THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 21, 1994 TAG: 9407210656
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
Omar Garcia tore up the Double-A Eastern League for three months, batting at-bats with the Tides, Garcia, a first baseman, is in the shocking position of dragging along a .216 average. Shocking not only because of his Double-A performance, but the .294 minor-league average the 22-year-old brought into the season.
``Yes, I'm a little disappointed,'' Garcia said. ``I feel like everything I'm doing is good but things aren't going the right way. Confidence is something I've never lost. I'm always going to be able to hit, in my opinion, no matter what level.''
Garcia has knocked in 13 runs, struck out just 12 times and has hit the ball, for outs, with more authority than the normal .216 hitter. But Garcia points to the smarter pitching and defensive positioning in Triple-A as contributing to his struggle.
Meanwhile, Tides manager Bobby Valentine said he isn't surprised Garcia has been slow to start because of the difference in skill level between Double-A and Triple-A. Valentine said he took in a Binghamton game the last time the Tides were in Syracuse and said the caliber of play could've been better.
``There's a big gap between there and here,'' he said.
A righthander, Garcia has little power and hits mainly to rightfield, rarely pulling anything. Valentine said that's OK, because it's easier to teach a hitter to pull, but that he's been reluctant to tinker with Garcia until he's had a chance to play a while.
However, the time, Valentine hinted, is just about here.
TRAVELING MAN: More than most ballplayers, the Tides' latest back-up catcher, Al Hammell, has really learned to live out of a suitcase this season.
Since April he has played for both of the Mets' Class-A teams, their Double-A club and now the Tides. Injuries at the various levels dictated his itinerary, and he is in Norfolk because of Brook Fordyce's presence on the disabled list.
A reserve at every stop, Hammell, 23, began with a month in Columbia, S.C., three weeks in Binghamton, another 10 days in Columbia and then about six weeks in St. Lucie, Fla., his perch when the Tides beckoned.
``This is awesome,'' Hammell said. ``I thought Binghamton was great. This beats Binghamton by far.'' ILLUSTRATION: Charts
Box Score
Attendance
Standings
Team Statistics
For copy of charts, see microfilm
by CNB