THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 1, 1994 TAG: 9409010706
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
A third consecutive losing season creaks to a close for the Norfolk Tides and the attention regarding the New York Mets farm system lies elsewhere. Again.
They say the Double-A team in Binghamton, N.Y., holds scads of prospects, but fans around here know them only from their hype. Developmental concerns kept them from helping win games in Norfolk this season, or at least helping to make the final few weeks more interesting to watch.
So as such young studs as outfielder Ricky Otero, infielders Rey Ordonez and Edgardo Alfonzo, and pitchers Bill Pulsipher, Chris Roberts and Jason Isringhausen push Binghamton toward the Eastern League playoffs and possibly 30 more victories than losses, the Tides face three more meaningless games with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons starting tonight.
Depleted by injuries and defeated too often by a stagnant offense, the Tides essentially have played out the string since a four-game sweep by the Charlotte Knights in early August gave Norfolk's playoff hopes a technical knockout.
General manager Dave Rosenfield admits he once more found himself gazing ahead to next year, when things are supposed to be better. At times he groused about being denied a sneak peak of some of the up-and-coming talent, but Wednesday he sided with the Mets, whose cautious approach to moving players is well-documented.
``They certainly could've sent us a pitcher, but I don't know who you move?'' Rosenfield said. ``None are ready.''
The Tides lost shortstop Aaron Ledesma to shoulder soreness early in August and Fernando Vina to injury soon after. It presented an opening for Binghamton to lend some support in either Ordonez or Alfonzo, but both remained in Double-A. Instead, utility man Greg Graham has filled in despite a painful toe injury.
Rosenfield noted that Ordonez, a Cuban defector and first-year pro, is a great fielder, but a weak hitter who likely would have been overmatched. Alfonzo was moved to second when Ordonez came up from Class-A last month and is now being groomed for other positions. A stint at short in Triple-A would contradict that, Rosenfield said.
As for the top members of Binghamton's touted pitching staff and everyday lineup - most of whom are Double-A rookies - Rosenfield said he understood the benefits of letting them have a full year of success in Double-A rather than risking the unknown in Triple-A late in the season.
For one example, Juan Castillo, judged the best prepared of the Double-A starters when he was sent to the big leagues, then to Norfolk a month ago, has struggled to a 1-4 record and 6.75 earned-run average in five starts with the Tides. For another, first baseman Omar Garcia, promoted in July after hitting
``Those other pitchers, next spring they'll have no question that they can pitch here or in New York,'' Rosenfield said. ``What do you think Castillo's frame of mind is? That's the crossroads decision with young players. It's a much harder jump from Double-A to Triple-A.''
Butch Huskey and Quilvio Veras, two of last year's highly regarded Double-A performers, know a little about that. The Tides might have wished to see them last season as the club limped home undermanned.
Yet this year, when the youngsters finally arrived, they produced results well below their accustomed standards.
Impressive numbers are flying out of Binghamton again. For the next seven months, they will fuel reputations that Rosenfield and the Tides hope can be backed up. by CNB