ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, April 4, 1997 TAG: 9704040056
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN THE ROANOKE TIMES
The Salem Avalanche opens the 1997 season with an extra pitcher, big leaguer Curtis Leskanic, and a desire to win big.
If the Salem Avalanche was an inanimate object, it would be a library book. If the Carolina League was to go the most appropriate route, it would set the Avalanche baseball team's opening day for April 15, tax day.
Ladies and gentlemen, Salem is due for a winning season.
There has not been a winning season in Salem since the first half of the 1988 season. The team has not won a Carolina League championship since beating the Kinston Indians in 1987. It's been so long that the manager of that Kinston team, Mike Hargrove, has 827 Cleveland Indians games under his belt since.
But being this is spring, there is plenty of hope among the Avalanche camp. And an expectation for victories.
``I already told the players one thing,'' said Salem manager Bill ``Moose'' McGuire. ``I hate losing.''
The Avalanche will get its first chance to show its collective distaste for losing at 7 tonight when it opens its season against the Durham Bulls at Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium. The drive for a first-half season title begins now.
If the Avalanche is to make a championship run this season, the stress will be on the run. McGuire expects six of the nine players in the batting order to make tracks once they get on base. Four of those six - second baseman Elvis Pena, catcher Ben Petrick and outfielders Garrett Neubart and David Feuerstein - had at least 19 stolen bases last season.
Neubart led the Colorado Rockies' system in 1996 with 43 swipes. Such proficiency has led McGuire to move Neubart into the leadoff spot in the order.
``Terry Jones is an example for him,'' McGuire said.
Jones, also a center fielder, was the farm system's leading base stealer in 1994 and 1995. He finished the 1996 season in the major leagues.
Feuerstein will follow Neubart in the batting order. The No.3, 4 and 5 hitters are designated hitter/utility man Jamie Taylor, right fielder Chad Gambill and first baseman Justin Drizos. Super prospect Ben Petrick is in the six hole and third baseman Clint Bryant is seventh. Middle infielders Kyle Houser and Pena are back from last year's Avalanche squad and will bat eighth and ninth. Houser was a 1996 Carolina League All-Star.
McGuire said Drizos, Gambill, Petrick and Taylor will provide the power.
``We're not going to be a team that slugs the ball around the park,'' McGuire said. ``We have to be a team that runs the bases well.''
The pitching rotation is Scott Randall, Chandler Martin, Mike Vavrek, Tom Stepka and Steve Shoemaker. Shoemaker, who has been flip-flopped between between starting and releiving during his career, is the only left-hander.
``This is one of the better pitching staffs I've been around,'' said new pitching coach Bryn Smith, a 13-year major-leaguer.
The staff got an addition on Thursday when it was announced the Rockies will be sending right-hander Curtis Leskanic to Salem for a rehabilitation assignment. Leskanic had shoulder and elbow surgeries last year and experienced soreness during spring training in Tucson, Ariz. He will pitch at least one inning Sunday and Monday, most likely as the first man out of the bullpen.
``The biggest thing for us is to make sure he's healthy,'' Smith said. ``He'll pitch two days in a row and we'll see how the recovery period is.''
Leskanic led the National League in appearances in 1995 with 76 and his 70 last year were one behind Rockies closer Bruce Ruffin. The Rockies placed Leskanic on the disabled list on March 26 after he experienced soreness in two outings. He remained on the shelf even though four days later he got three batters out on six pitches and threw on the side with no pain.
Leskanic is the fifth major-leaguer the Rockies have sent to Salem in the past year. The others were Larry Walker, Eric Young, Bill Swift and David Nied.
Leskanic, who celebrated his 29th birthday Wednesday, has Carolina League experience. He made his pro debut in 1990 with Kinston and was the league's leading winner in 1991.
Considering that fact, the Avalanche might like to keep him around for a while.
LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: JANEL RHODA/THE ROANOKE TIMES. Right-hander Scottby CNBRandall, tonight's starter against the Durham Bulls, limbers Tuesday
in front of new Avalanche pitching
coach Bryn Smith. color. (headshots) 2. McGuire. 3. Smith.