The Dispatch from Moline, Illinois • 39

THE SUNDAY DISPATCH AND ARGUS April 15, 1990 E9 Baseball I gUTfelf 1 1 Hi 1 1 1 gl Yf 1 1I lP Once an AWOL Angel, Gay still looks for way out Quad-City Angels broadcaster Mario Impemba 1 "It hurt me with the organization," said Gay. "The organization forgives and forgets, but they still hold it against me a little bit." "Last year and this year we're really starting to get 'A wii Urld chainpicnsi I by-play with the Tigers' George KeU. I was bugging my mom to no end because I wouldn't shut up." WHAT PEOPLE SAY BEHIND MY BACK: "He's pretty much an easy-going guy who doesnt take things too seriously. In this businessXyou have to laugh things off." PERSON IN HISTORY I'D LIKE TO MEET: "Abner Dou-bleday. I'd say, 'Say Ab, did you really invent baseball or not? What's the story? Did you or -didn't WHAT I'LL DO SEPT.

1 WHEN THE SEASON IS OVER: "I doubt if my budget would allow it, but I'd love to hop on a boat and take a month-long cruise in the Carribean." TOUGHEST THING ABOUT MY JOB: "The hours. I get very little sleep during the season and it seems as though I'm spending all my time riding busses. Having only two days off during the season does make it a hectic time of the year for me." BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON MY LIFE: "My dad, because he instilled in me early WHERE, and YES, that I would be going to college. There were many times throughout college I thought I wasn't going to make it, but his support got me through. Had it not been for my father, I would not be doing what I am today." THE PERFECT JOB FOR ME IS: "Sitting in the play-byplay booth of Tiger Stadium as the play-by-play man for the Detroit Tigers.

That's the ultimate goal, but if any major league team called, I'm gone in a second even Cleveland." THE THING THAT REALLY TURNS ME OFF ABOUT PEOPLE IS: "People who make judgements about other people without getting to know them. Get to know them and then Name: Mario Impemba. Age: 27. EDUCATION: Stevenson High School, Sterling Heights, graduated 1981: Michigan State University, graduated in 1985 with a bachelor of arts degree in broadcast communications. OCCUPATION: Director of Broadcasting-Media relations for the Quad-City Angels.

FAMILY: Single. HOBBIES: "Sports-card collecting, gathering old press guides and programs, and watching old reruns of Andy Griffith." FAVORITE BOOK: "Joe DiMaggio, The Last American Hero. IVe always been a DiMaggio fan and the book was an outstanding chronicle of his life." FAVORITE MOVIE: "Talk Radio and Rain Man. Because it's easy to dance to and it has a great beat Seriously, I'd give bothalO. FAVORITE FOOD: "Barbequed ribs from Jim's Rib Haven.

And my mom works up a mean serving of lasagna." WHEELS: 1989 Nissan Sentra. IDEAL EVENING: "Me parking myself on my couch with the television remote control in hand watching the tube. I guess I'm the ultimate couch potato." MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT: "IVe said some ridiculous things on the air over the years and they've all been embarrassing. Last season, interviewing Chad Curtis during infield practice, I was sitting back by the screen and first baseman J.R. Phillips let loose and tunked me in the hand with a throw, making me drop the microphone right in the middle of the1 interview.

Everyone got a chuckle at my expense." MY FIRST BROADCASTING EXPERIENCE WAS: "As a kid, sitting in front of the TV watching Detroit Tiger games, doing play- close, me and Bil- Jeff Gay ly. He understands why I left. "Me and Eddie talked last spring and we talked this spring. I was younger and as A No. 2 draft pick I thought I should have been playing: Also, I got some bad advice from my now ex-agent at the time.

But it still hurt me in the eyes of the organization." Q-C manager Don Long says the past is not the present and wants Gay on his squad. "He will get plenty of at bats as the left-handed designated hitter and will work some time in as the backup first baseman and No. 3 catcher," said Long. "If Jeff wasn't going to be on the Double-A team, I wanted him here with me. What happened to Jeff is over and done with in my eyes." And though Long has accepted him and he is comfortable for now, Gay would still rather take his services elsewhere.

"Donnie is great," he said. "I've been with him four years now and he's one of the best coaches I've played with. He's good. I like Don- nie; he's easy to work with. "I still know I can catch and I know I can play first base.

"I would still like to be traded. I'd like to be somewhere else and get the chance to show what I can do. I really feel I can make it to the big leagues." W-he i-nr-iunml It MARIO IMPEMBA (Photo by John Marx) judge." BIGGEST THRILL: "I was working at station WFLD in Flint, and I was fortunate to have a one-on-one interview with the great Julius Erving. It was a great time for me." MY BIGGEST FEAR IS: "Putting so much into this profession and not reaching the goal I've been shooting for. Shooting for something and not reaching it is a major fear of mine.

Actually, having to find a real job in the real world scares me." THE THING PEOPLE DONT REALIZE ABOUT MARIO IMPEMBA: Basically, I'm a shy and introverted person. Some people would equate that with being aloof. That's not the case at all. If someone takes the time to get to know me, I hon-' estly think they would find me to be just the opposite." THE BEST THING ABOUT THE QUAD-CITIES IS: "If Class-A baseball is where I'm going to be for a season, that this is the best possible place to be. The people of the area have been great The park and the people I work with have been great You can't ask for a better environment, unless you are in the big leagues." By SportsWeekend's John Marx By John Marx Staff sports writer Jeff Gay left once, but returned.

Now he thinks things would be better in the end if he left again, though this time via a trade. A second-round selection in the June 1986 amateur draft, Gay was impressive in his first pro season that summer (.278 average, 3 home runs, 33 runs batted in at Salem in the Rookie League) and looked forward to his jump to a full season of Class-A ball in 1987. But '87 brought an unfamiliar backup role, leading to a paltry 62 games played and a very uncharacteristic .212 batting average with the Quad-City Angels. In 1988, Gay returned to the Quad-Cities excited and ready to become the everyday catcher. Again, though, he found himself on the inside looking out the inside of the dugout looking out at his teammates on the field.

So one day in late in May, he took a powder. He'd had enough of watching and headed for his Santee, home feeling his days with the California Angels were over. "I was frustrated and thought I should have been playing," said the personable 22-year-old as to why he up and left without notice. "But after I talked to a couple of scouts, ones I respect very much, they said the best thing I could do was go back." So Gay sought out Bill BavasL the Angels' director of minor league operations, while at home in hopes of obtaining his release to offer his services to other organizations. But Bavasi balked at discarding a second-round investment "When I got home, I talked to Billy and asked for my release, but they wouldn't give it to me," said Gay.

"Then I asked him if they would send me somewhere where I could play. Billy said the only place I would play was Quad-City, and if I wanted to play at all, I should drive right back out there." So back to the banks of the Mississippi went Gay, wondering if he would be accepted after going AWOL. He was, somewhat Then, after sitting through most of the first road trip back, Gay says his baseball salvation occurred. "When I got back and played three times in one month, I figured 'I'd be going somewhere," he pointed out "And then they sent me out when Jim Alyward and Frank Mutz were brought in from Reno." Gay's ticket was for Reno, the Angels' Class A co-op squad, otherwise known as a baseball no-man's land. To Gay, though, it was the promised land.

have to tell you, I had the best time IVe ever had out there," Gay said of his .263 batting average the remainder of the '88 season at Reno. "I had a good time and it was a learning experience, I'm kind of glad I went there," In 1989, Gay shared catching time at Class-A Palm Springs, batting a solid .279. with 2 homers and 33 RBIs. He had hoped this season would finally bring him a promotion to Double-A The step up the baseball ladder did not happen and Gay was di-patched back to the Quad-City jy) Happy with the familiar surroundings, Gay still thinks his decision to depart the Q-C team two years ago haunts him, even though his relationship with Bavasi and ex-Q-C manager Eddie Rodriguez is as good as it's ever been. Adjusting and adapting key to success John Marx Cleveland Indians' top Class A team.

Allison has one hit in five at bats. Rock Island's Mark Borcherding is with the Charleston, West Virginia, Reds, the Cincinnati Reds' Class A affiliate of the South Atlantic League. Off to a tough start, Borcherding allowed six hits and three earned runs in just 21 innings in his first start Borcherding's earned-run average is 11.57. with him became costly. An avid fisherman, Georger brought his boat to town and left it parked in his apartment complex parking lot Tuesday evening.

When Georger awoke Wednesday morning, he found his boat had been towed. "I didn't know there was a rule about not parking the boat in the complex parking area," said an irate and $25 poorer Georger Wednesday. "I had no idea Now I don't know what to do or where to park it" New team, new job Bill Vanderwel, a member of the 1989 Q-C Angel squad has a new organization and a new position. Released as a pitcher from the Angels following last season, Vanderwel has caught on with the Chicago White Sox South Bend club as a catcher. AHeil Energy Efficient Air Conditioning System Plus Protection Until 1995 NO LABOR OR PARTS CHARGES FOR 5 YEARS INCLUDED IF YOU BUY BEFORE JULY 1, 1990 lleil central air conditioners are engineered for efficiency and dependability.

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It allowsyou to have an extended warranty on the compressor for the sixth through the tenth year. Davenport's Jarrod Parker is with the New York Mets' Class A Columbia squad. "Dealing with older, more experienced players is a physical problem and the added games are a physical and mental strain." Long says this group should handle the physical portion of adapting, but staying sharp mentally remains the key issue. "Keeping things lively and intere-resting is my job," said Long. "Giving each player a role and letting him do his thing having fun should handle that "Physically, these guys are able to maintain, but the extra couple of months the peaks and valleys will be a challenge.

If the coaching staff does its job, their struggle will be made easier." Parker has ap- peared in two I games, allowed seven hits and six I Adapting and adjusting are minor league baseball's toughest twosome. As a professional, the game becomes a job, not a recreation. You adjust to life on the road, adapt to poor playing and living conditions, paltry wages, homesickness and $11 per day meal money. Did someone say McDonald's? Players, save for a high draft choice or two, are most often sent to rookie ball after signing professional contracts. That means 76 games in 77 days and for some, a major adjustment to starting their professional careers.

"The biggest adjustment a player faces is the daily grind and mental strain accompanying it," said Quad-City Angels manager Don Long. That means fighting through slumps at the plate, pitching inconsistencies and putting a poor performance behind you. "Other things, like going from aluminium to wood and taking financial responsibilty on a limited budget, eat at you, but the daily grind of keeping up will wear on you more than anything." For a player surviving rookie ball and 76 games, the step to a full season and 142 games means a new series of adjustments. Several Quad-City Angel players, making their full-season debuts, will have to make that adjustment this season. i "From rookie ball to playing a full season are the same problems doubled," said Long, who piloted the Angels' Rookie League team in Bend, the past two seasons.

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A i 3 Stava Dackar Mike Butcher Going boating Getting settled in for the minor-league season is a tough assignment for any player or coach. You have to find a place to live, try to learn your way around a new area and adjust For Q-C pitching coach Joe Georg-er, trying to bring a tl 1 SAVE WITH PENNZOIL! i Local pro update Here is a look at how local professional players are doing the first week of the minor league season: Milan's Steve Decker is a member of the Shreveport Captains, the San Francisco Giants' Class AA team of the Texas League. Decker was a non-roster invitee to big league spring trining, but was sidetracked by the major league lockout In two games, Decker is batting .250 with one RBI. East Moline's Mike Butcher is with the Midland Angels, the California Angels' Texas League club as a reliever. Butcher has worked 2 inning, allowing 2 hits and no runs.

He has walked one and fanned two. 1 Milan's Jamie Allison is a member of the Kinston Indians, the JoeGeoraer comfort of home pennsoiL 7 Si gar cane mm- Waterloo roughs up QC starter, wins 4-1 SAVIHGS D00EI Jaml Allison Mark Borchardlng Worth Over $80 In Savings on Name-Brand Automotive Products Yours FREE when you purchase our regular Lube-Oil-Filter service featuring quality Pennzoil Motor Oil. mm Q-C's Jeff "Enola" Gay broke up the shutout bid, leading off the seventh with a home run. Gay, hitting cleanup, had a 2-for-4 day with a double added on to his dinger. 1 But the Angels could get no closer as Lebron, 1-0, and Diamond reliever Todd Emery allowed just two Q-C runners besides Gay to reach as far as second base.

Emery, who pitched two innings to pick up his first save of the season, struck out two and walked none. Reggie Williams also had a pair of hits for the Angels. Martin had a 3-for-4 day for Waterloo. These two teams take to the diamond today in an 3 p.m. Easter Sunday special.

Quad-City will trot out Dave Neal to oppose the Diamonds' Luis Galindez. Quad-City makes its home opener at John O'Donnell Stadium Monday night AMY SIZE 15 MINUTE OIL CHANGE No Appt. Necessary ANY STYLE WATERLOO The-Q-C's version of Enola Gay dropped a bomb. But the Waterloo Diamonds still had enough ammunition to outgun the Quad-City Angels 4-1 in a Midwest League Saturday afternoon matinee in front of a crowd of 365 here at Municipal Stadium. The loss drops the Halos to 2-2.

Waterloo improves to 2-3. The Diamonds bombed Q-C starter Dave Adams, 0-1, for all four of their runs in his three-plus innings of work. J.D. Noland led off the game for Waterloo with a solo home run and Tom Doyle added a two-run dinger in the third inning. Adams was reunited with his shower thongs in the fourth.

Steve Martin led off the inning with a single. After stealing second, he trotted home on Shawn Whalen's RBI double. Steve King then took over for Adams, and combined with Mike Hook and Les Haffner to shutout the Diamonds the rest of the way. But Waterloo starter Jose Lebron was throwing blanks, scattering five hits in his seven innings of work Lebron struck out three and walked thrJ. ASK ABOUT OUR MAINTENANCE FREE VINYL BUILDINGS FREE ESTIMATESirgTO'r" quik stop mM Class OIL CHANGE SHOP Pmtprthn 3027 23rd Molina 762-9113 BEST PRICES! BEST QUALITY BEST SERVICE! FINANCING: Low InliFMt ftttt, loflQ tonn iMnti no fnorwy down.

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