THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 28, 1996 TAG: 9608280611
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 59 lines
Anybody looking for big differences in the managerial styles of Bobby Valentine and Bruce Benedict may be short of evidence as the Norfolk Tides' season winds down.
Seeing as how the Tides were 20 games above .500 after his Monday night debut as Tides manager, Benedict will take the ``it ain't broke'' approach as Norfolk heads toward a playoff date with the Columbus Clippers.
Benedict was chosen as Valentine's short-term successor after Valentine was named manager of the Tides' parent New York Mets Monday afternoon. Valentine also took sixth-year Tides pitching coach Bob Apodaca with him to New York.
``We'll change as little as possible,'' said Benedict, a career Atlanta Brave prior to this season. ``This club has been together since April and the goal has never changed: Win the last game the (International) league plays.
``Things will have a different look just because Bobby and Dac aren't here. But our new pitching coach (Rick Waits) and Dac had been in constant communication all season keeping each other up on what was happening at their ends.''
Waits had been the pitching coach for the Gulf Coast League Mets in St. Lucie, Fla. The Tides have also picked up Rich Miller, the Mets' minor-league base-running and outfielders coordinator, for the stretch run.
Any moves Benedict and Waits make in the last week of the regular season regarding pitching or playing time shouldn't be misconstrued by the casual observer.
``We're setting up our pitching so our starters will be fresh for the playoffs, so we'll be limiting their work,'' said Benedict, a three-time National League All-Star catcher for the Braves. ``And we're monitoring minor injuries among the every day players so that everyone will be sharp.''
Benedict said the playoff pitching rotation for the West Division series had been set prior to Valentine's departure.
Rick Reed will pitch the series opener, followed by Joe Crawford, the Tides' lone starting lefthander. Mike Fyhrie, Mike Gardiner and Shannon Withem will round out the rotation. If Reed is fresh enough after his Game 1 start, there is potential for him to pitch a possible Game 5.
Benedict managed Atlanta's Double-A Greenville club in 1994 and 1995 and managed half a season for Class A Danville in 1993.
Benedict said he wasn't shocked by the timing of the departures of Valentine and Apodaca, adding, ``a very tough baseball decision was made and any time people lose their positions it's a sad day. But sometimes changes need to and have to be made and this is a great opportunity for all three of us.''
Is Benedict, however, Norfolk's manager for the future? Or will Valentine add Benedict to his major-league staff after the season?
``Our minor-league director (Jack Zduriencik) told me it's first things first,'' Benedict said. ``The other determinations will be made at a later date.
``I've been told I won't be scrutinized or judged on my managerial merits in the short time left in this season. We just want to keep going in the right direction.'' ILLUSTRATION: ``We'll change as little as possible,'' says the
Tides' new manager Bruce Benedict. by CNB