December 4, 1995
News and Notes by RANDY KARRAKER
(12.4.95)
Where do the Cardinals go for a number four hitter now that Fred McGriff
has signed with Atlanta? Hopefully not to Gary Gaetti, the Centralia Illinois
native who had a great year last season with the Royals. It's difficult
for an American League hitter with a slow bat to adjust to the NL (see Scott
Cooper), especially at Gaetti's age. Mark McGwire of the A's poses the same
problem (although he does have a remarkably quick bat), and he would have
a high price as far as players are concerned. Jose Canseco and Tony LaRussa
parted on bad terms. That leaves several options. Ron Gant is available
as a free agent, and most assuredly won't get the "Barry Bonds money"
he's seeking. At $5 million a year, the same price McGriff got from Atlanta,
Gant would be a good pickup. Or, the Cards could go after someone who makes
Barry Bonds money...Barry himself. He's available at the cost of one or
two outfielders, he's familiar with LaRussa's style, having played for Jim
Leyland, and he would be a good fit in the middle of the Cardinals lineup.
Possible? Yes. Probable? Nope. The hope here is that the Cards make a strong
move to get Gant.
Boy were the Rams ugly Sunday at the Meadowlands, beating the Jets 23-20.
Joel Buchsbaum said it best on KMOX when he remarked "the only team
the Rams could have beaten today was the team they beat, the Jets."
It's still a W, and the Rams still have a playoff shot with three games
left. In the three games that remain, if the Rams play the way they did
against the Jets, they'll get smoked. It would be interesting to see if
they wind up with more completions or sacks. With Chris Miller presumably
out with his fifth concussion in two years, Mark Rypien will lead the charge.
The task is simple. Block well up front, and the Rams will have a chance.
If the offensive line plays as they have most of the season, turn out the
lights. One more note on the Rams offensive line...they have good players,
they're just awful as a unit. Rich Brooks had to rush this staff together
because he was hired late. His mistake was Dan Radakovich (the offensive
line coach), who must be replaced.
Well...how about the Blues? In order, they beat the Canadiens, who reverted
to their early season form after a nice stretch; then a tired, up and down
Winnipeg team; and then the pitiable Oilers. Next up, hapless Calgary, Vancouver
and (of late) Los Angeles. Until the Blues show that they can compete with
Detroit, Chicago and Toronto, we can't expect them to get out of the first
round of the playoffs. Let me be the first to throw cold water on this three
game winning streak...it's no big deal. And, we'll start taking a weekly
look at Shayne Corson, the nominal replacement for Brendan Shanahan, who
has five goals...all power play tallies...in twenty-six games. That's zero
(0), no, zippo even strength goals in nearly a third of the season.
The St. Louis Ambush now lead the NPSL National Division with a 6-1 record
after their win over Milwaukee Friday night at Kiel. Go 'Bush.
Cardinals News (12.4.95)
*Rick Hummel, writing in the Post-Dispatch, says that the Cardinals have
made an offer to free-agent second baseman Craig Biggio. GM Walt Jocketty
told Hummel that he and manager Tony La Russa traveled to California to
"recruit" Biggio, and that the Cardinals duo was "well received"
*The Cardinals 1996 home schedule has been announced. There are several
new features in the '96 schedule, including:
--all night home games begin at 7:05 pm
--all Saturday games in April and May will start at 1:15 pm
--all Sunday games throughout the season will start at 1:15 pm
--all weekday afternoon games begin at 12:35 pm
*The Cardinals, in a change of policy, are now accepting individual game
ticket reservations by phone (exact seat locations to be determined at a
later date), at (314)421-3060. Tickets can also be purchased by mail. Send
your requests to St. Louis Cardinals Ticket Office; P.O. Box 8777; St. Louis,
MO 63101.
StLSO encourages its readers to call the ticket office at 421-3060 to get
the latest information about ticket prices, discounts, and special days,
prior to sending mail order requests.
*The Cards home opener is April 8...with a 7:05 pm starting time vs. the
Montreal Expos.
*The Cubs make two visits to Busch--a four-game series July 18-21, and a
three-game series September 17-19. All seven of those games start at 7:15
pm, with the exception of the July 20 and July 21 affairs, which begin at
12:05 and 1:15 pm, respectively.
Blues Banter by BRIAN STULL (12.4.95)
Perhaps future Hall of Famer Peter Stastny summed it up best the other night
after the Blues loss to Buffalo, "Patience brings the roses"...The
Blues have scored 16 goals during the last three games, while holding opponents
to eight goals...
ON SNAPPING THE LOSING STREAK: Mike Keenan--"...it wasn't pretty but
we got the results and that's what counts when you're battling through things...strange
things can happen and certainly they did tonight, but we found a way to
win."
After the Blues loss to Buffalo, the team had a series of private meetings
and it was later learned that Mike Keenan even mentioned looking for a new
coach. So how much of the winning streak is a result of the meetings? "Well,
we aired some things out and went over a few things," said captain
Shayne Corson. "But we went out and played a smarter hockey game and
didn't take the stupid penalties that we've taken the last few games. And
I think the biggest thing is that we gave a good team effort. We had twenty
guys going tonight, we got down but didn't worry we kept fighting and created
a lot of offensive chances."
IT'S FUN TO STAY AT THE: After hearing the Village People's "YMCA"
as many as eight times in a recent home game, it's been a welcome change
that Blues organist Tom Docter was finally able to go back to some of the
fan favorites such as "Kashmir", "Rock-n-Roll All Night",
"Stranglehold", etc. Let the "Hockey Disc Jockey" do
his thing!
ALL-STAR INJUSTICE: As of November 24, Grant Fuhr was still not in the top
ten vote-getters for goaltender for the All-Star game. Brett Hull is still
the overall leading vote-getter with 32,483. Captain Shayne Corson is in
third place for wingers less than 1,000 behind Pavel Bure, while Al MacInnis
is third with 25,027 votes to Paul Coffey with 25,791 and Chris Chelios
with 26,601
FOR THOSE WHO LIKE NUMBERS: Before the recent win streak, the Blues were
barely averaging two goals game and only Brett Hull and Al MacInnis were
on pace to score more than twenty goals. How does that compare to the 1980-81
team that went to the third round of playoffs? The '80-'81 Blues had ten
players with at least twenty goals, five of those players had at least thirty.
Wayne Babych led the way with 54. In the net was Mike Liut, who played in
sixty one games with a 3.34 GAA.
IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT: The Blues have been busy off the ice as well, recently
putting their efforts towards the "Dining Out for Life" project
that raises funds for AIDS research; auctioning off a Christmas tree, complete
with autographed ornaments, for the Judevine Center; and collected toys
and canned goods for area families.
RamNotes by JIM HUNSTEIN (12.4.95)
*Sunday's victory marked the end of a five-game road losing streak.
*RB Jerome Bettis had eleven 100-yard games in 1994. He has zero in 1995.
*WR Isaac Bruce spent most of the day shadowed by CB Aaron Glenn. They not
only shared the same personal space on the field, they share a friendship
(and an agent) off the field.
*P Sean Landeta was back at home on Sunday in the Meadowlands. He used to
kick there for the Giants.
*Ugly trend in the Rams games: After a big gain, particularly on the ground,
the Rams end up having to call a time out. It happened on Sunday after RB
Johnny Bailey's 25-yard run and two weeks ago after Bettis's 41-yard run.
*WR-returnman Todd Kinchen will be around for a while. This past week he
signed a two-year contract extension. No truth to the rumor that it could
have been for more if he had a better showing against the goalpost pads.
*DT D'Marco Farr's 3 1/2 sacks were a career high. And his interception
in the fourth quarter was the first in his career.
*Two other career firsts: CB Gerald McBurrows' first sack and DE Kevin Carter's
first safety.
*The Rams are now tied for second place with the Falcons, who lost a heartbreaker
(for them, anyway) 21-20 to the Dolphins. With 11 seconds left, QB Dan Marino
threw a 21-yard TD pass to WR Irving Fryar.
*The Rams are the only team in the NFL with three home games to wind up
the regular season.
StLSO Quotes of the Week (12.4.95)
*"Once you've had a few [concussions], the opportunity for severe damage
is greatly increased," said FOX broadcaster Tim Green, when commenting
about Rams QB Chris Miller's continuing problem with concussions
*"People have been getting concussions since they invented football,"
said Rams coach Rich Brooks. "That's part of the game, unfortunately.
The part [of the game] that was supposed to be eliminated was the illegal
hit that [Miller] took today that caused [his concussion]."
*"If I was his father, I'd tell him to hang it up," said KMOX's
Jack Buck, when commenting about Miller's continuing problems with concussions.
StLSO Headline of the Week (12.4.95)
"Smell the roses, NU, then merchandise," from the 11.30.95 Chicago
Tribune.
Pitching in December: The Cards Staff in
1996 by MARK BAUSCH (12.4.95)
The 1995 Statistics
It's December 1. A majority of StLSO readers enjoy a bit of baseball chatter
in the middle of winter. The mercury hit 70F today in the St. Louis area--so
there's no need for a hot stove. Nevertheless, let's take a look at the
Cardinals roster as it now stands. This week we'll focus on the pitching.
The 1995 statistics listed below are those compiled by the 17 pitchers with
the best chance to make the Cardinals big-league roster in 1996 (Cards President
Mark Lamping stated last week that the re-signing of free agent Mike Morgan
is nearly a done deal).
Note: the 95$ category refers to that player's 1995 salary (in millions)
and includes made performance incentives.
PITCHER W- L ERA G GS CG GF SH SV IP H R ER HR BB SO 95$ Creek 0- 0 0.00 06 0 0 01 0 0 06.2 02 00 00 0 03 10 0.1 Fossas 3- 0 1.47 58 0 0 20 0 0 36.2 28 06 06 1 10 40 0.3 Mathews 1- 1 1.52 23 0 0 12 0 2 29.2 21 07 05 1 11 28 0.1 Henke 1- 1 1.82 52 0 0 47 0 6 54.1 42 11 11 2 18 48 3.2 DeLucia 8- 7 3.39 56 1 0 08 0 0 82.1 63 38 31 9 36 76 0.3 Morgan 7- 7 3.56 21 21 1 0 0 0 131.1 133 56 52 12 34 61 3.4 Parrett 4- 7 3.64 59 0 0 17 0 0 76.2 71 33 31 8 28 71 0.9 Urbani 3- 5 3.70 24 13 0 2 0 0 82.2 99 40 34 11 21 52 0.2 Osborne 4- 6 3.81 19 19 0 0 0 0 113.1 112 58 48 17 34 82 0.3 Arocha 3- 5 3.99 41 0 0 13 0 0 49.2 55 24 22 6 18 25 0.2 Petkovsek 6- 6 4.00 26 21 1 1 1 0 137.1 136 71 61 11 35 71 0.1 Frascatore 1- 1 4.41 14 4 0 3 0 0 32.2 39 19 16 3 16 21 0.1 Watson 7- 9 4.96 21 19 0 1 0 0 114.1 126 68 63 17 41 49 0.2 Barber 2- 1 5.22 9 4 0 2 0 0 29.1 31 17 17 4 16 27 0.1 Jackson 2-12 5.90 19 19 2 0 1 0 100.2 120 82 66 10 48 52 2.1 Bailey 0- 0 7.36 3 0 0 0 0 0 3.2 2 3 3 0 2 5 0.1 Benes 1- 2 8.44 3 3 0 0 0 0 16.0 24 15 15 2 4 20 0.1
In summary, the 17 Cards pitchers combined for a rather unimpressive 53-70
W-L record while, as a group, they enriched themselves to the tune of about
$10 million dollars. StLSO estimates that the total 1996 salary demands
for the 17 pitchers will be within 10% of the '95 total.
Eight Categories: Does This Read Like a Dissertation or What?
When thinking about the 1996 Cards pitching staff, the 17 pitchers more-or-less
fit into the following eight categories:
*THIRTYSOMETHING VETERAN STARTERS: Danny Jackson and Morgan
*TWENTYSOMETHING SOUTHPAW STARTERS: Donovan Osborne and Allen Watson
*ROOKIE RIGHTHANDED PHENOMS: Brian Barber and Alan Benes
*FIFTH STARTER-LONG RELIEF CANDIDATES: Mark Petkovsek and Tom Urbani
*BRIDGE/SET-UP GUYS: Rene Arocha, Cory Bailey, Rich DeLucia, and Jeff Parrett
*LEFTHANDED BULLPEN SPECIALISTS: Doug Creek and Tony Fossas
*CLOSERS-IN-TRAINING: John Frascatore and T.J. Mathews
*CLOSER: Tom Henke
Here's a working hypothesis: the Tony La Russa-Dave Duncan manager-pitching
coach duo hopes to coax good seasons from at least one pitcher in each of
the eight categories. If that happens, the Cardinals could have a pitching
staff good enough to win the NL Central Division.
Furthermore, the Cards appear to have a surplus of pitchers. If GM Walt
Jocketty wishes, he may choose to deal from what appears to be his club's
strength (along with the outfield positions) as he aims to fortify what,
from a 1995 statistical perspective, may have been the worst infield in
all of baseball.
The Questions
So let's get on with it. Here are the questions. StLSO doesn't have the
answers. But we can still ask.
*Which of the 17 will comprise the inaugural Tony La Russa/Dave Duncan edition
of the Cards pitching staff?
*Is a trade that would send one or more of the 17 out of St. Louis likely?
*Who is expendable?
*And who might be coveted by another major league club?
*Who will start the season in Louisville?
*And will Tom Henke retire?
The following observations and comments, broken down into the aforementioned
eight categories, attempt to provide background for informed answers to
these and related questions. The opinions expressed in this article are
based on several sources of information: eyewitness accounts of four dozen
1995 Cardinals games; radio and TV accounts of dozens of Cardinal games;
various media sources; and conversations with Cardinals' players and front-office
personnel.
The Devil Is In the Details: Facts and Predictions In Each Category
*THIRTYSOMETHING VETERAN STARTERS: Jackson and Morgan
In 1996, Danny Jackson will be looked upon to be the Cardinals stopper.
The combination of Jackson's 1995 abysmal performance and 1996 salary (about
$4 M) practically precludes any interest from another club.
While not strictly a power pitcher (he had only 52 K's in 102.1 IP), Jackson's
most effective fastballs are often high in the strike zone. When right,
he complements that fastball (which also can be made to sink) with a sharp,
biting slider that righthanded hitters often cannot resist despite the fact
that the pitch often crosses the plate below the knees.
Cards management is hoping that 1996 will be a return to the 1993-1994 vintage
for Jackson...with a 20-win campaign not out of the realm of possibility
for the lefthander, who turns 34 on January 5.
Mike Morgan's 1996 base salary is expected to be substantially lower than
his 1995 level. Club management views Morgan's clubhouse presence as a positive
effect on some of the team's younger hurlers, further increasing the likelihood
of his return to Busch. A 200-inning season for Morgan would be viewed as
a good year for the sinkerballing righthander, who will turn 37 years of
age on October 8.
Most pennant-winning baseball clubs have one or two veteran starting pitchers
that lead the way...if the Cards are to win in '96 that kind of leadership
must be provided by Jackson and/or Morgan.
Finally, if the two veterans combine to win 30-35 games in 1996, it is likely
that the bullpen will deserve a share of the credit, since, in the last
three seasons, Jackson and Morgan have completed only 11 of their 148 big
league starts.
*TWENTYSOMETHING SOUTHPAW STARTERS: Osborne and Watson
The last third of the '95 season seemed to be a kind of breakthrough for
lefthanded starting pitchers Donovan Osborne and Allen Watson. Osborne finished
the season with a four-game winning streak, while Watson's ERA was nearly
three points lower at the end of the season (4.96) than on July 29 (7.91).
Not the overpowering type, Osborne is a fastball-slider pitcher who must
keep his pitches down in the strike zone in order to be effective. By the
end of the '95 season, he seemed to be throwing free and easy...and not
showing any effects of his December 1993 shoulder surgery or spring '95
elbow problems. His 82 strikeouts led the Cards in that category...and opponents
batted .260 vs. Osborne, best among the starters. The Las Vegas native may
be finally ready to fulfill the promise that made him the 13th player taken
in the 1991 amateur draft.
Allen Watson is one of the more fascinating athletes on the Cardinal roster.
In 1995, he hit .417 (in 36 ABs) and, while occasionally turning on the
ball, also showed Rod Carew-style bat control in his ability to put the
bat on the ball and stroke a single over the shortstop's head.
But the Cardinals drafted Watson in the first round of the 1991 free agent
draft because of his pitching potential. Watson (along with Rich DeLucia)
throws harder than anyone else on the Cardinal pitching staff (91 MPH).
But, as is so often the case in baseball, what seems obvious isn't...in
that Watson is only as good as his change-up. When Watson gets his change
up down and away...in or near the strike zone...the guy is darn near unhittable.
But when his change-up is ineffective, righthanded batters sit on his fastball
or unexceptional breaking pitch. Watson's change-up was up in the strike-zone
for much of last year: righthanded batters hit .302 vs. Watson during 1995.
As evidenced by the fact that Osborne and Watson each allowed 17 HRs (the
club's high for the 1995 season), both lefthanders have a small margin for
error. La Russa and Duncan must help one or both of these lefthanders widen
that margin if the Redbirds are to be successful in 1996.
*ROOKIE RIGHTHANDED PHENOMS: Barber and Benes
For several years now, the Cardinals have front-loaded their amateur drafts
with hard-throwing righthanded pitchers. The folks at Busch Stadium got
a taste of things to come late in the '95 season when Brian Barber and Alan
Benes were called up from the AAA Louisville Redbirds.
Barber was the 22nd player drafted in the June 1991 draft. A fastball-slurve
pitcher with decent 1995 power numbers (94 Ks in 107.1 IP at Louisville,
and 27 K's in 29.1 IP with St. Louis), Barber gained confidence in his change-up
and began using it to his advantage mid-way through the season.
During his first four years in the Cards organization Barber was projected
as a starter, having relieved only twice in 81 appearances. But Mike Jorgensen
utilized him out of the bullpen in September, and the 22 year old righthander
may have found his ticket to St. Louis, as he struck out 15 in 11.1 innings
of relief work while limiting the opposition to a .184 batting average.
Barring the trade and/or demotion of (or injury to) Jackson, Morgan, Osborne,
Watson, or fellow phenom Alan Benes, Barber's ticket to St. Louis in 1996
may involve a continuation of bullpen duties. Relieving may better suit
Barber's talents at this point in his career...his delivery and release
point seems inconsistent at times...and there are spells when his breaking
ball seems nowhere near the strike zone.
In any event, Barber is a breath of fresh air in the Cards clubhouse, an
MTV-style free spirit who seems to have the attitude of a roller hockey
player. Whether or not he can get major league batters out remains to be
seen.
Alan Benes, who turns 24 in January, is a different story in that he appears
to be the total package. Another first round draft selection (1993), the
6'5" righthander will most likely see '96 action in St. Louis as a
starter. Benes, who was limited to 11 starts in Louisville because of injury
problems with his pitching forearm, finished the season in St. Louis by
making three September starts with the big club. He followed his first two
appearances (both of which were shaky) by striking out ten Pirates and gaining
his first major league victory.
Benes continued his fine work in the Arizona Fall League, where, after compiling
a 6-1 mark for Sun Cities (1.78 ERA), he was named as one of the six-team
league's two "top prospects" in the right-handed starting pitcher's
category.
Benes seems to have all of the tools necessary to be a big winner in St.
Louis: maturity beyond his years, a 90 MPH fastball, and a decent breaking
pitch. It is up to Benes (and the La Russa/Duncan duo) to assemble those
tools into a finished product that might dominate opposition batters for
years to come. The guy has that much potential.
Barber and Benes 1996 salaries should be at or near the major league minimum
(about $0.1 million). A good year (10-12 wins) from one or both of these
two young righthanders would go a long way toward making the Cardinals contenders
in 1996.
*FIFTH STARTER-LONG RELIEF CANDIDATES: Mark Petkovsek and Tom Urbani
Near the end of the 1995 season, Cards GM Walt Jocketty was asked about
Mark Petkovsek's future with the Cardinals. "I think we'll look at
him as a #5 starter," Jocketty said.
Petkovsek, a career minor-leaguer who was the surprise of the Cardinals
staff in 1995, led the team in starts (21) and innings pitched (136). That
the Texan spent much of the 1995 season in the Cards starting rotation was
a surprise since, in his eight year professional career, his only big-league
start came four seasons earlier, as a member of the Texas Rangers.
A finesse pitcher who uses his head to get hitters out; Petkovsek's out
pitch is a wicked sinkerball that he mixes effectively with a four-seam
fastball and an occasional change-up. Like all finesse pitchers, when his
control is a little bit off, hitters will sit on his fastball. In any event,
Petkovsek's age (he's 30) and lack of above-average fastball velocity makes
his long-term future in the Cards rotation an iffy proposition.
But, as he demonstrated last year...the guy can pitch. Evidence of that
fact is that the Redbirds were 11-10 in his 21 starts. Should Jackson, Morgan,
Osborne, Watson, or Benes falter, be used as trade bait, or succumb to injury...Petkovsek
can be counted on for a consistent effort.
Tom Urbani is, in some ways, the mirror image of Mark Petkovsek. Like Petkovsek,
Urbani relies on his control to be effective. Urbani's sinking fastball
is his best pitch...along with a slider that, when right, he uses to retire
lefthanded batters.
In '95, Urbani allowed 11 HR (and 99 hits) in 86 innings...and, after making
eleven starts early in the year, shoulder problems landed him on the disabled
list in late May. After returning, most of his appearances were out of the
bullpen.
Based on their 1995 performances, Urbani seems to be one rung lower than
Petkovsek as far as consideration as a #5 starter is concerned. Barring
a trade of one of the three lefthanded starters (Jackson, Osborne, or Watson),Urbani's
best hopes for 1996 summer success in St. Louis probably involve continued
bullpen duty.
*BRIDGE/SET-UP GUYS: Rene Arocha, Cory Bailey, Rich DeLucia, and Jeff Parrett
Rene Arocha: Used solely as a reliever in 1995, Arocha's season came to
an end when he underwent "minor" elbow surgery in September. Arocha
was the club's set-up man for the early part of the season...but after blowing
seven save opportunities that role was assigned to other relievers. In hindsight,
Arocha's 1996 pitches were delivered as if he had arm trouble...his velocity
seemed down and opposition hitters batted .297 against him. Arocha's future
in St. Louis is anything but secure.
Cory Bailey: A late-season call-up from the Louisville farm club, Bailey
led the American Association in saves in 1995. The Crab Orchard IL resident
is a sinker-slider pitcher whose major-league average fastball demands that
his control be "on" in order for him to be effective. More than
likely, Bailey will open the season at Louisville.
Rich DeLucia: Along with Mark Petkovsek and Tony Fossas, Rich DeLucia was
probably the surprise of the Cardinals staff in 1995. In 82.1 innings pitched,
DeLucia allowed only 63 hits, while striking out 76 and walking only 36.
His eight victories led the Cardinal staff. Opposition batters hit at a
.214 clip vs. DeLucia, whose right arm is one of the liveliest in the Cards
organization. In mid-year, DeLucia was given the role as set-up man for
Tom Henke...but his work wasless than stellar as he allowed a number of
critical home runs in that role. In '96, DeLucia will be competing with
Rene Arocha and Jeff Parrett for a spot on the Cards roster.
Jeff Parrett: An early April acquisition, Jeff Parrett pitched well for
St. Louis in 1995, leading the club in appearances with 59. In 76.2 innings,
he struck out 71 batters, walked only 28, and allowed 71 hits. His 1995
role was mainly in long relief, although late in the year he spent some
time in the set-up role. Parrett, whose career W-L record is 53-40, is very
familiar the La Russa-Duncan duo, having posted a 9-1 record with Oakland
in 1992. Barring a trade (or health problems: Parrett missed most of the
1994 season with a bad elbow), Parrett will duel with Arocha and DeLucia
for a spot in the Cardinals bullpen in 1996, although a 1996 contract that
approached his 1995 compensation level (approaching $1 million) would seem
to work against him in that regard. (NOTE ADDED IN PRESS: GM Walt Jocketty
said that he hopes to sign Parrett this week.)
*LEFTHANDED BULLPEN SPECIALISTS: Doug Creek and Tony Fossas
Doug Creek, 26, spent the majority of the 1995 season splitting time between
the Cardinals Arkansas and Louisville affiliates, where he posted outstanding
numbers (3-1, 3.10 ERA with Louisville; 4-2, 2.88 ERA with Arkansas; and
a combined total of 68 Ks in 53.1 innings pitched). The southpaw has an
above average fastball and a good breaking pitch, and barring the acquisition
of another lefthanded reliever, seems assured of a chance to compete for
a spot on the Cards 1996 Opening Day roster.
In six September appearances with the Cardinals, Creek did not allow a run,
struck out ten, and gave up only two hits. He provides important insurance
for the only other lefty in the Cards 'pen, Tony Fossas.
Fossas, who is entering his ninth big-league season, struck out 40, walked
only ten, and allowed only 28 hits in 36.2 innings pitched. At the start
of the season, Joe Torre used Fossas solely as a lefthanded relief specialist,
generally asking him to retire only one batter. But the Cuban-born lefty
proved so effective that by the end of the season Mike Jorgensen left him
in for the odd righthanded hitter as well.
Not surprisingly, Fossas' out pitch vs. lefthanded batters (such as Barry
Bonds) is a sharp-breaking curve ball. In 1995, Fossas was awesome: in 58
appearances, his ERA was 1.47. Fossas' place on the Cards '96 roster seems
assured.
*CLOSERS-IN-TRAINING: John Frascatore and T.J. Mathews
John Frascatore is yet another live-armed righthander in the Cardinals organization.
He spent much of 1995 on the Louisville-St. Louis shuttle, residing on the
Cardinals roster on three separate occasions. Frascatore began the '95 season
with starting pitching aspirations; he started ten games (out of 28 appearances)
for Louisville, and had four starts with the Cardinals.
But by the end of the season, he was working exclusively out of the bullpen,
where Cardinal brass hope that his temperament and pitching arsenal (which
relies on a riding fastball) are best suited. His 1995 baseball exploits
were completed in the Arizona Fall League, where he was named one of that
league's two top relief pitching prospects. Like T.J. Mathews, Frascatore's
immediate future as a Cardinals depends on Tom Henke and his possible retirement.
T.J. Mathews was the only Cardinal other than Tom Henke to record a save
in 1995 (he had two). Mathews was called up in late July [after making 32
appearances (7 starts) for Louisville]. The Columbia IL resident made 23
relief appearances in his rookie season for the Cardinals. Bullpen assignments
were new for Mathews...in his first three seasons as a Cardinal farmhand,
all 66 of his appearances were as a starting pitcher. But he adjusted quite
well to the change, and seems to be Tom Henke's heir apparent as the team's
closer.
*CLOSER: Tom Henke
But the main question that dogs the Cardinal pitching staff has to do with
Tom Henke's retirement plans. Will he or won't he? The guess here is that
he will return for another season as a Cardinal. Henke's oldest son, Ryan,
turns 15 in January...is a big booster of his father's baseball career...and
would like nothing more than to be a part of yet another major league season.
Henke's 1995 statistics speak for themselves. Cards GM Walt Jocketty hopes
that Ryan is one persuasive young man.
Summary: The Potential's There
So there you have it. In eight different categories, the Cardinals roster
contains 17 pitchers with decent major league credentials.
As for the Opening Day starting rotation, an April foursome consisting of
Jackson, Morgan, Watson or Osborne, and Benes seems likely. In other words,
either Watson or Osborne may be used in a trade.
As far as the fifth starter/long relief role is concerned, Petkovsek seems
well-suited for that role.
A two-man combination of Arocha, DeLucia, and Parrett seem assured of bridge/set-up
bullpen duty; Fossas will start the year as the lefthanded guy, Mathews
or Frascatore will be the set-up guy, and Tom Henke (assuming he doesn't
retire) will be the closer.
That's ten spots, leaving one open, assuming an eleven man staff. Not listed
among the top ten are Watson or Osborne, Barber, Urbani, Arocha, Bailey,
Creek, and Mathews or Frascatore.
As far as trade possibilities, from this corner, Watson, Osborne, Barber,
Frascatore, and Mathews possess the most attractive salary-age-potential-performance
profiles (Benes is probably untouchable). In other words, other clubs will
probably find one of those six most desirable to obtain in a trade.
If...the La Russa/Duncan duo can get quality pitching from all eight of
the categories (a proposition not as unlikely as it might seem), the Cardinals
will contend for a playoff berth in 1996. That assumes that GM Walt Jocketty
makes the much-needed (and long promised) changes with the rest of the lineup.
Now, about those Blues.
StLSO Voice Mailer--Rams Edition (12.4.95)
St. Louis Sports Online subscribers and staffers have recently compiled
an up-to-date list of St. Louis-area sports-related telephone voice-mail
numbers. The aim of the StLSO sportsphone list is to make it possible for
anyone with a touch-tone phone to keep in touch with their favorite St.
Louis athlete and/or sports executive.
Ten verbatim Rams-related examples from the StLSO voice-mail list--
*Rams running back Jerome Bettis can be reached at (314) DISAPNT
*Rams QB Chris Miller, after January 1, 1996, can be reached at (314) RETIRED
*Dialing (314) THANKYU puts you in touch with TWA Dome mover and shaker
Jerry Clinton
*the Rams PR office can be reached at (314) MIKLASZ
*To get Wal-Mart 's latest price for discounted Jerome Bettis jerseys, dial
(800) KROENKE
*Todd Kinchen can be contacted at (314) DAREDVL
*Gary Bender, Rams play-by-play radio guy, rings at (314) NOTKMOX*Former
city comptroller Virvus Jones, an early foe of the TWA Dome, is taking calls
at (314) CONVCTD
*Rams owner Georgia Frontiere rings at (800) ILUVPSL
*To contact any of the Rams Cheerleaders, dial (314) PLAMATE
Figuring Out Iron Mike (Part Two) by
MARK BAUSCH (12.4.95)
In what is usually a reasonably pleasant encounter, Blues C&GM Mike
Keenan speaks to the media after each and every game. He often uses this
forum to communicate with his players...both in positive and negative senses.
While Keenan often seems to speak in a kind of "code", he generally
makes an attempt to answer each and every question tossed his way.
Which makes a recent press confab (after a 2-0 Kiel Center loss to the Sabres)
a bit unusual.
Keenan seemed as genuinely frustrated as he had ever been...and I don't
think that his frustration was based solely on the fact that his Blues had
yet another abysmal offensive performance. Rather, the shuttle to the penalty
box, a 1995-96 phenomenon resulting in part from the NHL's rule changes
prior to the start of the 1995-96 season, seemed to be getting the best
of Iron Mike.
"I can't believe that the NHL believes that this is a better way to
play hockey..." Keenan said in response to a question about the officiating
and the fact that the Blues killed off 13 minor penalties in the game.
The final question of what proved to be a very short session went something
like this: "Mike, did you try to build this team to play five-on-five
hockey?" The question was the type that Keenan often enjoys answering,
because it gives him a chance to talk about his philosophy of hockey. There
was a second or two of silence before he answered.
"What difference does it make?", he asked rhetorically, referring
once again to what he clearly believes are ticky-tacky penalties called
against his club. Smiling, he refused to directly answer the question...and,
after additional comments along the same line as his initial response (with
references to the perfect penalty-killing record of the Blues that night),
waited what I estimate to be "one thousand one-one thousand two"
before announcing that "The dressing room is open".
To reiterate...Keenan seemed all hot and bothered...and his anger wasn't
directed solely at his players. It was the NHL and the referees and the
rules changes.
What made Iron Mike so mad?
I think it's because he in fact DID build his team for five-on-five hockey.
If Iron Mike thought that power play performance was all that important,
he never would have moved Craig Janney and Brendan Shanahan. Mike Keenan
doesn't believe in "specialists"...you won't find power-play or
penalty-killing or checking specialists on his team. His "best"
players play in all situations...an arrangement that has, surprisingly to
some, sat quite well with former Blues captain Brett Hull.
In fact, the only specialists that Keenan finds necessary are those that
use their fists more than their skates.
Anyway, the recent rules changes instituted by the NHL, changes that the
Blues organization did not agree with (they were one of two organizations
to vote against the new rules), have put a crimp in the Blues' style of
play.
But now that the referees seem to have relaxed their interpretations of
the new rules a bit...penalties are down...more five-on-five hockey has
been seen...and the Blues are in the midst of a three-game winning streak.
Coincidence? Uhhhhh....no.
Another National Title for WashU Volleyball
by JIM HUNSTEIN (12.4.95)
The Washington University women's volleyball team claimed their unprecedented
fifth straight Division III championship after a hard fought five-game match
against California Lutheran University on Saturday night. The Bears had
to rally to win their sixth title in seven years, tying a D-III record set
by UC-San Diego. The scores were 15-6, 17-19, 13-15, 15-11, and 15-11.
The Bears (42-3) were led by senior middle blocker Shelley Swan's career
high 31 kills and a .433 kill percentage. Swan, who was named the Division
III Player of the Year, also led the team with four blocks. Also putting
up career high numbers were freshman middle blocker Jen Martz (from Ladue),
who had 25 kills, a .477 average, and a team-best five blocks and junior
outside hitter Emmy Sjogren with 21 kills and a .333 average. WU had an
overall team average of .290 but finished with a strong .375 in the fifth
and deciding game.
The Regals (27-1) were led by Tracy Little with 20 kills, a .220 average,
and seven blocks, Karen Kasper with 14, .100, and five, and Darcy White
with 14 and .133. But the overall team average was only .181, including
.089 in the first game and .086 in the fourth.
WU won the first game with a .333 average and was led by Martz's 10 kills
and then jumped out to a 9-4 lead in the second game. But CLU tallied nine
unanswered points. The teams traded sideouts and points before the Regals
broke through for the 19-17 win to even the match at a game apiece. CLU
played their best in the second game with a team average of .309, the only
game in which they hit over .200.
They then rode the momentum from that game into the third and grabbed a
13-6 lead. But WU rallied to tie the game at 13 on the strength of a Martz
serving spree. That is a little unusual since she usually rotates out of
the front row in favor of backrow specialist sophomore Claire Zellars. But
CLU nailed a pair of kills and won the game on a block of Swan. The Bears
hit only .250 in the third game.
Swan used that as a motivator and showed why she earned her honors. She
put down five successive kills during an 11-2 run to start the fourth game.
They won it on an ace by junior All America setter Stephanie Habif and a
pair of Bears blocks.
The championship then came down to one game. And, in accordance with NCAA
rules, the final game would be played with rally scoring. That's where a
point is awarded on each play no matter who is serving. Under normal scoring,
a team has to be serving to get a point, otherwise it's a sideout and the
other team gets to serve. Rally scoring was created to accommodate TV schedules.
At 5-5, WU had a 4-1 run for a three-point lead before CLU got close at
10-9. But that was as close a they would get. Sjogren and Swan each had
a pair of kills to bring it to game point. The Bears nabbed their championship,
appropriately enough, on a kill be Swan.
WU reached the finals with a three-game sweep over third-ranked Ithaca College
15-5, 16-14, 15-11 in the semifinals Friday night.The Bear attack was led
by Sjogren with 13 kills and Swan with 12.
December 11, 1995
News and Notes by RANDY KARRAKER
(12.11.95)
The worst thing that can happen to a pro football team, besides injuries,
happened to the Rams on Sunday. Buffalo's big men, on both sides of the
ball, dominated St. Louis' big men. The Rams offensive line just couldn't
move Phil Hansen, Jim Jeffcoat, Bruce Smith, et al...and the Ram defensive
line was practically invisible. Aside from brief flashes from D'Marco Farr,
Sean Gilbert and Kevin Carter (no flashes from Jimmie Jones) the St. Louis
front was thoroughly manhandled. Maybe the new weight room at the new facility
will help, or maybe playing harder or becoming more mature will, but something
needs to be done up front on both sides of the ball. GM Steve Ortmayer told
us on KMOX after the game that the Rams didn't play a down of defensive
football after Farr was hit with a roughing the passer penalty in the third
quarter. The immaturity of the unit showed in that display. On both the
offensive and defensive line, it appears that the Rams have good individual
talent, but play poorly as a unit. Certainly, the blame must go to the position
coaches, Dan Radakovich and Deek Pollard. The club has other needs, as their
34 and 28 point losses to San Francisco showed before the 18 point loss
to Buffalo. But if a team is going to compete with the big boys, it all
starts up front, and at this point...the St. Louis Rams aren't competitive
in those departments.
The remarkable run of success by the Blues can be directly attributed to
continuity. Early in the season, the club not only suffered from Mike Keenan's
dramatic summer overhaul, but had to deal with injuries to Jeff Norton,
Greg Gilbert, Tony Twist, Basil McRae and of course Brett Hull. Coupled
with Chris Pronger's four game suspension and the normal early season minor
league shuttle, the Blues never knew who was going to play from one night
to the next. Since the return of Hull and Twist, the Blues have turned into
a better unit, and seem to be improving. As we mentioned before, Detroit
will provide a bigger test Tuesday night. But we can count on good defense
and goaltending, and if the scorers can provide what Mike Keenan thought
they would when he signed them, the team will be in good shape. By the way,
with his ten goals in fourteen games stretch, Geoff Courtnall has nearly
reached the pace that's expected of him...and if Shayne Corson stays hot
for another week, he will too.
This should be the week that we find out where Craig Biggio goes. Colorado
has yet to make an offer, but its reports indicate that it will be more
than the Cardinal $23 million, four year offer. If that is true, the Rockies
will be paying Biggio more than Andres Gallaraga, Dante Bichette, Vinny
Castilla or Larry Walker. Does that make sense for already the best offensive
team in the league? San Diego and the Mets are also in the hunt. If Biggio
gets to St. Louis, he won't have to battle anyone else to be THE baseball
player in town (as he would in Colorado or New York) and apparently will
have a legitimate shot at a title (which he wouldn't have at San Diego).
Says here that St. Louis would be the best spot for Biggio. Perhaps the
Cards have renewed interest in Andy Benes. Although it hasn't really been
mentioned, when Mike Morgan re-signed with the Redbirds he related that
he was told Walt Jocketty was indeed looking for a number one starter. Benes
would be the logical name. That makes more sense when you add the fact that
the Cards will probably have to trade for a power hitter and a shortstop,
since most of the good free agents available have signed. By the way, we
should know the results of Ozzie Smith's physical...the one that will determine
his future with the team...before Christmas. Stay tuned.
Cardinals News (12.11.95)
*In his Sunday column, the P-D's Rick Hummel writes that the Cards and the
A's are the midst of negotiations that would lead to the acquisition of
A's shortstop Mike Bordick and starting pitcher Todd Stottlemyre. Hummel
reports that the Cards would give up a number of "prospects".
Recall that Tom Henke told StLSO that Todd Stottlemyre may be "[my]
best friend in all of baseball."
*In ISSUE #48, we speculated that "[Rene] Arocha's future in St. Louis
is anything but secure." Monday it was announced that the Cards released
Rene Arocha in order to create roster space for the recently-signed Jeff
Parrett.
*Cardinals Florida Spring Training Schedule (all games are start at 1:05
Eastern Time unless noted; games at St. Petersburg's Al Lang Field in ALL
CAPS)
DATE (all games in March) and Opponent
2 PITTSBURGH
3 Kansas City (Baseball City)
4 Philadelphia (Clearwater)
5 BALTIMORE
6 TORONTO
7 Cincinnati (Plant City)
8 Toronto (Dunedin)
9 PITTSBURGH
10 Chicago Sox (Sarasota)
11 NY Yankees (Tampa at 7:05 pm)
12 KANSAS CITY
13 Philadelphia (Clearwater)
14 Houston (Kissimmee)
15 MINNESOTA
16 PHILADELPHIA
17 Toronto (Dunedin)
18 CHICAGO
19 CLEVELAND
20 PHILADELPHIA
22 Texas (Port Charlotte)
23 CINCINNATI
24 Minnesota (Fort Myers)
25 NY YANKEES
26 HOUSTON
27 Pittsburgh (Bradenton)
RamNotes by JIM HUNSTEIN (12.11.95)
*While it was cold here, the Rams can be thankful this was not an away game
in Buffalo. They set a new city record for snowfall in 24 hours - 34 inches!
*Bills coach Marv Levy's name might ring a bell for some locals. He compiled
a 13-0-1 record while coaching at Country Day High School in 1951-52. He
also served as a Rams' special teams coach in 1970.
*The Bills now lead the series between the teams 4-3. They have won the
last three.
*This was the first time LB Shane Conlan faced his old team since signing
with the Rams in 1993. He spent six seasons as a Bill after being selected
in the first round of the 1987 draft.
*RB Jerome Bettis needs just 71 yards to pass Cullen Bryant for eighth place
on the all-time Rams rushing list. Bryant has 3,119 yards. Bettis has 595
yards this season.
*The Rams are now 1-1 in the Trans World Dome.
*As cold as it was (about 10 degrees) at the game, those in charge of the
stadium couldn't find it in their hearts to open the doors before 10:30
a.m. despite the masses huddled at the gates. Opening a half an hour early
would not have hurt.
*Today's game was the 100th straight game played by TE Marv Cook. He has
not missed a game in his seven-year career.
*RB Greg Robinson made his first start at running back since, as a Raider,
he started against the Bills on December 12, 1993.
*Despite all the names and numbered honored around the exit tunnels at the
dome, only four numbers have been retired by the Rams: Bob Waterfield's
7, Elroy Hirsch's 40, Merlin Olsen's 74, and Jack Youngblood's 85
*Several improvements to the dome since the last game. The sound system
was toned down so as not to blast everyone in a three-county region. (Now
if they could just avoid the temptation to play music between every single
play, even if it's just a one-second snippet. It's like one of those annoying
people who feel a deep-seated need to fill every silent moment in a conversation.)
They also adjusted the light so they wouldn't shine in the receivers' eyes.
*Halftime entertainment: Punt, pass, & Kick competition for the area.
Nice to see, but the kids were all dressed in black pants and shirts and
white hats with dark bills. They looked like little sailors in the dress
uniforms.
*RB Thurman Thomas feasts on Rams defenses. The last two times he ran against
the Bighorns, he gained 105 and 103 yards.
*For whatever reason, the same people who wouldn't open the dome early are
running every gimmicky promotion this side of giving away sheep. They had
a trivia contest (tough question; it had been asked and answered on the
jumbo-tron a few minutes earlier), seat switch where some one gets moved
down, t-shirts given to an entire section, TWA tickets to a certain seat,
jersey given away to the holder of a signed program, a field goal-kicking
contest for clothes, and a free wardrobe to a specfic ticket holder.
StLSO Quote of the Week (12.11.95)
*"Until I get [positive news about Chris Miller's health], I'm going
to assume that we will operate without Chris Miller," said Rams coach
Rich Brooks.
*"We laid an egg," said Rams GM Steve Ortmayer on KMOX's Steve
Ortmayer show, when asked by Joe Buck to assess the Rams-Bills game.
StLSO Headline of the Week (12.11.95)
From the 12.7.95 Post-Dispatch: "Miller Declines Rocking Chair"
Teri Clemens Q and A by JIM HUNSTEIN
(12.11.95)
Washington University's Teri Clemens is the architect of one of the most
remarkable dynasties in college sports. In her 11th season as the coach
of the women's basketball team, she has created one of the best programs
in the country. Her Bears just won their fifth consecutive Division III
title and their sixth in the last seven years. In her 11 years at WU, she
has amassed the highest winning percentage of any volleyball coach, men's
or women's, in any division, higher even than the exalted Al Scates of the
men's program at UCLA. (He's in seCond place a few percentage points behind.
He entered the 1995 season behind .8707 to .8671.)
Yet very few people in the St. Louis area outside the volleyball community
even know who she is. The only time her or her team is mentioned on TV or
in the paper is when they're vying for the title. Readers of St Louis Sports
Online have read more about the Bears' volleyball season than readers of
the Post-Dispatch.
But even we don't know her as well as we should. Had any other local college
team had this kind of success, the coach would have more talk shows and
car dealership endorsement deals than they know what to do with. And if
a pro team could even approach such a record, there'd be a coach statue
outside Busch telling Stan Musial how to bat. Whitey Herzog was one for
three in World Series in the 1980s and he's still the benchmark for pro
managers and coaches around these parts.
So how did Teri Clemens and her incredible record get overlooked? Small
school, small program. They don't even give athletic scholarships, for crying
out loud. Yet she has been able to sign some of the best players in the
country, drawing them away from bigger, Division I schools. She has won
every award imaginable and she and her staff (Joe Worlund and Brent Ruoff)
have been named the University Athletic Association staff of the year every
year since 1987.
Clemens graduated magna cum laude from Northeast Missouri State University
in 1978 where she played softball field hockey, and tennis, being named
MVP in all three. Her first coaching gig was in Kansas City for Trenton
High School's tennis team, where she led them to a 22-2 record. For the
next five years she was the head volleyball and softball coach at the Incarnate
Word Academy in St. Louis. The softball team had a five-year record of 98-8.
But the volleyball team was 155-15, winning the state championship in 1982,
1983, and 1984.
On the strength of that, and the goal to win the D-III national championship
within five years, she took over a foundering WU program that was 102-89-6
in its nine-year run. But it was 42-52-5 in the last four years. Clemens
came in and posted a 12-18 record in her first year in 1985. But from than
on, her teams have not been under .800. In fact, they have finished better
than .900 seven times, including a perfect 40-0 in 1992. That was her second
D-III championship and the first in the current five-year streak. She brought
home the national championship in the fifth year. Oh, yeah, she also coached
teams in the Olympic Festivals in LA in 1992 and in St. Louis in 1994.
On the personal side, Clemens is married to Tom and the couple have adopted
six children, enough for their own volleyball team. And now, one for each
D-III championship her Bears have won.
Following is the conversation I had with her a couple weeks ago.
StLSO: What brought you to Washington University?
Clemens: I was at the Incarnate Word Academy and I heard there was an opening.
In fact, I was at a national tournament in Chicago and a friend of mine
who coached at Hofstra College told me she had applied for the job and I
didn't even know there was a job opening. After a few more people told me
about the opening, I called [director of athletics] John Schael and I said,
"I'm your person." He said the applications had just closed but,
to make a long story short, he reopened them and, 24 hours later, I was
the new coach.
StLSO: They must have liked what they saw.
Clemens: I guess so. I came over for what I thought was a one-hour interview
and about nine hours later I was walking out the door.
StLSO: You coached both volleyball and softball at Incarnate Word. What
made you choose volleyball?
Clemens: My more noted success was in volleyball, having won the state championships.
We couldn't compete in the state softball championships even though we were
really successful because there wasn't one in the spring and that's when
we chose to play. So I became more noted in volleyball and I made it my
sole passion.
StLSO: You played several sports in college. Was it hard to give them up?
Clemens: Not really. Any sport I was associated with, I would develop a
passion for it and go whole-heartedly after the highest goal I could achieve
in it.
StLSO: What has kept you here for 11 years?Clemens: I didn't think I could
make it past five years. After we won the title in five years, I said let's
do it again. And again, And again. It was never enough. I would love to
coach bigger, better athletes at times, but I can't find more intelligent
athletes. I can't find a more superior university. I can't find a better
administration. And I'm drawn to all those things. And the number one priority
in my life is my family and we're all very happy here in St. Louis.
StLSO: To what do you attribute your incredible success?
Clemens: Good people. I have had the good fortune of having good assistant
coaches. Of course, the university has afforded my the opportunity to recruit
the best and the brightest of student athletes across the country. And we've
been able to keep building on that. We've had great enthusiasm. We have
great competitiveness. We bring in people with the same kind of passions
as we have.
StLSO: How do you compete with the bigger schools in terms of recruiting?
Clemens: We have a product to sell, just like anyone in business. And our
product is one of the top 20 academic educations in the nation coupled with
what we believe is a first class volleyball program. As much as we think
there's hundreds of programs that compete with us, when you put those two
together, there's actually a very limited number that provide the best of
both worlds. So we sell the academia of Washington University and the fact
that you can play in a first rate volleyball program.
StLSO: Yout don't give scholarships here.
Clemens: No. Some of my players are on academic scholarships, but no one
is on an athletic scholarship.
StLSO: Does that hinder your recruiting when you're competing against bigger
schools?
Clemens: It has at times. I've certainly lost players to programs because
of a full athletic scholarships. On the other hand, we've had players who
have been offered 50 and 60 scholarships in Division I programs. I think
we're offering a lot more than that and we've been successful at stealing
those players away from Division I programs.
StLSO: How does your team do against Division I schools?
Clemens: Well, last year we were 16-2 against Division I schools. That's
all we play against in the spring season and it doesn't count [in the overall
record]. We've won Division I tournaments in the spring quite regulalry
in the last five years.
StLSO: Do you have any aspirations to coach at the Division I level?
Clemens: I'm not going to say that it won't happen. I don't have any more
aspiration than I do for coaching this program. I've has 20-plus offers
to go to Division I and I'm still here.
StLSO: Do you ever take that to the administration here and say "By
the way, I've had another offer"?
Clemens: I don't have to very much because almost anyone who would be interested
in talking to me would go through John Shael first. So he typically knows
before I do that there's interest in me.
StLSO: Don't they have pretty strict rules about tampering?
Clemens: No, it's really a free game. But it's really a courtesy call that
they get the athletic director in. It's really very common in sports.
StLSO: You recruit from all over the country. Is there any one area or talent
pool that you recruit from?
Clemens: St. Louis. Really. We've had some outstanding players from out
of the state, but some of our key players have been from the St. Louis and
surrounding area. Amy Albers, Amy Sullivan, Kathy Bersett, Nikki Hagan,
Ann Quenette from Springfield, Illinois. But most of our base has been right
here. We just had a freshman this year, Jen Martz from St. Louis and Jenny
Cafazza from Incarnate Word as a matter of fact. They'll be key players
down the road.
StLSO: What are the Amys doing now, Amy Albers and Amy Sullivan?
Clemens: They'll forever be known as the Amys. Amy Albers is now working
for Edward D. Jones in marketing, a very high position and she's very happy
and she's made the transition very well. She still gets to compete beacuse
she's in marketing. And Amy Sullivan is currently a sophomore in WU medical
school and president of her sophomore class, as she was her freshman class.
And she's very happy.
StLSO: Does she hang around at all? Does she come in and work out with the
team?
Clemens: She comes in a lot but she doesn't get to work out very much because
her ours are limited but both of them were at summer camps and both keep
their foot in the door a lot. It's fun to have them around; when they walk
in the door, the team still lights up. They'll forever be known by all the
players in the program. Our alumnae are very close with the program. Our
team's been known as one big happy family and the alumnae, as we develop
more and more, expands. It's like an extended family.
StLSO: This may be tough, but do you have any players you enjoyed coaching
the most?
Clemens: I don't, because if they have the same passion for the sport that
I do, I love them. I love them so much. And I have so much to offer the
player who gives back as much as we request of them. And the players we
have in this program do. They are just so driven to succeed and so driven
to enjoy the sport and give their all to it, it's been a joy to coach each
and every one of them. But I have to say, I coached Kathy Bersett at Incarnate
Word, then I coached her in junior ball, and then I coached her here. There's
no other player I've coached as many years as Kathy Bersett. I coached her
a total of 10 years starting in eighth grade on a junior team. The day she
graduated, my heart dropped a notch, and I thought it was all over. It wasn't,
of course, because we recruit that type of player. She graduated as the
national player of the year and I couldn't ask for a better finish for her.
However, I missed her desperately for the next year or two. Now she's living
in a farm town in Illinois and pregnant. I'm about to have my first grand-player.
StLSO: Would you rather coach a player with a whole lot of passion or a
whole lot of talent?
Clemens: It's really kind of a cheap answer, but I'd rather go for half
and half. Because one of my talents is developing those areas. Being around
me on the gym floor would make you develop your passion because it's contagious.
And I hope I can develop skills or else I better get out of the gym. Given
a choice, I'd take the player with skill and make them have the passion.
StLSO: What is your overall coaching philosophy?
Clemens: Yeah. The theme of our program is: In this world of give and take,there
are few who are willing to give what it takes. And we believe we outwork
our opposition. On a daily basis. At practice, in warm-ups, during matches,
we always play the roll of the underdog. We just want to outwork them. We
want to have a better workout than everyone who steps on the court. And
we know that, in doing that, we'll always end up successful. If you outwork
your opposition, if you hustle more than they do, out jump them, out play
them, out condition them, you're going to be ahead at the end.
StLSO: So despite winning five of the last six championships, you project
yourself in the roll of the underdog.
Clemens: Absolutely. I don't think I've ever walked onto a court thinking
"We're the champions. It's their job to catch up to us." We scout
well, we outine game plans well. We really work on knowing our oppostion
and we really work on making sure we're prepared for everyone regardless
of who they are. On the other hand, everyone plays their best match against
us. We're never going to get an easy match; everyone gets up for us. I guess
that's fun, but it's also great upset material.
StLSO: What is you opinion on paying college athletes?
Clemens: You don't do it. Period. You don't do it any more than you pay
band members or art students. It's all or nothing and I really think the
answer is nothing. Athletics is still a gift, it's an opportunity. It should
not be a paid position. It should be a joy to play and I think the passion
would be lost if the athlete gets paid. On the other hand, I think athetes
should be allowed to carry jobs. Maybe not during seasons and maybe there
should be a compromise. But athletes need to carry jobs because just like
any one else on campus, they need spending money, they need book money,
they need tuition, whatever it may be. Athletes should carry jobs, but they
should not be paid. I'm adamant about that.
StLSO: What about in the bigger schools where the argument is that the football
players and basketball players generate all the money, they support all
the other programs, and these guys are giving huge portions of their social
lives and academic lives, etc., etc.
Clemens: It's a non-issue. The fact that the program is generating money
is not necessarily directly related to the performance of the athlete. The
PR of the school. The stadium that the school has. The marketing of the
school. There are a lot of issues involved besides how well the athlete
produces. It's just a non-issue. The fact that the school can make money
is wonderful. But it's a totally separate issue as to whether the athlete
should get paid. They can go straight to the pros, they don;t need to stop
by college. We've never supposedly been a training ground for the pros,
and yet many people think that we are.
StLSO: Especially football and basketball see it that way and baseball is
becoming that way.
Clemens: Right, but that was never the intent. I could stay on this topic
for ever. In the athletes eyes, we've become the minor leagues of football
and basketball. And we're not supposed to be that. We're supposed ot be
an educational institution and by the way, if you like sports, we have that,
too.
StLSO: I noticed the Olympic Festival flag. Did you take part in that?
Clemens: I was head coach of the north team. I coached Kristin Folkl. And
I was head coach of the north in LA at the 1992 festival. I had the chance
to coach in 1993, but I knew 1994 was going to be in St. Louis and at Washington
University and that volleyball had a good chance of being here. It was wonderful
to get to coach on my home court with a home town player. It was a great
experience.
StLSO: Had you tried to recruit Kristin Folkl?
Clemens: No, not at all. Her brother plays here in basketball. But it was
never a topic of conversation between the two of us. She was always going
"big time". And she needed to because the competition we play
on a daily basis would not make her the best she could be. We can compete
wth all but the top 20 in Division I, but she needs to compete against the
20 we couldn't. She has the potential to be the best player ever seen in
America. And I certainly wanted her to get herself in a position where she
could do that.
StLSO: How do you think the USA teams will do in Atlanta?
Clemens: I think they're going to do very well. Especially the women. The
men are still young and still developing and have a lot of questions yet.
The women are really positioning themselves very nicely to be in cotention
fo the top three positions. I absolutely would expect them to be there.
With or without Kristin Folkl.
StLSO: Do you think she'll play?
Clemens: I don't think she'll play, but I think she'll be there. I think
she'll be that 12th player. I think she'll be named to the team. She has
to make the decision, once this season is over, to give up a year of school
or not. And I think she'll choose to do it although, realistically, she
could be in the next Olympics, too. What she doesn't want to happen is for
her peak to fall between Olympics. If she does go for it, I think they'll
take her because she's the future of our national team.
StLSO: How do you feel about having a true dynasty, here at this university,
that is largely unknown in this community?
Clemens: I'm really proud of it. But like I said, I almost coach as such
an underdog, it almost surpasses me. And I think someday when I look back
on it, it's going to be "Wow, we were pretty goood." But while
I'm in the middle of it, and I hope I'm not at the end of it, it's work
that comes every day. I don't stop to smell the roses, and maybe that's
good. We all take it for granted and I think in the future they won't. They'll
say "That was really amazing what that team did back then." I
do know we did something remarkable when I sit back and reflect. We just
don't give ourselves the opportunity to do that.
StLSO: Do you think you learn more from losses than victories?
Clemens: Not necessarily. But it's always a reminder. It's just a little
bit of a kick thing. You're not God's gift. You're not quite as golden as
you think. The ring's not already on your finger. I don't think my team
has a tendancy to be cocky, they tend to be confident but underdog style
in training, but everybody needs that once in a while. If you're in sales
and you have a bad week, it's sort of a reminder to step it up a little.
It's a good lesson for life.
StLSO: Coach, I appreciate this very much.
Clemens: Sure.
A List from Bret Hern, an StLSO Charter Subscriber
(12.11.95)
Random thought: in the mini-flurry over Walt Weiss, Greg Gagne, and probably
some other mediocre, past-prime shortstops, Weiss made some mention of the
fact that a strike against the Redbirds was the prospect of playing in front
of Ozzie, legend that he is. After I breathed a sigh of relief, I thought
of some other"bad gigs" in a similar vein:
(in no particular order)
1) Playing rhythm guitar with Van Halen.
2) Being Warren Buffett's stockbroker (enriching, no doubt, but...).
3) Bodyguard to Arnold Schwartzenegger.
4) Biographer to James Michener.
5) Catering a party at Martha Stewart's house.
StLSO Editorial: Pete Rose and the Baseball
Hall of Fame (12.11.95)
One of the few memories I have of Grandpa (who died when I was five or so)
involved one of his hobbies: magic. Grandpa used to make a silver dime,
in the midst of several pennies, seem to appear out of nowhere.
I loved that trick, and recall asking him to do it dozens of times. Finally,
I asked him how it worked. When he showed me that one of the pennies had
a false bottom, and that the dime fit snugly inside the penny...well, at
first, I was amazed.
Then, disappointment set in. Quite literally, the magic was gone...and the
trick was no longer a trick.
I think of Grandpa and his magic tricks whenever the subject of Pete Rose's
eligibility for baseball's Hall of Fame comes up.
After asking several St. Louis media types (including a couple of StLSO
correspondents) for their opinion about Pete Rose and his "permanent"
ban from baseball, I feel secure in stating that my opinion (i.e. an opinion
that Rose's permanent exclusion from the Hall is the right thing to do)
is in the distinct minority.
That my view of the Rose affair is not shared by most other sports fans
was also reinforced recently during a spirited discussion at "The Fan
Club", a sports bar located at St. Louis' Union Station. Afterwards,
I felt like I'd gone ten rounds with Iron Mike (that's Mr. Tyson, not Mr.
Keenan).
Let's recap.
Did Pete Rose, while managing the Cincinnati Reds, gamble on the outcome
of baseball games in which he, as manager of the Reds, participated? For
the sake of argument, let's assume that he did. Rose himself, in recent
interviews, has refused to deny that fact.
And I recall reading rather persuasive "evidence" that all pointed
to Rose's gambling on Reds games.
Should that fact alone preclude Rose's consideration for election into the
Hall of Fame?
I say yes, despite the following persuasive arguments:
*Due to his competitive nature, it seems unlikely that Rose ever bet against
the Reds
*There is no evidence that Rose bet on baseball while active as a player
*Gambling additions...like drug/alcohol addictions, are generally recognized
as treatable diseases...and drunks and drug addicts are not banned from
the Hall
*The Hall of Fame is the baseball Hall of Fame, not the "character"
Hall of Fame...and Rose has more hits than anyone who ever played the game
*It has never been shown that deterrence prevents any behavior that society
deems unacceptable
Why, then, do I believe that it is right to permanently ban anyone within
organized baseball who gambles on the outcome of professional baseball games?
Because baseball, and, indeed, all spectator-based sports, is like Grandpa's
magic trick. If the outcome is known ahead of time...the magic is gone.
Gone for the participants. Gone for the spectators. Gone forever.
In other words, the stain of gambling is so great...and its potential effect
so ruinous...that the powers-to-be should resort to the ultimate penalty
for those who choose to ruin the "magic": a complete and total
ban from the game.
If you think about it, banishment from baseball, for a guy like Pete Rose,
is a kind of death penalty in the make-believe baseball world.
That's what baseball has done to Pete Rose. As far as his connection with
organized baseball is concerned, Rose is a dead man. He can do no more harm
to the sport...and has been branded an outcast. This, I think, speaks volumes
for just how seriously baseball takes the gambling threat.
And that, in my opinion, is a good thing.
StLSO readers' opinions are welcome. And after a Blues game, check out The
Fan Club, a sports bar with a friendly staff (including Blake Hull), good
service, and reasonably-priced food.
(That was our very first plug, sports fans!)
December 18, 1995
News and Notes by RANDY KARRAKER
(12.18.95)
Before the season I projected the Rams would be a 6-10 team, and, although
they will get to 7-9 in unconventional fashion, it appears that is where
they'll land. 7-9 is a realistic jump for a team that was 4-12 last year.
They did offer some false hope early, but the fact of the matter is that
the Rams are probably four players short on defense (two linebackers and
two linemen) and at least two, maybe three on offense (dominating lineman,
running back, third receiver or tight end). Steve Ortmayer has promised
to address the team's needs through free agency and the draft, and with
what he has accomplished so far in procuring personnel, it's difficult to
doubt that he'll bring in good players.
Bringing in good players is one area that Blues GM apparently lacks proficiency.
The editor of this newsletter and I were discussing the point the other
night. Chris Pronger, Dallas Eakins, Geoff Courtnall, Shayne Corson and
Dale Hawerchuk are hardly improvements over Steve Duchesne, Rick Zombo,
Esa Tikkanen, Brendan Shanahan and Craig Janney. Too bad Keenan the talent
evaluator isn't as sharp as Keenan the coach. Coach came up with another
case of speaking before thinking the other night, when he declared that
Grant Fuhr was the comeback player of the year in the NHL. When he was asked
if he put Fuhr's comeback ahead of Mario Lemieux's, Keenan paused and said
"we'll put them neck and neck." Yeah, right.
Where do the Cardinals go with Craig Biggio in Houston and Mark Grace apparently
headed back to Chicago? Well, they made a good move in trading Allen Watson
for Royce Clayton. Watson has all the ability in the world, but, as once
was said about Neil Allen, he has a million dollar arm and a ten cent head.
Watson may turn the corner, but he had frustrated the Cards enough. The
apparently imminent signing of Gary Gaetti is not a move that's going to
provide the Cards with the punch they need in the middle of the lineup.
Mark Lamping and Walt Jocketty might be better served by playing David Bell
at third, and going out and acquiring Ron Gant as a free agent. Gant has
good hands, he won the rookie of the year award as a third baseman, and
might be a good fit at first. The fans of the Cardinals deserve to have
the money offered to Biggio and Grace applied to offers to Roberto Alomar
and Gant. Let's hope that's the first move, rather than a last resort.
Cardinals News (12.18.95)
*In a KSDK interview Sunday night, Cards GM Walt Jocketty told Mike Bush
that:
--it was likely that the Cards would get something done on the Gary Gaetti
front sometime this week (EDITOR'S NOTE: After this was written, the Cards
announced that Gaetti had inked a one-year deal)
--"We have to have a second baseman...it possibly could be Bell. But
we see Bell or Gulan as our third baseman of the future. I'd like to find
a young second baseman."
--"I'd like to find one more starting pitcher."
--"If Grace doesn't come [to St. Louis], I feel comfortable and confident
with him [Mabry] at first base. I'd like to see more run production from
Mabry, though, and I think he's capable of that."
--"We can't make offers to Grace and Gant. If we sign someone like
Gant, then we'd have to make on decision on one of our outfielders."
--"The Eckersley trade is still a possibility. I spoke with Sandy Alderson
Saturday night, but nothing is imminent."
--"[Mark] McGwire is interesting to us..."
--"Andy Benes is a possibility. He could benefit from [Tony] La Russa
and [Dave] Duncan...we're not that close [to a deal with Andy Benes]
Blues Banter by BRIAN STULL (12.18.95)
NO BIG DEAL: Despite the recent talk that a deal is in the works, GM Mike
Keenan dismissed those ideas after Saturday's victory over San Jose. Keenan
stated that Yashin (Ottawa) was not available and that the two GM's in the
other situations (Muller in NYI, and Nieuwendyk in Calgary) were unsure
of what they wanted and may have just been testing the market. Guess it
remains to be seen what uniform Kirk Muller will wear Tuesday night.
WANTED: It seems that since sending Rob Ray to the hospital for a new cheek,
opponents want no part of Tony Twist. "I don't understand why no one
wants to take their beating," joked Twist," Just because I enjoy
it more than they do." Keenan, who had stated previously he couldn't
blame teams for staying away from Twist, also pointed out how disciplined
Twist has played, picking up only four majors for fighting.
A MASTERPIECE: After scoring on a beautiful give and go with Peter Zezel,
Brett Hull commented on scoring after the game. "I don't care what
anyone says, scoring is kind of an art form." said Hull. "You
have to play give and go hockey if you want to score," continued Hull.
"If I don't give the puck to Peter, I don't score. Sure I was skating
fast, but I couldn't get a shot off with those guys (the defense) in front
of me, so I give it to Peter, he makes a good pass and I scored."
RUMOR STOPPED: Adam Creighton and Chris Pronger recently played several
shifts together, ending speculation that they were actually the same player.
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL: It's been mentioned here before that Grant Fuhr deserves
to play in the all-star game this season and Mike Keenan seemed to echo
those thoughts the other night. "If we'd scored any number of reasonable
goals it's scary to think what our record might be and what his record might
be." Keenan went on to emphasize, "He is the best goalie in THE
LEAGUE right now," after he was asked if he thought Fuhr was the best
in the western conference.
TIS THE SEASON: The Blues have continued to spread holiday cheer through
out the Metro area. On Monday, December 18 several Blues players and coaches
visited area hospitals and children's homes and all proceeds from the SuperSkills
competition Sunday went to the Ronald McDonald Children's Charities.
Around the Horns (nee Ram Notes) by JIM
HUNSTEIN (12.18.95)
*WR Isaac Bruce now has 104 catches for the year. He is the 12th player
in NFL history with 100 or more catches in a season. It has happened five
time this year. (Bruce, Herman Moore and Brett Perriman of Detroit, Jerry
Rice of San Francisco, and Michael Irvin of Dallas.)
*With his 68 yards against the Redskins, Bruce needs 176 yards next week
to break the NFL record of 1,746 set in 1961 by the Oilers' Charley Hennigan.
*What is the deal with quarterback ratings? What goes into it? WR Todd Kinchen
has thrown one pass this year and it was incomplete. Yet he ha a rating
of 39.6.
*WR Henry Ellard of the Redskins is the very same Henry Ellard who played
for the Rams from 1983 to 1993 and holds a number of team records. Of course,
Bruce is doing his best to rewrite the books.
*The Rams are now 1-2 in the Trans World Dome and 21-22 overall in domed
stadia.
*TE Marv Cook played in his 112th straight game. He hasn't missed a game
in his seven-year career. LB Roman Phifer has played in 62 straight games
and TE Troy Drayton has played in 46 straight.
*S Toby Wright and Phifer are the first pair of Rams with more than 100
tackles in one season each since S Vince Newsome and LB Mark Jerue did it
in 1986. S Keith Lyle now has 93 and could break 100 next week.
*The Redskins hold the distinction of being the team that played the final
games against the Cleveland Rams and the Los Angeles Rams. The Cleveland
version defeated Washington 15-14 in the 1945 championship game. But the
Redskins beat the LA variety 24-21 last year.
*WR Alexander Wright had a career-high 132 receiving yards, his second 100-yard
game of his career.
*CB Dexter Davis recorded his first career sack.
*Ticket scalpers and scalpees are still looking for a primary location around
the new dome. At Busch, they had the bridge to the west parking garage and
near the Stan Musial Stadium.
*Four suits from the dome rousted a souvenir vendor from his spot at 6th
and Convention Plaza so that some limos could pull right up to a door. The
entire side of the street was open from 6th to Broadway.
*Final tally, according to a banner on a building across from the dome:
73,710 PSL applications.
*After almost and entire season of close observation, it can now be said
with near-certainty that they are dancers, not cheerleaders.
*Why is there no real clock inside the dome? It's not like inside a Vegas
casino, where there are no clocks or windows so the patrons can't note the
passage of time.
*Note to the defensive front line: How hard is it to not line up in the
neutral zone?
*The dome-heads must have bought a Jim Carrey film clip package because
they kept replaying many of his more boisterous moments from "Batman
Forever", "Ace Ventura", and "The Mask". What,
no Fire Marshal Bill?
*Lots of paper airplanes made their way to the playing field. Many thanks
to the Post for providing the stiff posterboard cheering signs.
Tony La Russa's Conference Call: The Transcript
(12.18.95)
On December 13 (the day prior to Craig Biggio's re-signing with Houston
and the Cardinals acquisition of Royce Clayton), Tony La Russa participated
in a conference call with interested media outlets from all over the United
States. What follows is a near-verbatim transcription of La Russa's session.
The Cards new manager skipper began with a few remarks about the upcoming
1996 season.
The Opening Statement
It looks like we have several areas of strength and then one very obvious
need. The several areas of strength would be the outfield...all three of
the outfielders rank real well as complete players...and then, our pitching
last year was really improving towards the end...I think a big feature with
the pitching staff...and also, with the infield...would be health. We had
a couple of starters run into health problems.
Last year's bullpen was the best in the league, Tom Henke had a great year...we're
looking to continue that bullpen strength. The glaring problem right now
is to restructure our infield...so when you have a couple of obvious plusses
like pitching and outfield play...we can make the moves that we plan to
make in the infield...we can improve in a hurry.
The Questions...and the Answers
Q: What the Giants in the National League can expect from Stan Javier...after
you've had him for a couple of years?
La Russa: I think he's a real consistent, very dependable player.
He very much understands the game. I think he's maturing as a hitter from
both sides of the plate. He's an excellent baserunner with very good judgment
and...he may not have the strongest arm but he gets rid of the ball well.
He has the record for errorless games or chances or whatever...he's got
very sure hands. He's a solid player.
I think for a long time he was a fourth outfielder looking for his chance
and when he finally got his chance he took advantage of it.
Q: If you don't get Biggio and or Grace are you interested in people like
Gaetti at third base or maybe even Gant, I know your outfield is pretty
full...but Gant...is he appealing to you at all? And secondly, how is the
trade situation looking with the A's at this point?
La Russa: I think there are some intriguing combinations in the free
agent market. And when you have several ways to go in the infield then any
number of those combinations could work. Right now Craig Biggio...we've
been pursuing very actively. Mark Grace also seems to fit what we need.
We're hoping that in short order the decisions will be made. If we get one
or both...or even if we don't ....then you start looking at the other combinations.
A guy like Gary Gaetti is a very interesting player. Gaetti would provide
something that you're looking for from Gant...offense was really a problem
for the Cardinals last year so, when you look at improving our offense,
I think most people agree that somebody at the top of the lineup and somebody
in the middle of the lineup with pop...Gant's got pop...he's in the middle...Gaetti's
got pop...he's in the middle.
I'm not saying it's fun...it's fun when you're successful. But the intriguing
part of this off-season free agent-wise is that there are combinations...it's
like a cross-word puzzle in a way...depending on who you get you want to
complement them with somebody else. That's why it's very important to get
a decision from Biggio and Grace soon.
As far as a trade with the A's....I think Sandy Alderson and Walt Jocketty
are working real hard at it...they're both trying to make the best deal
for each club. Sandy obviously is looking for a lot of value in players
and he also receives value from salaries he's not going to have to play...that's
the cost to the Cardinals. If you take some of the offers the A's have put
out there it would cost us players and salary. We're trying to work something
that's good for both clubs.
Q: Can you talk about how you see managing...what effect a manager can have
on a ballgame? In the adjustment to the National League...you structured
your left-righty situation leading to a closer in the bullpen in the American
League...you're coming over and facing a double switch in the National League
with closers operating in a somewhat different fashion...so could you talk
about the effect of managing on the game and the way in which you see adjusting
to the National League?
La Russa: Well, I think managing is just one of the pieces of the
club that contributions have to made in order to have a winning situation.
I think we all know that players are what makes a ballclub go...if you don't
have quality players that are also quality committed...you don't have a
chance. But if you do have those things, there will be times during the
course of a season that a coaching staff is very important to that ballclub
or its players. The manager has, by definition, decisions that he's supposed
to contribute to...decisions and maybe help with the attitude and direction
of the club. If you do your job right that's a piece of the winning puzzle.
I look at it not as the main show...but you're part of the support that
the players...who are the main show...are supposed to receive.
Now how you provide that in the National League? We'll wait and see. In
many respects the games are the same in the two leagues...you still score
runs and then you stop the other club. The way that you score runs and the
way you stop the other club...a lot of the fundamentals are the same. The
fact that the pitcher is in the lineup does alter strategy. I'm gonna work
hard to pay attention to them...and try to do what a manager is supposed
to do...which is to put a club in the best position to win.
I've talked to veteran National League managers. Sparky [Anderson] said
that one example would be the way we've used the bullpen in the American
League the last bunch of years is very much like the frame of mind that
you have to have in the National League for the bullpen. He doesn't think
there'll be a major adjustment.
I think that just being conscious of when the pitcher is hitting and what
that means in terms of the game is going to be important. The other parts...trying
to use your bench and trying to defend against their bench...be ready for
their relievers...that happens in the American League also.
Q: How about the double switch?
La Russa: I think the double switch...I'm sure that there's some
basics...that if you pay attention...you can grab ahold of. I'm equally
as sure...that the longer that you work a double switch that there are some
real fine points that can pick up an edge here or there. Guys like Cox and
Leyland and Lasorda and Fregosi have been doing it for a lot of years. I'm
sure that they have some of the key situations that are a little bit different
where if you understand all of the options you can pick up an edge for the
club. I'm going to work my a** off to pick up that edge as soon as I can...but
I'll probably be at a disadvantage early on.
Q: When you took over as manager with Oakland and the White Sox, you took
over in the middle of the season. Do you find this situation preferable...taking
over in the off-season?
La Russa: Absolutely. In fact, in the Oakland situation, I asked,
partly because we'd promised our family our first summer vacation...I asked
for that...that I'd hold off and take the club in the off-season. They said
no...you need to take it now. Itdoes allow you a certain time to look at
your club and put it together.
The negative, though, is that the sooner that you can start seeing the guys
in action...the closer you're going to get to evaluating what you have.
You can talk and read reports and watch tapes...that's only a part. The
best way is seeing yourself. Walking into a situation, at least from the
very first day, you're getting the best handle on evaluating the talent.
Q: You mentioned the strength of the bullpen...do you see your bullpen strategy
changing at all? And how do you see the trend going with more and more relievers
facing fewer and fewer batters?
La Russa: I don't know. I think sometimes that is misunderstood...and
maybe exaggerated. My perspective is that when you have a lead...sometimes
you try to make it as tough for the other club to score...in the inning
that you're playing in...as possible. That's what I was taught...that's
what I believe. I've seen it work. When you have a lead...sometimes you
run through the bulk of the relievers. I think in games when you're behind
you don't make as many moves.
I know in the National League you have to be careful...because about the
time you make some of those moves...if the pitcher comes up...you may be
forced to pinch-hit for him...and the double-switch doesn't make sense you
may run through an extra pitcher or two,because he's in the game as a hitter.
I know that you don't have the same freedom that you do in the American
League. I think it's one of those things you can go crazy with and percentage
yourself to death...and that doesn't make sense. I could tell you the theory
that you could decide whether you do it right or not.
I don't always go for the lefty-lefty or the right-righty...sometimes you
go righty lefty or bring in a lefty to face a righty. I've done it many
times....I think it's all in trying to look at a game and trying to decide
what gives you the best chance against that hitter and having a good feel
for the real abilities of your players. Many lefthanders...that's why they're
so tough to have... are better against righthanded hitters...you've got
to use them more that way.
I don't want to belabor the point....the point is that I think it's an exaggeration
now...the use of relievers. As long as you have a good reason for the change
you make...you've got to make it. But I don't think you just change because
of what percentages or what the book dictates.
Q: How much of the trade with the A's is dependent on the signing of Grace
and Biggio? Since Bordick and Eckersley's name have been mentioned prominently...I'm
just wondering what the status of Henke and Ozzie are (sp)?
La Russa: Henke is weighing his availability next year and right
now the indication that we're getting is that he's backing off of pitching...at
least for start of next season. So we're trying to make sure we're covered
for a reliever.
In Ozzie's case, that's a tough one to read...because there's a question
about health based on the last couple of years. Last year he was not available
much...and don't know whether his arm is going to be healthy to throw from
shortstop.
One of the problems that Joe Torre and the Cardinals had last year was a
pivot situation that he couldn't count on. Pena got hurt and Ozzie wasn't
there. To me, one of the real keys to a winning ballclub is reliability...whether
it's pitchers or players. If you have to keep disrupting your nucleus, to
make up for somebody that's hurt...it's very difficult to do. You can do
it once in a while...it's fine...that's the key. That's the question with
Ozzie. I haven't had anybody tell me that he's healthy enough to play. And
people that watched him last year they said he wasn't healthy last year.
We think that we need some infield protection no matter what happens with
Biggio and Grace.
About the money. We're not unlimited as far as how much salary we can pay
in 1996...but the way that Walt Jocketty and Mark Lamping have put together
our payroll...Walt is pursuing free agents and also talking trade with several
clubs and there's a way that it all works.
Q: Our understanding here in Chicago is that you had the opportunity to
meet with Mark Grace personally. I'm just wondering what some of your impressions
are not having a chance to see him play on a regular basis.
La Russa: I've had two or three chances in the past. Number one,
a manager who had a lot of respect and admiration for him, and is a friend
of mine and was recently on our staff, was Jim Lefebvre. We've talked about
Mark in the past because it's an Arizona team. I've seen Mark quite a bit
in spring training and I saw him some when he played during the season with
the Cubs.
I've talked to him over the phone but I have not seen him personally...but
based on everything that I know about him...and everything that i've heard
about him...he's a winning type player. You try to win in the major leagues
if you can have somebody that can get a base hit and make a defensive play
and have a winning attitude. That's a complete player, in my opinion. It
will be interesting to see where he decides to play in 1996.
Q: If you could talk just a little bit about when you were playing and the
influences that you had that steered you toward managing...and at what point
you were pretty certain you wanted to pursue that path?
La Russa: Well, early on...I signed so young at 17...I was just aware
that I really loved the game. I had a natural interest in trying to learn
it. It was just something I wanted to do: I wanted to learn the game. I
think that's probably the number one criteria for whether a guy...should
you think about him as a manager. Is he interested enough in the game to
try and really learn it?
That's why I'm really happy to see guys like Don Baylor and Dusty Baker...guys
who were real good players...Jim Fregosi...guys like that...become managers
and show how well they manage...to end that stuff that you have to be a
lousy player to be a manager. I think the key is...do you want to learn
the game?
So early on I loved it and I wanted to learn it...never thinking about managing
because I was...a prospect that soon became a suspect. About the middle
[of my career]...about the middle..after some injuries and stuff...I would
get an inquiry once in a while and that always shook me up a bit because
people...when they start talking 'if you ever decide to manage...give us
a call' that means they don't see a playing career for you very long.
But the major thing that happened to me...if I had to pick one influence
it was Loren Babe. I ran into him as a player-coach in the Chicago White
Sox organization in 1976 in Denver and Iowa...and being involved with Loren
opened up all kinds of different views than I had thought of.
Most players look at the game and see game strategy...but there's so much
more than that. Being around Loren and having a chance to talk with him...he
was such a good baseball man and that really whetted my appetite. Then the
next influence was getting into the White Sox, and having the chance with
Bill Veeck and Roland Hemond...and getting involved with Paul Richards and
Ken Silverstri as a young manager...because they really made it like school...creating
situations and asking me to respond. It was a wonderful schooling-type situation
and lastly, when I got to the big-leagues...I developed the habit of asking
a lot of questions.
[That is] something that I'm still doing...especially now going to the National
League. The willingness of veteran managers to talk to me at length. I'm
talking about Sparky Anderson and John McNamara and Dick Williams and Billy
Martin...the willingness of men like that to spend time talking was a really
important part of my managing because they're really sharp and they could
really challenge what you were saying and give you some insight.
Then, later on, as you earn the right to hang around for awhile...then some
tougher guys like Gene Mauch and Earl Weaver will open up to you. Gene Mauch...I
treasure the time I spend with Gene. Whitey Herzog...you had to earn some
time before they believed enough that you'd be worthwhile talking to. I
think that I've been really lucky that way, and in about that order. I enjoyed
telling it like that because it reminds me of these people and how special
they've been to me.
Q: Do you have a highlight from your playing days...and could you address
the importance of keeping a pitching coach and manager together...like you
and Dave Duncan, and Bobby Cox and Leo Mazzone?
La Russa: Well you know...my highlights as a player are really so
insignificant...it's really a tell-tale of what a lousy career I had...a
pinch-hit here or a pinch-run there. I had a very nothing career...just
a couple of moments where I came through. But every year that passes I remember
myself as worse than the year before...by now I'm real real bad. Some guys
get better over the years...I get worse.
I think the key is...if you have somebody that you really admire and respect
their work...if you can put them on your team...then you're lucky together.
I go back to Jim Leyland. Having Jim Leyland on our team...we used to share
so much...the problem was it was his time to manage in the big leagues...so
he left.
Dave Duncan is really enjoying the challenge of excelling as a pitching
coach. I think it's a great asset as long as the relationship stays the
same and is still built on the same qualities and you're both still energized
by the job.
I could tell you stories about what Duncan is doing...ever since we've gotten
to the Cardinals...that would show how energized he is. I feel the same
way about Dave McKay...we've been together for 10 years. Tommie Reynolds
is going [to St. Louis]. I think it's very important as long as it's build
on the quality of the work, not the quality of the friendship.
Q: How have you gone about familiarizing yourself with the Cards roster
and in terms of your planning this off season...has it differed from the
past nine or ten years?
La Russa: Yes. It's been different in several significant ways. One
is coming into the new league...and coming in with a team that we don't
see in spring training. If I had gone to a National League team that trained
in Arizona...I would have a better feel. So it's...what I'm relying on is
having conversations with Cardinals people like Jerry Walker and Mike Jorgensen
and Marty Maier and obviously Walt Jocketty. I'll be talking more when we
get to camp with Red Schoendienst and Bob Gibson...guys who've been with
the club recently and are still with us. So you talk with guys...you read
reports.
And nowadays, video is a big aid that didn't used to be around as much.
But the number one way you learn is by watching the guys in person on the
field...so you try to do a lot of stuff during the winter. But that's different.
I didn't spend all the time in the last few years trying to learn our club...you
also spend time trying to learn the league.
I've got tapes and I try to watch our club against another club. You learn
both sides...the club you're watching as well as your own players.
What is the same is that you spend the winter trying to put together the
best ballclub you can going into spring training. We're doing that with
Walt Jocketty like we did with Sandy Alderson...it's a little bit different
because we're more aggressive because we have more needs. And the Cardinals
have a real desire to get back to what they've represented throughout their
history.
Q: St. Louis is traditionally been a baseball hotbed...people are really
married to the team. It seems like the last few years...not playing as well...people
aren't quite as into baseball. Are you aware of that...in terms of trying
to restore the Cardinals tradition?..And also, in your capacity as a big-name
manager...how much of an ambassador can you be in St. Louis to get people
into the Cardinals again?
La Russa: Well, I'm absolutely aware of St. Louis Cardinal baseball...the
fan base and the history...I'm absolutely aware of what that is. That was,
from the first day that Walt Jocketty called...one of the major reasons
to seriously consider the Cardinals. The closer we got to going there, and
since I've been there...the more impressive I think it is...what that franchise
has done over the history.
If you know me at all, you know that since I was a kid I've followed baseball.
The impact that being able to put on a Cardinal uniform has for me. It's
real important...real significant...I feel a tremendous responsibility to
honor that uniform. That's just the way I am. It may sound a little corny...I've
never been embarrassed for being corny. I want to restore the Cardinals
to where they're contending and winning their share of championships. That's
very important to me. That's the way I look at it. It's one of the unique
situations in baseball.
If we can get out there...strike the if. When we get out there and competing...then
I know the fan base is going to respond. Because they have a history of
it and they love the game.
I've heard two or three dozen times...people not with the Cardinals...who've
walked up to me and told me about their enjoying St. Louis and the fans.
Scouts, managers, players, coaches, people that visit who are baseball fans.
So I know it's there.
I've been through it before when I came to the A's...I grew up there 10
years as a player...I felt a responsibility there.
The White Sox, they had a great history with old Comiskey Park. I'm used
to the feeling of responsibility.
The way that I try to handle it is very simple. If I just try to do my best
job and we try to win as many games as we can...that takes care of all of
the obligations. So I don't need to get confused. I just need to get that
club ready physically, mentally, and fundamentally...the three part test.
If I can that club ready, then everything else falls into place.
Q: The sale of the club. Is that something that's been a concern or been
something that's thought about much?
La Russa: When I was first told about it definitely staggered me
a little bit...because part of the Cardinals mystique was Anheuser-Busch.
As it was explained, there's an active group or two that I understand is
looking at the club. The way it's coming out it's going to be a real positive
move for the Cardinals franchise...anything that's good for the franchise
I'm all for. I really think that the sale to a private owner is an important
plus for this club at this time.
Participating publications: The Sacramento Bee, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch,
The Sporting News, the Tulsa World, USA Today Baseball Weekly, the San Francisco
Examiner, the Daily Southtown (Chicago), Scripps-Howard News Service, St.
Louis Sports Online, and the Denver Post.
Kevin Carter Q&A by JIM HUNSTEIN
(12.18.95)
Kevin Carter has the honor of being the very first draft pick of the St.
Louis Rams. He was chosen with the sixth overall pick in the 1995 draft
out of the University of Florida. He was the first of 22 defensive ends
and 39 defensivelinemen taken in the NFL's annual lottery. He was also the
first defensive player taken.
He is a native of the Gator State, having been born in Miami and now living
in Tallahassee. He was drafted based on his outstanding size, speed, and
strength to help the Bighorns' pass rush. He is 6'5" and weighs 275
pounds and uses all of it as he disrupts passing lanes with his incredible
reach.
But that hasn't always been the case. In fact, he was cut from the Lincoln
High School junior varsity football team because he was short, fat, and
uncoordinated. But then he sprouted up from 5'9" to 6'2" made
the sophomore team, and eventually set a school record with 27 tackles.
He kept progressing from there to his current role as the starting left
defensive end for the Rams. He is the only Ram with a safety, making him
the only defensive lineman on the scoring chart. He is currently second
on the team in sacks with six (behind DT D'Marco Farr's 11.5) after dropping
Buffalo's Jim Kelly last Sunday.
StLSO: What adjustments did the Bills make to take care of you after your
sack?
Carter: They started going quicker. And they lined up a back on my
side and they'd do a draw, draw, draw and that was slowing me down and then
they'd fake a draw and run a pass.
StLSO: Did the no huddle offense hamper the defense? Was this your first
time facing it?
Carter: It got you out of breath a little bit, but it didn't tire
us out. We had back ups and we switched in and out. No, I faced in in college
but not to this magnitude. I don't think it was the no-huddle as much as
the mix of run and pass.
StLSO: You probably thought that if the offense scored 27 points you probably
think you have a good chance to win.
Carter: The offense did a great job. [QB Mark] Rypien did a good
job. He was real calm in the pocket and threw a lot of good passes. He got
them to score 27 points but they scored more points than we did.
StLSO: How do you approach the playoffs now?
Carter: Obviously these next two games are must-win games for us.We
put ourselves in that predicament. It would have been easier to have some
momentum going into these last two games. And we have to win these last
two games to have a shot.
StLSO: So you feel you're still a team in the playoff race?
Carter: Very much so. All we want to do is get to the big dance.
Anything can happen once we get to the playoffs. We know we put ourselves
in a bind by losing this one [to the Bills], but hopefully we can keep our
momentum going and overcome this loss, win the next two, and get into the
playoffs.
StLSO: What do think of the success of the team so far considering when
you were drafted they were a 4-12 team?
Carter: I think we've overcome the losses of last year. We're definitely
a brand new team as opposed to being 4-12 last year. And especially if we
can win these last two games, then people will give us a little more respect
than they did last year.
StLSO: Do you think the move has as much to do with it as anything else
or is it the addition of players like you?
Carter: I'm not really sure. That's not for me to evaluate. That's
for you guys to evaluate. I'm not going to say I just came in and changed
the whole program. I mean, that same core group of guys are still here.
They're still playing with a lot of heart. I think the move helped us. But
I think more than that the new coaching staff and the administration. And
the new city. It's really done a lot for our team.
StLSO: What do you think of the fans of St. Louis?
Carter: They're a lot more enthusiastic than the ones in LA from
what I understand.
StLSO: You never got to experience those fans, or lack of fans.
Carter: Right.
StLSO: What is the big benefit to you of the new defensive scheme?
Carter: It lets the defensive line get upfield and run and jet. We
get to fill gaps. We don't have to read a lot.
StLSO: You guys get to be more aggressive and still have the back-up behind
you.
Carter: Right. That's the whole idea behind the eight-man front.
To stop the run when they run and still get a lot of pressure on the pass
when they decide to pass.
Final Thoughts on WashU Volleyball by
JIM HUNSTEIN (12.18.95)
Top 10 Reasons For The Bears' Incredible Success
10. Lack of athletic scholarships mean fewer distractions.
9. Practice is not disrupted by invasive media attention.
8. Helium in the volleyballs.
7. WashU is the main dumping ground for tall, athletic women in the federal
witness protection program.
6. Global warming.
5. Players are taller from standing on their academic records.
4. Cross training - Thighmaster and the Abdominizer
3. Motivational posters in those 3-D designs help with concentration.
2. Wonderbras!
1. Pre-game psych-up is a shot of espresso with a Gatorade chaser.
The Editor's Corner: The Master, the Pupil,
and Tony Twist (12.18.95)
Last Tuesday's Blues-Red Wings game at the Kiel Center wasn't six minutes
old, and the score was already 2-0 in favor of the Red Wings.
Ouch. Blues C&GM Mike Keenan had expected his club to be up to face
the Red Wings, after a wildly successful road trip in which the Blues copped
nine out of a possible ten points.
But Bob Errey and Stevie Yzerman scored for Detroit at 3:13 and 5:42 of
the first period. Taken together, the two Detroit goals took more than a
little wind out of the Blues sails.
So Keenan was looking to shake up his troops...and when play resumed following
the second goal, Iron Mike called on the Ian Laperriere, Denis Chasse, Tony
Twist trio to counter Scotty Bowman's Russian threesome of Sergei Federov,
Vyacheslav Kozlov, and Igor Larianov. Remember, this game was played at
Kiel so Keenan had the final say on line changes.
Anyway, after the puck was dropped, the Russians smartly moved the puck
into the Blues zone. Once there, it became apparent that, at least on this
shift,superior talent and quickness would win out over effort and grit.
Blues goalie Grant Fuhr stopped the first barrage of shots, but Kozlov swept
in a shot from the goalmouth at 6:43...making the score 3-0.
Game over.
And once again, the Master (Bowman) showed his star pupil (Keenan) a thing
or two about hockey strategy. Or maybe Bowman just has superior talent on
his side of the rink.
But perhaps Bowman's hockey lesson begin even before the opening face-off.
Here's the background. StLSO readers can decide for themselves.
The Blues were coming home after a record-breaking road trip...a trip that
featured the pugilistic talents of one Tony Twist. While on the road, the
Blues seemed to feed off of Twist's manhandling of opposition tough guys...and
after literally breaking the face of Buffalo's Rob Ray, Mr. Twist and his
teammates seemed to have lots of open ice.
So what would Scotty Bowman do to counter Twist's presence? Wings' tough-guy
Darren McCarty was still out with a shoulder problem...leaving Stu (the
Grim Reaper) Grimson as the Detroiters' resident enforcer. But Grimson,
too, was scratched from the Red Wings' lineup Tuesday night.
After the game, the party line was that Grimson had the flu. Who knows?
Maybe he did...maybe he didn't. One thing's for sure. If Grimson was incapable
of suiting up, and Bowman felt that his side needed some toughness...a call
to Glens Falls NY (home of the AHL's Adirondack Red Wings as well as ex-Cardinal
Dave LaPoint) would have been made.
But Bowman did no such thing...and his lineup of 18 skaters and two goalies
was bereft of a clear Twist counterpart. What beautiful strategy...as exemplified
by Detroit's third goal and the fact that Twist literally had no one to
tangle with during a game in which he was minus two and did not get a shot
on goal (despite getting a regular shift for most of the evening).
In his post-game meeting with the media, Keenan explained that he knew of
Grimson's absence from the line-up (as well as McCarty's injury problem)
prior to the time that he decided who would dress for the Blues because
Detroit, as the visiting team, was required to submit their line-up (and
scratches) first. Nevertheless, Keenan scratched rookie winger Roman Vopat,
a player with more all-around skills than Twist.
Only Bowman knows for sure, but is it possible that the Red Wings coach
tried to reduce Twist's effectiveness by not countering his presence?
The next night, when the Blackhawks and Bob Probert visited Joe Louis Arena,
McCarty and Grimson were again conspicuous by their absence...and Probie
looked a bit confused (insert Probert joke here) as Detroit won their ninth
game in a row at "The Joe".
And while it should be emphasized that Detroit's line-up is not wanting
for toughness (monster centerman Keith Primeau and defensemen Viacheslav
Fetisov and Bob Rouse play a chippy brand of hockey), might Bowman's strategy
regarding the NHL's toughest tough guys spread around the league?
One thing seems likely. Like a good pupil, Mike Keenan studies every move
that Master Scotty makes very, very intently.
December 28, 1995
News and Notes (12.28.95)
The Blues are playing like the one-dimensional team that they probably are.
Coach and GM Mike Keenan has assembled a gritty bunch of forwards who excel
at winning the battles along the boards. Shayne Corson, Peter Zezel, Roman
Vopat, Brian Noonan, Ian Laperriere, Denis Chasse, Adam Creighton--none
of these players will ever be accused of doing a Denis Savard-like spin-a-rama...all
are grinders who do their best work along the boards. Sometimes it almost
seems like the Blues, even if they control the puck in the offensive zone,
shove the puck toward the boards with the hope that one of the boardmen
can make the puck squirt out in front of the goal.
This sort of strategy works against the Islanders. And the Sharks, too.
But that kind of strategy leaves Geoff Courtnall, Dale Hawerchuk, the Golden
Brett, and a couple of youngsters (Dave Roberts and Craig Johnson) to take
care of the rest of the offense (skating/playmaking and sniping). Courtnall,
who has a great deal of speed, has had trouble finding the back of the net
this season, and Hawerchuk, especially at this stage of his career, is NOT
a finisher.
Keenan never has taken a liking to Roberts, while Johnson, who has had a
bit more ice time lately, still hasn't clicked as far as his offense is
concerned.
Which leaves Hull. All alone. To fight against the Avalanche, the Rangers,
the Penguins, the Red Wings...heck, even the Blackhawks. The Golden Brett
surely must long for Adam Oates now more than ever.
In the recent game against Miami, backup QB Mark Rypien had yet another
strong game for the Rams. It seems more and more likely that Chris Miller
will not wear a Rams uniform come 1996. Recall that the Rams did not protect
Miller during last spring's expansion draft. Recall further that neither
Jacksonville nor Carolina chose Miller.
Looking for a great mystery? Focus on the Rams offensive line and RB Jerome
Bettis. Rams front-office personnel insist that the athletes are there on
the line. Futhermore, no one is willing to place substantial blame on Bettis.
But it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that something was wrong when
big Jerome carried the ball this season. Either Bettis was injured, or the
line wasn't doing its job, or other teams weren't respecting the Rams passing
game, or the Rams offensive scheme was wrong for the personnel (i.e. Bettis)
involved. This bureau tends to believe in the last explanation...although
Bettis may never have been quite as good as advertised.
What a refreshing change it will be in Busch Stadium next spring. Imagine...owners
that, in public, seem to profess a love of baseball. Furthermore, these
guys are pushing the right buttons. You know, the buttons labelled Benes,
Gant, McGee, Gaetti, and Clayton. And don't forget La Russa and Duncan.
More folks are talking baseball now in St. Louis than they were last August.
Much of that talk now focuses on the second base/leadoff position. Is the
rest of the offense good enough to settle for a dependable defensive stalwart
at second base? If Ray Lankford can bat leadoff...we think a dependable
Mark Lemke-type would do wonders for the Cardinals rebuilt pitching staff
as far as reliability on the defensive side is concerned.
Two questions. Who else is out there? Would the Wizard's pride ("That's
what I am. I'm a shortstop.") let him play on the other side of the
infield?
Cardinals News (12.28.95)
*On-field moves first:
--The Cards signed free-agent third baseman Gary Gaetti, a native of Centralia,
Illinois, to a one-year contract. Gaetti, who hit a career-high 35 HR for
the KCRoyals in 1995 to along with 96 RBIs, is expected to play the hot
corner for the Redbirds in 1996.
"We needed to add some offensive pop to our infield lineup," said
Cards GM Walt Jocketty. "Gary gives us a proven long-ball threat, and
I like the fact that we now have four or five players in our lineup who
have the ability to hit 15 or 20 home runs."
--On December 23, the Cards announced that they signed two players: free-agent
pitcher Andy Benes, the older brother of Cards righthander Alan Benes, and
Ron Gant, a free-agent outfielder.
Benes was signed to a two-year contract that includes a club option for
1998, while Gant received a five-year deal.
"Andy is a reliable pitcher in the prime of his career and Ron is an
outstanding player and run producer who brings with him leadership quality
of championship caliber."
--The Cards also acquired lefthanded reliever Rick Honeycutt from the Yankees
in exchange for "future cash considerations". Honeycutt was signed
to a one-year contract that includes a club option for 1997.
"I like the way Rick Honeycutt approaches his job," said Cards
GM Walt Jocketty. "He's the type of guy who always wants the ball and
he thrives on competition. We envision that Rick will team with Tony Fossas
to give us a strong left handed tandem in the bullpen."
--The Cardinals also signed free-agent outfielder Willie McGee to a one-year
contract. McGee, the former Cardinal, is expected to be a reserve outfielder
for the Redbirds in 1996.
--The Cardinals did not tender contract offers to Scott Cooper, Geronimo
Pena, and Scott Hemond. Cardinals manager Tony La Russa is making noises
along the lines that he would like to retain Cooper and Pena, providing,
of course, that their salaries are much lower than last year's figures (ca.
$1.5 million for Cooper and $0.8 million for Pena).
*Off-the-field moves second:
On Friday, December 22, Anheuser-Busch announced that it had sold the St.
Louis Cardinals, Busch Stadium, and four downtown parking garages to a group
headed by St. Louisan Frederick O. Hanser. Other principal members of the
new ownership group include Stephen Brauer and Andrew Baur, along with Cincinnati
resident William DeWitt.
The ownership group also includes Donna DeWitt Lambert (William DeWitt's
sister), John Wallace, G. Watts Humphrey, Robert H. Castellini, Mercer Reynolds
III, and Pulitzer Sports II, a subsidiary of Pulitzer Publishing Company.
The estimated purchase price? A cool $150 million.
On the day of the sale, it was announced that current Cards president Mark
Lamping would remain with the team in his current capacity.
StLSO Quote of the Week (12.28.95)
"If you learned one thing this year, it's to walk behind Brian Cox
when you're leaving the field after the game," said KFNS staffer Ken
Strode to ex-Mizzou star Jeff Cross, who now plays for the Miami Dolphins.
StLSO Headlines of the Week (12.28.95)
--From the 12.24.95 Post-Dispatch: "New Cards Owners Ready To Play".
Subhead: "'We Want To Win Now,' Says Leader"
--From the 12.24.95 Post-Dispatch:"Cardinals Sign Gant and Benes"
Dean Biasucci Q and A by JIM HUNSTEIN
(12.28.95)
The origin of the term free lance goes back to the chivalrous days of knights
and knaves. A free lancer was a knight whose weaponry was available to the
highest bidder. Nowadays, a free lance fighter is called a free agent and
the modern football player compares well with the knight in armor, right
down to the helmet and facemask. Of course, he wears more plastic than metal,
but the warrior image is there. And the current crop of free agents certainly
exemplify and personify hits-for-hire. Most of them anyway.
Dean Biasucci is a quiet, soft-spoken man, not the swaggering emoter of,
say, a defensive back. He is not exactly a model athlete at six feet, almost
200 pounds. He hardly casts the shadow of the hero riding to the rescue
of a damsel in distress.
But that is exactly what he is. The damsel is Rams owner Georgia Frontiere
and, by extension, the ball club. The distress? The Rams had used a third-round
draft pick on a placekicker, their highest position for a foot in franchise
history. How unusual is a drafted kicker? Only one other was picked in the
entire draft. Yes, the Rams had high hopes for rookie Steve McLaughlin.
So much that they let veteran Tony Zendejas go. As this season wore on though,
it became apparant that for whatever reason, McLaughlin wasn't cutting the
mustard. He was OK on point afters, but a dismal 50 percent on field goals.
What to do? All the "good" kickers were taken. All the Rams could
do was to go to the discard pile and hope for the best. Enter Biasucci.
He was (and still is) the leading scorer in the history of the Colts franchise,
having split uprights there for 10 years before opting to test the free
agent market. He signed with the Steelers but things didn't work out and,
as he put it, "I was a free agent a lot longer than I expected".
Then came the call from the Rams. He has brought a sense of calm and confidence
to the kicking game, letting Coach Rich Brooks worry about the rest of the
team. He has a lifetime field goal record of 176 for 250 and PAT record
of 255 for 261.
We caught up with Dean after the loss to the Redskins, which put any playoff
hopes in serious jeopardy. (Actually, at the time, everyone thought the
team was toast and the locker room was a dismal place.) It was a game in
which Biasucci had to make a couple of stops, not something a placekicker
is trained to do.
StLSO: What do you think of your new role as the last line of defense on
kickoffs?
Biasucci: Yeah, it's a role I don't really want. We had a tough time
today on coverage. [Redskins returner Brian Mitchell] might be one of the
best ever. You've got to give him credit. But we need to do a better job.
We have some injuries and some starters are out. We had a tough time of
it today, but we'll get better.
StLSO: I'd like to ask you a couple questions about how you came to be with
the Rams. What happened on the first call?
Biasucci: They called and I came. There was only one call. They wanted
me to try out. I said yes and flew in the next day..
StLSO: What did the tryouts consist of?
Biasucci: I kicked about 15 field goals and about six kickoffs. And
they said "we'll let you know something later."
StLSO: How much later did they let you know?
Biasucci: That evening.
StLSO: And they said you have the job?
Biasucci: "Be ready to go on Sunday."
StLSO: What do you think happened to McLaughlin? Why do you think he failed?
Biasucci: I wasn't here so I couldn't tell you. The bottom line was,
I think, he wasn't making his field goals. Why, I don't know. It's not my
job to evaluate what he was doing wrong or right. Obviously he struggled
a little bit. I understand he was a good kicker, a good guy. He was just
having a tough time.
StLSO: Do you think you're going to want to stay with the Rams?
Biasucci: I'd love to stay here. I think was have a good team. We
didn't show that today. We might have showed glimpses of it. We have a young
team. And as good as we are, and I hate to say that after a loss, but we
have a good young team. It's encouraging...the youth on the team and there's
a lot of enthusiasm. I'd like the opportunity to stay here. I think I can
help this team.
StLSO: What was your opinion of the Rams before you came here? You weren't
with the team at the beginning of the season. What was the opinion form
the outside looking in?
Biasucci: I couldn't answer that. I didn't look at the Rams. I knew
when they called me they were 5-3. But I didn't spend a lot of time looking
at what teams' records were. I watched Indianapolis a little bit because
I came from there. I was curious to see how they were doing.
StLSO: What led to your departure from there?
Biasucci: I was a free agent in an open market. I just didn't feel
like they wanted me that much. They claimed they did, but I just felt like
maybe I was ready for a change.
StLSO: And you went to Pittsburgh.
Biasucci: Things just didn't work out there. I was a free agent a
little longer than I wanted to be.
StLSO: What is your general attitude or philosophy toward kicking?
Biasucci: I think kicking is a lot in your head. You have to keep
your confidence to know that you're going to make the kicks when you go
out there. You have to expect that out of yourself. You have to learn how
not to be shaken by your misses. And keep your head down and follow through.
StLSO: Does the time out they call to "ice" the kicker really
work?
Biasucci: I like the time. I prefer more time. If you want to call
the time out, be my guest.
StLSO: What do you think about on the sideline during the course of the
game?
Biasucci: I'm into the game. I'm a fan. I think football's exciting
and I watch the game. Once we pass the 50-yard line, I have to get ready.
But up to that point, I stay loose and pay attention to the game and get
into the game. I encourage my teammates.
Ronald Caron and the Art of Hockey by MARK
BAUSCH (12.28.95)
Prior to most Blues home games, Blues executive VP Ronald Caron can generally
be found exchanging pleasantries and even a bit of useful information with
scouts, executives, former players, and members of the media. So a guy lucky
enough to be chatting with Caron during that time often ends up feeling
the same way that a new father feels when he takes his newborn baby to the
beach.
In both situations, you get to meet a number of people that you wouldn't
normally get to chat with.
At the beach, the newborn in tow seems to attract beautiful young ladies...females
that don't normally approach...aww, you get the picture.
But back to hockey. Before Blues games, Hall-of-Famers from all over North
America smile broadly when they spot Caron. So, whether it's former Blues
coach Al Arbour, ex-Islanders (and US Olympian) defenseman Ken Morrow, or
current Calgary Hockey Operations director Al MacNeil, a pre-game conversation
with Caron is sure to be interrupted by greetings, handshakes, and hearty
laughs from hockey's legends. Everybody knows Caron...and Caron knows everybody.
So conducting a pre-game interview with Caron is kind of like hunting for
treasure in that the participants never really know what they will find.
What follows is an account of a recent treasure hunt with Professor Caron.
StLSO readers with long memories recall that, in ISSUE #26, statistics from
the lockout-shortened 1995 regular season were analyzed in an attempt to
figure out whether there was a correlation between what transpired in a
given regular season and the outcome of that year's Stanley Cup playoffs.
In that article (entitled "Regular Season Lessons"), several questions
were posed and answered which indicated that, as far as the 1995 playoff
results were concerned, the 1995 regular season yielded the following lessons:
*The number of shots on goal allowed, as well as the number of goals allowed
(in the regular season) proved to be accurate gauges of Stanley Cup performance
*High penalty minute totals do not equal toughness, and high totals of regular
season penalty minutes do not equal playoff success...in the '95 regular
season, the Stanley Cup Champion Devils were shorthanded a fewer number
of times than any other team
*Regular season won-loss records, late-season results, goal differentials,
individual goal scoring statistics, differences in experience, and superior
center-ice play do not necessarily predict playoff outcomes
But that analysis was based solely on numbers. And, as has been discussed
in these pages, there's more to sports than statistics. You have to watch
and learn and feel...AND look at the numbers...when evaluating players,
teams, and coaches.
Which leads us to Mr. Caron.
How would Ronald Caron...with his forty some-odd years of hockey experience,
answer those questions about possible correlations between regular season
and post-season results...and would his answers agree with our conclusions?
Here are Caron's views on most of the same issues discussed in StLSO #26.
(Q1) As Far as Playoff Performance is Concerned, How Important Is the
Regular Season?
Caron: "I believe that we are overreacting to the concept
that the regular season isn't important...it's a long calendar...you have
injuries...these are important factors. You should also remember that a
certain style may lead to improvement in the playoffs.
"Remember the year we had the defenseman [Scott Stevens]. That year,
I think, we were second overall, with 105 points. You should recall that
we had our hands full to overcome our first-round opponent [Detroit]...we
were down 3-1 and were fortunate to come back. Perhaps the most important
player during that series was Vincent Riendeau.
"Then, in the second round, we lost to Bob Gainey and Minnesota. It
was a matter of the style of play..."
(Q2) Can the Latter Portion of the Regular Season Be Used as a Tool to
Predict Playoff Performance?
Caron: "[As far as the importance of a team's performance
in the latter stages of the regular season is concerned] I say yes and no.
Much of a team's performance relates to how well you know its roster. I
like to use the term "continuous growth"...that's what you're
looking for going into the playoffs."
(Q3) Does the Regular Season Goals For/Goals Against Differential Serve
as a Playoff Predictor?
Caron: "I would say no, not per se [in response to evaluating
the importance of regular season goal differential]. In the late stages
of the season, though, it can be important to develop a close-checking style
of play. Besides, last year was not a normal year since East only played
East and West only played West. There were a greater number of stronger
teams in the East last year...and those teams didn't play teams from the
West. So that changes the way you look at these things."
(Q4) Does a Team's Regular Season Goals Against Average Serve as a Playoff
Predictor?
Caron: "I would say no...that a team's regular season's
goals against average isn't necessarily all that important. It IS important
that you have a hot goalie going into the playoffs."
(Q5) Does the Number of Shots that a Team Allows in Regular Season Play
Predict Playoff Performance?
Caron: "The number of shots in a particular game is meaningless.
I will say this: it is not a good indication if, over the course of a season,
you allow [more than] 30 shots per game.
But there is another important point to be made here. We had Curtis Joseph
in St. Louis. The concept of great goaltending that grew up around Curtis
involved a large number of shots. It should be pointed out that Curtis'
style of play involved giving up a large number of rebounds...and then stopping
those second and third shots. In fact, Joseph may have been a better goaltender
on those second and third shots."
(Q6) How Important is Regular Season Scoring as It Relates to Playoff
Performance?
Caron: [Regarding scoring...] you're going to have to be able
to score enough goals to win. This again becomes a question of style of
play. For example, Pittsburgh plays a game of puck control. When they play
the Blues, they will enjoy 100% more puck control than the Blues. The Blues
realize that, and in essence will go with two checking lines and one scoring
line, and wait for the specialty teams."
(Q7) How Important Is Discipline (as it Relates to Toughness and Penalty
Minutes)?
Caron: "[Regarding discipline and toughness...] discipline
and not getting pushed around involves controlling the zones with puck control...enough
to control scoring and the defensive zone. New Jersey wasn't penalized much
last year because they know how to play hockey."
As interruptions from well-wishers became a bit more frequent...the interview
tailed off. But the interruptions themselves may have provided material
of more interest to StLSO readers than the interview itself...and hopefully
will form the basis of a future StLSO feature article.
To summarize, it is most accurate to say that Caron knows good hockey when
he sees it...and believes that he can literally feel the ebb and flow of
a hockey game. In other words, Caron thinks that statistical analyses (such
as the one in ISSUE #26) are useful, but somewhat flawed, as far as their
predictive power is concerned.
Professor Caron believes that over-analyzing hockey statistics takes a bit
of the fun out of the sport, too.
This is sort of the equivalent of saying that the sport's purists learn
to appreciate the mystery and beauty of hockey, knowing full well that they'll
never completely understand the beast.
Entering this 1995 holiday season...with the Blues supposedly-vaunted offense
having difficulty scoring goals...and a supposedly over-the-hill goaltender
playing what some believe to be the best hockey in a career that has included
five Stanley Cup championships, isn't that a pleasant thought?
More Caron (12.28.96)
Sprinkled throughout Caron's answers to the questions posed in the previous
article were a number of interesting tid-bits that, at the time, seemed
only tangentially related to the questions themselves.
A few highlights:
*Brett Hull has never played a better all-around game than he has this year.
He has benefited from the recent rule changes.
*As far as size is concerned, if the talent is equal, size will win every
time. No...let me rephrase that. I should say that strength will win every
time. Later tonight, Theoren Fleury will take the ice for Calgary. He is
the strongest player, pound for pound, that we will see tonight.
*New Jersey plays the Jacques Lemaire style. You could see that even when
he was a player with Montreal. He was always interested in playing on both
sides of the center red line...he enjoyed the two-way game...and understood
the game. Lemaire is focused on the team, in terms of hot to come out, how
to break out. I never tried to get Lemaire to come to St. Louis...he hates
the press and came back to coaching New Jersey for the money.
*The first player I ever signed for Montreal is a Hall of Famer. [The Habs
GM at the time] Sam Pollock authorized up to $13,000 to sign this guy. I
went to see the player, saying 'I'm not here to negotiate'. The player said,
"I can make more money teaching". I told him "You're down
1-0 now...I used to teach and I know that's not true!" (A complimentary
StLSO subscription to the alert reader who can name the player Caron is
referring to. The answer can be found in the Interactivity section.)
*I've seen calls made this year, by what I call "junior" referees...that
I haven't seen before. The other night, a young referee calling the Pittsburgh-Anaheim
game...called [Mario] Lemieux for two minutes interference while Pittsburgh
was trailing...and Lemieux, being the superstar, acted insulted, saying
"you must be kidding"...and slammed his stick hard as he approached
the penalty box. Well, the young man gave Lemieux two plus two for a misconduct!
Mario then acted a bit embarassed...he knew he was wrong.
The Opera Lady by BRIAN STULL (12.28.96)
A familiar face at Blues games, Lynn Humphrey appears to be just another
friendly, enthusiastic Blues fan--until just before gametime. Lynn, or "Opera
Lady" as she is sometimes called, is a regular performer of the national
anthems at the Kiel Center.
"She's got a heck of a voice, that's for sure" says Jay Wells.
Indeed, the near-glass shattering notes Humphrey can belt out never fails
arouse the crowd, but can also be a learning experience for first time listeners.
"The first time she did it, I was skating around there at the end and
she hadn't even finished. I thought she was going to go finish to the end,
but she kind of stalled and I felt a little stupid skating around while
she was still singing," recalls Dale Hawerchuk.
Humphrey has been singing the anthems for the Blues for the past eight years,
since moving back to St. Louis after living in Houston and performing for
the Astros and Oilers. "I felt St.Louis was the type of town I wanted
to live in," says Lynn," and when we moved back I started singing
for the Steamers."
That lead to an invitation from the Blues and the rest is history. Humphrey,
who studied voice at the Conservatory of Music in Kansas City, also was
invited to be the soloist at the inaugaral game of the Ambush a couple of
years ago and frequently sings at national tournaments and conventions.
But the Blues hold a special place with Lynn.
"The whole staff is fun to work with, I remember Jack Quinn was the
very first one to come up and thank me after singing. Jack, and Susie Mathieu,
and Michael Shanahan, and now Tom Maurer--they're the sweetest people to
work for," compliments Humphrey.
Besides her trademark voice, Humphrey is also recognized by her glittery
and patriotic outfits. Emblazened with sequins, stars, and stripes they
can be seen from all over the Kiel Center.
"I got on a quest for a flag jacket, there were a lot of casuals, but
nothing real nice," remembers Lynn. "Then I found this (the red,white,
and blue coat) in a catalog and thought--this is it!
"That first game I wore it, I was saying hello to the officials in
the penalty box and Susie came over and said Brett had been trying to get
my attention. Turned out he thought it was a great outfit."
Perhaps what most fans wonder though, is not where Lynn gets her outfits,
but can she indeed break glass with her voice. "I don't know, but I
have come close. It's such a directional thing," says Humphrey.
"I have blown speakers before and knocked out the system-- they weren't
too happy about that," laughs Humphery. "You may notice, I pull
the mike back and try not to direct it right into the microphone, that could
do some damage."
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