The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, July 19, 1983 - Page 11
Wolverines in the minors
Steve Ontiveros
Albany, NY
'AA'
Oakland
pitcher
15 games
86 IP
22 walks
55 so
6-3
4.39 ERA
Steve Perry Rich Stoll
Albuquerque, NM West Palm Beach, Fla.
'AAA' 'A'
Los Angeles Montreal
pitcher pitcher
10 games 4 games
50'/3IP 271P
63 hits 7 walks
33 walks 19 hits
30so 15 so
3-472E
7.51 ERA 2.33 ERA
El Paso, Tex.
'AA'
Milwaukee
OF'
79 games
296 ab
69 runs
95 hits
7 HR
62 RBI
.321
Dave Kopt Chris Sabo
Geneva, NY Cedar Rapids, Ia.
'A' 'A'
Chicago Cubs Cincinnati
pitcher 3B
Jeff Jacobson
Nagerston, Md.
'A'
Baltimore
28
3 games
14% IP
10 walks
15 so
0-2
4.90 ERA
20 games
77 ab
13 runs
26 hits
4 HR
12 RBI
.338
9 games
31 ab
2 runs
7 hits
O HR
2 RBI
.226
Stoll still pitching strong in minors
By MIKE BERRES
Ann Arbor and West Palm Beach,
Florida are about as far apart as you
can get. Maybe as far apart as college
and minor league baseball. At least
that's what former Wolverine pitcher
Rich Stoll thinks.
"There's a big difference (between
college and minor league baseball) in
terms of individual time," Stoll said.
"All you have to do (in the minors) is
show up at a certain time. In college
things were more tight-knit. There was
more control from Coach (Bud Mid-
daugh). Here you're treated like an
adult. It's your job. When it's your time
to pitch, you better be ready."
STOLL, WHO AT 30-5 is the win-
ningest Michigan pitcher of all time,
compared the competition in the
minors to that of the College World
Series. "Obviously the intensity is not
as high (as the World Series), we play
every day, but the hitters are stronger.
If I make a mistake they can usually
catch it."
The 5-11 righthander has been with
West Palm Beach Expos, the Montreal
Expos' top Class 'A' farm team, for a
month (AAA is the highest level in the
minor lesgues). He is in the Expos' five
man starting rotation. Being part of a
stable rotation is a new experience for
Stoll.
"In college I could be called upon
anytime," explained Stoll. "Coach used
me when he could. Here, I pitch and
then sit for four days. I spend most of
my time thinking about that fifth day
when I pitch again."
THE FORMER ALL-AMERICA pit-
cher has also noticed a greater em-
phasis on individual statistics in the
minors.
"I have a lot of respect for college
ball," said the Attica, Ind. native.
"There is nothing better for creating a
winning attitude than in college. The
minors are for individuals and who can
get the best stats."
Although he has a promising career
ahead of him, Stoll doesn't spend much
time thinking about the majors.
"I DON'T think about (the majors)
too much," Stoll said. "I pull for the
Expos. I have confidence that I'm going
to make it to Montreal. But if I don't, I
have an excellent education to fall back
on. This is a definite advantage over
those coming out of high school."
Stoll hasn't quite figured out what it
will take to move up through the
minors. Since he's been with the
Florida team, one pitcher has been
promoted to Memphis, the Class 'AA'
squad. This teammate had a 3-7 record
and an ERA over 5.00, while another
starter, 10-2, remained in West Palm
Beach.
"I'd like to move through the system
as fast as I can. I'm not sure if I'll stay
here for the rest of the year. I want to
finish the season strong, get to Mem-
phis, and go from there."
STOLL WAS told that, unlike his days
at Michigan, things would not be too
personal with the Montreal
organization. "They told me to pitch the
way I did to get here," he said. "At the
end of the season, they're sending me to
St. Petersburg for the instructional
league. That's going to be two months
where I'll eat, drink, and sleep nothing
but baseball. I've pitched a lot of in-
nings so they may give me a rest until
spring training after that."
Though Stoll has only been in
professional baseball a short time he
has found life in the minors to be fairly
enjoyable._
"I have no reason to complain.
Before my first and only home game I
was introduced and the fans gave me a
real nice welcome. A few times fans who
are where I'm from have come to tell
me (they are from Indiana) and it
really makes me feel more at home."
STOLL IS STARTING a new life as he
did once before when he entered
Michigan three years ago. He's making
the adjustment with little difficulty.
"I've had no problems fitting in with
the team," he said. "I've already made
some new friends."
His only problems thus far have oc-
curred on the playing field with the op.
'ponents. In a contest against the Vero
Beach Dodgers, Stoll threw a pitch that
led to a bench-clearing incident. The
teams were battling for the division
lead and apparently there had been bad
blood for some time.
"I HIT A batter and he charged me,"Stoll
recalled. "I ducked his punch and put
him in a head lock. I got thrown out
along with our coach, the hitter, and
their pitcher who had hit one of us."
One of the most frequent complaints
from minor leaguers is too much bus
travel. This has not bothered Stoll so
far. "It's a one state league (Florida)
so it hasn't been too bad. The longest
has been four hours and you can usually
find something to do like play cards."
Stoll's road to the majors is likely to
be a short one. Although he called his
play "shaky" so far, a "shaky" 2.33
ERA still looks much better than a
"solid" 4.50 one to the Expos. Whatever
his ERA, Stoll remains confident in his
ability. Part of this confidence comes
from his strong faith in God.
"I always have my faith inthe Lord
when there are new areas and new
friendships. I know He helps me along
the way. So I hope I can use my talents
in the best way possible."
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