Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 24, 1994 TAG: 9404240082
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Ray Cox
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Ratliff brought a rather pleasant outlook on his future to the instructional league. The Pittsburgh Pirates' minor-league employee had just been the author of one of his most fruitful seasons of professional baseball. After considering the statistical bounties he'd produced at Class AA Carolina - a .284 average, 129 hits, 59 runs and 29 steals in 121 games - his right to a rather high opinion of himself had to be conceded.
Indeed, Ratliff might well have been unable to resist marching into camp with a pronounced bounce to his spike-shod feet. Life was good and the pot of big-league gold was just coming into sight at the other end of the bush-league rainbow.
But at that happy moment, the rug of Florida lawn was jerked from beneath his feet.
Ratliff was greeted by Cam Bonifay, the Pirates' general manager, who had jarring news for him.
"We want you to be a switch-hitter," Bonifay said. "That's what you'll be working on now and next year."
Mere farmhands do not debate or contradict the views of the general manager, although that may be their inclination. Ratliff gulped down his misgivings and said the right thing:
"Yes, sir. I'll get right on it."
Switch-hitting is an unnatural act. Ages ago, your grandmother was forced by stern-faced schoolmasters to learn to write right-handed, even if she preferred to use her left. That practice was discontinued years ago because enlightened people came to the conclusion that such instruction did far more harm than good.
All folks have a dominant hand. A lucky few are able to use both, although those skills almost invariably have been cultivated.
But this is baseball. If a square peg can be pounded and shoved through a round hole in the interests of the greater good of the organization, it shall be done.
"When I first looked at it, I thought, `This can't be too bad,' " Ratliff said. "But once I BASEBALL RAY COX started working on it, I said, `Wow.'
"If you're going to learn to switch-hit, you probably should do it in high school or college. That whole side of your body is weaker. You don't see the ball the same way."
It's almost like a rehabilitation patient learning to walk again.
Ratliff was sent back to Salem, where he'd last been seen in 1991. Many 24-year-old players would balk at a return to Class A after more than two years at the Class AA level, but he approached the ordeal with the proper attitude.
"I don't worry about the other stuff," Ratliff said. "There are a bunch of good guys here, so that's helped me to like it. If they'd been a bunch of jerks, I probably would have hated it."
Batting leadoff, Ratliff had a .264 average and a team-leading 14 hits in 13 games. So far so good.
"I know I should be walking more [he had three], but I can't judge the strike zone from the left side, yet. I just take a hack at it."
Ratliff isn't going to hit for power; he has three home runs in five years, none since 1991. But if he can pull off being a switch-hitter, he'll be able to spray balls to all fields, and he'll be two steps closer to first base when he does hit it left-handed.
Said Ratliff, "This is the biggest challenge I've ever had."
\ THE LAST MAY BE FIRST: Chris Connolly was the last of the Wilmington Blue Rocks pitchers to be handed the ball this season. Before it's over, the former Radford University and E.C. Glass High School left-hander may have had a hand in more games than anybody on the team. Such is the advantage of middle and long relief.
"I like it," Connolly said. "It's better than waiting until every fifth day when you're a starter. Middle relief you get a lot of innings and, if not that, a lot of appearances. You get to play a lot."
Through 12 games, Connolly had a 1-0 record and 2.45 earned run average in seven innings. A year ago at Rockford of the Class A Midwest League, he pitched a career-high 74 innings, during which time he did a little of everything: spot starting and working long, middle and short relief. The numbers read 6-3, 3.98 ERA and three saves.
For all intents, last year was his first full season after being taken with the Kansas City Royals' 15th pick in the 1991 draft. He started his pro career at Eugene of the short-season Northwest League, then got hurt in 1992 and pitched only 22 innings at Appleton.
"I had a sore shoulder," he said. "They couldn't find anything. When they can't find anything, they call it tendinitis."
The shoulder has been fine since.
His pitching hasn't been bad, either.
\ ON THE GROUNDS: Sam Clark is the resident guru of the Salem Municipal Field grounds crew, having working with shovel, rake and mower for parts of seven seasons.
Early this season, for the first Sunday day game, he came to the new Bucs manager, Trent Jewett, with a startling assertion.
"You realize, of course, that on day games around here the groundskeeper gets to DH," Clark said.
"Huh?"
"That's right. Pencil me in the lineup at DH today."
"I don't think so."
"Come on!"
"Listen, it's apparent that you've been working too hard in the hot sun this afternoon. Why don't you go back in my office. There's some cold beer in the refrigerator and the golf tournament's on TV."
Perhaps the invitation didn't hold the glamour of hitting, but it was the best Jewett could do.
by CNB