THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 5, 1996 TAG: 9604050621
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 42 lines
The Norfolk Tides placed utility man Jerry Browne on the disqualified list Wednesday after Browne, one of the last cuts by the parent New York Mets, failed to report to the Tides.
When asked about Browne, visibly irritated Tides manager Bobby Valentine said, ``Jerry who? He's not a part of our team or this organization.''
The disqualified list is like a suspension. If Browne still wants to play, it must be with the Tides.
Browne, who played for the Florida Marlins last season, was signed to a Triple-A contract in the offseason and was a non-roster invitee to the Mets camp.
To fill his spot on the 23-man roster, the Tides activated relief pitcher Jason Bullard from the disabled list, leaving the Tides with 12 pitchers and just 11 infielders.
The Tides intended to carry the reverse of that number and will likely make a roster change soon. The current set-up leaves the team with one backup catcher, one backup outfielder and one backup infielder. And when they play the farm teams of American League clubs - as with the Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit) - one of those players must be used as designated hitter.
``We've got good starters,'' Valentine said. ``We don't need anybody taking anybody's place.''
If an emergency situation arises, backup outfielder/first baseman Trey McCoy played some third base during spring training and outfielder Kevin Flora was a middle infielder when he broke in with the California Angels organization.
One of the more likely callups from Binghamton, should that happen, would be Jason Hardtke, one of the last players demoted from the Tides to Binghamton during spring training. Like Browne, the 24-year-old Hardtke is a switch-hitter, something the Tides could use now that Roberto Petagine is the only lefthanded bat in the lineup. by CNB