European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 29, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday february 29, 1992 the stars and stripes c Page 25lefferts wants to Start for padres 1991 map Cal Ripken or. Waits his turn at a Baltimore Oriole batting Cage thursday. By the associated press Craig Lefferts wants a new Start with san Diego so the padres stopper would like to become a starter. Lefferts was the padres closer last season leading the team with 23 saves. But san Diego traded for Relief Ace Randy Myers in the off season and plan to use him in that role. After the Deal that brought Myers from Cincinnati for Bip Roberts Lefferts called padre general manager Joe mall Vaine and proposed that he move out of the bullpen. A i put it to him like a this is probably going to make you laugh a a Lefferts said thursday at training Camp in Yuma Ariz. A then i told him i wanted to be a starter and he did no to  Lefferts has pitched in 581 games All but five in Relief in his nine year career in the majors. His Only starts came during his Rookie season in 1983. Lefferts was 1-6 with a 3.91 Era last season. He also blew seven save chances. A a Mcllvain said at the end of the year that his priority was to get a closer so obviously he did no to feel i was the right Guy for that Job. That a one of the reasons Why i thought there May be an Opportunity to go into the rotation a Lefferts said. In other moves of sorts the Pittsburgh pirates Hope Orlando Merced can help fill the void left by Bobby Bonillas defect Spring training t Ion to the new York mets. Merced an outfielder in the minors Plato Ned at first base last season As a Rookie with Gary Redus hit .275 with 10 homers 50 Bis and 83 runs scored. But with Bonilla gone the pirates plan to play Merced full time in right Field. A i told him a this is your Home now a a manager Jim Leyland said. A this is where you Are going to be. As Long As you Are a pirate i want you to be a right  playing right Field is particularly significant to Merced whose boyhood friends included the three sons of pirate Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente. A it Means a lot to me Quot Merced said. A Clemente was my hero. He was my neighbor. I was friends with his family. Now 1 am playing his position. I never thought this would happen. 1 never thought id be standing in the same  Bonilla meanwhile arrived at practice in port St. Lucie fla., and predicted the mets not the two time Champion pirates Are the team to beat in the National league East. Especially he said if Dwight Gooden returns to form. A if Doc throws the Way he used to and can be the Force that he is his presence will be very Good for this club a Bonilla said. Rockets scuttle Pitburg behind 38 from Gipson by Mike Bowers staff writer Raf Lakenheath England a leave it to old foe Rhein main to slow the Pitburg express enough to catch a ride. Sammy Gipson poured in 38 Points As the rockets handed the two time defending champions their first loss of the Safe menus basketball tournament 100-77 on Friday. The Victory tied the rockets with the Barons atop the round Robin standings with 3-1 records in the tourney which runs through sunday. Before Gipson a Sharp shooting which included seven 3-pointers and 5 of 6 from the foul line Pitburg seemed on a direct line to its third straight title. Then Gipson caught fire. At one Point in the second half he rained in three in a Row As the rockets were pounding the Barons by 27 Points. Gipson a output was the highest so far in the tournament and the rockets Are the Only team to eclipse the Century Mark so far. Ralph Baltimore hit 32 Points in a losing cause. The Victory gives Rhein main and Pitburg 3-1 records. Lakenheath and Mildenhall Are a game Back at 2-2 and Aviano and san Vito Are 13. In earlier games Friday Pitburg 82, Lakenheath 78 Kyle James three free throws and a last second steal by Pat Mcshan sealed bit urge a Victory one that Eagle coach Dan Murphy thinks might easily have gone his Way. A a that a the Best game they be had in 20 years a Muroney said. A no one else has played them like this. We completely took them out of their game game plan by taking their big men outside Ana making their guards play underneath. A a we re the Best team in this tournament. We just need to get the refs briefed to that fact a said Murphy Safe men who was visibly upset about the officiating throughout the game. As a matter of fact with 3 37 to go in the game All of Lakenheath a starters had four personals As did Kerry Taylor who came of the Bench to score 17 Points and grab 24 rebounds. A we did no to execute the last two minutes a Taylor said. A your game plan worked to perfection but we suffered a mental letdown in the closing  it was those closing seconds that spelled disaster for a Lakenheath squad which had wiped out a 39-34 halftime deficit and took a Brief Lead at the 17 45 Mark of the last half. Pitburg then pulled ahead by eight Points but Lakenheath clawed Back to 77-76 Down with just under a minute left. That a when James took Over from the line As Lakenheath was forced to foul. His two Points from the Charity Stripe gave the Barons a 79-76 Edge but Taylor answered with a rebound and put Back. Kyle was again sent to the line for two shots but Only converted one to make the score 80-78. However Lakenheath never got a Chance for the final shot As Mcshan stole a pass and converted the Layup. A we need those close games a said James who finished with a game High 27 Points eight assists and seven rebounds. A a they re All gunning for us. We expected it to be Tough because they re Home and England a no. 1 seed. We showed a lot of heart and thank god that we have a Strong Bench. It was a total team Effort a he said. Baltimore added 20 Points and 10 rebounds before leaving the game with severe leg cramps. Lakenheath a Rob Marr shot for 18, Mike Bester 13, and Mike Jones 10 Points for the  65, san Vito 61 the rockets seemed to show effects of last nights heart breaking loss to Lakenheath in whipping the crusaders. After trailing Early in the game Rhein main jumped ahead 32-28 at the half. There were six ties and five Lead changes in the second half As the game Wasny to decided until the final two minutes. A it was hard to get the Guys pumped up after the disappointing defeat last night a said rocket skip _ a a a. Illy showed that we took them lightly. I per Richard Witcher. A it real sure Hope this is our bad game for the Day. Mark Bryson broke a tie and put Rhein main ahead 61-59 with a Short jumper in the Lane with 1 17 left. Gipson added two free throws before san Vito a Chris Mohn hit a bucket to make the score 63-61 with eight ticks on the clock. Rhein main handled the inbound pressure and Tony Little scored the final bucket at the Buzzer. Bryson and Little led the rockets with 14 Points. Derrick Mcnair scored All of his 10 Points in the second half. Jerry Coles and Allen Boones topped the crusaders with 13 Points each. Mohn added 11. A we played Good a said Coles. A except for a couple of last minute turnovers we Hung right in there. I figured they a come out a lot tougher. They must play better if they expect to beat  As it turned out they  67, Mildenhall 66 the eagles were the Only no. 1 seed and team without a Victory. That All changed when Rodney Brown hit three free throws in the last 30 seconds to Shock the Mau raders that with a win would have almost assured themselves of a championship game berth. However the loss left them and Lakenheath with identical 2-2 slates.la., Calif preps top Parade team new York a Jason Kidd a 6-foot-4 senior from St. Joseph notre Dame High school in Alameda calif., and Randy Livington a 6-3 Junior from Newman High school in new Orleans were named co players of the year on the Parade Magazine High school All America team released thursday. Kidd who will attend the University of California broke his states assist record in this seasons opening game. He was one of eight players also named to the team a year ago. Livington averaging 29 Points 9 rebounds and 6 assists per game is hitting 62percent of his Field goal attempts and 43 percent or his 3-pointers. Besides Kidd the Parade team returnees Are Percy Eberhart jr., of Athens a. Othella Harrington of Jackson miss. Rodrick Rhodes of Jersey City no. Duane Simpkins of Hyattsville my. Greg Simpson of Lima Ohio Duane Spencer of new Orleans and Corliss Williamson of Russellville Ark. The team selected by College coaches scouts and recruiters includes 40 athletes from 18 states. California had the most selections with four followed by Georgia Louisiana Maryland Mississippi new York Ohio and Virginia with three . Of Rhode Island betting ring smashed South Kingstown . A state police have broken up a College gambling ring that had ties to the mob. Unanswered were allegations of possible involvement by University of Rhode Island players. Police said thursday they had arrested three people including two University or Rhode Island students and broken up a gambling ring tied to the new England mob that had operated on at least two Rhode Island College campuses. Uri president Robert Carothers in a Brief meeting with the Media before thursday nights basketball game against Temple confirmed that some Uri players were under investigation but said a there is no Concrete evidence against any athlete. He would not say How Many players were under investigation but said no athlete had faced disciplinary action As of yet