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

DATE: THURSDAY, July 29, 1993                   TAG: 9307280123
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

EX-HIGHLANDER LEFTWICH TO MAKE BIG-LEAGUE DEBUT

Phil Leftwich was taking his normal pitching start for the Class AAA Vancouver Canadians on Monday night against the Phoenix Firebirds, and he had worked the first two innings.

After he came off the mound after the second inning, his manager, Max Olivares, asked him how he felt.

"Fine," said Leftwich, a right-hander who played for Radford University.

"You sure?" Olivares wanted to know.

"Yes, I'm sure," Leftwich said, puzzled. After all, he had struck out four of the six guys he faced and had two scoreless innings to his credit.

"You're out of the game," he was told.

This about blew Leftwich's mind.

"Maybe I looked worse than I thought," he said.

Olivares couldn't continue.

"You need some rest. You're pitching in Anaheim Thursday."

And that's how Leftwich found out he was going to be pitching for the California Angels before the end of the week. He and wife, Ann, are driving to California this morning to report.

"They're nine games out now and I guess they want to call up some of the young guys and see what happens," Leftwich said.

Leftwich will be facing the Oakland Athletics in his first major-league start.

Keywords:
BASEBALL

by CNB