St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 11

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH SfUK I FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2003 Hagin will debut with Cardinals this Saturday www.3inuudy.coin "1 jf v- 1 says he is calm about taking over for Jack Buck Wayne Bruce Hagin PERSONAL Bone Feb. 17, 1956, in Denver. Education: Graduated from Blackford High, San Jose, 1974. (Family moved to San Jose when he was 10); Bachelor's degree in radio and television, San Diego State University, 1979.

Family; Wife, the former Valerie Rehm of Carlyle, III. Two sons, Austin (age 12), Taylor (age 9). RADIO, TV EXPERIENCE: ESPN, 1979. Anchored the network's second "SportsCenter" broadcast. Sportscaster, WPCQ, Charlotte, N.C., 1980.

Play-by-play, Oakland A's 1981-84. Play-by-play, San Francisco Giants, 1986-88. Play-fay-play, Chicago White Sox, 1989-91 Play-by-play, Colorado Rockies, 1993-2002. I. In Jupiter, on Wednesday ness.

The last outsider to make it big was Buck, who arrived in 1954. And he often talked about how glad he was that he had long established a local identity before taking the lead role in 1970. The influence of Buck and Car-ay still looms large. If Hagin wanted any indication of just how prevalent the Caray-Buck aura still is at KMOX, all he had to do was tune in to the station the last two Fridays. KMOX aired retrospectives both nights on Caray, whose tenure in the team's broadcast booth ended in 1969.

Buck also was featured last week, as broadcast highlights from the Cards' 1967 season were played. "All I can do is my best, and hope people accept me on that," Hagin has said. "I cant control the past." Second thoughts? Hagin, who also has worked in the San Francisco Giants and Chicago White Sox booths, did admit there was apprehension at one point about taking the Cards By Dan Caesar Of the Post-Dispatch New Cardinals broadcaster Wayne Hagin has been making the rounds in St Louis. Since arriving two months ago from Denver, where he served as the radio voice of the Colorado Rockies since their inception in 1993, he has been buzzing. He bought a house in west St Louis County and got a car in Belleville.

He served as. honorary chairman of a blood drive in Clayton. He addressed a crowd of 1,200 at St Louis University High father-son banquet. He went on a "Cardinals Caravan" tour, to the Illinois towns of Peoria, Bloomington and Champaign. He spoke at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes function.

And he went on the Cardinals cruise. "It's been just a whirlwind," Hagin said this week. "I asked my wife the other day, 'Have we had an But I'm as excited going into a season as I have been for a long, long time." Tom Langmyer, general manager of Cards radio network flagship station KMOX (1120 AM), said Hagin already has made a mark. "As Wayne has said, 'No one can replace Jack Langmyer said. "But Wayne has a lot of great qualities and already has been well-received by those he has met in the community." But, like a politician who kisses babies and knocks on doors, the decision on how Hagin is accepted ultimately will Cardinals Exhibition schedule opens with victory over Mets Continued from Dl first baseman Mo Vaughn, second baseman Roberto Alomar, left fielder Cliff Floyd and center fielder Roger Cedeno.

Stephenson allowed three first-inning hits with two strikes. He worked quickly, though sometimes rashly, and escaped a bases-loaded jam with none out in the second inning. Stephenson walked no one, hit pinch-hitter Tony Clark and, struck out right fielder Jeremy Burnitz. Stephenson placed himself in peril by disregarding catcher Mike Matheny's call on shortstop Rey Sanchez's bunt but escaped when first baseman Tino Martinez initiated a 3-2-3 double play with the bases loaded. "I would call today a battle," BASEBALL NOTEBOOK put collar on Mine's cap 1 PHOTO COURTESY ST.

LOUIS CARDINALS job. "In the early days when we, came out house-hunting one time I said, 'Are we doing the right thing, giving up the security we, had' in Denver? But the people here and I know it sounds likd, PR but it's the truth have been; great Now I know why Jack was here for 47 years." Day One of the Hagin era comes Saturday, when KMOX carries the Cards game against Baltimore. The broadcast begins; at 11:50 a.m., the game at noon. The plan calls for Shannon to' have the lead play-by-play rolej calling the first and ninth with Hagin providing commentary. Hagin and Shannon will switch in the play-by-play and analyst roles in other innings.

"It will be fun to get going," he' said, adding that he hopes people, dont judge him based on his per formances from Florida. "Iti spring training for me, too. It will be fun to get to work with Mike. I can't wait to get going." I Reporter Dan Caesar E-mail: Phone: 314-340-817S Ex-A's managers meet The last two managers of the Oakland A's met Thursday a temoon behind home plate at Thomas J. White Stadium For two guys who go way back, Cardinals skipper Tony La Russa and new Mets manager Art Howe have had a tough time crossing paths.

Owners of 2,916 combined wins, La Russa and Howe were teammates with the 1974 Charleston Charlies in the International League. Howe won a batting title that seasoa La Russa batted .260 and was four years removed from becoming a minor-league manager. It was Howe who succeeded La Russa after he left Oakland following an ownership change in 1995. Since Howe had previously managed the Houston Astros, the two friends had been on the same field as managers only during a 2000 exhibition in Oakland. Even after the so-called Oakland mafia arrived in St Louis prior to the 1996 season, La Russa, general manager Walt Jocket-ty and much of the coaching staff retained interest in the East Bay.

"A lot of us were pulling so hard for the A's, we'd be talking to the trainer, the traveling secretary, the clubhouse guy or Art every other week or so," La Russa said. "Art and I probably shared stuff every month, every other month, or so." Quick hits Orlando Palmeiro entered Thursday's game as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning and was hit on the right shin by right-handed minor-leaguer Franklin Nunez. Palmeiro remained in the game to rob Mets left fielder Tsuyoshi Shinjo with a sprawling catch to end the inning. The Cardinals will start Brett Tomko in today's home opener against the Mets. Former first-round draft pick Chance Caple will follow with his debut in a Cardinals uniform Second baseman Fernando Vina may have tipped his new, more patient approach Thursday.

Vina took the first five pitches be saw before doubling to lead off the game. He then worked the count before doubling home the go-ahead run in a three-run fifth. He also contributed a sacrifice fly to complete what La Russa called "a great game." Reporter Joe Strauss: E-mail: itr aim Pimm: 14-340-83 71 f. Wayne Hagin looks over the elbow feel any pressure replacing Jack. It's not just me, it will be other guys down the road, too.

I'm just the first one." Tough task Hagin is stepping into a radio booth in which Cards fans historically have been adverse to accepting those without St Louis ties. After Harry Caray was fired in 1969, Jim Woods was brought from Pittsburgh to team with Buck. But Woods was widely criticized, lasted just two seasons. His ouster created the opening that went to Shannon. Red Rush, who had made his mark broadcasting in Chicago, had a highly chastised year in the booth in 1984, when a third announcer was needed because of commitments elsewhere by Buck and Shannon.

Woods, who died in 1988, never gained acceptance. In Curt Smith's "Voices of the Game" book, Woods was quoted as saying things were so bad that he around seven Mets pitchers for eight hits. Second baseman Fer nando Vina broke a 2-2 he with a fifth-inning double after stretch ing a hit for a double to lead off the game. Five other hurlers, including prospect Jimmy Journell, teamed to allow only four hits in seven innings. Gabe Molina, Matt Duff, Kevin Ohme and Mike Cm-dale retired 12 of the last 13 hitters they faced.

Left fielder Albert Pujols contributed a single, an RBI and a hitter's perspective at odds with the immediacy confronting those involved in the pitching free-for-all. "You try to go out there, see the ball good, stay back and be patient," Pujols said. "The more you relaxed you are, the more you concentrate, the better off you are." Reporter Joe Strains: E-mail: Phone: 314-3404371 STLtoda7.COm Goto S1Uoday.comcards after today's Grapefruit League game for a Cards-Mets recap. use steroids being overanxious in that first inning and attributed his poor control to that Astros: Houston agreed to terms with their top two starting pitchers, right-handers Roy Oswalt and Wade Miller. Oswalt, 25, emerged as one of baseball's best hurlers last season with a 19-9 record and a 3.01 ERA and is 33-12 in his first two major-league seasons.

Miller, 26, was close behind at 15-4 and a 3.28 ERA and tied the club record with a 12-game winning streak over the summer. Phillies: Jim Thome homered in his first at-bat to lead Philadelphia over the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3 Thursday in the exhibition opener for both teams. "I'm not going to get too excited about this," Thome said. Orioles: The Orioles wore No. 51 patches on their sleeves for their opener, a 4-3 loss to the Florida Marlins, to honor former pitcher Steve Bechler, who died Feb.

17 of heatstroke following a workout "We've been probably thinking about this for about a week," outfielder Jay Gibbons said after the Orioles' 4-3 loss. "Just to get out there and play ball and try to forget about things. I think we did that today. Today seemed pretty much of Cardinals pitcher Lance Painter was "coming to hate the Cardinals' front office, the city, the whole tight-lipped atmosphere where you were even afraid to smile." It has even been mixed results for those with St Louis connections who have had significant roles. On the short list of those who had significant success are Bob Starr and Dan Kelly, who were in the mix in the mid-1970s.

But they already were popular in St Louis for their work broadcasting other local teams. Also, Bob Costas and Joe Buck had successful runs in varied capacities. But other native St Louisans weren't as fortunate. Bob Carpenter, who rose to prominence on Cards broadcasts after Buck went into semi-retirement in 1995, was jettisoned last year. And native St.

Louisan Joel Meyers, who filled in last season after Buck's death, was criticized for having a booming voice and being too statistics-oriented. Even Shannon was pounded early in his tenure, which began in 1972, for his raw CARDINALS NOTEBOOK MLB doesn't By Joe Strauss Of the Post-Dispatch PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. A visit to Roger Dean Stadium from Major League Baseball's uniform police came and went without incident for lefthanded reliever Steve Kline. What might have become a traumatic scene for Kline instead became a relief.

The Kline Hat lives. With uniform regulations written into the most recent collective bargaining agreement between management and labor, Kline was concerned that he would not be allowed to wear his grungy, button-less game cap. Kline wears the same lid for an entire season, running water over it, soaking it with perspiration and having catcher Mike Matheny extend his late-spring ritual of biting off the buttoa "I've worn only one cap for the whole season since I was in Little League," Kline said. "If a superstition, but if also the kind of guy I am Thaf the way it was when I was growing up. It should be good enough now.

I identify with the blue-collar guy and I think they can identify with me. The Hafs important to me. Ifs not like there arent other things for the game to focus on. I mean, c'mon." Kline had threatened to disregard any prohibition on his hat before meeting Wednesday with an MLB licensing representative. Afterward, he sounded satisfied.

"It sounds like they're going after the pants," said Kline, who will gladly raise the hem on his uniform pants to meet new guidelines. "My big thing was them letting the superstars slide while going after grunts like me. That ain't right Are they going to enforce it with Barry Bonds? Lef see." The Cardinals discontinued last season's popular Steve Kline Hat promotioa The club says it had nothing to do with an MLB objection. A recently circulated MLB edict stipulates players must show at least VA inches of hose below the hem of their pants. The rule is intended to do away with a "pajama pants" look made famous by Houston Astros first baseman Jeff Bagwell and Boston Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez.

MLB representative Andy Jones insisted caps are not a point of emphasis except for tighter policing of inscriptions. (Ex-Redbirds reliever Dave Veres had to discard a game cap during last season's National not be based on how much glad-handing he does but how he is received by the constituency in his case, those who listen to Cardinals baseball on the radio. And the balloting begins Saturday, when he takes the microphone alongside Mike Shannon as he makes his Cardinals broadcasting debut under the monumental tag of "the guy who replaced Jack Buck." Hagin, who began his big-league broadcasting career with the Oakland Athletics in 1981, is undaunted. "I don't feel any pressure at all it's more anticipation than anything else," he said. "When you've done something for 20 years and you have had some success, you just need to be yourself.

My motto is 'keep it simple, I write that on my scorecard. So no, I don't Stephenson said. La Russa might call it the opening salvo in a four-week struggle among Stephenson, Cal Eldred, Dustin Hermanson and Jason Si-montacchi. "I thought he got through it OK," the manager said of Stephenson. Every pitcher in the fray carries a history.

Stephenson, Eldred and Hermanson suffered or were recovering from various injuries last season. Simontacchi, 29, won 11 games as an out-of-nowhere rookie but couldn't engender enough confidence to either receive a playoff appearance or a guaranteed spot in this season's rotation. Stephenson won 16 games in 2000 but has won only, twice since. If he holds any advantage, it is familiarity. "I'm going to look at his stuff and command," La Russa said.

"This is a new year. Where he is now, you compare him to where he is against the guys trying to beat him out period." As Stephenson reviewed his outing, the Cardinals smacked He writes that amphetamines are so commonplace that "stand in the middle of your clubhouse and walk 10 feet in any direction, chances are youll find what you need." "As a pitcher, I wont ever object to a sleepy-eyed middle in-fielder beaning up to help me win," Wells said. "That may not be the politically correct spin on the practice, but I really couldnt careless." Rob Manfred, executive vice president of labor relations in the commissioner's office, declined comment on Wells' claims. Major-leaguers are being tested for the first time this year for certain illegal steroids and drugs of abuse, but the testing has been criticized by some as not extensive enough to be effective. The 39-year-old lefthander was not available for comment Thursday.

Yankees Jose Contreras allowed five runs in his first inning as the New York Yankees lost their exhibition opener 9-3 to the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday. "My pitching psychology wasn't what it needed to be," Contreras said through an interpreter. "That's never happened to me five runs in one inning." Contreras, the ace of the Cuban rational team before he de-fecteJ in October, admitted to Wells: 25-40 percent of players CHRIS LEE POST-DISPATCH Steve Kline's weathered cap again will have the proper climate to flourish this season, as Major League Baseball will exercise no sanctions against it. League Championship Series because of a tribute to Darryl Kile.) In addition, the rules require that team logos not be defaced. In the past, water and perspiration has turned the white logo on Kline's hat pink.

This year, such an infraction could bring a warning followed by a fine of the team. Pitcher is still waiting Reliever Gene Stechschulte is unsure which will happen first the birth of his first child or learning the source of persistent pain in his right shoulder. Three days after undergoing a magnetic resonance imaging, Stechschulte had not been notified of results as of Thursday morning. Stechschulte, who won six games in relief for the Cardinals last season, hasnt pitched since being shut down at Triple-A Memphis with shoulder and elbow pain. The recent MRI focused on his right shoulder, which experienced discomfort after a side session last week.

Though the club has not disclosed the source, the pitcher's symptoms are thought consistent with rotator cuff complications. Stechschulte lives near Jupiter in the offseason and had thrown on the side since November. "It never felt great" he said. "It felt OK for a while." Stechschulte and his wife, Kris-ta, are expecting their first child any day. The Associated press David Wells said up to 40 percent of major-leaguers use steroids and said amphetamines are readily available in baseball clubhouses.

"As of right now, I'd estimate 25 to 40 percent of all major-leaguers are juiced. But that number's fast rising," Wells wrote in "Perfect I'm Not! Boomer on Beer, Brawls, Backaches and Baseball," an autobiography scheduled for release next month. Wells also admits he was "half-drunk" and had a "raging, skull-rattling hangover" when he pitched his perfect game against Minnesota in May 1998, haying stayed at the "Saturday Night Live" season-ending party until 5 am, eight hours before gamet-ime. A copy of the galleys of the book, written by Chris Kreski, was obtained by The Associated Press from publisher William Morrow. "Down in the minors, where virtually every flat-broke, baloney-sandwich-eating Double-A prospect is chasing after the same, elusive, multimillion-dollar Davdav.

the use of anabolic homer-helpers is flat-out boom ing. Wells wrote. At just about 12 bucks per shot, those steroid vials must be seen as a really sol-id investment".