12 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, August 3, 1994
-1
Continued from page 11
college, where consistency is what I'm
looking for. I need that to move up."
Hollis' junior year at Michigan was
aperfectdemonstrationofhisstruggles
inmaintaining aplateau. Onone end,he
often completely dominated the oppo-
sition, throwing a no-hitter and five
complete games on the year. On the
other end, he sometimes was lathering
up in the showers by the third inning.
In part, this dichotomy of perfor-
mance caused him to slip in his stand-
ing as a major league prospect. Once
considered a possible selection in the
first five rounds, his selection in the
10th almost had him coming back to
Michigan for his senior year.
"At first, with the round that I was
drafted in and knowing the average
money you can get, I thought I was
probably going to come back," Hollis
said. "But the Dodgers treated me very
well and with the money they offered I
really couldn't turn that down."
Based on Hollis' brief trial period
henceforth, he didn't make a bad de-
cision. Although arm-weary and still
adjusting to the rigors of minor league
life, he has already set his sights on
what he hopes to be an efficient and
productive ride to Dodger Stadium.
"There are long bus rides and a lot
of dead time sitting around, but as for
the people I am around and the compe-
tition,I'veenjoyedplayingalot,"Hollis
said. "Like they say, here, baseball is a
business and is your job, and that's all
you do and that's what you're paid for.
You're no longer a student-athlete,
you're just an athlete."
One of the ways Yakima tries to
stabilize young pitchers like Hollis is
through a piggyback pitching rotation.
Each pitcher is paired with a partner
and, in a game, one of the pair will start
for five innings and the partner will
finish the final four; their next turn in
the rotation, it's the other way around.
"I think there are alot of positives to
it," Hollis said. "For one it is saving our
arms. I'm getting to the point in the
season where my arm.is starting to wear
down. It'skindahelpful-youcan stay
a little bit more fresh, knowing you're
goingtobethrowing atmost75 pitches.
"When you have a good game go-
ing, you'd like to stay in, but that is part
ofthe system. Itgetseveryoneinvolved
and the biggest part is that it keeps
everybody healthy."
Although Hollis views this year's
stayatYakimaasan auditionaboveall,
he doesn't have any interest in becom-
ing a career minor-leaguer. If he con-
tinues to struggle with consistency and
doesn't find himself going anywhere
in a few years, there will be life outside
of baseball for the righthander.
"As long as I'm moving in a posi-
tive direction and I feel like I have a
good chance of getting to the majors,
I'll keep on playing," Hollis said. "I
don't want to hita spot where I feel I'm
treading water. If that ever comes up, I
think it's in my best interest to leave the
game and finish my schooling."
Doing the Wing Thing
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DOUGLAS KANTER/Daily
Ron Hollis is 3-1 with a 3.94 ERA and one save in eight games at Yakima.
NOTEBOOK
Continued from page 11
ers in his first two years in the NFL.
But now that they have signed with
other teams, he may be able to dem-
onstrate the talent that made him the
fourth overall pick in the 1992 draft.
"This year is probably going to be
my best on the field," Howard said. "I
just have to play hard and play smart. If
I do my job, maybe I can become a
leader for the other players. The oppor-
tunities definitely should be there."
MCMURTRY WALKS AND RETURNS:
Former Michigan All-American wide
receiver Greg McMurtry is having his
troubles at the Los Angeles Rams train-
ing camp this summer.
McMurtry signed as a free agent
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with the Rams this winter after a four-
year career with the New England
Patriots. However, he walked out of
camp this week after feeling that he
was not going to make the team.
Over the weekend, McMurtry re-
turnedto the Ramscamp afterreaching
an understanding with Rams personnel
about his status. The Rams receiving
core, decimated by the loss of Henry
Ellard, has a number of openings.
McMurtry's NFL career is in a pre-
carious balance after a tough season
with the Patriots last year. He saw his
playing time virtually reduced to 7zw
due to problems dropping the ball, nag-
ging injuries and the emergence of
rookie receiver Vincent Brisby.
ELvIS IS SECOND-FIDDLE: Elvis
Grbac, the Wolverines' starting quar
terback two years ago, is shaping up t
betheSanFrancisco49ersbackupquar
terback in his second year in the league
Steve Young, the 49ers' star start
ing QB the last several years, is firml
entrenched in the No. 1 spot.
because Young is injury-prone, Grba
could be a significant part of Sa
Francisco's offense this season.
However,BillMusgrave,lastyear'
backup, has retumed to the 49erscam
after being released in mid-July
Musgrave, who was a salary-cap casu
alty,re-signed withthe club for alower
salary late in July, and could still usu
Grbac before the final-depth chart.
established in September.
-The Associated Press contribute
to this report