Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 47

Sunday, October 6, 1996 The Arizona Republic C5 Baseball's 'finishing school' in session: Fall League starts i Prices oilers valid on select rate plans at Incredible Universe through October 10, 1996, offers cannot be combined with any other cellular oiler. MOTOROLA. MOTOROLA. AT A GLANCE Fall facts The six Arizona Fall League teams and the major-league clubs with which they are affiliated in 1996. MESA SAGUAROS Home park: Phoenix Municipal Stadium (for one year Mesa's HoHoKam Park is being reconstructed).

Affiliations: Pittsburgh, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Boston, Montreal. PEORIA JAVELINAS Home park: Peoria Sports Com-'plex. Affiliations: Colorado, Seattle, New York Mets, Detroit, Philadelphia, PHOENIX DESERT DOGS Home park: Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Affiliations: Oakland, Baltimore, Toronto, Houston, Chicago, Cincinnati. SCOTTSDALE SCORPIONS Home park: Scottsdale Stadium.

Affiliations: St. Louis, Minnesota, San Francisco, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland, Arizona. SUN CITIES SOLAR SOX Home park: Peoria Sports Complex. Affiliations: San Diego, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Detroit, Atlanta. TEMPE RAFTERS Home park: Tempe Diablo Stadium.

Affiliations: Florida, California, Chicago White Sox, Texas, Atlanta, Tampa Bay. Handheld Cellular Phone 30 Number Memory Dual NAM For Two System Registration Internal Charger Adapters 128223700081 Deluxe Pocket Cellular Phone Signal Strength Meter Feature Menu Screen For Easy Access To Other Features Built-in Battery Charger 128053700045 at Municipal, The Tempe Rafters play at Diablo Stadium in Tempe, the Scottsdale Scorpions at Scottsdale Stadium and the Sun Cities Solar Sox and Peoria Javelinas at the Peoria Sports Complex. Don't confuse the Eall League with the Arizona Instructional League, which is active now through the end of October, and comes as advertised, featuring players who just completed their first pro seasons. Games often come to a halt so coaches can emphasize points of improvement. Not so the Fall League.

Some players, according to Cobb, are only one or two aspects away from completing the package. Jeter came to refine his fielding. California Angels outfielder Garret Anderson came here as a switch hitter and got enough at-bats to realize he was better from the left side, where he is now. And some players blossom at new positions. Troy Percival, a catcher in the Angels' organization, showed enough arm strength and fire to become a star reliever This year, watch for former Scottsdale Chaparral High School star Paul Konerko, the Dodgers' top draft pick in 1994, as he moves from first base to third base.

Among the top players this year are Boston Red Sox infielder-outfielder Donnie Sadler (Mesa), Montreal Expos outfielder DaRond Stovall (Mesa), Seattle Mariners catcher, Jason Varitek (Peoria), Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton (Peoria), Oakland Athletics outfielder Ben Grieve (Phoenix), St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Braden Looper (Scottsdale), Giants outfielder Dante Powell (Scottsdale), Dodgers catcher Paul LoDuca (Sun Cities) and San Diego Padres first baseman Derek Lee (Sun Cities). Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan played in the Fall League in 1994 in an attempt to become a major-league outfielder. Crowds flocked to see him, "but have been sparse since. Cobb said Jordan was good for the league and the players, who saw his work ethic, and acknowledges that getting fans in the stands is a challenge.

Several promotions are on tap this year, including a few tied to the Diamondbacks. "There is good baseball. The stakes are incredibly high. It's a league of match-ups the best against the best," Cobb said. Hemond calls it "a scouting delight," adding that "It is our (Diamondbacks') responsibility to look at all facets, and the Fall League is definitely one that could be an important step in our development." By Don Ketchum Staff writer An etiquette all its own.

There is no tea, just plenty of BP and DPs. No crumpets, just umps. And the rain in Spain doesn't fall mainly on the plain. The only wet ground one is likely to see is when the infield is watered. ltt is Major, League Baseball's Arizona Fall League, which begins its fifth, season on Thursday and runs thrpjigh Dec.

9. Each of the league's six teams plays 52 games and features 27 players each. Most have either been in the majors briefly or are on the verge of climbing the final step. That's why Steve Cobb, the league's executive vice president, calls it "baseball's finishing school." Some of the majors' best players stopped here, including the American League's Rookies of the Year in 1994 (Kansas City's Bob Hamelin) and 1995 (Minnesota's Marty Cordova) and the National League's top rookie in 1993 (Los Angeles' Mike Piazza). j.nThe AL's top rookie candidate in 1996, New York's Derek Jeter, played here-in 1994.

Two NL candidates, Atlanta's Jermaine Dye and Pittsburgh's Jason Kendall, were here in 1995. And a third NL candidate, Los Angeles' Todd Hollandsworth, played in 1993. 'The Fall League was a gleam in the eye of Diamondbacks Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations Roland Hemond when he was general manager of the Baltimore Orioles in 19,90. "We had players going to winter ball in the Caribbean, but I thought it would be a benefit to us to have a league in the U.S., where it could be monitored better by the big-league clabS," Hemond said. "So, I proposed if at" the annual GM meetings that year There was no vote taken, but the idea surfaced again the next year.

Everyone thought it had a lot of merit, so the Fall League was born. in baseball seem to be very i fiappy with it. I think it has served its purppse tremendously. The weather is i great The competition here is like no other. A player knows that if he does i well in the Fall League, he is virtually ready to play in the majors." i Virtually all of the players are Americans.

Players from Latin Amer- icarkxountries usually return to their homelands, where the competition is jjusj as keen. ach of baseball's 28 teams sends I si' players. The Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays each have one PV? OFMOTOKOIA i I 1 player this year. Most of the players are from Triple-A or Double-A. There are 14 pitchers, three catchers, five infielders and five outfielders per team, each of which has an affiliation with as many as six big-league clubs.

There is a position draft for the teams at the annual farm directors' meetings, Big-league clubs also supply managers and coaches. Managers are chosen on a rotating basis. Two current skippers managed in the Fall League the San Francisco Giants' Dusty Baker and the Dodgers' Bill Russell. The defending champions are the Mesa Saguaros, who because of the reconstruction of HoHoKam Park will play their home games at Phoenix Municipal Stadium this year. The Phoenix Desert Dogs also play i I MaM (pDD I a- Service Provided by A I RTO CellulaV Advertised offers require activation and minimum commitment upon credit approval" with AirTouch Cellular and pay-" ment of monthly service activation fee (if any), and fees-1 for long distance, roaming anflj airtime charges which will van', depending upon usage and rate' plan selected.

Early fees will apply. If you terminate service within 120 days, Incredible 1 Universe will charge you the difference between the activated-and non-activated price of the" phone. Other restrictions may apply. See store for details. Free weekends off-peak time offer available with activation of new lines of service on select calling plans (OAC).

Long distance and roaming charges not included. Some restrictions apply. Airtime billed in full minute increments. Free weekend evening times determined by off-, peak rates designated by calling plans. ERICSSON Compact Handheld Cellular Phone Featherweight Credit Card Dial 109 Memory Locations AH320370O12O $2000 IttBATt FREE Doing It Right! 1997 Ford i Explorer XLT Automatic, Air Conditioning, Dual Air Bags, AMFM Stereo Cassette, Remote Keyless Entry, Anti-Theft u.

K' Clayton Ford I (TWO)', (0 fljif. THFM53741233 The Renegade Pager Easy To Read Backlit Display A I 0 Paging Pleasing Musical Alert 10 Message Slots Silent Vibration RENEGADE3720046 Activation With Airtouch Paging Required. W(Jn) incepnon. 1 1 cenis per mne penany over mns. a i in r-N i ii -1 to nr sti tp ioO P' '1 mil I lJfiTd 99f MMWWwiiwwiiMl i un I.M.I PLUS '20 MAIL-IN REBATE GE7BSK 3741293 ft uppiuvou aouu.

ci tuiu umn, viu wiu c- 000 Discouot On Every Expwiier! lMm r. turn i Third Door, SpeedOverdrive Dual Air Bags whit i i inii i i r. I i WM i I 1 (1) Zero Down, closed end MNM I'JWWM llr- J4u ib: -p-- Mel Clayton Ford 16th Street Camelback lease. 24 monthly payments of $249 plus tax. Lease end Lease end value: $12,974.

1st month's payment and license value. J20.469. 1st monms payment ana license lees aue at ......1.. A. tees dua at Inception.

1 oents per mile penalty over 24,000 miles. On approved credit, Dealer retains all rebates. Vehicles may not be exactly as Illustrated All offers expire 100796. 111. All aMah sunlr i ft7 0m flii 1111.