Skip to main content
The largest online newspaper archive
A Publisher Extra® Newspaper

Asbury Park Press from Asbury Park, New Jersey • Page 27

Publication:
Asbury Park Pressi
Location:
Asbury Park, New Jersey
Issue Date:
Page:
27
Extracted Article Text (OCR)

Asbury Park PressSat. Oct 13. 1984 B3 Padre starters cami't with keep op bellpem Show's drawing attention By JOE CERGEN Newsday DETROIT He has drawn attention not by what he has done in postseason competition but by what he has said. Although Eric Show has no difficulty in discussing his beliefs, controversial though they may be, he had hoped to spend more time on the mound than on a platform once the San Diego Padres clinched their first division title. To date, he has fielded more questions about the Equal Rights Amendment than his earned-run aver- "Our starting pitching has been very, very Williams.

"It has to turn around or "I'm just glad to hear Sparky say he thinks the Series is going back to San Diego. I know we're going back. I just hope they're going with us." Williams made the move to Booker without success. "The Committee" couldn't come to the rescue. It was too early for Dave Dravecky or Craig Lefferts Andy Hawkins, the third member, of that illustrious Padre group that has By BUDDY MARTIN 'The Denver Post DETROIT OK, so the San Diego bullpen has been remarkable.

But I've seen better starters on hand-crank Model A Fords. Talk about your unfinished busi- ness any Padre starter still around after the Star Spangled Banner ought be eligible for combat pay. The Padre starters are making more money by the pitch in this Series than Michael Jackson by the song, Robert Redford by the movie and Steve Young by the completion. Dick Williams got another cameo performance out of his starters last night when the Tigers chased Tim Lollar in the second inning. Not even the celebrated San Diego "bullpen could get the Tigers out last although long relief man Greg Harris finally did slam the door after the family jewels were stolen.

In a procession that looked like the iMacy's Thanksgiving Day parade in slo-mo, Padre pitchers tied a World Series record for bases on balls. The Tigers could have gone up there without their bats. Twelve of them got on base without hitting a fair ball 11 by walks, one hit by a pitch. Lost in all this mess was a spunky relief performance by Harris, who worked hard during garbage tirre. Marty Castillo's two-run homer off in the second did the damage.

When Harris finally appeared, the Padres trailed 4-1. Except for hitting Kirk Gibson on the foot with the bases loaded and forcing in a run that was charged to Greg Booker, Harris was outstanding. So far, the Padre starters have a nice fat World Series earned run average of 12.28. No Padre starter has gone beyond the fifth inning in World Series play, but Williams certainly had a right to expect more than five puts from Lollar last night. Five outs.

Four runs. Is it any wonder that the Padres got beat 5-2 and fell behind the Tigers, two games -4o one? 3 miA ft is'- a 17-' performed so brilliantly in posx-season play, had just worked more five innings in bailing out Ed Whitson. Goose Gossage never answers the phone until the eighth. So far, he hasn't even heard it ring for him in this Series. The Tigers finally cracked the Padre bullpen for a run, touching Booker in the third the first given up by Padre relievers in 22 post-season and 138 Series innings.

"Padres Don't Have A Prayer," read a sign on the right-field fence. And they don't, unless their starters can hang around for an occasional seventh-inning stretch. They've been getting more early showers than a Seattle milkman driving a convertible with the top down. The five-inning performance in Game One by Mark Thurmond turns out to have been a marathon. On the second night, Ed Whitson lasted two outs.

That makes a total of 78 innings of work in three games by the Padre starters. Fifteen hits. Ten runs, seven walks. I've seen better looking numbers on an unbalanced checkbook. It is the style of Williams, of course, to yank his starters early.

Sparky Anderson may be Captain Hook, but Williams has never been shy about using the bullpen telephone. So far, though, Williams has taxed his bullpen severely. He does have Gossage fresh, however, and Dravecky just four outs in his arm in five days. Undeniably, Lefferts, Hawkins and Dravecky have been brilliant. "The Committee" shut out the Tigers for 1 1 Perhaps Show should be grateful, considering his early dismissal from the two National League Championship Series games he started.

Here's a man who pitched more innings and won more games than anyone on the San Diego staff in each of the past two seasons, yet he lasted a total of 5 'i innings in two assignments against the Chicago Cubs, yielding five homers and eight earned runs. It has been, to say the least embarrassing. But the Padres managed to overcome the Cubs in five games and Show will have another chance to enhance his image as a baseball player when he starts the fourth game of the World Series today at Tiger Stadium. "I'd like very much to win my start at Detroit" he said the other day. "That would boost my spirits." Not to mention the spirit of the Padres, who received only one superior starting performance in seven postseason games before Friday night's contest.

Ed Whitson was the only playoff starter to receive credit for a victory, but in the second game of the Series he checked out in the first inning after apparently lulling the Tigers into a false sense of security. Andy Hawkins replaced Whitson and earned the victory with 5 '3 superb innings of relief. "If middle relief is getting recognition," Hawkins said, "it means the starters aren't doing their jobs. I've got friends in the starting rotation. I'd just as soon have three complete games the rest of the Series." That would please Show who, in the course of his 15-9 season, completed only three games, the last on Aug.

26. Although he is among the first to acknowledge that there are more significant matters in life than baseball, his next start is of primary importance. "Right now," he said, "this is the biggest thing in the world to me. It's not the biggest thing in the universe, but it's very important to my livelihood." Show has given considerable hMiaht tn the ctate of the universe, as Associated Press Padres' second baseman Alan Wiggins loses his hat and can't hold the throw from catcher Terry Kennedy, allowing Kirk Gibson of the Tigers a stolen base in the fifth inning last night at Tiger Stadium. Something's awry here.

I always thought you led with your best in baseball. I am reminded of what critics say of the two-minute offense in offense: If it's so great, why not run it the first innings in the first two Series games, allowing just three hits. That has been the surprise of the Series so far, along with the erratic control of Padre pitchers last night. two minutes of each half instead of the last? Maybe Williams should apply some of the same reverse logic and start with his bullpen. Before it's too late.

cheetah oh By DAVE DISTEL JTThe Los Angeles Times DETROIT Chet Lemon plays renter field for the Detroit Tigers like a fradar-equipped cheetah. "When the ball's hit," he said, "I go to where I think it's going to be. It's kinda instinctive." He laughed. "That's the reason I got hit on the Jiead in Anaheim," he said. "My instincts were so good that I got right Tuhderneath the ball, but I looked up I couldn't see it in the sun." That cost him 12 stitches and 12 games out of the lineup because of a jaceration above his right eye.

However, those same instincts -caused him to make a Willie Mays-Style back-to-plate catch last night to blunt yet another comeback by the San Diego Padres. Terry Kennedy was at the plate with two out in the seventh. Steve JGarvey was on third and Tiger manager Sparky Anderson had just called upon Willie Hernandez to face the left-handed Kennedy. The score was 5-2, and Lemon made sure it stayed that way. The count went to three balls and Ttwo strikes and Lemon, already playing shallow, came in a few more steps.

I "I moved in," Lemon said, "be-' cause Kennedy usually just tries to make contact when he's got two strikes him. This time he really drove the --ball. I didn't anticipate he would hit it Tthat far." I Kennedy drove the ball on a line to I deep center field, where Tiger Stadium's fence is a distant 440 feet from the plate. 1. "I thought that Chet didn't have any chance," said Hernandez.

"I know Kennedy has a lot of power and I knew he'd be sitting on a fast ball, but that's my best pitch. I decided to go for it." Kennedy went for it, and so did over and over again," said catcher Lance Parrish. "He's got a tremendous ability to run and turn. He never seems to lose the ball." Radar, that's what does it And Sparky Anderson's expectations. "Hey," Anderson said, stifling a yawn.

"I've told him, if it doesn't hit the wall, it has to be caught" To millions watching on television and 51,970 surprisingly docile fans in the park, Lemon's catch could hardly be described as routine. "As soon as Kennedy hit it," Lemon said, "I just put my head down and started running. When I got there, I looked to my right and it wasn't there. I turned back to my left, and there it was. The rest is history." In spite of the fact that he had retreated on the dead run to that radar-ordained location some 415 feet from the plate, Lemon still had the quickness and agility to lunge to his left and stab the ball.

"That's the way I play," he said. "I just try to beat the ball to its destination." In this game, Lemon's catch was a diamond in a bin of coal. It seemed for a time like Garvey might be a senator before it ended. It had dragged and dragged, but the Padres looked like they just might be stirring. "The momentum seemed to be changing," Lemon said.

"They already had a run in and Garvey on third. If that hit had gone for a double or a triple, anything might have happened especially the way those guys come back." "It was just a remarkable play," said the Padres' Rich Gossage. "It certainly helped save the game for them. But I've seen Chet make so many of those plays while I was in the American League. "I think people don't give him the credit he deserves." Kirk Gibson, the right fielder, was certainly willing to give his sidekick some accolades.

"He's the best in baseball," he said. well as the United States' role in it His restless mind "I've been baptized into four or five different religions," he said has led him to the ultra-conservative John Birch Society, whose power base is in Southern California. That may be the land of fruits and nuts, as Fred Allen once observed, but Show expresses serious misgivings about American policy, both foreign and domestic. In your heart, you know he's right. Right of center.

Even right of President Reagan. "I like Reagan," Show said during the playoffs. "I love what he says, he just doesn't do what he says. He makes Jimmy Carter look like Scrooge when it comes to government spending." Excessive government spending is one of the complaints of the 28-year-old Show, who lists among his idols Isaac Newton, Aristotle and Ayn Rand. "I don't think it's the job of government to take care of people.

That's the job of charities or other people who choose to do so. I contribute a lot of time and money to charities. But I don't think I should have to pay for federally funded abortions if I don't want to." The man's persuasive arguments convinced teammates Mark Thurmond and Dave Dravecky (ironically, both are lefthanded pitchers) to join him in espousing the goals of the society. It was during a midseason fair in suburban San Diego that the three were discovered dispensing information and recruiting membersThat raised a stir, if not a storm, in the clubhouse and the city that with its large base of military and retired citizens, basically is conservative. Although critics have contended the John Birch Society is racist and anti-Semitic in nature, Show steadfastly denied both and said those charges have been used to discredit the organization.

His black teammates have defended his right to his beliefs, at least publicly. "How can I complain when I wouldn't want him complaining if I were a Muslim?" shortstop Garry Templeton has said. "As long as it doesn't affect the ballclub, it isn't a bother. I listen to a lot of what Eric has to say, and I tease him." A lot of what Eric has to say involves the so-called Communist conspiracy here and throughout the world. According to the one-time physics and philosophy major at the University of California, Riverside, communism "is a way to socialize the entire world so that special-interest groups will be our master.

We will be the slaves providing we even live." At the center of this conspiracy, he indicated, is the Soviet Union. Not surprisingly, he does not favor meaningful negotiations with the U.S.S.R. "Would you," he asked, "make a pact with Charles Manson?" By his own testimony. Show "swallowed all the liberal doubletalk" as a college student Among that double-talk, he decided, was the concept of evolution "presented as fact I don't want to change what anybody thinks," he said. "Just don't ask me to contribute to something I don't believe in.

I'm a member of the John Birch Society because I haven't found anything wrong wjth it yet" Associated Press Marty Castillo of the Tigers watches his long drive disappear into the left-field stands for a two-run homer. "I know my peers see that I do well and they'll tell you that I'll run down anything from left field to right field. Tm not bragging, but I think I've become one of the better center fielders." He didn't have to brag. He had made one of his routine catches when vided a showcase for what might be a rather well-kept secret Indeed, Lemon had previously gotten more publicity for getting hit on the head than he had gotten for his catches. Chet Lemon can go and get the ball, and he plays in one of the most expansive center fields in baseball.

And he has never won a Gold Glove. How would Lemon rate his catch? "It's nice to help the club," he said. "It was nothing in the way of something that would stand out outside of the fact that it was made in the World Series and it was important at the time I made it "I just keep making the catches and let other people tell me whether they're Kpttpr than mv others." the world was watching, and noticing. Chet Lemon. "That doesn't bother me, he said.

In this case, Uie wona series pra- "Can you tell me anyone betterr "I've seen him do that over and Tn the manner of San Diego's Kurt on Steve uarvey neiaers cnoicc ernundout his eiehth RBI of the series, five-pitch walk of Larry Herndon, the hoiipvo that's the wav it's eoine to eo." Tigers Bevacqua in Game 2, Castillo sent the next pitch a waist-high fastball flying on a line into the upper deck in loft fielH "When a nitcher makes a and once in the seventh on Nettles' sacrifice fly. Lemon deprived San Diego of at least one more seventh-inning run by making a back-pedaling catch of Terry Kennedy's 415-foot fly to center. Detroit's pounding of Lollar (1 innings, four runs, four hits, four walks) raised the ERA of San Diego starters to 12.27 in the World Series and 8.16 in the eight postseason games. Excluding Ed Whitson's eight-inning, one-run stint in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, the starters' overall postseason ERA climbs to 10.89. "It has to turn around," Williams said of his starting pitching.

"I'm happy to hear Sparky say that we're going back to San Diego. I know we're going back, but I'd like to see them go back with us." first hitter he tacea, iorcea in Aian Trammell with the fourth run of the second inning. Booker, who faced only seven men, walked Darrell Evans, Lou Whi taker and Trammell to load the bases in the third. Williams called for Harris, who tried something new. He hit Gibson on the right foot with a breaking ball, sending Evans trotting across the plate.

That raised Detroit's lead to 5-1. "They drove me crazy on the bench," Padre pitching coach Norm Sherry said. "You expect 11 walksjn the rookie league, not in the majors." Chet Lemon's one-out single got the Tigers started in the second. Evans flew out to leave Lollar one batter away from going to the dugout with the game scoreless. Lollar worked the count to 1-2 on Castillo, putting him one strike away from safety.

Anderson said. "I believe it's going to be a long, drawn-out series." Detroit went ahead 5-1 in the third inning. The Tigers thereafter teased the Padres, leaving 14 men on base equaling a 74-year-old Series record including eight on second or third base. "We're just not hitting the ball" Anderson said. "We left 14 men on base you can't do that and win many games.

They just walked a lot of people." Lollar and Booker threw a combined 85 pitches, 45 of which were balls. Their eight walks contributed directly to three of the five runs they allowed in a combined 2 2-3 innings. Detroit scored twice without in at the ball Booker's bases-loaded, 'J mistake like that" Castillo said, "you probably should hit it out of the ballpark." Lollar did not come close to getting another man out "I thought I was throwing the ball good," he said. "I just lost it" Lollar followed Castillo's homer by walking Whitaker, who then scored on Trammell's double down the left-field line. Gibson walked on five pitches.

Graig Nettles temporarily kept the score 3-0 by knocking down Lance Parrish's base hit between him and shortstop Garry Templeton. That was it for Lollar, continuing the Padre starters' habit of working short hours. The Padres scored once in the third From page Bl v'out there," Detroit manager Sparky said. Righthander Eric Show, who lasted 2 only 5 innings in two starts in the National League Championship Series, r-will start for the Padres. They need a I'-victory today or- tomorrow to send the Tteams back to San Diego for Game 6.

Understanding exactly how the Ti- gers went one-up, and considering their 232 batting batting average in six playoff games, Anderson downplayed the possiblity of a Sunday afternoon -celebration. It's a sevenjamc series, ana.

Get access to Newspapers.com

  • The largest online newspaper archive
  • 300+ newspapers from the 1700's - 2000's
  • Millions of additional pages added every month

Publisher Extra® Newspapers

  • Exclusive licensed content from premium publishers like the Asbury Park Press
  • Archives through last month
  • Continually updated

About Asbury Park Press Archive

Pages Available:
2,394,022
Years Available:
1887-2024