European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 2, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Saturday. April 2. 1983 the stars and stripes Pago 23 baseball 88 Long bail shortens Odds for a s flog 11 Hon Walker a baseball str Attr let s Liine i us the american league w a tins sea son a or acc a of elimination. Firm Cotta won t i to dision Champion Don t repeat even in it a v m he a veld Scio. Kames t by can t do ii because inc never score. Senalle hns Nul reached my in i i 1-year history Mil Lucain traded away us i rec Best i i chars. Cal i Scias lied for to i ii and won t jump n first so thai i Jar the Oakland athletics As i he team to heat. The Athl mics Marie the Nosi improvement in a division where Merili Nonty is nearly enough. Nely acquired Dave Parker i Fil a Check Mark Mcgwire and Jose canteen in the bailing order Mak ing it the game s most powerful Middle of the lineup Hob Welch will emerge a big Winner and a slab i or in the rotation. Matt Young will bolster the bullpen. Oakland athletics Mcgwire Dave Stewart and some surprises led to Success last season. Newcomers might push Oakland Over the of this time. The 6-Fbot-5 Mcgwire stood tallest in baseball s big year of Home runs. Lie. Shattered the Rookie record with 49 Home runs breaking Frank Robinson and Wally Hurger s Prce Tjui Mark a j a and drove to 11 i runs. Canseco 31 1ir. 113 Olhs and i Arker 26 Kkt 97 Bis with Cincinnati round out this Modem version of murderer s Row. What the athletic need Are a few baserunners. Car Ney Lansford .2s. In or. 76 Iris can do it. They Are heavily Cov Linn. On Rookie shortstop Wall Weiss ,2 i3 a Tacoma to replace Alfredo Griffin. Stewart who hid never won More than nine games in a season went 20-13 and lied t y Young Winner Roger Clemens fur most victories in the majors. Welch i 5-9 wit i Ijar angles throws harder ban Al batters Are used to seeing. Minnesota twins the twins outscored h n-7bfi during the season did nol convince an Urie thai they re really Good. Bui they showed they re i decent team with some really Coil plavits plus a in of loud fans inside the Mei radome. The fait four of Kirby puck-1. Gary Gatti Kent Hrbcek and Tom Brunansky was great. The twins big Gest , however was their Home Park. Minnesota went 62-25 at the metro Doc on the Road they were 29-52. Pull Cut .332. 2h or. V Bis. Gatti 31 or. 109 Bis. To Rock 3j or. ?0 Rhi and Brunansky 32 or 85 Bis Are the nucleus. Shortstop Greg Gagne and second baseman Steve Lombardozi Anchor he infield Cin the Only Al team to commit under Icho t errors. World series map Frank Viola 17-10 is the win ingest left hander in the big leagues in the last four Sears. Ben Blyleven 15-12 gives Minnesota 3 Rig two. Los is Raker 3-10. Who writes pitching secrets on his Glove n the third s Arter. How weak is he rotation aged Steve Carllon and Joe Niekro. Each with eras Over 5,00, Are in Conlen tin fori Pott. Left Cardon s 4.48 Era was his highest Ever but his it saves were what Minn Sou wanted. Kansas City royals for All its pitching Kansas City again led the West the revils continue to come up Short because they have no offence. The finished last in the Al with 715 runs. That could change if to Jackson makes Itu. Team and stays focused on Basc Bals. Kurt Slit will. Acquired in a Trade thai sent Danny Jackson 1o Cincinnati might finally give Kansas cily Aji offensive shortstop. George Brett 22 or 7b Bis hatted .290. Marking his second straight season below .300. Danny Tana Bull .31 9, 3- or 101 Rubli is Back after becoming Ibe first Spring training Haiti but in Royal history and Rookie it so be incr j2.1. S3 this was sensational. Willie Wilson r 279, 51 stolen hosts is still t Good Doh Man. Frank White 17 or is useful at age 37, and Sieve Haj Boni is i in same no a tract .207 with Poer 2j hrs but it All adds up to not enough runs. Bret Sab Chugen. 24 item month staved on his Rol ice Toast or Nde thro Ueli the majors. He rebounded from j 7-12, injury filled disaster and Well is-10. Charlie 16-1 wins with his of Speed Hult Ami Mark Ciu Bijj 13181 n dependable Dupile his lung a Cord. The result of no runs. Bud Black Wai 8-i. The big i air lion is reliever Dan Quisen Benj he still has a null contract but the royals lost Faith in him. Al West preview pair with sock Marie Mcgwire above and j or Are the Tulini Lembit if Voiku ants murderen4 Rita tet Cran dive Parker Complete in Koh Ikie of he Vear Mcgwire set a Bujor Learow record by launching 49 Dunnn in he first Htom in be majors and t6 Rookie of the Veur Canselo added j i a he pair Learned fur 2.11 runs batted in in i9s7. How they la finish 1. Oakland 2. Minnesota 3. Kansas City 4. Texas 6. California 7. Chicago White sox Texas rangers the rangers Are older hut May not improve especially if their Young Pill hrs Dot i improve. Bobby Witt 8-10edwin Correa j-5 and mile Loynd 1-5 were supposed to get better not worse. Texas finished with the worst pitching in the West lie main Man is still 40-year-old Chartie Hoogh s-1 Milch Wlliams 8-6 teams with Dale Mohorcic 2.99 Era 16 saves for a decent bullpen. Ruben Sierra at 22, has All the making of a big Star. Las year he hit 20 Home runs and drove in 109 runs. Jirry Parma still hits Home runs 32pete Ine Avillia homered 27 times and Pete o Brien is an Unsung first baseman f.386. 21 or great Star Seattle mariners manager Dick Williams guided he mariners last year to their Best finish at 7k-84. Wil iian is in his final season and Usu old love to put Seattle above the break even Point Bui it s not Likely. Phil Bradlry a .300 hitter for four seasons who never saw Eye to a with Williams was sent to Phila Delphia for Glenn Wilson and a Young Pitcher. Alum Davis .295, 29 or 100 Brist Ken Phelps 27 or in 332 Ai Rah and Jim Presley 24 or Are the big bats. Archd Reynolds stole 6l Hoies and ended Rickey Henderson s eight year reign in uie Al. Mickey a Randlejr 1.302 in 92 tames Mike Kin try .280 and stall Dudley .278 Are pleasant Pla in. The Maii Civ pitch finished in the Middle of the pack and should wind up to Lite again Mark Langston 19 j 3 Iii Al Bading 262 strikeouts is a bonafide Ace 9 California Angels the Angels fell from Grid c quickly alter cum ing within one strike of winning their first Al Pennant in 1986. Gene Mauch has turned things Over to cookie Rojas California signed free agent outfielder Chili Davis i,24 or with san Francisco and traded Gary Pel i if to Detroit for Pitcher Dan i try 9-7, 5,61 Era. Wally Joyner showed he was no Rookie Flash by hit Ting 34 homers with 117 rho in his Sophomore sea son. Brian Downing 29 he Devon White 24 i a and Jack Howell 23 or Are Strongbox v Mike Witt 16-141 is he Only proven Slaner. Willie Fraser. Kirk Mccaskill and Ery wiil gel Lucks. De Wayne juice 17 saves ii the top to ppr. Chicago White sox Rich Dotson. Royd Bannister and Jose Deleon were traded away weakening he fourth Best pitching staff in the Al. The White so got a kit of Ione Nival in return although it Wourl show this year. Chicago fim bed three Barnes oui of last place and the of season deals might put the team there tins year Kan Cali Leron almost traded to . For Mike mar Shal last year hit 2i Himi Erv Cine Walker 27 or 9 Rban is a real run producer Harold Dames steady a .293 with 20 homers and Bis. Pitcher Jack Mcdowell might be the Best Rookie in the majors he Cut 3-0 with a 1.93 Era a i late season Call up. Tomorrow american i Agtie it
