Marshfield News-Herald from Marshfield, Wisconsin • 13

rZIIZZZ: WEEKEND EDITION ZZZ1 mssm Index Century Club Page 2B Outdoors Page 3B Scoreboard Page 5B Packers Page 6B MARSHFIELD, WISCONSIN SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 1998 Sp fe National League suits Brewers fine Tangled up have a new ballpark. These are new cities for us, new teams we're going to face. I think it's going to be better for us. I think we're going to play better in the National League than the American." We excited about it," infielder Mark Loretta said. "We're excited about the National League.

It's the same game. It's still baseball. We're going to go out there and give it all we've got. It definitely keeps the bench players in the game a lot more. "I think we used five guys in one si 1 3 7 I i slot in Atlanta.

You never know what's going to happen with double switches and pinch hitting and all that stuff. The majority of people welcomed it. I know the fans did. We're all excited about visiting new ballparks and cities Jeromy Burnitz and going into a division where we think we can be very competitive." "I love playing over here," outfielder Jeromy Burnitz added. "There's more action.

For bench players, they feel so much more involved. By the fifth inning it's time you have to get ready. I personally like it a little better, although I liked hitting in the American League a lot." And Burnitz said he's amused at how the pitchers have adapted to hitting in the NL. "It's always fun to watch pitchers hiC Burnitz said. "They go in the game and for the most part, let's face it, they look pretty stupid and sometimes they do things that are funny.

You just hope that when the situation arises they get the bunt down.That's all you're really hoping for from a pitcher." Burnitz said he also enjoys watching Garner manage. "I think he's into it a lot. I think he's a manager that sometimes makes moves to make moves," Burnitz said with a laugh. "But I think he enjoys it and I think any manager would because it's more challenging and there's a heck of a lot more to do over here as a manager. He's got a lot of decisions to make, so I think he loves it." "I'm excited about it," former Brewer star and current part-time coach Jim Gantner explained.

"I think being in the National League and having a new stadium coming, and seeing the new teams coming into County Stadium is special. Even growing up, I was a National League fan because the Milwaukee Braves were here. I always liked the National League better. "Even when I got older near the end of my career, my goal was that if I didn't hurt my shoulder, I always wanted to end my career in See NL Page 4B ipt1 tut By DAN KOHN Of the News-Herald MILWAUKEE The 1998 baseball season is just two weeks old, but the Milwaukee Brewers have already found out about the many ups and downs about being a National League ballclub. Brewers manager Phil Garner has used the double switch to near perfection at times already as Milwaukee has gotten off to a 7-2 start.

But for all that has gone right, bad things have also reared their ugly head as well. The best example occurred Thursday night when the Brewers hosted the Montreal Expos. Milwaukee's scheduled starting pitcher, Jose Mercedes', showed up about 15 minutes before game time thinking the starting time was an hour later. And when he entered the game in the fifth inning, Mercedes quickly learned the different between the NL and the AL. When it was his turn to bat, he forgot to bring his batting helmet to the on deck circle.

And after getting hit by a pitch and moving to second, he forgot how many outs there were and was easily doubled off second on a one-out flyball. But for all those mistakes, one thing is clear Milwaukee truly is a National League town. "There's not a lot of excitement about the National League from my standpoint, but from the fans' standpoint, clearly, I think the buzz you see in the parking lot today is the fact we have started off well in the season, but more importantly I think this has definitely turned out to be a National League city," manager Phil Garner explained. "People have been telling me that for six years and I haven't been paying attention. Certainly, it's turning out to be that way.

"If we do our part and win our share of ballgames, I think there's going to be a lot of excitement in this city and state." And being in the new league has made for more excitement on the field. "It's been fun, but more than anything the players have enjoyed it," Garner said. "It's more of a complete game with player involvement in the National League. The biggest difference I see is my bench players start wandering down around my part of the dugout around the fifth or sixth inning, kind of looking at that lineup and kind of looking at me to see what I'm going to do. "But they have bats in their hands, which is a good sign.

They're into the game a little more because they are more a part of the game." And the players agree. "So far it's been a great experience for us," infielder Jose Valentin explained. "We went to a couple nice places like Atlanta where they patiently rv II Pro Baseball New York Mets at Milwaukee, 1 :05 p.m. Fro Basketball New Jersey at Milwaukee, 8 p.m. Pro Baseball New York Mets at Milwaukee, 1 :05 p.m.

Jose Mercedes carries a schedule in his wallet now. The Milwaukee Brewers right-hander arrived late for Thursday night's game against Montreal, mistakenly believing it started an hour later. "Today was one of those days where everything went bad," Mercedes said. "I thought the game was at 7 clock. The Brewers play night games at 6:05 p.m.

CDT in April because of the cold weather, then switch to the traditional 7:05 starts in May. Mercedes, who also forgot how many outs there were and killed a sixth-inning rally with a baserunning blunder, arrived about 20 minutes betore game time. That would have made him late even if it were a 7:05 p.m. start, according to general manager Sal Bando, who said start ing pitchers are supposed to show up two hours before the first pitch. Mercedes entered the game in the fifth and gave up four runs on five hits in 3 'A innings in relief of emergency starter Steve Woodard.

Brewers manager Phil Garner saw nothing tunny about Mercedes' misadventures. He fined the right-hander. I had an FBI guy calling police to find out where he was," Garner said. "I thought maybe he was on the side of the road." Garner said wouldn't bench Mercedes to teach him a lesson. All-America guard Mike Bibby will forgo his final two years at Arizona and move on to the NBA.

Don expect his dili gence and improvement to change, his coach says. The great thing with Mike is that he continues to work at his game," said Arizona Coach Lute "He's not at all sat isfied with where he is. "He'll continue to get better, and I don't think that will ever change regardless of how much money he has in his pock et. Bibby should have plenty. He's been projected as a top-five lottery pick and the top point guard in next month's NBA draft.

The catch: He's likely to be picked to run the offense for one of the league's worst teams. That means possibly Denver, Golden State, the Los Angeles Clippers, Toronto, Vancouver or Dallas. Such prospects don daunt him. "I'm going to try to make a statement in the NBA," he said Thursday. "I feel confident in my abilities and look forward to being a team player and hopetul- ly help an NBA team to the championship.

"Bie John" Tate, the for mer heavvweight champ and U.S. Olympian who fought drug problems and resorted to panhandling after his boxing career, Ndied in a truck wreck at age 43. 111 1 Tl 1 late was Kiueu itiuisuay when the nickuD he was driving crashed into a utility pole less than a mile from the old training i New York Mets second base in Jose Valentin Milwaukee. The he safely steals Brewers He hit that ball hard tonight. That ball was well-tagged." Burnitz's line drive to center field off Dave Mlicki (0-1) traveled 407 feet and gave Milwaukee a 1-0 lead in the second.

Burnitz hit 27 homers last season, and is off to an even better start after nine games this year. But don't even mention Griffey, McGwire or Maris to him. "Give me a break," Burnitz said, rolling his eyes and chuckling. "It's a hot week, that's all it is, a hot week." And not just for Burnitz. The Brewers have won seven of nine in the NL debut season and -5 the first inning Friday night in Brewers beat the Mets, 5-3.

(AP Photo) rip Mets they could be 9-0 if not for two ninth-inning comebacks that accounted for their two losses. The Brewers, who had never faced the Mets before, broke open the game with a four-run sixth on two-run doubles by Marc Newfield and Mark Loretta a rally aided by a major league record-tying three intentional walks. Mlicki, who gave up five runs and six hits in 5V.i innings, walked five, four of them intentionally, including Burnitz twice. "That's not a bad call when you've got a guy like Jeromy who's hot as all get-out right now," Garner See BREWERS Page 4B Waiting Edgardo Alfonzo (13) of the gets tangled up with shortstop of the Milwaukee Brewers as Burnitz, MILWAUKEE (AP) Forget all this talk about Mark McGwire and Ken Griffey Jr. challenging Roger Maris' record this year.

What about Jeromy Burnitz? "Wouldn't that be a kick?" Milwaukee Brewers manager Phil Garner said after his right fielder hit his major league-leading sixth homer in the Brewers' 5-3 victory over the New York Mets on Friday night. "Let them key on McGwire and Griffey and then about the last week of the season, everybody looks over and says: 'Who is this guy Burnitz? Who is this Garner said. "Oh, well, let's enjoy it right now. Duval, Couples in lead AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) Jack Nicklaus always felt he had to play poorly not to win the Masters.

The same might be true for Tiger Woods. That thought surely has to be somewhere in the back of the minds of Fred Couples, David Duval and Scott Hoch as they go into the weekend at Augusta National Golf Club. Couples and Duval share the lead at 5-under-par 139 and Hoch is at 141, but they must be peaking in their rearview mirrors at Woods lurking at 143. "I gave up four shots on one hole in Tucson," Duval said, referring to his lead over Woods. "Don't put too much weight on that right now." Friday was a multiple club-tossing round for Woods as he pitched irons after unsatisfactory shots on Nos.

2, 11 and 15, yet there he was in the hunt midway through his defense of the green jacket he won last year. Woods was nowhere near as dominating as he was when he won by a record 12 strokes, but he played with the patience to take what the course would give him on another windy day at Augusta National. Not even the distraction of play-See MASTERS Page 4B V--! i i Leanna Bell, 5, of Marshfield patiently racer Friday during the Stock Car Show from the drawing to see who will corn-waits for her mom to register her in the at Northway Mall. The show continues pete. Children's Car Race as she sits in her today.

Children's names will be pulled (News-Herald Photo by Tara Walters) camp he used..