European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 26, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday february 26,1992 the stars and stripes b Page 25com ment Rylet s enjoy baseball while we can in Mas excited As anybody about the Start of baseball but lets face it anybody who describes Spring training As Funky and informal is As out of touch As the president at the supermarket checkout counter. Lately Spring training has become huge and impersonal like family farms gobbled up by agribusiness. But it is still a joyous occasion when the pitchers and catchers a those first reverse Robins of Spring a report later this week. We must cherish baseball while we still have it. The lbs television contract from crazy Neal his prices Are in sane Pilson will run out after 1993, and the players Are Likely to swoon into catatonia when they see the Low figures. You could be watching luge reruns in april 1994. So lets enjoy baseball while we can including such burning issues As will George Steinbrenner be allowed to run his own club further into the ground make the punishment fit the crime i say did Al Harazin really know what he was doing spending All that Money on new players can Doc Gooden really throw will Melido Perez get a visa for the first Day of training with the Yankees but brother Pascual be mysteriously absent will baseball continue to spurn a Seattle based offer to buy the mariners because the Money comes from Japan that a not racist. That a dumb. If it does no to watch out baseball will Force the mariners into moving to St. Petersburg Fla., to the ugliest dome Ever built which is saying a lot. This is also the last season before the National league expands to Miami and Denver in 1993. Not All the games will be played on the Field because it is in the interest of All clubs to Stock up on old players and hide Young prospects from the expansion draft. Gary Carter has a one year contract with Montreal his first club which Means Gary has already envisioned opening Day of 1993, tooling Down from West Palm Beach to be the elderly Glamour boy of the new Florida marlins. Gay a a no fool. And done to think the cities scorned by the expansion committee wont be monitoring the snowfall in Denver in april or the rainfall in Miami All season Long. For the first time there will be meteorological standings in Buffalo and Washington. So Welcome to Spring training where All the teams a As Garrison Keillor says of the children of Lake Wobegon a Are above average. Nobody has lost anything yet. Sure the braves and the twins can do it again. Sure Oakland and Cincinnati can Bounce Back. Sure. My Vantage Point for Spring training is strategically located in Florida Between the mets and Yankees bases. Boca Raton seems to be the Headquarters of a witness relocation program. All its residents come from somewhere else and have acquired new identities new facial structures new sports cars new spouses new wardrobes and new fingernails. Because of this infusion of Money Spring training has gone upscale. Helpful gents with Northern manners have already cornered most Spring training tickets which they will gladly sell at a slight markup. Until a decade ago most teams trained in rickety Little Camps where Humble pensioners and Little children could hang Over the fences and watch workouts. I have probably told this Story before but it is Worth repeating How my son age 10, circa 1980, your Basic Urchin with a ratty Glove was casually invited into the Outfield to play Pepper with a couple of Kansas City royals before an exhibition in Bradenton. At the formidable new bunkers like the Metsy moderate Security facility at port St. Lucie if an Urchin should Ever be seen on the Field the guards in the turrets would decide whether to use the tear Gas launchers or the stun guns. Nevertheless in these High tech facilities hitters will hit pitchers will pitch coaches will coach vendors will vend writers will write and broadcasters will Tell us where the outfielders should be positioned. Come Home Tim Mccarver All is forgiven. The naw Tofte Slmaa cubs Sandberg expected to sign $31 million Deal Mesa Ariz. A the Chicago cubs and All Star second baseman Ryne Sandberg Are said to be on the verge of a contract agreement. The Chicago Sun times reported tuesday that the cubs soon would sign Sandberg to a five year Deal Worth $31 million. Cubs general manager Larry Himes declined to discuss any specifics of negotiations and said the two sides were not yet close to getting anything  but Himes acknowledged talks were ongoing and said Sandberg probably will sign within Days barring any complications. Sandberg set a March 1 deadline to come to terms or face losing him to free Agency at seasons end. Meanwhile manager Jim Lefebvre has decided on three fifths of his starting rotation. Lefebvre will Start with right hander Greg Maddux left hander Danny Jackson and righty Mike Morgan who was acquired in the off season As a free agent. A i like Jackson second because i like having the lefty Between Maddux and Morgan a Lefebvre said. A after that the other two spots Are  Lefebvre said left hander Lance Dickson is one of several pitchers with a shot to earn one of the two remaining spots in the rotation. A Dickson had a very Strong year last year a Lefebvre said. So we Are hoping for big things from  Lefebvre said Shawn Boskie has to be considered for a spot on the team and cannot be ruled out As a candidate for the rotation. A we still need a fourth and fifth starter. Those spots Are still open a Lefebvre said. A a pitching coach Billy Connors says Boskie May be the Sleeper of the whole Camp. Frank Castillo is coming off a Strong Rookie performance and will get a Lon Spring training look the manager said. Among the other candidates Are Rookie Turk Wendell and veterans Jamie Moyer and Jeff Robinson. In other happenings the Boston red sox were surprised when their Mound Ace Roger Clemons was a no show for the pitchers and catchers opening drills. Clemons did no to Call to say Why he Wasny to in Camp but his agent said the three time by Young Winner was working out and would report soon. Baseball a collective bargaining agreement does no to require slavers to re a the fact that he a not Here is somewhat of a Surprise a Gorman said. A a he a usually one of the first to get  Bob Welch another former by Young Winner also is off to a shaky Start. Welch received a cortisone injection in his left knee after throwing for the first time this Spring at Oakland scamp in Scottsdale Ariz. A hopefully it will relieve some of the discomfort in his knee Quot a s Trainer Barry Weinberg said. A a it a caused from old Wear Ana tear from previous injuries and  orthopaedic specialist or. Rick Bost who injected both sides and the top of Welches knee will examine the knee again saturday. Welch was 12-13 last year after winning 27 games and the american league by Young award in 1990. In Yuma Ariz., Tony Gwynn was among the players to take part in san Diego a first workout. Gwynn underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee sept. 18. He said he experienced a Little bit of soreness in his knee after working out on the hard  break pirates outfielder Barry Bonds relaxes in a Golf cart As he watches pitchers and catchers in Bradenton Fla. Monday. Bonds and his other teammates report thursday