THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, July 25, 1995 TAG: 9507250402
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Long : 103 lines
Too bad George Steinbrenner wasn't at Harbor Park on Monday night. He'd know better than to keep Darryl Strawberry in the minors for more seasoning.
Looking fit and trim and ready for the Big Apple, Strawberry sent two towering home runs over the rightfield fence to help lead the Columbus Clippers to a 15-2 shellacking of the Norfolk Tides.
The Clippers belted 18 hits, including five home runs, to hand the International League's best team its worst loss of the season.
Strawberry, whose major league career with the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants has included bouts of drug use and allegations of tax evasion and spousal abuse, was 2 for 4, walked twice and scored four runs.
Strawberry not only played well, he said he feels well. Though he has declined to speak to the public about his drug abuse, he touched on the subject without being asked at game's end.
``I'm staying within myself, staying on my program,'' he said. ``My life is very different today. I'm very blessed.
``Things happen for a reason. A lot of things have happened to me, but through the grace of God, things will go really well for me from now on.''
Not everything went well for Strawberry on Monday. He was expected to be called up by New York on Sunday, but a dispute between Strawberry's agent, Bill Goodstein, and Steinbrenner, the Yankees' fiery owner, has left Strawberry in limbo. It is uncertain whether he will play tonight or Wednesday against the Tides at Harbor Park - or whether he'll ever play in Yankee Stadium.
Goodstein filed a grievance Monday with the Players Association, claiming the Yankees breached their $850,000 contract with Strawberry. Goodstein says the Yankees are trying to add ``fine print'' to the agreement, including a stipulation that Strawberry donate a portion of his salary a drug-treatment facility and have a bank handle his finances to ensure that his debt to the IRS and other obligations are met.
``I'm trying to do what's best for Darryl,'' Steinbrenner said. ``I think this young man has to realize he's been given a great chance here . . . one some people say he didn't deserve.''
Steinbrenner has wondered aloud whether Strawberry, who is hitting .333 with five home runs and 15 RBIs in 12 games, is ready to hit major league pitching.
Asked if he's ready, Strawberry shook his head.
``Ready to hit major league pitching? That's so funny. I have a great deal of experience in the major leagues. It's not like I'd go up there and fall on my face.''
Clearly he appeared ready on Monday, both on and off the field. Strawberry, who played 16 games for the Tides in 1982, won over many fans by signing autographs and exchanging small talk virtually nonstop before the game.
He signed dozens on his way into the stadium. Hundreds of autograph seekers dogged him along the third base line after he finished warm-ups, and he obliged all he could.
``He kept signing until one of the coaches finally had to come and get him,'' said Newt Dougherty, a longtime Tides fan from South Norfolk. ``He's really trying to get back in good grace with the fans.''
Strawberry, the Clippers' designated hitter, was greeted with a mixture of boos and cheers when he came to bat in the first. He walked on four pitches, then homered in the third and fourth innings.
Although those cheering appeared to outnumber those heckling Strawberry, the booing increased with each at bat.
``I hated it that they booed him,'' Dougherty said. ``When a fella is trying to get straight, I don't think you should do that.''
That appeared to be the majority opinion among the paid crowd of 10,279.
``I'd like to see him do well,'' said Sam Hardy of Chesapeake. ``I can't believe major league players could have anything bad to say about him. You think he has an image problem? They have plenty of problems after striking last season.''
Tides third baseman Butch Huskey clearly has no problem with Strawberry's comeback.
``I love Darryl Strawberry,'' he said. ``I'm happy to be on the same field with him.
``All of that other stuff, it's not for me to judge. You never know, it could happen to you. I don't think it ever would. But we're only human.''
NOTABLE: Rightfielder Carl Everett, who had an RBI single and a diving catch that saved even more damage in the eighth, was called up by the Mets after Monday's game. He wasn't immediately replaced on the Norfolk roster. ILLUSTRATION: COLUMBUS 15
NORFOLK 2
[Color Photo]
CHRISTOPHER REDDICK/Staff photos
Darryl Strawberry obliged autograph seekers before Monday night's
game at Harbor Park. A dispute between Strawberry's agent and
Yankees officials may delay further his call-up to New York, and it
is unclear whether he will play in tonight's game at Harbor Park.
Darryl Strawberry slides safely into third base as the Tides" Butch
Huskey is unable to hold onto the ball. Strawberry scored four runs
in the Clippers' 15-2 victory.
BOX SCORE
STANDINGS
[For a copy of the charts, see microfilm for this date.]
by CNB