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Red Sox discuss trade with Japan
The Boston Red Sox and the Hiroshima Toyo Carp are talking trade. The
two teams are close to completing the first trade between the
American and Japanese major leagues. The proposed deal would send
Robinson Checo to the Red Sox, for a player to be named and possibly
some cash. A formal agreement is expected to be completed before the
season ends.
V
I
Carr's first recruiting class hlighted by speedy Texans
By John Leroi
Daily Sports Editor
Not many recruiting trips include
an eight-hour plane ride to the west-
ern Pacific. But included in Michigan
coach Lloyd Carr's itinerary was a
long trip to the tropics.
Carr didn't get the Hawaiian he
recruited there, but he and his coach-
ing staff did manage to land one of the
nation's best recruiting classes.
Yesterday, Carr accepted 19 na-
tional letters of intent from high school
seniors to play football at Michigan
next year. Carr's first recruiting class
as the Wolverines' head coach was
ranked the seventh-best in the coun-
try by recruiting guru Bob Lemming
of Prep Football Report.
"All of the recruiting publications
and the interest in recruiting is great
because it creates an interest in col-
lege football," Carr said. "But the
truth of the matter is, when you look
back, those classes that were ranked
very high did not necessarily corre-
late to the same finish in the national
polls.
1996 Football
recruits
"But I'm very pleased with the guys
we got. The name 'Michigan' goes a
long way."
This year, it went all the way to
Texas, where Carr and assistant coach
Greg Mattison found more than a
fourth of this year's incoming class.
Two of the players that Carr was most
excited about were both Texans -
defensive backs Tom Hendricks and
wide receiver Aaron Wright.
The 6-2, 205-pound Hendricks, a
first-team All-American, was rated
the No. 3 defensive back prospect in
the country by Lemming. Hendricks'
father, Tom, suited up for the Wol-
verines in 1954-55.
Wright caught 42 passes for 1,125
yards as a senior, including four for
87 yards in the Class 5A state cham-
pionship game.
Both players fill large holes in
Michigan's lineup.
Carr lost both starting wide receiv-
ers, Amani Toomer and Mercury
Hayes, to graduation. Both Wright
and junior college transfer Russell
Shaw - the Wolverines' first junior
college recruit in 10 years - should
compete for a starting position.
Likewise, Hendricks should make
an immediate impact in Michigan's
defensive backfield.
"We did meet some of our needs,
and I think there will be some situa-
tions where those guys coming are
going to compete for playing time
just like last fall," Carr said.
Carr indicated that his first year
in charge was a new but enjoyable
experience. He hasn't spent a night
at home for the last month, and he
even resorted to changing clothes
in airplane restrooms on the way to
visit recruits.
"It's a different experience for me
as a head coach," Carr said. "I've
done this before, but this year I actu-
ally had the chance to be in all of these
See RECRUITS, Page 9A
Gynms
hoes to Columbus
c
By Kevin Kasiborski
For the Daily
After a successful weekend for
Michigan sports teams against Ohio
State, the women's gymnastics team
is looking forward to its trip to Co-
lumbus. Saturday, the Wolverines take
on the Buckeyes in a Big Ten show-
down.
Even though Ohio State might not
be considered a traditional gymnas-
tics rivalry, beating the Buckeyes has
become an annual tradition. Ohio
State shouldn't feel special though,
because Michigan has made it a habit
to defeat everybody in the Big Ten.
: Entering this season, a loss to Michi-
gan State in 1993 was the Wolver-
-ines' only conference loss in the past
four years. During that stretch of four
consecutive Big Ten Championships,
their conference record was a remark-
-able 45-1.
However, that success has not car-
ried over to this season. Michigan's
*overall record this season is 6-2 and
includes impressive wins over then
No. 16 West Virginia and No. I I
Massachusetts. But both oftheirlosses
came at the hands of conference foes.
The Wolverines' conference win-
ning streak was broken when they fell
to Minnesota earlier this season. Af-
ter defeating Massachusetts, Michi-
gan went into last weekend ranked
"No. 4 in the nation. But on Sunday
they lost to No. 9 Michigan State
193.375-192.575 in the State ofMichi-
gan Classic.
The good news for the Wolverines is
that although the losses count against
their conference record, they won't cost
them the Big Ten title. In gymnastics,
the team that wins the Big Ten meet is
the conference champion.
With a rash of injuries, the team has
been looking at the season meet by
meet, striving for constant improve-
ment.
"It doesn't really matter what the
other teams do," Michigan freshman
Kathy Burke said. "We just have to
concentrate on ourselves."
In last year's Big Ten meet, Michi-
gan was first while Ohio State fin-
ished last. This year though, the Buck-
eyes are off to a fast start. They are 7-
1 overall and 2-1 in the Big Ten.
"Ohio State is an improved team
over last year," Michigan coach Bev
Plocki said. "Last year they went
through what we are going through
right now."
What the Wolverines are going
through right now is a rash of injuries
that borders on the absurd. Seven of
the team's 12 members are bothered
by ailments of varying degrees.
Injuries are a part of sports, but
Plocki might be wishing she had a
farm system and could call up some
reserves.
"It's hard to win when you are just
worried about having a full lineup,"
Plocki said. "In some events, three of
our top six are out."
Some of the Wolverines are com-
peting through the pain. This past
weekend, sophomore Heather
Kabnick returned to action in two
events despite an ankle injury that
See GYMNASTS, Page 9A
MARK FRIEDMAN/Daily
The No. 4 women's gymnastics team visits Ohio State this weekend.
Gmpplers ready for
No. 18 Ohio State
By Jennifer Hoduiik
Daily Sports Writer
The No. 15 Michigan wrestling team
will play host to Ohio State this Sunday
at Cliff Keen Arena with one eye on the
Buckeyes, and the other focusing in on
the Big Ten and na-
tional champion-
ships.
This is not to say
that No. 18 Ohio
State will be taken
lightly. With every
Big Ten teamw
ranked in the top"
25, every meet is
chock full ofexcel-
lent competition.
Michigan coachL
Dale Bahr said the Lacure
team will begin to
tune up this week as the most impor-
tant matches of the season draw near.
"Our key focus for these last couple
of dual meets is beginning to change,"
Bahr said. "Right now, we're starting
to intensify practices so we can get
ready for the Big Ten and NCAA
Championships."
While the Big Ten Championships
are over a month away, the Wolver-
ines must begin their most strenu-
ous training now to allow for a period
of taper.
In any event, the Buckeyes (11-6-
1) present one of several hurdles that
Michigan (7-5-1) must clear along
the road to any of these championship
events.
Two of Sunday's pivotal match-
ups will test the skills of the Wolver-
ines' younger set in freshmen Joe
Warren and Jeff Reese.
Warren (118 pounds) will take on
Shawn Conyers, who has compiled a
record of 17-11 for the Buckeyes this
season and until recently was
nationaly ranked.
Warren did not see any action last
Sunday against Purdue, having won
by forfeit.
See WRESTLERS, Page 9A
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