The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 616

1 6 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1991 LOS ANGELES TIMES it I South Bay Sp oris ItfllJII MINOR LEAGUES SEAN WATERS Clayton's Place Could Be in the Giant Infield While former St. Bernard High standout Royce Clayton remains in the San Francisco Giant farm system, eagerly waiting to make his major league debut, his stock pnntintlPQ in visp believed he earns a minimum of $500 to $1,000 for a three-hour engagement. His future appears bright and, in the not too distance future, Clayton may be the next prospect to light up Candlestick Park. Clayton, however, became more than a promising prospect this summer when he hit a home run off Dodger pitcher Orel Hershiser; who was playing in the Texas League on a rehabilitation assignment. "It's been kind of weird," Clayton said.

"People at my mother's work suddenly want my autograph. I've been told that my card' is one of the hottest among minor leaguers. And I've been receiving all types of calls to make personal appearances." The value of Clayton's rookie cards, produced by the Upper Deck and Bowman companies, has been skyrocketing. "It's gone up 50 from 50 cents to 75 cents a card," said Matt Federgreen, who owns the Beverly Hills Baseball Card Shop in West Los Angeles. "That might not sound like much, but if you own 100 cards, that's a considerable increase.

And if he makes the 'majors, the card will go up in value." Clayton would not comment about his fee for personal appearances, but it is trying to get a championship ring.V The Giants consider Clayton, a shortstop, their No. 1 prospect, but the Giants are fearful of rushing him through the farm system. Clayton, 21, is in his fourth professional season after being the Giants' first-round pick in the June, 1988, draft. "We think he's a very fine prospect," San Francisco Giant President Al Rosen said. "We think he's a major league player and in due time he could be playing in the major leagues." Asked whether or not Clayton would be promoted this season, Rosen said: "We haven't made that decision yet." Clayton, in his first year at the double-A level, had a .300 or better batting average for most the season with five home runs, 28 doubles and 11 triples.

He also had 38 stolen bases. He was selected the best defensive shortstop and most exciting player in the Texas League by Baseball America magazine. He also was selected to the midseason and postseason Texas League all-star teams. Rotissene league owners nave Deen securing his rights for next season, collectors have been buying his rookie cards in lots of 100 and promoters have been seeking his services for autograph sessions at card shows and other public appearances. But no matter how bright his future appears to be, Clayton has yet to play a game in the majors and might not get a chance until next season.

The Shreveport Captains, the Giants' double-A team, own the rights to Clayton and currently are playing El Paso in the Texas League championships. The best-of-seven series began Friday and will last at least until Tuesday. "I haven't heard anything," Clayton said. "I might get a chance to fget called up after the playoffs. Right now, I'm Coming attractions Several other South Bay area minor leaguers made a name for themselves this season: Third basemen Chris Donnels (South Torrance High, Loyola Marymount) and Sean Berry (West Torrance High) made their major league debuts with the New York Mets and the Kansas City Royals, respectively.

Coincidentally, both were married on Nov. 3. Brian Hunter, a former Torrance resident, was a midseason replacement at first base for the Atlanta Braves and is a candidate for National League rookie-of-the-year honors. Hunter has 11 home runs and 44 runs batted in. Outfielder Eric Bullock (Harbor Col- Piease see MINORS, C17 Royce Clayton was the Giants' first-m round pick in the June, 1988, drafV( Youngs Is Ready to Spring Into Action Volleyball: After surgery, junior has better vertical jump, and hopes to help UCLA win national title.

U.S. team to a fifth-place finish the Pan Am Games. She said the international play has prepared for her junior season at UCLA, "I'm glad to be home," she sajd!" "We were gone TA weeks, and played almost nonstop." l'. It's not as though she minded' ft." The World University Games. July marked the first time YourfgS has played competitively in morg than a year.

A 6 -foot outside hitter, she red-shirted last season after underg1 ing a second operation torepajj cartilage damage in her left UCLA Coach Andy BanachowsKiS said Youngs is stronger now than? before her injury. "With a full recovery, she's capable of doing the same things she could before and more," he safcfc: "I also think she has gained some maturity, and the international experience can only help." ln As a sophomore, Youngs led Bruins in kill average (4.52) atid' service -ace average (.45) and 21 double-kill matches. But she missed the final regular-season matches after uifc'i dergoing arthroscopic surgery oh her knee. She recovered in time for flffs NCAA tournament, and was nameW3 to the NCAA West Region al tournament team. As a freshman, Youngs was member of one of UCLA's.

best recruiting classes. That recruiting class matured jc juniors last season, rolling to a 36-record and winning the NCAAs Please see YOUNGS, ByMIKEREILLEY TIMES STAFF WRITER Impressions of the Pan American Games in Cuba, as seen through the eyes of volleyball player Elaine Youngs: "The athletic village is very nice. We had refrigerators, TVs, everything in our rooms." How did your injured knee hold up during play "I had no problems with it, except that we could never find any ice to put on it after matches." And the food? Plentiful, but not very appetizing. "It takes some getting used to," she said. "There are flies crawling around everywhere.

One time, we were eating this bread. I thought it was really good. "Then one of the girls found a worm in her roll. That's when I said, 'Forget But Youngs endured the Cuban cuisine long enough to squeeze in some playing time, something she hasn't had a lot of lately. Youngs, along with UCLA teammates Julie Bremner and Natalie Williams, played this summer with the U.S.

national team at the Pan Am Games and the World University Games in England. Youngs started and helped the BRIAN GADBEIIY Los Angeles Times After being ineligible to play varsity football last year, Eric (left) and Eran Taulua are eager to get back on the playing field. Former Coach to Undergo a Bone Marrow Transplant3 Ready AND Waiting After a Tumultuous Year Off the Field, the Tauluas Get a Fresh Start at Carson "If they were here last year, it would have turned around our season. I'm talking about a CIF championship. They were the most physical defensive ballplayers I've ever had at El Segundo.

They would just run over people, at running back and linebacker." Newell harbors no bitterness, though: "They are good kids and great football players. I only wish them the best." Simeta said he other coaches at El Segundo did hot share Newell's attitude. "Some of the coaches not in football were favoring other players," he said. "I thought it was time to make a change." So, weary of battling the administration and the athletic department, the Tauluas decided to leave El Segundo, only to be embroiled in new troubles. The City Section which in years past has appeared lenient in granting varsity eligibility to transfers such as quarterbacks Perry Klein of Palisades and John Walsh of West Torrance, both of whom ended up at Carson stipulated that a student who moves would be ineligible unless a family purchased property.

The family was not in a financial situation to do that, so the Tauluas played with the Carson junior varsity team on Thursday afternoons and watched the varsity oh Friday nights last season. "I really couldn't get excited about junior varsity," said Eric, who may start both ways at tackle for the varsity this season. "It was fun, but you're playing against third- and fourth-stringers, so sometimes the guys can't even play." Eric and Eran made their penance with the City and eagerly awaited this season, helped by Simeta who kept them on a strict training program. But the spring brought trouble for Eric. Fulfilling the concerns of his father when he started high school, Eric was involved in what he called a "little massacre" after being taunted by some other students.

In addition to the fight, Eric was caught throwing wooden crates at one of the offending students' cars. Hoping to save Eric from more trouble, Carson granted him an "opportunity transfer" an educational euphemism for being kicked out of school. The transfer took Eric to Banning this summer, where he practiced once with the football team. But Carson Principal Dhyan Lai and co-coaches Marty Blankenship and Jim Please see TWINS, C17 By GREG GONZALEZ SPECIAL TO THE TIMES arson High football fans jubilantly counted down the final seconds before rushing the field in celebration of the Colts' 37-16 victory over Banning in the L.A. City Section 4-A Division final last season.

But for two Carson juniors who watched from the stands, it was a bittersweet experience. "I saw that game and all I could think was, 'That could be me making that said 6-foot, 260-pound Eric Taulua, who, along with his twin brother Eran, was ineligible to play varsity football last year. The Tauluas, regarded as two of the best players in the South Bay, are ready to return to action after a tumultuous year off the field. The Tauluas, Carson residents, attended El Segundo their first two years of high school, residing in an apartment near the school. In the spring of their sophomore year, the twins transferred to Carson after they experienced problems at El Segundo.

When they arrived at Carson, however, the twins were not eligible to compete in varsity athletics because their family had not purchased property in the Carson district, a violation of new City Section rules pertaining to transfer students. Thus began a summer of conflict for the Taulua family. The twins' father, Simeta, fought the City Section to allow his sons to play, taking his case all the way to the state office of the CIF. But when football began, the Taulua brothers were only allowed to play for the Carson junior varsity team. "We found out at the end of hell week," said Eran, a 6-foot, 230-pound linebacker and fullback.

"I couldn't believe it, we wasted a whole year." The trouble could have been avoided if the Tauluas has stayed at El Segundo. Before the twins enrolled in high school, Simeta wanted his sons to leave Carson. "We liked Carson, but there was always a little problem with gang members," Simeta i said. "The gang members were bothering my sons, so I thought I would send them to El Segundo. Besides, they could help cousins they had there." Life in El Segundo didn't turn out as they had hoped.

School authorities questioned whether the apartment the Tauluas were living in was a legitimate addressand Simeta believed his sons were not given a fair chance. By ROB FERNAS TIMES STAFF WRITER Former San Pedro High football Coach Henry Pacheco, who was given a diagnosis of leukemia in May, will undergo a bone marrow transplant later this month in an effort to cure the disease. Pacheco, 48, said if the operation proves successful, it will increase his life expectancy and allow him to discontinue chemotherapy treatments. "As long as I'm on chemotherapy, I'll never be cured," he said. "The leukemia is in remission, but I could have a relapse.

My chances of survival are greater with a bone marrow transplant than without it." Pacheco said the operation is considered a risky procedure because all blood cells must be destroyed by radiation and chemotherapy, rendering his immune system defenseless. Pacheco said he will be treated with antibiotics and whole blood until the new bone marrow takes. 1 "You become susceptible to disease and sickness because the body can't fight anything," he said. "Doctors say the first 100 days are the most critical. They put you in complete isolation because the body has to avoid infection." The bone marrow will come from one of Pacheco's nine brothers, Robert, 36, a captain for the Los -Angeles Fire Department.

Pacheco is scheduled to enter Kaiser Sunset Hospital in Hollywood on Sept. 17. Although he was hospitalized a few times this summer when his in their other sports basketball and baseball. "Administration people would come by and not see any furniture, just our falas Samoan mats, and they would say, 'How can eight people live here without any Eric said. "But we did it." Eric admitted that he and his brothers got into fights at El Segundo, which may have contributed to problems the family had with school administrators.

One person who had no problems with the Tauluas was El Segundo football Coach Steve Newell. The twins helped the Eagles win the 1989 Santa Fe League championship as sophomores. "Their transfer was the hardest I've had to deal with in all my years at El Segundo," said Newell, who has been at the school since 1969. "They were fabulous football players and they were good people at every point I came in contact with them." Newell thinks the twins' transfer hurt both parties. "Had they stayed at EI Segundo, they'd be in a better position to showcase themselves," Newell said.

"If we had them in our school and our program for three years, you could project where they would end up. They were dominating as sophomores, and when they transferred it just took a big chunk out of our program. It was really demoralizing. Henry Pacheco was given a diag-. nosis of leukemia last Mayci: condition worsened, Pacheco returned to his job as a physical education teacher at San Pedro off'-" Aug 16.

Friends say he has lost considerable weight, but appears inS good spirits. "He's the same old Henry," said -Michael Walsh, San Pedro's r. football coach. "He's been upbeat and positive. Hopefully operation will work out and he will recover.

There's always chance." r. Pacheco said this is the first time xh in "at least 20 years" that he has not been involved in coaching prep j' football. "I don't miss it right now," said. "I have other things on my ir. mind than football.

My health is the most important thing." i.