The Orlando Sentinel from Orlando, Florida • Page 67

CENTRAL FLORIDA C-5 The Orlando Sentinel, Friday, May 31, 1996 yrr mm 1 4" iai Hate'' Chicago's Hernandez a big hit in Tinker return By Ric Russo OF THE SENTINEL STAFF in 1993 in a trade with Cleveland for pitcher Heathcliff Slocumb. He was assigned to Class AA Orlando, where he hit .304 with eight homers and 33 RBIs in 71 games. Hernandez also displayed some slick fielding at the shortstop position. "That was a breakout year for me," Hernandez said. "I think I proved I could hit if I played every day and the next year I was able to make it to the majors again." In '94, he made the jump to the big leagues and stuck.

Hernandez gave Chicago some versatility in the infield appearing in 28 games at third base, 21 at shortstop, 13 at second base and one in center field. His fielding percentage was an impressive .971. Last season, Hernandez saw his most extensive major-league action, appearing in 93 games with the Cubs. He batted .245 with 13 homers and 40 RBIs. In his previous eight professional seasons, Hernandez had hit 19 home runs.

This season, he began as the Cubs' starting third baseman. But a slow start and a hot start by Leo Gomez put Hernandez on the bench. Chicago manager Jim Riggleman is hoping Thursday's performance gets Hernandez going in the right direction. With Dave Magadan retAirning from the disabled list and Ryne Sandberg battling a hand injury, Hernandez is prepared to play anywhere Riggleman needs him. "My best positions are in the infield but I've been working out in center field," said Hernandez, who played five innings at shortstop and four in center field on Thursday.

"I'll go wherever they want me to play to help the team." Jose Hernandez was the trailblazer the first Orlando Cubs player to travel the road from Tinker Field to Wrigley Field. Thursday night he made a triumphant return to Orlando with two singles and a homer in four at-bats in Chicago's 8-0 shutout victory over the Southern League All-Stars. Hernandez also scored two runs. For his efforts, he was selected as the Cubs' Most Valuable Player in the game. "I felt real comfortable at the plate tonight and I got some good pitches to hit," Hernandez said.

"I always enjoyed playing here. It's a nice park." Hernandez came to the Chicago organization School Bellhorn earned a spot on the squad by hitting 599 with five homers and a team-leading 35 RBIs. Lake Brantley product Jason Varitek of Port City (Seattle) made the team as a backup catcher. Varitek, the Mariners' first pick 14th overall is hitting 554 with four homers and 23 RBIs with the Roosters. Knoxville (Toronto) left-hander Mike Halperin was a late replacement for teammate Mark Sievert, who was injured.

Halperin is familiar to baseball fans in the area from his days as the ace of coach Jay Bergman's University of Central Florida pitching staff. Jamie Arnold set several prep records at Osceola High School in Kissimmee. Thursday he represented the Greenville (Atlanta) Braves in the exhibition game with Chicago. Arnold, the Braves' top selection in the '92 draft, has a record of 4-2 with an ERA of 4.69 ERAfortheG-Braves. SCOTT KAUFFMAN andRICRUSSO Timmons captures home run contest Onrie Timmons led the Orlando Cubs in homers three years ago and Thursday night the Tampa native returned to Tinker Field as a member of the Chicago Cubs.

In a pregame home-run hitting contest, Timmons, who hit 18 long balls for the OCubs in '93, edged teammate Sammy Sosa, 4-3. "I always seem to have pretty good success here," Timmons said following his narrow victory. "I love the hot weather here and my family is right down the road so they can come see me play." In the three-round exhibition, Timmons jumped out to a 3-0 lead and held on as Sosa belted three in the final two rounds. LOCAL FLAVOR THE ROSTER of the Southern League All-Stars featured several players with roots in the Central Florida area. Starting shortstop Mark Bellhorn of Huntsville (Oakland) is a graduate of Oviedo High Sosa's home run is 1 of 4 slugged by Cubs in victory I mi mi.

i mmJ ipimiri QQpp limiting the Southern Leaguers to three singles the rest of the way. "It was a lot of fun," said O-Cubs skipper Bruce Kimm, whose staff managed the Southern Leaguers. "There were some home runs hit; unfortunately they weren't for the Southern League All-Stars." Chicago Cubt 8, Southern Laagu All-stars 0 1 I CUBS from C-1 bounced off the top of the scoreboard in left-center field. The long-ball exhibition continued three innings later, when backup Cubs outfielder Scott Bullett hit a solo homer, giving Chicago a 5-0 lead. In the bottom of the seventh, shortstop Jose Hernandez and outfielder Pedro Valdes two former O-Cubs responded with homers against former Osceola High and Florida pitcher Jamie Arnold.

Arnold pitches for Greenville, an Atlanta Braves affiliate. Sosa's homer proved to be more than enough cushion for Cubs starter Jose Guzman, who gained the victory with four innings of four-hit ball. Cubs manager Jim Riggleman seemed satisfied with the offensive outburst, but he was more pleased that players such as Hernandez, Guzman and Dave Magadan had an opportunity to play. "I saw a lot of good things tonight," Riggleman said. "The humidity wasn't really there, so the balls were flying out" Four relievers followed Guzman, and they were equally as effective, SouiiLaaaa tiht CNcago hM Cameroricf 4 0 1 OMcRae 3 0 10 Wood a 2 0 1 OHuwdh 10 00 Ufttato 2 0 0 OOonoHzl 0 0 0 1 Nawilti 2 0 10 Tmnoral 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 Snail 2 112 d3b 4 0 1 0 VWkiI 1111 Twin I 3 0 0 0 Graca lb 2 0 0 0 Una 2 0 0 OMoralfra 2 0 0 0 Cokra 2 0 1 0 Uranara 4 0 0 0 Jcmlb 2 0 1 OBuMrf 3 111 Sroilb 2 0 1 0 Una 2MB 10 00 MaJialrl 2 0 0 0 Donate 3 0 0 0 Hm if 2 0 0 OOrBc 1110 Bawc 1 0 0 0Bar6era 12 10 Vnkc 1 0 0 0 Henay2x 10 0 0 Gonwflvlo 10 11 HamandazaK 4 2 3 1 Tc a 0 I HIM 38 I 10 7 SoAam Laaoua 000 000 0000 CMcagpQaa 003 011 211-1 DP-Sounam Laagua 1- Ifl8-San Lao 0, Chcago 4 -Wood HR-Soaa.

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