Daily News from New York, New York • 58

Sunday "March 31 1 991 AO TALK TO US: Attention high school coaches: Call us with details of your upcoming baseball season. Let us know about your student-athletes and any interesting aspects of your program. Call (212) 210-1677. (Mb ttiM -3KSCsDT SDDGDS Former Pelham star Scott earns Wrigley hot corner By BILL TRAVERS Daily Nevis Sports Writer I HE SCENE WAS Yankee Stadium. July '86.

Daily News High School all-star Bayside Yankees and now the White Sox area scout All this for a Westchester kid who played baseball as an afterthought "He played because he's an athlete and it was spring," said Doug Scott, Greg's father. "He was Pelham's all-time high scorer in basketball and the football quarterback. In fact, no one recruited him for baseball at all. He was looking for a basketball scholarship. That's how he got to Villanova." Philly follow-up Back in 1986, Gary traveled to Philly with his father and mother (Doris) for a basketball interview at Drexel.

"We were early and Doris said to us, 'Why not take a look at Villanova, we have Doug Scot recalled. "Gary said to her, 'Rollie (Massimino) won't give me a But they looked anyway." Scott fell in love with the campus and wrote a letter to George Bennett, the baseball coach. "Bennett saw Gary play and offered a partial scholarship," continued Mr. Scott "Then with the Bayside Yankees and Cuseta's connections, he got plenty of offers. But he loved Villanova and decided that was the place to go." "Back then, we weren't even thinking "pros," said Bennett, the Villanova coach.

wattL-, J1 GREAT SCOTT: Cubs rookie Gary Scott shown here in a minor TheTjaII was hit to deep short Gary Scott glided to his right, fielded it cleanly, set himself and let fly. And fly it did sailing high over the head of the first baseman. "It sailed right into the stands," said the Chicago Cubs prospect. "It was embarrassing. I remember The News story headline so well: 'From Error to I still remember the error, but I don't know whether I'll be a terror.

But it was an experience I'll never forget And it's good to get it out of the way if I make it some day." And Scott, the ex-Pelham High shortstop and Villanova third baseman, has made it He was named last week as the starting third sacker for the Chicago Cubs. Made it big after having less than two full years of minor league experience and just a month in Class AA. "You know, I was really nervous in the Stadium that day," Scott said yesterday from Arizona. "I don't feel that way now. I'm really com league game in 1989, has gone from Pelham High to Wrigley Field as the Opening Day third baseman.

skculto the news fortable with the situation. But I guess I'll be nervous Opening Day. Everyone is." "(Don) Zimmer never saw him play until last winter's Instructional League," said Billy Blitzer, the Brooklyn-bred scout who signed Scott, Shawon Dunston (Jefferson High) and four others who made it to the big time in his eight years with the little black book. "He was sensa tional and Zimmer said, 'Chicago hasn't seen a third baseman like him in Torrid spring Scott, just 22, has earned the Opening Day nod by hitting .512 this spring with 10 RBI and seven doubles. "I figured I was going to (Triple A) Iowa.

Not to the majors. I worked hard to stay in shape, mostly in Ohio where my fiancee lives," added Scott "I worked on the weights and took up Taek-wondo, a Korean exercise to give me something extra. It really helped my patience. Then I did really well in the winter Instructional League." At Charlotte of the AA Southern League last season, Scott hit .308 with four homers and 17 RBI in 35 games: Earlier in the year, he played A ball for Winston-Salem and was the MVP of the Carolina League and the circuit's All-Star Game. Scott was not even on the Cubs' 40-man roster at the start of spring training.

"He was brought into the major league camp just to give him a feel of what it was like," said Blitzer. "It didn't take him long to get the feel." "When he got the word, he called me up and said 'I have to pinch myself to see if I'm awake, especially when I look around and see Dunston, (Ryne) Sandberg and (Mark) "said" Marc" CusetaT Scott's sandlot coach with the (Samara sunns jgiiiiiiini A IFifltL IT By BILL TRAVERS tain Greg Rao. Rao will move to short when Feliciano goes to the hill and be replaced at second by senior Tony Mar-rero or frosh Scott Rao. Kasper, a lefty swinger and righty thrower, will play first when he's not pitching. When he takes the hill, Frank Cordero (6-1) leaves his DH spot to play first Soph Carlos Molina, the No.

2 hitter, is a is in right and left will be manned by a platoon of Greg Bowen, Mark Johnson, Robert Brunotte, a 6-1 freshman who also pitches, Mike Bruno andor Gary Jones. "Tilden dropped baseball," said Nappo, "so our division went to 15 games, three a week. It's to our advantage as we are deep on the hill. I look forward to a great season." newcomer at third. He is one of Nappo's two new impact players along with junior lefty pitcher David Caldwell.

Avery Branch pitches and plays third. Speedy Chris Rodrigo, who stole 30 bases in 30 attempts last year and started with 5-for-5 this season, is in center. Leadoff man Ricky Martinez, who averages a walk a game, Ganarsie's doing heavy damage Atlantic High School in the double elimination tournament The tournament features four Florida teams, and Canarsie, Cardozo and South Shore from the PSAL. Canarsie has its two top pitchers back Brian Kasper (9-1) and Ray Schmidt (8-4) but little known Leslie Pasternack (2-0 last year) could be No. 2.

Schmidt is more valuable as a catcher. "Ray is being looked at as a receiver," said Nappo. "He has a very strong arm and a quicker release than many major league catchers. He might not be the best player in the city but he is the most versatile one. He can pitch, catch and play shortstop as well as anyone." Filling the hole at short could be the Chiefs biggest problem as Daily News all-star Luis Lopez has left for Coastal Carolina, where he has been an instant success.

Junior third- baseman Janvier a relief pitcher, has moved to short and will share the DP combination ilajL wittL. xapr Daily News Sports Writer Want a preseason look at the top PSAL baseball team this year? You might have to go to Delray Beach in Florida to get it Canarsie, a finalist in 1990, is loaded. "We're very strong, should be one of the best," said coach Bobby Nappo before tomorrow's opener of the Atlantic High School Baseball tournament at Florida's Little Fenway Park at the Bucky Dent Baseball School. "We're deep and have that hungry taste. Like Lincoln had a year ago." Lincoln beat the Chiefs last season, 3-1, for the city title in Yankee Stadium after losing to Fort Hamilton in the 1989 final.

Canarsie this year is in the same position Lincoln was last year most of the players have returned. And, as a further confidence builder, the Chiefs won their first six exhibition games (hitting six HRs and giving up just 14 hits) and will opea tomorrow against "Lincoln's pitcher is fat" That was the inspiration for a Lincoln championship season last year. chunky" could be the remembered chant for the 1991 Canarsie season. The fat sign was displayed at the 1989 championship game in Yankee Stadium as Lincoln's Mike Campagno got shelled. A slimmer Campagno, no longer a "fat boy" came back and won the title game last year.

"That sign was on my mind all win-. the win, 20 pounds lighter. "I said to myself, I'll be back and in -t '-r The "chunky, chunky" chant was direct- ed last season at 268-pound Canarsie soph DH Frank Cordero, who whiffed twice fore lumbering into second base after ripping a double off the right-center wall. Cordero Is now a 6-1, 255-pound junior who's "hitting monstrous shots and batting -682 in the sir games," according to Chiefs coach Bobby Nappo. "And one of our fastest said Nappo.

"But could still lose a few more pounds." -Cordero looks like he's taking a page out of the Campagno lxok, taking revenge in a I big way this year. la,.