THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, August 15, 1995 TAG: 9508150418
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 95 lines
Bill Pulsipher and Jason Isringhausen arrived at Harbor Park on Monday and headed directly to the Norfolk Tides' clubhouse. It wasn't like showing up at Wrigley Field or Shea Stadium, but for one night, they might have enjoyed it more in Norfolk.
It's where they worked for a couple months this summer, and plenty of the guys they went to battle with are still here running away with the International League West Division.
Slapping hands all around - despite the presence of a hastily scribbled sign that read ``AAA clubhouse, no (major leaguers) allowed'' - the pair of New York Mets pitchers made their way through their former teammates like frat brothers at a college reunion, catching up, joking around.
Things had changed. They said they hadn't, but one look told you differently.
Their clothes, for instance. Both were dressed better than they ever had in Triple-A; Pulsipher in a loose blue linen suit with a cream-colored shirt buttoned at the collar, Isringhausen in a gray shirt, black slacks and actual shoes rather than sneakers.
Later, Pulsipher noted that on Long Island, where the two phenom pitchers share a house, a new Chevy Impala, his major indulgence so far, awaits his return.
Their mail hasn't picked up, but when they go out to eat now, they get recognized in restaurants.
And, oh yes. Every two weeks, Pulsipher and Isringhausen accept paychecks for upwards of $9,000 gross, their pro-rated share of the $109,000 major league minimum salary.
Maybe they were the same characters at heart, as they insisted, the hip 21-year-old from Fairfax and the 22-year-old Illinois country boy. Maybe nobody in uniform at Harbor Park considered them more special than before.
Believe it, though. Life in the major leagues, they said, is like no other animal they've seen.
``It's fun. It's great. It's different,'' said Isringhausen, who was promoted from the Tides on July 13 and is 2-1 with 3.41 ERA in five starts. ``It's totally different from this, the way people perceive you. People look at you totally different than they did down here. Everybody. It's good. I like it.''
Pulsipher beat his buddy to the big time by exactly one month - and threw his first major league pitch to the backstop at Shea Stadium. From there, Pulsipher has compiled a somewhat hard-luck 3-6 record with a 3.90 ERA in 11 starts, and sprouted a tidy goatee to boot, a personal touch forbidden to Mets minor leaguers.
``Obviously the parks are a lot bigger and have a lot more history to them,'' Pulsipher said. ``It's neat to see all these places for the first time. It's neat to play against guys you grew up watching.
``It's an amazing feeling. I'm not intimidated or scared to face these guys, but it's kind of a thrill and an honor to be out on the same field as these guys.''
But what about that notorious, man-eating New York media? Simply, it's cuddling up and purring to the two kids like tabbies.
``Right now, the media loves me and Izzy so much it's kind of funny,'' Pulsipher said. ``I guess as long as we throw the ball well and keep our nose clean, they're going to love us forever. I hope, you know.
``It's funny. After Izzy pitches, they want to talk to me, what I thought, like I'm his pitching coach or something. I'm not used to stuff like that.''
It's obvious, though, that Pulsipher and Isringhausen have become fast friends of the lifestyle that only those who reach the top of their profession so young can appreciate. They had heard about it for years, most of their lives, really, and Monday they could finally speak about it with some authority to the friends they left behind.
It was nice to visit, they said, but they wouldn't want to live here.
``It's pretty easy to get spoiled,'' Isringhausen said. ``I don't think I am, though. Not that I know of.''
``I feel I belong there,'' Pulsipher said. ``Two months goes by fast, and you can learn a lot in two months. I learned a lot in two months in Triple-A. I try to learn something every day, try to pick the people's brains that have been in the big leagues for a long time.
``It's still the same thing, though. They play the game the same way. It's still baseball.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]
PAUL AIKEN/Staff
AHEAD OF THE CURVE
Statistics for former Tides standouts Bill Pulsipher, left, and
Jason Isringhausen since they joined the Mets:
[For a copy of the statistics, see microfilm for this date.]
BOXSCORE
STANDINGS
[For a copy of the charts, see microfilm for this date.]
by CNB