Courier-Post from Camden, New Jersey • Page 67

COURIER-POST, Sunday, September 27, 1992 3F Giles falls short on plans for free aaents Two other free-agent relievers who have quietly done a good job are Cleveland's Ted Power and Eric Plunk, both right-handers. Power's ERA is below 2.50 and Pluck has won nine games. Another interesting name on the list of free-agent relievers is Toronto's Tom Henke, but he probably will not fall in the category of "lesser" free agent. Let's move to the bench, a definite need for the Phillies. If the Phillies want a strong-fielding, decent-hitting utility infielder, they should pursue Montreal's Spike Owen.

He catches everything and can play BOB BROOKOVER So now we know the Phillies' plan. An enthused Bill Giles laid it out the other day. Please, hold your own enthusiasm until you see how it works on the field, because all paper plans are worthless. Just ask the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers. Anyway, Giles said the Phils will not be signing Pittsburgh's Barry Bonds or anyone else commanding a $7 million per year salary.

Instead, the front office has decided to go after four or five "lesser" free agents. Whether or not it's a good plan remains to be seen. Giles said his ownership partners are committed to winning, so if that's the case why not sign Bonds and three "lesser" free agents. Then they have the National League's best player as a foundation. But since Giles and his partners own the bank, their plan is the one that General Manager Lee Thomas is going to have to live with.

What players fall into the category of "lesser" free agents is not exactly clear. Presumably we're talking about guys like St. Louis' Todd Worrell and not guys like the Cardinals' Scott Terry. For the purpose of this exercise, let's assume that Giles' definition is anyone commanding between $2 and $2.5 million. Now, let's identify the Phillies' needs and the "lesser" free agents who could help them.

Start with the bullpen. Start with Worrell. He could help the Phillies if he were willing not to be the closer. Worrell has come back nicely from shoulder surgery and pitched in 63 games for the Cardinals this season. If the Phillies can't lure Worrell, then they might want to tum to the Dodgers' Jim Gott.

Unlike Worrell, Gott is not married to the idea of being a closer. He might be the perfect setup man the Phillies have been looking for. sign Gott, Owen, Incaviglia and Martinez. That would give them four "lesser" free agents. It would also make them a better team.

Of course, it's hard to imagine any team being worse than the 1992 Phillies. But signing four "lesser" free agents just isn't enough. It's a plan that falls short. If Bill Giles and his partners really want to win next year, they have to sign those four "lesser" free agents, then go after one stud pitcher. They have to sign a David Cone, a Greg Swindell or a Doug Drabek.

Then, and only then, will the Phillies honestly be able to convince their fans that they have a chance to win next season. Celebrating 40 and 50: Mark McGwire and Dennis Eckersley, two of the main cogs in Oakland's drive to its fourth American League West title in five years, reached single-season milestones last week. McGwire reached 40 home runs for only the second time in his career and used the occasion to rip his critics who claimed he was done when he hit just .201 with 22 home runs in 1991. "I'm pretty damn happy about it," McGwire said. "A lot of people wrote me off.

Why they did, I don't know. But what I've done five out of six years isn't bad." And what Eckersley has done this year is absolutely unbelievable. He became only the second pitcher in major-league history to register 50 saves. Overall, he has converted 51 of 53 opportunities. "I know the significance of 50 saves," Eckersley said.

"At the start of the year, you think about 50 saves and you say, 'Wow, I hope I get 50 You're not going to get 50 opportunities without a great team." Pitching for dollars: The Dodgers' Orel Hershiser is going to finish with a losing record for the first time in his career. Hershiser had had a winning record for 10 straight years, the longest streak since Tom Seaver compiled 15 straight winning years. i Nevertheless, Hershiser is going to make some big) money over the final two weeks of the season. For every start over 30, the Dodgers are paying Hershiser $250,000. He should end up with an extra $750,000 because of that incentive clause.

i To avoid another losing season, Hershiser said he wants to develop a slow curveball and a better changeup. "I'm 34 now, and if I want to pitch into my 40s, I i think I'm going to need a couple of offspeed pitches to accentuate my fastball," he said. Stats and stuff: Milwaukee's Cal Eldred tied a club record when he won his ninth straight game last week. His record was broken on Friday when Chris "Could have been a Phillie" Bosio won his 10th straight by beating California 4-0 White Sox catcher Ron Karkovice has six home runs in September. Before this season, his career-high for homers was six Frank Thomas of the White Sox has a cameo role in Tom Selleck's new movie "Mr.

Baseball." Thomas is the rookie who takes Selleck's spot, forcing Magnum P.I. to go play in Japan The Red Sox have used 132 different lineups and are going to finish last for the first time since 1932 Jose Canseco will make his first trip into Oakland' as a member of the Texas Rangers on Tuesday 1 Atlanta's Pete Smith is 6-0 and the Braves are 9-0 in the games he has started. Quotebook: Todd Benzinger of the last-place i Dodgers on the status of his injury: "I'd be ready for the playoffs." Tigers manager Sparky Anderson on pitching to Boston's Mo Vaughn: "He's basically very easy to pitch to Vaughn couldn't hit a high fastball if you gave him eight bats up there." I Bob Brookover covert the Phillies (or the Courier-Pout i both shortstop and second base. He'll be much cheaper than $2 million as well. The Phillies badly need some bench players who can roam the outfield.

The rookie understudy group of Ruben Amaro, Braulio Castillo and Tom Marsh just doesn't cut it. Baltimore's Joe Orsulak, Kansas City's Jim Eisenreich and Oakland's Willie Wilson are all guys capable of filling in for extended periods, if players like Lenny Dykstra or Wes Chamberlain went down again. The Phillies also might want to check into obtaining Houston's Pete Incaviglia and the Yankees' Mel Hall, both of whom have power. Furthermore, Incaviglia hits from the right side and Hall bats left. Can you say, "platoon?" Cincinnati's Dave Martinez also would give the Phillies a lot more depth in the outfield, and he's almost as good as Dykstra as a defensive outfielder.

For the sake of argument, let's say the Phillies League Leaders Schilling continues strong season with win National League By BOB BROOKOVER Courier-Post Staff AB 143 546 84 181 191 147 686 141 517 168 144 607 134 454 Sheffield SD VanSlyke Pit Roberta Cln Kmk Bonds Pit Qwynn SO Butler LA Pendleton All Larkin Cin Grace Chi 100 90 88 107 77 84 03 76 70 164 .323 144 .317 165 .317 187 .314 191 .311 162 .309 179 .308 128 520 151 632 152 815 137 525 151 681 Jason Grimsley. Curt Schilling for Jason Grimsley. Still can't believe it. "He's just been fantastic all season," Fregosi said. "He does so many things well.

He has great control, he holds runners on and he's a hell of a competitor." In addition to his wins, innings pitched and complete games, Schilling also has some other impressive statistics. For instance, opponents are hitting a league-low .203 against him and his 2.35 earned run average is the fourth best in the league. Then there are the intangibles. "As the game goes on, he gets better and better," Fregosi said. "He's just had a marvelous season.

He's gone way above the call of duty." Schilling has indeed been a big surprise, and these days he's even surprising himself by being able to pitch effectively despite all I would have laughed if you'd told me that," Schilling said. "A lot of other people would have, too, especially (Houston general manager) Bill Wood." What's the reason for his success? "There's a lot of factors," Schilling said. "My fiancee and I sat down and tried to figure it out about a month ago. I went from not making (the Astros) to having all this confidence. The day after the trade, I just felt like it was going to be a good year.

I have a plan every night of the week." Now the question becomes, can Schilling duplicate his success next season? "I expect to be better," Schilling said. "If I can get 35 to 40 starts, I expect to win between 15 and 20 ballgames. I've had a pretty big year this year and, hopefully, next year will be even bigger and I can get some financial security for my family. "I'm really more anxious about being ready for next year than I've ever been. I expect myself to do better." the innings he has logged.

"I'm surprised I can still throw a baseball," Schilling said. "It's taking me a while to get loose these days, but I seem to be finding it after two or three innings and getting in a groove." After allowing a run in the second inning Saturday, Schilling blanked the Cardinals on two hits the rest of the way and the Phils scored the two runs they needed on RBI singles by Mickey Morandini and Juan Bell. With nine games left in the season, Schilling will get one chance to win his 15th game. "My goal when all this started was to get 200 innings and win 15 games," he said. What makes the Curt Schilling story so intriguing is that a little more than six months ago, he did not fit into the Houston Astros' plans.

And now, he is the winnin-gest pitcher on the Phillies' staff. PHILADELPHIA Jim Fregosi recited the numbers off the top of his head, "He's now pitched 218 innings, he has nine complete games and he's won 14 games," the Phillies' manager said. "I couldn't ask for anything more." This is the Curt Schilling story and it's one of the few stories in the Phillies' clubhouse that is going to have a happy ending this season. Schilling dictated another chapter of his story Saturday night when he shut down the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 in the first game of a doubleheader at Veterans Stadium.

He went the distance, pitching a four-hit gem to extend the Phils' season-high winning streak to five games. Afterward, Fregosi gushed over the pitcher the Phillies stole from Houston for Bonds, Pittsburgh, 107; VanSlyke, Pittsburgh, 100; Gnssom, Montreal, 99; HoMne, PNWee, Sandberg, Chicago. 95; Blggio, Houston, 93; Pendleton, Atlanta, 93. RBI Daulton, Phillies. 105; Pendleton, Atlanta, 102; Bonds, Pittsburgh, 100; Sheffield, Sen Diego, 99; McQrifl, San Diego, 96; Houston, 91 LWalker, Montreal, 91 Hits Pendleton, Atlanta.

191 VanSlyke, Pittsburgh, 191; Sheffield. San Diego, 161; Gnssom, Montreal, 179; Grace. Chicago, 179; Sandberg, Chicago, 174; Lanklord, St. Louis, 171. I.

Doubles VanSlyke. Pittsburgh, 44; WCIark, San Francisco, 40; Griasom, Montreal, 39; Lanklord, Louis, 38; Duncan, Phillies, 38; Pendleton, Atlanta. 37; Grace, Chicago, 36; JBeH, Pitta' burgh, 36; Bonds, Pittsburgh, 36. Triples DSanders. Atlanta.

14; Flnley, Houston. 12; VanSlyke, Pittsburgh, 12; Butter. Los Angeles, 11; Alicea, St. Louis. 10; Morsndlnl, PnHUee.

Otferman. Los Angeles, DeShields, Montreal, Sandberg, Chicago. 6. Home Rune McGriff, San Diego, 34; Sheffield, San Diego, 33; Bonds. Pittsburgh, 32; Daulton, PtmUee, 27, HoHlns, Phillies, 25; Sandberg, Chicago, 25; LWalker, Montreal.

23. Stolen Beeee Qrissom, Montreal, 75; DeShields, Montreal, 48; Roberta. Cincinnati. 44; Lanklord. St.

Louis, 42; Nixon, Atlanta, 41; Butler, Los Angeles, 41; OSmrth, St. Louis, 41. Pitching (18 Decisions) Tewksbury, St. Louis, 16-5, .762, 219: ale-vine, Atlanta. 20-7, .741, 2.87; Morgan, Chicago, 15-7, .882, 265; Cone, New York, 13-7, ,660, 2 88; Leibrandt.

Atlanta. 13-7, .660, 3 62: KHi, Montreel, 16-9. .840, 2.71; Tomlln, Pittsburgh, 14-8, ,636, 3 35. Strikeouts Cone, New York, 214; Smoltz, Atlanta, 205 GMaddux, Chicago, 190; SFernandez, New York, 168; Drabek, Pittsburgh, 173; Rlio, Cincinnati, 168; Benes, San Diego, 156; KeOross, Los Angeles, 168. Saves LaSmttri, St.

Louis, 40; Myers, San Diego, 37; Wetteland, Montreal, 35; DJones, Houston, 33; Charlton. Cincinnati, 26; MtWllllams, Philadelphia, 26; Dibble. Cincinnati, 23. Pittsb urah clinches tie or N.L East crown ktftf J) Si National fA American League AB ft 135 528 100 181 151 805 151 582 98 198 88 188 151 544 108 175 148 668 Pet 343 327 .323 .322 .319 312 .309 .308 .303 .300 EMartinez Sea PucketlMin Molnor Mil Thomas Chi Mack Mm Qritley Sea RAIomar Tor Baerga Cle Herper Mm Knoblauch Min 135 638 147 553 153 825 132 475 65 181 81 166 99 171 87 191 63 144 98 170 pitched his second career shutout and the Montreal Expos beat Chicago 12-0 Saturday. Nabholz (11-11) gave up four hits and struck out 10.

He walked two and retired the last 12 batters in his first complete game this season. Shawn Boskie (5-11) allowed five runs on nine hits in six innings. The Expos scored three times in the second after loading the bases with no outs. One run scored on Wil Cordero's double, Nabholz hit an RBI double and another scored on third baseman Luis Salazar's throwing error. Moises Alou doubled and scored on Darrin Fletcher's sacrifice fly in the third.

Montreal made it 5-0 in the sixth when Sean Berry singled, stole second and scored on Greg Colbrunn'8 single. The Expos scored five runs in the seventh. Fletcher, Berry and Ivan Calderon hit RBI singles, Colbrunn had a sacrifice fly and another scored on a throwing error by reliever Heathcliff Slocumb. Giants thump Reds SAN FRANCISCO Cincin- Associated Press PITTSBURGH The Pittsburgh Pirates clinched at least a tie for the N.L. East championship by burying the New York Mets 19-2 Saturday behind a pair of six-run innings, Lloyd McClendon's grand slam and Barry Bonds' homer.

The next Pirates' victory they have won eight of 10 or Montreal loss will assure Pittsburgh of becoming the first N.L. East team to win three consecutive division championships since the Phillies in 1976-78. The Pirates also won three in a row from 1970-72. The Expos prevented the Pirates from clinching Saturday by beating the Chicago Cubs 12-0. The Pirates led 6-1 after one inning, 12-1 after two and 16-1 after four, and the Mets finally threw in the towel by allowing infielder Bill Pecota to pitch in the eighth.

Pecota, the first non-pitcher in the Mets' 30-year history to pitch in a regular-season game, immediately gave up a homer to Andy Van Slyke, the first hitter he faced. Bonds continued to make a stretch drive for his second 146 666 Rune National League MVP award in three years, hitting a two-run homer in the second and adding an RBI double in the fourth. He now has 32 homers and 100 RBIs and is the first Pirate since Willie Star-gell in 1971-73 with three consecutive 100-RBI seasons. The 18 runs are the most ever scored by the Pirates in a home game since moving into Three Rivers Stadium in 1975 and is the team high since a club-record 22-0 victory in Chicago on Sept. 16, 1975.

The Mets haven't allowed so many runs in a game since a 26-7 loss in Philadelphia on June 11, 1985. The Pirates batted around in each of the first two innings, scoring six in the first inning on McClendon's second career grand slam and starter Biob Walk's two-run double. They added six more in the second as Bonds homered and Jose Lind, Gary Redus and Jay Bell also drove in runs. Expos keep pace MONTREAL Chris Nabholz n.nm I I ii. nt II ft.

By Chaz Palla, Associated Press Passing the BUCS: Pirates' Lloyd McLendon (right) is congratulated by teammate Barry Bonds after McLendon hit a grand slam during the first inning of Saturday's game. nati's nine-game winning streak was stopped when Steve Hosey hit his first major league homer and helped the San Francisco Giants beat the Reds 8-3. Atlanta's magic number for winning the N.L. West title was cut to four by the Reds' loss. The Braves played a night game at San Diego.

Astros nip Dodgers LOS ANGELES Eddie Tau-bensee's two-run single in the eighth inning and Doug Jones' team record-tying 32nd save led the Houston Astros over the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-4. Phillips. Detroit, 112; Thomas, Chicago, 104; EMartinez, Seattle, 100; RAIomar, Toronto, 99; Knoblauch, Minnesota, 98; Puckett, Minnesota, 96, Raines, Chicago, 96. RBI Fielder, Detroit, 121; Carter, Toronto, 112; GBell. Chicago, 109; Thomas, Chicago, 108; Puckett.

Minnesota, 106; Devereaux, Baltimore, 105, Belle, Cleveland, 104. Hits Puckett, Minnesota. 198; Baerga. Cleveland, 191; Molitor. Milwaukee.

166; EMartinez, Seat, tie. 181; Mack. Minnesota. 181; Mattingly, New York, 179; Thomas, Chicago, 175; Deveteauxt Baltimore, 175. Doubles EMartinez.

Seattle, 46; Thomas. Chicago. 41; Mattingly. New York. 40; Griffey, Seattle.

39; Jet-leries. Kanses City, 38; Younl, Milwaukee, 38; Ventura, Chicago. 35. Triples Devereaux, Baltimore. 11; Uohnton, Chicago 1 1 Anderson, Baltimore.

Lofton, Cleveland, RAIomar. Toronto. 8: Sierra. Oakland, Raines, Chicago. Molitor, Milwaukee, 7.

Home Rune JuGonzalez. Texas. 40; McGwire, Oakland, 40; Fielder. Detroit, 33; Carter, Toronto. 33; Belle.

Cleveland. 32; Deer, Detroit, 31; Teftteton, Detroit. 30. Stolen Bases Lofton. Cleveland.

63; Listach, Milwaukee. S3; Anderson, Baltimore, 51; Pokxiia, Calilorma, 51; RAIomar, Toronto, 47; RHenderson, 47; Raines, Chicago, 44, 1 Pitching (1 Decisions) Mussina, Baltimore, 17-5, .773, 2.53; Boslo, Milwaukee, 16-5, .762. 3 44; JaMorria, Toronto, 19-8. .760. 4 09; JuGuzman, Toronto, 15-5, 2 76; McDowell, Chicago.

20-9, .690, 3 201 KBrown. Taxea, 20-10. 867, 328; Appier Kansas City. 15-8, .652. 2 48.

Strikeouts RJohnson, Seattle. 215: Perez, New York," 212: Clemens. Boston. 208: JsGuzman, Tense, 174; McDowell. Chicago.

163; KBrown, Texts, tei.Nagy, Cleveland, 1 57 Saves Eckersley. Oakland, 51; AguHera. Minnesota, 40; Montgomery. Kansas City, 39; Otton, Baltk more. 34.

Henke. Toronto, 32; JeRutsel, Oek land, 30, On. Cleveland. 28. Farr, New York.

Tartabull, Yankees stall Toronto's A.L. East drive moved the Baltimore Orioles one step closer to elimination with a 7-3 victory in the first game of a doubleheader. Any combination of Toronto wins and Baltimore losses totaling two will drop the Orioles out of the running for the A.L. East title. Baltimore has lost 12 of 18.

had won three straight and seven of his previous eight decisions. Vaughn drove his 22nd homer of the season into the left field bleachers with one out in the sixth, breaking a 1-all tie. The win went to Jesse Orosco (3-1), who went 1 2-3 innings with the aid of two double plays. Diving catches by Vaughn in the seventh and Darryl Hamilton in the eighth robbed Walt Weiss and Ruben Sierra of extra bate hits. Doug Henry pitched the ninth for his 27th save in 31 chances.

Red Sox hammer Orioles BALTIMORE Bob Zupric doubled home the tie-breaking run in the 14th inning, and Boston Associated Press NEW YORK -Toronto's drive toward the A.L. East title stalled Saturday when the New York Yankees beat the Blue Jays 2-1 on Danny Tartabull's two-run homer. Toronto, which began the day with a 3'a-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers, has a magic number of five for its second straight division title and its third in four years. New York stopped its 10-game losing streak against the Blue Jays by beating Juan Guzman (15-5), who lost consecutive decisions for only the third time in his career. Tartabull's third-inning homer was only the ulxlh off Guzman this year, and the fir'st since Aug.

3. Bob Wickmari (5-1) won for the Oakland's magic number remained at one. A loss by second-place Minnesota on Saturday night against Kansas City would give the Athletics their fourth A.L. West title in five years. The Brewers, meanwhile, moved within 2'i games of Toronto in the A.L.

East with seven games left after the first -place Blue Jays were beaten 2-1 in Yankee Stadium. Milwaukee beat Oakland for the second straight day; the A's still clinched a tie for the AL West title Friday night when Minnesota lost. After failing eight previous times to extend a four-game winning otrpqlc to five, the Brewer" finally did it, beating Oakland's hottest pitcher Ron Darling (15-10). He American League fifth time in six career starts, giving up six hits in seven innings, striking out four and walking one. Rich Monteleone pitched a perfect eighth and Steve Farr finished for his 28th save in 34 chances.

Tartabull's homer, his 24th of the season, followed a single by Don Mattingly. It was just Tartabull's fourth hit in 23 at-bats against the Blue Jays this year. Milwaukee keeps pace MILWAUKEE The Milwaukee Brewers, still in a championship chase of their own, put Oakland's A.L. West title celebration on hold again, beating the AJlhletics 2-1 on GregCtVaughn's sixth-inning homer. Indians claw Tigers DETROIT Jesse Levis' first major leap le homer broke a 4-4 tie in the sixth inning and the Cleveland Indians went on to a 7-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

Levis' upper-deck shot to right came against Kurt Knudsen just a hall-inning after the Tigers had tied the game with two in the fifth. Men's Basketball YMCA Christian League Ml Calvary 48, Tabernacle otFirth 46 Uarnell Hardwick scored 13 points (or the winnurs. Mi. BS, CMsKsn Filtf, 53 Paul Thompson had 28 points (or Mount Olive and fereg Harris had 26 tor the kxbnj. tea iwew mm.

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