THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 13, 1994 TAG: 9410120172
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JOHN GORDON, SUN SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
Talk about a jump start.
The first pitch that Zuni's Terry Bradshaw saw after he joined the Louisville Cardinals last August must have looked like a beach ball. He slammed it for his first Class AAA home run.
As if that wasn't enough, Bradshaw, 25, hit another the next night. And both homers were off former major leaguers.
``That got me off to a good start and that makes a big difference,'' he said. ``Going up to AAA is a big step.''
Bradshaw admitted he was a little nervous about being promoted from Little Rock, a Class AA club, on Aug. 11.
``Once you get there (AAA), you've got your foot in the door because players are moving up and down to the majors all the time,'' he said. ``And that's what everybody's goal is.''
Although he was concerned about not doing well at first, his two home runs gave him confidence and he wound up starting in centerfield and batting in the leadoff position for the rest of the season. Bradshaw batted .250 with four homers, and Louisville went to the playoffs, where it lost to Indianapolis in four games.
Bradshaw has been relaxing since then, but leaves Friday for Phoenix where he will play in the Arizona Fall League. After a few days of warm-ups and practice, the season starts Oct. 6 and will continue through Dec. 1.
``I'm real excited about going there,'' Bradshaw said. ``I'm looking forward to it. Only six of the best prospects from each club go there.''
The 1987 Windsor High graduate says he prefers this league to the Florida Instructional League. Bradshaw says the FIL is more connected with the various major league organizations and, besides, that's where he injured his knee in 1991.
Drafted first by the New York Yankees as an infielder out of high school, Bradshaw opted to go to Norfolk State where he was shifted to the outfield. After three yearsthere, the Cardinals drafted him and he played with Hamilton in the Penn League, a Class A outfit, in 1990.
``The first couple of years were pretty slow for me,'' Bradshaw said. ``I never put up any numbers.''
His second season was with Savannah, Ga., in the Class A South Atlantic League. Then came his instructional league injury in St. Petersburg, Fla., and he missed the entire 1992 campaign.
Bradshaw played with St. Petersburg in the Class A Florida State League in 1993, and was on the 40-man Major League roster for spring training last March.
``I was in the big league camp and I had nine at bats,'' he said. ``I got to be around the million dollar guys.
``I was happy with the way I was treated, and I got a lot of help from other players. Some people think they wouldn't want to help me because I may take their jobs, but it wasn't that way at all.''
However, Bradshaw was in the first group to be sent to the minor league complex and he started the season with Little Rock. Then came Louisville.
A Cardinals' announcement in Wednesday's paper said Bradshaw and 11 other minor leaguers were recalled, but Bradshaw wasn't sure what that meant.
``I have no idea what it means,'' he said. ``No one from the team has contacted me.
``I suppose that if there was a season going on, I'd be in the big leagues.''
What it means is that Bradshaw is back on the 40-man roster, and he will report to the big club in St. Petersburg next March - if there is a spring training. About the strike, he is very tight-lipped.
``I don't know anything about it,'' said Bradshaw. ``I try not to get into it.
``You never know what's going to happen. I'll just have to wait and see.
``Hopefully, I can get a chance, and if I do, hopefully I can do well.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Bradshaw
by CNB