1988_04 The Daily Collegian April 1988

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SportSpecial
California State University, Fresno
Tuesday, April 5,1988
Dodgers are 'Best in West'
^ NL WEST
1. Los Ange*es Dodgers
2. San Francisco Giants
3. Cincinnati Reds
4. San Diego Padres
5. Houston Astros
6. Atlanta Braves
By Brian V.
Sports Writer
The Los Angeles Dodgers, who made
several key moves in the off-season, have
become instant contenders and wiU edge a
solid San Francisco Giant team for first
piace in the division.
Hurt by the loss of Dave Parker, the
Cincinnati Reds will settle for third. The
Young San Diego Padres will step up the
ladder and take fourth, while the Houston
Astros, scrappy in the past two seasons,
will fade to the lower depths of the
division and outdistance only the Atlanta
Braves.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
Surprised? Well, I think the Dodgers
made some great off-season moves and
bolstered every area of weakness on the
team. They got Jesse Orosco. the lefty
stopper they've been longing for. Jay
Howell, the nghty stopper they've been
longing for, and ■ steady shortstop in
Alfredo Griffin. They also signed Kirk
Gibson and Mike Dav» to free agent
contracts and they'll both be starling on
ripening day in left and right field
respectively. The new players, along with
the likes of Mike Marshall, Pedro Guerrero, Sieve Sax and catcher Mike Scioscia.
will bring the L.A. offense back to life.
Starting pitching it solid in the first two
spots with Valenzue la and Hershiser and
the third spot is held down by oldy Don
Sutton, the fourth spot will either be an
in-proved Ton Leary or Tim Belcher.
Probable lineup:
C Mte Scioscia (.265,6 HR, 3* RBI)
IB Mike Marshall C294. 16 HR. 72
RBI) v
28 Steve Sax (.280, 6 HR, 46 RBI)
SS Alfredo Griffin (263, 3 HR, 60
RBI)
3B Pedro Guerrero (.338, 27 HR, 89
RBI)
LF Kirk Gibson (.277, 24 HR, 79
RBI)
CF John Shelby (.277, 21 HR, 69
RBI)
RF Mike Davis (.265, 22 HR, 72
RBI)
2. Saa Francisco Giants
Ho hunt baby for the Giants this year
after the division championship last year.
The Giants helped themselves by
acquiring the talented Brett Buder to lead
off for them and give them something
that was non-existent in the past Giants
teams, speed. They will be led by Will
Clark, Jeffrey Leonard and Candy
Maldoriado. Kevin Mitchell will bat
second and play third and he's coming off
a career year. The pitching, which led (he
league in ERA last year will welcome
back Dave Dravecky, and a rotund Rick
Reuse hel, Mike Krukow coming off a 5-
6, 4.80 ERA year will have to be more
consistent as a starter for the Giants to
coracad, Kelly Downs and Mike LaCoss
will round out the rotation. The downfall
for the Giants will be their bench however, where the lone ranger is Mike
Aldrete, who should be starting anyway.
But if that happened, Leonard would pout
so Craig will go with Leonard and settle
for a second place finish.
C Bob Brenly (261, 18 HR, 51 RBI)
IB Will Clark (.308, 35 HR. 91 RBI)
2B Rob Thompson (.262, 10 HR, 44
RBI)
SS Jose Uribe (291, 5 HR, 30 RBI)
3B Kevin Mitchell (.306,  15 HR, 44
RBI)
LF Jeffrey Leonard (.280, 19 HR. 63
RBI)
CF Brett Builer (295, 9 HR, 41 RBI)
RF Candy Maldonado (.292. 20 HR.
85 RBI)
3. Cincinnati Reds
Pete Rose will realize that Dave Parker
is a key ingredient to winning baseball
games, and hell be hard pressed to find
sorneone to pick up where Parker led off
with 97 RBI and 26 homers. Eric Davis
is easily the best player in the National
League and he'll look to fellow ourfielders
Kal Daniels and Tracy Jones for support.
But I don't think either of them can
replace Parker. The young middle infield
will be sandwiched between to oldies
Buddy Bell at third and Nick Esasky will
start the season at first Barry Larkin will
anchor shortstop while rookie Jeff
Treadway will take over second from Ron
Oester. The middle of the infield is weak-
hitting so Bell and Esasky will have to
produce for the Reds to be productive.
The Reds pitching, their downfall in
1987, got a lift when they acquired Danny
Jackson from Kansas City and Jose Rijo
and Tim Birtsas from Oakland in the
Parker deal but the Tom Brownings and
the Guy Hotrmans are sure not to last
more than five innings and the bullpen
will be overworked as it was last year. So
watch for their stopper John Franco to set
a record in 1988 for appearances if the
starting pitchers are true to last year's
form.
C Bo Diaz (210, 15 HR, 82 RBI)
IB Nick Esasky (.272, 22 HR, 59
RBI)
2B Jeff Treadway (.333, 2 HR. 4 RBI)
SS Barry Larkin (.244, 12 HR, 43
RBI)
3B Buddy Bell (084, 17 HR, 70 RBI)
LF Kal Daniels (334,26 HR, 64 RBI)
CF Erie Davis (.293.37 HR, 100 RBI)
RF Tracy Jones (.290. 10 HR, 44 RBI)
4. Saa Diego Padres
Larry Bowa's squad will look to move
up in the West and that will be possible
with the downfall of the Astros and the
worst team in the majors, the Braves.
Tony Gwynn will lead the young team
and he will have plenty of support with
the likes of John Kruk, Carmeio
Martinez, Rookie of the Year Benito
Santiago and the newly acquired Keith
Moreland. The demise of the Pads' will
be their starting pitching however,
because the talents of Eric Show, Jimmy
Jones, Ed Whitson and Eric Nolle are far
below what it takes to win a division.
They do have a dec*..t bench though with
Stan Jefferson, Marvel) Wynne, Shawn
Abner and Tim Flarmery to back up. The
bullpen is anchored by Lance McCullers,
and after that it's a mystery. McCullers
may be in the same situation as Franco
although the Padres aren't as likely to
jump out to as many leads as Cincinnati.
C Benito Santiago (.300, 18 HR. 79
RBI)
IB John Kruk (.313,20 HR, 91 RBI)
2B Randy Ready (.309, 12 HR. 54
RBI)
SS Garry Templeton (.222, 5 HR. 48
RBI)
3B Chris Brown (.237, 12 HR. 40
RBI)
LF Carmeio Martinez (213, 15 HR,
70 RBI)
CF Tony Gwynn (.370. 7 HR. 54
RBI)
RF Keith Moreland (.266, 27 HR, 88
RBI)
5. Houston Astros
The luck will run out for the Astros in
1988. Their one-run victory parade will
come to a screeching halt because their
weak offensive production will catch up
with them. Glen Davis, Kevin Bass, and
Billy Hatcher are the only bright spots for
the offense as is second year man Gerald
Young who hit .321 last year after being
called up in the middle of the season, but
after that it's slim pickins' with the likes
of Atlanta reject Rafael Ramirez. Ken
Camimti and Alan Ashby, who's a decent
hitler but leaves something to be desired
behind the plate. The starting pitching
will again be their bread and butler with
Mike Scon, Nolan Ryan. Jim Deshaies
and chauvanistic Bob Knepper, who
should worry more about his horrible year
in '87 (8-17. 5.27 ERA) than about women umpires in the majors.
C  Alan Ashby (.288. 14 HR, 63 RBI)
IB Glen Davis (.251, 27 HR. 93 RBI)
2B BUI Doran (.283, 16 HR, 79 RBI)
SS Rafael Ramirez (.263,  1  HR. 21
RBI)
3B   Ken  Caminiti   (.246.  3   HR,  23
*BTl
LF Billy Hatcher (.296. 11 HR, 63
RBI)
CF Gerald Young (.321, 1 HR, 15
RBI)
RF Kevin Bass (.284, 19 HR, 85 RBI)
6. Atlanta Braves
Easily the worst team in baseball.
They would do themselves some good if
they traded Dale Murphy for three or four
good young players because the Braves
are headed nowhere and fast. Ken Oberk-
fell and Gerald Perry are considered the
bright spots for the Braves, but those
poor cable subscribers will have to suffer
through another horrible season of TBS'
America's team. The pitching staff is very
weak as the rotation will go something
like this and I don't expect you to know
any of these people mind you; Zane
Smith, Charlie Puleo, Tom Glavine and
Rick Mahler. The bullpen is comprised
of some average players — Jim Acker,
Paul Assenmacher, and Joe Boever — and
it will be way overworked as the starters
will be hard pressed to go more than six
to help out the pen.
C  Ozzie Virgil (.247, 27 HR, 72 RBD
IB Gerald Perry(.270, 12 HR, 74 RBI)
2B Damaso Garcia Qnjured)
SS Jeff Blauser (.242, 2 HR, 15 RBI)
3B   Ken Oberkfell  (.280,  3   HR,  48
RBI)
LF Ken Griffey (.286. 14 HR, 64 RBI)
CF Dion James (.312, 10 HR, 61 RBI)
RF Dale Murphy (.295, 44 HR, 105
RBI)
Talented Mets
favored in East
NLEAST
1. New York Mets
2. St Louis Cardinals
3. Philadelphia Phillies
4. Pittsburgh Pirates
5. Chicago Cubs
6. Montreal Expos
By Brian Veneski
Sports Writer
The New York Mets, who finished
three games behind the Cardinals in the
NL East last season, will return to the
form of 1986 when they were World
Champions. With the likes of Darryl
Strawberry. Howard Johnson and Keith
Hernandez leading the offense, and
Dwight Gooden. Bob Ojeda and Sid Per
nandez heading the mound corps', the Nev.
Yorkers are too talented to bet against.
Defending league champ St. Louis.
will be limited to a second-place finish
thanks to the loss of Jack Clark. The
Philadelphia Phillies, and the youthful
Pittsburgh Pirates will settle into the
middle of the division standings. A big
surprise will be the Monreal Expos, who
■ -"tl fall into the cellar after winning 90
games last season.
1. New York Mets
Without a doubt, the Mets have the
best starting rotation in the majors with
Gooden, coming off drug rehab. Bob
Ojeda, back from an injury, Ron Darling
and Sid Femartde/. The bullpen will look
to Roger McDowell to put out the fire if
the starters get in trouble and he will be
backed up by Doug Sisk and David Cone.
As for the offense, if Darryl Strawberry
quits shooting his mouth off and plays
baseball like he's capable of, then he
should provide the leadership for the New
Yorkers. Howard Johnson (36 HR, 99
RBI) will be hard pressed to duplicate the
all-star season he had a year ago, but if
he's anywhere close to it then manager
Davey Johnson shouldn't complain.
Keith Hernandez will hold down first once
again as one of the steadiest players in the
game and Wally Backman will play second and platoon with Tim Teufel.
Shortstop will be the question mark for
the Mets as they will look for Kevin
Elster to fill the shoes of Rafael Samaria,
who was shipped across town to the
Yankees. Kevin McReynolds will play a
solid leftfield and center will be a platoon
situation with Mookie Wilson and Len
Dykstra sharing time. If he plays solid
defense and can knock in some runs then
the Mets should be back where they were
in 1986, in the series.
C Gary Carter (.235. 20 HR, 83 RBI)
IB Keith Hernandez (.290. 18 HR. 89
RBI)
2B Wally Backman (.250, 1 HR, 23
RBI)
SS Kevin Elster (.310, 8 HR, 74 RBI*
in Triple A)
Please see NL, page 9