Angels' King sharp in final shot By John Marx King, a 1986 Mississippi State graduate. "I dream about pitching in the big leagues." Staff sports writer didn't need to make Class-A money when So it was back to the Midwest League. Steve King is no longer top secret. I could go out and get a job making five But this time, it's a one-shot try for A one-time engineer for the U.S. De- times what I made in baseball." King. partment of Defense, King was in tune But top-secret work for Uncle Sam was "Some guys can take a great deal of with protecting our country. Now, the 25- not baseball. So the crafty King, engaged time to see if they'll make it, but my timeyear-old, hard-throwing right-hander for at the time, devised a plan, one to which table has to be more stringent," he added. the Quad-City Angels is in tune with pro- his wife-to-be was not yet privy. "I don't have time to wait and see. My protecting a lead when the game is on the "I was going to be married in November gression has to be rapid or I'm going to line. of 1988," he said. "But I hadn't told my fu- give it up." As the Angels' set-up man, King has ture wife I had baseball plans for the next Quad-City Angels pitching coach Joe been brilliant. In six games, he is 1-1 with summer. She was under the impression I Georger says King has the tools, but has a paltry earned-run average of 1.42. In 19 would keep my job and maybe start work to turn some heads. innings he has a whopping 17 strikeouts. on my master's degree, and she might go "He has the talent and people in the orBaseball is now top priority. to law school. But when I sprung baseball ganization know it," said Georger. "He's "Yes, I worked for the Department of on her as a one-time shot, she somehow done a great job for us here. He's 25, and Defense," he said. "I was an electronics bought the idea. She wasn't crazy about it the move has to come soon. Hopefully engineer for helicopter warfare. I had because she likes to spend money, but she he'll get his shot. If he keeps doing what top-secret clearance and the whole shot. I accepted it." he's done for us, you never know what will did that for two years, but it wasn't base- King then spent his agreed-upon one happen." ball. Nothing could fill baseball's void." summer of fun with the Boise Night- But if King doesn't make it to the big For a while, though, King thought : a hawks, an independent team in the North- leagues, he can still follow the baseball real-life position could do just that. west League. But enough was enough. happenings of a few old friends from his A 20th-round selection of the Montreal Fun time was over and it was time to get Mississippi State days - guys like major Expos in the June, 1986, draft, King made back to the real world where he and his leaguers Will Clark, Rafael Palmeiro, two successful stops that summer. His wife were going to tackle the University of Bobby Thigpen and Jeff Brantley. first with Jamestown of the New York Indiana - she at law school and he on a "I still can't believe I played with a Penn League, and his second with Burl- program for his master's. group of players like that," King said of ington of the Midwest League. But the California Angels threw King a the now-famous foursome. "I knew Will Expecting a promotion but sent back to curve and selected him in last winter's and Rafael would be big time big league Burlington the next spring, the easy-going re-entry draft. The new breath of baseball players, but Bobby was a better outfielder King packed his baseball bags and life again had King hoping once again to than he was a pitcher. Look at him now. booked. scratch his baseball itch. "It was a neat situation playing with "After having what I felt was a great "The Angels guaranteed me a legiti- them. You always knew what was going on year and knowing the organization was mate shot and I had to chase it," he said because the press was constantly houndgoing to send me back to a league I had with a coy grin. "I told my wife I don't ing the big boys. I'm hoping to be able to mastered, I was going to get out," said dream at night of being an engineer. I play with them, not watch them."