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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 30, 1982)
sports Battalion/Page 11 March 30, 1982 Bench’s position transition made easy by Concepcion TANK MCNAMARA by Jeff Millar & Bill Hinds United Press International TAMPA, FLA. — Greater love hath no man than to put another one ahead of hini- seli. and that's what Dave Concepcion has been doing all spring. He lias “adopted” Johnny Bench, taken him under his wing and helped him over some of the rough spots at a tough new position like third base. Bench, a 13-time All-Star catcher with the Cincinnati Reds, savs he can’t possibly think of anyone better to show him the ropes than the slender, slick-fielding Venezuelan, a six-time All- Star shortstop himself. “We got a new third baseman with the best hands in baseball," Concepcion tells a writer talking about the Reds’ chances this summer. After a pause, he adds, “behind the plate.” He isn’t trying to be funny. He respects Bench's overall ability as an athlete and the extraordinary contribution he’s made to the Reds' success over the past 14 seasons. Along with it, he realizes the conversion isn't that easy. Earlier this Spring, Concepcion noticed Bench letting some ground balls play him. He didn’t wait for any introduction. He went right over and told him what he was doing wrong. “You’re catching the ball inside your legs too much,” he said to Bench. “You don’t have to do that. You’ve got great hands. The ball is getting to you. You should go out after it more.” Bench nodded. He appreciated the help. Lately, Bench has seemed more comfort able at his new position. He isn’t having nearly as much trouble handling it. Starting his 13th season with the Reds, Concepcion has been having a great spring, hitting around .400, looking satin smooth in the field and running the bases perfectly. He never forgets to keep an eye on Bench. But he doesn’t think what he's doing is any big thing and the only time he talks about it is when Bench broaches the subject to newsmen and suggests they talk to Con cepcion about it. “It’s like me going behind the plate and trying to catch,” says the Reds’ shortstop when he hears how grateful Bench is for his help. “He'd help me. I’m trying to help him. Whv not? He’s a good guy. And he listens. It I say something about fielding at third base, he listens. “I always keep in mind how many guys on this club helped me when I first came up here in 1970. I had great players all around me. Players like Bench, (Pete) Rose, (Tony) Perez, (Lee) May. Every onp of them helped me when I came up. Maybe it was because they saw how I wanted to be better and better every year. I wanted to do all the things they could do. I remember the first time I got to be the All-Star shortstop in 1975. It made me feel so good.” Concepcion has played on four World Series clubs with the Reds. He’s amused, he says, that all he keeps hearing this spring is how the Dodgers and Astros look like the best clubs in the National League West. “Every year, we keep hearing how we don’t have a chance and we’re always right there at the end,” he says. “This year we’re hearing the same thing because we lost (George) Foster, (Ray) Knight, (Dave) Col lins and (Ken) Griffey. Even though we lost them all, we still have the best def ense we’ve had in the last four years. Just look at it. With Cesar (Cedeno) in center, (Ron) Ches ter at second, (Alex) Trevino catching and (Danny) Direseen at first, our defense is tremendous. Driessen is one of the best de fensive first basemen in baseball. He has never won A Gold Glove and I don’t know why.” Now or never Mariners’ Stroughter trying to end 11-year stopover in minor leagues Nystrom scores two goals to lead effort Islanders stop NY Rangers 7-3 United Press International NEW YORK — Like the appearance of that first robin, a dutch play by Bob Nystrom represents a sure sign of spring. “Spring is coming,” Nystrom said Mondav night after scoring two goals and adding an assist in the second period to spur the New York Islanders to their seventh game without a loss, a 7-3 decision over the New York Rangers. “I always give a little more in the springtime," continued Nys- trom, whose overtime goal gave the Islanders the Stanley Cup in IMO. "The games are more in teresting.” Nvstrom's performance took an interesting game — the onlv one played in the NHL Monday — and turned it into a rout. He stored twite within 48 seconds to extend a 3-‘2 Islanders' lead to >-■ He later led Mike McEwen on a 2-on-l to allow the Islan- <tets tt> leave for the second- petKKl intermission with a b-2 advantage. first goal was important Ibetause the Rangers were fore- Ichecking well,” said N vstrom. I "hen thev went down In two pwlx they stopped.” Hie decision enabled the I Binders to post a 6-2 advantage Im the season series between the |NHl. Patrick Division rivals. he ve been criticized the last llhree weeks Ivecause we haven't plaved that well,” said Denis Pot- bin, who scored the final Islan ded goal on a power plav. "But Few members of the Rangers would disagree. They got a good look at the team they will face in the Stanley Cup quarterfinals should both teams survive the first round. “They’re just so solid at every position,” said Rangers’ captain Barry Beck. “They’re going to be a tough team to beat. They just kept coming at us. They’re the best hockey team in the league, there’s no doubt about it, at least to me.” The Islanders took a 2-0 lead in the first period before the Rangers even had a shot on goal. Wavne Merrick scored his 12th at 3:23 and Clark Gillies his 37th at 5:09. (allies scored 10 goals against the Rangers this season. The Rangers rallied to tie the score by converting their onlv two power plays of the period. Robbie Ftorek scored his eighth at 7:55 and Beck his ninth at 10:25. Both goals were set up bv Ron Duguay and Mike Rogers. Anders Kallur snapped a 2-2 tie at 17:50 by converting a goal mouth feed from John Toneili for his 18th goal of the season. The Rangers’ Rob McClana- han and Potvin exchanged goals in the third period but by then the Rangers were facing their second straight loss af ter a nine- game unbeaten streak. "It’s been one of these days," said Ranger Coach Herb Brooks. “I didn’t get a wakeup call and almost missed the team picture. I made Mr. “Sonny” Werblin (Madison Square Gar den president) miss two appointments.” United Press International Steve Stroughter has paid his dues. Making a bid to stay in the big leagues after 1 1 seasons in the minors, Stroughter hit a two- run homer and a triple to spark the Seattle Mariners to a 7-4 vic tory over the San Diego Padres Monday. The 29-year-old outfielder and designated hitter raised his spring batting average to .392 as the Mariners unleashed a 14-hit attack against the Padres. Stroughter staked the Marin ers to a 2-0 lead in the first, when he homered after third baseman Manny Castillo doubled. Seattle shortstop Todd Cruz had a two- run double and scored a run to spark a threerun rally in the fourth. Jim Essian had three singles, scoring a run and driving in a run, while Julio Cruz, Thad Bos ley and Jim Maler also had two hits each for the Mariners. Bob Stoddard pitched the first five innings for Seattle to pick up the win. Veteran Rick Wise suffered the loss, giving up 10 hits and six runs in four in nings. In other games: At Vero Beach, Fla., Jerrv Reuss pitched seven innings and allowed only four hits, to leatl the Dodgers to a 7-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins. At Dunedin, Fla., Steve Ro gers set down the Toronto Blue Jays on one hit over five innings in sparking the Expos to a 10-2 triumph. At Winter Haven, Fla., Jim Rice lifted his spring exhibition average to .462 w'ilh three hits and Bob Ojeda tossed a fivehit- ter over seven innings in pacing the Red Sox to an 8-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers. At Tampa, Fla., Frank Pas- tore, lorn Hume and Jim Kern combined on a six-hitter in pitching the Cincinnati Reds to a 2-0 victory over the Houston Astros. At Sarasota. Fla., loin Paeiorek singled in the winning run in the Ixmom of the llth inning to give the Chicago White Sox a 3-2 victory over the Phi ladelphia Phillies. At St. Petersburg, Fla.. 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