The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 34

4 THE COURIER-JOURNAL. SUNDAY, JULY 28, 1985 Pettini wants to get off the farm for his family' sake Mike Sullivan throw with anybody. But It's riof even half of what it was. And the thing is. it doesn't hurt now.

It's just dead. You feel like you're throwing a shotpuL That's what frustrates you." I Gamers, though, usually manage to funnel that rage into performance. Pettini's diving catches and knockdowns this season have, matched the heroics of past Red-birds infielders Kelly Paris, Jeff Doyle and Jose Uribe. He has muscled his average over .270 at times. When it has plunged stubbornly back toward .250, he has shown up, ek4 AlsttAk Ul Courier-Journal sports writer iinunnnn nt wiiii nits i-J uilu uil.

I I have ever seen in my life." On a less-noticed scale, the reverse happened to Pettini. Dave Bristol would approach him after games in 1980 and say, "I don't know where I'm going to play you tomorrow, but I'm playing you tomorrow." Bristol's successor, Frank Robinson, believed that a gamer should come equipped with a slugging percentage. "I dont think Frank was too keen on any utility guy who wasn't that much of a hitter," Pettini said. "In the spring of '81, Johnnie and I alternated exhibition games at shortstop, and I hit .300. "So I never worried about a thing and rented an apartment in San Francisco.

Then the last day of camp, I got sent to Phoenix. They called me up two weeks later, but there was a confidence problem between me and Frank after that I felt I could never make one mistake, and nobody can play that way." As realistic as he is about bis physical gifts, Pettini will confess that he once had a bazooka for a throwing arm. It is a pop gun now, devastated by a chronic ulnar-nerve problem in the elbow and, after he altered his delivery to compensate for the pain, a damaged shoulder muscle. "That's one thing I was always proud of," Pettini said. "I could never had the talent that a lot of guys did.

So I always had to work at it, in order to play the brand of baseball that moves you along." Make no mistake. Joe Pettini, son of mill worker Loreto Pettini and product of Windsor Heights a 500-resident mining town in the northernmost crook of West Virginia has moved along. He spent most of four full seasons (1980-83) on the roster of the San Francisco Giants. "I could never be bitter at the Giants," Pettini said. "They gave me the chance to go to the big leagues for four years.

"I know a lot of guys with more talent than me who never stepped on a major league field. And there are a lot of guys, great players, who are close friends of mine that I en-Joy watching on TV." Don't get the Idea, though, that Pettini is a gee-whiz type. Not after knocking around the pro game, with its politics and setbacks, for nine years. Not after resigning himself to playing with physical attrition that is probably irreversible. Another player's misfortune dovetailed into Pettinl's finest hours in 1980.

when he was called up at the All-Star break and played nearly every day while logging 190 at-bats over the balance of the Giants' season. The i was Johnnie LeMaster of Paintsville, a good friend "Looking back, I second-guess my thinking a little bit," Pettini said. "It was always, 'Get there, get there," get to the major Maybe if I was setting my goals again, I would have been content to establish myself more in Triple-A, so I might have been an everyday player when I got to the majors. "I'm grateful I'm still with the. Redbirds.

They made so many Louisville Redbirds inflelder Joe Pettini is a gamer. That's an elusive phrase, but there is nothing elusive about the baseball warriors who attract it You are inclined to scratch a gainer from your spring roster. But in the wet heat and cruel late innings of August, you always end up hating yourself for it Gamers "sell out" their bodies. That is a sports term for violating certain laws of physics, good health and good sense to make a play. Gamers don't dodge bullets.

They catch them in their teeth. Gamers are there, always there, until you release them. And when that day comes, you'd better look them in the eye. Asked recently in the Redbirds' locker room if he would admit to being a gamer, the 165-pound Pettini drew himself up to his full height, 5 feet, 9 inches. "I don't think I do any one thing really that great," Pettini said.

"I've Staff Mat by Bill lintor JOE PETTINI: It's the big leagues or else for Redbirds' Inflelder. moves in the spring, signing an. those infielders, and every guy was ers on it before a game. I'm telling you, you can learn to be a bad in-fielder in that place. "We had similar hometowns, backgrounds and families, and we're close.

And the next year, Johnnie came to life under a new manager and had the most dramatic change you could imagine. In 1981, that guy played the best shortstop I and "the first person who came over and spoke to me when I joined the team." "Johnnie was having a really rough time that year," Pettini said. "It got so bad that I think he didn't want to come out of the dugout sometimes. That park is a brutal, cold place with an infield so bad that a lot of guys won't take ground a prospect I knew that I had to wait my turn. People have asked me how long I was going to play this game.

I always said, 'I don't know if I could walk away from it But if a spot doesn't open up on somebody's roster fairly soon. Pet tini is going to walk away. Love has a wav of doine that. "I've got a family now," Pettini said. "I married my wire, uaroara, in 1981 and we have a daughter, Amv who's 214.

It's to a noint AMERICAN ASSOCIATION AVERAGES Ferreira's six-hitter keep Royals in hot streak (TVtuft Thurtdtrt fjMiwt) 21 .211 1 II .211 I II .201 4 37 .204 Gonzales, Ind -239 14 51 Lyons, Lou 367 57 71 Lavalliera, Lou 154 13 32 Kunkel, Okc .299 35 41 Team batting AIR HR SB AVO Sebra, Okc 92 74 35 56 6-4 Mahler, Ind -61 64 24 51 4-1 Ferreira, Om 125 101 47 61 7-1 Brown, Ind 61 62 24 41 4-2 Pacella, Nvl .92 69 43 12 4-5 Guzman, Okc 130 110 31 63 10-3 Boa as, Okc -79 79 23 31 5-7 where I ought to think more of them. I can't be selfish. "I told myself I'd never play baseball just to be playing it If I can't get back to the big leagues, it'll be time to look for something more sta 1 23 .201 Scranton, Oma .294 27 Davit, Oma 340 SI Simmons, Nvl 126 11 Grant, Iwa .230 36 Mitchell, Nvl 231 37 McC tendon, Dan 232 33 Davis, Dan ...131 26 Kingery, Oma .315 36 Castillo, Iwa .184 19 Baker, Oma .155 22 92 34 42 64 62 35 14 49 41 17 Plttaro, Nvl 105 13 21 1 12 .200 Jirschele, Okc .121 17 24 1 14 .191 Denver NatHviMt -Indlaiupolt Buffalo Okla City -Omaha Iowa Loulivllla .3452 4M 4I .275 .3421 445 I9t aS 102 .23 .3435 4Sa 194 ai 7 .260 .3275 464 152 73 52 .260 .3264 415 Kt 77 13 .257 .3211 3M 114 3a 74 .253 417 6 15 11 .251 .3321 411 W2 51 100 .241 Hagen, Lou .120 115 63 43 4-9 Volgt, Nvl 122 114 58 66 1-5 33 5-2 Earlev. Oke -59 51 11 Brower, Okc 329 Hosteller, Iwa -333 19 49 It 31 Anderson, Lou 74 61 ble, where you know about your next paycheck. Barbara and Amy, mean so much to me that I hate to be awav from them.

If I reallv have 55 3-4 16 5-4 40 S-l 21 55 Grapnthin, Ind 65 61 Hergshmr, Om97 101 Ownbev. Lou 109 110 55 71 8-5 17 74 7 37 0 31 0 41 4 64 11 Individual batting (Minimum it-baft) AB MR RBI Kelly, Nvl 86 58 71 70 7-7 311 1.21 1.23 3.33 3.33 133 1.41 145 1.47 1.49 1.51 1.60 1.62 3.73 3.77 1.77 1.71 1.89 189 1.96 4.03 408 4.29 4.39 4.41 4.53 4.54 4.55 4.56 4.60 the third inning, raised his RBI total to 77, also best in the league. Galarraga and Rene Gonzales each had three hits for the Indians. Indianapolis scored Its four runs on four bits and a walk in the second inning. The rally came against Bob Sebra (6-5), who left in the third after surrendering five runs on six hits.

Rich Stoll (6-6) pitched his fourth complete game and raised his record to 2-1 against the 89ers. Lanorum, uen i ji a chance, I'll stay with it If not, it'll be time to step out" S3 31 32 0-9 41 hoi man, iwa mi Griffin, Oma .86 71 34 aMr Inri ..190 1U CB That time is not yet at hand. 44 5-6 13 4-11 41 74 Castro, But .330 50 Anderson, Okc .283 45 Wilkerson, Oma 143 11 Hegman, Oma .147 11 Pagnoui, Lou .160 17 Gillespie, Iwa 36 Williams. Ind 133 21 Murray, Oma 137 II Candeele, Ind -271 43 Mercedo, Okc .204 20 Stockstill, Okc .159 22 Ro.Jhnsn, 1 11 15 Morris, Lou .32 45 Earl, Nvl .294 46 Lombarski, Iwa 294 36 Jackson, Lou 146 19 S.Baker, Ind .132 145 47 Brown, Nv 237 31 7 I 30 Madison, Nvl ...100 35 60 7 2 Cola, Oma 107 21 35 0 13 Capri, Oke 37 63 0 Stryrfeler, Lou .113 15 36 3 14 O'Neill, Den 360 41 111 5 41 O'Malley, Nvl I2 13 3 1 12 Oanielt, Den 2M 15 43 Buechele, Okc 350 54 104 64 28 43 4-2 Koontz, Ind 80 71 Worrell, Lou 106 104 40 97 7-6 37 1 47 6-3 32 Denman, Nvl 135 151 31 S3 7-4 33 .271 20 .270 24 .270 20 .269 33 .267 21 .267 31 .267 72 .266 20 .265 42 .264 56 .264 31 .264 35 .261 11 .259 17 .259 27 .254 49 .256 12 .256 14 .255 27 .255 29 .255 19 .252 14 .250 35 .241 31 .241 44 27 .247 13 .246 25 .244 32 .242 34 .242 27 .241 14 .241 34 .240 7 .239 46 .239 34 .237 11 .236 17 .232 21 .279 14 .227 29 .225 27 .224 44 .223 20 .222 12 .221 22 .217 24 .217 35 .214 11 .214 114 11 21 1 Wherry, But Continued from Page One son heaved the ball into left field. Pagnozzl then tripled.

Louisville scored its final run in the ninth when Jack Ayer hit a one-out triple and scored on Ron Jackson's infield grounder. Left-hander Tony Ferreira (8-8) went the distance for Omaha, allowing only six hits. He didn't allow a hit between Pagnozzi's third-inning triple and Ayer's triple in the ninth. Omaha has won 12 of its last 15 games and is 54-50 on the season, while Louisville is 50-54 and is 24-29 on the road. Kevin Hagen (6-9) will pitch for Louisville In tonight's game against David Cone (7-11) of the Royals.

In another American Association game: Andres Galarraga hit his league-leading 23rd home run in a four-run second inning as the touring Indianapolis Indians beat the Oklahoma City 89era 6-2. Galarraga's two-run homer, combined with a run-scoring single in Oquendo, Lou .272 23 53 1 21 .195 Hayes, Iwa 179 15 33 21 .184 Lowry. Nvl 165 17 30 2 II .112 LEAGUI LEADERS Kama rum Galarraga, Indlanapo-liv 22; Hosteller, Iowa, 19; Daniels, Denver, 15; Rowdon, Denver 15. Rum batted In Galarraga, Indianapolis, 74; Buechele, Oklahoma City, 64; Rowdon, Denver, 42; Laga, Nashville, 61; Hosteller, Iowa, 56. Steten aeses Ford, Louisville, 32; Walker, Iowa, 28; Brower, Oklahoma City, 27; Lyons, Louisville, 25; Brown, Nashville, 24.

Team pitching ERA HR BB SO SHO SV Okla City 1.31 792 55 283 451 1 35 Louisville 3.53 797 66 414 595 1 23 Omaha .3.69 785 71 410 530 10 32 Denver 3.76 913 51 386 605 4 34 Indpls ...3.97 182 65 382 526 7 21 Nashville 4.13 859 76 414 556 I 19 Buffalo .4.28 934 82 351 541 5 II Iowa 4.65 911 75 359 573 I 21 Individual pitching (Minimum 52 Innings pitched) IP BB SO W-L ERA Conner, Nvl .74 55 22 42 4-1 2 08 Farr, Oma -114 94 37 88 9-3 2 09 Huismnn, Oma 65 49 11 48 1-5 2.23 Toliver, Den .107 90 47 71 9-2 2.52 Shimp, Okc -M 25 40 2.70 Perry, Lou 65 37 35 33 2-2 2.78 Martini, Lou 106 97 31 50 6-4 211 Keener, Lou .53 44 29 4-4 2.91 Mohorclc, Okc 63 56 14 33 3-4 100 Cary, Nvl 60 51 25 41 2-0 3.02 Keough, Lou .71 53 25 57 1-5 1.06 Tanner, Buf .101 91 41 42 4-4 1.12 Strode, oma a e-e Murphy, Den 51 69 40 41 3-2 Keeton, Oma .77 88 25 29 7-4 Botelho, Iwa .117 110 52 85 10-7 Speck, Buf 75 72 40 58 4-3 Gumpert, Iwa 59 69 22 30 3-3 Martin, Oma .62 57 36 35 0-3 Cone, Oma -104 106 68 76 7-11 Terry, Den -123 145 54 72 7-10 Bailer. Iwa -109 107 59 14 4-1 .246 37 ,227 25 .252 24 ,203 21 .112 17 Stearnt. Den 130 17 3. 3 Christmas, Bui MS 34 13 I Ryal, But 237 33 I Bernstine, Iwa ..172 21 50 1 Pittman, Nvl ....277 35 00 3 Runnells, Den ..424 47 122 5 DeSa, But 314 46 90 11 Walker, Iwa .185 24 53 3 Parsons, Lou 315 49 0 6 W.Johnson, Ind 291 46 (3 2 Barnes, Ind .195 29 55 4 Lee per, Oma -X 4t 16 10 Baker, nvi Maler, Okc Quirk, Oma Hertzler, Ind Kuntt, Nvl Rubel, Okc 201 31 .333 .327 .323 .319 .305 .302 .297 .292 .291 .291 .291 .289 .280 .287 .286 .286 .285 .282 .279 .277 .277 .276 .276 .275 .275 .275 .274 .273 .273 .273 .272 .271 But when it comes, the gamer will not take half-steps, and his head willH not be hung in shame. He'll go willingly through the door; the only question is whether he'll open it first.

I Here's what happened on this Louisville baseball date in 1947: Chuck Koney went 2 for, 3 and the Colonels rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win 4-3 at St. Paul after dropping the opener 10-2. 1957: Jim Davenport's two-out single in the ninth at Minneapolis scored Orlando Cepeda with the only run as Pete Burnside of the Millers bested Louisville's Dave Benedict 1-0 in a duel of southpaws. Fossas, Okc -79 92 30 37 6-5 Cangelosl, But .142 20 Skinner, But 306 31 1-4 Pryce, Iwa 89 85 33 62 73 10 59 10 4.62 4.93 4.99 5.05 522 5.26 529 5.40 586 6.00 6.04 4.44 Owen, Iwa 249 51 33 34 5-6 Stoll, Ind 83 96 DMhcrhiM. iw 7.1 14 1 27 45 1-4 Pettini, Lou 195 It Valdei, Iwa .203 20 DaltanM Iwa 44 47 51 4ft 3-7 Ho wins boys' 12 tennis title WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.

(AP) Thomas Ho of Winter Haven, beat Ivan Baron of Pembroke Pines, 6-2, 6-3 to win the USTA Boys' 12 Clay Court singles championship yesterday. Colby Correa of SL Petersburg, placed third by default. Michael Klein of Louisville, defeated Michael Joyce of Los Angeles 6-2, 6-4 in another consolation match. Rowdon, Den 339 46 94 15 62 Roberts, Nvl 242 26 47 4 3 Garcia, Den 261 32 74 I 17 Gonzalez, Den .134 13 37 4 II 32 Pecota, Oma 284 154 14 Montelne, Nvl. 99 116 15 67 3-10 Wermelstr, BH12 121 50 10 4-7 Perlman, Iwa 113 21 34 4-9 Chavez, Nvl Taveras, But 236 32 Dunston, Iwa 207 15 57 1 23 30 ,.287 42 79 13 61 Laga, Nvl Ra.Johnson, But 170 ,323 42 35 21 Ayer, Lou Noce, Iwa ,.342 55 94 6 ,.164 22 45 1 28 43 79 Ford, Lou Yobs, But Fuentes, Ind 110 19 145 II LEAGUE LEADERS Strikeouts Worrell, Louisville, 97; McGaffigan, Denver, 91; Farr, Omaha, 88; Botelho, Iowa, 15, Bailer, Iowa, 14.

Saves Huismann, Omaha, 25; Mo-horcic Oklahoma City, 14; Buchanan, Denver, 12. 3 7 a ,304 41 Putnam, Oma Little, Den Brooks, Iwa Manrique, Ind 221 22 ,300 34 Galarraga, Ind .33 63 99 22 74 Stillwell, Dan 173 25 47 1 20 Yost, Ind let 13 51 1 16 Canady, Okc 224 33 Johnson, Oma .229 28 ol Annual Percentage Rate Finacning MOT 4 MY Master Dealer Cadillac's Highest Award For Service Sales Only Cadillac Dealer In Louisville To Ever Win This Award i 1 YOU PAY ONLY TRUE CADILLAC FACTORY INVOICE (True Invoice Displayed on Window Beside Gov. Price Sticker. $1000 Reward To Anyone Who Pays More) 2 TOP DOLLAR FOR YOUR USED CAR You See The Actual Cash Value Of Your Trade Not An Inflated Trade Allowance 3 Lkw- on '85 DEVILLES AND FLEETWOODS 1 9 Financing ALL (DONT WAIT THIS RATE ENDS JULY 3 1 st) I '85 COUPE I '85 COUPE I '85 SEDAN. I '85 SEDAN I '85 FLEETWOOD I '85 FLEETWOOD list $20,334 List $23,273 List $20,425 List $23,281 List $24,032 List $25,892 I Discount 3,339 Discount 3,724 Discount 3,261 Discount 3,688 I Discount 3,736 I Discount 4,103 I Invoice $16,995 Invoice $19,549 Invoice 17,164 Invoice $19,593 Invoice $20,396 Invoice $21,789 Stock No.

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