European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 08, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                New look majors open Talent shift Marks 91 season by Ben Walker. A baseball writer. A scorecard wont be enough to Tell the players apart this week. Better bring a Rand Mcnally too. Never before has baseball seen such a shift of major Talent in one Winter. Darryl Strawberry George Bell Willie Mcgee Vince Coleman Kirk Gibson and to Jackson Are among the 30-something free agents who moved while Tim Raines Glenn Davis Joe Carter Fred Mcgriff Tony Fernandez Roberto Alomar and Dave Parker Are some of the dozen big names that traded places no set of off season moves has Ever come close. Put it this Way since Cincinnati finished its Surprise sweep of Oakland 27 players who ranked among the leagues top third in runs Bis victories or saves have switched teams. In the last 10 years never had More than seven such players changed clubs in one Winter. And in the past 75 years Only once had at least 10 such players been on the go a in 1963, when 16 Guys moved including trades involving Luis Aparicio Hoyt Wilhelm and Moose Skowron. Of course the emergence of free Agency is the major reason for so Many transactions particularly last Winters crop of a a new look players set free by collusion rulings a Gary Gatti Jack Morris Brett Butler Jack Clark Dave Smith and Danny Darwin were among them and they All found new High priced Homes. With seven openers on tap monday some big names Are still out there. Pete Incaviglia who hit 24 Home fun with 85 Bis for Texas and Fernando Valenzuela who went 13-13 with a no hitter for los Angeles Are available for whatever amount a team wants to pay them. With so much switching there Snow one big question will baseball a balance of Power shift too Cincinnati which will try to become the first world series Champion to repeat since the 1978 new York Yankees was one of the few teams that did not add a significant player. Instead the reds lost Danny Jackson to the Chicago cubs. Oakland trying to become the first team to win four straight pennants since the Yankees in 1964, chose to not re sign Mcgee who won the weird National league batting title and Scott Sanderson a 17-game Winner. Rather they signed Willie Wilson As insurance for Jose Canseco a bad Back got Eric show to take Sanderson a spot in the rotation and added Ernest riles and Vance Law to platoon at third base for Carney lans Ford who was injured in a snowmobile Accident and May miss the entire year. Pittsburgh and Boston the other two division winners went in opposite direct Lions. The pirates lost Sid Bream Wally Backman . Reynolds and Ted Power without adding anyone while the red sox spent millions to sign Darwin the no Era Leader Clark and Pitcher Matt Young. Most Active of All however was los Angeles. The dodgers brought Strawberry Back Home for $20 million signed Butler to Lead off and play Center Field see majors on Page 22the stars and stripes april 8,1991 Page 28today s openers a Al a new York at Detroit Boston at Toronto Cleveland at Kansas City Chicago at Baltimore All Day games Milwaukee at Texas night. A no a Houston at Cincinnati Philadelphia at new York both Day games Hawks blues flames Kings Square series by the associated press it was get even night for Chicago St. Louis Calgary and los Angeles in the nil playoffs on saturday night. They All won big games at Home to lie their respective Best-of-7 series at 1-1 after opening night upsets Chicago beat Minnesota 5-2 and St. Louis stopped Detroit 4-2 in the Norris division playoffs. Calgary Stanley cup playoffs turned Back Edmonton 3-l and los Angeles beat Vancouver 3-2 in overtime in the smythe. All four teams had lost opening round games in a series of upsets on thursday night. The nil playoffs were to continue sunday night with semifinal play in the Patrick and Adams divisions. New Jersey hosted Pittsburgh and Washington entertained the new York rangers in the Patrick with their series tied 1-l Boston was at Hartford and Buffalo at Montreal in the Adams. Boston and Hartford were tied 1-1 and Montreal held a 2-0 Lead Over  division Blackhawk 5, North stars 2 Chicago a Warren Rychel playing in the third nil game of his career scored a goal and assisted on two others As Chicago beat Minnesota. The Blackhawk looked More like the team that posted the leagues Best record. They doubled Minnesota s shot production in the first two periods 12-6 and 14-7 and checked hard at both ends of the inc. They also limited the North stars to five Power play chances Down from 11 in thursday nights 4-3 overtime \ see nil on Page 22 North stars Mark Tinardi and goalie Jon Casey prevent Black Hawks Warren Ryc heps shot in saturday nights game. N from wire reports the world league of american football is tilling toward Europe. All three european division teams triumphed saturday in the third weekend of Olaf play. The Frankfurt Galaxy downed the Host new York new Jersey knights 27-17, the London monarchs silenced the visiting Orlando Thunder 35-12, and the Barcelona dragons beat the Raleigh Durham sky Hawks 26-14. E Olaf Galaxy 27, knights 17 East Rutherford . Mike Perez threw three touchdown passes and Frankfurt s defense to Breed 12 fumbles recorded 10 sacks and blocked a punt As the Galaxy Defeated the wingless knights in a night game. Frankfurt 2-1 dominated the knights Olaf Home opener at giants stadium before a crowd of 36,549. The Galaxy built a 17-0 Lead Early in the second Quarter and then gave it away As Perez was intercepted twice with both returned for touchdowns. A 35-Yard interception return by Anthony Parker got the knights to 17-10 behind late in the first half. The game tying to came after Falanda Newton fumbled during the return of an interception and linebacker Ron Sancho fell on the Ball in the end zone 1 25 into the second half. Stephan Maslo got Frankfurt Back in see Olaf on Page 22 inside sports Rainey goes wire to wire for Cycle Victory a Page 25 bulls take Central. Division title a Page 26 . Exhibition draws 37,458 fans a Page 26 Hearns stops Atkin in third round a Page 27