Deion's name could flash in neon for the Reds, too

Sporting News, The, March 10, 1997 by Bob Nightengale

McGwire, eligible for free agency after this season, refuses to talk about a contract extension until he sees what direction the A's are taking to build a better club.

If only ...

Do you realize how strong the Expos would be if they had been able to retain some key players?

Among those who have slipped away since 1994 are center fielder Marquis Grissom, right fielder Larry Walker, left fielder Moises Alou, third baseman Sean Berry, infielder Wil Cordero and pitchers Ken Hill, Jeff Fassero, Mel Rojas and John Wetteland.

Ouch.

Call of a lifetime

It has been nearly five months since the play occurred, but umpire Rich Garcia can't stop thinking about his blown call in the American League Championship Series.

"I've probably thought about it almost every day," Garcia says of the play in which a 12-year-old fan reached over the right field wall and turned a fly ball into a home run that helped the Yankees defeat Baltimore in Game 1.

"Certain places I went during the offseason, first thing they would talk about is the play. A lot of people would say, `Good call.' But a lot of people would say `Rich, didn't you see the kid touch the ball?' I still feel bad about it. But what are you going to do? You can't let one little play get in the way of your life."

Olerud awakening

Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston predicts first baseman John Olerud will continue to struggle with his new team, the Mets.

"I hope he does well, but he's never had people yell bad things at him before," Gaston says. "and they'll yell at him in Shea Stadium. I don't think I've ever seen John have much fun playing the game. I would not be surprised if he walks away from baseball at the end of the season."

Around the bases

Indians manager Mike Hargrove, on Albert Belle: "Do I miss Albert Belle? Right now, I don't miss him. at all. When the season starts, at 7 o'clock every night, I'm going to miss him a lot." ... Yankees manager Joe Torre is getting bold these days. "George (Steinbrenner) is tough because you're not allowed to have anything go wrong," Torre says. "Someone's always at fault. We're the world champions. We're the best team in all of baseball and we lost 74 times last season (including the postseason). He loved to blame my coaching staff when things went wrong, which I can understand because it's part of his football mind-set." Torre, by the way, is signed through the 1999 season.... Rockies manager Don Baylor is furious that second baseman Eric Young arrived at camp overweight. "I'm surprised by my second baseman--unpleasantly, "

Baylor says. "It's a mystery to me why a guy whose game is speed and quickness comes in 10,13 pounds heavier." ... Astros manager Larry Dierker wasn't exactly Mr. Compassion when reacting to shortstop Ricky Gutierrez's broken right thumb: "Ricky's an important guy but it's not like (Jeff) Bagwell's hurt." ... Reds third baseman Terry Pendleton is helping Willie Greene every day even though it could cost him a regular job. "Sure, I want to play every day," Pendleton says, "but I want to win. That's why I show up, why I play this game. If I can make Willie Greene better, it makes the Cincinnati Reds better." ... You know the Marlins have a powerful lineup when Jeff Conine, who has driven in 200 runs the past two seasons, is scheduled to bat seventh.