Tuesday, March 29, 1983
7
Daily Nebraskan
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Editor's note: This is the first of a four -part series
predicting the outcome of the 1983 major league baM.balI
season. AH four stories will be the opinion of the author.
By Ward W. Triplet t III
The Atlanta Braves won their first 13 games and
honestly won the National League West last year. Barring
another miracle, the same shouldn't happen again this
year as "America's Team" rested a little on the laurels this
summer while their three closest competitors improved.
LOS ANGELES: The Dodgers finally did some house
cleaning over the winter, shipping off longtime cornermen
Steve Garvey and Ron Cey. All-star outfielder Pedro
Guerrero will replace Cey at third, but Greg Brock and
Mike Marshall will more than make up for Garvey's
absence. Both clubbed multitudes of home runs for the
minor league's best team Albuquerque.
The Dodgers have the distinct advantage of playing
in what is probably the youngest conference in baseball.
As last season's stretch drive fell short, the Dodger exper
ience still shone through. With Fernando Valenzuela still
yet to approach his prime (19-13) and Jerry Reuss, Dave
Stewart, Steve Howe and Burt Hoot en providing exper
ience again on the pitching side, and mainstays Guerrero,
Steve Sax, Ken Landreaux and Derrel Thomas still
around, the Dodgers are unlikely to repeat last season's
first-half bumbling. Look for the Dodgers to take over
first from either San Diego or San Francisco in July, and
take it from there.
SAN DIEGO: There are those who say that if Tim
Lollar (16-9 3.13) Ruppert Jones (.283) and Sixto Lez
cano (.277) had stayed healthy during August, the Padres
might have very well won the West. Instead, those in
juries, among many others, forced the Padres to fall not
only to the Dodger comeback, but also to the resurgent
San Francisco Giants in September.
This season, the Padres, on paper, are loaded. Lollar
returns, as do Eric Show and John Montefusco from the
right-hand side and lefty Dave Dravecky. The Padre
bullpen boasts top rookie Luis DeLeon, who is backed
by Gary Lucas, Floyd Chiffer and former starter Chris
Welsh.
Terry Kennedy returns as catcher after collecting 42
doubles and batting .294. Juan Bonilla, who sat out most
of the year because of a wrist injury, has won his second
base job back from Tim Flannary, who batted .264 as
a regular. Shortstop Gary Templeton and third baseman
Luis Salazar, both of whom have lifetime averages over
.290, batted poorly but lived up to their reputations in
the field, and the Padre outfield of Gene Richards (.284)
Jones and Lezcano is one of baseball's best. Behind them,
stolen base leader Alan Anthony Wiggins, late season star
Tony Gwynn, veteran Jerry Turner and Joe Lefebvre
wait for playing time, as will minor league star George
Hinshaw.
While the Padres should have plenty of weapons,
particularly if the pitching holds up, they still need a
consistent home run threat. Garvey might be the answer,
but the former Dodger, who will give the Padres their
first everyday first baseman since Nate Colbert, may
not be enough to take over the Dodgers ... yet.
SAN FRANCISCO: There was no predicting the
Giants last year. After stumbling early, the Giants ap
peared to be on their way to battling Cincinnati for last
place in the West and giving Frank Robinson a ticket to
retire for good. Instead, behind two crafty veterans in Joe
Morgan and Reggie Smith and impressive pitching by
former Omaha Royals Bill Laskey and Atlee Hammaker,
the Giants were suddenly back in the thing, and actually
had a shot at the Braves before falling to that team in a
late season series.
Tliis season, Morgan has joined the Geritol kids at
Philadelphia, and Smith has flown to Tokyo, leaving
Robinson with two important holes to fill. Laskey,
Hammaker and former Philly Mike Krukow are around
though, and Chili Davis is still showing signs of potential
superstardom. Tempermental Jack Clark is still around
too. The overall lack of proven talent might make it
difficult for the Giants to hang on through the stretch.
C1NNCINATI: Wliile the Reds seem to be written off
by most this season, it would be hard to believe that,
given a new start, the Big Red machine would let last
year's disasters strike again. Count on Cesar Cedeno and
Johnny Bench to improve on weak showings last year,
and the Reds pitching staff to mature enough to move
the Reds ahead of the Astros and Braves. That should
be the extent of it.
ATLANTA: Atlanta played well over their heads last
year, and were summarily dusted off by the Cardinals
in post-season phy after an emotional finish. While the
Braves showed tremendous tenacity in September, they
also took advantage of the Dodgers' poor play early and
the Padre injuries. Except for Bob Horner, the Braves
played an almost injury -free season. If that happens
again, and if the Braves get off to a spectacular start to
reinforce their confidence, then this mteht verv well be
a four-team race again. But the Braves will likely end up
on the short end of any race due to a lack of pitching
power behind Phil Niekro (is he really that good still'.').
Steve Bedrosian (no. he's really not that good) and Gene
Garber. Atlanta added sorely needed left-handed pitching
by wooing Terry Forster and Pete Falcone. Nuff said.
HOUSTON: Fd like to see the Astros improve on last
year's shabby performance, but the best of the Houston
ballplayers showed definite signs of losing it hst season.
INoJan Ryan, Vern Ruble, Craig Reynolds, Jose Cruz and
a few others sparkled at various times, but none lived up
to expectations. As a result, the Astros fell, and should
fall again. Former Pirate Omar Moreno should shore up
a shaky outfield, but he and proven All-Star Ray Knight
will not be enough.
Tomorrow: National League East
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House for Rent
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Lenten reminders:
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STUDENT CONGRES
REACHING FOR HOP JNS
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MARCH 30-APR!'.
WEDNESDAY MARCH f$$j$
Noon-4 p.m. "Spirit of The TreG"xhf)ft
Woodcarvings by Gerald
Mansion
Lecture: Future Careers in -
zundirs at the Governor's
Technology with Glenda
,ieH,orporation
:Cy p.m.
Anhaitty, Rockwell n
Nebraska Union P""
THURSDAY H 3t '
8:30-11:30 a.mrAVn,HSHOP: Academic Survival Skills at
the Nebrka Lf)ton
12:30-4:30 'VprKSHOPS: Leadership and Goal Setting
DANCE-from 3:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m. at the Nebraska Union
Centennial Room
iSO'students and $2.00 for non-students
FRIDAY APRIL 1
9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. WORKSHOP: Self-image and Motivation
at the Nebraska Union
Sponsored by UPC
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11:00 AM-
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: ; t-or more inTormauon can hz-zdh .
For more information call 472-2454
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