SPORTS
Page 12 Tuesday, July 26, 1983 The Michigan Daily
Sabo stalls after sizzling start

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By MIKE BERRES
His statistics may look pretty good but Chris Sabo
is unhappy with his play in the minor leagues so far.
"I'm not playing as good as I 'should be," the ex-
Michigan slugger said of his first month in the
minors. "I'm still learning to play the pro game. I
need to be more disciplined."
THOUGH HE FEELS his game has been sub-par so
far, Sabo made his presence felt immediately. Until a
recent slump the Detroit native was hitting over .300
with good power for the Cedar Rapids Club. His show
of power, four home runs in his first 20 games, was a
pleasant surprise for the Cincinnati Reds
organization's prize third baseman.
"I was really surprised to be hitting for good power
so early," said Sabo, the Reds' second-round draft
choice and 30th pick overall.
Sabo jumped right into the starting lineup even
though he was the only draftee to be sent to Cedar
Rapids by the Reds (other draftees had to go to the
rookie league first). Sabo has some additional goals
set for this season.
"I'd like to hit .300 and make it to double-A," said
Sabo refering to the next highest minor league
designation. "It's a hitter's league (here), but there
are only about ten players hitting over .300."

Despite his lofty goals Sabo seems to have his
situation in perspective. "I think they're (Cincinnati)
expecting good things from me," explained Sabo.
"But they know the rest of the season is a training
period."
The real test for Sabo comes after the season ends.
At that time he will spend two months in Tampa
playing in an instructional league. Then in February
he will get married and before the honeymoon is even
over he'll be on his way to spring training. He hopes
to make the class 'AA' team and from there who
knows?
"Once you get to double-A," said Sabo, "well,
people have made the jump (to the majors)."
This is not to say that he is even thinking about the
majors - yet.
"Not now, it's (the majors) down the road," said
Sabo. "If you're good enough, you'll play eventually.
If you're not, you won't."
How does the former Michigan star expect to get to
Cincinnati or wherever the big league highway takes
him?
"Playing as hard as I can," said the three-year
Michigan starter. "Michigan prepared me well.
Coach Middaugh is probably the best at coaching the
fundamentals. There are people here who don't know

how to properly field a ball."
One of the things that Wolverine baseball did not
prepare him for was playing everyday; of course, no
college or high school could.
"Playing everyday has been very tough," ex-
plained Sabo. "It's nothing like college. In a 70 day
stretch we have only three days off. I'm not used to
that part of the pro game. And you always face a good
pitcher."
Playing every day has also taken its toll on the
mental aspects of Sabo's game.
"In college, I was up for every game. Here I have to
learn to pace myself, not too high, not too low. Be
consistent."
To assist him in attaining these goals, Sabo's other
off-season duties will include lifting weights and put-
ting on some weight. "That will help me to endure the
long season," he said.
Although he hasn't been ecstatic over his first taste
of professional baseball, Sabo has found some bright
spots.
"I'm enjoying myself so far. W.e're right in the
middle of the playoff hunt (second place). That
makes it more exciting coming to the ballpark when
you know you're in the race. It's easier to get up when
you feel down."

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Wolverines in the minors
Chris Sabo Dave Kopf Rich Stall Jim Paciorek George Foussiones Scott Elam Jeff Jacobson
Cedar Rapids, Ia. Geneva, NY West Palm Beach, Fla. El Paso, Tx. Birmingham, Ala. Kinston, NC Hagerston, Md.
'A, 'A' 'A' 'AA' 'AA' 'A' A
Cincinnati Chicago Cubs Montreal Milwaukee Detroit Toronto Baltimore
3B pitcher pitcher OF 1B-3B pitcher 2B
26games - 4gmes 6 games 86 games 99 games 15 games 10games
101 ab 18% P 351P 319 ab 321 ab 63/IP 32 ab
15 runs 24 hits 35 hits 62 runs . 76 runs 64 hits 2 runs
28 hits 15 walks 13 walks 103 hits 89 hits 50 walks 7 hits
4 HR 18so 20so 7 HR 15 HR 38so OHR
13 RBI 0-2 2-2 66 RBI 51 RBI 3-6 2 RBI
.277 6.27 ERA 4.37ERA .323 .277 5.09 ERA .219
Borg may return to tennis tour

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NEW YORK (AP) - Bjorn Borg,
five-time Wimbledon champion, may
come out of retirement in 1984 and be
ready for Wimbledon and the U.S. Open
by 1985, a published report says.
New York magazine quoted a close
friend of Borg's as saying, "Borg was
fed up with the establishment and
bored, but now he says he misses the
limelight."
THE FRIEND, who was not named,
said Borg would play in some small
tournaments in 1984 "to build himself
up so that in '85 he can do the classics
again, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open."
Borg has never won the U.S. Open.
Borg, 27, of Sweden, went in to
retirement last January. The magazine
quoted Borg's agent, Bob Kain, as
saying, "We've discussed his playing a
couple of events next year...I do think
he'll do a tournament here and there,
and he'll see if he enjoys it. It's not the

money; it's the competition he might
miss."
Brett's bat in league's hands
NEW YORK (AP) - George Brett's
bat arrived yesterday at American
League headquarters, Exhibit A in the
squabble over a bizarre incident that
turned an apparent victory for the Kan-
sas City Royals into a decision for the
New York Yankees.
League officials still had not seen a
report from the umpires working the
game, and they expected to make no
statement until today.
ON SUNDAY, Brett had an apparent
two-run homer with two outs in'the nin-
th inning nullified by the umps after
Yankees Manager Billy Martin
protested that Brett's bat had too much
pine tar on it, making it illegal. The
homer would have given the Royals a 5-
4 lead. Instead, they lost 4-3 with Brett

being the final out of the game.
Martin said he had known about
Brett's bat for two weeks, since the
clubs played in Kansas City, but was
waiting for the right moment to point it
out to the umpires.
"We were ready. We were just
waiting for him to do something," Mar-
tin said. "We hoped not to use it. It's a
terrible rule, but if it had happened to
me I would have accepted it."
BRETT AGREED, at least, with
Martin's final point - that it was a
"terrible" rule.
"I've seen it all," Brett said Sunday.
"I could retire now...if I had any guts,
I'd leave the game tomorrow and never
play again."
Brett said he had used the same bat
for at least five or six games, "and no
one said anything about it before. Other
umpires have told me before that the
pine tar was getting to high on my bat,

and I should shave it off. But this time
there was no warning to me."

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Brett
. has seen it all now