Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 63

4-DtR0iT FREE PRESS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 1993 arwelPs return not talk of town tfil' i Horn games shaded in gray i i It is 10:50 a.m. Tuesday at Tiger Stadium, nearly three hours before baseball will officially begin at the old ballyard. Second-year Tigers radio announcer Rick Rizzs has shucked his sport coat and grabbed a glove. He is playing catch with Tigers coach Gene Roof. Sun.

Mon. Tue. Wed. Thu. Fri.

SaL It 12 13 14 IS IS 17 Cal. 7, Det. 20, Oak. Sea Sea. Det.6 Oak.

4 1.35 7:05 1:15 CTV 18 19 20 21 23 Sea. Sea. Texas Texas Min. Min. 1:35 7:05 1:35 8:00 8:00 I I TV TV parti- UH-rfTTt-'r t'-4-; -h i Steve Crowe TVradio iff No big deal.

Just another day at the office. Just another Roof to aim at, as Rizzs did often with Seattle coach Phil Roof, Gene's brother, during their Mariners days. "It's not about good luck," Rizzs said later. "It's about tradition." Rizzs was working on "my gravity pitch," he said. "If I throw it at the right speed, gravity makes it drop." It is 11:30 a.m., and a familiar beret-head CRAIG FUJIIDetroit Free Press Ernie Harwell at his familiar seat in the Tigers' radio booth: "All I want to do is get up there and announce the games." ed figure, smartly bundled in a plaid flannel jacket and white scarf, scampers up the dugout steps and into a waiting semicircle of cameras and microphones.

How about those stadium improvements? Is this team as bad as its spring record? Isn't it great to have Kirk Gibson back? "I just wish I was in as good a shape as Gibby is," Ernie Harwell answered. Oh, yeah, Ernie; how does it feel to be back? No big deal. Just another day at the office. On Opening Day last April, Rizzs and partner Bob Rathbun called their first Tigers game. The same day, Harwell, fired by the Tigers, was in Cincinnati, beginning his one-season stay with CBS Radio.

Likenesses of his face were stapled to thousands of sticks waved by protesting fans at Tiger Stadium. Despite managing to "kind of sneak into the ballpark" Tuesday, Harwell was more than just another face in the crowd. But barely. His one-year return to the WJR-AM booth, to work three play-by-play innings per game, was hardly the hottest of topics. It ranked somewhere between the food at Cocina Cantina, Mexico's cultural contribution to the new Tiger Plaza, and the torrid bats of the Tigers en route to Tuesday's 20- way he weaves the stories in among the strikes and balls." Rathbun said the most striking thing he has learned about Harwell is "just the deep and abiding love he has for the game of baseball.

I mean, that rubs off on anybody. And it's something you can't fully appreciate without having worked with Ernie, or without having listened to him for 30 years. "Anybody who chooses to do this especially as long as he has has to love baseball. I mean, you kind of know that going in. But to see that to sit next to it, to see how excited he gets about this game you know this isn't just love.

It's passion." 4 thumping of Oakland. "And that's the way I'd like to see the whole season unfold," Harwell said. "People want to talk about the ballpark, and the new ownership (by Mike Hitch) has attracted a lot of attention. And I think the fact that Rick and Bob had been here a year, too, kind of deflects all that, which is good. "And the fact that we've already done exhibition games has also been deflective.

Like I said: All I want to do is get up there and announce the games and have a good time working with these guys. Just make it another nice season that just happens to be my last." Before Tuesday, Rizzs had worked only a couple of dozen games with Harwell. "1 knew a lot about Ernie even before I came here," Rizzs said. "But the one thing I found out by sitting next to him is that I've become a fan. Here I am a radio announcer getting paid for what I do, but when he's on the air, I find myself listening just like you do.

"Or like the guy in Grosse Pointe or up in Saginaw. I'm sitting there listening to his story, listening to that great voice, listening to him do a game differently than I do it. And I find myself just being a fan. "But what I've noticed and learned in a very short period of time is the wonderful La Riissa gives liis A's aii 6F for performance By John Lowe Free Press Sports Writer Oakland Athletics manager Tony La Russa was sorry his club could not put on a better show for the Tigers' home opener Tuesday. But two Athletics relievers, Rich Gossage and Kelly Downs, were unavailable because of injuries.

So La Russa had to leave both his starter, Storm Davis, and his first reliever, rookie Mike Mohler, out there to give up eight runs each. That led to a 20-4 game, a rout of historic proportions. "There are several times during the season when you play vulnerable," La Russa said. "You may have a position player out of position, and you give up four or five runs. Today, we had a couple of relievers we weren't going to use, so as soon as the starter struggled, we were vulnerable.

'A lot of times, you get away with something like that. But when you don't "To me, it's an embarrassment, because people paid a lot of money to see the home team win and to see a baseball game. And they didn't see a competitive game. So I'm embarrassed that the A's didn't fulfill our part of the deal." The game was so one-sided that the Tigers didn't get the big ovation they deserved when the game ended. Many sections of the sold-out stadium were nearly empty by the time the Tigers got their last four runs in the eighth.

"I feel bad for our pitchers who had to work extra," La Russa said. "I'll tell Mohler that." Phillips Impressed: Tony Phillips couldn't go to the Tiger Plaza food court. But he was impressed with the changes at Tiger Stadium that he could see and hear from the field. "This is a big-league stadium now. I didn't know this place," Phillips said.

"I was telling the guys on the bench, 'We got instant replay now. This is awesome. -We can even hear what they're saying on the stinkin' 'loudspeaker. We're in the big leagues The Tigers' previous scoreboard showed replays, but they were in black and white and not real clear. Now there are clear color replays and a new sound system.

NOTES: Tigers-wrecker Mark McGwire missed his second straight game with back trouble. The Tigers' running game continued: Lou Whit-aker stole second in the first and scored the first run on Travis Fryman's single. Fryman matched his career high in RBIs with five, and Cecil Fielder matched his career high in hits with four Nolan Ryan remains scheduled to pitch for Texas against the Tigers at Tiger Stadium next Tuesday night at 7:05. It could be Ryan's final game in Detroit; he has announced that this is his final season, and the Rangers have one other visit to Detroit this season, July 1-4. Only something unforeseen, such as a Texas rain-out, could prevent Ryan from starting Tuesday.

Ryan, who won his first start last Friday, makes his second start against Baltimore tonight (ESPN, The Tigers were one hit away from breaking the club record of 21 runs. But after Phillips walked with two out in the eighth to force in the 20th run, Chad Kreuter flied out with the bases loaded, ending the inning Phillips got a whopping seven plate appearances. He didn't get a hit for the first time this season but walked four times. He's reaching base an average of more than three times a game. TIGERS AVERAGES Through Tuesday Batting GAME 7 Tigers 20, Athletics 4 SI 4 1 2 ab bi bb so avg.

1 0 0 1 1 0 J75 2 0 0 0 0 0 .231 2 0 0 0 0 0 .435 2 0 1 0 0 0 .333 4 0 0 0 0 0 .172 4 0 0 0 0 0 .150 4 1 1 0 0 0 .321 4 1 1 0 0 0 .231 0 1 0 0 1 0 .231 3 0 1 1 0 0 .333 4 1 2 1 0 1 .250 3 0 1 0 1 1 J33 33 4 7 3 3 2 ab bibb so avg. 3 1 0 1 4 0 .500 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 12 10 .316 3 1 2 0 0 0 .333 5 4 3 5 1 1 .250 4 2 4 0 0 0 J85 2 1 0 0 0 2 .000 3 0 1 1 1 2 .316 2 1 1 0 0 0 .250 6 2 2 3 0 3 .167 3 3 1 4 3 2 .227 5 1 2 2 1 0 .286 4 110 10 .118 43 20 18 18 12 10 .....002 000 200- 4 7 2 431 800 04X-20 18 0 OAKLAND Henderson If Brosius If Browne 3b Hemond Sierra rf Neel dh Steinbach c-lb Seilzer 1b-3b DHenderson Fox cf Bordick ss Blankenship 2b Totals DETROIT Phillips If-2b Henneman Whitaker 2b Kreuter Fryman ss Fielder lb 1-Thurman pr-H Gibson dh a-Barnes ph-dh-2b Deer rf Tettleton c-lb Livingstone 3b Cuyler cf Totals Oakland Detroit i Jit Lou Whitaker, right, congratulates Travis Fryman after Fryman's fourth-inning three-run homer, which gave the Tigers a 15-2 lead. a-sinoled tor Gibson in the 6th. 1-ran for Fielder in the 4th. Blankenship (4), Davis (1).

LOB: Oakland 5, Detroit 12. 2B: Hemond 1 1), Seilzer 1), Kreuter 0), Gibson (2). HR: Fryman 1) off Mohler, Deer (1) off SDavis, Tettleton (2) off Mohler.RBI: RHenderson (6), Fox (5), Bordick (1), Phillips (3), Whilaker 2 (5), Fryman 5 (61, Gibson (7), Deer 3 (41, Tettleton 4 (7), Livingstone 2 (3). SB: Whilaker (3). GIDP: Browne.

Runners led in scoring position: Oakland 3 (Brosius, Sierra, Steinbach); Detroit 7 (Phillips, Kreuter 2, Fryman, Deer 3). Runners moved up: Sierra, Fox, Whitaker 2, Cuyler. DP: Detroit 1 (Livingstone, Whitaker and Fielder). Oakland ip erbb so no era Davis (L 0-2) 2 1-3 6 8 7 5 2 86 B.68 Mohler 1 1-3 7 8 3 1 64 34.71 Nunez 2 1-3 3 0 0 0 5 51 4.50 Boever 2 2 4 0 4 2 62 3.68 Detroit IP erbb so np era Moore (W 1-1) 6 2-3 5 4 4 3 1 108 8.53 MacDonald 1 1-3 1 0 0 0 0 16 000 Henneman 1 1 0 0 0 1 14 000 Inherited runners-scored: Mohler 2-1, Nunej 1-0, MacDonald 2-0. HBP: by Boever (Cuyler).

WP: Moore. Balk: Nunez. 3:32 49,674. Umpires: Home, Kaiser; lb, Johnson; 2b, McKean, 3b, Voltaggio. JULIAN H.

GONZALEZDetroit Free Press Tigers trample A's in home opener, 204 How they scored FlflST INNING Detroit: Davis pttcr.PhiHgrouridedt09hortstop8ordick. Whitaker singled to right. Whitaker stole second. Fryman singled to center. Whitakar scored.

Fielder singled to left, Fryman to second. Gibson struck out Deer homered to left-center on 1-2 count. Tettleton struck out 4runMhfUj.0rror,Obfl on bow. Tlgon 4, Athletic 0. SECOND MMNG Detroit: LMngstone grounded to shortstop Bordick.

Cuyler grounded to second baseman Blankenship. Ptps walked. Whitaker waked. Phftps to second. Fryman singled to left, Phiips scored.

Whitaker toserjnd Fiekler singled toward third. Whitaker to third, Fryman to second, and Whitaker and Fryman scored on Davis' throwing error. Gibson walked. Fielder to second. Deer (Hed to centerfieWerD.Henoson Tigers 7, Alhletlct 0.

THIRD WNINQ Oakland: Moore pitching. Henderson waked Bordick singled to left, D.Henderson to second. Btankensrep siigied to reft, Henderson to third, Bordick to second. RHenderson waked. D.Henderson scored.

Bordick to third. Blankenship to second. Browne grounded itto double play, third baseman Livingstone to aecond baseman Whitaker to first baseman Fielder, Bordck scc. Biarfcensriip to ttwd, R.Herklersc seoxid baseman yVhrtwer 2 runs, 2 ryti, 0 errors, 1 left. Ttgrs 7, Athletics 2.

Detroit: Tettleton waked. Livingstone fled to leftMder R.Henderson. Cuyler walked, Tettleton to second. Mohler relieved Davis. Phiips walked, Tettleton to third, Cuyler to second.

Whitaker grounded into fielders choice, first baseman Seflzer to shortstop Bordick.Tettletonscored.Cuyter to third. PNipstofoed at second. Fryman lined to leftftelder RHenderson. 1 run, 0 nth), 0 errors, 8 left. Tigers I.

Athletics 2. I a PLAYER AB 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB BA Phillips 7 26 7 13 1 0 0 3 7 1 2 4-6 .500 Fielder 7 26 6 10 1 0 2 8 5 4 0 0-0 .365 Kreuter 39131001111 (M) .333 Gibson 7 19 46201 7740 1-2 .316 Whitaker 6 19 760015431 3-3 .316 Gladden 4 16 452103000 1-1 .313 Livlngstn 6 21 2 6 0 0 1 3 2 2 0 0-1 .286 Fryman 7 32 7 8 1 1 1 6 2 10 3 3-3 .250 Barnes 24 1 10 0 0 1 0 0 0 0-0 .250 Tettleton 7 22 4 5 1 0 2 7 6 5 1 0-0 .227 Deer 73035101 42 14 0 0-0 .167 Cuyler 5 17 3 2 1 0 0 0 2 4 0 1-1 .118 Thurman 32100000020 0-0 .000 TOTALS 243 50 70 11 2 9 48 42 50 OPP. 229 43 64 11 0 5 39 35 24 7 10-11 ,279 SB Stolen bases and attempted steals. Pitching PITCHER QS IP ER HR BB SO ERA Haas 0 0 1 0-0 4'3 3 0 0 0 1 2 0.00 Henneman 004 OO 5 100024 0.00 MacDonld 002 0-0 3 100001 0.00 Wells 1 0 1 0-1 5 3 2 1 0 1 1 1.80 Doherty 10 1 1-1 Vh 7 2 2 1 3 1 2.45 Bolton 0 0 2 0-0 TO 1 1 1 1 2 0 540 Krueger 012 0-2 8 14 8 6 0 6 3 6.75 Kiely 013 tH) 6') 665143 7.11 Moore 113 0-3 12 17 13 12 0 7 3 8.53 Loiter 0 1 2 0-0 4 5 5 5 0 3 5 11.25 Gohr 0 0 2 0-0 Yh 5 5 5 1 3 1 33.76 Munoi 0 0 2 0-0 0111130- TOTALS 3 4 1-7 59 64 43 34 5 35 24 5.19 OPP. 4 3 1-7 62 70 50 43 9 42 50 6.24 Saves (2): Henneman 2.

OS-Quality starts and games started A quality start is one in which a pitcher allows three earned runs or fewer and goes at least six innings. NOTE Totals include pitchers' errors and players no longer with team. Team Vs. AL East: 0-0 One-run games: 1-1 Vs. AL West: 3-4 Extra innings: 0-0 Vs.

righty starters: 3-3 1993 attendance: 49,674 Vs. lefty starters: 0-1 1992 attendance: 51,068 On grass fields: 3-4 1993 art. average: 49,674 On artificial turf 0-0 1992 art, average: 51,068 says his lack of playing time in spring training hurt him when the season began. "I'm the kind of guy who needs to play all the time," said Fryman, who lost nine pounds from his illnesses and hasn't regained all of them. "Even after the neck injury, I just tried to get through a few innings.

Until we got to Vancouver (for the final two exhibition games), I'd only played nine innings once in a game. "That's no excuse for what happened last week. You have bad and good games all of last year. When I'm not going well, I pull off the ball and strike out a lot. "The way I used to be emotionally, a start like I had would have been detrimental.

It still bugs me I get tense but not as much. Sparky thinks I still let things bug me a little too much, and he's probably right." Moore has been through a lot, but he's the latest proof that there's almost always pressure in changing teams especially when you get a $10-million contract to improve the team's weakness. "I know Moore was pressing in his two starts on the West Coast," manager Sparky Anderson said. "I didn't even have to ask him. I knew it." Moore wasn't about to claim that he had found some great solution to his struggles just as he said a few days ago that he wouldn't worry about two unsuccessful starts.

"I might win a few if I get 20 runs every time," Moore said. If you're going to have a 20-run game, have it in the new owner's first home opener. "It's got to be a very nice feeling for any owner to win his first opener," Anderson said. "It's something he'll always remember. He won't remember a lot, but he'll always remember that." -t TIGERS, from Page 1C The Tigers got eight in the fourth, providing Moore a 16-2 lead and ensuring his first Detroit win.

Moore, who averaged 17 wins for Oakland the last four seasons, had a pitcher's most delightful problem cooling off on the bench while his team kept scoring. What a relief that homer was to Deer, who lay awake Monday night, wondering whether the great feeling he had this spring would return. He hit eight homers in spring training after a lot of off-season work on his hitting. Then, he thinks, he got over-pumped for the start of the season. Deer fights a constant battle.

He knows he has to stay relaxed at the plate. Yet because he's so intense about doing well, he has trouble staying relaxed. So before Tuesday's game, he asked Tony Phillips if they could chat. Phillips is Deer's hitting confidant, the one who suggested that he consult esteemed White Sox hitting coach Walt Hriniak in the off-season. "Tony told me to concentrate more on what I wanted to do at the plate, rather than what was going on around me or anything that happened to me last week," Deer said.

"He told me that instead of pressing, I should think about getting a good swing. That made me slow down. "Tony is a great friend of mine. Sometimes it feels good to talk to somebody." When you talk with Fryman these days, you hear a scratchy voice. He's still getting over the bronchitis that capped a spring training of misfortune.

It began when he hurt his neck and missed a week. Then he got the flu, which gave way 4to bronchitis the last few days in Florida. He FOURTH INNING Detroit: Fielder singled to rigtitGirjson struck oiA Deer skigied to toft center. Fielder to second. Tettleton homered down the lerttKW tne on 1-0 count.

Livingstone waked. Cuyler swigtod to center. Livingstone to second. Phps waked. Uvngstone to third, Cuyler to serjond.

Whitaker grouWed Mo fielders choice second baseman Blankenship to shortstop Bordick. Livingstone scored. Cuyler to third. Pfiiips forced at second Fryman homered to tett on 2-0 count Fielder singled to center. Thurman ran tor Fielder.

Gibson doubled to oenter. Thurman scored. Nunez relieved Motiter On rsbalkGibsofi lo rnrd Deer struck ou hits, 0 errors, 1 left. Tigers Alhlettci 2. TONY SHNADetrott Free Press Mike Moore delivers the first pitch of the home season to Oakland's Rickey Henderson a strike.

A RUH OH RUNS The Tigers have scored at least 10 runs six times all victories In their 93 home openers. SEVENTH MMNQ Oakland: Neat fked to cenlertwder Cuyler. Steinbach singled to left center. Sertzer doubled down the nghthelcl tne. Steenbacri to third.

Fox grounded to first baseman Tettteton. Steinbach scored. Senzer to ihrd Bordick singled to center, Setter scored. On Moore's wld Ditch. Borate to second.

Bkefcenshk? waked lvtacDcul retevec Moore Broeusa nine, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 ktfl. Tigers 1, Athletics 4. EIGHTH INNtNQ Detroit: Boever pitching, Kreuter singled to right-center. Fryman waked. Kreuter to aecond.

Thurman struck out. Barnes sate on second baseman Blankenship's fielding error, Kreuter to third, Fryman to second. Dear struck out Tettleton waked. Kreuter scored, Fryman to third, Barnes to second. Livingstone singled to right.

Fryman and Barnes scored. Tettleton to second. Cuyterhfi by pitch, Tettleton to ttd.Uvlnpctosecondtps waked. Tettleton scored, Uvtagstone to thrd, Cuyler to second. Kreuter lied to ormterfielder Fox 4 runs, 2 hits, 1 emu, 3 left FINAL SCORE: Tigers 20, AthWtca 4.

YEAR LOSER SCORE 1901 Milwaukee 14-13 .1922 Cleveland 15-7 1970 Cleveland 12-4 1989 Milwaukee 10-3 1990 Boston 11-7 1993 Oakland 20-4.