The San Bernardino County Sun from San Bernardino, California • Page 30

Oakland struggling, but not panicking By TIM LIOTTA Associated Press wouldn't surprise me," La Russa said. Eight of the A's top 12 pitchers have spent time on the disabled list this year. Nineteen different pitchers have won games for the team. From 1988-90, only 18 different Oakland pitchers recorded victories. While injuries have been a factor, the A's have had to watch some vulnerability beaten into their three most-feared pitchers Dave Stewart, Bob Welch and Dennis Eckersley.

Stewart and Welch, who combined for a 49-17 record with ERAs well below 3.00 last year, are 9-7 and 10-8 respectively with ERAs of 5.35 and 4.13. Eckersley's 2.67 ERA looks impressive until it is put up against the 0.61 mark he threw up last year. He has given up eight home runs this season alter yielding just two in 1990. freakish opening day injury, Mark McGwire's inability to hit his weight it's quite a list. But it starts with pitching.

"When we pitch well, we're capable of putting together good streaks," said reliever Rick Honeycutt. "We've been pitching well only in certain segments. We know we're going to score runs, and I think it all starts with the pitching, from the starters right down to Eck." The A's ERA hovers around 4.50, more than a run higher than what had been expected. And Oakland has lost 11 games in which they blew a lead of two runs or more. "That ERA is up, and we've given up a lot of runs.

(But) If all of a sudden from here to the end we pitch with an ERA under 4.00 that shouldn't surprise anybody. It might, but it season," said A's manager Tony La Russa. "We've had some problems, and we've played through them. Sometimes we've played through them better than others." Through it all, the A's have yet to discard the swagger that carried them through three consecutive pennants, a World Series championship, and 306 regular-season victories. "Our confidence level is so high, it can almost be a problem," said pitcher Dave Stewart.

"Everybody's thinking, 'We're going to get it. We're going to get It's always down the road. Sometimes you need to concentrate on today it can be a problem." The A's have had plenty of other problems this season. Carney Lans-ford's offseason snowmobiling accident, Rickey Henderson's preseason contract squabbles, Gene Nelson's OAKLAN Oakland, that tank of a team that rumbled through the American League the last three years, is sputtering along, unable to generate that roll that will carry them back to the top. Even though their heavy artillery still sounds imposing Canseco, McGwire, Henderson, Eckersley, Stewart the A's have been bogged down this year by a pitching staff that blew away hitters for three years but has blown a gasket this year.

But Oakland is still within a good winning streak of catching the division-leading Twins. "I don't question the ability on the club or anything that's happened this C2I The Sun SUNDAY, August 25. 1991 KALEIDOSCOPE jCoach takes shot sports writers I Football coaches are a favorite target of Jports writers, and turnabout is fair play. Dur-Mig the Southwest Conference kickolV luncheon, 3'exas Tech coach Spike Dykes said he read gomething about the press that he enjoyed. According to Dykes, it said: "Dear Abby: I have two brothers.

One is a sports writer. The other was sent to the electric Chair. My mother died in an insane asylum, gince I was 3 years old, my father has been a narcotics pusher. One of my sisters is a successful and highly respected prostitute, the other is jtfie common-law wire of the leader of the Hell's fVngels. "Recently, I met a wonderful girl shortly after she was released from prison for smothering Ber illegitimate baby.

We are very, very much in Jove and expect to be married just as soon as her communicable disease clears up. "My problem is this: Should I tell her about feiy brother the sports writer?" 2n eye in the sky New York Giants coach Hay Handley, as he Jried to wait out I Iurricane Hob so his team could get in some extra practice: "I'm sort of trying to find out when the eye of the hurricane will be JJver the stadium and practice then." Triggering the offense Navy coach George Chaump. on his quarterback situation: "We've got 13 quarterbacks to choose from. Six returnees and seven piebes. I let )t be known that we plan to do a lot of passing, so how everyone wants to be the trigger man." i Dodging a perfect season Relief pitcher Roger McDowell, who was traded by the Phillies to the Dodgers recently, on Philadelphia's 13-game winning streak: "If they had traded me during spring training, they would (irobably be 120-0 now." i Bo's baseball return delayed by rainout Associated Press Lutticken glad to be activated By PETE MARSHALL Special to The Sun ADELANT0 While perusing the Mavericks team statistics, one might wonder about Bob Lutticken's batting line for the season.

A .000 batting average, three games, four at-bats, one run, one RBI, one walk and one strikeout. Is that a misprint? Was he in the Padres' Single-A affiliate in Waterloo, Iowa? Did the Padres just sign him out of college? The answer to all of these questions is no. Lutticken, the "He's nervous, excited and anxious. I think he just wants to get the first game under his belt and goon from there." Jackson showed little of his power during his second round of batting practice prior to the rained-outgame. "I think there was a lot of anxiety, and like any great athlete he wants to do well every time he goes out there." Sarasota manager Rick Patterson said.

"All you guys were crowded around and you could tell he was anxious," Patterson said of the media crush. "Earlier in batting practice, it was awesome. It was the typical show you expect from Bo Jackson." Jackson, 28. didn't display the awesome power for which he's known during the late-afternoon round of batting practice, but he did hit one of the 30 pitches thrown to him off the fence in left-center and sent two others to the warning track in Ed Smith Stadium. "He hasn't lost any power, I can tell you that," said Patterson.

SARASOTA, Fla. The first performance of the Bo Road Show was a no-go. Bo Jackson's first step back toward the major leagues was delayed a day when rain posponed Saturday night's Florida State League game between the Sarasota White Sox and Charlotte Rangers. Jackson, under contract with the Chicago White Sox but sidelined all season with a severe hip injury, was to begin serving a two-day rehabilitation assignment as a designated hitter for Sarasota. The rainout was rescheduled today as part of a day-night doubleheader.

Jackson was not available for comment and the White Sox said he won't speak to the media until after he plays a game. "When I came in and told him, he was a little disappointed," Chicago general manager Ron Schueler said. "Obviously he's put a lot of effort and time into this, and he wants to get out there. Mavericks much-maligned catcher, recently came off the disabled list after suffering an injury to his throwing arm. Lutticken, who played for Double-A Wichita last season, has struggled with his rehab.

"It's not like you can come to the ballpark and get psyched up for rehab." he said. "I hope I never have to go through it again." Lutticken's competitive spirit made him want to come olding the law pphi iiV" HJ i Brewers trainer John Adam, on injury-prone Faiil Molitor: "Nobody works harder than Paul Molitor during the season. But he's a Murphy's Law waiting for an injury to happen." I PICTURE PERFECT ENTERTAINMENT off the disabled list earlier than he did. It 1990 Uruttrt MMia JM HB0 gumuufuum MUCH H0REI LIVE SPORTS PAY-PER-VIEW SUPER SYSTEFsl 1-900-963-4646 With Built-in Descrambler DOWN PAYMENT SCORES-RESUlTS-NEWS FAST UPDATES YEARS OF CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE 714882-2351 95 CENTS PER MINUTE 24 HOURS A DAY TOUCH-TONE PHONES ONLY. OPEN 7 DAYS RESIDENTIAL SATELLITE OF AMERICA S402 WW S402 BW S402 BW S406 BW S406 BW P18580R13 P20570R14 P19570R14 P19570R14 P18560R14 S30.65 s53.36 $32.69 S49.8O S54.57 52o'SOFF 48o'SOFF 44o'SOFF 44o'S()FF 40o'SOFF LIMITED SUPPLY LIMITED SUPPLY LIMITED SUPPLY LIMITED SUPPLY LIMITED SUPPLY Lutticken "It would have been taking a risk (to come off the disabled list)," Lutticken said.

"But I wanted to come oil' and I told them I was ready." Lutticken conceded, however, that maybe he didn't know enough about the injury. "I think they might have known a little more about the injury than I did." lie said. "But I was getting sick and tired of watching the team plav well and not be able to contribute." Lutticken said that the toughest thing was the length of the rehab. "I wasn't planning on this being a seven-month rehab thing." he said. "I thought it was going to be just a three-month rehab." He first injured his shoulder during May of last year, but continued playing "until it just blew" on him two months later, and he hasn't played since.

Lutticken says his defense is still there, but he has been struggling getting his timing back at the plate. "Last year, I was getting a 2-0 fastball up there only 86. 87, 88 miles per hour, (hut this year) it's looking like 100 miles per hour." he said. Lutticken says that maybe his injury has helped him in the long run: that by sitting on the bench he has learned a lot. "It's a lot different viewpoint when you look at it that way I have," he said.

Lutticken admits that he thought he would be playing more, but he accepts his current role. "How would I like it if 1 was catching all year for a team and all of a sudden some guy who's played higher up gets my job?" he asked himself. As for the rest of his extremely shortened season. Lutticken has a few goals. "I just want to get out there and have fun," he said.

"This is going to be a very hard offseason. (I want to) get a little motivated." Mavericks notes Shortstop Ray Holbert sat out his second consecutive game Saturday with the stomach llu. Manager Bruce Bochy said that Holbert was day today Matt Mieske on the sudden batting race he is in with Salinas' Jim Eppard. who just got enough at-bats to quality for the league lead: "There's a little bit of incentive." Mieske said. "I don't want him to beat me." Mieske also added that Eppard might have an easier lime.

"There's no pressure on him (His team's) not in the race," he said. Mieske leads Eppard 338 going into Saturday's games. About the recent all-star selections. Bochy said that maybe Paul Gonzalez and Mark Gieseke should have been selected, but that "three guys is good These games are just as important, it not more so. lor Modesto.

The A trailed Stockton entering Saturday by one game in the race tor the Northern Division's last playoff spot In today's season finale against Modesto, the Mavs will send Tim Worrell (5-2. 4 30 ERA) against the A Ramon Fermln (1-0, 0.96 ERA), making his second start in the Cal League. CALIFORNIA LEAGUE STATISTICS I I eMailMi rTTfe5 4 RADIAL ROYEfl RY STEEL HJtb radial STEEL BELIED BA DIALS STEEL BELTED RABALS TWO STEEL BELTS WITH TWO NYLON CAPS FOR STABILITY AND WHITEWtLLS 10000 MILE LTD. WARRANTY FOA SHALL I IMPORT CARS 30.000 HILE LIMITED WARRANTT IMPACT RESISTANCE LT235-75RI5 94.42 I HIGH PERFORMANCE SPEED RATED P18560SR14 5445 P19560SR14 56.95 P19560SR15 5845 P20560SR15 60.95 P21565SR15 6845 P25560SRI5 7945 SO SERIES P19550HR15 90.45 P20550HR15 94.45 P22550HR16 12545 LT235-85R16 30x950R15 RWL 3U1050R15 RWL 31x11 50R15 RWL 125.72 99.42 10943 136.45 P23575R15 30x9 50R15 3k1050Rl5 7.50H16 TT. LT23585R16 95CRl6i 8R195 4 63.95 6 77.95 6 85.95 5 8195 10 8945 8745 I 9445 I 13445 3PORTS IN BRIEF t.

Holmes posts easy fourth-round KO HONOLULU Larry Holmes, hoping for a ghance to regain his heavyweight title, continued lis comeback Saturday with an easy fourth-sound knockout of Michael Greer. The former champion, now 41, used a series flf right hooks to send the smaller Greer to the nnvas 1:18 into the round and won for the third time in as many bouts since coming out of retirement in April. Holmes is 51-3 overall with 36 knockouts, greer. 35. Tell U41-12-3.

Holmes became angered after Greer connected with a series of lefts to the head. Using his fi'ademark left jab as a setup, Holmes sized up Creer, maneuvered him into a corner and un-frashed a flurry of four right hooks that knocked fiim face-first to the canvas. Holmes, who weighed 238 pounds, was in pmmand for virtually the entire fight and used Ijis size to bully Greer, 38 pounds lighter. Although not as crisp as it used to be, Holmes' left jab his best punch during his prime repeatedly to Greer's body and head. African group supports sports I JOHANNESBURG, South Africa A South African anti-apartheid sports group gave its bles- ng to international competition in golf, amateur IJoxing, road runnning and the martial art of tae kwon do.

B. The National Sports Congress, which has supported boycotts against South Africa, said those ftmr sports have achieved racial unity in the (Jpuntry and are ready for international competition. tus wins bowling event BATTLE CREEK. Mich. Gene Stus, a 51-vear-old tour rookie who has overcome two open-Ifcart operations, rallied Saturday to beat John Handegard and win the $125,000 Ebonite PBA Senior Championship.

Stus, who had missed only one spare in 48 preliminary games, missed two in the championship match and fell behind 116-88 after six lj-ames. But then Handegard missed a spare and leiled to convert a split, allowing Stus to rally ith five closing strikes for his second tour win. BRIEFLY NOTED: Kim Zmeskal. the two-tame defending national women's champion, was tjie top qualifier for the U.S. women's team in UJie World Gymnastics Championships next month.

liruho came from behind to defeat 6urn Annie in the $105,100 Pat O'Brien Breed-5-s' Cup Handicap at Del Mar. Fisheries bi-mogist Ken Cook used his training to catch a live-fish stringer of bass and win the BASS Mas- trs Classic. Third-period goals by David mma, Derian Hatcher and Marty Mclnnis led tjie United States Olympic hockey team to 9-7 ipctory over Skoda Plzen of Czechoslovakia in ai international tournament. Roberto Manci-ai scored with 15 minutes remaining, leading $ampdoria of Genoa over AS Roma, 1-0, in the Kalian SuperCup. Lrnntirn Van Moorsel of tjie Netherlands and Viktor I'jaksinski of the Soviet Union won races in the World Cycling whampionships.

Van Moorsel captured her third different world title, winning the women's road race, tlaksinski broke away in the final sprint to win tjie men's 108-mile amateur race. Germany won four gold medals at the World Rowing Championships and Britain won the men's lightweight coxless four and men's coxless pair. Germans won the men's single sculls, men's coxed fjmrs, men's lightweight double sculls and wom-(Ji's double sculls. I From Sun Newsservices P15580R13 P16580R13 P18580R13 P18575R14 P19575R14 P20575R14 P20575RI5 P2I575RI5 P22575R15 P23575RI5 24.95 28.95 30.95 31.95 31.95 33.95 36.95 37.95 39.95 40.95 145SR13 19-95 155SR13 22-95 165SR13 24.95 175SR14 27.95 165SR15 30.95 17570SR13 28.95 18570SR13 29.95 19CTSR14 31.95 110.45 33x12 50R15 RWL CXfTPERFOHMS SUPPLIES UHTED I PhICFS plus I p. mi 11 in mi TEAM BATTING MICHELIN MICHELIN P0TENZAHM1 MICHELIN HIGH PERFORMANCE HVrVH High Desert HR BB SO SB Avg 849 110 665 903 235 V6 713 93 525 870 141 .173 BICAUSE SO MUCH IS RIING ON YOUR TIREi.

BILflUil SO MIXH IS RIDINO ON YOUR TIRES UXTMIL' H5SRI3 31.4b flfCAUSl SO MUOI IS HIDING ON VOUO TlRtS PS RIB STEEL BELTED RADIAL Bakersfieid Modesto San Bernardino Reno Visalia San Jose Palm Springs Salinas STEEL BELTED RADIALS P17570HR13 59.45 P18570HR13 65.45 P18570HR14 69.45 P19570HR14 72.45 P20570HR14 78.45 750R16 8 126.18 706 71 679 943 IS1 .165 585 96 473 91S 767 604 60 547 910 69 761' 643 89 559 B77 705 .761 685 50 609 866 167 .256 556 60 543 973 111 .253 567 58 504 906 127 .251 620 77 639 897 146 .243 18560HR14 19560HR14 I9560HR15 20560HR15 19550VR15 20550VR15 22550VR15 22550VRI6 69.95 71JJ5 7335 7545 11145 104.45 107.45 135.45 R175OT13 IIS! P18S80FI13 ISJJI P18S75RU 70.71 PI9575BI4 74.1! P20575RII nn P20575RI5 P2OT5R1S 84.11 P225V75RI5 SUt 91.42 7CUT21585R16 8 126.131 155SOI3 43.06 165SRI3 47.M I75SR14 53.20 TB5SR14 SS.00 165SR15 55.56 I7S70R13 56J3 18570013 64.76 I8170RH 66.00 flLT23585R16 10 135.471 Stocklon I It W5R165 8 13244J INDIVIDUAL BATTING AB HR RBI Avg 8 149.21 I9570RI4 T3JI TM 72 Mieske. HO Eppard. Sal Oelanez, Vis Ncwlield. SB Ingram, Bak Krumback. Rno Santana, SB Webb.

Bak Meares, Vis 477 107 163 15 118 .352 793 52 99 3 42 .338 406 78 175 II 65 .308 430 61 131 II 66 .305 431 75 129 9 60 .799 517 77 153 3 30 296 376 S3 111 3 42 295 326 68 96 5 37 294 140 51 100 6 44 .294 471 81 137 6 48 .291 FRONT END FRONT DISC tali Brakes FRONT OR REAR Brakes Replace tort pads, pack mnv infl out from Mifune, Sal Replace front pad) rear mm, part fronl vrearbeanngswhoyeaiMcaote Resutiace frortrrjtorso' rear drums MimAoad Performance Gas Cartridges $10995 PAIR WmHISAD Gabriel Gas Shocks HEAVY-DUTY Installation available EACH WTHIS AO $1995 Wirings unvt lppicam hoh in tpeclon Intpecl rev brake 19S MtV tonal to setwntUNc pads Alignment Al-gn front-enf Set camper, caster i toe wrwe applcaUe Inspect tor mm pans Readiest $2595 K3STUS IFCIftFIGN CARS THIS AD TEAM PITCHING ERA CG SHO SV HR BB SO San Jose 2 11 16 17 41 35 574 1034 Bokorslield 3.15 2 II 41 42 494 1091 Slrxklon 3 73 17 IS 75 38 555 1033 Farmer, Reggie 170 40 48 5 3 ,282 Noland, JO 481 109 133 4 80 .777 Martin, Sieve 372 77 88 6 41 .273 Gonialei, Paul 357 58 96 14 2 .269 Holbert, Ray 374 74 100 4 19 .267 Gainer, Jay 481 81 128 30 4 .266 Witkowski, M. 472 79 123 6 23.261 Abercrombie.J 279 38 57 I 2 .749 verstandig. M. 162 75 40 I 3 247 Sanchez, Oiiie 305 46 74 14 4 243 Luttincken, B. 004 1 0 0 0 .000 MAVERICKS INDIVIDUAL PITCHING IP BB SO W-L ERA Fredrickson.S.

32 30 17 23 4-1 2.25 Sollero, Saul 55 43 22 50 7-7 7.67 Sanders, Scon 176 110 72 92 B-6 3.80 Worrell, Tim 59 60 29 60 5-2 4.30 Lilgren, Kelly 95 100 54 82 S-7 4.44 Thomas. Royal 151 172 59 96 8-12 4 70 Estrada, Jay 34 43 10 76 2-1 4 98 McKeon, Brian 153 189 64 119 11-9 5.18 Zinter, Ed 5S 51 51 67 5-5 5.40 Silcox, Rusty 75 86 43 60 5-1 5.44 Wilkinson, B. 40 43 32 36 5-2 6.30 SPIRIT INDIVIDUAL BATTING AB HR SB Avg Clavlon, C. 58 7 19 3 3 .328 Bryant, Craig 81 12 25 2 3 .309 Pirkl. Greg 270 79 69 14 3 .314 Newlield.

M. 430 61 131 II 10 .305 Santana. R. 376 53 III 3 33 .795 Tavarez, J. 441 75 175 5 66 283 Nava, Lipso 758 19 70 2 5 .271 Young, D.

315 33 83 I 13 .263 Hunler, Greg 395 64 96 2 21 .243 Thomas, Delvin 374 61 88 13 23 .235 Stephens, 177 20 40 7 .226 Vranies.Sam 179 13 40 5 3 .223 Turang. Brian 100 9 18 0 6 .180 Murray, Steve 7 0 0 0 0 .000 SPIRIT INDIVIDUAL PITCHING IP BB SO W-L ERA Rees, Sean 56 43 26 44 3-3 3.20 Kent, Trov 85 84 33 64 5-13 3.40 Rivas, Oscar 93 85 38 68 7-5 4.05 Cummings, 121 12 7 56 117 3-10 4.08 Mecir, Jim 65 66 36 42 3-4 4.77 Wiley, Chuck IB 18 12 15 0-1 4 58 Borski, Jet! 17 15 9 18 2-0 4.67 Rynt.Bill 35 44 77 39 1-0 4 84 McDonald, D. 75 90 33 54 7-3 5.57 Filler, Doug 55 59 30 37 3-0 5 56 Darwin, Jcfl 70 71 78 S3 3-8 5.68 GutierreU. 73 92 37 56 4-4 7.31 i aoariysemp4Tifuwds $5995 MOST 1 FOREIGN CARS THIS AD $3995 Palm Springs 3.71 10 76 54 613 794 McstuS iFof-giCn iRstaiwon included US FOREIGN CARS THIS AO 6 36 98 565 BIS 4 30 91 551 813 mi, n.i i M.iii'.mJi'Mn Modeslo 4.75 6 Visalia 4.77 7 San Bernardino 4.56 7 High Desert 4.60 10 Salinas 5 04 71 Reno ill IS 3 79 105 594 945 7 79 96 617 897 5 77 98 545 765 7 79 98 435 878 INDIVIDUAL PITCHING 0 INTEREST FINANCING AVAILABLE UPLAND 625 Ontral Ave (714) 949-3757 NOW OPEN! RIVERSIDE 6750 A Central Ave (714) 687-9503 POMONA 1249 Hotl Ave (714) 629-2527 RIVERSIDE No. 2 7564 Indiana Street (714) 688-4472 MORENO VALLEY 23316 Sunnymead Blvd (714) 924-5356 IP BB SO W-L ERA 177 121 72 708 15-4 1.83 166 131 55 160 11-6 7.79 IS6 128 86 158 17-6 7.44 147 173 SI 130 10-8 7.44 146 136 41 177 14-5 7.76 145 1.14 54 125 13-6 2.79 173 106 45 98 9-4 7.86 171 155 98 135 8-10 3 77 189 If! 57 131 13-6 3.75 159 151 54 18 12-11 3.28 RIALTO 464 VV Valley Blvd (714) 877-3421 REDLANDS 1647 Redlands Blvd (714) 798-2393 CATHEDRAL CITY 68-453 Ramon Rd (619) 328-8111 CORONA 636 6lh St (714) 735-6010 RIVERSIDE No.

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IS SAN BERNARDINO 101 Baseline (714) 684-6S44 Independently owned and operated trtdtp4trtdnly owned tnS operelnf Closed Sundays MAVERICKS INDIVIDUAL BATTING AB HR SB Avg Mieske. Mall 477 107 163 IS 37 .342 Giescke.Mark 284 5 7 91 9 5 Beihea, Sieve 195 42 56 I 3 287 Open Sundtyt. Ho. dealers. No cemovra.

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