European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 3, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 20 the stars and stripes thursday March 3.1988 baseball Roundup Yankees unveil twin phenoms More than a Prospect letter gets pm out. Starics by Michael Martinez fort Lauderdale Fla. Not the  is discussed in reverential tunes around inc new York Yankee Camp where such notable former pitch ers As Whitey Ford and Eddie Lopa have cautiously nurtured it Over the last two Springs. They speak glowingly about the Young Pilcher attached to inc Amand they say without hesitation thai it could happen this year. Al Leiler could make it. He 15 Only ii Yean old but letter handsome Friendly self assured gifted seems on the verge of finding a place on the Yankee pitching staff by the time the club Breaks Camp. He could Start tie could relieve. It s Only a matter of grow ing into inc Job. The  is there said Billy Martin the Yankee manager who will ultimately make inc final decision on Leilur. We re working with his mind More than anything else building his Confidence not putting of much pressure on him patting him on the tack a  the Yankees have no doubts about Oiler s ability to throw the Hall hard. Last season alter he was called up sept. 10. He struck out 2s batters in 21 Vij in Ning and won two late season games. He is capable of throwing As fast As 94 m Iles an hour. Now it is simply n matter of harnessing the left handers in cd working on his control keeping his pitches a round he plate. To batting practice the other Day Luciler threw a pitch at Mike Pagliarulo that sailed dangerously toward the third base Man s head. Pagliarulo jerked Hack fell to the ground pud appeared to have been hit on the face. But the Ball had Only clipped the Bill of his helmet an embarrassed loiter grinned at his teammate then threw a Pilch easily across the Middle of the plate. Pagliarulo sent it deep Over the Fence in right. He does t quite have that pinpoint control said Pagliarulo who bats left handed but that Little touch of wild Ness keeps you on your heels. He can be  a year ago it was Leiler a Yankee fan As a youth and a resident of Pine Beach no who was intimidated. He was on the team s id Man roster for theirs time and was at the Sprine training Camp Here working out with players such As Ron Guidry Dave Righetti and Tommy John. "1 was in Here dressing and doing drills with the stars i used to watch m a kid he recalled. " was kind of in  this Spring it is different. Lapat is working on the mental aspects of the game with la itch hoping to get the Young Pitcher prepared to face big league hitlers in april they Are working on allow curve in Camp and Lopat said that letter can throw an outstanding Fork Ball. Hell have the hitlers Way out in a tree i into Spring training Al Lelow gets one of hit Lul at bite Al i tit Leuon. Front when he throws that Pilch Lopal said. Plus i has the addition of Bein Able to sink. He can get the Ball going 9 Miles an hour but it does t meant a thing if you can t Al it Over inc plate. He s shown so far. That he s capable of doing  Martin is Mote Apt to pamper letter than to Rush him Iii Spring fearful that the Pitcher could become unnerved bythe pressure. In his first appearance of the exhibition season Leiler will throw in Relief of Tommy John in a March 7game against Atlanta. I m a Rookie and i m far from having any Power about saying what s going to happen he said. I know what Billy s thinking because he said he was going to give me every Opportunity to make this team. Last year i was just a Prospect and now i Nave a Chance to make it. Thai s  got a taste of pitching in the Bronx last summer he gained a smal following among fans in a game sept. 20, when he knocked Down George Bell of Toronto after Bel look too much time complaining about u pitch. H struck Outhie Blue Jay urfi Elfr but gave up i lowering Home run to Bell later in the  s my style of pitching letter said. I guns he was instilled thai a Rookie should come up and do thai but i Vegol to establish my part of the plate. Basically i Don t care How he  while bom Bam meulens just hits pm out foot Lauderdale Fla. Not every Day the rows of seats begin to fill in the Early morning before the play cars even arrive. The fans who come to fort Lauder Dale stadium have been pulled there by the Chance to watch free of charge Don Mattingly hit balls Over fences or Dave Righetti push sliders past unsuspecting rookies. They do not really no Tice the Young player with the big swing to them he is Only no. 68, but the people in the organization who make inc important decisions George slain Brenner Lou Piniella Billy Martin Are watching no. 68 with far greater interest than the spectators. They see Hon sly Filomon ecu Lens known As Bain Bam to his teammates and the fans who watched him in inc minors As someone with enormous potential. He s got one Heck of a Bat said Martin the Yankee manager. From what i be seen. I like him a lot. His Bat is such that eventually we re going to have to find a position for  at to it moment that seems to be in team s Only problem. Meulens has spent the first two years of his professional Ca reer As a third baseman but the Yankee he Larchy is not certain he belongs there because his size he s 6 feet 3 inches May of Eccl his mobility around the bag. Last season at Prince William the team s class a affiliate in the Carolina league he hit .300 with 2b homers 103 runs batted in and 14 stolen bases. Buthe also committed a Itcague iding 37 errors in 116 games. Meulens though is Only 20 years old and the Yankees realize there is enough time to Mold his Talent carefully. They have already declined numerous requests by other learn seeking meulens Only Al Leiler inc left handed Pitcher was More pursued and they believe he May be no More than two years away from the majors. If he makes it ecu menu could become the first player from the Netherlands an Tilles to play in the big leagues. Only ecu Lens who lives in the capital of Curacao and Sherwin Cir rite. Who bus been in the Baltimore orioles Organiza Tion for five years arc currently playing professionally from the Small Caribbean country. Meulen Speaks four languages English Spanish dutch and papiamento a dialect spoken in his Homeland and has become something of a hero in the Netherlands Antilles. But it was Only recently thai baseball came into prominence there. It used to be soccer he said but in the last five years baseball has taken Over and ready become  ecu Lens was discovered and signed by Fred Ferreira who scouts latin Ameri can players for the Yankees and who Johm madp6m a peeps Way pro&ram1ufemowlwg. Ujj .sgb6,u think Nix Cahoj l4lr� Jomo Matt opt by  /1. To Omen Chect Jot v we Pooh run ow6&1caa,6ro. V Fig initially saw him play As a 16-year-old Ina High level Amateur league. By then meulens was already known As Bam Bam a name adopted from the cartoon show the Flintstones because of the distance he hit the Ball. This Spring the Yankees Are More concerned with his defense than his Power. Cd Etc Boyar considered one of he game s More adept third baseman in his Yankee Days has taken meulens As a personal project working daily with the player on his Fielding. I m still not sure he s going to be an infield or Boyar said. Right now he does t have big league instincts. But he s got All the tools in the world great  the ability to make All the throws. And he moves better than he looks because he s so  Martin said he Wilt give meulens an Opportunity to play the Outfield this Spring perhaps in the Chance he will Blossom there but also in the Hope he will become a More versatile player. Clele thinks he s two years away the manager said but you never  ecu Lens knows How Martin feels Buthe insisted he would not allow himself to think too far ahead. He is Likely to end up Ai class a a Columbus this season " know i m a Long Way from making it he said Billy Martin told me yester Day that i had a Bright future but i Don twant to get overexcited. If things come my Way in the next year or so that will be  Arn radio. Radi College basketball Oklahoma at Missouri 1 06 . Friday