ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, August 20, 1996 TAG: 9608200047
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Avalanche Notes
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
BILL SWIFT IS on the way back up, while David Nied hopes he's stopped his downhill slide with the Salem Avalanche.
Bill Swift and David Nied certainly have some things in common. Both are right-handers with good fastballs augmented by sharp breaking pitches. Both have been paid handsomely for their work for the Colorado Rockies. Both are pitching in Class A ball.
That's where the similarities end.
While Swift expects to be back in the big leagues to help pitch the Rockies into the playoffs if his shoulder is sound, Nied probably is going to be staying with the Salem Avalanche. Surprisingly, that's the way he wants it now.
``I just want to pitch where I'm comfortable and get back to respectability,'' Nied said Friday after his fourth consecutive quality outing for Salem. ``I know I've got a long way to go.''
Even though Swift and Nied are pitching at the same level, the paths they took here were different. Swift is here only for two starts, the last one likely coming Wednesday against Durham, as he recovers from arthroscopic surgery. Nied was sent here after struggling with Class AAA Colorado Springs in his comeback from an elbow injury.
When Swift arrived last week, the two pitchers met for the first time since spring training.
``The first day [Swift] got here, he looked at me and did a double-take,'' Nied said. ``It was like he was surprised to see me here.''
Did he not know Swift had been sent to Salem?
``Oh yeah ... that's been well-documented up there'' in Denver, Nied said. ``The Denver press jumped on that, my wife said.''
Swift and Nied will pitch back-to-back games against the Bulls this week. Swift will be limited to 65 pitches or five innings - whichever comes first - Wednesday. Nied (2-1, 1.65 ERA in Salem) will pitch Thursday.
After that, Swift may be back in the majors within a week or two. Nied will keep waiting.
``Coming to [Class] A ball would have a bad effect on some guys,'' Swift said. ``David seems to be handling it well. Winning helps your attitude.''
POOLING HIS TALENTS: Since going from the rotation to the bullpen July 10, Avalanche right-hander Matt Pool has found his niche as a reliever and spot starter.
After eight innings of shutout ball in Salem's 1-0 victory over Prince William on Sunday, Pool has given up nine earned runs in his past 432/3 innings (1.88 ERA). Five of those came in a loss to Kinston on July 17.
``Maybe going to the bullpen has given him a new lease on life,'' said Bill McGuire, Salem's manager. ``He's given one quality outing after another. That may be what gets him to the next level, being a guy who can come out of the bullpen and give you such a quality job.''
It also helps that Pool can come out of the pen for a start every once in a while. In his past three starts, Pool has struck out 21 in 20 innings.
``The bullpen has been a wake-up call,'' Pool said. ``It was time to say, `Let's get your stuff together.'''
SNOWBALLS: Salem third baseman Tal Light has told some sources the booing he has endured for his fielding is wearing on him. Light has heard catcalls during his struggles at third, where he has committed 25 errors in 49 games. The booing appears to have affected him at the plate - he has three hits in his past 22 at-bats (.136) and his batting average has dipped to .249. ... The combined major-league salaries of the four big-leaguers who have played for Salem this season - Swift ($4.6 million), Larry Walker ($4.38 million), Eric Young ($1.05 million) and Nied ($190,000 in 1994) - isn't much more than the cost of Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium, which was built for about $10 million in 1995.
LENGTH: Medium: 72 linesby CNB