European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 7, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 22 the stars and stripes saturday april 7,1990 baseball �?T90 Blue jays lend color to mediocre division by Ben Walker a baseball writer same old names same old mediocrity. At least the american league East produced baseball a Only Pennant race. Not hard to Tell what happened Here. While the West was aggressive in getting Young Talent the East grew Lazy Over the years Content to pick up an occasional old free agent or two. Now with the balance in the league Tilting the other Way the Al East is still doing the same thing. Keith Hernandez Jeff Reardon and Tony Pena were All stars once but not these Days. The one team that followed the West formula was Baltimore and it worked for the orioles. But basically the East is baseball a grand Dame tuned hag More so each year. Toronto probably has the Best team. Milwaukee should contend while Baltimore and Boston might slide. New York is Middle of the pack followed by Cleveland and the ugliest of All detroit.1. Toronto Blue jays 1989 record 89-73.1st Outlook cookie Wilson .298. 12 stolen bases in two months became the rage in Canada at 34, he can still play provided Junior Felix 46 Bis 18 steals in a platoon role gives him some rest. Key Slat the Blue jays were 77-49 alter Cito Gaston took Over As manager and 3719 alter acquiring Wilson from the new York mets. Key arrivals Pitcher Paul Kilgus. Key departures Catcher Ernie Whitt outfielder Lloyd Moseby. 1989 record 81-81,4th Outlook the Brewers have a lot of injuries a or players trying to recover. If they stay healthy they can win. Key Stab the Brewers were 49-62 against right handed starters last season. Key arrivals do have Parker. Key departures outfielder Joey Meyer. In 110 games at class aaa Denver might be a rare Milwaukee Prospect who prospers and could squeeze out Rob Deer 26 or 158 strikeouts in 466 at bats. Chris Bosio for those who done to actively follow the Brewers was by far Milwaukee a Best starter. He was 15-10 with a 2.95 Era and was the Only Al East pitch  in a 1 i or i it 1989 record 87-75.2nd Outlook the orioles will have to prove last year was not a Fluke and they re really that Good. The key to their Success remains pitching and defense. Key Stab the orioles tied the 1967 Chicago cubs for most victories 87 after a 100-loss season and showed the fourth greatest improvement in major league history. Key arrivals infielder out elder Mike Brumley. Key departures do Larry sheets infielder Jamie quirk Pitcher Dave Schmidt. The Blue jays finally found the right manager and the right Ballpark. Spurred by sellouts and Cito Gaston Toronto recovered from a 12-24 Start and outlasted Baltimore in the stretch. Toronto does most things Well none of them great. Dave Stieb 17-8 Heads a staff that led the division with a 3.58 earned run average. Jimmy key 13-14 should Bounce Back and John Cerutti 11-11, 3.07 Era was better than his record indicated. Todd Stottlemyre 7-7 is a competent fourth starter. Tom Henke 8-3, 1.92 Era 20 saves 148 strikeouts in 151 innings is the closer in a bullpen full of competent Middle Relief and set up men. Jim Acker 1.59 Era in 14 games and David Wells 7-4, 2.40 Era Are Good and Duane Ward 15 saves despite a 3.77 Era throws hard and will get better. George Bell at 30, is the last remaining member of what was once projected As baseball a Best Outfield. Like him or not he can hit .297, 18 Home runs 104 Bis. Fred Mcgrift 36 homers led the league and Kelly Gruber .290, 18 or is solid. Tony Fernandez does no to want to Lead off and with a .291 on base average no one should Force him. Cookie Wilson .298, 12 stolen bases in two months became the rage in Canada. At 34, he can still play unless Junior Felix 46 Bis 18 steals in a platoon role keeps him out of the lineup.2. Milwaukee Brewers Al East preview3. Baltimore orioles the question is whether the orioles can stay at the top. A dominant trend in baseball during the years is that teams that make tremendous strides in one season Are Likely to fall Back the next. So it might be for the Young Birds. Jeff Ballard 18-8 struck out just 62 in 215 innings but became the first Ever to fan Don Mattingly three times in one game. Rookies Bob Milacki 14-12pete Harnisch 5-9 and local boy Dave Johnson 4-7 showed Good signs. The orioles Are hoping lefty off Speed Pitcher Eric Bell has recovered from injuries and project great things for Ben Mcdonald the no. 1 pick in last years draft. Olson 1.69 Era 27 saves did not blow an Opportunity until late in the season. Cal Ripkens Streak might be taking its toll. He hit 21 homers and drove in 93 runs but his slugging percentage declined for the sixth straight year. Ripken is More than Halfway to Lou Gehrig a record of 2,130 consecutive games but some Are wondering whether he has become a prisoner of his own Streak. Mickey Tettleton 26 or surprised even himself before he got Hurt after the All Star break. Craig Worthington led All rookies with 70 Bis and Phil Bradley and Mike Devereaux each stole 20 bases. More than anything the orioles showed the value of catching the Ball. They set a major league record with a .996 Fielding percentage and seemed to make the highlights film every night with their defense.4. Boston red sox 1989 record 83-79.3rd Outlook the red sox went out and bought some of everything a Shane Rawley to Start. Jell Reardon to relieve. Tony Pena to catch. Maybe those Are improvements maybe not. Key Stab Boston catchers threw out Only 26.5 percent of basest Alers a last in the Al. Pena threw out 45 of 135 or St. Louis last season. Key arrival Catcher Tony Pena reliever Jett Reardon Pitcher Shane Rawley. Key departure first baseman Nick Esasky Pitcher Oil can Boyd Pitcher Mike Smithson outfielder Jim Rice. Free agent Dave Parker lends his Bat to an offence that always comes Down to Robin Yount and Paul Molitor. But can the Brewers solve their two omnipresent problems injuries and Fielding Yount .318,21 or 103 Bis beat out Ruben Sierra for the map award and continued his March toward 3,000 hits. At age 34, he should get there next season and after that maybe 4,000? Molitor .315,27 so and Parker 97 Bis for Oakland Are Good. Rookie outfielder Greg Vaughn 26 or 92 Bis 1989 record 74-87 Outlook the hitting should be there but pitching again looks shaky Over the course of a full season. Key Stab the Yankees led the majors in victories during the 1980s, even though it was the first decade since before Ruth amp Gehrig in which they did not win a world series. Kev arrive Pitcher Pas Cual Perez Pitcher Jeff Robinson Pitcher Tim Leary Pitcher Willie Smith Catcher Rick Cerone infielder Damaso Garcia. Key departure Catcher Don Slaught outfielder Hal Morris Pitcher Walt Terrell. Anything Plesac 2.35 Era 33 saves is effective. The Brewers ruined themselves with a league leading 155 errors. They made 33 miscues at shortstop and an awful 28 errors in the Outfield. Manager Cito Gaston has Toronto stepping out. Up Roger Clemens 17-11, 3.13 is the Only sure thing in the rotation. Mike Bod Dicker 15-11, 4.00 Era and John Dopson 12-8, 3.99 Era Are of. Reardon 31 saves despite a 4.07 Era joins Lee Smith 25 saves 3.57 Era and gives Boston too much of the same thing. Wade Boggs .330, .430 on base average reached 200 hits for the seventh straight season. This year there a no controversy either. Dwight Evans 20 or 100 Bis is great at 39, and Mike Greenwell .308, 95 Bis and Ellis Burks .303, 21 so helped Boston Lead the majors with a .277 average and 774 runs. The red sox will really miss Nick Esasky 30 or 108 Bis if Carlos Quintana 24, does no to hit. Jim Rice is gone but not forgotten. Clemens wore Rice a no. 14 Jersey in Spring training. Bill Buckner is Back.5. New York Yankees the Yankees led the majors in victories during the 1980s, even though it was the first decade since the �?T20s they did not win a world series. Dave Winfield is the big question. Jesse Barfield 23 or 20 Outfield assists for the third time and Roberto Kelly .302. 35 so play excellent defense too. Mattingly .303, 23 or 113 Bis again recovered from a characteristic slow Start. He might do even better this year if he works out a new contract with George Steinbrenner. Steve sax .315, 43 so was a free agent who turned out Well one of the few in the Bronx lately. The Yankees got hooted when they signed Pascual Perez to be their Ace but look at his numbers 28-21 with a 2.80 Era in his last three years. Andy Hawkins 15-15chuck Cary 4-4 Clay Parker 4-5 and newcomer Tim Leary 8-14 in Cincinnati and los Angeles fill out a Garden variety rotation.6. Cleveland indians again there is optimism in Cleveland. Is it justified the indians got Catcher Sandy Alomar jr., the minor league player of the year plus promising Carlos Baerga and usable Chris James for Joe Carter 35 or 105 Bis. Probably not that bad a Deal considering Carter would be left after this season As a free agent. Tom Candiotti 13-10, 3.10 Era John Farrell 9-14 and Greg Swindell 13-6, 3.37 Era can form the nucleus of a Nice rotation Lor new manager John Mcnamara if they re healthy and consistent. Of course that a what All teams say at the Start of the season. Doug Jones 32 saves and Jesse Orosco 2.08 Era in 69 games give the indians a decent lefty righty bullpen. Cecilio Guante is new and throws a lot of innings. 1989 record 73-89.6th Outlook the indians Hope free agent Keith Hernandez can help on and Oil the Field. Key Stab the indians have not finished within 10 games of first place since 1959. Key arrivals outfielder Candy Maldonado outfielder Mitch Webster first baseman Hernandez Catcher Sandy Alomar or outfielder Chris James third baseman Carlos Baerga. Key departures outfielder Joe Carter first baseman Pete o Brien Pitcher Scott bailes7. Detroit tigers free agents Lloyd Moseby .221 in Toronto Tony Phillips .262 in Oakland and Cecil fielder join Larry sheets As newcomers. That a the Best Detroit could do. Alan Trammell slumped to .243, and Lou Whitaker hit just .251. Their great Days Are Over. Jack Morris the top Winner in the 1980s, fell to 6-14. Reliever Mike Henneman 11-4 led the staff in victories. The tigers Slid from 88-74 Vear. Their first 100-loss season 1989 record 59-103.7lh Outlook the tigers were so bad last season that even eternal Optimist Sparky Anderson had to take some t me Oil. There s no reason to think of troit will be much better this key Stab the tigers finished last in the Al in average .24fl Ark Eyra arrivals outfielder Lloyd Moseby infielder to y Phillips infielder do Cecil fi6keyr departures outfielder Gary Pettis. In 1988 to 59-103 last