European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 2, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday april 2. 1989, the stars and stripes Page 23 baseball 89 Over do padres  a baseball writer if the Cincinnati reds can make in through thedis 1 radians of baseball s investigation of manager pile Rose they should be Able 1o overcome anything the commotion Over Rose could cause the reds to come together or in could be a lingering problem whatever i heres have enough Talent to beat the dodgers. 1 Adres Gianis and astros in a close race in inc National league Wesl. The no West had five learns finish above .500 last year and they All seem improved in 19k9. The Rose Story has turned inc Cincinnati Spring training Camp into a Media circus. Have no problem with media1 people rom  like Media people. This is pc rfcs because it gives my players the same kind of atmosphere they re going to enjoy in  no icam has repealed As world champions since the new York Yankees in 1977-78 and los Angeles Gener at manager Fred Claire did t slant Pat. He added Firat baseman Eddie Murray and second baseman Willie Randolph when Sieve sax left to sign  yanks. Starting on april 3, five contenders in the no West will Sunn betting Sonc answers. The Atlanta braves they Start working on 1990. 1. Cincinnati reds the top of the order shortstop Harry Larkin ,290. 12 or 56 Bis 40 so third baseman Chrissabol ,27l, 11 or 44 Bis 46 solent fielder Kal Daniels .291, 18 or 64 Bis and Center fielder Eric Davis .273, 26 or 93 Bis is the most explosive in the league and All should improve on 1988, Sabo inc Rookie of the year tired in the second half and hit Only ,216 with one Homer and nine Bis. Lii scr things can also be expected of Davis he s Capa ble of 40 homers and 120 Bis the right fielder Pau o Neill 16 or 73 Rebii. Bats fifth and newly acquired first baseman Todd bin Zinger Hils sixth. With Boston last season bin Finger had 13 homers and 70 Bis in 405. Aib is second baseman Ron Oester. Back after recovering from knee surgery hii.2bq in 150 Ai Bals inst season. The catching could be a problem. To Diaz .219 is 36 and playing on sore Knees. The reds have an experienced Berillo Wilh Ken grif Fey. Joel Youngblood and Manny Trifilo. To win inc division the reds will need another 20 game season from left hander Danny Jackson 23-b, 5773 Era. Tom Browning pitched a perfect game on Cpl. 16 again is the dodgers and finished 18-5 with n 3.41 Era a Nice rebound from his 10-13, 5 03 Era Effort in 1987, the reds have added 35-year-old Rick Mahler from Atlanta. He s capable of winning 10 is Gurnet and hitching 250 innings. Right hander Jose hid finally found his control and finished 13-8, strik ing out 160 Bailers in 162 innings John Franco had 39 saves in 42 opportune is but might miss setup Mart Rob Murphy who was traded lob Oston in inc Ben incr Deal. The reds think they have a replacement in Bard throwing Rob Dibble. The6-foot-4 right hander has been clocked a 100 Mph and Tor class aaa Nashville Lasi Sci sign he had 41 strike outs in 3s innings. 2. Los Angeles dodgers even if Orel her Hiscar pith is 300 scr class inning the dodgers need a healthy Kirk Gibson to repeat. Gibson has not recovered from his knee problems Lail october and May go Down at any Lime. If he docs inc dodgers Are in trouble. Fernando Valenzuela is  still does t have the same stuff and John Tudor it Bow surgery in t a Pec Muren was 14-4 with a 2.55 Era. The stopper in the bullpen is Mark a is 28 saves in 34 opportune pics. Second baseman Roberto Alomar . 24 so leads Otto Llowd by of fielders John Kruk and Tony Gwynn pi3,70 Rebi Catcher Benilo Santiago a ,300 hitter in his Rookie season in 1987, slipped to .248 last season. Santiago gnc4 the Pii dres something rare these Days a Catcher who can throw runners out. Lasi season Santiago nailed 35 of 77 base Scalers 4s Percell including ii of 17 while throwing from his inc. Shortstop Garry turn Pluton is 33 and playing on sore Knees and third base is unsettled. Clark will help the offence but to win the division the padres need big years from role players like car Melo Manine. Is homers in 365 Al bats and Kruk. 4. San Francisco Gianis because of All the injuries to the pitching staff last season it s hard to Call the giants 33-79 finish disappointing. The giants used 12 diff Cronl starters As front liners Dave Dravecky Kelly Downs and Mike Krakow Well Down with  giants Ace remains 39-year-old Rick Ruschel 19-11, 3.12 followed by Don Robinson. Robinson.31, began 198 in the bullpen bul As a starter went 8-4 with a 2.33 Era in 19 sorts. After the two a cleans it s Downs 13-9. Krukow 7-4 and youngsters Den Nis Cook and Terry Mulholland. Scott Gari alts 13 saves is the stopper in the Bull pen but last year was Only i l-for-24 in save up Furtuni lies despite All the problems the giant finished with a3.39 Leam Era lower than their major league leading num Crof 3.69 in 1987.the giants went from 205 homers in i jk7 to 113 last season and Hope third baseman Matt Williams will restore some of the pop. Williams has 16 homers in 401 at Bals bul has also struck out 109 limes. Center fielder Brett Butler .287, 43 Bis. 43 Sun is one of the Best Lead off Bat cars in baseball and is Fol Lowed by second baseman Robby Thompson .264, 4srbis. Thompson s problem is a re surfing . First baseman will Clark who will a third had Mvi Type numbers with a .282 average. 29 Home Sand 109 Bis. After Clark manager Roger Craig has left fielder Kevin Mitchell Balling cleanup and that could be a problem Mitchell who s having a Hal Spring is More suited for Sish in the order and Williams Uburth. Bul Wil Liams strikes out too much. Mitchell hit in homers with 80 Bis last season. Candy Maldonado. A weak fielder in right is coming off n disappointing season .255, 12 or 68 Bis at the Bat Loo. The giants have turned the catching  Young Ster Kin Manwaring and Veteran Terry Kennedy. 5, Houston astros the astros tried Al Winter to come up with a big Hitler and Are still trying. What the astros accomplished was hiring a new manager Ari Howe. The former Houston info Euleria   Hill Lanier and play n wide open game. The astros big Gisl need is Power.  Eason the astros hit 96 homers and first baseman Orlenn Davis accounted for 30. Next in line was outfielder Kevin Bass with  needs some support. He was intentional1 walked 20 times last season and was hit 11 times. Without an addition of an another Power Hitler the As los must have big seasons from inc lop of inc order outfielders Gerald Young .257, 65 so Hilly Itoi Eicr .268, 52 Bis and Hass. Davis hats fourth bul after that the astros lineup is Uncertain. Second baseman1 Bill Doran .248, 7 or 53 Bis has been tried in the fifth snot followed by third Basmann Ken Caminitti .272, 66 Bis at class aaa Tucson Catcher Alan Ashbrand shortstop Rafael Ramirai .276. 59 Rols Ramirez acquired from Allan la prior to last season solved the defensive problems at Short. Pitching is supposed to be the astros strength but Lasi season their starters were Only 59-57  14-s, 2,92 has slipped from 306 strikeouts in 1986 to 190 isl season. Bul in 1988 opposing Balc shit Only .204 against him. He s followed n the relation by Bob Knapp or 14-5jim dish pics 11-14and newcomer Jim Claney 11-13 for Toronto the bullpen is Iron Wilh Dave Smith 27 save Juan Agusto 10-2,2.26 and laity Andersen if the astros can improve on their ,24 1 team average they will be in the race. 6. Atlanta braves in 1938. The braves scored the fewest runs 555 and allowed the most 741. They also led the league Wilh 151 errors. There have not been any no Ceable improvements either there is some Hope though. The braves Are com milled to building Wilh youth and it starts on the pitching staff with Pete Smith 7-15, 3.69tom Glavic 7-17john smolt 10-5. 2,79 at class aaa Richmon Derek Lilii quasi and reliever j