ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, June 27, 1996 TAG: 9606270043
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
PITCHER DOUG MILLION appears to be a shoo-in to soon leave the Salem Avalanche and the Class A Carolina League in his rear-view mirror.
The best chance of a current Salem Avalanche player making the majors? Try one in a Million.
As in Doug Million.
Twelve months and a zillion miles removed from shoulder soreness and the most disappointing campaign of his young professional baseball career, the 20-year-old left-hander is demonstrating why he may one day have the earning power worthy of his epithetical surname. A 6-4 record heading into tonight's start against the Durham Bulls is a misleading indicator about how well the guy has pitched.
Better measurements are a sparkling 2.00 earned-run average (the lowest among current Carolina League hurlers) and a 2-to-1 strikeouts-to-walks ratio. Plus, although the guy stands 6 feet 4 from his spikes on the pitching rubber to the button on his cap, there's no way to measure how much he's grown in the past year.
A year ago, Million would make a start in Salem and wouldn't last. Now, each start in Salem could be his last. The rarified air of Class AA ball in New Haven, Conn., awaits. The only question is when will the phone ring?
``Your guess is as good as mine,'' Million said. ``I try not to think about it. If I deserve to be moved, they'll move me. Until then, I'll keep pitching and try to help this team win.''
He's done his part. Million hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in six straight starts. His 84 strikeouts rank fourth in the league. He's 4-2 when pitching after a Salem loss. Those are numbers of a bonafide ace.
Million 's best outing came against the Frederick Keys on June 1, when he pitched no-hit ball before allowing Denio Gabriel's leadoff single in the ninth.
As evidence of how mature Million is on the hill, Salem pitching coach Bill Champion didn't venture out to the mound to calm his young hurler after losing the no-hitter.
``I thought about going out there, but he didn't need it,'' said Champion. ``He just took the ball and went right back and pitched and went after the next guy. He was businesslike.''
That's the maturity of a young man who would have just finished his sophomore year of college had he not signed with the Rockies after being taken with the seventh pick of the 1994 draft.
"He's gotten more quality pitches in the strike zone, period,'' said Champion. "It's night and day from last year to this year. They say it takes longer for left-handers to mature, but we tend to forget that two years ago he was right out of high school. We're starting to see why he was drafted when he was and he's starting to have some fun.''
The big man of the Salem staff is young only when measured in years.
``I feel like I'm a lot older,'' he said. ``It feels like I've been playing a lot longer than just two years.''
That's because last year must have seemed like an eternity. He pulled a muscle in his shoulder during spring training and wound up on the disabled list for nearly a month. He didn't get his first win last season until June, after an 0-3 start.
From June 20 until the end of last season, he pitched better and went 5-4. Still, he finished with a forgettable 5-7 record and 4.62 ERA. He walked almost as many batters (79) as he struck out (85). Conditioning also seemed to be a problem.
``It was all learning and developing,'' said Rockies general manager Bob Gebhard, who added there is no timetable for Million's imminent promotion. ``He was competing against much older players and learning about what it takes to be successful at the major-league level. We're all awful proud of the way he came back this year and worked hard to become more consistent. That's what the minor leagues are for.''
Last year was the first low point for a kid who had been a winner ever since he earned national player of the year honors at Sarasota (Fla.) High School in 1994. He struck out 149 batters in 87 innings in going 12-2 and helping Sarasota win its second 5-A state title and earn the No.1 ranking in the nation.
``It wasn't fun last year, I'll say that,'' he said. ``I decided to work with a personal trainer and get in the best possible shape. I wasn't happy with what happened in 1995. I didn't want to duplicate it.''
The 15 pounds he dropped wasn't nearly as important as what he picked up - a third pitch to augment his 90-mph fastball and sharp curveball. He needed a change, so he learned to throw one.
He worked with Champion on perfecting a change-up late last season and continued honing the pitch last fall in instructional league. Controlling a change-up takes practice, since Million uses the basic ``circle change'' grip - in which the index finger and thumb form a circle (like an ``A-OK'' symbol) and the ball is inserted deep into the palm.
``It's a touch-and-feel pitch,'' Million said. ``To this day, I still ask Champ if I'm doing it right.''
This year, he's done little wrong.
``I just try to be aggressive,'' he said. ``Throw it over and let 'em hit it. Last year was my first losing record. I wasn't really a pitcher. I'm still learning to pitch.''
LENGTH: Medium: 98 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ERIC BRADY/Staff. After a sporadic 1995 season withSalem, Doug Million has baffled Carolina League hitters so far this
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by CNB