. He averaged 11.8 points and 3.5 rebounds, and led the Buccaneers in field-goal percentage and 3-point field-goal percentage. Talford was named to the Southern Conference all-freshman team and the Southern Conference all-tournament team.
He got better as a sophomore, averaging 16.7 points and 4.0 rebounds.
"It's just one of those situations where he's a talented athlete who shows good tools in baseball and basketball," said Del Unser, Philadelphia's director of player development. "It's a pleasant situation for a young athlete."
But not necessarily for the teams involved, particularly the Phillies. While playing baseball in the summer doesn't interfere with basketball at ETSU for Talford, the reverse can't be said.
Although basketball season is over by the time spring training starts, Talford must complete spring-semester classes, which end in late May, or he loses his basketball eligibility.
By then the Phillies' other prospects are well into the swing of things, and minor-league baseball is a tough place to try to play catch-up.
"I got out of school, went to spring training for a couple of weeks and then straight to Martinsville," Talford said. "I figured I wouldn't get to play much because of that."
In two seasons at Martinsville, Talford has played in 23 games. In 1989, he hit .241 in 29 at-bats.
"He's in his third year and we haven't effectively taken a good look at him," Unser said. "But we'll never know what he can really do until he gets 250 at-bats and we can get a good look-see. Obviously, if he had chosen baseball three years ago, he'd be much further along."
On the other hand, former ETSU coach Les Robinson, who recently took over at North Carolina State, said Talford's potential in basketball also has been hampered by his decision to also play baseball.
"I've never discouraged him from baseball," Robinson said. "It's a great summer job, but Calvin hasn't scratched the surface of his potential in basketball. I think if he really worked at it and developed, he has the potential to play in the NBA."
Of course, Philadelphia always could try to force Talford to make decision. However, Unser said that is a power play the Phillies won't try.
"We don't have a lot of leverage here," Unser said. "As far as baseball, we could say, `Calvin we're going to release you if you don't give up basketball.' Then somebody else would just draft him. Why should we waste the years we've already invested in him.
"Calvin has speed and good instincts. He's even shown the potential to have some pop in his bat. We anticipate having him down in extended spring training [this year] and then going to a rookie team."
So, Talford still wrestles with the decision he knows he must make one day. He couldn't try a Bo Jackson-Deion Sanders move because the major-league and NBA seasons overlap too much.
"I think I'll make a choice within the coming year," Talford said. "It's hard because I love to do both. Sometimes, I think, `Why can't it be both ways?' But they tell me that eventually it's going to be one or the other."
by CNB