European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 8, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday april8, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 23 90s stars fuse Power with Speed by Jim Donaghy a baseball writer when All the numbers Are deciphered and the records listed baseball still comes Back to memories. Each decade produces its share of moments and stars and they always seem to be there. The last decade brought Mike Schmidt a 500th Home run Nolan Ryan a 5,000th strikeout and 50 consecutive steals by Vince Coleman a All moments to be remembered. A new Era begins monday with opening Day and the Start of baseball in the 1990s. If the end of the �?T80s is any indication this decade May be remembered for the ultimate Union of Power and Speed. There have already been some predictions. A i think its very possible i could steal 50 bases and hit 50 Home runs a Oakland right fielder Jose Canseco said. Canseco who had 42 homers and 40 stolen bases in 1988, is one of the strongest hitters in baseball history and provided one of those Frozen moments in time in last years Al playoffs. In game 4 at Toronto he launched a Home run into the third deck of the sky dome about 500 feet away. In the 1950s and �?T60s, Mickey Mantle found new territory with his Power and Canseco seems on the threshold of doing some incredible things himself. To Jackson has the same potential. Last season Jackson hit 32 homers with 105 Bis and 26 stolen bases for Kansas City. He often sends Home runs into the dancing Waters at royals stadium and keeps getting stronger. Cincinnati Center fielder Eric Davis and Texas right fielder Ruben Sierra also seem Likely to dominate the decade with their Power and Speed. A Ruben is Only 24, and players usually done to reach their prime until 28 or 29,�?� Texas general manager Tom Grieve said. A a he a just going to get  last season Sierra hit 29 homers with 119 Bis. He also led the Al in triples with 14. Houston a Eric Anthony Texas Juan Gonzalez and Milwaukee a Greg Vaughn Are stars on the Rise in the Outfield. Sometime before the decade is very old Rickey Henderson will probably surpass Lou Brocks All time stolen base record. If he keeps going Baltimore shortstop Cal Ripken might cause a lot of excitement sometime in the mid 90s. Ripken enters the decade having played in 1,250 consecutive games but has a ways to go before threatening Gehrig a Mark of 2,130. St. Louis shortstop Ozzie Smith won the Gold Glove in each year of the 1980s and will probably add a few to his collection in the Early �?T90s. Of the upcoming shortstops Smith likes what he sees in Shawon Dunston of the Chicago cubs. Tie gained a lot of Confidence in his ability last year a Smith said. A the certainly has the Best Arm in be  the �?T90s should help solidify Boston third baseman Wade Boggs place among the greatest hitters Ever and a spot m the Hall of Fame. Boggs enters the decade with a .352 lifetime average and seven consecutive seasons with 200 or More hits. Last year he missed Only 59 balls in 1,101 swings and has Given an entire new meaning to the term a Contact  new York mets third baseman Howard Johnson has baseball 90 Eric Davis Oakland s potential �?o50-50�?� Man Jose Canseco serves As 1990s prototype. Up already reached the 30-30 club twice and has emerged As a team Leader. The next 10 years should bring some wonderful Battles for supremacy at first base Between will Clark and Mark Grace. It started in the no playoffs last october when Clark and Grace staged their own personal one on one hitting contest. In his first three full seasons with san Francisco Clark averaged 29 homers and 104 Bis. Last year he hit .333 with 23 homers and 111 Bis. A i concentrated on hitting for average last season a Clark said. A i Wasny to concerned about homers. Now in be gotten stronger through weight training and id like to keep the average up there and add a few More  there a plenty of Talent at first in the Al too. Don Mattingly who will be 29 on april 20, is a .323 lifetime hitter and has averaged 114 Bis in six full seasons with the new York Yankees. Oakland first baseman Mark Mcgwire will try to become this season the first player Ever to hit 30 Home runs in each of his first four years. The measure of consistency at second base remains Ryne Sandberg of the Chicago cubs. He became the first second baseman in the �?T80s to hit 30 Home runs last year. Sandberg was the first cub second baseman to do it since Rogers Homs by in 1929. Sandberg also played 90 straight games without making an error and won his seventh straight Gold Glove. Starting in 1990, a potentially classic Battle starts at Catcher As rookies Todd Zeile of St. Louis and Sandy Alomar of Cleveland begin their major league careers. On the Mound Dwight Gooden won his 100th game for the new York mets last year at the age of 24. He a healthy once again throwing at 93 Mph. Bret Saberhagen enters the �?T90s with two by Young awards and he wont be 26 until april 11. By the Middle of the decade a or sooner a Ben Mcdonald Steve Avery and Jim Abbott should be among the Premier pitchers. And done to be surprised to Sec Scott Burrell pitching somewhere. He a currently playing basketball at Connecticut. Sometime this year Ryan May win his 300th game. He enters the season with a career record of 289-263 and 5,076 strikeouts. Whenever it is Ryan a 300th will be one of the moments to remember in the �?T90s.big contracts Price nicknames out of the Market by Jim Smith the Greenwich times where have All the nicknames gone mean f legitimate baseball sobriquet a eth we i Kerful titbits of Days gone by a a a a Browne a cat fish Hunter us Sanjoe Jackson and a a dizzy and Haw i no years ago you might not Hron ? payers name but you never forgot his nickname. To Etc s he heroes beg to be forgot a inn a a Are character any creativity in von purple Hayes and Mike a a Prev schooler what sense of history does Frank a Sweet music Viola provide what does a the natural Tell you about will Clark except that perhaps he is a bit full of himself these Are not legitimate baseball nicknames. In fact these dime store imitations Are Low level minor league compared to the great names of the past. Who playing today would let himself be called a the splendid splinter or a the Yankee  How about a a mudcat or a Cool papa a legitimate baseball nickname is something that defines a player but does so without pretence. It gives him a sense of identity to the 30,000 or so fans who gather on a muggy saturday evening to watch him perform. Most of today s nicknames Are Given to players after they make it in the big leagues. Those nicknames Are usually Given by some Slick Madison Avenue Type who a looking for an Angle for his latest baseball poster. What does he know about the spirit of the game perhaps there is an explanation for the Lack of genuine nicknames in the big leagues. As the game has become More financially lucrative As the players have begun to draw salaries sufficient enough to make cos envious they have become less Carefree. Its human nature i suppose. Guys making $2 million do not want to be called a a bluefish or  they a rather be called  As in or. Winfield and or. Hershiser