Star Tribune from Minneapolis, Minnesota • Page 18

THE MINNEAPOLIS TRIBUNE Oct. 3, 1971) 18 I Jtmm a Pitching-SHpping Cog in 'Big Red Machine Sid ters hit often but they could hit far. It was the pitching that was suspect, so shaky in I960 that Wayne Granger was used in relief 90 times, a record, and Clay Carroll 71 times. By the time this season whirled into the All-Star break, though, Granger and Carroll were rusting away in the bullpen. Cincinnati popped up with such an impressive group of starters and, more important, finishers that the Redlegs were spread-eagling the field.

Out of first place for only one day in April, they rolled out a 10-game lead on the runnerup Dodgers at the halfway mark with as The Big Red Machine. The nickname was also grudgingly accepted those not quite as deeply in love with them. But certain fads are inescapable. Even before the season began everyone knew that Cincinnati had the strongest group of musclemen in the Not only could their bat By ARTHUR DALEY New York Times Service NEW YORK, N.Y. At the time of the All-Star Game in mid-July the Cincinnati Reds were doing such a job of flattening the opposition that their overjoyed supporters got carried away by the spirit and were extravagantly referring to their heroes ing an Irish jig in the 'Golden Triangle, it has at.

least kept him beating time to the music. Of recent weeks the Pirates have won the tough ones, the ones they had to win, and they produced a 2.30 earned-run average over the brutal September homestretch. Redleg pitchers are far more puzzling. Jim Mer-ritt became a 20-game winner on Aug. 26 and, unless he sneaked in another under cover of darkness, he hasn't won since.

Jim McGlothlin failed to win between the Fourth of July and Labor Day. Wayne Simpson, the super sensational rookie, has been hospitalized since mid-season. a blithe winning percentage. Since then, they've been struggling at a pace not much better than that of the Mets. Everyone should know by now that this rate just isn't good enough.

The Big Red Machine has developed the creaks. It's the wrong time for it, too. The Reds are supposed to chop down the Pirates for the National League pennant in a playoff series that begins in Pittsburgh today. At the same time the Baltimore Orioles are supposed to do the same to the Twins in Minnesota. A week later the winners will have it out in the World Series.

If the Pittsburgh pitching has not set manager Danny Murtaugh to danc "I'VE BATTLED A FEW injuries this year which I didn't last yeai," said Frank Robinson, Baltimore out-fielder as the Orioles were working out at Metropolitan Stadium Friday in preparation for the opening of today's American League play-off championships. "But right now my health is fine. a 'The last few games of the season I've gotten back 5 In the groove, so I feel I'm ready for a good series." Rob-: irtson believes it's only a slight advantage to the Twins to be able to open the series in their home park. 'H'he Twins play 81 games here, they are familiar with the place," said Robinson. "But we also like hitting '-in this park and we may be a little more relaxed being IP 8 on the road." Robinson has a lot of respect for Twins starting pitcher Jim Perry.

"Perry is always tough, because he is not going to beat himself," said Robinson. "If you are going to beat Perry you will have to hit him to win. He is not going to walk himself into trouble. He will be around the plate all the time." According to Robinson, Mike Cuel-lar, the Orioles starter has been more consistent than he was last year. REDS-PIRATES LINEUPS Robinson Cincinnati Rose cf (.316) Tolan cf (.316) Perez 3b (.317) Bench (.293) May lb (.253) Car'bo If (.286) Helms 2b (.237) Woodward ss (.223) Nolan (18-7) Cincinnati No.

Name Pos. 24 Perez 5 Bench 25 Carbo 3b of of 6 Woodward ss 28 Tolan 7 Corrales 30 Merritt HMcRae of 31 McGlothin 12 Chaney ss 33 Behney 13Conc'cion ss35Gullett 14 Rne nf 3fi Carroll I) "Cuellar surprised a lot of people last year, when he had a 23-11 record," said Robinson. "But this year he more consistent. Me won one more game and cut cjpwn on his losses." (His record this year is 24-8.) Robinson says he would enjoy the opportunity to play either Pittsburgh or Cincinnati in the World Series. 'But "he naturally would have a little extra incentive to play against his old Red teammates.

"It would be a tremendous thrill (o go back there and play in a World Series" he said. Powell Likes Hitting Here BALTIMORE HAS WON 11 straight games going Into; today's play-off, and first baseman Boog Powell things might be to the advantage of the Orioles. 'This is the longest winning streak we've had since I've been with the club," said Powell. "It certainly makes i you feel a lot better than if you were coming into the playoffs in a slump. "I'm sure this is bv far the best club I've played with." As for hitting in Met Stadium Powell says: "They have a great background here, and if the wind is blowing I out to help you a litttle bit.

Rlgney Rates Orioles High Bill Rigney thinks the first game in today's playoff with Baltimore may be the most important. "If we can get the jump right in our own home park it has to help us," said Rigney. "Our players have built one! of the best home field records in the league here. This indicates they all like to play here." Rigney rates Baltimore with the great New York Yankee teams of the past. 1 il i .1 i 16 Stew'rt of-inf 37 Grancer 16 Oliver of 31 Giustf 17Cline of38Nolan 1 7 Ellis 35 Sanpuillen 19 Helms 2b 39 Washburn 18 Alou of 36 Cambria 22 Bravo of 40 Clonineer 19 Gibbon p38Moo.se 23 May lb 13 Wilcox 20 Hebner 3b39Veale Reds 2, Grammas, coach.

3, Schergef, coach. 4, Shepard, coach. 10, Anderson, manager. 18, Kluszewski, coach. Pirates 5, Ricketts.

coach, 40, Murtaugh, manager. 41, Virdon, coach. 42, Osborn, coach. 43, Leppert, coach. 44, Oceak, coach.

Minneapolis Tribune Photo by John Croft and Mike Cuellar. Cuellar will start for Baltimore today in the opening American League play-off game. Baltimore's three 20-game winning pitchers gathered at Metropolitan Stadium Friday. They are (from left) Dave McNally, Jim Palmer Hartman not oniy aeiena so weu, dui probably is the best bal- Mayer Elliott Twins Major League Standings AMERICAN LEAGUE (FINAL) ine Dig imng is mey SEfcjCt and with power. It iiKjI fclub in either league." WEST Pet.

G.B. 98 61 .605 89 73 .549 9'a Twins Oakland California Milwaukee 86 76 .531 12 65 97 .401 33 Kansas City 65 97 .401 33 Chicago .56 106.346 42 (Twins year ago: sJJeVer Rates Cornhuskers High J'We will have to improve a great deal in our offen-enechniques over the Ohio game if we are to beat hjraska today," said Gopher halfback Barry Mayer. 'Nebraska will outweigh us about 20 pounds per the liwe, so they will bemuch tougher to run "against than Ohio was last week. "I remember getting hit awfully hard EAST Pet n. Baltimore New York Boston Detroit Cleveland 108 54 .677 93 69 .574 15 87 75 .537 21 79 83 .488 29 76 86 .469 32 Washington 70 92 97-65, G.A.

9) 432 38 EAST Pet. Pittsburgh 89 73 .549 Chicago 84 78 .519 5 New York 83 79 .512 6 St. Louis 76 86 .469 13 Philadelphia 73 88 .453 15'2 Montreal 73 89 .453 16 NATIONAL LEAGUE (FINAL) by- Nebraska last year. Coach (Butch) Nash feels that this is one of the finest teams Nebraska has had in recent years. "We know we will have to pay 110 percent to beat them." Mayer was troubled with a shoulder injury and a groin injury last season.

He ran for 118 yards last week against Ohio U. He says this was possible because he is; in perfect shape physically, after the irfjuries of a year ago. WEST W. L. Pet.

GB. Cincinnati 102 60 .630 Los Angeles 87 74 .540 14'3 S. Francisco 86 76 .531 16 Houston 79 83 .488 23 Atlanta 76 86 ..469 26 San Diego 63 99 .389 39 Continued fall on the shoulders of Jim Perry (24-12) of the Twins and left-hander Mike Cuellar (24-8) of the Orioles. "I think we have an advantage because we play the first two games in our park," Perry said. Last year we were only a break away from being in the World Series ourselves.

"Now we want to do something for the fans of the Upper Midwest. We want to bring them a championship." But Brooks Robinson, Orioles' third baseman, says Baltimore has an advantage in playing at Metropolitan Stadium. "I think it's easier to play on the road," said Robinson. "We know that the people here are going to be cheering for the Twins. I think it is more relaxing for me to play before fans on the road.

"And we like to play in this park because it is not a big park. I think our batters like to hit in this park." Robinson also discounts the idea of revenge or momentum. "Last year we lost five of our last six games during the regular sesason," said Robinson. "But in the playoff and the first game of the series we played as well as we could. Yet we were only one bad bounce away from a couple of losses to the Twins in the first two games." Harmon Killebrcw, who Pittsburgh Alou cf (-297) Cash 2b (.302) Clemcnte rf (.352) Stargell If (.264) Oliver lb (.270) Sanguillen (.327) Hcbner 3b (.291) Alley ss (.244) Ellis (13-10) Pittsburgh No.

Name Pod. 21 Clemenle ss 22 Brunet 2 Patek. 7 Robertson 7 StarRCll 9 May 1 1 Paean lb 23 Walker of 24 Lamb 25 Jeter 3b 27 Del Canton 12 Mazeroski 2b 28 Blass 2b 14 Alley ss 30 Cash Shrine RODEO SHOW TIMES Oct, 2. 7:30 p.m. Oct.

3, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 4, 1:30 p.m. October 2-3-4 HIPPODROME MINN. STATE FAIRGROUNDS TICKETS AVAILABLE ot Main Ticket Office, 2540 Park and at All Dayton Ticket Offices.

1 alH iTi r.l -1 1 Li REESE STATUS STILL UNSURE Twins' manager Bill Rigney will decide before today's game with Baltimore whether or not Rich Reese will play first base for the Twins. Reese has been bothered for a week with a pulled hamstring in his right leg. He expressed confidence Friday that he would be able to play. If he does play, Llarmon Killebrew will play third. If Reese can't play, Rigney said he planned to move Killebrew to first base and use Rick Renick at third.

Rod Ceraw, who has been used as a pinch-hitter since suffering an injured knee in June, said yesterday his right knee feels very stiff. Wh tit 11V'' mm Rush Has High Hopes for Kapp V-. BOSTON PATRIOTS COACH Clive Rush and team president Billy Sullivan talked about acquiring Vikings quarterback Joe Kapp last summer "but we didn't think I. there' was any doubt about Kapp reporting to the Vi-J kings," said Rush yesterday. first time we got serious about a deal was LTjfesjiiay morning when I called Jim Finks (Vikings gen-jerat manager).

"I thought Kapp made a classic statement to me when I met him at the airport at 6:10 a.m. Friday morn-; ing. "All we did was talk football until the press confer-' ence at 11 a.m. So Pete Elliott's name came up. (Elliott was Kapp's college coach at California.) I mentioned that From Page 17 is a leader of the Twins with more than just his bat, agreed with Robinson.

"This is a short series," said Killebrew. "Anything can happen. A ball can take a bad hop or the wind can blow a ball and turn the game around. "You start in Florida with the idea that you want to win your division. After you've done that you think about the playoff.

Then about the Series. You think of each thing as a step, not as a matter of revenge." Tony Oliva, who suffered through that 11-2 loss in the final game of the playoff last year, still had it fresh in his mind. "Billy Martin didn't want me to play in that game," said Oliva. "But I thought I could do something to help our club win the game. I may have made a mistake by playing, but I wanted to play.

"I remember how the fans booed during that game. I don't think I have to prove anything to them in this playoff. They know what kind of player I am. I want to get us to the Wrorld Series." But Rigney may have struck the feeling of both clubs. "Our club knows what's at stake," said Rigney.

"They are pros. Anybody who can't get fired up about this had better have his metabolism checked." Avg. Name Pos. .272 Don Buford LF .267 Paul Blair CF .297 Boog Powell IB .306 Frank Robinson RF .242 Ellie Hendricks .276 Brooks Robinson 3B .281 Dave Johnson 2B ,217 Mark Belanger SS (24-8) Mike Cuellar Minnesofo No. Name Pos.

3b of 2b of inf of inf of of ss lb 2o" 3 Killebrcw 4 Allison 5 Thompson fi Oliva 7 Qui I id 8 Ratliff 9 10 Manuel Renick Alyea II 12 15 lf 17 Invar Mitterwald Perrannski ardenas 20 Reese 21 Hall 2H Hlylevcn 2f) arew 31 Perrv 32 Woodson 3.1 Tiant 35 Williams 36 Kaat i it ironic that Joe took Pete to the Rose J-Bowl -at California, and Mike Taliaferro (presGfit Boston quarterback) took Pete to "trie-Rose Bowl at Illinois. "iIAnd you know what he answered: 'We're- both going to take you to Super I thought that was a great an- -i-Z Rush is high on John Charles, the free safety that the Vikings acquired in the Kapp trade. can play any of the four def en- 8 to mm TWINS-ORIOLES LINEUPS Pos. Name Avg. CF Cesar Tovar .300 SS Leo Cardenas .246 1B-3B II.

Killebrew .271 RF Tony Oliva .325 LF Brant Alyea .291 IB Rich Reese .261 3B Rick Renick .228 G. Mitterwald .222 2B Danny Thompson .219 Jim Perry (24-12) rv 4 ORIOLES 4, Weaver, manacer. 31, Bamberger, coach, 41, Frey, coach. 48, Stallcr, coach. 55, Hunter, coach.

TWINS 2, Crosntti, coach. 1H, RiRney, manager. 44, Morgan, coach. 45, Rodgers, coach. 46, Grissom, coach.

47, Robertson, coach. 1970 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS REDUCED TO give backfield spots as well as anybody in pro football," he said. Charles Happy About Trade CHARLES SAID HE WAS GLAD to join friends on the Vikings squad, like Clinton Jones and Gene Wash-', ington. "I've always wanted a chance to play in the Super Bowl, and now I've got it," he said yesterday. The Vikings are very high on Charles when he was drafted first in 1067 by Boston.

"We rated him as the 24th best football player in the country," said Jerry Reichow, director of Viking per- sonnel. Jottings: MARK LUTZ, OUTSTANDING former Rochester 1 Mayo sprinter, has been named to the 1970 Scholastic Magazine All-American high school track team Greg Jones, the UCLA halfback whom the Vikings drafted fifth and released, is starting at running back for I Buffalo Walt Prybl, a Gopher punter last year, is playing semi-pro football for Ohaha They Say: John Charles: "I was startled when I showed up at the Patriot practice Friday and saw Joe Kapp in uniform. The details of the trade hadn't been announced yet. I didn't, know I was traded. The whole team was excited.

I think that with Joe the Patriots have a good chance to 'win their division." Earl Weaver, Baltimore manager: "It was a tossup whether I should start Dave McNally or Mike Cuellar in the first game against the Twins, They both like to work with three days rest. I think either of them gets knocked out in the first game he could come back in the fourth game, although I'm thinking of Tom Phoebus for now. McNally could go to the hull pen with one "darcst a little better, than Mike Baltimore No. Name 5 B. Robinson 6 Blair 7 Belanger 8 Ktchebarren 9 Buford 10 Hendricks 14 Retiemund 15 Johnson i Pos.

3 cf ss of of 2 inf nf or lb inf ol of Grirh McNally Robinson 21 Motion 22 Palmer 24 Richrrt 25 Drabnwsky 26 Powell Hall 30 Salmon 22 Tischinski 26 Holt Lopez 35 Cuellar T1 Phoebus 37 Crowley 39 Watt 40 I.eonhard 41 Hardin.