The Miami Herald from Miami, Florida • 140

SPORTS i Mil I man behind the plate is counting on his team-leading stats to get him on a professional team five years to major leagues By ARMANDO SALGUERO Herald Sports Writer Opening Day 1994 The president zooms in from the east wearing a jet pack to throw" out the ceremonial first pitch The Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles will open defense of their league championships And Pete Gonzalez will be behind the plate for one of the 30 major league teams Fantasy? Perhaps five years enough time for the Braves and Orioles to return to championship form or for the major leagues to expand by four teams But five years is the timetable Gonzalez has set for making the climb from catcher for the Dade-North baseball team to a major lea- guer five years going to be making a living in the major Gonzalez said confident- ly before a Dade-North game not going to stop until I get to the big leagues" This is the final year for Gonzalez at the North Campus of Miami-Dade Community College Although the Falcons have struggled and may not qualify for the conference playoffs the American High graduate is having a banner season He is among the team leaders' in hits RBI and slugging percent- age and is hitting 370 which is third on the team and No 13 in the state among junior college players I had nine players like Pete be in a much better position than in said Dade-North Coach Demie Mainieri kid certainly has my stamp of approval" Professional baseball could give Gonzalez its stamp of approval in June when the yearly draft is held Gonzalez who was drafted in the 21st round by the San Diego Padres after being named honorable mention All-American his senior season at American High expects to be picked much earlier this time If a player is drafted out of high school but sign he becomes eligible to be drafted by other teams at a later date really matter to me what round I go in although I expect to go between the first and eighth Gonzalez said expect to sign as long as whatever team picks me offers a fair amount of Gonzalez knows not going to be offered a six-figure contract but his skills are no secret to scouts who are eager to fill their organizations with catchers been with the Reds since 1970 and at that time we were try-ing to find a catcher to back up Johnny Bench" said Cincinnati scout Phil Zelman it is 20 years later and we still found anyone good enough Catchers are hard to come by a high attrition rate among catchers with the injuries of the job so you see a lot of players with minimal skills moving up to the major leagues" skills are hardly minimal but he knows there are weaknesses that parallel his strengths know I need to improve my hitting" he said done that a little this season because matured and I have more experience but I want to get better To that end the game is a year- round job for Gonzalez worked four days a week during the off- Baseball is a year-round job for the American High graduate get to the big Pete Gonzalez says HUMBERTO REYES Miami Herald Tm not going to stop until I catchers in the big leagues now and got as good an arm as some of them If he could hit some more home runs and knock in a couple of more runs be sitting on a pile of money right The money is not the driving force behind resolve to -play major league baseball but it is a consideration want to take care of and support my family like done for me until he said five years be doing fense is sound be a major lea- Mainieri who has coached four catchers who went on to play in the major leagues John TamargO Bob Stinson Greg Keatley and Glenn Borgmann believes Gon- -zalez also is headed in that direc-y tion had good success with catchers here and defensively Pete is with all of them more ort less right Mainieri said you look at some of the season running and lifting weights and I played on the Miami Gonzalez said referring to a local amateur team -Mainieri Zelman and American Coach Jose Ortega doubt that Gonzalez will climb the ladder to the majors -v he says going to reach the big leagues I believe do Ortega said was my team captain for three years and he has a great work ethic and attitude The kid has an excellent arm and his de TlU MIAMI HERALD 16 1989 Two lifeguard training courses to he offered by parks officials Hialeah serves up tennis tourney The fourth annual City of Hialeah Richard Chan- pm Tuesday dler Memorial Singles Tournament is under In the semis Lazaro Lima will play Manny Gutier- wavatGoodletPark4150W Eighth Sh rez for a chance at the championship and Ted Kowal The third-round consolatiori match- for players will play Phil Secada who lost in the firstound of the main draw-is set for 10 am today 7 The championship will be at 7 pm Thursday fol- -fhe main draw semifinals will be at 7 pirn' Mon-1 lowed by the consolation final i day Semifinals in the consolation draw will be at 7 Admission to all games is free yi QD Jt ---i JT i I The city of Miami Parks Recre- ation and Public Facilities Depart- ment will begin offering two life guard training courses the week of April 24 Thl courses are free foXl those applying for summer pool Ufe- guard positions who are not current'1' ly Certified y-5 Participants must be at least 16 must have written consent of a par-- vent or guardian and must have com-s 2 PIe-ted and Paised the C1s Physical xamination For more information the city of Miami parks opera- at 575-5256.