Poge Twelve
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Tuesday, July 19, 1977
Page Twelve THE MICHIGAN DAILY Tuesday July 19, 1977
ALL-STARS BATTLE TONIGHT
NL aims for sixth straight
NEW YORK (A-- Battling a
losing streak and an injury jinx,
the American League limps into
tonight's 48th - annual All-Star
Game seeking a solution to the
National League's almost total
domination of the mid-season
game.
THE NL, WHICH holds a 28-
18 lead in the series, has won
five in a row and 13 of the last
14 games. And Sparky Anderson,
manager of the NL club, hopes
to continue the trend by starting
right-hander Don Sutton of the
Los Angeles Dodgers against a
battered AT, team swelled by
substitutes for sidelined stars.
Jim Palmer of Baltimore, the
oly starting AL pitcher orig-
inally selected for the team who
stayed healthy enough to play,
will be on the mound for the
American League.
Three of the top AL pitchers
chosen for the "game, Mark
Fidrych of Detroit, Califor-
Down t
4 _By Don MocLochlon
Jason thrilled .. .
*.*,*Houk concerned
DETROIT
FOR ALL TlHE Detroit Tigers except one, the All Star break is
an opportunity to rest and heal their nagging injuries.
First sacker Jason Thompson represents the Detroiters in this
years classic and the quiet 23 year old is anxiously awaiting to-
night's clash in Yankee Stadium.
"Getting selected really surprised me because I didn't
expect it," said Thompson, who paces the Tigers with 18
homers and 65 RBI's. "It's quite an honor and it really makes
me feel good."
The native Californian has been hitting much better this year
than he did in the 1976 season-his rookie campaign when he only
connected for a .218 average. Thompson boasts' a .276 average
to date and those extra base hits are the reason he has knocked
in eleven more runs than he managed all last year.,
"I wanna keep a good attitude and keep at it," Thompson
said. "The runners have been getting on base for me."
"Those guys have been getting on base in streaks and then
Steve Kemp will knock them in or else I will. We keep each
other up."
"This year I've been hitting the ball to left field better-
so the pitchers have to come inside to me," added Thompson
who will be playing in his first All Star game. "I've just got a
little better attitude than I did last year."
Thompson's selection didn't really surprise many Tiger fans.
The big left hander is having an outstanding year - in his first
full season in the big leagues.
"I think he was very deserving," said Tiger manager Ralph
Houk. "He's just a fine young player who is having a ,great year
for us."
"Look what he's doing for us this year," Houk added. "He
should get better in all ways-homers, average and so on--
with experience."
Houk was happy for Thompson, who will probably see action
as q pinch hitter in New York this evening, but expressed no
glee whatsoever concerning the condition of his - ace, Mark Fid-
rych.
nIt is a week to week thing with Mark," Houk said. "If the
doctor says it is alright he might throw a little before our Thurs-
day game against Kansas City."
"Sunday he threw a few pitches but quit the minute he
felt something," Houk added. "Maybe if he had kept throwing
his arm would have loosened up. However, I know from even
throwing batting practice you don't get over a sore arm in only
a week to ten days."
Fidrych is suffering from tendonitis and pitching during the
upcoming five game homestand seems to be out of the question.
Fidrych claims he just doesn't know when he can even come
close to taking the hill again for the Bengals. It seems that last
year everything fell in place for the Bird and this year just the
opposite-nothing can go right.
Over the weekend, Ron LeFlore extended his hitting streak
to 13 games in Toronto but his defensive play still needs a lot
of improving. The speedy centerfielder is hitting .297 with 18
stolen sacks - but has nine miscues in the field.
Another player who hasn't sparkled defensively on the
diamond is Tito Fuentes. The National League castoff has
booted at least one ground ball in each of his last four games.
Unfortunately for Detroit, Houk has no one he can really sub-
stitute for the second baseman.
Yesterday, the Bengals sent Bruce Kimm, the Bird's catcher,
down to their Rochester farm club. Kimm hit a meager .080 and
relegated to bullpen duty - except when the Bird was on
tho r,,....
nia's Frank Tanana and Vida
Blue of Oakland, have been
sidelined because of arm prob-
lems. Another, California's
Nolan Ryan, turn down a re-
quest to serve as a replace-
ment.
Reserve infielder Don Money
of Milwaukee also was scratched
because of a bad back but out-
fielder Carl Yastrzemski of Bos-
ton, nursing a bruised instep,
sent word that he would play.
Instead of Billy Martin, the
American League All-Star team
ought to have Dr. Marcus Wel-
by as its manager.
"I'M HERE TO give you the
hospital report," joked AL Pres-
ident Lee MacPhail Monday as
the starting lineups were an-
nounced.
Even after he rattled off the
depressing list, MacPhail ex-
pressed confidence in his
league's team. "Despite all our
injuries, I still think we have
an outstanding squad and we're
going to break that losing
streak," he said.
Martin echoed those senti-
ments. Perhaps enjoying the
respite which the All-Star break
offered frofm the soap opera ad-
venttures of- his New York
Yankees, Martinswas in a light-
hearted mood and needled An-
derson with whom he exchanged
barbs during last year's World
Series.
"When we beat them tomor-
row night, ask Sparky if those
American League guys are
awesome," cackled Martin,
remembering Anderson's ref-
erence to the "awesome" Cin-
cinnati lineup last October.
Anderson wasn't feeling sorry
for the American League and
he shrugged off the favorite's
role, citing his own club's situ-
ation.
"Hey, we were the biggest
favorites to win the National
League - West and we're 91/2
games b a c k," s a i d Sparky.
"Anytling can happen."
THE LARGE Los Angeles lead
over the Reds obviously was on
Anderson's mind as he discussed
his batting order which includes
Cincinnati stars Joe Morgan,
Dave Concepcion, Johnny Bench
and George Foster.
"I'm 91/2 back and I've got
foir starters," the Reds' pilot
said. "Something must be wrong
with the manager some place."
Anderson pulled a mild sur-
prise by starting Sutton instead
of Cincinnati's Tom Seaver, who
had been expected to get the
nod in his first return to New
York since his June 15 trade
from the Mets to the Reds.
"I certainly think he de-
serves to start the All-Star
Game with Los Angeles 9%
games in front," . Anderson
said.
Sutton was delighted with the
decision, especially because the
game is being played in Yankee
Stadium.
"I've spent my whole life
wanting to pitch there," the
Dodger right-hander said. "Yan-
kee Stadium is the showcase of
baseball. I've pitched a lot of
mental shutouts there."
SUTTON ADMITTED that he
expected Anderson to start Sea-
ver. "When I heard I was start-
ing, I felt super. Then I thought
to myself, if Sparky doesn't
start Seaver, he can pitch him
Thursday when the regular sea-
son resumes." '
Anderson's National League
lineup has second baseman Mor-
gan leading off followed bip first
baseman Steve Garvey of Los
Angeles and outfielder Dave
Parker of Pittsburgh. Foster
bats fourth followed by Phila-
delphia outfielder Greg Luzin-
ski, third baseman Ron Cey of
Los Angeles, catcher Bench and
shortstop Concepcion.
Martin lined up the Amei.
can League with Minnesota
first baseman Rod Carewsthe
'najor league's top hitter, lead-
ing off, followed by second
baseman Willie Randolph of
the Yankees and third base.
man George Brett of Kansas
City, Yastrzemski bats fourth
with outfielders Richie Zisk of
Chicago and Reggie Jackson
of New York fifth and sixth
Catcher Carlton Fisk of Boston
bats seventh followed by Red
Sox shortstop Rick Burleson.
Sutton said he had an Al-Star
surprise for Anderson.
"We haven't gone oer the
hitters yet," said the lidger
pitcher. "But no matter shat
we decide, I'm going to tell
Caren, what's coming. If he can
hit .400 not knowing, it sure
won't hurt to know what c.i
ing."
All-Star
Pairings
ab r h he bitfret
First Base
Garvey Nt. 379 57 111 2 ?80 .293
Carew AL 343 70 135 6 58 .394
Second Base
MlorgnnNt. 29t 7491t1?1 .47.31?
aandlph AL 322 55 98 4 a '94
Third Base
Ctey NL 331 49 9o to St .tt8
Gnrett AL 300 46 t4 4 34 .28
shortstop
Burteson Al, 153 45 10 0 2 28.9
Concepeton NL 319 37 94 6 3t .559
Outfield
Parker NL 376 61 124 14 64 .330
Luzinski NL 302 52 100 21 71 .331
GFoster NL 343 69 105729 90 .3t1
Yastrzmski AL 314 51 97 51 62 .30
Zisk AL 303 48 90 19 63 .297
ReJackson AL 302 55 85 16 49 .281
Cateher
Bench NL ' 05t40 71 20 68 .26
Fisk AL 295 64 92 16 53 .31
ALL-STAR STARTING PITCHERS Don Sutton of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Jim Palmer of
the Baltimore Oroles gaze at the sun yesterday, which produced 100 degree temperatures in aee
Stadium. Palmer will be making his third start while Sutton hurls for the fourth time in All-SIar
competition-but his first start in the classic.