European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 8, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 24 a a a the stars and stripes sunday april 8,1990 baseball �?T90 a Dwight Gooden says Tony Gwynn is his hardest out. Rickey Henderson who needs just 68 bases to catch Lou Brock s 938, says he can steal on Roger  a treat superstar showdowns by Ben Walker a baseball writer late innings game on the line. Tony Gwynn at the plate or Roger Clemens on the Mound or Vince Coleman on base it does no to matter. Either Way there a major league pressure. So who do you want facing them trying to produce that big hit or trying to prevent that key run most Likely you want one of baseball a Best. So Given a tense situation Here show the games greatest say they would go about their business new York mets at san Diego tied at 1, Bottom of the seventh. Two outs runners on first and second. Tony Gwynn the four time batting Champion with a .332 career average Steps up. Dwight Gooden an amazing 100-39 lifetime looks in for the sign. A you try to get everybody out but you know its Tony a a Gooden says. A a he a no. 1 to me. He and Hubie Brooks give me the most trouble but Tony is no. 1. He Sticks out More than anybody. I look Forward to that matchup but not with men in scoring position. A once in awhile if nobody is on base i kind of throw As hard As i can right Down the Middle and Hope he hits it at somebody because he a definitely going to put the Bat on the Ball. But with men on base ill take my chances and try to nibble. You try to keep the Ball away and hopefully the Umpire will give you the  Gooden starts Gwynn with a fastball and its just outside for a Ball. A some pitchers might want that pitch and you might ask a Catcher if it was close or not but Tony is a Good hitter and he a not going to swing at too Many pitches. You can Trust his strike  a if you get behind him then you be got to try to throw some off Speed stuff and reach Back for a Little extra on the  Gooden throws a curve and Gwynn takes it for a strike. A if nobody is on base in a going to Challenge him More. But if there a a Man on base particularly in scoring position and less than two outs and an open base and i fall behind him i would go More from a defensive Side. 1 would throw him More off Speed pitches and go in and out with the  but with Jack Clark on deck Gooden does no to have the luxury of fooling around. A now a fastball up and in a Gooden says. Gwynn is ready and fouls it straight Back. Almost got it. A the does have some Power even though he a More of a line drive hitter. Hell jump on  Gooden comes Back with another High fastball. Gwynn lays off. That makes it 2-2. A a there a no perfect pitch to make to him not that i know of. If there is i wish i could find  Gooden hoping he a got Gwynn set up inside throws a curve away. Again he misses the Black by an Inch. A you try to nibble and get the Corners. But sometimes when you try to nibble too much you begin to aim the Ball instead of letting it go. I could sit Here and Tell you about it but you a do the same  full count. Gwynn digs in. Gooden gets the sign he wants. A a in a go with a curve somewhere hard. Every once in awhile hell get fooled. But hell keep his hands Back and he can still hit the  Here it comes the curve tight spin and All. Gwynn Springs out of his Crouch and swings. Its most Likely its an out. For All Dwight says about How Tough Tony is Gwynn is Only 8-for-37 .216 lifetime against Gooden. That includes five walks four strikeouts and one extra base hit a triple. Roger Clemens and Dave Stewart in a pitching Duel at Fenway Park. Oakland and Boston tied at 1, Rickey Henderson leading off the top of the ninth for the athletics. Henderson arguably the greatest Lead off hitter Ever showed in the postseason How Many ways he can win a game. Walking trotting or running around the bases it does no to matter to him. A when Clemens first came up he got me out a lot. But the last couple of years in be done pretty Good against him a Henderson says. A a in be hit him in the butt the ankle and Elbow with balls up the Middle. I always Tell him that head better not mess with me that ill hit him again. I laugh and so does  Fenway a left Field Green monster looks inviting tonight. Henderson could play screen of with one swing and put Oakland ahead. A yeah i might look up there. Its not very far to that Wall. But if you Start thinking that Way you Over swing and do something you . But if he gives me something inside lean handle ill try to drive  Clemens tries to push Henderson off the plate with a fastball. Its inside for a Ball. A if he a going walk me throw me four balls ill take it. Nothing wrong with a  Henderson singles on the next pitch. Now he goes from hit to run and the fingers in his Green glow gloves Are Tensed. A i can steal against Clemens. He a not the easiest but i can go on him. In a thinking about going Early so Carney Lansford can get me Over to third  Henderson As he does often steals on the first pitch and slides in head first with plenty to spare. A now i might just try to get Over to third by myself. Some Guys done to like to steal third base As much As second but i do. A lot of times its easier. But right Here they re watching me so ill let Carney move me  Lansford does even better. He singles past Bostons jittery infield to Mike Greenwell in left Field. With no outs and Jose Canseco coining up a lot of players might Stop at third. Not Ricky. He takes just a Quick look at third base coach Rene Lacheman and then dashes Home without a throw. A a in a going and in a scoring that a it a he says. A was soon As that Ball gets through the infield in a gone. No one is going to Stop  san Francisco and St. Louis All even at 2 at candlestick. Vince Coleman leads off the top of the eighth with a chopper up the Middle and beats it out. Coleman who has led the National league in stolen bases for five straight years takes a Long Lead. Rick Reuschel stretches Kirt Manwaring sets behind the plate Ozzie Smith Steps to the plate. In the giants first base dugout manager Roger Craig the master of the pitch out sees it All. A i know he a going no doubt about that a Craig says. A i just have to figure out when. A a that a normally a sacrifice situation. But with Ozzie up they like to let him bunt for a base hit to Surprise you. Or Whitey will give Coleman a Chance to steal then bunt him Over to third so he can score on a Fly Ball. With Coleman and Ozzie it changes the game. A before every pitch in a looking at their third the coach their first base coach and the manager. The other teams know that a what i do and when i look Over at Herzog he a looking right at me. It s All a  Reuschel whose Quick motion helps him keep base runners close starts Smith with a sinking fastball. Coleman does not go and the pitch is Low for a Ball. A if Whitey wants to run then bunt this would be a Good time to go. People know i have signs for pitch outs but i also have signs to Tell a Pitcher to it throw Over to first base. Its All based on an indicator Bay i a throw Over sign is me touching my nose. But lines rub my hand across my Chest the nose Sig docs mean anything. My Catcher is looking at me by Reuschel on the Mound i probably Don t have to him to Check Coleman because he already kn0s n Reuschel on his own throws Over to first base will Clark. Nothing fancy just letting Coleman know he a there. Coleman is accustomed to this tracts an average of five Pickoff throws per to Reuschell a next pitch is another sinker this one a called strike., ,. His a if they want Coleman to run and then to but. Is the pitch hell probably go on. Otherwise it g two strikes and that makes it tougher to Sac ii aj5 Craig touches his hat then Belt then c p hands. The pitch out sign. N j re Coleman starts running but suddenly Stop treats safely to first. Was it a Bluff or not. The a a Here a something about Coleman Hes out very few who can be going but will see a p. A a. Of the Corner of his Eye Ana Stop and make a he a done that to me a few times. He can jus a a pitch out and there a nothing you can do Abo