Sports Page 12 Thursday, August 5, 1982 The Michigan Daily TuningU Batsmen playing ball in Cape Cod 4 4 By RANDY BERGER Special to the Daily ORLEANS, Mass.- When one thinks of Cape Cod one epvisions white sandy beaches, sailboats, old New England cottages and beautiful sunsets. In this strip of paradise one would hardly imagine that people would have time to even care about baseball. However, three Michigan baseball players are finding out that the Cape Cod summer baseball league is serious business to the local natives and the countless vacationers who flock here every summer. While enjoying the luxuries that only Cape Cod can offer, Rich Bair, Jeff Jacobson and Chris Sabo are tuning up their game in hope of finding a few reasons for Michigan's collapse in this year's Big Ten playoffs. FOR THE three Wolverines, the league has been like an extended spring training. They can experiment with their game, face top notch pitching, and stay in baseball shape. "When I came up here I just wanted to get more playing experience and also to he able to compare myself with players from other colleges," said Sabo, who along with Bair and Jacob- son start for the Orleans Cardinals. It seems that the consensus for the three Wolverines has been to work more on their hitting than on fielding. "IN THE summer, fielding tends to slump," stated Jacobson, who was the only Wolverine selected to play for the Cape League All Star team at Shea Stadium against the Atlantic Coast baseball league. "I've been concen- trating on hitting-especially on bat speed." "This is more of a hitters' league," added Bair, who has played part-time at catcher and designated hitter. "You see more breaking balls but the pit- chers really don't challenge the batter. as much as in the Big Ten." Since players from all over the coun- try are thrown together for just three months, the intensity and team concept is not as high here as during the regular season, but this works to the players' advantage, considering all the recreational distractions of the area. "IT'S DEFINITELY more relaxed here," said Bair. "The coaches don't do much coaching. They just let you play and gain experience." "It's tough to get a team concept because we don't practice much together," added second baseman Jacobson. "That's why the fall prac- tices are so important at Michigan. It's when we develop the idea of working together as a team. The Cape league is more individualistic and plus all the teams are pretty even so a good season would be to just finish above .500." Although the team incentives may not be as strong, each player must keep his competitive edge because the league has its fill of talented ballplayers. Even without the benefit of hitting statistics and batting averages, a few top name college athletes still stick out. Terry Steinback of Min- nesota, Russ Mormen of World Series runner-up Wichita State, and Mike Yastrzemski (son of Boston Red Sox Carl Yastrzemski) of Florida State are just a sampling of the talent dispersed in the eight-team league.m s "ON THE whole the competition is not as consistent as the Big Ten," stated Bair. "There are some select players but the teams aren't as strong as the teams we play at school." With such future pro prospects at their disposal, it is no wonder that the Cape Cod natives are avid supporters of the league. Since the players live with a local family and work during the day at various jobs in the town, there is a close tie between the fans and the players. "Although we may not be as serious about winning as at Michigan, we do feel a little responsibility to win because the community is so involved," Sabo .'more playing experience' commented third baseman Sabo, "They may not be as vocal as Michigan fans, but they take the league seriously." IN FACT, over the years Michigan has built a solid reputation among the fans and coaches. This year's trio of Wolverines isn't the first to wear Michigan colors in the Cape. Last year Greg Schulte played for the same Orleans Cardinals and the year before Mark Clinton pitched for Falmouth. Thus by coming here the three Bair ... 'a hitters' league' Michigan players have been able to gain valuable exposure, experience and most of all to get ready for next season. As far as this past season's disappoin- tment, the players feel the key was a lack of clutch hitting at the right time. "We had better personnel and played better baseball but then in the Big Ten playoffs we just fell flat," stated Bair. "IT WAS SO disappointing because we were highly ranked all year but we just didn't have enough big players who could get the big hit," added Sabo. "We all went into a slump at the same time." Looking forward to next year, the Michigan trio contends that many gaps have to be filled by incoming freshmen. "We lost a lot through the draft and we have gaps at short and centerfield," said Jacobson. "However, we still have a lot of experience coming back. I think we'll be good." Michigan fans can be sure that at least three players will be more than ready for next year. 4 I Jacobson .. .'league is individualistic' Whings name Po lan 0 coach DETROIT (AP)- Nick Polano, an assistant coach of the Buffalo Sabres, was named coach of the Detroit Red Wings yesterday, a National Hockey League team with 12 coaches in the past 15 years. The 41-year-old Polano said at a news conference that he wants to instill a winning attitude in Detroit. "A TEAM THAT hates to lose will win a lot of games," Polano said of a club that was 21-47-12 last season, second- worst in the NHL. The Colorado Rockies were the only team with a worse record. Polano said he observed last season that in two out of three games in which Buffalo played the Red Wings, "the Red Wings had a chance to win, but they just gave up. "I know we don't have a lot of talent, but if the players give 110 percent, I'll be in their corner. "WE'RE GOING to gain some ground the first year." Detroit General Manager Jimmy Devellano said Polano will get a three-year contract. The Wings have been under new ownership since June. The Norris family, owners for the club's 50 years in the league, sold the franchise to Mike Ilitch, a Detroit pizza franchise owner. Berenson named assistant coach BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP)- Red Berenson, former coach of the National Hockey League St. Louis Blues and a Michigan graduate, was named assistant coach of the Buffalo Sabres yesterday. Berenson succeeds Nick Polano, who was named head coach and assistant general manager of the Detroit Red Wings. Berenson was a center during a 17-year NHL career. After a stint as assistant coach, Berenson became head coach at St. Louis in the midst of the 1979-80 season and led the team to its best mark in history in 1980-81 before being replaced as coach early in the 1981-82 season. 4 4