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page 8 - The Michigan Daily - Sunday, April 7, 1985
A Bostonian's dream: Sox to
finish first, Yanks in the cellar
By SCOTT G. MILLER
C
Baseball prognosticators have become too scientific and too serious in their
prediction processes. Computers and other mechanical aides just can't judge the
intangibles that are involved in the sport of baseball. What then is needed to ac-
curately forecast divisional races? Emotion.
Emotion plays a large role in baseball, so why not use it in making predictions.
Keeping this in mind, here are the predictions straight from the heart.
1. Boston Red Sox. On the way to the Celtics game against the Pistons last week,
a fellow Daily sports writer told me he hated the city of Boston and that everyone
he knew from Boston is arrogant. Call this selection Boston arrogance if you like,
but I have not been this excited about a Red Sox team since the great choke of 1978
when the Sox lost a 14-game lead and then succumbed to the Yankees in a one-
game playoff.
Led by Tony Armas (43 homers. 123 RBIs), Jim Rice (28 homers, 122 RBIs),
and Dwight Evans (32 homers, 104 RBIs) the Sox have the best outfield both offen-
sively and defensively in the major leagues. Add to the offense third baseman
Wade Boggs-a .344 career hitter and designated hitter Mike "the hitman" Easler
(27 homers, 91 RBIs) the Sox will be smashing balls into and over the Green Mon-
ster in Fenway Park all season.
Pitching or lack of it has always been the Red Sox major problem, but this year
should be different. If the youthful starting rotaton of Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd,
phenom Roger Clemens, Al Nipper and Bruce Hurst reach their potential, the Sox
will dominate. Lefty Bob Ojeda last week was moved to the bullpen to join relief
ace Bob Stanley. This maneuver, if it succeeds, could form the best righty-lefty
relief combination in the big leagues.
2. Toronto Blue Jays. This may be the Blue Jays' year. The 1977 expansion team
has patiently built a contender. Last year the Jays finished in second place and
could have easily won any other division in baseball.
The bullpen was the Jays' major problem in the 1984 campaign. To improve that
situation the team traded for relievers Bill Caudill (88 saves in the last three
seasons) and Gary Lavelle.
The cost of the trades was high however, as the Jays lost shortstop Alfredo Grif-
fin, outfielder Dave Collins, and starting pitcher Jim Gott. But the starting lineup
remains strong with outfielders Lloyd Moseby and George Bell, first baseman
Willie Unshaw, second baseman Damaso Garcia, and slick fielding rookie shor-
stop Tony Fernandez, Dave Steib is one of the best starters around, and if the
bullpen performs to expectations, the Jays could be the team to beat.
3. Detroit Tigers. Sorry Tiger :fans. It was too easy for the Tigers last season. A
35-5 start virtually assured Sparky's boys the division crown. This season it will be
much more difficult as everyone shoots to dethrone the defending World Champions.
Complacency is an ugly word in spor-
ts,Tand the Tigers will experience a lot
of it because almost every starter has
A L I been signed to a lucrative long term
contract. Complacency will be a big
factor in the performance of MVP and
Eh a st 1Cy Young award winner Willie Hernan-
_~ .dez. He will not have the drive to repeat
his, incredible 1984 showing (32 saves,
1.92 ERA). Hernandez had the year of his life, but a more than likely average 1985
campaign won't be enough to keep the Tigers in contention.
The Tigers have as much talent as any team, Kirk Gibson should play with in-
spiration. The former Michigan State star signed a one year contract which means
he should have a good season to improve his bargaining position. The starting pit-
ching looks good with 19 game winner Jack Morris, 18 game winner Dan Petry, and
newcomer Walt Terrell. Up the middle the Tigers are the strongest in the East with
catcher Lance Parrish, second baseman Lou Whitaker, shortstop Alan Trammell,
and center fielder Chet Lemon. Third base is a definite weakness with the
Whitaker switch over experiment a failure. Rookie Chris Pittaro will be the next)
guinea pig to try the position.
Sparky Anderson will have his work cut out for him this season. The Tigers will
not have the same mental edge they had last year, and in the AL East this means
certain defeat.
4. Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles should improve slightly on their fifth place
finish last season. Cal Ripken Jr. and Eddie Murray's run production last year
dropped 118 from the O's championship year of 1983. To remedy the situation the
Orioles signed free agents Lee Lacy and Fred Lynn so that teams cannot pitch
around Ripken and Murray. These signings could prove disasterous for the nor-
mally stingy Orioles. Lacy is in his old age, and Fred "showboat" Lynn has not
done anything since his departure from Boston.
The Orioles cornerstone has always been excellent pitching. The staff will be
good in 1985, but not outstanding. The O's don't have as much pitching depth as
they have had in the past. The starters, Mike Boddicker (AL's only 20 game win-
ner), Scott McGregor, Storm Davis, and Mike Flanagan (out for half the season
with a torn Achilles tendon), are strong. However, the bullpen is a question mark.
5. Milwaukee Brewers. Is there a doctor in the house? Unless pitchers Pete
Vuckovich and Rollie Fingers, shortstop Robin Young (may play in the outfield),
and third baseman Paul Molitor find miraculous cures for their ailments,
Milwaukee fans will suffer through another long season.
6. Cleveland Indians. The city of Cleveland should be renamed Loserville, U.S.A.
for sports franchises. When has Cleveland ever had a decent sports team?
The Indians improved last season, but the team is still a joke. Starting pitcher
Bert Blyleven is outstanding. After Blyleven can anyone name another Indians'
pitcher?/
Manager Pat Corrales has some good young talent to develop. Youngsters like
third baseman Brook Jacoby, shortstop Julio Franco, catcher Jerry Willard and
outfielders Joe Carter, Brett Butler and Mel Hall form a great nucleus for the
future, but knowing the Indians somehow these players will turn out like Joe Char-
boneau.
7. New York Yankees. Where else would a diehard Red Sox fan place the
Yankees? Even if they don't finish last, it's great to think they could come in seven-
th place.
Seriously, the Bronx Bombers are a tough team to figure for 1985. They could
even challenge for the division crown, a thought that repulses me. The Yankees
surprisingly had the best record in baseball, 51-29, after the all-star break last
season despite the usual circus atmosphere in the clubhouse and rumors that the
manager would be fired.
With a batting order of newly acquired base thief Ricky Henderson, Willie Ran-
dolph, AL batting champion Don Mattingly, Dave, Winfield, Don Baylor and Ken
Griffey, the team will have the firepower that could make it a contender. Another
strength of the team is Dave Righetti's successful transition to the bullpen last year
(31 saves) that made Yankees fans forget Goose Gossage.
Yogi Berra's problem will be his senior citizen starting pitching. Phil Niekro
was sensational last season. But at 46 years old, can he defy nature for another
campaign? Starters Ron Guidry, 34 years old, and John Montefusco, soon to be 35
years old, are not getting any younger. The Yankees are looking for a big perfor-
mance from free agent Ed Whitson who was 14-8 with the Padres last year. Leave
it to demented owner George Steinbrenner to sign a very mediocre pitcher to a.
huge contract that is undeserved.
Easler
... to tame the Green Monster
Caudill
... Jay's new addition
Daily Photo by DARR IAN SMITH
Now playig in center field.. .
Yesterday's baseball action, captured here, was not exactly what the fans had in mind. The games against Indiana
were postponed until today and tomorrow, due to the poor field conditions and inclement weather.
SPORTS OF THE DAILY:
Men netters dumped in
doubles, fallto0NU, -
Hernandez
... due for a fall
Special to the Daily
EVANSTON - Many tennis fans are
only concerned with the results of
singles competition, but Northwestern
proved to Michigan Friday night that
the doubles matches are just as impor-
tant. Michigan led 4-2 after the six
singles matches, but dropped all three
doubles matches and the Wildcats won,
5-4.
The Wolverines took all of the last
three singles matches. Playing in the
fourth slot, John Royer beat Marco
Wen, 7-6, 6-2. Number five Brad Koontz
defeated Scott Bindley, 6-1, 6-3, and six-
th singles player Franz Geiger came
from behind to knock off Dan Christian,
4-6,6-3,7-6.
BUT IT WAS downhill from there.
Michigan's Jim Sharton and Ed Filer
fell to Northwestern's Danny Weiss and
Martin Hampe, 4-6, 4-6. The Wildcat
team of Dave Kabiller and Mike Krebs
beat Wolverines Jon Morris and Royer,
6-4, 6-2, and Christian teamed with Eric
Smith to defeat Tomas Anderson and
Jed Hakken in the deciding match, 6-4,
6-2.
Sharton, Michigan's top player,
easily won his singles match over
Hampe, 6-3, 6-2. The Wolverines'
second singles man, Morris, dropped
straight sets to Weiss, 6-3, 6-3. North-
western's Mike Krebs dumped Filer in
third singles competition, 7-6, 6-1.
The Wolverines are in action again
this morning at Iowa.
Softballers split
Special to the Daily
EVANSTON - Making use of a
crucial Northwestern error the
Michigan softball team managed to
out manuever the Wildcats, 1-0, in the
12th inning of the second game of the
squad's Big Ten opener. The winning
Wolverine run came on a Wildcat over-
throw to third and gave the team a split
with Northwestern, which was the Big
Ten champions last year and was
nationally ranked.
In the first game of yesterday's
doubleheader, Michigan had no runs on
one hit and one error, losing the game 4-
0. Northwestern's big inning was the
sixth, when a two run homer by Karen
Lamke enabled Northwestern to move
ahead 3-0.
PITCHING for the Wildcats was last
years Big Ten MVP and All-American
Lisa Ishikawa who improved her
record to 6-2, while Michigan's Michelle
Bolster took the loss, dropping to 2-4.
The second game wont much better
for the Wolverines, who managed the 1-
0 win, highlighted by the batting ability
of Alicia Seegert. The sophomore from
Manchester finished the day with a
double and two singles. The lone run
didn't come until the 12th inning, when
Northwestern's defensive play left
them flat.
After a single and a bunt, Michigan
was left with Vicki Morrow at third and
Linda Allen at second, when a suicide
bunt by Mari Foster was thrown away
by Northwestern enabling Morrow to
score.
Traccsters place a Austin
Special to the Daily
AUSTIN - Vince Bean placed the
highest for Michigan as he finished
seventh in the long jump yesterday
while competing for the Wolverine
men's track team in the Texas Relays
at Austin, Texas.
Bean jumped 24'2 3l", and track
coach Jack Harvey was pleased with
his performance. "It was a good meet
for Bean. We were expecting to see him
jump well and he did," said Harvey.
"This meet was the first competition
Blyleven
... Tribe's bright spot
Righetti
... Goose who?
40
it
Reds bounce Tigers,3-I
Sharton
.. singles win not enough
__1__I THIS WEEK'S SPECIALS
- -- WHITE MARKET
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Jay Tibbs scattered four hits in
seven innings, helping the Cincinatti Reds to a 3-1 victory
over the Detroit Tigers in an exhibition game yesterday.
Cincinnati, is 14-12 in exhibition play. Detroit is 17-13.
THE REDS scored twice in the first inning as Detroit star-
ter Milt Wilcox walked in two runs. Wilcox walked four bat-
ters in the game, all in the first inning. He also allowed four
hit and struck out two.-
The Reds got their final run off Wilcox in the sixth inning
when, with two out, Duane Walker doubled and scored on
Nick Esasky's single.
Detroit got its only run in the second inning off Tibbs when
Larry Herndon scored on a throwing error by Red's second
baseman Ron Oester.
The Tigers also announced their final two roster cuts. First
baseman Mike Laga and shortstop Doug Baker were op-
Bradley, who entered the game in the seventh inning, was
2-2 with five RBI. Omar Moreno, Willie Randolph, Henry Cot-
to and Mike Pagliarulo each had two hits for the Yankees
while Don Baylor hit his fourth home run of the spring.
The Orioles took a 5-1 lead in the fifth inning with the help of
a bases-loaded double by Dan Ford and was an RBI double by
Cal Ripken.
Seattle 5, Cleveland 4
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - Pat Casey homered and singled,
driving in two runs, and Danny Tartabull singled in two more
yesterday to lead the Seattle Mariners to a 5-4-exhibition
baseball victory over the Cleveland Indians.
Seattle, 12-15, jumped on Cleveland starter Vern Ruhle, 2-3,
for three first-inning runs on Tartabull's two-run single and
Casey's RBI single.