The Times from Shreveport, Louisiana • Page 26

BASEBALL THE TIMES 4B WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 1989 Ex-Cap Tate Triple A star I QSiHsaBJLi g(gWHIDffii Phoenix Firebird fireman just waiting for chance to become a major league crunch-time player EAST DIVISION Pet GB L10 Streak Home Away EAST DIVISION i Pet GB L10 Streak Home Awav 38 .563 6-4 Won 1 25-1744-21 48 37 .565 5-5 Lost 1 24-19 24-H .500 5V4 1-64 Lost 1 .494 6 1-7-3 Won 1 .483 7 5-5 Won 1 .483 7 5-5 Won 4 .471 8 1-5-5 Lost 2 Baltimore New York Boston Milwaukee Toronto Cleveland Detroit .547 1VS 7-3 Won 1 23-zz m-v .536 2V4 1-6-4 Won 3 27-13 18-26 .530 3 1-8-2 Won 1 27-21 17-18 .434 11 Z-4-6 Lost 2 19-23 17-24 .381 15V4 5-5 Won 1 18-23 14-29 22-20 21-23 womreai 21-21 20-21 -24-22 18-23 NewYork 20- 23 22-22 21- 21 19-24 Pittsburgh 17-24 14-30 Philadelphia 43 41 42 42 1 40 31 49 47 45 44 36 32 51 49 44 42 40 365 17 1-2-8 Lost 7 WEST DIVISION WEST DIVISION L10 Streak Home Awav Pet GB L.Pct GB 7-5-5 Lost 1 28-14 23-22 L10 Streak Home Awav -ao unn in.n r.u Son Francisco 36 .586 33 .612 Won 1 1-6-4 .563 .506 .477 2 1-5-5 Lost 1 25-22 24-16 7 3-7 Lost 3 23-19 21-24 9V4 Z-4-6 Won 2 19-19 23-27 11 3-7 Lost 1 23-20 17-27 15 Z-5-5 Lost 1 20-25 16-26 30-16 22-20 30-11 19-26 Cincinnati 23-17 24-22 $an Diego 25-20 17-24 LM Angeles 52 52 49 47 42 41 32 California Oakland Kansas City Texas Seattle Minnesota Chicago 3V4 5V4 10V4 12 2114 .591 .570 .547 .488 .471 .364 36 37 39 44 46 56 .460 .414 Won 3 Lost 1 Won 2 Lost 6 Lost 6 1-6-4 4-6 7-3 1-9 1-3-7 36 91.91 9ft. wiuiiiu 14-28 18-28 x-notes first game was a win TODAY'S GAMES No games scheduled TODAY'S GAMES No games scheduled TUESDAY'S RESULT All-Star Game at Anaheim, Calif, (n) THURSDAY'S GAMES TUESDAY'S RESULT All-Star Game at Anaheim, Calif, (n) THURSDAY'S GAMES New York at Atlanta, (n) St. Louis at Los Angeles, (n) Pittsburgh at San Francisco, (n) Kansas Cltv at New York, (n) Boston at Minnesota, (n) Milwaukee at Chicago, (n) Chicago at San Diego, (n) Houston at Philadelphia, 2 (n) Montreal at Cincinnati, (n) California at Baltimore, (n) Texas at Cleveland, (n) Seattle at Detroit, (n) Oakland at Toronto, (n) By JOE BURCHICK The Times Stu Tate is a "crunch-time" baseball player. He always has been. Most likely, he always will be.

Got a lead to protect In the 8th or 9th innings? Give Tate the ball. Game tied late in the game and need someone to keep the opposition in check? Give Tate the ball. The Shreveport Captains know about Tate. From 1986 through part of 1988, Tate was one of Shreveport's top relief pitchers. The Triple-A Phoenix Firebirds also know about Tate.

This year, he's been the main closer for the San Francisco Giants' top farm club. He is second in the Pacific Coast League with 12 saves. Through last Saturday, he also owned a 2-4 won-loss record, 2.89 earned run average, 52 strikeouts and 27 walks in 43 innings. Those numbers were enough to earn Tate a spot on the National League roster for tonight's Triple-A All-Star game (7 p.m., ESPN) in Columbus, Ohio. Tate and Phoenix teammate Matt Williams were selected to the squad, but Williams withdrew so he could get married on Monday.

"It's quite an honor. It's hard to put into words," said Tate of his selection. "I've pitched four years in this (San Francisco) organization. I've always had decent numbers. Here (Phoenix), I got off to a good start.

This is the second year for the Triple-A All-Star game which, in an American League vs. National League format like the Major League All-Star game, highlights players from the three top farm 1 li) IF jP ffl I Second Half EAST DIVISION of guys love the ground ball here." The sinker is among several pitches that Tate has tried to master in Triple-A ball, something, Tate noted, that is necessary for pitchers to survive. "It's a matter of being able to throw two, three or four pitches for strikes at any time," Tate said. "Hitters here are smart enough and disciplined enough to wait for their pitch. But if you can throw a breaking ball consistently for Tate carries fond memories of his days in Shreveport.

"I loved Shreveport. Shreveport has the best ballpark atmosphere and fans that any player can hope to play in," Tate said. "The fan support is what usually carried the team through the season, especially through the down parts of the season. It was a great motivational factor. "My wife (Kristin) and I made some of our best friendships there," Tate said.

The Tates are expecting their first child in December. "I've been a basket case ever since she first told me about it," Tate said. Like most players who have climbed up the farm ladder, Tate looks for the chance to play in the majors. "I've always heard that it takes the average player three to five years to make it," Tate said. "As far as my ego, I've always considered myself better than average.

I hoped for the 'three part. The numbers I had early I feel were deserving of that. "Then, they (Giants) got (former Cy Young winner and relief ace Steve) Bedrosian," Tate said. "That has a tendency to make you think about things." While it's unlikely that the Giants would want to add another stopper to their roster, there is always the possibility of a trade similar to the one that sent Tate's former mates Terry Mulholland and Dennis Cook to Philadelphia and to a regular spot in the majors. "I know (Giants president and general manager) Al Rosen is always wanting to make deals," Tate said.

"There's a lot more time. I'm Pet. Stu Tate ERA, 85 strikeouts, 57 walks and three saves in 83 innings. Last year, Tate split time between Double-A Shreveport and Triple-A Phoenix. In 24 games at Shreveport, Tate was 3-2 with a 2.03 ERA, started one game, had seven saves, 45 strikeouts and 18 walks in 40 innings.

He was 2-4 at Phoenix. He really found his Phoenix niche this year. He's been the Firebirds' main stopper for most of the season and had 10 of his saves through mid-May. "I like to have the game on the line. I like the pressure," Tate said.

"If you're a starter, you pitch and then sit four or five days and do nothing. As a short reliever, I figure I can get in four or five games a week. I'm just better as a short reliever. I guess a short reliever's work is pattered after my per X-Arkansos 14 7 Shreveport 11 Tulsa 11 10 Jackson 8 14 GB 2tt 3 6Vt .667 .550 .524 .364 WEST DIVISION Midland 15 8 .652 El Paso 12 11 x-Wichita .10 13 San Antonio 7 16 .522 .435 .304 Fernandez denies remarks about Bell ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Tony Fernandez vehemently denied Tuesday he suggested that teammate George Bell should be traded from the Toronto Blue Jays.

"There's no one else who plays harder than him," the shortstop said prior to the 60th All-Star game. "I don't want to see George go, same as I didn't want to see Jesse (Barfield) go." In The Globe and Mail on Tuesday, Fernandez was quoted as saying, "Maybe it's best for George to go to another team now." Fernandez claimed he was reflecting on Barfield's trade to the New York Yankees. He claimed a reporter twisted his words around. Bell has reacted strongly to jeering from Toronto fans this season, harshly criticizing fans through the media. Fernandez said both Bell and the fans are to blame in the controversy.

"George should just be quiet and play baseball," Fernandez said, adding that Bell should not be held responsible for the team's poor play. "One player can't carry the ball club. They don't call us the Toronto Bell Jay. "You say the Toronto Blue Jays because there are many. We are a team so why blame it all on him? I'm not playing up to my capabilities.

Others are not playing up to their capabilities. So why blame just him?" x-won first half TUESDAY'S RESULTS Mldlond at SHREVEPORT, (n) El Paso at Jackson (n) Only games scheduled TODAY'S GAMES Fair Grounds Field El Paso at Jackson Arkansas at San Antonio Tulsa at Wichita MONDAY'S RESULTS El Paso 7, SHREVEPORT 5 Jackson 8, Midland 1 Wichita 6, Arkansas 4 San Antonio 7, Tulsa 0 sonality." Tate may be among the PCL's leagues: PCL, American Assotia- save leaders, but his most import-tion and International League. ant statistic in the high-altitude, Last year inaugural game was light-air, homer-haven PCL, has to be that 2.89 ERA. hosted by American Association On fire Rich Aldrete picked a good time to go on a hitting binge. The loss of Mark Leonard to Class AAA Phoenix left a void In the Captains lineup, but Aldrete's hot bat is filling it.

Aldrete brought a seven-game hitting streak into Tuesday night's game, going 13 for 23 (.565) with two home runs, nine RBI and lust one strikeout. His average is up to .307, Its highest point since early in the season. Replacing Leonard, who was batting .311 with 10 homers and 51 RBI, will be a group effort. Aldrete is lust taking the lead. "It's nothing we can't handle," Aldrete said.

"No one will fill Leonard's shoes; everyone has to pitch in. More people are going to get in the lineup, so we'll rely on more guvs. "We were losing games lust as much as we were winning games with him here. We can't I ust give up and say that without Leonard, we're going to lose every game." Gerhart on the way Outfielder Ken Gerhart, who was sent from Phoenix to Shreveport to make room for Leonard, is expected to loin the Captains on Friday or Saturday. Gerhart, who spent two full seasons (1987-88) with the Baltimore Orioles, was struggling at Phoenix.

He batted. 187 in 71 games with two homers and 18 RBI. Gerhart, 28, has played 215 maior-league games, batting .221 with 24 homers and 64 RBI. Manager Bill Evers said Gerhart will be a regular for the Captains. Evers expects him to have more success in Double-A than Triple-A.

In fact, Evers thinks Gerhart will arrive In Shreveport with a point to prove. I It was me, I 'd show them (the Giants) I could play," Evers said. "I'd prove I'm better than what I was showing (in Phoenix)." Diablos 7, Captains "Marty DeMerritt (former Captains and current Phoenix pitching coach) always told us about the parks in El Paso and Midland, which are similar to about five or six parks in this league: windly, light air, ball carries well," Tate said. "He drilled into us don't adjust our games for these parks. The only thing was to try and get ahead of the hitters early instead of getting behind and then throwing something that they can SHREVEPORT ebrtibl abrhbi EL PASO SkNtecf Edge ft David lb Alfaroph-16 Mcintosh Guerrero Ashlevrf Walters If Smith 3b Diaz si Jin CarterSb 5 ill 0 Ritchie cf Oioo Skurlorf i i Patterson 3b 3 i Aldrete tb 50,0 Colberlsi 4 0 00 Decker 4110 Woo" ,2119, 4 011 5 010 3100 4 0 3 4100 4011," 4 0 0 0 1110, J3JtS sit on.

anxiously awaiting for my number "A lot of guys tend to pick up the to be called. I've just got to pitch and uiti Totals sinker here," Tate continued. "A lot do my thing." Totals El Pas HO ON Mt-7 003 000 001-1 Shreveport DP-EI Paso LOB-EI Paso 11, Shreveaorl IB-Aldritt, Decker, Wood. SB-Skeete, Edge, Mcintosh. SF-Guerrero.

IP ER BB SO 9 5 ,5 El Pom WatklnsWA2 Shreveport Gay Bonllla Robertson 5 1 2 51 44 i i 1 1 ivt 2 11 0 Balk-Gay. WP-GflV. PB-Decker, I Compiled by NathM (tang HBP-Skeete, Guerrero. Lyons won't play for Jackson Mets Buffalo. International League Columbus has this year's game.

Next year's game is at PCL Las Vegas. Since being drafted by the Giants in 1984, Tate, a native of Huntsville, who played college ball at Auburn, has steadily improved as a minor league pitcher. In 1986 with Shreveport, Tate was 5-1 with a 3.39 earned run average, bad eight saves, 56 strikeouts and 40 walks over 63 innings in 36 appearances. He started two games. In 1987, with eight starts and 34 appearances, he was 5-5 with a 3.80 Reagan takes 1 -inning stint in star booth The Associated Press ANAHEIM, Calif.

He's been everything from Mr. President to the Gipper to the guy next to Bonzo. On Tuesday night, he was Dutch again. Ronald Reagan worked the All-Star Game for one inning Tuesday, mixing humor with occasional gaffes as a color commentator in the NBC broadcast booth. "Now, I get a little self-conscious when people can see what's going on," he said while wrapping up his 25-minute stint.

At times, he was obviously reading from prepared notes, bandying the statistics of Tony Gwynn and Kevin Mitchell in a way he was never able to do when referring to his federal budget. And at times, he just talked about what it was like to have outlived many of the ballplayers he grew up with. "Gene Autry," he said, referring to the owner of the California Angels, "is 81 and the man who threw out the first pitch, Jimmy Reese, is 83. 1 feel kind of like a kid." When the National League's lead-off hitter Ozzie Smith fouled off an 0-1 pitch, Reagan cut into play-byplay man Vin Scully: JACKSON, Miss. (AP) New York Mets catcher Barry Lyons, who was scheduled for rehabilitation with the Jackson Mets, won't play for the Texas League team because his toe has not healed, says a spokesman for the minor league club.

"All I know is he was working out the other day and he overdid it. They don't believe he's ready to be back," Flynn Harrell, a spokesman for the Jackson Mets, said Tuesday. wouldn't say he really totally reinsured it; he just overdid it." Harrell said Lyons will continue light training in New York. Gary Hunsicker, New York director of minor league operations, had said that Lyons was put on a 20-day major league rehabilitation list HfF X. 1j a.imn iiitirnimuil' 't nrriim AP Loserphoto 18.70 9.09) J' CURRENT ANNUAL I Wfch.

RATE YIELD Former President Ronald Reagan mixed humor with statistics In the announcing booth with veteran broadcaster Vin Scully at the 60th Major League All-Star game Tuesday. new for the former president. In the 1930s, "Dutch" Reagan, as he was known, recreated major league games from wire service teletype reports on WHO Radio in Des Moines. "That looks like it's going, too. You know, those two home runs you didn't have to wait for them.

Even the outfielders knew they were home runs." Sports broadcasting is nothing "Whoops. Somebody has a souvenir," he said. When Wade Boggs followed Bo Jackson for consecutive home runs in the American League's half of the first, Reagan seized the moment: of Aii-St Sirs 121 OWET Introducing The New High-Rate, Flexible-Term CD From 4Jak; Itee Savings Bank. school coach and his summer league coach. He needed 11 tickets in all and had to scrounge from teammates.

"If I never pitch another day in baseball, this is something a lot of people never got to do," Smoltz said. As Mike Schmidt and the other greats retire, the new breed is filling their spikes. They're not doing it in awe, but with a certain reverence. Kevin Mitchell, the sensation of the season with 31 homers and 81 runs batted in, walked around the clubhouse looking for bats. But not his.

"I just got Tony Gwynn's," he said, flashing a wide grin. "I got Vince Coleman's." Mitchell is a souvenier collector of the highest order. And there's no better place to get memorabilia than the All-Star Game. After acquiring his new lumber, the San Francisco outfielder held court in his stall wearing only pur You choose the term, from 32 to 1 00 days. The day you open your Flexible-Term CD account, you'll begin earning an extraordinarily high rate of interest, compounded daily, by Oak Tree Savings Bank.

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ple plaid shorts and three gold chains one with "Kevin" spelled out, another with a BMW logo and a third with his number "7" and the interlocking "NY" of the New York Mets, the team that traded him after the 1986 season. "Some players tell me to get it replaced with a he said. "I tell them I don't know how long I'll be around with the Giants." The hottest hitter, believe it or not, was talking trade. Then he gazed across the room at the assembled talent. "I wish I would have gotten here earlier," Mitchell said.

"Then I could have watched them all come in." California outfielder Devon White was out by the batting cage, also a bit wide-eyed. "I never thought I'd be here," he said. "I expected to be at home, watching on TV. When I heard of it, I was overwhelmed." A Many of the All-Star rookies saw previous All-Star Games on television. "It's hard for me to think that I would make this team," Toronto in-fielder Kelly Gruber said.

"There's a lot of guys who had as good an average as I had and are still not here. I'd be just as happy pinch running as anything." Baltimore catcher Mickey Tet-tleton had been thinking about the All-Star Game since he was invited last Thursday. "The first day I heard about it, we were in Toronto," he said, "and I started getting nervous then." Some, such as New York Mets third baseman Howard Johnson, are reaping the financial rewards of their success. He got a three-year, $6.1 million extension on Sunday. How happy was he? "Howard Johnson didn't need a plane to get out here," teammate Garv Carter said.

The Associated Press ANAHEIM, Calif. John Smoltz and Ozzie Smith sat at a picnic table in the middle of the National League clubhouse, autographing baseballs by the dozens. "I don't know how many there are," Smoltz said. "If they asked me to sign a million, I would." Smoltz, one of 19 first-time All-Stars, looked around the clubhouse and couldn't believe he belonged. When he found out last week that he would be an All-Star, Smoltz went for a drive, rolled down the window and screamed in glee.

"I can remember three, four years ago, just watching the game on TV and trying to picture myself in this lineup," Smoltz said. "When it really hits in, it'll probably be a greater thrill. It probably won't hit in until a week from now. Smoltz was so excited that he brought along his parents his high 1.