European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 04, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 22 b the stars and stripes 1 thursday april 4,1991 by the associated press for a team that does no to have a player with 25 goals or 75 Points the Washington capitals have a lot of Confidence As they enter the playoffs. The Caps had reason to be upbeat As they prepared for wednesday nights clash against the new York Rar Gers in Madison Square Garden. As the rangers fell apart Down the stretch dropping out of first place with a 2-9-1 season ending slide the capitals went 9-4-2 in their final 15 games to climb from it Lith to third in the Patrick division. A with the amount of adversity we faced this year a with All the ups and Downs a we re peaking at the right time Quot said defens Eman Kevin Hatcher Washington Stop scorer with 24 goals and 74 Points. A for once we be put together 10, 15 solid  in the other Patrick division opener first place Pittsburgh was to entertain new Jersey. In the Adams division Boston was at Hartford and Buffalo at Montreal. The other four series begin thursday. In the Norris division its Minnesota at Chicago and Detroit at. St. Louis in the smythe division Vancouver visits los Angelus and Edmonton travels to Calgary. A month ago the rangers looked like a cinch for their second straight Patrick division title. But that was before they  a it a Tough to judge the rangers Washingto Stanley cup playoffs defens Eman Rod Langway said. A we Haven to seen them for a while. But when you Start the playoffs you. Start from  the last meeting Between the teams was feb. 27, when they played to a 4-4 tie at new York. The rangers won the season series 4-2-1. A last cast i the capitals beat a banged up rangers team in the Patrick division final. The rangers feel they re healthier this time. A we will Only miss Kelly let of rangers Center Bernie Nicholls said. A missing Otje Forward is better than missing half your defense.�?�. Kisio has been troubled with an injured muscle. Last year the rangers were missing half their six regular defens Emen including All Star Brian Leetch the Caps will be without soviet defens Eman Mikhail Tatarinov who Tore his left hamstring against new a a Jersey. \ a a a a a a a a a a a v a it _ 1 Pittsburgh which passed the rangers in the final weeks of the season also has injury problems. The penguins top scorer Mark Recchi did not practice monday he sustained a sprained right knee when kneed by Philadelphia a Mark Pederson the penguins say they expect Recchi to play but defens Eman Grant Jennings wont a he a out after separating his left shoulder sunday night against the rangers. _ the devils who lost ail four regular season visits to Pittsburgh but won three times at the Mead lowlands feel they can beat the penguins despite a season Long struggle on the Road. A if we play them the Way we did the last time they were Here i feel very strongly that we can beat them a coach Tom my Vic said. Boston finished the season with 100 Points 27 More than fourth place Hartford. The Bruins Wijt 50-1 against the whalers after losing the first two meetings. A a a a a a a  a a a. A the whalers were 3-11-5-in their final 19 games but general manager de Johnston Hopes a change in chemistry will reverse last years loss to the Bruins in seven games. A we were never Able to get by the first round with the same people we had year in and year out a Johnston said. A a we be injected new blood Here and hopefully changed our  Buffalo coach Rick Dudley for one will be pulling for the whalers. Quot a both us and the whalers Are huge underdogs but huge underdogs have won before a he said. A the whalers have to play their Best and we have to play our Best to have a Chance. Hopefully that a what both teams will do. A Ltd love to see a change of Power in this division a exhibition baseball 7 players let go before deadline by Ronald Blum the associated press _ seven players were let go tuesday the last Day to place a player on waivers without guaranteeing his entire 1991 salary. Pitchers Kevin Hickey and John Mitchell of Baltimore infielder Edgar Diaz and outfielder Mike Felder of Milwaukee infielder Nelson Liriano of Minnesota Pitcher Jose Guzman of Texas and Pitcher Don Carman of Houston All were placed on unconditional release waivers. That brought the total waived during Spring training to 36, the three dozen some of whom still May be claimed through Friday will get a total of $4,798,510 in termination pay instead of $18,102,500 in salaries. Fernando Valenzuela placed on waivers by the los Angeles dodgers last thursday cleared tuesday and became a free agent. While some players were shuffling off several found spots on major league Ros ters. The biggest name among them was 39-year-old Pitcher Mike Flanagan who agreed to a one year $250,000 contract with the Baltimore orioles. Flanagan released by Toronto last season with a 2-2 record and a 5.31 Era can earn another $250,000 in performance bonuses Flanagan pitched three solid innings tuesday in Baltimore a 10-5 Victory Over the Atlanta braves at West Palm Beach Fla. He has a 2.00 Era in five games this Spring and will be the orioles left handed Middle reliever. The Milwaukee Brewers signed three free agents who had been in their Camp As non roster invitees outfielder Candy Maldonado second baseman Willie Randolph and Catcher Rick Dempsey with less than a week to go before opening Day 19 of the 96 free agents remain us signed. A we did no to bring Randolph Dempsey and Maldonado in to waste their time in a situation where they did no to have a Bona fide Chance to make our Ball club a Milwaukee manager Tom Trebelhorn said. Maldonado batted ,273 last season with 22 homers and 95 Bis for eve. Land but found Little interest on the free agent Market. / meanwhile the Bobby Bonilla Saga continued with Pittsburgh pirates goner Al manager Larry Doughty talking to 10 american league clubs about a possible Trade for the All Star outfielder Doughty also contacted most National league teams monday but said he r<2-ceived no interesting offers for Bonilla who can become a free agent after this season. The Chicago cubs Mitch Williams to Phil Adelphia Deal was still on hold and the Cincinnati reds searched for another  Clemens was upset for another reason Al president Bobby Brown upheld his five game suspension and $10,000 Fine. Clemens plans to Appeal to commissioner Fay Vincent thus enabling the two time by Young award Winner to pitch on opening Day while the penalties Are put on hold. Clemens was ejected from game 4 of the playoffs last october by Umpire Terry Cooney and charged Cooney and Umpire Jim Evans after the ejection a this entire episode was unfortunate and deplorable a Brown wrote. A it detracted. From the entire league championship series and caused an inordinate delay during game four. Clemens unquestionably made physical Contact of a significant degree with Umpire Evans de a played leaving the premises and threatened Umpire Cooney with physical harm. The league simply cannot ignore offences of this  r in exhibition games Minnesota beat St. Louis 6-3, Pittsburgh beat Detroit 5-2, Kansas City beat the new York mets 9-0, Montreal beat the new York Yankees 8, los Angeles beat Houston 2-0, Balti Quot Ore beat Atlanta 10-5, Oakland beat Cleveland 10-7, Milwaukee beat san Francisco 7-6, Seattle beat the Chicago cubs 11-5 and California beat said Diego 10-4. A  y a. Y in night games the Chicago White sox beat a Texas split squad 3-2, the rangers other squad beat the University of Texas 12-5, Philadelphia beat Toronto 6-3and Boston beat Cincinnati 5-3. Nolan Ryan and his son Reid Chat before the Start of their father son Duel. Papa Nolan Ryan still tops in family Austin Texas apr Nineteen year old Reid Ryan found out tuesday night that 44-year-old Pappy Nolan is still top gun Iri the Ryan family. I Ryan a freshman at the University of Texas gave up four runs in two innings and trailed his dad and the rangers 4-1 when he left the game. Y Nolan led 5-3 when he left after throwing 111 pitches Over five innings he gave up five hits and three runs walked three and struck out seven. The rangers won it 12-5.  1. A a in a not Happy with the Way i pitched but i have to put it in perspective considering who i was pitching against a Reid said. A it was fun and something ill always  v. \. A. A Nolan was a proud father. A / a i was pleased with the Way Reid threw and i thought he pitched better than i did a the senior Rvan said. A the got some bad Breaks on a couple of those hits. Fie did a Good Job. A my intensity level was not there. I. Think i was probably distracted watching him. Its two different mind sets and Al prefer competing to being a Spectator a Nolan offered a senior heat at 92 Mph in the first inning As Reid so Junior heat was clocked at just 84 Mph on the radar gun. Ruth Ryan was nervous about the Mound Duel Between her husband and her son. She told Reid a go out and have fun. The Sun will come up the next  Ruth then fired the ceremonial first pitch Low and into the dirt. It was too slow for the radar gun to clock. A it was exciting but in a relieved its Over a she said lates. The Ryan is. Ryan matchup at Disch Falk Field attracted 19  Crevis and Oyer 100 members of the news Media torn As far away As Mexico and Japan. The standing room crowd of 8,234 fans included Texas gov. Ann Richards