National Post from Toronto, Ontario, Canada • 75

NATIONAL POST, SATURDAY, SKPTEM M5R 14, 2002 A SPORTS sv mrr-rr-" "ry The longevity of Canadian kickers stymies development of next generation Endangered CFL species yJ cS1 Jl fad KEVIN HRAYKR THE CANADIAN PRKSS Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Dave Berg makes the catch as Tampa Bay Devil Rays' Andy Sheets slides into second on a force out. But it was the Devil Rays who made the defensive play of the game, turning their first triple play in franchise history in the fifth inning at Sky Dome. By Tom Cashy The Canadian kicker has been a staple of CFL teams for 30 years, accounting for every scoring title but one since 1971. Now he's an endangered species. The Montreal Alouettes' Terry Baker, who doubles as the club's punter, is 40.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats punterkicker Paul Osbald-iston is 38 and in his 17th season. Calgary place kicker Mark McLoughlin, 36, is in his 13th season with the Calgary Stam-peders, and Troy Westwood, 35, is in his 11th campaign as the Blue Bombers' kicker. B.C.'s Matt Kellett, 29, and Toronto's Noell Prefontaine, 28, are the only Canadian CFL kickers under 30. The longevity of Baker and co. has stymied the development of the next wave, creating a shortage so severe the Ottawa Renegades solved their kicking woes by acquiring a 24-year-old import.

Lawrence Tynes' 60-yard range could one day allow him to become the first American kicker to win a CFL scoring championship since San Antonio's Roman Anderson in 1995. Teams are loath to sacrifice an import position on a specialist who may see the field only six or seven times a game, but that apprehension may be waning. After Westwood missed three of four field goals in last year's Grey Cup loss to Calgary, Blue Bombers head coach David Ritchie vowed he would find a new kicker. "We talked about it a lot," said Brendan Taman, the Blue Bombers' vice-president of player personnel. "But who would replace him? We had no one.

If Westwood went down today with an injury, after searching through my scouting reports looking for another Canadian kicker I would yell, There aren't any. "Ottawa did the right thing by going with an American mos quarterback, was also an accomplished kicker. But since kickers usually account for more than a third of a team's scoring, coaches began making them specialists, heralding the likes of Ottawa's Gerry Organ, Edmonton's Dave Cutler and B.C.'s Lui Passaglia, who retired only last season after a 25-year career. The Tiger-Cats and Blue Bombers have used only two place kickers each since 1980. Dorsey says there are only three reasons why a coach would seek a new kicker, "The veteran is screwed up, retires or because of expansion," said the two time-CFL all-star.

"The last thing a head coach wants to worry about is if a kicker can handle the pressure. There are no grey areas for him. You make it or you don't. It's why coaches feel they can't afford to go with someone who is unproven. "The average career for a CFL kicker is at least 15 years, providing he hits 70 of his kicks, and that's not great.

Teams would probably still keep a veteran even if he hits between 60 and 65 of his kicks. That makes it hard for young kids to break into the league. They lose interest because they have no place else to play after university." Experienced kickers are so precious the Calgary Stampeders protected McLoughlin in last year's expansion draft even though he had announced his retirement at the end of last season. "We couldn't afford losing him in case he would reconsider," said Stampeders assistant general manager Bob O'Billovich, who is also the club's director of player personnel. "Fortunately, he did and came back.

Finding a good Canadian kicker now is as difficult as finding a good starting quarterback. They are that tough to find, and the good ones who are Canadian go to the NFL." After Mike Vanderjagt kicked 388 points in two seasons for the Argos, he bolted to the Indianapolis Colts, where he has become one of the NFL's top kickers. In fact, most of the CFL's top kickers have tried to crack NFL LE6GATT FEELS HEAT BUTSTANDS ONE BACK Halladay shows rookie how to get out of a jam PENNSYLVANIA CLASSIC BLUE JAYS 5 DEVIL RAYS 2 said last night, without a trace of conceit. He seems to have adjusted to the other corner with similar ease. "I'm still learning," he said.

"The last two or three games I'm starting to feel at home a little bit." Werth is also hitting a little bit His double to start the sixth inning helped set the table for Eric Hinske's three-run homer, which gave the Jays a 5-1 lead. The homer was Hinske's 22nd, the most for a rookie since Boston's Nomar Garciaparra hit 30 in 1997. Carlos Delgado had given Toronto an early edge with a two-run homer off Dewon Brazelton, a heavily hyped prospect making his major-league debut at the end of his first pro season. Brazelton, the Rays' top draft pick in 2001, shut down the Jays over the next three innings, aided by the first triple-play in Tampa Bay history. After Chris Woodward singled to start the fifth, Brazelton bounced a pitch off Dave Berg's elbow.

Then Tosca's hit-and-run call backfired big-time. Woodward and Berg were well on their way when Ken Huckaby hit a line drive directly to second-baseman Andy Sheets. Shortstop Chris Gomez took Sheets' toss and tagged second to erase Woodward, then fired to first to retire Berg. The rare triple-killing happened so quickly that the announced crowd of 14,257 sat in stunned silence as the D-Rays trotted off the field. Halladay, 25, allowed single runs in the sixth and seventh and showed the grit necessary to extricate himself from several messes.

He had five strikeouts. Two ended Tampa Bay threats in the fifth and seventh. "Doc really stepped it up," Tosca said. "That shows why he is who he is." National Post kicker. I would have ning.

Toby Hall followed with a single to right. Grieve hesitated slightly rounding second, then made an ill-advised dash to third. Werth threw him out with plenty to spare. Critical? Well, in that inning the Devil Rays collected a single, double and two walks, but came up empty because of Werth's throw and two Halladay strikeouts. In the eighth, Toronto led 5-2, but the Rays had two singles aboard with one out when Hall lofted a fly ball that looked more like a double the longer it sliced toward the right-field line.

Werth made a knee-high running catch, then turned and nearly doubled the runner off second b5se. "That was a tremendous, tremendous play," manager Carlos Tosca said. Werth, the manager understated, "has taken to right field quite well." He had never played the position until he joined the Jays, although he had made a successful, and virtually complete, conversion to the outfield at Syracuse. There he played left field and did a little catching. He'd been told left field was the toughest outfield position.

"I didn't think it was hard," he done the same The Renegades had even pnncid- rosters. "There are lots of good Crafty pitclier cleans own messes in club's fifth straight win Bv John Lott TORONTO A catcher by trade, Jayson Werth didn't pack his chest protector and shin guards gear when the Blue Jays summoned him from Syracuse two weeks ago, He brought his catcher's mitt, just in case. But he had concluded a while back that his future lay "somewhere out there," not behind the plate. Out there in the outfield, to be precise. Which seems the logical station for him, given the way he has played in his 10 big-league games.

Especially the way he performed last night, when he made two plays in right field that proved critical in Toronto's fifth consecutive win, a 5-2 decision over Tampa Bay at the Sky Dome. The Jays led 2-0 in the fifth when starter Roy Halladay (16-7) walked Ben Grieve to start the in ered resur kickers, but they are all playing in American recting 45-year-old Dean schools," said Tiger- Dorsey, who re Cats director or rjlaver rjersonnel wm tired nine years ago, before the team opted to TL Mike Mc-VJ Carthy. "Foot-f, hall is sn hip use Tynes, a Division 1 All American who was a late cut of the NFL's Kansas -o in the States. 4 The only way to find a Canadi City Chiefs. Until 1970, position players usually doubled as kickers.

an kicker is to beat Offensive tackle Moe (The the bushes, be patient and let him develop, but it can cost vou Toe) Racine was the Ottawa Rough Riders' place kicker in the early 1960s and deep back Don Sutherin took over from him on the 1968 and 1969 Grey Cup teams. Both won scoring titles. Hall of Fame running back Dick Shatto kicked for the Toronto games." Ottawa Citizen GRAN BLACK CAI.GARY HLKAI.ll The Montreal Alouettes' Terry Baker is the elder statesman of Canadian kickers at 40. Giants' Santiago enjoys proving doctors wrong Argonauts and Jackie Parker, PAOLI, PA. Ian Leggatt of Cambridge, fired a 6-under-par 65 yesterday to move within one stroke of Bill Andrade for the lead in the Pennsylvania Classic.

Andrade shot a 3-under 68 for a 134 total at the Waynesborough Country Club course. After a bogey-free round on Thursday, An-drade's only mistake yesterday was a bogey on the sixth hole. "I hit a seven-wood off the tee and hooked it a little too much just in the left rough," Andrade said. "I had a horrible lie on my third shot and didn't get it up and down." Andrade, who hasn't won on the PGA Tour since 2000, quickly regrouped with a birdie on the next hole. A nine-iron into the green left him with a 20-foot putt that he made.

He also birdied the par-4 ninth his final hole after starting on the back nine to put him at 8-under. "There are a lot of ways to make a bogey, and I've made my share, so I'm very happy with where I stand," Andrade said. Leggatt, whose first PGA Tour victory came in February's Tucson Open, had a three-foot putt on No, 17 to tie Andrade, but missed the attempt at a sixth consecutive birdie. He also pushed a six-footer wide on No. 18.

He missed the course record by one shot. "The putt on 17 shook me up a little bit," Leggatt said. "But I don't even think about it. I will still be able to sleep on Sunday night if I lose by one." Rookie Kenneth Staton was two strokes off the lead at 6-under 136. Brent Geiberger (68), Jeff Brehaut (68) and Donnie Hammond (69) were tied for fourth at 5-under.

Jim McGovern shot a 67 to put him into a tie with Paul Goydos (69) and J.J. Henry (71) at four-under. David Morland IV of Aurora, missed the cut after shooting a 69 for a 146 total. Among the notables missing the 2-over-par cut were 1995 U.S. Open champion Corey Pavin, 1996 PGA champion Mark Brooks, 1996 U.S.

Open champion Steve Jones. Bryce Molder and New Zealand's Michael Long also shot 65s the low rounds of the day. Molder, playing on a sponsors exemption, sandwiched four successive birdies and a par on the front nine between bogeys on Nos. 1 and 7. He and Australian Robert Allenby, the defending champion, were among seven players at 3-under.

Molder said the front nine was an adventure. "I wasn't hitting the ball well, but I kept making putts," Molder said. Long birdied four of five holes on the back nine, but missed a seven-foot putt on 18. He's at 1-under for the tournament Staton, starting on the back nine, got off to a rough start with a double-bogey on the 10th hole, but got both strokes back with birdies on Nos. 16 and 17- The Associated Press, uith files rum The Canadian Press the great Edmonton Eski Canadian boxer loses appeal, won't get rematch FITTER THAN EVER AT 37 Catcher making amazing comeback after car accident Kirk Johnson camp questioned use 01 American referee on or challenger.

Ruiz and referee Joe Cortez are both Puerto Rican-American and both live in Las Vegas, where the July 27 fight was held. At the hearing, held Thursday during the WBA congress in Washington, D.C., Lilien said the boxing body didn't side with Johnson since the Nevada State Athletic Commission hired the ring officials. He said the WBA now has John- After countless hours of rehabilitation, Santiago made some minor-league appearances in late summer, 1998, and rejoined the Blue Jays for 15 games. But it took a couple of years for him to really feel like himself again. Now, he feels as good physically as he did seven or eight years ago, and some days even better.

"You understand when you get older that you have to do the right things, get in bed at the right time and work out hard," he said. "If I slow down going to the gym to lift weights, I'm not going to do it. I feel great The older the better, probably like a bottle of wine." Santiago acknowledges even he has been surprised at his- rebound. "I always like to prove people wrong," he said. "This time, I'm proving the doctors wrong.

They're the happiest guys in the world." Others are taking notice of the six-foot-one catcher, who is a solid 200 pounds. "We were talking about it, the way he's playing and having a great year," Dodgers pitcher Andy Ash by said. "Three or four years ago, he scuffled a little bit. To see a guy playing the game that long, you know he's doing the right things. He looks good." San Francisco pitcher Russ Ortiz has picked up plenty from Santiago, such as treating every pitch with importance.

"Coming back had a huge impact on him," Ortiz said. "No doubt he treats this game as a blessing to be able to play." The Associated Press speak, for a while." After a 4-3 win last weekend over the Arizona Diamondbacks, Santiago said he felt so good he could have caught 18 innings. But he didn't have to work that hard his game-ending single in the ninth kept the contest from going into extra innings. The next day, he doubled, stole third while Arizona pitcher Brian Anderson held the ball, and continued around to score on an error when a startled Anderson threw past third. The Giants again defeated the Diamondbacks.

Santiago, who made his major league debut 16 seasons ago for the San Diego Padres, was named to his fifth all-star game this season his first in 10 years. He also has played for Florida, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Toronto and the Chicago Cubs. "He's just an old man playing good baseball," Giants second baseman Jeff Kent said. "Sometimes old men can outdo young kids. He knows how to prepare himself.

He's been that type of ball player his entire career. There's no sense in changing now." Santiago chalks up his extra energy and recent success to a renewed dedication to baseball and taking better care of his body since the accident. He fractured his pelvis and tore ligaments in his right knee. 'I THINK THE WBA REALLY MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY' By Jamk MiCaii.iy SAN FRANCISCO Benito Santiago still receives congratulatory calls from doctors who never envisioned him back in the major leagues after a horrifying car accident, let alone playing this well. The San Francisco Giants catcher now jokes about the wreck that knocked him out of baseball for seven months.

He points out how he conveniently crashed on a corner next to a hospital when trying to dodge a car that ran a red light near his Florida home 4V2 years ago. Santiago, 37, is feeling as fit as ever: He's driving in game-winning runs during the Giants' playoff push, stealing bases and even teaching the team's young pitching staff a thing or two. "It's pretty amazing," manager Dusty Baker said. "He's in great shape and well preserved. The fact he missed some time with his car accident allowed his body to get back.

Really, he's 37 walking around like 32. He was in a garage, so to HALIFAX The World Boxing Association has dismissed Kirk Johnson's appeal of his recent heavyweight title defeat. "I'm shocked," said Ken Lilien, Johnson's co-manager. "I think the WBA really missed an opportunity to do something good for them and good for boxing. "I can't believe that people don't want neutrality.

Would it have been acceptable to have a Canadian referee?" Johnson, who was disqualified for low blows during his title fight with John Ruiz in Las Vegas in July, vowed to get another title shot. "My dreams are not over yet," he said. "I just turned 30 and I've got 3Va to AV2 years left. Hey, that's a lifetime." The Johnson camp appealed the North Preston, N.S., boxer's disqualification on the grounds of conflict of interest. VBA rules say championship officials must be of different nationality, residence or origin than the champi son ranked fifth.

He was the No. 1 contender when he fought Ruiz. Johnson's handlers had said the best-case scenario would have been if the WBA ordered a rematch with Ruiz. They at least hoped Johnson would keep his No. 1 contender status and be on the short-list for another title shot.

Johnson, whose record is 32-1-1, was disqualified by Cortez for repeated low blows on Ruiz. The Canadian Press.