THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 11, 1996 TAG: 9609110720
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 78 lines
What will the Norfolk Tides look like in 1997?
Barring the New York Mets becoming trade-happy in the offseason, Norfolk could have a healthy load of Tides from this year's squad, partly because some of those players were unhealthy.
The Tides will likely have Jay Payton manning one outfield position, with Kevin Flora manning another.
Payton missed a majority of this season due to elbow surgery on his throwing arm. Flora missed most of it after wrist surgery.
Add cleanup-hitting leftfielder Benny Agbayani and the Tides' outfield could be surprisingly recognizable.
``What the Mets intend to do when (leftfielder) Bernard Gilkey becomes a free agent at the end of this season and what they intend do to when (centerfielder) Lance Johnson is a free agent next year will have a lot to do with where Payton plays for us,'' Tides general manager Dave Rosenfield said.
Payton hit .307, but was limited to 153 at-bats after surgery to clean up scar tissue resulting from major elbow surgery a year ago.
``If Jay had gotten his 500 at-bats and had progressed this year the way he had last season (Double-A Eastern League MVP), he might have finished the season in New York,'' Mets assistant general manager Steve Phillips said. ``It was obviously a lost season for Jay.''
As it was for Flora. Phillips said Flora would have been given the opportunity to earn the Mets' fourth or fifth outfielder's position, but a left wrist injury in late April curtailed his chance. If Flora isn't re-signed, the return of Gary Thurman is a possibility.
So what will the infield look like?
Third baseman Chris Saunders hit .298 and led the Eastern League with 105 runs batted in while earning Double-A Binghamton's Doubleday Award, which goes to the top player at each of the Mets' minor-league levels. He'll probably be in the Tides' opening-day lineup.
Jason Hardtke, who was added to the Mets' 40-man roster Sunday and earned a September callup, will likely return at second base - unless he sticks with the Mets. In his first two major league starts, Hardtke went 4 for 10 with two doubles, two runs scored and three runs batted in.
Matt Franco, who's been starting at third for the Mets this week, or Roberto Petagine could be back with the Tides at first base.
Shortstop is wide open and will likely be filled by a minor-league free-agent signee.
Look for Binghamton catcher Charlie Greene, currently with the Mets, behind the plate.
International League most valuable pitcher Mike Fyhrie could be joined by Tides Joe Crawford and Shannon Withem in the starting rotation, a major change from this season when the Tides pieced together their starting rotation in the last week of spring training.
They will likely be joined by Binghamton pitchers Cory Lidle (14-10, 3.31 earned run average) and Mark Guerra (7-6, 3.53).
Derek Wallace, an August callup to the Mets, could start the season in Norfolk if Mets pitching coach Bob Apodaca feels he could get more innings in as a Tide. Late Tide addition Mike Welch, who had 27 saves in Binghamton, will probably be back in the bullpen, joined by Hector Ramirez, who made a brief appearance in Norfolk, and Bryan Rogers, who was recovering from offseason back surgery this season. ILLUSTRATION: Harbor Park attendance
1993: 542,040
1994: 557,586
1995: 586,317
1996: 500,038
[Color Photo]
MIKE HEFFNER
The Virginian-Pilot
For Kevin Flora, 1996 was a lost season due to wrist surgery. If the
mets re-sign him, he'll likely start in the Tides' outfield in '97.
Outfielder Jay Payton hit .307, but was limited to 153 at-bats
because of elbow surgery on his throwing arm.
Cleanup-hitting leftfielder Benny Agbayani will also likely be back. by CNB