European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 26, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Fonday february 26. 1993 r sports the stars and stripes Page 33 Smith is thriving in dodger front office by Mary Ann Hudson lot Angeles times Vero Beach Fla. Here was a Guy who could play a Ball off the Wall in deep right Field and make the throw to third base no Cut off needed. He could leg out a single and turn a Bloop hit into a double. Reggie Smith signed with the Minnesota twins As a shortstop and got picked up in a draft by the Boston red sox for whom his Rise to the majors was meteoric. He spent Only 2v4 years in the minors before making the red sox in 1967. There he Learned How to hit from Ted Williams who unknowingly also taught Smith How to teach. There Smith also Learned the consequences of speaking out for human rights and Equality which often made him the target of racial slurs. The animosity did t quiet him but after eight years he was glad to leave Boston. Yet this in t about Reggie Smith the ballplayer even though los Angeles dodger manager Tom Lasorda has enough stories about him to fill a Book. Nor is it about Reggie Smith a Black Man. This is about Reggie Smith once again a Prospect who happens to be Black. In the last four years Smith has be come one of the dodgers most visible administrators. At baseball s annual meetings where team officials talk con tracts and trades Smith was there in suit and tie among the dodger Hierarchy sit Ting in on meetings and being consulted on player moves. He has been promoted three times i four years and is now the organization s minor league Field coordinator reporting to Charlie Blaney who is director of minor league operations. Smith has a staff of 30 and is responsible for 200 minor leagues Reggie is a Prospect Blaney said. He can go As far was he  yet Smith has t traded in a Bat for a Reggie Smith shown at right with Davey Lopes Steve Garvey and Bill Russell in 1980, is the dodgers minor league Field coordinator responsible for 200 minor leagues. Clipboard. He has continued to teach hit Ting which he considers his main purpose in life. He has helped Eric Karros last year s National league Rookie of the year. He has made a big Impact on Mike Piazza the club s Upland coming Catcher. He is proudest of his work with Outfield Prospect Billy Ashley. Reggie is respected by the players which is one of the most important things and is respected by the staff said Fred Claire the dodgers executive vice president. Monday Smith was in uniform at hoi Man stadium working with Eric Davis who is trying to take a hitch out of his swing. Davis began to hit. Smith watched intently from behind the Cage. After a few swings Davis pulled a hard line drive. Smith smiled. Yes he said. That s  four years ago Smith owned a successful computer business in los Angeles when he was approached by a Friend who wanted him to Call the dodgers about a Job opening. The Friend Ben Moore was a member of a group striving to gain opportunities for minorities in baseball s front offices. The group had been formed shortly after former dodger general Man Ager Al Campanis appeared on the Abc network program nightlife in 1987 and made racist remarks. The position was for a roving hitting instructor in the minor leagues. Not exactly front office but a Start. Smith agreed to Call about the Job but he was hoping it would t work out. He � called More for the cause of Equality for minorities than he did out of interest. He hoped the dodgers would turn him Down or make him a bad offer so he would be off the Hook. But the dodgers reeled him in. Smith s Job is to oversee the operations on the Field at the dodgers six minor league Camps. He is in constant communication with Blaney about the players and the operation itself trying to help put the dodgers minor league system Back to where it was a decade ago. There s no question there was an interruption in the dodgers farm system Smith said. We had an infield that played together for nine years and an Outfield that was together four or five years. Players coming up Only have to stay with the team six years with free  the dodgers also made some bad trades and had some draft picks that did t work out. But four years ago Blaney implemented a plan to turn the system around. He Points to Karros Dave Hansen Pedro Astacio Pedro Martinez and the promising Piazza Raul Mondesi Billy Ashley and Greg Hansell As evidence that the plan is working. Smith has helped in their development. Reggie has had a big Impact on my career Piazza said. "1 worked with him for two straight weeks in the 1991 season and it turned put to be a big year for me. Just look at the  Piazza had hit .250 with six Home runs in 1990. In 1991, he hit .277 with 29 Home runs. Lasorda said that when he was hired by the dodgers in 1977, the first player he went to was Reggie Smith. I told him How hard i had worked for the Job and i told him i need you he said to me nobody has Ever told me that before " How times change. Row by Steven wine Melbourne Fla. A fourteen years older than the National league s first expansion teams Charlie Hough likes the idea of finishing his career with the new Florida marlins. By default the 45-year-old Kikuc Leball Pitcher has already been pencilled in As the marlins no. 1 starter. Hell give them a lot of innings and a few victories. They needed somebody to take a Little of the heat off the rest of the pitching staff Hough said. They re going to March some kids out there that Are going to be Over their Heads. If there s somebody on the team that has been through it it can help take the pressure off  signed As a free agent in december Hough went 7 1 last season with a 3.93 Era for the Chicago White sox. He has won 202 games since reaching the major leagues in 1970, less than a decade after the National league s initial expansion added teams in new Orkand Houston. Marlins manager Rene Lacheman who coached and managed against Hough for years knows How difficult it can be to nit the Knuck Leball. Every time he pitched against us we did t have Ery Good Success Lacheman said. A lot of times Ita Guy was hitting Well we d take him out of the lineup most Charlie because we did t want to mess up his swing. He put some Guys in a slump.". Hough has pitched More than 175 innings each years nce 1981, and if he starts every fourth Day for the marlins he could lose 25 games. Hough dislikes thunk no in such terms but admitted we probably won t be he Best  Cabrera reaches make or waive stage with braves we St Palm Beach Fla. A Francisco Cabrera who won a place in the hearts of Atlanta braves fans with his seventh game heroics in the no playoffs last year in t guaranteed a spot on the team s opening Clay roster. Cabrera s two out ninth inning hit beat the Pitts Burgh pirates and put the braves in the world series for the second straight year. But the backup Catcher and Pinch hitting pc Curlist is options. That Means if Cabrera 26, fails to make Charlie Hough will try to win some games while helping the Young marlins learn the major league ropes. Still Hough jumped at the Chance to join the marlins because at Joe Robbie stadium hell be pitching less than 15 minutes from the neighbourhood where he Crew up old friends he has t seen in 25 years surface daily and he plans to give out plenty of opening Day tickets. After i m finished there will be Only 3,000 seats available Hough said. He signed a one year $800,000 contract with incentives that could push his pay to $1 million. Hough thinks the marlins Are gelling a Good Deal. In today s Market it s a pretty Low salary and they Haven t committed to anything Long term he said. They re going to give All these kids a Chance. Out of  team the uracs must put him on waivers where he can be claimed for $50,000. I m so glad that i m out of options said Cabrera who Hopes this Means the braves will keep him on the roster. The thing is i have never made any problems Here never had any problems with anybody Greg Olson Back after a leg injury that ended his 1992 season in september and Damon Berryhill Pla Toon As the team s regular catchers. That apparently leaves Cabrera battling with Jerry Willard and Wally Dackman for a Job. General manager John Schuerholz said Cabrera who has just 105 at bats Over the last two seasons has a Good Chance to make the team. He certainly helped himself in the playoffs Schuer Holz said. Cabrera is one of five players on the roster who remain unsigned. Schuerholz has put a March 4 deadline on con tract agreements. After that he said the team will renew the players contracts at a salary of its Choice. Players whose contracts Are renewed by the team can not have their pay reduced by More than 20 percent. Besides Cabrera the players All with less than Thiee years in the majors Are Deion Sanders Melvin niches Steve a very and Mark Wohlers