European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 17, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday August 17. 1994 sports the stars and stripes Page 33 bad year to have a Good season by Bob Nightengal Ethe los Angeles times imagine watching Leonardo a Vinci painting the Mona Lisa and running . I imagine listening to Pavarotti singing ave Maria and Nis microphone going  perhaps the greatest offensive season in baseball history or at least since 1930 being reduced to a Lousy asterisk by a strike. Major league baseball is shut Down and no one knows when it will resume. We might never know whether Matt Wil Liams Ken Griffey or Frank Thomas Barry Bonds or Albert Belle could have analysis surpassed Roger Maris As baseball s sin Gle season Home run Leader. We might never know whether Tony Gwynn could have become baseball s first.400 hitter since Ted Williams in 1941. We might never know whether Thomas could have become the first player since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967 to win the triple Crown or even the first since George Brett in 1980 to Lead the league in batting average on base percentage and slugging percentage. And if the strike wipes out the rest of the season we won t know if there would have been euphoria in Cleveland which has endured a 40-year drought since the indians last were in postseason play. This City is emotionally wrecked right now said Bob Dibiasio the indians vice president. For the first time in 40 years we be got this town turned onto baseball again and now this. For those of us who Are not Strong willed you can t help but believe that somebody is out to get  said Griffey who hit his 40th Home run last wednesday night we picked a bad year to have a Good  accusations that the Ball was juiced this season the assault on the game s most illustrious records had captivated , the records figure to remain standing with no guarantee that they willbe challenged again any time soon. It s like Damn you wish this strike was t coming right now said Bonds who with 37 Home runs and 29 stolen bases was hoping to join the elite 40-40 club and win a third consecutive most valuable player  keep saying there Are things Only babe Ruth could do and now you reseeding six seven players who have a Chance to do the same  Thomas who was batting .353 with 38 Home runs and 101 rib what if the numbers went Down next year and nobody challenged those records again Frank Thomas left and Ken Griffey had great seasons interrupted by strike. That s what hurts. That s what really hurts. There were a few of us having career years but we re not getting a Chance to  meanwhile the folks in san Diego who have painfully endured the dismantling of their team the last few years no might be robbed of witnessing one of baseball s greatest feats. Gwynn batting .394, was trying to achieve a piece of baseball immortality by hitting .400. It has been nearly 60 year since anyone in the National league has hit higher than .380, the last being Ark Vaughan. Vaughan batted .385 for the 1935 Pittsburgh  Are frustrated because records Are made to be broken Gwynn  want to see some of these records  mean never in my wildest dreams did i think i d get this close to .400. Butas far As i m concerned getting an agreement to end the strike is More important than hitting .400."Gwynn still can Bat .400 if the season resumes. He needs Only 27 More plate appearances to reach the necessary mini mum and by playing in fewer games he could actually increase his chances. Houston Astro first baseman Jeff bag Well who was on a Pace to produce the most Bis since Hack Wilson s record of190 in 1930, did t need a strike to ruin his season. He suffered a broken Han tuesday night when he was hit by a pitch perhaps ending his season with a .367batting average and club records of 39 Home runs and 116  also were the obscure records that could fall Minnesota twin second baseman Chuck Knoblauch has 45 doubles an was almost on Pace to catch Earl Webb of the Boston red sox who had a record 67 doubles in 1931,"i be gotten to know a lot about of Earl Knoblauch said. These record shave been around for so Long so obviously they re almost impossible to break,anyway." new York met Pitcher Bret Saberhagen has a Chance of becoming the first Pitcher since 1919 to have More victories than walks allowed. Saberhagen is 14-4and has walked Only 13 this season and could achieve the feat last accomplished by Harry Sallee who walked Only 20 As he posted a 21-7 record for the 1919 Cincinnati reds. And Saberhagen s strikeout to walk ratio is 11 to 1, far ahead of Ferguson Jenkins record of 7.1 to 1 in 1971 for the Chicago cubs. The Colorado Rockies have sold .3,281,511 tickets this season and were on Pace to eclipse their record of 4.5  this is their last season at mile High stadium they will move to Coors Field which will have a smaller capacity it might have been a record that Wouldhave lasted forever. A record that never is supposed to be broken is new York Yankee first base Man Lou Gehrig s 2,130 consecutive games playing Streak. Baltimore Short Stop Cal Ripken needs Only 122 More games to eclipse it but the strike has presented a problem. The american league tentatively Settle 1995 schedule so that Ripken would be playing at Home against the Yankee when the record is set. Now with games being cancelled because of the strike the american league said Friday it can t ensure that the orioles will be at Home for Ripken s feat. We re hoping we get Lucky and the orioles Are at Home anyway Derek Irwin of the american league office said. The strike might also ruin the final year of the distinguished careers Fandre Dawson Dave Stewart and Kent Hrbek All of whom have announced their retirements. Fans might also have seethe last double play turned by Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker. If we Don t play anymore i m no looking to end my career on a strike shortened season Stewart 37, said. It snot the Way i envisioned  and then there Are the sagas of Yan Kee first baseman Dor Mattingly and White sox second baseman Julio Franco neither of whom has been to the playoffs in his 12-year career and now is playing for a first place team. I still dream about playing in a world series Mattingly said. 4iand if i never got a Chance at that because of the strike Well i Don t want to even think about  it s any Solace Jack Lang executive Secretary of the baseball writers association of America said postseason awards still will be presented even if the season is not resumed. Salary Cap a taboo subject in nil by Rob Gloster Boston a just mention the words salary Cap and watch hockey officials try to hide. Mindful of the problems caused by that phrase in baseball hockey officials sought to distance themselves from those words monday at the nil s an Nual meetings. Hockey like baseball does not currently have a collective bargaining agreement Between players and  nil and the nil players association Are scheduled to meet thursday in Toronto the first talks Between the sides since March 16. Though there is no immediate threat of a strike by nil players the league is pressing for a new collective bargaining agreement. The last agreement expired sept. 15,1993, the mention of a salary Cap which has become the main stumbling Block Between baseball owners and their striking players made some hockey officials quickly head for the elevators at the hotel hosting the meetings. It s a taboo subject. It s not Good for anybody if we re quoted Boston Bruins general manager Harry Sinden said. You can see what s happening in baseball. You get in the Way of the be  when asked about a salary Cap Buffalo sabres coach and director of hockey operations John Muckler said i m taking the fifth amendment nil commissioner Gary Bettman said the league seeks three elements Ina new agreement with players that it improves competitive balance is fair to players and owners and establishes a relationship Between future Overall revenues and players salaries there Are lots of ways to do this Bettman said. Obviously you could do a salary Cap. But it does t have to be salary Cap. The players seem to not want a salary Cap so that s of with  Bettman proposed 16 operational changes earlier this month such As eliminating meal allowances making players pay their Way to training Campana reducing rosters in an Effort to Force the players Back to the bargaining table. The changes will take effect sept. 1unless a new collective bargaining pact is reached training Camps Are scheduled to open sept. 2. Bettman said the players association had refused to meet with the league since March and credited the proposed changes with providing the momentum for thursday s meeting in Toronto. Our Hope is to get a Deal. And the Only Way you can get a Deal is to get to Gether and negotiate he said. My concern is about the future of the league. I m looking for a framework for future growth Bettman said it would be fruitless to compare the labor situations in hockey and baseball because the issues and the parties Are so different but did say head Learned something from the base Ball strike. They be had a difficult season they be had a lot of distractions he said. What i be Learned is i Don t want to be in that