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SPORTS
Tuesday, June 12, 1984
Page 16
The Michigan Daily
Tuesday, June 12, 1984 The Michigan Daily
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By PAUL HELGREN
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Tiger clout puts O's
pennant hopes on ice
FORGET THAT "it's only June" stuff. The Baltimore
Orioles' pennant hopes all but died this past weekend.
Detroit wrote the Oriole epitaph Sunday with a devastating
10-4, 8-0 doubleheader sweep. The losses shoved Baltimore 11
games behind the front-runners, a sizeable cushion for
baseball's best team. More importantly, it was the Birds' last
chance to wave those Tiger tails at the Detroiters until Sep-
tember. From here on in Baltimore will have to rely
Cleveland, Boston, the Yankees and the A.L. West weakies to
do their dirty work and halt the Bengal behemoth.
That's got to be a demoralizing thought for the Birds. And
morale is exactly what makes Baltimore's pennant hopes so
dim.
The Orioles were looking forward to the home-and-home
series with the Tigers as an opportunity to make up all the
ground they lost in the first two months of the season. They
were sick of all the publicity Sparky and Co. were receiving
and ready to kick butt. Some - like catcher Rick Dempsey
- tried to fire up Oriole fans by denigrating their Midwest
rivals.
Waiting for the 'swoon'
At first it looked like the Orioles might just be right about
their high-flying foes.
After a 14-2 shellacking in Detroit the Orioles took the
series by winning the next two games. The Tigers then split a
four-game series with Toronto. Suddenly the magic was
gone. Suddenly the pitching was shaky. Suddenly the bats
were silent. Suddenly the Tigers' insurmountable lead was
looking very surmountable.
The Orioles appeared ready to make their move. Sensing a
weakening opponent they were poised to strike. Baltimore
sports writers began talking about a Tiger "swoon in June."
About 150,000 east coasters came to Memorial Stadium over
the weekend to witness the expected slaughter of the upstar-
ts.
Sunday the whole damn thing blew up in their faces.
"It's almost like losing four ball games," said Oriole
manager Joe Altobelli of the Tiger sweep. "You start off nine
games out, with the possibility of seven if we win two. We
lose. We go to the ultimate of 11 (games back)."
Forgive Altobelli if he sounds dejected. He has every right
to be.
Blue Jays will fade, too
Yes, the Orioles are still saying it's not over and yes Sparky
the wonder-manager says a pennant was never won in June.
But they have to say those things. Of course we all know bet-
ter.
So with Baltimore under its heel, the Tigers take aim at
Toronto, starting with last night's nationally-televised battle.
If Detroit grabs two of the three contests across the border
that would put the BJ's eight games down and in a similar
position as Baltimore - depending on others to beat Detroit.
Does anyone out there really think Toronto can play eight
games better than the Tigers for the rest of the season?
On the other hand if Canada's team should take two or
(gasp) three from Detroit, it would still be four or six games
behind. A better position than eight, no doubt, but still an
unenviable climb.
Besides, I don't think the Jaybirds (sure are a lot of
variations on that sissified nickname, aren't there) have the
horses or the experience to go all the way. They do have four
guys - Lloyd Moseby, Willie Upshaw, Damaso Garcia and
George Bell - who can hit a ton, but their catching is shaky
and their depth is suspect. You have to like Dave Stieb and
Luis Leal but I don't think Dennis Lamp can carry the load in
the bullpen all by himself for the entire year.
Look for the Bluebirds to hang tough,.around 8-10 games
back, and then fade in August,too far back to make a serious
run in September. Ditto for the Orioles. It should be a
memorable fight for second place, anyway.
Parrish, Whitaker lead
in all-star balloting
NEW YORK (UPI) - The Detroit Tigers, who Valuable Player, Cal Ripken Jr. of Baltimore.
have held a large lead in the American League Whitaker's closest pursuer is Toronto's
East for most of the season, have three players Damaso Garcia, who has helped the Blue Jays to
leading and another in second place in the first the second-best record in baseball. Parrish's
weekly report on voting for the All-Star team, the main competition comes from Chicago's Carlton
AL announced yesterday. Fisk, a seven-time All-Star starter.
The 1984 All-Star Game will be played on July Abbott Optioned out
10 at San Francisco's Candlestick Park. DETROIT (UPI) - The Detroit Tigers have
Balloting continues through June 30 at all designated right-handed pitcher Glenn Abbott
major-and-minor league ballparks and at for assignment to make room on the roster for
thousands of retail stores around the country. newly acquired pitcher Sid Monge, a team
SECOND baseman Lou Whitaker, catcher spokesman said Monday.
Lance Parrish and center fielder Chet Lemon, Abbott, 2-2, has a 6.17 earned run average, the
three-fourths of Detroit's potent up-the-middle highest in the Tiger's lineup.
defpnse, are bidding for their first All-Star star- The spokesman said the Tigers have 10 days to
ts. decide Abbott's fate.
The fourth defensive stalwart, shortstop Alan Mange's acquisiton Sunday from the San Diego
Trammell, is runner-up to last year's AL Most Padres brought the Detroit roster to 26.
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Detroit's Alan Trammell scores the first run of last night's Tiger-Blue Jay game as Toronto
catcher Ernie Whitt misses on the tag. The Tigers won, 5-4, to move eight games ahead of the
second-place Blue Jays.
Wayne inks with Expos
By ROB POLLARD
Every college baseball player dreams of
someday playing in the big leagues. Yesterday
ex-Michigan lefty Gary Wayne began his attem-
pt to fulfill this ambition.
Teammate Bill Shuta, however, opted to turn
down an offer from the Detroit Tigers, and
decided instead to return to Ann Arbor in the fall
to complete his studies.
WAYNE, A fourth-round selection of the Mon-
treal Expos, reported to the team's rookie league
in Jameston, New York. Wayne had hoped to
possibly break in at the 'A' level, but apparently
the Exilos had different plans for him.
The terms of the contract were not disclosed,
but Michigan head coach Bud Middaugh believes
his senior lefty probably got what he wanted.
"I told him what he should sign for, and he
signed, so I guess he got close to what he wan-
ted," said Middaugh.
WAYNE'S FATHER was -reached at their
home in Dearborn and said that Gary was "very
satisfied with the terms."
Wayne's success in Jameston will determine
how fast he moves up in the Montreal
organization. Wayne's ex-teammate and 1983
Michigan MVP Rich Stoll, is currently pitching
for the Expos 'AA' affiliate in Jacksonville, Florida.
The 22-year-old Shuta was drafted in the 34th
round by the Tigers butfelt that the club's offer
was not in his best career interest.
"Anyone who knows anything about pro
baseball knows that there has to be some kind of
stipulation in a contract offer," said Shuta. "I
didn't feel that the money was right."
Shuta was 5-1 this year for Michigan with a 6.23
ERA. The fact that he was drafted at all was a
surprise. He will spend the summer working for
a meat company in Mobile, Alabama. After ear-
ning his degree from the University in the fall he
hopes to pursue a career in business.
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