THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 6, 1995 TAG: 9504060493
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 173 lines
Replacement baseball was narrowly averted in the major leagues, but the International League will feature a scaled-down version through most of April.
It will be that long until rosters are at full strength because of the strike, but league president Randy Mobley said: ``We will still have competitive baseball.
``I don't know if I'd say it won't be as good. It's probably not going to be as consistent.''
That's not Mobley's only pressing concern. New York Gov. George Pataki has threatened to pull about $31 million in state aid that former Gov. Mario Cuomo committed to new stadiums in Rochester and Syracuse.
Efforts are ongoing to retain the money. The stadiums are scheduled to open next season. If they are scrapped, Syracuse and Rochester could lose their franchises for failing to comply with new ballpark requirements.
On the present fields, here's how the teams shape up to start the season:
WEST DIVISION
CHARLOTTE KNIGHTS
Affiliate: Florida Marlins
Manager: Sal Rende
Coaches: Adrian Garrett, Mike Parrott
1994 record: 77-65, second in the West
Outlook: The Knights are dominated by minor league free agents. First baseman Russ Morman, 33, is 11th among active minor leaguers with 134 home runs; Nick Capra, 37, ranks third with 1,750 hits. Also on the roster are outfielders Tommy Gregg, Curt Ford and Steve Carter. . . . Top pitching prospect Marc Valdes will start the opener. The righthander was the Marlins' pitcher of the year last season, going 15-8 with a 2.72 ERA at Class A and Double-A. . . . Speedy centerfielder John Massarelli is back. He stole 39 bases for Edmonton last year.
COLUMBUS CLIPPERS
Affiliate: New York Yankees
Manager: Bill Evers
Coaches: Hop Cassady, Gary Denbo, Dave Schuler
1994 record: 74-68, third in the West
Outlook: Evers, up from Double-A, is one of six new managers in the league. Minor League Player of the Year, he hit .349 in 35 Triple-A games and is considered the Yankees' best prospect. . . . In addition to Kirt Ojala (11-7, 3.83), the Clippers will rely on pitching from Albany, including Andy Pettitte (7-2, 2.98), Andy Croghan (16 saves, 1.72 ERA) and Brian Boehringer (10-11, 3.62). The latter three are 40-man-roster players who won't join the team for a few weeks. Ditto third baseman Russ Davis, who could be back after hitting 25 home runs last year, and outfielder Lyle Mouton, who hit .314 in 59 games with Columbus.
RICHMOND BRAVES
Affiliate: Atlanta Braves
Manager: Grady Little
Coaches: Glenn Hubbard, Bill Fischer
1994 record: 80-61, first in the West. Won Governors' Cup championship.
Outlook: The R-Braves' pitching would have been awful had the strike not ended. After a while, All-Star lefthander Brad Woodall (15-6, 2.42) and Brad Clontz (11 saves, 2.10) could come back, joined by Double-A graduates Terrell Wade (9-3, 3.83), Jason Schmidt (131 strikeouts in 141 innings), Chris Brock (7-6, 3.74) and Darryl May (5-3, 3.11). . . . Former Tide Mike Twardoski holds down first base and Mike Sharperson, a former All-Star with the Dodgers, is in the infield. . . . Shortstop Ed Giovanola (.282) is underrated. . . . The R-Braves took a dozen players from Atlanta's replacement team, including outfielder Darren Reed, a former Tide.
TOLEDO MUD HENS
Affiliate: Detroit Tigers
Manager: Tom Runnells
Coaches: Rick Adair, Skeeter Barnes
1994 record: 63-79, fifth in the West
Outlook: Runnells replaces Larry Parrish, who is back as a roving hitting instructor. . . . The Mud Hens will start with veterans Terry Leach, Lee Tunnell and Mickey Weston on their pitching staff. Former Tides All-Star Randy Marshall also is here. . . . Once they arrive, younger prospects include Jose Lima (7-9, 3.60), Felipe Lira (7-12, 4.70) and Shannon Withem (7-12, 3.44 in Double-A). . . . The eventual return of All-Star second baseman Shannon Penn (.284, 45 steals) would help. Ditto for outfielder Rudy Pemberton (.303, 12 home runs, 30 steals), outfielder Bob Higginson (.275, 23 home runs) and first baseman Alan Zinter (21 home runs, 185 strikeouts).
EAST DIVISION
OTTAWA LYNX
Affiliate: Montreal Expos
Manager: Pete Mackanin
Coaches: Chuck Kniffin, Bert Heffernan
1994 record: 70-72, third in the East
Outlook: Expected 40-man-roster arrivals include third baseman Shane Andrews, who led Ottawa with 16 home runs and 85 RBIs last year, and pitchers Rod Henderson (6-9, 4.62), Reid Cornelius (9-8, 4.38) and Ugueth Urbina (9-3. 3.28 in Double-A). . . . Eight replacement players are on the roster, along with pitchers John Mitchell (a former Tide) and Tim Layana. . . . A weak offensive team will need help from first baseman Randy Wilstead, who hit .294 with 13 home runs in Double-A. Third baseman Mark Grudzielanek, the organization's player of the year, could skip from Double-A to the big leagues, however. . . . Also up from Harrisburg is pitcher Bob Baxter (11-3, 4.20.)
PAWTUCKET RED SOX
Affiliate: Boston Red Sox
Manager: Buddy Bailey
Coaches: Luis Aguayo, Rick Wise
1994 record: 78-64, first in East
Outlook: The Pawsox have potential, especially after the 40-man-roster players return. The outfield eventually could include prospects Glenn Murray (.224, 25 home runs) and Greg Blosser (.260, 17 home runs) and Double-A graduates Pat Lennon (.326, 17 home runs) and Jose Malave (.299, 24 home runs, 92 RBIs). . . . A five-Rodriguez team last season, the Pawsox will have only four - Tony, Victor, Carlos and Steve - if pitcher Frank Rodriguez sticks in Boston. . . . First baseman Don Barbara hit .351 with 12 home runs in 81 games in Albuquerque last year. . . . Ex-Tides on the opening-day roster include pitcher Dale Plummer and infielder Tim Howard.
ROCHESTER RED WINGS
Affiliate: Baltimore Orioles
Manager: Marv Foley
Coaches: Butch Davis, Claude Osteen
1994 record: 67-74, fourth in the East
Outlook: The Red Wings should be replenished with Double-A graduates such as outfielders Alex Ochoa (.301, 28 steals) and Curtis Goodwin (.286, 59 steals), and pitchers Jimmy Haynes (13-8, 2.90), Scott Klingenbeck (7-5, 3.63) and Brian Sackinsky (11-7, 3.36). . . . Infielder Edgar Alfonzo (.309 in Double-A) and outfielder T.R. Lewis (.305 in Rochester) are on the opening-day roster. . . . Veterans include such former Tides as pitchers Frank Seminara (4-7, 4.38 with the Tides) and Tom Wegmann (5-1, 3.69, 10 saves with Rochester), and infielder Junior Noboa (.288 in Buffalo).
SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE RED BARONS
Affiliate: Philadelphia Phillies
Manager: Mike Quade
Coaches: Dave Cash, Jim Wright
1994 record: 62-80, fifth in East
Outlook: The Bad News Barons. If they're not in Philadelphia, bona fide players are second baseman Kevin Jordan (.290, 12 home runs, 57 RBIs in 81 games) and first baseman Gene Schall (.285, 16 home runs, 89 RBIs). . . . The opening-day pitching staff is old and dominated by soft-tossing lefthanded starters - Blaise Ilsley, Jim Deshaies, Pat Combs and Brian Dubois. The bullpen includes former Tide Jeff Innis. . . . The third baseman is Kim Batiste (.234 in the majors). . . . The best holdover already here is infielder Charlie Montoyo (.282, 9 home runs). . . . Eventually, pitchers down from the 40-man roster could include Toby Borland (4-1, 1.68, 4 saves) and supposed prospects Tyler Green (7-16, 5.56) and Ricky Bottalico (3-1, 8.87).
SYRACUSE CHIEFS
Affiliate: Toronto Blue Jays
Manager: Bob Didier
Coaches: Bill Monbouquette, Hector Torres
1994 record: 71-71, second in East
Outlook: All-Star outfielder Shawn Green, powerful Carlos Delgado and shortstop Alex Gonzalez probably won't be back. That hurts. However, help should come from the 40-man roster with third baseman Howard Battle (.277, 14 home runs, 75 RBIs) and second baseman Chris Stynes (.317, 8 home runs, 79 RBIs in Double-A). Also up from Double-A is pitcher Giovanni Carrara (13-7, 3.89). . . . Infielder Joe Lis hit .292 last year and is back. . . . Pitcher Scott Brow, who split time between Syracuse and Toronto last year, will get the opening start. ILLUSTRATION: FILE PHOTO
Columbus shortstop Derek Jeter, shown leaping over the Tides' Jim
Vatcher, is considered the Yankees' top minor league prospect.
TIDES SCHEDULE
For a copy of the schedule, see microfilm for this date.]
by CNB