European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 19, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 26 g the stars and stripes saturday october 19, 1991 world series matchup the last to list confrontation that everyone wants to see by Jim Donaghy Minneapolis apr a year after finishing at the Bottom the Atlanta braves and the Minnesota twins Are on top of the world. The matchup of worst to first division winners in the world series became a stunning reality thursday night when Atlanta beat Pittsburgh 4-0 in game 7. A i think everyone in baseball wants to see that confrontation a Minnesota first baseman Kent Hrbek said. The first two games of the series Are scheduled for saturday and sunday nights at the noisy metro Doc. Clearly this gives the twins an advantage. It lakes a while to adjust to the marshmallow balloon. Give Atlanta the Edge in pitching though. Steve Avery and John Smoltz Are on a major Roll. The twins Start three right handers so that should also help lefty swinging David Justice and Sid Bream. A look at How the twins and braves match up position by position first base Mii Mesot Kent Hrbek Hrbek struggled in the playoffs 3 for 21but made several outstanding defensive plays. His work with the Glove is underrated. Hrbek hit .276 is. Left handers and the braves have three lefty starters. Atlanta Sid Bream and Braun Hunter Bream will probably see most of the action since he starts against right handers. If he slumps however Hunter will move right in. Both Bream and Hunter have Power but they re not As polished defensively As Hrbek. Edge Minnesota second base Minnesota Chuck Knoblauch Knoblauch the favorite to win Al Rookie of the year honors is one of the big reasons for the twins move from last to first. He a a sure handed fielder and surprised everyone with his Bat. He hit .281 with 24 doubles 50 Bis and 25 stolen bases. Knoblauch had a big playoff against Toronto going 7 for 20 and five runs scored. Atlanta Mark Lomke and Jeff Treadway Lomke is better defensively than Treadway particularly turning the double play but he hit Only .234 and has no punch. But he did drive in the Only run in averys a los game 2 win. Treadway batted .320 in 10b games. Edge Minnesota shortstop Minnesota Greg Gagne Ciagne has great Range and can make the Long throw from the Hole with accuracy and nop. After hitting .235 in i to he hiked his batting average 30 Points. His defense is underrated and he often comes up with key hits to keep rallies going. Atlanta a Rafael billiard Belliard a free agent signing gave the braves much needed defense and also hit a surprising .249. Belliard and  form a reliable do combo. Edge Minnesota third base Minnesota i hike Pagliarulo and Scott Leins Pagliarulo starts against right handers and Leius a Rookie against left handers. Pagliarulo is swinging a hot Bat 5 Lor 15 in the playoffs including a Pinch Bonier in the Lola inning to win game 3 at the sky Donte. Leius hit .2x0 and can also play shortstop. Pagliarulo and Leius Are both better than average defensively. Atlanta Terry Pendleton Pendleton will probably win the map award. Me led the no with a .314 average had a career High 22 homers and or a Quot a Ita Vav f w 4- v a workers paint the world series logo to the turf in the metronome thursday afternoon. Drove in 86 runs. Pendleton is still a great fielder and even better on an artificial surface. He hit a dry spell in the playoffs. Edge Atlanta Catcher Minnesota Brian Harper and Junior Ortiz Harper hit .311 this season and has a lifetime average of .302 in the american league. His defense however is below average. He has a lot of problems throwing out baserunners. Ortiz catches when Scott Erickson pitches. He also will he used As a Lutc inning defensive replacement. Allan la Greg Olson Olson a Siudy defensive Catcher also came through with some big hits in the playoffs. He won game 6 with a double in the ninth. He a from Minnesota and played Lor the twins in 14x4, Edge Atlanta left Field Minnesota Dan Gladden Gladden is proving to be a dangerous postseason player lie was a combined 16 Lor 51 in the 14x7 playoffs and world series and added six More hits against Toronto. Gladden ended the regular season in a 26-nr-141. 1x4 slump. Al Muntu Lunnie Smith Smith is considered weak defensively but came up with two assists in the play Olts. Smith the first Plaver to make the world series with four different teams needs to get on base More than lie did in the playoffs. Edge even Center Field Minnesota Kirby Puckett its hard to imagine the twins winning the world series without Puckett doing some serious hitting. He started the playoffs i for 7 and Minnesota a offence looked shaky. Once Puckett got going it was All Over. He was the playoff map going 4 for 21 with two homers and six Bis. The twins were a Little concerned about Puckett s Lack of Power in the second half a he hit Only three homers after july 20. Atlanta run Gant Gant also an map candidate hit 32 homers with 105 Bis and 34 stolen bases. He will fall into slumps though Gant seems to get a late jump on balls hit in front of him. Gant stole a playoff record seven bases. A Edge Minnesota right Field Minnesota Shane Mack Mack selected in the Rule 5 draft in 14x4, was probably the biggest Surprise on the twins this season. He hit .310 with 27 doubles x triples in homers and 74 Bis when Puckett stumped a Little in the second half Mack hit 57 with 10 homers and 45 Bis Atlanta Dovid Justice at times. Justice looked a Little lost m the playotes. But he should do better in the series since the twins Start All right handers. Despite missing almost two months with Back problems. Justice had 21 homers and 87 Bis. Lie is a dead fastball hitter but the twins top three starters Arentt True fastball pitchers. Edge Atlanta designated hitter Minnesota Chili Davis the do will be used in the games played at the metro Doc. Davis signed As a free agent had a career High 29 homers and drove in 93 runs. He was 5 for 17 in the playoffs. The twins will miss Davis Bat in the games at Atlanta. Atlanta Brian Hunter Tommy Gregg the braves will take advantage of the do by getting Hunters powerful Bat in the lineup when possible. He had 12 homers in 271 at Bals and hit a 2-run Homer against the pirates in game 7. Edge Minnesota starting pitchers Minnesota Jack Morris Kevin Tapani and Scott Erickson if the world series goes seven games there s a Good Chance Morris 18-12 will pitch in three of them. Morris is 5-1 lifetime in postseason play including two playoff victories against Toronto. Tapani 16-9 recovered from an 0-6 May to become one of the leagues Best pitchers in the second half. Erickson was the Best Pitcher in the first half going 12-2, but he was on the 15-Day disabled list with a sore Elbow struggled in the second half and finished 20-8. Atlanta torn Glavine Steve Avery John Smoltz and Charlie Leibrandt Avery 18-8 and Smoltz 14-13 have been almost untouchable in the second half and in the playoffs. Avery allowed no runs in 16>/i innings to beat Pittsburgh twice. Smoltz was 12-2 in the second half and won game 7 with a shutout. Giavina 20-11 seemed a Little Arm weary in the playoffs. Leibrandt 15-13 has Al experience and that should help the other Atlanta pitchers. Edge Atlanta Relief pitchers Minnesota Rick Aguilera Steve Bedro Sian Carl Willis David West Mark Guthrie and Terry Leach the twins bullpen was Brilliant in the playoffs giving up Only two runs in 1845 innings. The big Surprise was the performances of West and Willis who combined for i scoreless innings. Aguilera who had 42 regular season saves added three More in the playoffs. Bedrosian was the Only weak link giving up two hits and three runs in 116 innings. It seems unlikely Willis and West will do quite so Well again. Atlanta Aljandro Pena Kent Mercker Mike Stanton Mark Wohlers and Jim Clancy Pena has been outstanding since being acquired irom the new York acts in August recording 14 saves in As Many chances including three in the playoffs. I he braves bullpen can throw heat. Edge even Bench Minnesota manager Tom Kelly does no to make too Many changes but he has some Good Pinch hitters available including Randy Bush and Gene Larkin. A1 Newman can play All the infield positions and the out yield. The twins led the Al in Pinch hitting going 48 for 158 .304. Larkin was ii Lor 25 .440 As a Pinch hitter and Bush was 13 for 34 .382. Atlanta manager Bobby Cox has several reliable infielders he can pull off his Bench such As Treadway and Jeff Blauser. Bonimy Gregg has some Power from the Leti Side. Keith Mitchell can be used As a defensive replacement for Smith in left Field. Edge Minnesota