St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 35

L5 APR 16 1993 SI LOUIS POST-DISPATCH 2 SIPQ3R.TS sEcTloN FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 1993 HDE Don's PDgwdffis SW BERNIE MIKLASZ Vtf'i COMMENTARY Tampa Bay Falls; Stars i Lose To Wings To Clinch It i I' fammm 1 tmmm s' I it WF. 1 JM a t) i i t' 0 I 'V Lzi I i nWy I I i I mm i j3 yC TCI I PtBC 1- vy mmM XT 1 I Playoffs Or No, Slothful Blues Need A Change I am writing this column Thursday afternoon, before the Blues played expansion-stunted Tampa Bay at The Arena. I'm doing it this way for a reason. If the Blues reported to the rink with rare enthusiasm, if they bothered to get pumped up to beat the Lightning, so what? We should celebrate them? Forget that. I won't be fooled again; the regular season shouldn't have come down to a bogus cliffhanger.

This is ridiculous, for the Blues to be sweating out the final game to qualify for the playoffs. Sure, they've had to deal with injuries. (Who hasn't?) Yes, Blues management has made some critical errors, like the early-season coaching debacle. The players have had to endure the continuous Brett Hull soap opera. One question remains, and it is irrelevant to the hardship this team has experienced: Is there any excuse for not giving a spirited effort with the playoffs at stake? The slothful Blues have demonstrated little passion, going 1-5-2 before Thursday night's laughable must-win situation.

Their lack of resolve is an insult to loyal fans. And if the Blues are so shallow that they need a newspaper article to fire them up, well, keep reading fellas. Clip and save. Not that their locker room has become a kennel club, but I plan to bring some Milk Bones to the boys on my next visit. Well, most of them, anyway.

Several Blues have played with maximum effort just about every time out: Curtis Joseph, Craig Janney, Brendan Shana- han, Garth Butcher, Jeff Brown and the usual grinders who obviously care. Joseph, especially, deserves battle pay for taking 45 shots every night behind uninspired teammates. Let's just admit no matter what happened Thursday that the Blues need to face up to reality. They have problems. And getting into the playoffs means nothing except that the extra gates will provide the financial boost (about $1 million) this organization needs to have a reasonably good cash flow.

Fortunately, the team hasn't collapsed. A few key offseason moves, and the Blues will hit the 100-point level again. But if they stand pat, they'll crash. "We have some adjustments to make," Blues President Jack Quinn said. "We have some fine-tuning to do.

That doesn't mean we're going to tear the team apart, but there will be changes. We're not happy with the way things have gone." A tentative list of things to do: Management: If Bob Berry has had his fill of coaching and Brett Hull's ego, look for him to be promoted to general manager. GM Ron Caron would move up to the role of senior adviser. It's Berry's call. Caron is a masterful judge of talent, but too many general managers around the league won't deal with him because of his eccentric, volatile nature.

Berry could be the point man, using Caron's input to negotiate trades. Berry would also be given the freedom to hire the next coach. "We have good hockey minds," Quinn said. "But what the structure will be for next season remains to be seen." If Berry wants to remain behind the bench, Quinn will likely approve. And Caron would stay in his present role for one more season.

And while Berry has done an exceptional job of stabilizing the chaos he inherited, I have two concerns: (1) Is he patient with young players; (2) why does he sit on so many leads with an ultra-conservative style? Quinn is an easy target, but his business expertise in running a franchise that lacks resources is essential. The Blues busted and on the way to Saskatoon 10 years ago are in surprisingly solid financial condition because of Quinn's acumen. Brett Hull: Can he ever be happy here? Will he ever become a leader? Is he coachable? Is he a head case? Is he respected by his teammates? Does he play hard? Is he worth his mega-bucks contract extension? Does his 50-goal scoring touch override all concerns? Or is he just a victim of circumstances who needs a playmak-ing center? We'll find out this summer; look for the Blues to test Hull's value on the trade market. The Players: The nucleus is solid with Brown, Butcher, Joseph, Janney, Shanahan, Nelson Emerson, Denny Felsner, Bret Hedican, Hull (if he's back) and Kevin Miller. But there are a few suspects, prospects who haven't delivered: Murray Baron, Stephane Quintal, the three Russians.

Teases? Worse, there is an assortment of grinders and roster filler: Bob Bassen, the two Sutters, Kelly Chase, Curt Giles, Dave Lowry, Ron Wilson, Rick Zombo, Basil McRae, Lee Norwood, Doug Crossman, Philippe Bozon. There's a need for some of them, especially a Bassen. But the Blues have too many old soldiers and players with limited skills. It's time to reduce the population. It's time to clear out much of this stale locker room.

The Blues must find new players. Players who cari goalie Pat Jablonski, running interference as Bob Bassen scores Kevin ManningPost-Dispatch to give the Blues a 3-0 lead. By Dave Luecking Of the Post-Dispatch Staff At 9:11 Thursday night, the scoreboard watchers at The Arena began to cheer. Their cheer quickly turned into a roar, and finally, the sellout crowd of 17,816 rose as one to rock the old barn at 5700 Oakland Avenue in a salute to the playoff-bound Blues. The scoreboard had just flashed the news from Detroit Red Wings 5, Minnesota 3.

With the North Stars' loss, the Blues officially clinched fourth place and the final playoff spot in the Norris Division. Good thing, because the Blues quit playing. They held a 5-1 lead over Tampa Bay when the Detroit-Minnesota final appeared with 3 minutes 52 remaining in the second period. They promptly went to sleep and barely held on for a 6-5 victory that nearly slipped away at the buzzer. Tampa's Bob Beer tipped in a pass from Shawn Chambers, but officiating supervisor John D'Amico and video goal judge Rich Schweigler ruled that the shot had gone into the net after time had expired.

"I'm glad I didn't see it go in at the end," Blues coach Bob Berry said. If the goal had counted, he'd have been more upset than he was by the Blues' disappearance in the final 24 minutes. Holding on for the victory See BLUES, Page 5 In The Playoffs The Blues-Chicago Black-hawks playoff series at a glance. Game 1: noon Sunday at Chicago Game 2: 7:40 p.m. Wednesday at Chicago Game 3: 7:40 p.m.

Friday, April 23 at St. Louis Game 4: noon Sunday April 25 at St. Louis Game 5: 7:40 p.m. Tuesday April 27 at Chicago, if needed Game 6: 7:40 p.m. Thursday April 29 at St.

Louis, if needed Game 7: 7:40 p.m. Saturday May 1 at Chicago, if needed play, though, by barely beating the relay to first. Todd Zeile's sacrifice fly gave the Cardinals the lead, with Lankford taking third. Then the Cardinals stole the fourth run. Whiten took off for second with Brian Jordan at bat.

When catcher Mike Piazza threw to second, Lankford, breaking perfectly, came home. Whiten stopped long enough for Lankford to cross the plate before being tagged out. Arocha, after a rocky start, didn't allow a run from the second inning through the eighth before yielding to Lee Smith in the ninth. He had a couple of scares in the eighth when Jody Reed's blast to left just curved foul into the seats. Reed then aimed a single to left, but third baseman Zeile made a spectacular diving stop.

Arocha faced a revamped Dodgers lineup that did not include Darryl Strawberry and Eric Davis, batting 1 29 and 1 67 respectively. Cardinals manager Joe Torre, See CARDS, Page 5 Wendi FitzgeraldPost-Dispatch tonight at the Regal Hotel, ties Rich Sutter plows into Lightning Cardinals Sweep Reeling Dodgers With 4-2 Win AP Lee Smith OwnsNL, Majors Saves Marks But Not Team Record By Rick Hummel Of the Post-Dispatch Staff LOS ANGELES Lee Smith seems to be setting these records in something of a backward manner. On Tuesday, he set the major-league record of 358 saves. At about 2 a.m. (St.

Louis time) Thursday morning, he set the National League record for saves at 301 when he saved the Cardinals' 2-1 victory in 15 innings over the Los Angeles Dodgers. But he still doesn't have the club save record. Smith is at 121, six behind Bruce Sutter, whose National League record he broke, and eight behind Todd Worrell, who established the St. Louis team mark last year. This was just one of the unusual happenings and outgrowths in a long night's journey into day Wednesday.

In case you missed it: The Cardinals held the Dodgers to four hits or one See SMITH, Page 5 Lee Smith walks off the field after wrapping up Wednesday's 15-inning game. By Rick Hummel Of the Post-Dispatch Staff LOS ANGELES Cuban defector Rene Arocha has made two major-league starts. And the Cardinals have two wins. The Cardinals broke a 2-2 tie with two runs in the eighth inning Thursday night and completed a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 4-2 victory. Gregg Jefferies, who delivered the winning hit in a 15-inning victory Wednesday, also had the big hit in the eighth Thursday.

After Kevin Gross, 5-17 against the Cardinals in his career, walked leadoff man Ozzie Smith, Jefferies slapped a single under third baseman Tim Wallach. He slowed the ball's progress into left field. Smith boldly went to third on the play. When Mitch Webster threw late and wide to third, Jefferies roared into second. Ray Lankford, who already had two hits, was walked intentionally.

But Mark Whiten grounded to first baseman Eric Karros, who threw home for a forceout. Whiten made an important Brooks, who makes his pro debut his 3-year'-old son, De Marco. M. i CUE MEDIA NHL On The Air The NHL will take a big step on Sunday, when, for the first time since 1980, a non-cable American network will televise one of the league's games 3 RUNNING Next Step Up Joe Leuchtmann will use the Boston Marathon as a test to see if he is ready to move to the highest echelon of mar-athoners 7 REGULARS Eye Openers 2 Sports Shorts 2 Hockey 3 Baseball 4-5 For The Record 6 Off And Running 6 Motor Sports 6 7 After A Few Rounds With Fate, Brooks Makes Pro Debut By Tom Wheatley Of the Post-Dispatch Staff Fate has had some fun with Patrice Brooks, who makes his pro boxing debut tonight at the Regal Hotel, formerly the Clarion. Patrice was born 22 years ago with a twin, Patrick, who hates boxing.

Angela Brooks, their mother, said, "Patrick has never seen his brother box. He just doesn't want to go. He'd rather see him after the fight." Patrice originally saw himself in another profession. "As a kid, he wanted to be a priest," Angela said. "I guess somebody failed somewhere." Patrice, who has a 3-year-old son, laughed when asked about that original vocation.

"I might have said that," he said, "but when I got a little older, things changed." His vision changed in other ways. He had a lazy eye that was corrected by surgery when he was 6 or 7. Patrice played more-established sports until high school at Normandy. About seven years ago, he wandered into the i SeeBROOKf.Paee8 2" Boxer Patrice shoe laces for ml tin, I'i.