Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Page 14

B-2 PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2003 THE DAILY PITCH commentary analysis CROW QUILLTED CROW STAN SAVRAN 1 renewal gives reason for hope our rum nv. game, to ea Jerome took Hope springs eternal. Then again, so does losing when you've become expert at it. That makes hope pretty much all you've got. It also brings into question what exactly Pirates fans can hope for.

Not to be bad, or as bad? Still, the performance of a few players offers some intrigue, maybe even some promise, for next season. It's not so much their decent record the past couple of months, it's the players who been instrumental in compiling it. What to do with Craig How about playing him? Heading into the weekend, he had 46 home runs in about 800 major-league at bats, which translates to about 30 homers in a 500 at-bat season. Of course, the simple math rtiiPKii'l alwHvs mm- ijuie, and there's the oft- LI 1- i A It's a half-empty outlook for Women's World Cup are the makeovers of Tike Redman and Rob Mack-owiak. Redman was sliced unceremoniously from the 40-man roster, baseball's way of writing your obituary while you're still breathing.

Maybe 300 at-bats aren't enough to prove that he's finally the quality leadoff hittercenter fielder they've been hunting for. But it appears that Redman has finally conceded the home run title to Barry Bonds. He's going away with pitches, playing to his strength, which is to say he doesn't have enough to hit the river. Maybe watching and talking with Lofton this past spring convinced him that there's a lot of room and money for a player with his skills. Once dead and buried, Redman looks very much alive now and very much like a catalyst at the top of the lineup.

Mackowiak's rebirth may be more amazing. He looked as if he was swinging at a pihata and fielding fly balls off his hat early this season. Nashville looked like too good a place for him. And this is a guy not without skills. He hit 16 homers last year in fewer than 400 at-bats with the Pirates, has some speed and a pretty decent RBIs-to-at-bat ratio.

Now he, too, is back from the dead. And on a team with few established everyday starters, they'll need his versatility. Further, they need players willing to get dirty, which this guy is definitely willing to do. There are a number of other intriguing players: J.J. Davis, Jason Bay, Carlos Rivera, Freddy Sanchez, Bobby Hill.

Many of the possibilities will be greatly affected by three major decisions this off season: What to do with Matt Stairs, Reggie Sanders and Jason Kendall. And we haven't even begun to discuss the pitching staff. But the Pirates will finish with a better record this season than last, which is a bit like saying you're the skinniest guy at the fat farm. Still, it's better than the alternative. At least the new nucleus is comprised of younger, more affordable players who have achieved some success in the majors, albeit very modest.

The Pirates have been adrift and directionless for so long, they at last may have created a navigational plan. Maybe even some hope. Stan Savran is the host of a sports talk show from 3 to 6 p.m. on WBGG-AM (970). MARK MADDEN ineory mai more ai- raits won't necessarily increase production but will expose the flaws of a player.

People used to question Chuck Tanner about his limited use of outfielder Lee Lacy, whose average hovered around .300. Tanner would respond by saying that if he played Lacy more often, Lacy wouldn't hit .300. Some guys have to be spotted to maximize their production, and that question hangs like a rain cloud over Wilson. But there is evidence to support playing him more. Does he strike out a lot? Yes, but how many 30 home run guys don't? And the thing you have to like about him is that he consistently takes pitchers deep into counts.

He may not make contact on the final swing of his at-bat, but he forces pitchers to work for their out, which gives him a good look at what the guy is offering. Therere some who would think Wilson cannot get regular playing time because he doesn't play any one defensive position well enough. I disagree. He may not have to dust his mantel to make room for a Gold Glove any time soon, but he hasn't hurt or embarrassed himself defensively at any of the positions he plays. Look, this was a team that entrusted first base to Randall Simon, hardly a ballerina in the field.

The Pirates can find a place or places for Wilson to play, including catcher, without severely jeopardizing the defense. They need his bat in the lineup or at least they need to find out about that bat. Proving that resurrections can occur in late sum-: rner as well as the spring Women 's soccer, even as played by the best in the world, is plodding. It more similar to grade-school kick ball than Brazil samba soccer. It's more similar to grade-school kickball than Brazil's samba soccer.

In 1999, the Women's World Cup electrified our nation. But in 2003, nobody wanted it. China was originally sqhed-uled to host it, but that nation's SARS epidemic tolled that. No other country wanted the event, so the United States again took it. Strangely, you don't see the men's World Cup played in the same nation on consecutive occasions.

Nations fight to host it. That's because it's the world's biggest sporting event and routinely brings millions of dollars to the host country. A Women's World Cup is about as profitable as the average bake sale. It's time for the American sporting consciousness to forget about useless garbage like the Women's World Cup. If you want to give female athletes their due, watch women's tennis.

It's better than men's tennis. Athletes like Serena Williams deserve your attention and consideration. Or watch women's college sports, an institution with tradition and history. But forget about the Women's World Cup. Oh, wait most of you already have.

My bad. Mark Madden hosts a sports talk show from 3 to 7 p.m. weekdays on WEAE-AM (1250). Today marks the start of the single most overrated sporting event in history, and I don't mind telling you, I'm excited. Probably a lot more excited than I should be.

To truly understand the overrated status of the Women's World Cup, however, we must look back at the glorious events of 1999, when 90,185 packed the Rose Bowl to watch the United States topple China to win the previous Women's World Cup. Sports Illustrated hailed the event as "the most significant day in the history of women's sports" and named the U.S. team the Sportswomen of the Year. Red-hot Brandi Chastain whipped off her shirt after netting the winning penalty kick in the final. But as supporters of women's sports celebrated, and as plans were formulated for a women's professional soccer league in the United States, a voice of reason was clear above the din: mine.

Yours truly said that the '99 Women's World Cup was an event, not a groundswell, and that the success women's soccer enjoyed that summer would never be duplicated. As always, I was right. It's a gift from God. I'm grateful. With the Women's World Cup set to begin today, only half of the tournament's 600,000 tickets have been sold.

The U.S. women begin play tomorrow at Washington's RFK Stadium, and only 26,000 of 56,000 tickets have been sold. The final won't be at the Rose Bowl. It will instead be at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles. Seating capacity: 27,500.

So much for the long-term effect of "the most significant day in the history of women's sports." The organizers may not have many tickets sold, but they have their excuses lined up. Well the last tournament was in the summer. Now we have to compete with the NFL, college football and baseball's pennant races. Oh, and NASCAR. Don't forget about "Play-makers" on ESPN.

We're not too far from the cold and flu season, either. The Women's World Cup wasn't exactly done any PR favors when the Women's United Soccer Association folded Monday. Attendance for the three-year old pro league averaged just 6,667 per game last season, and television ratings were negligible. When the WUSA went under, the official excuse was "lack of corporate sponsorship." Not lack of ticket sales. Not lack of television ratings.

Not total, unequivocal, abject lack of public interest. But "lack of corporate sponsorship." Seems a mere $15 million in sponsorship cash could have saved the league. "If only we had six or seven CEOs in America that had stepped forward in the past year," WUSA chairman John Hendricks said. "An independent women's professional league can survive if it has corporate support." Uh, doesn't the need for "support" render the term "independent" moot? It's just like the WNBA, another fading women's league that relies on its sugar daddy, the NBA, for sustenance. The whole idea of a Women's World Cup is kind of a sham, anyway.

In the men's World Cup every team is competitive. Heck, some of the world's great soccer nations occasionally fall by the wayside in the qualifying rounds. Holland, for example, didn't make it to the men's World Cup in 2002. But while the men's World Cup has 32 strong teams, the Women's World Cup has just 16 teams. Only a handful of nations play women's soccer at an elite level.

It's a safe bet that the United States and China will meet in the final again. One reason America liked the Women's World Cup so much back in '99 is because the United States won. I wonder how China vs. Sweden would have drawn at the Rose Bowl? I use the term "elite" in relative terms, of course. Women's soccer, even as played by the best in the world, is plodding.

SPORTS MAILBAG No arena, no Penguins, no problem Not in a league of their own Recently I was witness to a news story that solidified my traditional values. The Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) announced that it would be closing shop, effective immediately, leaving only Major League Soccer as the top-level professional soccer league in the country. The idea of women competing in a traditional male sport is never something that should stand the test of time. This lesson should have been learned long ago, with the stunted life of the Ail-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Management and female players should realize a basic rule before even beginning a sports team: If one tries to compete for dollars against a male-dominated sport, it is doomed to failure.

RANDY Kl KLIN SKI North Fayette Scheduling snafu I read with some interest the entertaining, albeit terribly misinformed, letter from Tim Iannini regarding the Pitt-Penn State rivalry. He was attempting to make the point that Penn State will not stoop so low to play Pitt in a non-conference game so it can play powerhouses such as Alabama, Notre Dame and Nebraska. However, since the 2000 season, Alabama and Notre Dame have been absent from the Nittany Lions' schedule. It is still possible to see Notre Dame play in Pennsylvania this year, although tickets to the game at Heinz Field are sold out. DAVID JONES Upper St.

Clair Scheduling snafu II Tim Iannini stated in his letter that Penn State has no need to renew its rivalry with Pitt, and it will instead schedule games with traditional powers such as Alabama, Notre Dame and Nebraska. If that is the case, then why is Penn State scheduling Temple, Syracuse and Boston College this season? Those aren't acknowledged powerhouses. Pitt, however, is recognized as one of the up-and-coming programs in the nation. BRANDON DUNN Ross Hanging on for dear life Pitt would gain nothing by playing Penn State other than helping the Nittany Lions keep their program on life support. BRIAN LEWIS Dormont Call us when you're ranked When Penn State is even remotely close to being ranked in football or basketball let alone in the top 10 in both then Pitt should consider weakening its BCS chances by playing this mediocre program.

ROSS KOWALSKY Ross Excessive celebrations I'm tired of NFL players dancing, jeering, whooping it up and being downright obnoxious after making a good play. They are being paid to do their job, just like the rest of us working people. I have never seen a salesman jump into the air and do a back flip after making a sale. Nor have I ever seen the grocer at the local Giant Eagle do a dance when he loads up the shelves with cans of soup. TONY FASCIANI Bradford Woods Pitt doesn't need Penn State Contrary to the beliefs of Penn State fan Tim Iannini, whose letter appeared in Sports Mailbag last week, the Pitt football community is not standing idly by awaiting Joe Paterno's decision to renew the rivalry between the schools.

Pitt's football program is flourishing despite the Big East's ongoing battle to maintain its place among the nation's elite college football conferences. Paterno chose to end the relationship with Pitt years ago. That is ancient history to all but a few Pitt supporters. Stop and examine where Pitt's football program is now and you will see that the Panthers have moved on in a very positive direction. Pitt football will be fine," with or without the Big East or Paterno and Penn State.

ANDREW M. KRALL Gibsonia Going in opposite directions What letter-writer Tim Iannini fails to see is that Pitt is a program on the rise and that Penn State is a program stuck in mediocrity. Why would Penn State and Joe Pa terno want to embarrass themselves at the paSsitJilitv of losing to Pitt RICH BARKEY Brookline Mario Lemieux has said that if the Penguins don't get a new arena in two or three years, there's a possibility the franchise will be moved. Well, goodbye, good riddance and don't let the door hit you on the way out. With police and emergency workers being laid off, community centers closing and all of the other financial problems in Pittsburgh, all Lemieux can think about is a new arena being built.

Don't wait two or three years to leave. Leave now and take Mayor Tom Murphy with you. AL HAYES Verona Sore loser Will Oscar de la Hoya remain true to his word and retire gracefully, content in knowing his legacy is among the most impressive achievements in the history of his sport? Or will the Golden Boy continue to whine about his recent loss to Shane Mosley. spewing his "we were robbed" conspiracy theory of judges stealing his gaudy plastic belts? De la Hoya needs to accept the loss and move on with his life. THEODORE LLOYD BURKE TT Greensburg Letters should be addressed to Sports Mail-bag.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 34 Blvd of the Allies. Pittsburgh PA 15222. They may also be sent by fax at 412-263-1926 or by e-mail to sportspost-gazette com. All letters must include signature, address and phone number for confirmation and are subject to editing The Post-Gazette cannot acknowledge all letters Can the Women's World Cup possibly recapture the magic of 1999? Give your opinion at www.post-gazette.com YOUR PITCH Yesterday: Will the Pirates keep the Cubs from making the National League playoffs? Yes: 58 No: 42 (4,006 total votes).