European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 06, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 26 the stars and stripes wednesday february 6,1991baseball �?T91 by Murray chass the new York times at the age of 45, six years after he last pitched and one year after he gained instant Entrance into the Hall of Fame Jim Palmer is improbably starting Over. A the career that got me to the Hall of Fame is Over a Palmer said. A this is something differ  a. A a v a it certainly is different. No member of the Hall Ever has come Back and played in the major leagues. Palmer does no to know if he can but he a just about ready to let people Tell him if he can. Scouts from several clubs including Baltimore Montreal Milwaukee and the Chicago White sox Are expected to scrutinize the right handed Pitcher this weekend in Florida where he has been throwing since mid december. Lazaro Collazo for one believes the scouts will like what they see. A i think he can get major league hitters out a Collazo said. A was a matter of fact i know he  Collazo is an assistant coach for the University of Miami baseball team for which he pitched several years ago. He has in effect been palmers guru in his comeback even though he was born Only the year before Palmer began pitching in the majors. Known As Lazer the 26-year-old cuban has made an appear onily significant change in Palmer s pitching motion. A i told him How bad his mechanics look Quot Collazo said a instead of getting mad he listened and worked on it. He had bad mechanics when he pitched. He at 45, finds it All wrong o s might look Back 1 by the Baltimore Sun Baltimore my. A orioles general manager Roland he mond told the audience at the Washington touchdown club last week that the team is a a considering taking a look at Jim Palmer. If that a the Case the orioles Are behind several other clubs in checking out the comeback minded Hall of Famer who lives in their own town. A quite a few teams Are interested in Jim a said Michael Maas of Shapiro and Robinson which represents Palmer. A several have sent scouts to Florida to took at him but they be asked us not to say anything yet a a. One club that has looked at Palmer is Milwaukee where Harry Dalton runs the baseball Side of the Brewers. Dalton was the orioles farm director when Baltimore signed Palmer nearly 30 years ago. Could have got a lot More out of his body and Arm if he had done it  v Palmer recalled How Collazo approached that subject. A for a Guy who a getting in the Hall of Fame your mechanics Are awful a Collazo said to Palmer.  a a a a a a a a in a in the Hau of Fame a Palmer countered. A a Laze r is great a Palmer said. A it took a lot of nerve to Tell me my mechanics were  the change in mechanics has to do with the positioning of palmers Glove when he pitches the Ball. Instead of snapping the Glove Back toward his Chest Palmer always let it wander off toward the first base line pocket Side away from him. That move placed great Stess on his left Side he recalled. A my left Side used to Hurt As much As my right Side a he said. A i kept winning 20 games so no one wanted to change me. If it ainu to broke done to fix it. A a a now the Way in a doing it it s very relaxing. If Lazer Hadnot Given me this tip to change my mechanics i could never be doing  the question though Isnit Why has Palmer changed his mechanics but rather Why does he want to pitch again. A what prompted me to do it was the state of the television Industry a said Palmer who did baseball games for esp last season. A it was kind of frustrating to be nominated for an Ace award and get a congratulatory letter from esp then two Days later have them  want you to work for us for three years at a drastic pay Cut. A a All because they overpaid for the rights and Are losing Over $50 million. I told them id take a pay Cut for a year but they said a three years. A. Quot a it a it v a a a the correlation of doing a Good Job and being rewarded for it does no to exist so you look for something else to do. Part of feeling Ood about yourself is to Hall of Famer Jim Palmer shows his a bad mechanics in 1983, have alternatives. A i come to Florida every Winter so i figured id Start throwing and see where it went. One alternative is to do More games for the orioles which is what ill do if 1 done to pitch. Ill let them know by  Collazo said Palmer has been throwing his fastball in the 84-86 Mph Range and has had a a a great breaking Ball and a a a great change up. Palmer who regularly threw 95 Mph in his prime,.said he is throwing six or seven Miles harder than in 1984, his last season. V a. 9 a a in be been pleasantly sur prised a a said Palmer who pitched 268 victories in a 19-year career with Baltimore. A a in a sure some people wont look on it with much credence but i know i can pitch again. In be had a Blister problem and if the Blister gets Well i think  be pleasantly surprised. 7 a a in a going to let other people determine if i can pitch. If not this year ill hold the microphone with my left hand and throw with my right. Ill throw All year and do it next year. There a plenty left in my  feb. 22 a first Day pitchers catchers and injured players can report voluntarily for Spring training. Feb. 27 a first Day All others can report voluntarily for Spring training. March 1 a earliest mandatory Day for first Spring training workout. March 6-7 a quarterly owners meetings Dallas. March 11 a last Day to renew contracts. April 2 a last Day to request waivers to release player without having to pay his 1991 salary. April 8 a opening Day. Active rosters re Ducco to 25 players. May 1 a clubs May resume negotiations with their former players who became free agents. Quot May 15 a clubs May re sign players whom they released after the 199 1 season. July 9 a All Star Gamsu Toronto 8 32 . Edt. A aug. 31 a a deadline for postseason rosters. Sept. I a Active rosters increased to 40 players. Oct 8 a american league playoffs begin City of West division w inner. Oct 9 a National league playoffs begin cily of cast division Winner. Oct. 19 a world series begins City of american league Champion. By Joe Mooshil Chicago apr Don Zimmer can to wait to get to Arizona and getting away from Chicago a freezing weather Isnit the Only reason. A. Zimmer is looking Forward to Spring training with his improved cubs bolstered into contenders through the free agent Market. A i can to wait i can to wait Quot the manager said anticipating a team that has added starting Pitcher Danny Jackson slugging outfielder George Bell and Relief Ace Dave Smith. Zimmer said last september was a no fun when the cubs who had won the National league East in 1989, dropped out of Contention in mid season. Also dropping were the radio and Teie vision ratings. That did no to sit too Well with Tribune co., which owns the team As Well As the radio and to stations that carry the games. To improve the team the cubs spent about $25 million on free agents in the of season. A they did a lot More than i expected a Zimmer said. A a it a going to give us a lift. We have added three Quality players and did no to have to give anything up. A if you go out and Trade half your club to get three Guys you done to know How its going to turn out. We still have All our players. We did no to have a big year last year but we still had a pretty Good Ball  last years slide began with Rick Sutcliffe who was on the disabled list most of the season. He went from 16 wins and 229 innings pitched in 1989 to 0-2 and 21 innings last  Williams flopped As the bullpen closer and the combination of Lloyd me Clendon and Dwight Smith in left Field was a disappointment. Jackson Smith and Bell Are expected to solve those problems. The other weak spot was third base where Luis Salazar batted .254 after having a productive september in 1989. 1 a a in a not going to worry about third Bisic said Zimmer who is set in the rest of the infield with Mark Grace at first Ryne Sandberg at second and Shawon Dunston at shortstop. We have Luis Salazar Domingo Ramos and the kid Jose Vizcaino we got in the Trade with los Angeles. I can to even pronounce his name. I just Call him a the v-man.1 Well play the position by ear a. The Outfield will feature Bell in left Jerome Walton in Center and Andre Dawson in right Damon Berryhill is coming Back from shoulder surgery and will Battle Joe Girardi for the catching Job. A if Berryhill comes Back it will be a problem a Beautiful problem a Zimmer said. He also is Happy with his pitching prospects. Along with Jackson the cubs have Greg Maddux Mike Harkey Shawn bos Kate Mike Bielecki and maybe Sutcliffe As possible starters. Joining Smith and Williams in the bullpen could be Paul Assenmacher Les Lancaster and Steve Wigeon. A a in a going to have 13,14,15 pitchers in Camp and ill have to pick 10 Quot Zimmer said