THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 7, 1996 TAG: 9604070185
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER TIDES NOTES
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines
Norfolk Tides pitching coach Bob Apodaca had strong suspicions coming out of spring training that the strength of this season's staff would be the bullpen.
The evidence materialized Thursday night in the Tides' marathon season opener.
Norfolk used five of its seven relief pitchers in a 15-inning 1-0 loss to the Toledo Mud Hens. In seven innings of action the bullpen gave up four hits, struck out four and walked two. The winning run was unearned.
``I don't think I learned anything I didn't know,'' Apodaca said. ``It's a veteran group and I expected it to perform at a high level. This staff isn't going to get rattled. And with three lefthanders (Brian Bark, Mark Lee and Joe Crawford), it's a versatile staff.''
Whereas last year's Tides staff accounted for an International League-high 15 complete games, Apodaca and manager Bobby Valentine may be more inclined to go to the 'pen earlier this season.
``If we've got a tough lefty at the plate, we have the option of turning him around or throwing a lefthander at him and that will help,'' Apodaca said. ``Toledo has some dangerous lefthanders in their order and we were able to throw a lefthander at them in all the situations where we wanted to.''
CAUGHT BY THE PITCH COUNT: Opening night pitcher Rick Reed, who went eight innings, giving up three hits, was lifted to start the ninth after surpassing the 100-pitch mark.
Reed pitched six innings in his last start of spring training, throwing 85 pitches, and Apodaca didn't want to push the Tides' No. 1 starter.
``Wanted him to get to 100, but not to go over 110,'' Apodaca said. ``Plus, when you're in a scoreless game, every pitch has a little more riding on it.''
NOTES: Following Saturday's rainout, the Tides return to action today at 1:15 p.m. Saturday's rainout will be made up later in the season. ... By holding Toledo scoreless for the first 14 innings Thursday, the Tides stretched their streak of scoreless innings in home openers at Harbor Park to 41 before it ended. The Tides had won their previous three openers at Harbor Park, all by shutout. ... If Jerry Browne didn't intend to report to the Tides, why did he negotiate a clause in his Triple-A contract that if he wasn't called up by the parent New York Mets by a certain date, then he'd be a free agent? ... Today's pitchers will be righthander Mike Fyhrie for the Tides vs. righthander Jose Lima for the Mud Hens. by CNB