page 8 - The Behrend College Beacon - Thursday, April 8,1999
Out o
Yankees, Indians, Braves
are teams to beat in ‘99
Very rarely in recent baseball
history does the word “dynasty”
come to mind. In fact, the last time
a Major League Baseball team won
three consecutive World Series
Championships was in 1972-74
with the Oakland Athletics. Only
the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992-93
have repeated as champs in the past
20 years.
So where does this put the 1999
New York Yankees? Basing their
chances on the past, the image of
seeing the Yanks on baseball’s
pedestal is rather blurry. But base
the Yankees’ chances on reality
and the picture seems quite clear.
How can anyone go against a
team that only months ago was
considered the greatest ever? Add
to that, the fact that the most
consistent batting order in baseball
history is back in full force. That
alone is enough to convince many
fans that the Yankees are the team
to beat.
The talk of the off-season when
any team wins a championship
involves the stress and concern of
returning that same team. Whether
it be the Denver Broncos bringing
back John Elway, Terrell Davis and
their defense or the Chicago Bulls
scurrying to return Michael Jordan
and his starters in their dynasty, the
idea of giving the same great
players the same chance of a
Down to the Wire...
Mark McGwire faces huge task to reach Henry Aaron’s 755
by Gene Guidi
Knight-Ridder Newspapers
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Cardinals se
nior field coordinator George
Kissell, the man who gave
Sparky Anderson his first
manager’s job, says he has seen
all the great power hitters - even
Babe Ruth.
“And none of them - includ
ing Ruth - hit home runs like
Mark McGwire,” said Kissell, in
his 80s.
Kissell spoke as he watched
another batting practice power
show by McGwire.
“No one ever has hit the ball
as hard or as far as McGwire,”
Kissell said.
Or as often.
It’s a new season, but
McGwire already has served
notice that he’s still a threat to
homer every time he steps to the
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Bounds
championship is universal through all
sports. So you would think that would
be enough to convince George
Steinbrenner that his Yankees have the
tools to win. But it wasn’t.
Who is Steinbrenner without a big
name on his team and who are the New
York Yankees without a future Hall of
Famer? Last year, they were unlikely
champions entering the season. This
year, they are heavy favorites. Why?
Because of one change in one position.
Out with a good pitcher, in with a great
one.
The David Wells/Roger Clemens
trade was the only move the Yankees
dared to make in the off-season. But it
seems pretty safe to bring in the ‘9o’s
version of Cy Young to replace a
sloppily uniformed, left-hander with an
attitude...doesn’t it?
I would be the last person to turn
down Roger Clemens. But why get rid
of a pitcher that went lfr*4 in the
regular season, 8-1 in post season play
and 4-0 against the Yanks’ most feared
opponent, the Cleveland Indians?
Clemens did go 20-6 last season, but
didn’t make the playoffs with Toronto.
In his career, he has only one post
season win and has lost seven straight.
The Yankees’ roster on paper looks
unbeatable. But with those pitching
stats, the Yankees would win 116
regular season games instead of 114,
but would lose to the Indians in the
American League Championship. Of
During Monday’s rain-delayed
opener, McGwire hit one homer, but
easily could have had three. One ball
carried near the wall in rightfield, and
another stayed in the park in center
after McGwire hit it on the end of
the bat.
But the St. Louis first baseman re
minded everyone after the game that
“last year was last year and it’s time
to turn the page. The home run I hit
was only that - a home run.”
Because his first homer of the sea
son came during a 10-8 loss,
McGwire said, “It was just a re
minder that this is a team game.”
But no matter how much McGwire
wants to distance himself from his
personal accomplishments, his home
runs are special and will continue to
be chronicled whether his team wins
or loses.
During his relentless six-month
pursuit of Roger Maris last season.
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For Sale!
course, this is all on paper.
As if the rivalry wasn’t heated
enough, the Yankees vs. Indians match
up could blowup this season. Cleveland
threw some fuel on the fire this off
season by becoming MLB’s “City of
Brotherly Love.” Roberto Alomar will
join brother Sandy in the Indian’s lineup
to give Cleveland their first strong
second baseman since Carlos Baerga in
1995.
As for the other void in the Indians’
roster...the bullpen. Filled. Ricardo
Rincon and Jerry Spradlin will join Paul
Shuey, Steve Reed and Mike Jackson
(40 saves), to hopefully give die Indians
a much needed lift in the final innings.
With no starting pitchers averaging
more than seven innings last season, the
off-season additions could be key.
The needed changes in Cleveland
have been made. The only thing
separating them from baseball
supremacy is consistency. Every player
on the Indians’ roster has shown signs
of greatness. Many players have All-
Star ability. And there is no doubt in
my mind that if all wheels are turning
come this fall, the Indians will beat the
New York Yankees.
Unfortunately for baseball, that can’t
be the World Series match-up. You go
from the AL “Series of the Century,” to
the World Series that has the NL
championship team up for grabs.
There is no dominant team in the NL
in ’99. But I have to go with the Atlanta
McGwire did the unthinkable and hit
70 home runs.
Is Hank Aaron next on McGwire’s
Most people would say no,
Aaron’s career-record 755 homers
is a formidable mountain to climb,
even for a prolific power hitter like
McGwire. But then, so was Maris’
season record of 61 - and McGwire
and Sammy Sosa shattered that last
year.
As Seattle manager Lou Piniella
said: “This is a very homer-friendly
time in baseball.”
McGwire, 35, is 20th on the all
time home run list with 458, most
among active players but 297 shy of
Aaron. On NBC’s “Meet the Press”
last Sunday, McGwire said he’d like
to play five more years “God willing.”
That means he would have to aver
age 60 homers a season to catch
Aaron.
No way, right?
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Sports
JASON SNYDER
Braves. They did lose Andres
Galarraga in the off-season due to his
illness, but picked up Otis Nixon, Bret
Boone and Brian Jordan. And once
again, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine,
John Smoltz and Kevin Millwood will
make up the best pitching rotation in
baseball. Mark Wohlers is back in
force and 30-save man Kerry
Ligtenberg will keep the bullpen
strong.
Last year, the regular season ended
with monumental wild card chases.
1999 should follow suit, but with new
cities experiencing the excitement.
Among those cities should be Toronto,
Baltimore and Seattle in the AL.
In the NL, behind Atlanta and
Houston will be the Dodgers, N.Y.
Mets, San Francisco, Cinncinati and
Big Mac’s Cardinals vying for a post
season opportunity.
But when the field gets narrowed,
it should be a three-team show. The
Yankees, Indians and Braves did what
they had to in the off-season. The gaps
are filled, the rosters are solid and the
stage is set for a smashing end to the
century.
And, oh yeah...McGwire opened
the season with a bang. The
countdown has begun.
Snyder is the sports editor for the
Beacon. Out of Bounds appears
weekly on this page.
But then you think, McGwire has
hit at least 52 homers in each of his
past three seasons. He has 128 in the
past two seasons.
If McGwire were to challenge
Aaron, he likely would have to stick
around for more than five years.
Suppose he averages 50 homers
for the next five years - not an unre
alistic number for a slugger who has
made home run hitting an art.
That would leave him 48 shy of
Aaron. He would be 40, but remem
ber, McGwire spent a lot of time on
the disabled list between the ages of
28 and 32, which might have saved
him some of the normal wear and
tear an athlete experiences. In 1993
and 1994 combined, he played in 74
games.
It’s why McGwire says that “he’s
in his prime” at 35 - an age when
careers often are on the down eleva-
His work ethic is second to none
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BEHREND BRIEFS
Former PSU
basketball standout
speaks at Behrend
Angie Potthoff, a former Penn State basketball standout, spoke at Behrend
this past Tuesday to as part of “National Student-Athlete Day.” The luncheon
was held in Dobbins’ Gazebo Room and was open to all Behrend student
athletes.
Behrend currently has nearly 150 student-athletes which gave the day
more meaning for the college.
Potthoff has strong ties to both Penn State and the Erie area. She played
high school ball at Mercyhurst Prep and was a key participant in the Nittany
Lions’ basketball program. Potthoff graduated from University Park in May
1997 after four solid seasons on the court.
She is the fourth all-time leading scorer at Penn State (with 1,724) points
and rebounder (with 918). She also holds the all-time record for career field
goal percentage at PSU at 57.4%. While she was on the roster, the Nittany
Lions won two consecutive Big Ten Tournament Championships and made
three NCAA appearances.
After graduation, Potthoff played professional basketball in the American
Basketball League where she contributed to the champion Columbus Quest.
Mandy Bodnor earns
second AMCC Athlete
of the Week Award
Behrend softball player Mandy Bodnor received her second Allegheny
Mountain Collegiate Conference Athlete of the Week award this past week
for her role in the Lions’ 7-1 week. Bodnor is a junior pitcher/third baseman
for the Behrend women and has been sharp on both sides of the bat.
Bodnor pitched in Behrend’s wins over conference opponents Lake Erie,
Pitt-Bradford and Pitt-Greensburg to move the Lions into a tie for the AMCC
lead.
She is 12-3 already this season on the mound. Bodnor hit .500 on the
week with 14 hits. She finished the week with 16 RBl’s and five home
runs. She slammed seven long balls on the year which is a new Behrend
record for a season.
Bodnor is from Pittsburgh, PA where she attended Shaler High School
in the sport, which could keep him
going into his 40s if that’s how long
it took to challenge Aaron.
What does Aaron think?
“They could catch me in a hurry
if they continue to hit home runs the
way they did last year,” Aaron told
the Boston Globe.
There are some. Aaron included,
who believe Ken Griffey is the
player who might challenge the
record. Griffey, 29, has 351 homers
in 10 seasons, including one Mon
day in the Mariners’ opener, and is
one of only three players to hit
50 in consecutive seasons.
But already a wealthy young man
reportedly entertaining a new $ 100-
million contract offer, there’s no
guarantee Griffey would play long
enough to set the record.
The biggest question concerning
McGwire might be whether he
would choose to put up with the
media attention and continuing loss
of privacy that would accompany
his pursuit of 755.
“People come up and just sit
down at my table when I’m out
having lunch or dinner,” McGwire
said last season when asked how
the record chase had changed his
life. “I’ll be sitting there eating and
someone will come up, sit down
and
start telling stories.
“I look at someone like Michael
Jordan and understand what a per
son like that goes through.”
Jordan has retired, leaving
McGwire as the most visible
sports hero in the country.
That can be an incredible bur
den. And more than split-finger
fastballs and crazy-quilt travel
schedules, it might ultimately help
preserve Aaron’s spot atop home
run mountain.