ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, July 24, 1996 TAG: 9607240029
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Our Eyes in Atlanta
DATELINE: ATLANTA
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
note: below
Seth Greisinger stood in the bullpen, smiling, at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium Monday night. He wasn't thinking about where he was, but where he'd been.
Or maybe where he wasn't.
Fans were screaming his name and waving the red, white and blue. On baseball's Team USA, he's become one of the stars.
``It's kind of amazing,'' the University of Virginia right-hander said. ``A year ago, these people didn't know who I was.''
He wasn't referring to the autograph-seeking fans, but to his teammates and U.S. coaches. Greisinger is as good an Olympic story as anyone.
After two years at UVa and a 9-12 record, he was a rising junior listed as the 94th-best prospect for the June draft by Baseball America. As a national team hopeful, he was a nowhere man.
Greisinger's leap to attention began Feb. 24 at Arizona State, when he beat the Sun Devils and established more than a new motion, a good curve as a superb changeup.
It isn't that he couldn't pitch before. In 1993, he was the state high school player of the year at McLean High and was drafted in the seventh round by the Cleveland Indians, who offered him a $100,000 bonus to sign.
Three years later, Greisinger is Detroit's top draft choice, figures to sign next month with a bonus in the $1.5 million range as part of the package. But first?
Besides celebrating his 21st birthday here in five days, maybe, just maybe, Greisinger will pitch the gold medal game for the U.S. on Aug. 2, probably against Cuba.
If the U.S. gets there, it will be Clemson's Kris Benson or Greisinger, and the rotation is set up with the UVa hurler in that slot, following his scheduled Saturday date against Australia.
``I know a lot of people are looking down the road, but I'm obviously not going straight to the majors,'' said Greisinger, after his seventh straight victory this summer for the U.S. in Monday night's triumph over South Korea.
``This is the primary focus right now. The Olympics, just being part of it, is a tremendous feeling. I was nervous at the start. You think about where you are and what you're part of, and it gets to you.''
Greisinger struggled but got the victory with six innings of what he called ``surviving.'' It was a strange feeling for him after going 12-2 with a 1.76 earned-run average for UVa, then 6-0 with a 2.06 ERA in seven starts on the U.S. team's pre-Olympics tour.
Greisinger, along with Olympic teammates Benson and Billy Koch of Clemson, gave the Atlantic Coast Conference three pitchers selected in the top six of the June draft. The 6-foot-4 UVa star got there with some help.
``He just had to simplify his motion,'' Cavaliers pitching coach Kevin O'Sullivan, a former UVa catcher, said of his prize pupil. ``Seth had a tendency to over-rotate his hips, causing him to arch his back and slow down his hand and arm. He just needed more balance.''
Greisinger listened and became the No. 6 pick in the draft. In UVa history, only three athletes have been drafted higher by teams in the three major pro sports - Bill Dudley (No.1) in the NFL and Wally Walker (No.5) and Ralph Sampson (No.1) in the NBA.
``A lot of what's happened is just mental,'' Greisinger said. ``I learned to concentrate more and not get so concerned when a man gets on. This summer, my changeup has been my big pitch. It's carried me some games. A lot of hitters swing it even when it's in the dirt.''
Greisinger was Team USA's best pitcher against the big-hitting Cuban team in earlier games this summer, and he knows the reason.
``When I pitched against them, I hit spots real well, and that's what you have to do,'' he said. ``If you don't hit spots against Cuba, you won't be around long. And you can't go out there being afraid you're going to hang a curve ball.
``This level is different than college baseball. Hitters in international ball have more experience and they're more patient. College hitters will be more aggressive. These guys make you throw strikes.''
After the Olympics, Greisinger said he will begin negotiating with the Tigers, but even if he signs, won't likely pitch his first pro game in August because of the amount of work he's had this spring and summer.
``I've heard talk they maybe want me to work with a strength coach and get acclimated to their system and start a fall workout schedule,'' he said. ``The [national team] experience has been great. Our Olympic coaching staff is probably better than what I could get in the minors somewhere.''
Considering Detroit's putrid pitching, Greisinger would appear to have a shot at reaching Tiger Stadium as soon as 1998.
First, there a few more nations he'd like to conquer.
LENGTH: Medium: 92 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Seth Greisinger U.S. Olympic team pitcherby CNB