ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, February 23, 1997 TAG: 9702250046
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-2 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: BASEBALL NOTES
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
Billy Wagner enters what he hopes will be his first full season with the Houston Astros wanting to start and close.
That is, he wants to start the season in the major leagues and he wants to be the Astros' closer.
``This should be the year,'' said Wagner, who is ready to retire the title of ``top prospect'' he has held for a couple of years. ``This should be the one when I start in Houston and end up in Houston.''
The former Ferrum College fireballer from Tazewell County will battle John Hudek for Houston's closer role during spring training in Kissimmee, Fla. Wagner, a left-hander who was a starter in the minors and never saved a game until he reached the big leagues, was 9-for-13 in save opportunities last year for the Astros.
``I think they want me to close,'' said Wagner, who struck out 67 in 51 2/3 innings in 1996. ``I'll be in the running for it. I've told them that's what I want to do.''
Larry Dierker, the Astros' new manager, watched him during winter ball in Puerto Rico and came away thinking Wagner had closer's stuff.
``He wants to relieve, and his arsenal is more suited to that role than that of a starter,'' Dierker said.
AROUND THE CAMPS: Former Radford University ace Phillip Leftwich is looking for work. Leftwich, a second-round pick of the California Angels in 1990 who pitched in the big leagues for parts of four seasons, is working out in Phoenix while waiting for a team to call. ... U.S. Olympian Seth Greisinger, the ace of Virginia's 1996 staff and Detroit's first-round draft pick, has been invited to the Tigers' big-league camp. ... Jason Kendall, the former Salem Buccaneer who was the third-place finisher in National League Rookie of the Year balloting last year, has gained 15 pounds of muscle. ``I'm going to hit some bombs,'' he said. ...
Wagner's former Ferrum teammate, Eric Owens, is on the Cincinnati Reds' 40-man roster. ... Mike Williams, the Giles County native and former Virginia Tech pitcher, agreed to a minor-league contract with the Boston Red Sox, ending seven seasons in the Philadelphia Phillies' organization. ... Another former Hokie, Patrick County High School alumnus Brad Clontz, is preparing for his third big-league season with the Atlanta Braves at their camp in West Palm Beach, Fla.
THAI ONE ON: Roanoker George Canale is in spring training, although it's not in the sunny climes of Arizona or Florida. He's not even in the Western Hemisphere.
The former Virginia Tech slugger and baseball-playing world traveller will play professionally in Taiwan this summer. After playing in Italy last year, the Cave Spring High School alumnus is hoping to get a look from some Japanese teams by playing in the Far East.
Canale last played in the United States in 1995, when he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates' organization. His last major-league appearance was in 1992 with the Milwaukee Brewers.
GETTING THE CALL: Just like ballplayers, minor-league umpires are trying to earn promotions. Gretna native and Radford University alumnus Stuart Robertson, who worked the past two seasons in the Carolina League, got the call to the Class AA Southern League. Robertson, who works in Radford's admissions office, reports to his first Double-A camp March 13 in Davenport, Fla.
EXTRA BASES: Walter ``Steve'' Brodie, the first Roanoke resident to play in the big leagues, is under consideration from the Veterans Committee for the Baseball Hall of Fame. A charter member of the Salem-Roanoke Baseball Hall of Fame, Brodie batted .303 from 1890-1902. ... Former big-leaguer and Franklin County resident Ed Ott, who was inducted into the Salem-Roanoke Hall this month, will manage the Allentown (Pa.) Ambassadors of the independent Northeast League.
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines KEYWORDS: BASEBALLby CNB