ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, August 11, 1996 TAG: 9608120119
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-5 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: BASEBALL
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR.
Through the swanky clubhouse in the bowels of Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium passed another esteemed and complimentary visitor.
``It's pretty impressive for an A-ball club,'' said Larry Walker, star outfielder for the Colorado Rockies who pulled a two-game rehabilitation hitch with the Salem Avalanche this past week. ``I remember my A-ball parks as being pretty ugly. Clubhouse like a shoebox. Bad fields. Bad lighting.''
Even though you can't tell by some of the disappointing attendance figures, reaction has been favorable to Salem's ballyard, which celebrated its first birthday Wednesday, the night Walker came to town.
Reaction has been more favorable from the major-leaguers who have passed through a clubhouse replete with amenities that make life in the minors more than just riding buses and playing for peanuts. Fans don't get to see it, but the clubhouse is spacious, with large individual lockers, separate offices for manager Bill McGuire and the coaches and a training room big enough for trainer Bill Borowski to work on three players at once.
``This [Salem clubhouse] is as nice as a Triple-A park,'' Walker said.
National League All-Star Eric Young spent a few games with the Avalanche this season, and former Rockies pitcher David Nied is in Salem - most likely for the rest of the season. There has been talk of injured Colorado pitcher Bill Swift beginning his comeback with a start in Salem this week.
Although it's not unusual for injured big-leaguers to begin their rehabilitation assignments with short stints at the Class A level, Salem has been a temporary home to more stars than at any time in recent memory.
The quality of the clubhouse has had a lot to do with that.
``Absolutely,'' said Rockies general manager Bob Gebhard, who has had a lot to do with sending his stars to Salem. ``Every club sends its players to the minors [for rehabilitation]. A lot of it depends on geographic location and whether or not the team will be at home. They have a new, beautiful stadium there with great surroundings and a great city. It makes life easier for guys when they have to go down there.''
Gebhard wouldn't say it, but Avalanche officials know the Rockies would have been reluctant to send their stars to Municipal Field.
There is no such hesitancy to send players to Salem now.
``I think the underlying factor of the whole thing is the new ballpark,'' said Dick Balderson, the Rockies' vice president in charge of player personnel. ``There's no doubt about it. When towns and communities make commitments to new parks, they not only create an environment for their minor-leaguers, they become a viable option for major-leaguers to rehab. ... I'm encompassing the whole ball of wax, from hotels to the clubhouse. It's a great place for [major-leaguers] to begin their comebacks.''
SMASH (NO-)HIT: The Avalanche had a week about as memorable as a team could have while losing five of seven games at home. The headline-grabbing of Walker and Nied stole the spotlight from Luther Hackman, a guy who never has played in the majors but had the biggest performance of all.
When Hackman no-hit Kinston in a 4-1 victory Aug.4, he became the second Salem pitcher to throw a no-hitter at home and the first to do it in a home Carolina League game.
Courtesy of research compiled by Roanoke Times columnist Jack Bogaczyk, the last Salem pitcher to throw a home no-hitter was Portsmouth native Bob Settle, who no-hit Bluefield on Aug.27, 1965, in a seven-inning second game of a doubleheader while pitching for the Appalachian League's Salem Rebels at Municipal Field.
SNOWBALLS: Walker's brother, Carey, who lives in Vinton, was noting the parallels of his hockey career (which included stops with the Salem Rebels and the Virginia Lancers) and his brother's baseball career.
Carey Walker was drafted by the NHL's Montreal Canadiens, then played in the farm system of the old NHL Colorado Rockies (now the New Jersey Devils) before coming to Salem. Larry Walker was drafted by the Montreal Expos, signed with baseball's Colorado Rockies as a free agent and began his rehab stint in Salem.
``I'm just glad he's not down here because he's playing bad,'' Carey Walker said. ...
Salem has not had a winning homestand since it won four seven June 24-30. in his past eight games (17-for-35).
AROUND THE CAROLINA LEAGUE: If ever there were a category for best injury, Winston-Salem manager Phillip Wellman definitely would be a finalist. While running to argue with an umpire a few weeks ago, Wellman ruptured his right Achilles' tendon when he stumbled on the lip of the infield. Hobbled by a boot-like brace on his foot this past week in Salem, Wellman still managed to make it out to the third-base coach's box for every inning of a four-game series in Salem this past week, although his arguments with umpires usually consisted of long-distance shouting since he couldn't race across the field to get at them. ... Even though he has been out of the league for seven weeks, Durham's Ron Wright still leads the circuit with 20 homers.
LENGTH: Medium: 89 linesby CNB