Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • 52

4'v Section 4 Chicago.TribiJne,' Sunday, March 21. 1S82 Dascball Cubs' wish list grows by three CNeaoo Tribune Praia Service SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. There is fresh trade news for the many Cub fans who have become weary hearing how general manag- er Dallas Green is in eager pursuit of center fielder Lee Mazzilli of the New York Mets. Green and manager Lee Elia iare still hopeful of bagging Mazzilli but in the meantime have also initiated trade talks with the Detroit Tigers for outfielder Al. Cowens and with the San Diego Padres for either Ruppert Jones or Gene Richards, also outfielders.

Here's the thinking: If they can't make the swap for Mazzilli, who is a quality player, they will lower their sights and try for a center fielder with experience, such as Jones or Richards. But Green also is keeping the hotline open with the Tigers, who are willing to trade Cowens for a pitcher, almost any pitcher. It's difficult to predict when and how the pieces will fall together or, indeed, if they will, but the trading of left fielder Sve Henderson, who this past week smashed a 480-foot home the pitchers need much more time to get into shape. Also, most of the pitchers who appear in the first half of the spring exhibition season are rookies up from the minors or inconsistent veterans trying to hook on. Still, Moreland seems to have awesome potential.

He could make the Mike Krakow deal look good, even if pitchers Dickie Noles and Dan Larson fail to make significant Moreland, as a catcher, is average to below average, and catcher, above all, is a defensive position. And at this Davis long suit is defense. My instincts tell me that although Mel Hall has been looking very good, especially in the field, Green and Elia don't want to open with a rookie in center field. This is why they've been pursuing Mazzilli and are now casting their eyes elsewhere. Richards is a good hitter, with speed, but is not outstanding defensively.

Jones is the better outfielder, but hasn't hit in the last few years. In addition to Richards and Jones, the Padres are' also offering Sixto Lezcano, who has good all-around ability but is essentially a right fielder. MENTION OF HENDERSON'S 480-foot homer, which was aided by a strong wind, brings to mind two other long spring training HRs seen by this correspondent. Both were by White Sox players. Dave Nicholson drove a ball that almost cleared the top of the light tower atop the second deck at Miami Stadium, and Ron Jackson, about 10 years before, crunched on in Denver that soared 620 feet on the fly.

The Nicholson blast, if memory serves, was off Milt Pappas when Pappas was with the Baltimore Orioles. I don't recall the victim of Jackson's smash, but I can still see the bail landing on the apron of a trucking garage and remember the late Nellie Fox saying he could "make six singles out of it." Neither Nicholson nor Jackson had the help of the wind. PITTSBURGH MANAGER Chuck Tanner, aware of the wonderful success he had with the White Sox he pulled Wilbur Wood out of the bullpen, is going the same route with reliefer Enrique Romo. Good luck, Charlie, but it doesn't always work. Paul Richards, one of the brilliant managers of our time, had nothing but woe when he tried to convert Goose Gossage into a starter.

NEWS ITEM: Willie Stargell, the aging Pittsburgh slugger, told Associated Press correspondent Wijl Grimsley he wishes he was a horse so he wouldn't have to respond to the questions of so many reporters. Stargell is correct, of course, and I can, to some extent, sympathize with him. Horses are never interviewed. But Stargell also should be aware that all a horse gets is a bag of oats. The owners get all the cash.

i Baseball By Jerome. Holtzman run, appears to be i inevitable. There is no saying when Henderson will be gone, but if my instincts are correct, he'll be given a one-way-ticket as soon as the Cubs can get a starting pitcher for him, most likely a secondary starter capable of a 12-to 14-victory season. When Henderson departs, catcher Keith Moreland will be transferred to left field, a move that would allow catcher Jody Davis to return to the starting lineup. There is no question that Moreland can hit.

Though he doesn't hit the long ball, Moreland is an absolute line-drive powerhouse who knows how to use all fields. SPRING TRAINING IS a poor time to judge hitters because SportsVision is arriving late, i but its package will be bigger i A By Linda Kay JACK JACOBSON sits in a sparsely furnished office on the 15th floor of the Hancock Building, answering the phone, shuffling papers and looking harried. "When we get on the air," he says, peering over bifocals, "it will be all downhill." Jacobson, formerly a vice president at WGN-TV, is now vice president of production and operations for SportsVision, a yet-to-debut pay television station owned by four Chicago sports teams the White Sox, Bulls, Black Hawks and Sting. "What we're really doing," he says, "is creating a TV station where none existed." The process has proved complex since plans for SportsVision were unveiled last fall. The channel 60 faced a technical crisis that delayed its start more than a month, spoiling a premier that would have coincided with the opening of the baseball season.

IN ADDITION, SportsVision has altered the programming philosophy it originally envisioned: The format has been expanded, to embrace sports that have local connections but little clout. Boxing programs from McCormick Place, team tennis featuring the fledgling Chicago Aces, and games between the Chicago Fire and its opponents in the American Football Association have been tacked on to the schedule. If the NFL goes on strike this summer, the AFA might extend its season, and SportsVision could be the only local television outlet for football. Pro games will be carried that have no direct' Chicago connection, namely 32 major-league baseball games without the White Sox and two soccer matches not involving the Sting. SuperCross motorcycle racing is now part of the package.

Says Jacobson: "It's never been done on a pay channel before." i The station is dickering with the Illinois High School Association for rights to selected events. It is considering airing sports as diverse as raquetball, rugby, "We thought it would be to our benefit if the fan knew that every night, 365 nights a year, he could see a sports event." Jack Jacobson if It i The Advantage' TRUCK SPECIALS ElTGoodrich f.t.i TMUsnOraSt'r hs ItoptaWfflGsil Vftrattf RaUni Tubun pholo by Edward Wagrwr Jr. vVhitewall nucra, 53.95,, 65.93 73.95 68.95 77.95 85.95. 98.95 99.95' J.71-15 45.95, 700-15 PV 47-95 750-11 1 Nf 63.9S 1 Ply 71.95 950-165 1 Ply 77.95 IHUIPry 81.95 1MilPty 95.95 12m5RWLlUls! White Sox catcher Carlton Fisk turns pitcher for the moment, anyway so he can throw batting-practice to his son, C'gsey. Dave Nelson really runs the Sox P175-70R-13IP165-75R-13) 85.95 8WM3tJ17Wlj .6655 P195-70-13 P175-80R-13 69.95 P205-70R-13 P205-70R-14 P195-75R-14) jr coupon-! P215-70R-14 P205-75A-14 P225-70R-14 (P215-75R-14 P235-70R-14 P225-75R-14I i BRAKES 7355 76.95 7755 79.95 71.95 79.95 8455 89,95 93.95 9955 P245-70R-14 (225-75R-14) P215-70R-15 DftUV Front or Rter LiJ 205-75R-15) 215-75R-15) 225-75R-15) kteludee New Patfa a LMnsa S.

FN i P225-70R-15 P235-70R-15 P255-70R-15 (K35-75R-15) out uruma reir Cut Rotor Pair I Soma tordgn cart, Front Whl. I Dnvat A Ttu SUghfyHghaf, coupon I rodeo, weightlifting and indoor polo, as well as various collegiate events. An initial 232 nights of pro sports has evolved into a year-around concept. "We said, 'Let's go one step better, let's make it a full year, Jacobson said. "We thought it would be to our benefit if the fan knew that every night, 365 nights a year, he could see a sports event." Besides the nightly programming, some 50 events will be aired on weekend afternoons.

TARGETED TO start April 1, SportsVision will now debut May 13, with the Sox at home against Milwaukee. The rest of the month, subscribers will see IS Sox games, three baseball games that don't feature the Sox, two Sting games, one boxing program, one motocross race and three "Sportstalk" shows, during which a panel of sportswriters will field viewers' questions. There is still much work to do. Sketches lie on Jacobson's desk depicting studio sets, one to be chosen for the SportsVision host and guest commentators who will be based in a rented television studio on Erie Street "Originally, we were going to do all the broadcasts directly from the stadium or the ballpark," said Jacob-son, "but we wanted to go first class." He noted that the White Sox have installed $60,000 worth of new broadcasting equipment in Comlskey Park. Jacobson says the station will launch a media blitz and a door-to-door sales campaign at the end of the month.

It had been delayed when decoder boxes essential for home installation of the channel could not be produced in sufficient quantity by the supplier in Taiwan. BUT THE PROBLEM has been alleviated and 20,000 boxes are on hand, with 10,000 more expected every month, Jacobson said. "We have 2,000 orders right now. By the time we go on the air, we hope to have 20,000 boxes installed." Meanwhile, SportsVision officials have met with some 60 cable companies throughout the Midwest, arranging to feed programming to those systems for a flat fee. SportsVision figures it needs about 60,000 paid subscribers to break even.

"We don't expect to turn the corner until the end of baseball season," says Jacobson. By the end of the year, he thinks the station will have 100,000 subscribers. "Everybody is watching us," says Jacobson. 'If SportsVision works, it will work all over the country. Every city with multiple sports franchises will want to get in on this act." when he starts to slide.

I think I'll try to work on the slide first." Even LeFlore who stole 97 bases for Montreal in 1980 and had years of 68 and 78 for Detroit, and whom Nelson calls "an excellent baserunner with great instincts" could improve, Nelson believes. At first reluctant to speak for the record, Nelson finally decided, "Maybe it will be good for him to hear it. Ron would probably even better than he is, but he never works at it. He never works at stealing bases. He has a tremendous amount of talent.

As big as he is to run as fast as he does is amazing." LeFLORE'S ANSWER is that "I have to use my legs so much in the season that I need time to recuperate. I'll be on the ground a lot, doing a lot of sliding. I'll really be bruised up all year." Nelson can sympathize with that. "As a base-stealer myself, I know your body goes through a lot of punishment. You're diving back to first base all the time and your legs' take a lot of abuse.

You want to take it easy when you can. And, in his defense, he's had a little tender leg. The key to stealing is getting a good jump with a cross-over step and thrust. You can't do that with a tender leg." there's a team LaRussa wants us to emulate, it would be those Kansas City teams." ALMON FIGURES large in Nelson's plans, as do Jim Morrison, Tony Bernazard and, of course, LeFlore. That suits Almon just fine.

"I really enjoy running the bases," says Almon, who stole 16 bases in last year's truncated season. "You put more pressure on the defense with aggressive baserunning than anything else. Occasionally you get burned, but more often than, not you come out on the good end." Nelson is all in favor of Almon's enthusi-: asm, but says it has to be tempered with discipline. "When you let Bill run he doesn't take a pitch," says Nelson. "He's gone, whether he has a good jump or not.

I've got to work on him not to be so anxious. I will try to use his, aggressiveness with discipline." BERNAZARD PRESENTS an entirely different problem. "He's a unique case," says Nelson. "Tony has decent speed, but he doesn't know how to slide very well. He loses a step or two when he starts his slide.

Right now I'm working on whether to try to teach him a head-first slide or try to teach him to slide properly. He slows down tremendously By Robert. Markus Chicago T'ibun Ptm Sarvlca SARASOTA, Fla. Bill Almon's enthusiasm for running the bases is unbounded. If is Dave Nelson's reluctant duty to restrain it.

Nelson is the White Sox's baserunning coach. 'The Sox have added considerable offensive piinch since a year ago, when Nelson won his unusual job in spring training by impressing manager Tony LaRussa. But Nelson, whose credentials include three minor-league base-stealing titles and back-to-back seasons of SI and 43 steals for the Texas Rangers, thinks the added power makes his job more important rather than less. the kind of team we we really have to emphasize going from first to third wjth none out or one Nelson says, acknowledging that aside from Ron LeFlore, the Sox do not possess blazing speed. "I want to get across to our players the fact that you don't have to have a lot of great speed to be an intimidating baserunning club.

"You have to have discipline and go from first to third when you're supposed to go. The 1976-77 Kansas City Royals with whom Nel-' son ended his playing career were probably the best baserunning team in a long while. If i I COMPLETE ALIGNMENT 1 iimu Aiinuir? a a. ii 43,000 KILE ECONOMY fc mm l2 RADIAL XJ WHITEWALLS 4 TIRES IN THIS AD I Alignment tndudae eat caster, camber, toe. Trucks A Irani wheel drtva aboht eharaa.

COUPON -i TUNE-UP I 4Cyt. SCyL, SCyl. I 37" 33 39 I cart, crack MM, aituat cMa, md tut, attuonal park am. WHITEWAU. P15580R13 P17580R13 P18575R14 P19575R14 P20575R14 P21575R14 P20575R15 P21575R15 P22575R15 R23575R19 46.95 49.95.

52.95 65.95 67.95 69.95 69.95 63.95 67.95 69.95. Eadiaim70 RadialTA60 Pro basketball Size Sale Price IVeodLifelbMsitdi Fmil Soviets SBulh now considering college coaches IMPORT' EFGoodricfV I55SR12 $37,951 STEEL Fred Mitchell isssmi 38.95 EiLTED 185-70R-13 195-70R-13 205-70R-13 215-70R-14 225-70R-14 235-70R-14 225-70R-15 235-70R-15 255-70R-15 215-60R-13 235-60R-14 24560R-14 23560R-15 25560R-15 $71.85 73.95 78.95 84.95 88.95 89.951 97.95 99.95 109.95 81.95 94.95 98.95 103.95 111.95 iriTEHSTATE'S TRAKSLtlSS.Oa lalCTECESIRVICE. This servica helps prevent transmission problems. Should you already have a problem, we'll diagnose it lor you and recom-mend ust what a needed. 2THE BULLS' coaching shopping list has grown to include several prominent college cftaches.

Jtow does the name Dean Smith of North Carolina grab you? Or John Thompson of Georgetown, Jerry Tarkanian of Nevada-Las Vfgas, George Raveling of Washington State Providence athletic director Dave Gavit? ZThe Bulls have discussed these names in their pursuit of a coach for next season. General manager Rod Thorn has been wnn e.aa 1I5SAI4 49.95 165SR1S 44.95 48.95 IliTOSRU 52.95 19S70SR14 69.9 Change transmission fluid Adjust bands, it needed Clean screen, needed Replace pan gasket Then the four teams with the next-best records in the two divisions of each conference will qualify. It is possible to have as many as five playoff teams, or as few as one, from a particular division. For purposes of playoff matchups, the division winner in each conference with the better record becomes known as Team 1 and the winner of the other division becomes Team 2, regardless of record. The next four teams in each conference are ranked 3 through 6, according to their won-lost records.

Teams 3 and 6 meet in the first round, with the winner playing Team 2. Teams 4 and 5 meet in the first round, with the winner playing Team 1. The home-court advantage in every series goes to the team with the better record. PLUS FLUID Complete road test Tonight Bulls vs. Cleveland Cavaliers At Richfield Coliseum, 6:30 p.m.

Radlo-WGCI-FM 107.51 Cavillers' updata-r-Recycled coach Bill Musselman has his hands full trying to turn around the Central Division's cellar-dwellers. The Cavs' most significant concern right now Is whether they will win the flip with San Diego at the end of the season for the No. 1 pick In the college draft. Bulla' update Running out of time 16 games left and playoff hopes, the Bulls face yet another "must win" situation against the Cavs. At 27-39, the Bulls are AVt games behind Detroit for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

27560R-15 117-95 laBeaea NBA notes iltisMijil-'W The Notes and quotes Trantmlaslon Downtown esOW.WnhlnjtoflBM 666-6400 Free Towing Experts Jl DCSaiAINCS CHICAOO Countryside 5601 LaGrange Rd. 354-0740 Palatine 500 E. N.W. Hwy. 991-3S00 coaching the Bulls since Jerry Sloan was fired Inr February.

J.Tve changed my mind about what type of coach would be best for this team," Thorn sid recently. "At first I thought they needed amiddle-of-the-road personality type. But I. ttjnk they need someone who would take a harder stand now. We don't need a mediocre crjach or just a good coach We need an exceptional coach." THORN, WHO HAS led the Bulls into the playoff picture in recent weeks, was asked if his' late-season success might put added pressure on a new coach if he didn't succeed immediately.

"Well, 'first of all, a new coach would- Wood Dale Itasca PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS center Mychal Thompson, born in the Bahamas, was asked if he would have been a better ballplayer if he had been born in America. "No," Thompson replied. "I'd just be an angrier one. In the Bahamas we have the kind of attitude that when things are bad, they haye to get better. But in America, when tilings go bad, it's the end of the world." Denver coach Doug Moe was complimen-ted recently after his run-and-gun Nuggets only committed eight turnovers in a game.

"How many turnovers can you have if you shoot after only one pass?" he replied. Des Plainest 1700Oakton 297-7690 Georgetown Sq. srvirrg Pk. Rd. probably come in here with a long-term contract situation," Thorn replied.

"But it's the nature of the business that you have to produce. I think a new coach would understand that when he took the job." Playoff fever AS IN PAST SEASONS, the NBA playotr, format will include 12 teams six from each' conference. The champions from the four divisions Central, Atlantic, Pacific and Mid west will automatically move into the playoffs and gain first-round byes. 1244 Rand RdV29S027 CLMHURST OnS3tl427t-O300 OAK LAWN M58S Cro4J5.J700 OAK PARK 43SMMMonS24-1StS SOUTH HOLLAND 1S0SS Vanduitnai Ln331-7044 WAUKEOAN 1705 Bmm24W707 WESTMONT 4tOE.Ogoan32V4e7S SO IS OUR WARRANTY. 6S00 South Archw581 -SOW 3657 North HleoV248-i50 7829 South Kdr)M7 1-07 11 1 1 North Pumw4836 1 00 OOW.Whmg1one2.195 65 1 2 North Wtiwn' 72-1 MO 1447 EK 79th St V374-S90S ARLINGTON HEIGHTS 800 E.

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