
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, April 14, 1991                   TAG: 9104140084
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

ROANOKE'S CANALE BIDES HIS TIME FOR BIG-LEAGUE CALL

To make the major leagues, George Canale doesn't have to prove he can hit. He doesn't have to continue making Gold Glove-type fielding plays. He doesn't even have to complain about beginning his third straight baseball season in Class AAA.

"It really doesn't depend much on me," said Roanoke's Canale, the Milwaukee Brewers' most frustrated prospect. "I just have to be patient or be traded to get to the majors. . . . I really don't think I'll be in Triple A much longer."

In the off-season, Canale, realizing he had little left to prove in the minors but also recognizing that the Brewers were overstocked at first base, asked to be traded. Milwaukee tried.

"I know Pittsburgh made a few offers for me during spring training and Montreal made an offer, too," said Canale, who starred at Cave Spring High and Virginia Tech before becoming Milwaukee's sixth-round draft pick in 1986. "Milwaukee didn't think they offered enough. The Brewers like me. I know that. They wanted to keep me."

Canale batted .313 this spring for the Brewers, with one homer and 11 RBI. He was coming off a solid season in the Puerto Rican winter league, where he finished fourth in the batting race at .315, with five homers and 30 RBI. He has been up with the Brewers in two consecutive Septembers.

Canale's hopes to stick with the Brewers were diminished in spring training by his Tech predecessor at first base. Milwaukee signed free agent Franklin Stubbs to a three-year, $6 million contract in the winter and said Stubbs was going to play right field.

Stubbs was wrong in right.

Stubbs, making $1.867 million this season, was moved to first, a decision forced when veteran Paul Molitor - earning $3.233 million - was limited to designated-hitter duties because of an arm injury. Last year's first-base starter for Milwaukee, Greg Brock, is making $937,500 and sitting on the bench.

"A lot depends on what the Brewers decide to do with Greg," Canale said. "They're going to keep offering him a buy out of the contract, and after talking to Greg, I know he'd like to go somewhere where he could play every day."

Last December, Brock approached the Brewers about a $500,000 contract buy out. The Brewers, thinking Stubbs would play right and being unsure about Molitor's arm, wouldn't bite. After Stubbs had been moved and Canale had a solid spring, Milwaukee offered Brock a $500,000 buy out with two days left in spring training.

"Greg couldn't take the chance to go that late," Canale said from Denver. "The Brewers just didn't want to release him and have to eat his contract, so I came back to Denver."

In his last Cactus League game with Milwaukee, Canale played third base, where he will start on occasion for Denver. His move across the infield - he hadn't played third since his first two seasons at Tech - is "a trial to see whether I can do it or not," Canale said. "They're going to play me there about once every 10 days. I think they feel OK about my fielding there, the question is whether I can make that throw."

Milwaukee's front office wants Canale to have experience at third so he will be available if mercurial third baseman Gary Sheffield is traded, or if shortstop Bill Spiers is reinjured and Sheffield has to move to short.

The Brewers have one option left on Canale. If he is recalled, then outrighted to Denver again during the season, he must pass through waivers and can be re-signed by any major-league club. If he goes to spring training with the Brewers next season and is optioned, he becomes a free agent.

He started the spring on the parent roster for the third straight year, and he is working on a split contract - one salary for the majors ($105,000) and another in the minors ($60,000).

Canale, 25, was married in December. He and his wife, Laura, have rented a Denver house and spent two days moving in. "We have everything set up but cable [TV]," Canale said. "We've got to have that."

He went 0-for-3 Wednesday before a Mile High Stadium crowd of 43,247, the largest Opening Day crowd in minor-league history. Then a snowstorm hit the Rockies and postponed the Zephyrs for two days.

"It's not a case of what I have to do here," Canale said. "I don't want to have a bad year, because I want other organizations to want me, too. If I can hit .270 to .280, 15 homers and get at least 70 RBI, I know I'll be in the majors somewhere next season.

"I still think I'll be there sooner though."

by CNB