The Tampa Tribune from Tampa, Florida • 87

The Tampa Tribune, Monday, June 11, 1990 "HF twL I I Mi 5-Pinellas Division gives impaired kids a playing chance roots If i mt Meadowlawn defeated Bay Point 11-9 in a game shortened to five innings when an injury prevented Bay Point from fielding nine players. Cross Bayou defeated defending Intermediate Division champion Northeast 5-2 and host Azalea defeated Woodlawn 12-6. "It was a real good ball game," Chuck Vogel, Cross Bayou's manager, said. "We only had a 1-0 lead until the fourth inning and (Northeast) stayed with us the whole way." Meadowlawn faces Pinellas Park American tonight at 7:30 in a winners' bracket quarterfinal, following another quarterfinal between Southwest and Gulf Beaches at 5:30. Cross Bayou will play Seminole on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

followed by Azalea vs. Gulfport at 7:30 to round out the other quarterfinal action. All the Intermediate Division games are played at Azalea (76th Way and 30th Avenue North). Northeast, Woodlawn and Bay Point move into the losers' bracket. Northeast plays on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

against the loser of tonight's game between Southwest and Gulf Beaches, followed at 7:30 by Woodlawn against the loser of tonight's Meadowlawn vs. Pinellas Park American game. Baypoint plays on Friday at 5:30 p.m. against the loser of Tuesday's Azalea vs. Gulfport game.

The tournament is set to end on the weekend of June 23. The other divisions in District 5 begin City Tournament play today at several sites. District 12, composed of 17 leagues un upper Pinellas and west Pasco counties, begins its Tournament of Champions play on Saturday. one can help. You stretch the rules to fit the players." Some players bring their own equipment.

"We have some players who use crutches and one that uses a wheelchair," Wayne Wright, assistant district administrator for the District 5 Challenger program, said. "We have one who brings his wheelchair in case he gets tired, but he hasn't used it yet." Players from the six leagues involved are split into two teams, the Giants and Reds. The involvement goes beyond the players and parents. "Our buddy program is going well, too," Wright said. "That's where we have children from the other ball teams at the complex help out the kids on the Challenger teams." The equipment used is the same as any other Little League team, except the ball used in a Challenger game is softer than a traditional baseball.

All the batters in the District 5 Challenger program also have clear plastic face guards on their batting helmets. Wright said the first season of Challenger baseball in District 5 has been a rousing success. "You hear nothing but good about it," he said. "Everyone seems to love it. We should have more teams to add next year, based on the response we've gotten so far." Meadowlawn, Azalea, Cross Bayou advance.

The Cross Bayou Phillies, the Azalea Braves and the Meadowlawn Moose advanced out of the first round of the Little League District 5 Intermediate Baseball Division City Tournament on Saturday at the Azalea Little League Complex. By LANCE VAN AUKEN Tribune Sports Writer SEMINOLE Little League Baseball's fewest division has been tugging the heart strings of Pinellas County baseball fans, as well as the purse strings. The Challenger Division for physically and mentally impaired children actually as born a year ago at Little League Headquarters in Williamsport, Pa. But it made its first showing this spring in Pinellas. In District 5 (lower Pinellas) the Challenger Division has been something of a rpad show, traveling to various Little League complexes for games.

The six District 5 leagues with Challenger charters are Gulfport, Northeast, Azalea, tfinellas Park National, Pinellas Park American and Seminole. "Do you know that when we pass the collection bucket that we get near $100 at some games?" Charlie Brush, District 5 administrator, said. I "People see those kids out there trying their hearts out to play ball and they dig deep. 'Course, that's not the most important thing." The most important thing, Brush said, is that a few dozen children who might not qtherwise ever have a chance to play organized baseball, now have that chance. They have umpires, managers, coaches and a rule book like all Little League teams.

Some concessions are made to fit the individual impairments of the players, t)ut the game is basically the same. I "They have rules built in to allow for certain players who can't do certain things," Brush said. "If there's a boy or girl who can't run down to first base my himself, then some Tribune photograph by RON J. BERARD they get set to battle the Giants at the Seminole Complex Saturday morning. Randy Geilen, 6, of the Reds in the Challenger Division of District 5, gets a helping hand from his father Roy as Rodriguez, Chi 192 29 61 2 33.318 Samson.

Chi 148 34 47 5 18 .318 Club Pitching FSL statistics Copyright By Howe Sportsdata Intl. (Through June 7) Club Batting Morris called to big leagues with Expos AB HR SB AVG. Vero Beach 1968 328 522 31 135 .265 Dunedin 1983 299 521 40 53 .263 Lakeland 1996 271 521 16 49.261 Charlotte 1992 291 517 19 50 .260 Ft.Laudrdle 2074 266 533 24 68 .257 St. Lucie 2010 304 510 29 142 .254 WstPlmBch 2039 278 509 18 98 .250 Baseball Cy 1952 264 479 12 93 .245 Osceola 2011 236 493 13 66 .245 Clearwater 1951 213 478 8 39 .245 St. Pete 1913 222 464 20 60 .243 Sarasota 2007 218 464 12 69 .231 Miami 1913 198 433 12 93 .226 Winter Havn 2056 209 426 14 96 .207 Batting Leaders (Minimum 162 AB) ERA HR BB SO SHO SV Lakeland 2.40 443 12 183 476 8 13 Charlotte 2.52 377 14 231 441 10 24 WPB 2.59 502 17 184 402 7 29 Dunedin 2.64 425 17 201 455 9 24 Osceola 2.86 448 12 282 458 4 17 St.

Pete 3.24 473 16 161 404 6 11 Clearwtr 3.58 471 24 198 359 1 10 VeroBch 3.63 467 25 246 399 6 15 Sarasota 3.66 517 20 200 391 4 16 St. Lucie 3.69 538 24 206 357 4 15 Ft.Ladrdl 3.98 548 18 191 400 1 20 BasbllCy 4.68 532 18 275 368 1 14 WHvn 4.72 555 20 275 364 2 8 Miami 5.16 574 31 280 400 1 8 Pitching Leaders (Minimum 48 IP) IP BB SO W-L ERA Boucher. Dun 60 45 8 62 7-0 0.75 TAMPA The Montreal Expos summoned Miami Miracle catcher Angel Morris to the big leagues last week. But Morris Isn't necessarily classifying his quantum leap through the Montreal organization as a promotion. If Morris could get an at-bat, or pinch run, or even get into a game as a late-inning defensive replacement, he might think differently.

But Morris, who was hitting .255 with one homer and 17 RBI when he got the call, won't get the chance to do any of those things. He's been called to Montreal strictly to catch in the bullpen. "They needed a bullpen catcher and rjhey called me," Morris said from New York, where the Expos were playing the Mets. "What could I do? It's not what I'd always envisioned as my big break. But hey, I'm in the big leagues.

It's a lot better than being in Miami." Morris, who signed with the Expos as a tree agent last winter, was loaned to the independent Miracle after Montreal cut its major-league roster during spring training. "I was in. Triple-A when they made the cuts, so I had to go somewhere," Morris said. "They didn't want to send me to go to Double-A because their club there was already set, and there was no room at (West "Palm Beach), so they just sent me to Miami. "I was pretty disappointed, at first.

Playing for an independant is a lot different than being with one of the organization's own clubs. But it wasn't all that bad, really." Morris said he's not sure whether he rather be back in Miami playing ev- Motorsports Roundup Nosbisch, Rodriquez keep winning By FRANK BENSON Tribune Correspondent GIBSONTON Ken Nosbisch of River-view and Tampa's Sam Rodriquez each." earned their second consecutive feature wins Saturday night at East Bay Raceway Starting 10th in the 25-lap Late Model feature, Nosbisch worked his way behind pace-setting Bobby Alexander on the 16th lap. Four laps later, Nosbisch went to the front for good with an inside pass of Alexander out of the fourth turn. The victory, Nosbisch's seventh, solidified his hold on first place in the division point standings. Following Nosbisch were Alexander, Keith Nosbisch, Terry Decaire and Jamie Burrows.

Keith and Ken Nosbisch won qualifying heat events. In the 25-lap Sprint Car feature, Rodriquez started on the outside of the fourth row and went to the front when he passed Joe Melnick on the seventh lap. Extending his lead the remainder of the race, Rodriquez took the checkered flag ahead of Melnick, Ronnie White, Wayne Reutimann and Willie Stuaffer. Reutimann and White won heat races. In other action, Tampa's David Schmauss won the 15-lap Modified Stock final.

Heats were won by Dale Pope, Steve Pratt and Larry Vires. Bill Howard of Ruskin won the 15-lap the Mini Stock final and Jim Moore triumphed in the 15-lap Street Stock feature. Around the tracks. In Bradenton, James Glover of Pinellas Park won his first 30-lap Late Model feature at DeSoto Speedway. In other divisions, Lucky Brown of Sarasota won the 20-lap Street Stock feature, Mike Minks of Sarasota captured the 20-lap Pure Stock final, and Carroll Mills and Robbie Yoakum won the twin 20-lap Modified Mini Stock features.

Hank Thornton of Bradenton won the first of two 20-lap Mini Stock features, and Bradenton's Sonny Hughes won the second. In Pinellas Clearwater's Dave Pletcher continued his roll in the Late Mod-, el division at Sunshine Speedway, winning his seventh consecutive 30-lap feature event. In other divisions, Sam Coghill of Largo won the 20-lap Street Stock feature, Clyde Cole of Sarasota triumphed in the 15-lap Figure 8 race, and Zeigler of St. Petersburg won the 25-lap Mini Stock final. Allen Tip-pins of St.

Petersburg captured the 20-lap Pure Stock feature, and Tom Tippins won the 12-lap Pure 8 race. In Auburndale, Greg Pitts captured his fifth victory with a triumph in the V-8 Scrambler feature at Auburndale Speedway. In Polk City on Friday night, Pete Folse Jr. of Tampa won his first Sprint Car feature in the 25-lap main event at Lakeland Interstate Speedway on Friday. I Florida State League Roy Cummings ery day or working in the bullpen in Montreal.

"It's pretty nice up here, that's for sure," he said. "But I would like to be playing again, somewhere. "But who knows, maybe something will come of this. I've got a chance to show some people some things while I'm here, so maybe I'll turn this into something. All I know is I look around and I think I have the same ability that some of the other guys around here have.

All I need is a chance to prove myself." Juden a jewel. When the Houston Astros asked Jeff Juden to scrap his slider and start working on a changeup last year, they probably didn't expect outstanding results right away. But as the FSL season neared its midway point, Juden, the Astros' No. 1 pick in the 1989 draft, was breezing through FSL lineups with amazing success. He entered the weekend with an 8-0 record and 1.73 ERA.

And after allowing only 52 hits and striking out 69 batters in 73 innings, he's wondering just how much longer his stint in the FSL will last. "I suppose I could get called up some time soon, but I don't really know what my chances are right now," Juden said. "That's pretty much up to the club, I guess. But I kind of ieel like I'm ready to go. I think I've just about proven myself here at this level." The Astros asked Juden to scrap the slider and develop a changeup for two rea--sons.

Primarily, they wanted to save wear batting average. This season, he's been the primary third baseman and was leading the team in batting (.303) before Friday night's scheduled game at Osceola. "I'm playing consistent, and I'm in the lineup every day; that's the important thing," Trevino said. "Last year my role was as a utility guy, and I accepted it. This year, I came to primarily work as a third baseman.

I'll accept anything because I'm going to work my butt off just to be on that lineup card every day. Trevino said he would be happy being a utility player in the majors. "I'd have more chances than I would have at just one position," Trevino said. "In fact, nowadays, I think more teams are going to a utility guy rather than spend the extra $100,000 for a guy who only plays one position." Trevino said that while being the primary third baseman this season might have helped his batting average, it's not the biggest reason for the turnaround. "I think it's more because of my work habits in the off-season and being prepared for the season here," he said.

"Last season, Phillies all-purpose Trevino finds his position AB HR RBI AVG Brumfield. Bey Riesgo. Slu Stairs. Wpb Massarelli. Osc Tedder.

Sar 200 42 71 0 18 .355 218 47 75 7 46 .344 184 30 62 3 30 .337 144 15 48 0 16 .333 151 27 48 0 18 .318 and tear on his 19-year-old right arm. But they also wanted him to have a pitch that would effectively offset his 90-plus mph fastball. Juden said he's glad the Astros asked him to change. "It's really nice to have something I can throw up there once in a while that will keep the hitters off balance," he said. "I'm still a little inconsistent with it (changeup).

Some days I have it going for me, and others I just can't seem to get it over the plate. "But I'll tell you something. I haven't thrown that slider in almost a year now, and I don't miss it a bit. I don't need the extra strain on my arm." Anything goes. The Miracle are doing everything they can to add a little more quality to their ballclub.

Tribune photograph BRUCE HOSKING Tony Trevino leads the Clearwater Phillies in batting with a .303 average. I was primarily a swing hitter and tried to pull everything. This year, I realized I can't do that if I want to move on. I have to be the use-all-fields type hitter and spray the ball to the right side a lot more. If the home runs come, fine, but I'm looking to get hits and RBIs." Trevino has one home run this season, '-v VnZytvld.

Vrb 57 34 16 44 6-0 1.26 Desilva. Lak 78 49 21 99 6-1 1.38 Popplewll, Ftl 79 64 14 46 5-3 1.59 Juden, Osc 73 52 34 69 8-0 1.73 Cross, Dun 63 34 36 71 8-2 1.87 The Miracle took part in the recently completed major league draft: they began making selections in the fourth round; they recently added former major league shortstop Jackie Gutierrez (Red Sox, Orioles) to their roster; and they tried in vain to add retired Red Sox slugger Jim Rice to the team. "We're always full of surprises," Miracle General Manager Bruce Bielenberg said. "But the bottom line is, we're trying to put together a quality baseball product here." Bielenberg said the Miracle came very close to working out a deal with Rice. "He worked out with us for two or three weeks, and he looked good," Bielenberg said.

"But at the last minute, he just had a change of heart." for now but the Phillies are not a long-ball hitting club; the learn has hit eight homers through 59 games. Clearwater is in last place in the Florida State League's Western Division, and Trevino is the only Phillie batting above .300. In fact, his .303 batting average is 30 points better than anyone else on the team, and he was the top Phillie through Tuesday in runs (27), hits (58), RBI (26), walks (28), slugging percentage (.407) and on-base percentage He is tied for the team lead in triples with five and is second in doubles with eight. Not bad for a guy who was picked in the 40th round in the June 1987 draft. "When I think of that, I think of some of the guys who are now stars in the big leagues," Trevino said.

"For instance, the guy I like to compare myself with is Keith Hernandez, who was a 40th-round pick and is a superstar. My opportunity came because somebody thought I had potential to be a professional and the round didn't matter. Now, I have to show off my stuff and get a chance to be cocky, but in a good way." By LANCE VAN AUKEN Tribune Sports Writer CLEARWATER Usually, the best hitter on a baseball team gets planted in a certain defensive position and stays there. The thinking is, if he doesn't have to worry about what position he's going to play, he'll concentrate more on hitting. i Some players break that mold, like Howard Johnson of the New York Mets and Von Hayes of the Philadelphia Phillies; they're able to fit just about any position they're asked to play.

The Clearwater Phillies have had such a (Slayer the last two seasons in Tony Trevino, 25-year-old California native. Since he joined the Phillies organization in 1987, Trevino has played every position epecept pitcher and catcher. "If you were to ask me which position I like playing best, I couldn't tell you," Trevino said. "I like playing all of them. I haven't played catcher, though, and I hope I don't.

Seeing what my buddies go through, I just don't see myself catching." Trevino played a little of just about everything last year and finished with a .226.