European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 4, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 26 the stars and stripes Friday april 4, 1986 mets like their Pennant chances by John Nelson a baseball writer to win bal clubs often must perform not Only up to their ability but above it says new York mets manager Davey Johnson. With that in mind Johnson likes his team s chances of taking the National league East Crown away from the St. Louis cardinals this year. So do a lot of other people including cards manager Whitey Herzog who says the mets Are favored and rightly so be cause of their starting pitching and their  the past two seasons the mets have finished second behind Chicago in 1984 and the cards by three games last year. After the mets it was Montreal Chicago Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. This year it will look More like this new York mets the mets have made some moves that underscore their optimism. Acquisitions of Pitcher Bob Ojeda infielder Tim Teufel and infield or outfielder Tim Corcoran strengthen the Bench. The Deal that brought Ojeda from Boston could be particularly valuable if Ojeda can perform Well in Long Relief and As a spot starter. We won 98 games last year Johnson said and at times we had Guys out there who had never started on a major league  by Young Winner Dwight Gooden 24-4, Heads a starting staff that certainly is one of the Best in the majors. It also includes Ron Darling Sid Fernandez Bruce Berenyi and de Lynch. I think we re better than last year mets second baseman Wally Backman said. We be got a lot of Young Guys who be had an extra year we re Well balanced and we know what it s All about  health will play an important role. Catcher Gary Carter underwent off season knee surgery. Last season Darryl Straw Berry missed seven weeks after surgery on his right thumb and Berenyi was out Al most All year with a slight tear of the Rota Tor cuff. Without major injuries the mets May Well have won it in 1985. St. Louis cardinals Joaquin Andujar a 21-game Winner is gone traded to Oakland for Catcher Mike Heath. Also not available possibly for two months is 18-game Winner Danny Cox who chipped a Bone in his right ankle in an off the Field Accident. Those two losses plus the Odds against file photo mets manager Davey Johnson left and cards manager Whitey Herzog. Both agree mets Are favored to win no East title repeating May be enough to take the cards Down a notch. Todd Worrell anchors a Good bullpen but Herzog admits it May not be easy to replace Andujar. Herzog has 21-game win Ner John Tudor and he will have Cox when he returns from the ankle injury sustained last sunday. That leaves the Field open for five or six other pitchers trying for the other  still Herzog feels his club is better than just competitive with the Best defensive team in the history of the game and the Best team Speed in baseball. Shortstop Ozzie Smith with a sore shoulder is the Only question Mark but Slick Fielding Jose Oquendo is the backup. Third baseman Terry Pendleton sparkled in the world series. Tommy Herr is better than solid at second and Jack Clark has turned into a Good first baseman. Heath replacing Darrell Porter is one of the Best in the business behind the plate. Nothing Falls in the Outfield with Vince Coleman Willie Mcgee and Andy Van Slyke from left to right. Coleman and Mcgee led a team that stole 314 bases last year and they May steal even More this time. Herzog now is hoping for a Little More from Van Slyke who had 55 Bis and 13 homers last year. Second All the Way. Philadelphia Phillies the Phillies Are hoping to erase an image of talented underachievers with some personnel moves. Two problems remain though and they Are big ones pitching and catching. Only three players second baseman Juan Samuel shortstop Tom Foley and right fielder Glenn Wilson remain at the same positions. Gary Redus and Milt Thompson new acquisitions will fill in the rest of the Outfield. Von Hayes will move to first from the Outfield and Mike Schmidt is going Back to third. Pitcher Steve Carlton has a bad shoulder and his effectiveness is in doubt and John Denny was traded. Thus the Phillies Are left with Kevin Gross Shane Rawley and Charles Hudson in the rotation with the rest of the spots up for grabs. The Phillies also traded Catcher Ozzie Virgil leaving the Job to Darren Daulton and John Russell. Maybe fourth on offence alone. Chicago cubs cubs general manager Dallas Green sealed a. Few deals Manny Trillo and Jerry Mumphrey that could help but the key will be keeping the pitching staff healthy. At different times during last season the cubs were minus All five starters Rick Sutcliffe Steve Trout Dennis Eckersley Scott Sanderson and Dick Ruthven due to injuries but All apparently Are Well now. If they stay that Way and if Shawon Dunston can hold Down the shortstop Job the cubs could be in it until the end. Age May be a problem. Left fielder Gary Matthews is 35, and third baseman Ron Cey is 38. Mumphrey can Back up in the Outfield and Trillo who is 35 himself could play third. If it All holds together third place. Montreal expos general manager Murray Cook has done some rebuilding of his pitching staff and the expos could hang in for a while. The expos have come a Long Way the mets Johnson said. The key to their Suc Cess is their pitching staff. They have re shaped it quite a  gone Are Bill Gullickson via Trade and Bill Lea via injury. That leaves Bryn Smith and Joe Hesketh As the top two starters while youngsters Jay Tibbs acquired from Cincinnati and Floyd Youmans take up two More spots. Offensively the expos have two of the game s Best performers outfielders Andre Dawson and Tim Raines. They can Only Hope that shortstop Hubie Brooks 13 Hom ers and 100 Bis can repeat. Looks like fifth place. Pittsburgh pirates when the Pittsburgh pirates got first baseman Sid Bream and outfielder . Reynolds from the los Angeles dodgers last season for third baseman Bill Madlock it actually improved them. That s How bad they were. Only two Veteran players second base Man Johnny Ray and Catcher Tony Pena Are assured of their jobs. The rest Are open to Competition. Two veterans Jason Thompson and Steve Kemp Are coming off bad seasons made worse by injuries. Rick Reuschel 36, May be the Best Pitcher the pirates have after saving a sliding career with a 14-8 Campaign in 1985. The Silver lining is their youth. They could get better but not Good enough this season. Aba from Page 21 their sixth straight loss. It was the Lith Victory in the last 14 games for Philadelphia which has clinched a spot in the Aba playoffs. Darrell Walker scored 18 and Trent Tucker 16 for the kicks who have lost 14 straight in Philadelphia and Haven t won Here since dec. 16, 1981. The 76ers led by two Points after three periods before Barkley scored the first five Points of the final Quarter to boost the mar Gin to 73-66. The kicks never caught up. Trail blazers 121, supersonics 109 Seattle Portland snapped a 13 game Aba Road losing Streak behind the shooting of Kiki Vandeweghe. Vandeweghe scored 36 Points on 17-for 22 shooting including 12 Points in the fourth Quarter As Portland broke open a close game outscoring Seattle 39-23 in the final period. Xavier Mcdaniel had 27 Points and 15 rebounds for the supersonics who Are on the verge of being eliminated from the play offs. Seattle s Gerald Henderson had 21 Points and Jack Sikma 18. Portland s Clyde Drexler scored 24 Points. Suns 110, warriors 101 Phoenix Ariz. Larry Nance scored eight of his 31 Points in the fourth Quarter and Alvan Adams had eight of his 19 in the same period to lift Phoenix. The Victory moved Phoenix to within a 1 /2 games of the Idle san Antonio spurs in the race for the eighth and final Western conference playoff berth. Walter Davis finished with 27 Points. Nance also had 15 rebounds and blocked seven shots. Joe Barry Carroll paced Golden state with 18 Points while Eric sleepy Floyd and Terry Teagle had 17 each for the warriors who lost their third straight game and eighth in the last 11. Clippers 97, jazz 94 los Angeles Rookie Benoit Ben Jamin had 18 Points and 16 rebounds As los Angeles stayed alive for a playoff berth. The clippers fourth straight Victory moved them to within 2 a games of san Antonio. Adrian Dantley battling Atlanta s do Minique Wilkins and Denver s Alex English for his third league scoring title scored a game High 29 Points to Lead Utah. Dantley leads Wilkins by .10 and English by .12. Norm Nixon assisted on the clippers first three baskets to become the eighth player in Aba history to surpass 6,000 Ca reer assists. Nil from Page 21 used two goals and an assist for Minnesota. The North stars also got goals from Dirk Graham Scott Bjugstad and Keith Acton. Flyers 3, rangers 2 new York Tim Kerr scored twice including the tie breaking goal at 10 17 of the third period for Philadelphia. The Victory boosted the flyers two Points ahead of Washington in the Battle for first place in the Patrick. The capitals have a game in hand. Kerr tied the game 2-2 with his career High 55th goal at 18 11 of the second period then delivered the game Winner at 10 17 of the third period to extend his nil Power play record to 33 goals for the sea son. Islanders 7, penguins 2 Pittsburgh Mike Bossy scored his 59th and 60th goals of the season and Tomas Jonsson also scored twice. Bossy s second goal came in the third period and was the 534th of his career moving him past Frank Mahovlich into eighth place on the All time list. Jonsson put the islanders ahead just 48 seconds into the game and Bryan Trottier converted Randy Cunneyworth s Giveaway for his 36th of the year at 5 03 to make it 2 0. The islanders led 5-2 after two periods on goals by Bob Bourne Bossy and Mikko Makela. Devils 6, Nordques 5 East Rutherford . Mark Johnson scored three goals including the game Winner with 1 45 to play As new Jer sey rallied from a three goal deficit in the third period. The devils tied the game on a Power play goal by Uli Hiemer with 9 09 remaining in the third period. Johnson started the devils comeback 5 21 earlier taking a perfect Cen tearing pass from Rookie Dan Dorion and tipping it past Quebec goalie Mario Gosse Lin. Fifty one seconds later Randy Welischek brought the devils within 5-4 on a snapshot from the Blue line. Jets 4, Kings 4 Inglewood Calif. Dale Hawer Chuk scored with 55 seconds left in Regula Tion As Winnipeg eliminated los Angeles the playoff race. The Kings pulled goalie Roland Melan son in the final minute of overtime but Dave Williams deflection went just wide with 25 seconds remaining. Trailing 4-2 entering the final period the jets got within one when Laurie Boschman scored a Short handed goal. Hawer Chuk tapped in a pass from Randy Carlyle