The Times-Tribune from Scranton, Pennsylvania • 48

rt. -k I "fM' A Vff jinwfgrw-. 'W'S 4 A it 7 SUNDAY TIMES, APRIL 29, 1990 SCRANTON, C-8 Minor-League Baseball Major-League Roster Cuts to Have Impact on System 5 i We'll have a few guys go back to guys Tan lines from a spring in Clear-ce faded. water have long since ing with eight pitchers ready to pitch and two just starting to get going, The Triple-A leagues should have waited until May IS, at least to trim their rosters rather than risk inju-' rics to pitchers trying to make up time on a 23-man roster. Double-headers caused by April's weather, could bring an added risk to the pitchers being sent down.

LARRY HOLEVA The Phillies still have other options to consider in the slew of moves the next several days. Noles, who has pitched extremely effectively, could pass trails with the aers being senddown from the lies. The Phillies are weighing McElroy still hasn't allowed a run in six games with the Phillies. In six innings, he has fanned eight and walked three. As a lefty, he fits well Into the Phillies bullpen.

Don Carman is their only other lefty reliever with Dennis Cook now entrenched in the starting rotation after three straight impressive starts. McElroy is also fitting In well id the Phillies clubhouse. As a wide-eyed rookie, he has been the target over several pranks including one last week where the rookie was lefy looking silly. i Player representative Darren Daulton approached McElroy, with straight early in the week in St. Louis ana told him the Phillies were fully aware that he had flagrantly violated the teams curfew.

McElroy, who forgot that the Phillies dont have a curfew, then apologized to Thomas, who just happened to be walking by. He told the Phillies that he was with pitcher Ken Howell. Howell later said: This is not the guy youd want to rob a bank with. Hea bring the feds right to your house." After apologizing to Thomas, McElroy was then told that president Bill Giles wanted him on the phone and raced to pick up the receiver only to get an ear full of shaving cream. S' Reading, most likely," he said They (general manager Lee Thomas and player development director Del Unser) are going to have a meeting Monday and let us know," The moves, right now, are fairly obvious.

The addition of two pitchers would mean that three pitchers would likely be sent to Reading in order for the Red Barons to have a 10-man staff. The Red Barons are also currently carrying three catchers, which wont be feasible when the minor-league roster is reduced by May 1. In all likelihood, Moore and Frohwirth will be the unlucky Phillies and have their salaries drastically cut with assignments to the Red Barons. Moore has pitched sparingly with the Phillies, getting in just 2 innings in three appearances. Frohwirth has had more opportuities than Moore, however hasnt capitalized.

In five games he has pitched just one inning. Moores salary will drop at a rate of $74,500 per year with an option to the Red Barons. However hell get in some needed pitching. Frohwirth, who will have to accept a minor-league demotion If, and when, he clears waivers, stands to drop $61,000, from $111,000 in the big-leagues to $50,000 on his split capable of coming back and pitching an inning or so every day. In Frohs case, he's actually stronger when he pitched more." Dancy said the pitchers who eventually wind up at Reading must try to maintain a good attitude.

Were not giving up on these Hlfrand theyve got to realize he said. If something should happen with the Philliespitching or up here, we need people who can come In and the guy thats going the best will be the one." the option of purchasing his Triple-A contract ana sending down three Thoughts of spending days baking In the sun at the Carpenter Complex and nights at the Comedy Scene nothing more than distant memo ries. But as the Red Barons get ready to turn the page on the calendar and head into tne second month of the season, things will look a lot like they should nave in early April. There will be familiar set-up men in the bullpen, once the Phillies send two pitchers down on Monday or early Tuesday. There will be two catchers instead of three.

And, alas, there will be 23 players and not 25. The Phillies will send two pitchers down to the Red Barons to reduce their roster. Likely candidates are Brad Moore, Todd Frohwirth, Chuck McElroy and Darrell Akerfelds. Their moves will trigger a long-awaited avalanche through the entire system. Were going to get at least two pitchers from them, Pm told," manager Bill Dancy said.

Thats going to mean that were going to have to move some people. Move. Thats the key word. Not remove. 2 There was a chance that one or perhaps several players might get their walking papers and De released.

However, Dancy said he doesnt believe that will be the case. pitchers, possibly Akerfelds. With Dickie pitching the way hes been who knows how long well be keeping him here," Dancy said. if he was to get a promotion, Frohwirth would would probably regain the role of stopper at Triple-A. Assuming Akerfelds and McElroy remain with the Phillies, which is still just an assumption, Moore and Frohwirth would become set-up men for Dickie Noles.

If the are the two we get, theyll be good guys to get us to Dickie," Dancy said. Eric Boudreaux, Rich Buonantony. Wally Ritchie, Steve Sharts and Scott Service are hoping to stay in the bullpen. However, three of those Sitchers will likely be shipped to fading, unless Service, who has had a shoulder injury, is placed on the disabled list. That could mean that the Red Barons may be left a little thin in relief pitching for the next several weeks since both Moore and Frohwirth will practically be starting anew after seeing very limited action with the Phillies.

Neither one has pitched much so well have to watch them," Dancy said. "But both of those guys are When the Triple-A leagues decided to follow the major-leagues move to expand rosters, someone should have considered what would happen once the major-league roster was reduced. Now, all rosters must be cut simultaneously with pitchers who are basically In spring training form joining the Triple-A rosters. In the Red Barons case, they will be work- McElroy has had just one shaky outing with the Phillies, leaving Dancy a little surprised that his name has surfaced as a candidate to be sent to the minors. You have one bad game and youre automatically added to the list, he said.

Right now, we really dont know what route theyre going to go." In KEPtfeM-t ct, fe Phillies Trying to Develop Relievers at Lower Levels iniiHvi. 1 By LARRY HOLEVA Morandini i Hit Streak Ends At 10 A Barons the statistical look at how the Red 1990 season compares with club's first season In 1989: Times Sports Writer By TOM ROBINSON Times Sports Writer The significance of how important a stopper is to a baseball team is most evident with the Red Barons. They got an added bonus when Dickie Nolee decided to sign a Triple-A contract after being released by the parent Philadelphia Phillies near the end of spring training. He has closed the first 10 games he has appeared in, getting three saves while winning a pair for the Red Barons. moved up from Clearwater near the end of last season, Reading pitching coach George Culver said.

Hes worked hard and is very close to working himself into a very good prospect in the organization." Through the first 14 games, Read-ing had just five wins. Sims closed out three of those by relying on three pitches and accurate control. Hes got something thats kind of rare in a reliever, Culver said. He can throw three very good pitches, a fastball, curve and change up." Sims didnt break on the scene like a gangbuster. He was the Phillies 32nd pick in 1986 and struggled through two horrendous seasons at the start of his career, going 8-18 with a 4.78 earned run average.

But the Phillies liked his ability to do a lot of things a successful reliever -t can and sent him to the bullpen midway through last season. You need that guy that youve got confidence in who can come in He responded by saving nine ana establishing himself as a games When Mickey Morandini went hitless in four at bats Saturday, it brought an end to the longest hitting streak of the season by a Red Baron. Morandini hit in 10 straight games one hit in each of the first eight and two in each of the last two to slowly build his average up from the depths that it fell to in a dismal start. Morandini went 12-for-39 (.308) in the streak to raise his average from .100 to .217. The streak was the third of 10 or more games by a Red Baron.

Mark Ryal hack the teams long-, est streak last season when he hit In 13 straight games from July 10 to 23. Ryal hit' .327 (16-for-49) during the streak, which was part of a stretch in which he hit in 20 of 21 games. Steve Stanicek had a 10-game streak last season from June 19 to July 1. Stanicek went 12-for-38 which was also part of a longer stretch when he was in a hitting groove. The streak was part of a month-long stretch in which Stanicek had hits in 28 of 30 games.

Both Stanicek and Ryal had their streaks ended in seven-inning games in nightcaps of double-headers. The Red Barons took a walk on the wild side Thursday night when Chuck Malone, Rich Buonantony, Steve Sharts and Eric Boudreaux combined to walk 12 batters. Malone walked seven in 5 'A innings, Buonantony one in Sharts two in lVb, and Boudreaux two in 1. The 12 walks was the most by the Red Barons in a regulation game, but even the teams current struggles with wildness are nothing like a stretch the staff went in that stretch. Chuck Malone has not allowed more than four hits in any of his four starts, but he has only lasted 20 innings because of 19 walks.

The Rea Barons have scored just three runs in the four games started by Bob Scanlan. The team has been shut out once and held to' one run five times this season with four of those six games coming in Scanlans starts. The pitching staff has the highest strikeouts per nine innings in the International League, but also has the highest walks per nine innings. The team has given up 4.88 walks per nine innings while striking out 7.18. After early struggles against left-handed pitching, tne Rea Barons are hitting 26-for-72 (.361) against lefties over the last five games.

Ron Jones (6-for-13, Stanicek (6-for-15, John Gibbons (5-for-14, Morandini (6-for-19, .316) and Legg (3-for-10, .300) have the top averages against lefties. A year ago today, the Red Barons walked 11 in their worst beating of the season, 26-3, at Pawtucket. That game capped a seven-game stretch where tne Red Barons walked 64, including two games of 10 walks and two of nine walks. The most walks allowed by the Red Barons last season came in a pair of extra-inning games. The staff combined to walk 13, including seven by Scott Service in 5 innings, in a 6-5, 16-inning loss at Toledo Aug.

11. In another meeting with Toledo July 29, the second game of a double-header went eight innings with the Red Barons winning, 3-2, despite 12 walks. Service was the winner in that game despite allowing six walks in three innings. Danny Clay started and walked six in four innings. Stanicek has hits in his last four games, going 7-for-14 with five runs Datted in.

Victor Rosario is 8-for-22 in six games since snapping out of an 0-for-11 slump. Jim Vatcher is 6-for-14 with a double and two homers in the last three games. Greg Legg is 7-for-12 in the last three games. Half of Chris Knabenshues 40 plate appearances have ended in either a walk or strikeout. Knaben-shue has walked nine times and struck out 11.

Dickie Noles has not allowed an earned run in nine innings over six games. He has allowed six hits and a walk while striking out four the team with nine walks each. Adduci, Morandini and Rosario have each struck out 13 times. Rosario has committed a team-high seven errors. Marvin Freeman has given up four homers and Scanlan three.

The pitchers are 2-for-12, including Buonantonys homer, in their first week of hitting against teams that are National League affiliates. Buonantonys homer was the first extra-base hit by a Red Barons pitcher. Last season, the staff hit .128. The Red Barons are 8-for-16 stealing bases. They have allowed opponents to steal 14 straight excluding a successful pickoff by Jose DeJesus.

The Red Barons hit .296 (73--for-247) during a seven-game stretch ending Friday. The Red Barons were 5-2 during that time. Going into Saturdays action, Jones was tied for eighth in the league in batting and the team had the leagues second-highest average. Scanlan was fourth in the league in ERA and Noles was sixth heading into Saturday. Both Jones and Scanlan are likely to be missing from the list of leaders when they are updated today.

Malone ranked second in strikeouts and Grimsley was fourth. and close it down for you, Red Barons manager Bill Dancy said. Theres got to be a guy who you can give the ball to just about everyday A guy who can come in, throw strikes and nail it down. Noles has been that. He enjoys the role of closer with the Red Barons, even though he realizes that if he returns to tne big leagues with the Phillies, it will likely be in a different capacity.

Irm having fun doing something that can help this team win right now, said Noles, 33. Im not looking beyond today. Im taking things as they come. Beyond Noles, general manager Le Thomas doesnt see another reliever ready to be plucked from the crops of the farm system. At least not in the immediate future.

Right now, other than Noles we dont have too many options, Thomas replied when asked about what he could do to help the Phillies faltering bullpen. But, lower on the farm, the system has several strong relief prospects worth keeping an eye on. Readings Mark Sims, Clearwaters Todd Elam and Mark Randall and Spartanburgs Scott Wlagandt represent the top relief pitching prospects being nurtured down on the farm. Sims, a 22-year-old lefthander, has made major strides since the final third of last season and is on the brink of becoming the top relief pitching prospect in the system. Hes come a long way since he Legg (6-for-9, Tom Nieto 3-for-5, Vatcher (17-for-49, (3-for-l .347) and Knabenshue (7-for-23j .304) are the early leaders against right-handed pitching.

Jones (10-for-25, Kelly Heath (8-for-22, .364) and Stanicek (5-for-13, .385) have been the most successful with men on base. Heath and Knabenshue lead Red Barons Take Road After Loss to Richmond IcnntMWilkea-larn abrbU ab 4 110 Morandini 2b 4 prospect. He does a lot of things that you like to see a reliever do, Culver said. He fields his position ex- tremely well and has the best pickoff move in the organization since Steva Carlton. Elam is also a converted starter.

-He started 11 games last season at Clearwater, but finds himself in a role of a stopper this season. Elam has the physicial composl- tion similiar to St. Louis reliever Todd Worrell and has relied on his fastball to post one of three saves at Clearwater along with a 1.29 ERA. Randall made a big jump in his career, leaping to Clearwater after i-pitching at Martinsville in his first 1 professional season. He signed last June and reported straight to Martinsville where he didnt suffer through many growing Si pains like some of the organizations other draft choices.

As an 18-year-old, the southpaw reliever led the Appalachian League in saves with 13 and relief points with 41. I Randall currently has two saves in the Florida State League. However, he has also blown two save oppor-tunities leading to some concern that 1 he may have been advanced too quickly in the system. Wiegandt is another lefty relief prospect. He has a win and two 1 saves at Spartanburg along with a 0.64 ERA.

His control has been something for the Phillies to get excited about. In the past, some of their top relief prospects had difficulty honing in on the strike zone. Wiegandt hasnt had that problem. He has great control, Spartanburg pitching coach Buzz Capra said. He can almost throw strikes at will and at this level thats not always the case.

He has fanned 12 in 14 innings at Spartanburg while walking just two. Other relievers in the system with multiple saves include Spartanburgs Matt Stavana and Mika Sullivan and Reading's John McLaman. Each have two saves. Reading is hoping to see some fallout from Triple-A. The Reading Phils can certainly use any help they can get.

The teams earned run average is 5.03, the worst in the system, while the team batting average is just .193. Doug Lind My and John Poaay, who share the catching duties, are the mb two players hitting higher than Two pitchers trying to work their way back from injuries have joined the Reading staff. Floyd Youmana has reported for a rehabiliation assignment while Warren MagM has Joined the roster from extended spring. Magee has pitched in one game, however Youmans still has not thrown off a mound. 4 1 2 0 Lea 3b Miller cf 3 2 2 0 4 Hood cf Alvass Whited 3b Cabrera lb BJonee rf Hunter It Tubbs It Mizerock Dowell sa Nezelek rbM 0 0 0 4 0 3 0 4 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 4 00 0 4 12 1 4 00 0 3 0 2 0 2 000 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 1 4 2 13 Jones rt 4 0 0 0 Adduci lb 4 0 12 Vatcher It 0 0 0 0 Gibbons 4 I 1 1 Rosario ss 3 0 0 0 Scanlan 4 0 0 0 Ritchie Bellino ph Boudreaus 34 7 I Totals Totals 100 002 011-7 tcrentee 000 OOO 001-1 Gibbons 2, Scanlan.

DP ScrantonWilkes-Barra 1 LOB Richmond 2, ScrantonWilkes-Barre 6 2B Whited, Rosario. 3B Rosario HR Cabrera (5), Mizerock (2), Vatcher (3). SB Cabrera (2), Legs ID 00 to 7 1115 5 Nezelek W. 2-3 9 toraMMWMkst-Bam Scanlan 1-3 Ritchie Boudreaux 1 Whited reached on catcher's interference in the hist. WP Scanlan.

Ritchie Umpires Home, McCallum, First, Holm; Second, Meals, Third, Evans. 2.22. A 7,373. (Continued from Pago C-1) eyes on the ball and not on each other." NOTES: The series between the Red Barons and Braves switches locations today when they meet at 2 p.m. at the Diamond in Richmond.

It wouldve been nice to get out of here with a win, because it makes it so much easier to go on the road after winning, Dancy said. But we have to give their guy (Nezelek) some credit. He made the pitches when he needed them and got us to hit the ball at people. The Red Barons ended the home-stand with a 3-2 record and will play three in Richmond and three in Tidewater before returning to Lackawanna County Stadium next Saturday for a night game against Toledo. Jose DeJesus, who was wild in his debut with the Red Barons walking six, makes his second start today the Braves.

Richmond will counter by sending Steve Avery (1-2, 3.60), who BasebaM America rates as the top pitching prospect in all of baseball. Marvin Freeman (0-3, 7.00) will pitch against Lee Upshaw (0-2, 6.52) Monday at 7 and Chuck Malone (0-1, 3.98) takes on Tommy Greene (0-1, 9.00) Tuesday when the series concludes. Saturdays game concluded a three-day birthday celebration at Lackawanna County Stadium. The conclusion of the celebration featured West Point Black Knights parachute team which experienced I I locating a target similar to the way some of the Red Barons pitcher do. Just two of the six jumpers made it into the stadium with two landing ill the parking lot, one landing in the trees about the cliffs overlooking centerfield and one crashing on railroad tracks which intersect the stadium access road.

Strong gusty wind were blamed for the mishaps. Victor Rosario slideV in safely with a triple Saturday during the Red Barons' 7-1 loss to the Richmond Braves. Rosario had two extra-base hits in the game, which capped a homestand at Lackawanna County Stadium. (Staff Photo by Michael Mullen) The Grump, the new mascot of the Red Barons, was also introduced prior to Saturdays game..