THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, April 8, 1996 TAG: 9604080157
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 48 lines
While the Norfolk Tides have had reason to blow into their hands and wear a little extra clothing, they've been thankful that they didn't have to play their season-opening series in sub-freezing temperatures.
After opening night temperatures in the 70s, the Tides and Toledo Mud Hens played in 40-degree weather Friday night and Sunday.
But it wasn't nearly as cold as the Los Angeles-Chicago Cubs series that was peppered by occasional snow flurries.
``We were laughing watching Raul Mondesi,'' said Tides outfielder/designated hitter Jay Payton. ``Every time he ran after a ball, his hat flew off.''
Like many of the players, Mondesi was wearing a head sleeve. But he added to his headwear with a ski mask that stretched the limits of his regular ball cap.
Payton said Mondesi took matters to extremes, but he'd have liked to have had one of those head sleeves the last few days.
``It's worse when you're the DH,'' said Payton, who has been the designated hitter so far to rest an elbow that was surgically repaired last fall.
``You have all game to think about how cold it is. I've been running up into (the locker room) to stay warm.''
LINEUP SWITCH: There aren't a lot of lefthanded hitters at his disposal that would give Valentine reason to drastically alter his batting order when the Tides face a righthander. But the order nonetheless underwent a change Sunday.
Shawn Gilbert and Gary Thurman flip-flopped the leadoff and No. 9 spots, clean-up hitter Kevin Flora moved up to the No. 2 spot, Alex Ochoa dropped from No. 3 from No. 5 and every other hitter moved either up or down one spot.
``Just a matter of how guys mix and match,'' Valentine said. ``We're just trying to figure out who we are, what we have and what works best together.''
ON DECK: The Tides open a 4-game series with the Columbus Clippers tonight at Harbor Park. Pat Ahearne starts tonight for the Tides against Ramiro Mendoza. Tuesday, Pedro Martinez for the Tides vs. Matt Drews; Wednesday, Rick Reed (0-0, 0.00) vs. Brian Boehringer (1-0, 1.50); Thursday, Mike Gardiner (0-0, 1.50) vs. TBA. The games start at 7:15 p.m., except for Thursday's, which starts at 12:15 p.m. by CNB