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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 20, 1988)
Wednesday, April 20, 1988/The Battalion/Page 11 erfeld looking for fresh start unkish Astro pitcher lights up College Station By Anthony Wilson Sports Writer It was only fitting that the lone ;mber of the Houston Astros who llorts a punk haircut, worships the Btsons and insisted on 37 boxes of ofange Jell-O in his contract took the mnimd at Olsen Field Monday Because if Charley Kerfeld feC lit] ' doii' ;ld. ke d played major college baseball, he would have undoubtedly done it in an Aggie uniform. ■After appearing in 11 games for Houston in 1985, Kerfeld’s career todk off in 1986. That season the 6- fdot-7, 250-pound right-hander posted an 11-2 record with seven lavts and a 2.59 earned run average as the Astros made an unsuccessful pmpionship run. Kerfeld finished fourth in the Na tional League’s Rookie-of-the-Year ■ting. His outrageous comments t and childlike exuberance made him {amedia darling. His future seemed ^■bright he needed a pair of wild ^pglasses to match his hairdo. But the 1987 season rained down him like a hailstorm of gopher balls. He reported to spring training ^■erweight and was shelled consis- '-•■Mth in the team’s first 11 games. April 26 the Astros had sent Ker- and his 0-2 record and 9.24 *•" 1 ■‘-flllA packing to Tucson, the team’s A team. [Kerfeld didn’t reappear in the Dome again until July 11. When he :di(i the old magic seemed to have pjappeared. His high strikeout total fort he season was an embarrassingly ;low three. ■However, after spending the fol- ioving off-season shedding some urtwanted pounds, Kerfeld arrived inlKissimmee, Fla. in top form and pidicd 11 scoreless innings this pre- feson. But he hurt his arm the last •week of the preseason and started th| season on the disabled list. B\s his stay on the DL comes to an ;emi Kerfeld is desparately trying to strengthen his arm to keep from re pining to the minors for more reha- iWliiation. His start against the Ag- jjiis was a big stepping stone in that pip ess. Hi think this game means more to ml than anybody here in the stands omn the other team,” Kerfeld joked during batting practice. ‘Tve got to get myself back in gear to get a spot back on the team. There’s nothing guaranteed. I’ve got to get a good performance tonight and then miybe one or two more simulated games. I [I feel about 75-80 percent. This is die first game I’ve actually pitched in a month. It’s going to be kind of odd getting out there again. But you’ve got to start all over again Hie where.” Photo by Jay Janncr Houston starting pitcher Charley Kerfeld unloads a pitch against the Aggies Monday. He hopes to bounce back from a lackluster sea- ’ Kerfeld realized that although the exhibition contest was meaningless to his teammates, the game meant a lot to A&M’s team. Since college baseball has been compared to lower-level minor league ball and the Astros are one of the better teams in the National League, the contest would seem to be a gross mis match. However, Kerfeld was taking precautions not to take A&M lightly. “I’ve never seen them (A&M) play,” Kerfeld said. “You never un derestimate anyone. This means a lot to these guys. This is the game of their lives actually, because a lot of these guys will never get a chance to play pro baseball. They can say, ‘I got a hit off of Charley Kerfeld,’ and it will mean something to them for the rest of their lives. It means some thing to a lot of these people. A lot of these people came to see Charley Kerfeld pitch. “It means something to me, be lieve me,” he continued. “I don’t want to get embarrassed out here — that’s for damn sure. It could hap pen. I hadn’t really thought about it, but all of my teammates have been needling me about it. They’ve been saying, ‘Don’t get rocked by the col lege kids. You’ve got to come back on three days rest to get the scrubee- nies-’ That’s the Tour guys-who I usually pitciu against on the side.” A&M would have seemed to have been a natural haven for a fellow with Kerfeld’s unabashed wacky per sonality. But beside rooming with former A&M baseball player Rob Swain in junior college and hearing lots of Aggie jokes, Kerfeld didn’t know much about A&M. He said he was never interested in college and that if his baseball career hadn’t pan ned out he would have returnetj to his home state of Nevada to work in a casino. “I’m 24 now,” he said. “I’ve got two years in the major leagues — a pretty good start. I decided I’d take a chance making some money play ing baseball or I’d go work 9 to 5. It worked out for me, but for a Iqf of my friends, it didn’t w'ork out. “I’d probably be dealing blackjack or craps back home in Nevada. No question I’d rather be here. I can go home to Nevada and gamble during the winter.” Playing with his idol, strikeout king Nolan Ryan, has been one of Kerfeld’s biggest baseball thrills. The 41-yeaf-old Ryan has been both a father figure and a professional role model for Kerfeld. “I watched Nolan throw a no-hit- ter on the TV when I was in about the fifth grade,” he said. “That tells you how awesome he is. I’m here standing with him now about 10-12 years later. That’s one of a kind right there. They broke the mold.” Kerfeld said the secret to Ryan’s success are his strong legs. “If Bo Derek’s a 10, then Nolan’s got a pair of 11s,” he said. “That’s for sure. Those legs are something he’s worked hard to get.” Although Kerfeld would seem to benefit from the recent poor perfor mances of several of the Astros’ re lievers, he is more concerned with achieving the ultimate in team suc cess — a world championship. “It (poor pitching) might help my situation a bit, but the team comes first,” Kerfeld said. “If the team wins and goes to the World Series, that’s what you play for. I don’t play for Charley Kerfeld to get 20 wins or a thousand saves. If Charley Kerfeld loses 10 games and doesn’t win one, and we go to the World Series, then I’m happy. That’s what we’re here for, “I got in professional baseball wanting one thing out of it — a World Series ring. I haven’t got that so I’m not happy yet. You see these guys walking around with these World Series rings and it means more to them than anything.” Of all of Kerfeld’s pranks and ec centricities,, his, orange Jell-O de mand is perhaps his most famous. He put the gelatin to use in a practi cal joke but refuses to reveal the de tails. “Ahh, you can’t put that in the newspaper,” he laughed. “There was some stuff done with it, but it’s not out for syndicate copy.” lickers ays ns waft! edgiaf :asonsfl* short* gone®' .he Cats evil pl JI advan® i Island offset/ sasCt had!* 11 ' t Peteftf shots® 1 * t in p janefM ounti "*■' without a doubt, Bass is at home in the Astrodome * sw n9 tatiott* lieri 1 ' 111 l! 1 A By Anthony Wilson Sports Writer I Two weeks ago Houston As- Itros outfielder Kevin Bass may have been singing these lyrics to a song popularized by Frank Sina tra: “Start spreading the news! I'm leaving today! But I DON’T want to be a part of it — New York, New York. ...” Rumors had emerged that the Astros were sending Bass to the Big Apple in exchange for the Yankees’ Dave Winfield. Bass didn’t want to leave Houston, but was powerless to do anything to prevent a trade. If it weren’t for Winfield’s 10-plus years of major league experience which gives him the right to veto any trade, Bass would probably be wearing ■instripes today. ■ “What can I do about it,” Bass said Monday before the Astros exhibition game with A&M at Ol sen Field. “It (trades) happens in this game. I definitely wasn’t for the trade. I’d like to stay. I’m happy here and I’ve been success ful here. But what can you say? fjothing really. If you have to go, ypu have to go. You have no say in the matter. He does, but I don’t.” |i An All-Star in 1986, Bass had the best season of his career that Ytar when he hit .311 with 20 home runs and stole 22 bases. Bass’ statistics tailed off a bit in most categories, but he did drive in 85 runs. ■ Bass has spent most, of this earlv season on the disabled list 'Wh a pulled hamstring but has cptne off the bench to make ma jor contributions to the Astros’ fast start. Bass is hitting at a .333 pace with 11 RBIs including a grand slam against the Cincinnati Reds. The level of his play is sur prising to many considering his injury and the trade talk distrac- tipns. Bass credited his perfor mance with his strong faith. ■ “The Lord does wonderful things,” Bass said. “I just tried to remain strong and put all of that rumor talk and injury stuft be hind me and try not to let it effect me. The Lord heard my prayers. That’s all I can say. I was called upon, and I was just able to do the job.” Houston Manager Hal Lanier said he doesn’t think the rumors has effected Bass psychologically. “I don’t think it’s messed up Kevin’s head too much,” Lanier said. “Any time there’s trade talks going on doesn’t mean we con tacted other people. It just means that people are talking to each other. That’s the way professional baseball is. You talk to a lot of ball clubs about different people.” The Astros’ outfield with Bass in right, Gerald Young in center, and Billy Hatcher in left has been called the team’s strongest point by many critics. Each player is en tering the prime of his career, so Bass is puzzled about why Hous ton’s braintrust would consider splitting up the trio. “The pudding’s in the mix,” Bass said about the outfield. “We definitely have a good shot and a good opportunity for the (World) Series this year. But who knows what the front office thinks? They’re always trying to improve the ball club so who am I to say they’re wrong?” Hatcher agreed that disman tling the team’s outfield could be a mistake. Hatcher said that each has learned how to play with the others and that their speed is an asset to the team’s stadium. “The outfielders have to com plement one another,” Hatcher said. “I think we complement each other very well because all three of us do pretty much the same thing. Kevin might have more power than Gerald or my self, but we complement each other. I think we’re going to be a good outfield for the Astrodome. We’re going to have our mo ments. You put us in a small ball park and it’s not going to help us with all that speed. But put us in the Astrodome and we can show off.” Astros voice opinions on road trip to A&M By Anthony Wilson Sports Writer What do you suppose a major leaguer does on his days off? Hit the golf course for a round or two? Spend some time with the wife and kids? Or maybe just stay home and catch up on the soaps and game shows? After a weekend homestand and road trips to Atlanta and Cin cinnati, the Houston Astxos trav elled to Aggieland to play A&M in an exhibition game on their first day off since the beginning of the season. Here are some of the Astros’ reactions: “It gives people who probably wouldn’t have a chance to see us play see us in person. It’s good for them for us to come down here. You always enjoy your off days. But if it’s for a good cause, it’s all right.” — center fielder Gerald Young. “I don’t think they mind at all. They understand what it’s for. It gives us a chance to pitch some people who haven’t had a chance to pitch.” — Manager Hal Lanier. “I’d rather be at home. But I’m glad to come out here and try to get some of these people at Texas A&M to be Astros fans. That’s the only good thing about it. Anytime you have a day off you wish you could go off and play golf or something. I would be home with my wife spending the day with her or going fishing.” — left fielder Billy Hatcher. “If I wasn’t here today I’d probably be playing baseball with my two boys (8-year-old Jacob and 3-year-old Tyler.) This will be Jacob’s first year in Little Lea gue.” — pitcher Bob Knepper. “Now that I’m here, it’s kind of fun. Everybody always wants a day off. But we’re going to play hard, have some fun out here and have a good time. If I weren’t here I’d probably out with my wife going to a movie or doing something relaxing.” — third baseman Chuck Jackson. Rangers end Indians’ streak with 3-0 win CLEVELAND (AP) — Jose Guz man pitched six shutout innings and Larry Parrish drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single Tuesday night as the Texas Rangers beat Cleveland 3-0, ending the Indians’ five-game winning streak. The loss was only the second in the last 13 games for the Indians, who at 11-3 are off to their best start since 1966. Guzman, 2-1, struck out three and walked one and allowed only four singles in six innings despite having been bothered by the flu for several days. Rookie Jose Cecena pitched 2 1-3 innings and Mitch Williams got the last two outs for his fifth save. The 25-year-old Guzman did not allow a runner past first base until the sixth, when Julio Franco walked and took second on Willie Upshaw’s single. Both runners advanced on a groundout before Guzman got Joe Carter on a grounder to third to end the inning. Scott Bailes, 1-1, took the loss, the first defeat for a Cleveland starter this season. The Rangers scored twice in the first on Parrish’s single, after they loaded the bases on a single by Jerry Browne, a two-out double by Pete Incaviglia and a walk to Pete O’Brien. Incaviglia’s double came on a pop up to shallow right that eluded sec ond baseman Franco. Texas added a run in the second when Cecil Espy doubled, stole third and scored on Browne’s single. It was the Rangers’ second shut out of the season. Last year, Texas’ first shutout was on June 9. FREE MICROWAVE if you lease in April $225 per month 2 Bedroom 1 Bath • Water Paid • W/D Connections (add $25 month to rent washer & dryer) Forest Knoll Apartments 823-3733 R Y a n d r TRAIN I V IMPORT DOMESTIC R U T O M O TIU E R E P RIR 268 - 2886 S 3 8 8 5 - C S . C O L L E S E Come Join the Fun at the 3rd Annual 55k, 34k, 16k relay April 23,1988 8:30-4 Texas A&M Research Park MSC Overseas Loan Fund will not be accepting applications for the month of May. j \ oi '; Applications will be accepted begining in the fall semester '88. MSC Jordan Institute for International Awareness WordPerfect One-week classes for students who want to learn this important word processing program Cost $35.00 Sterling C. Evans Library Learning Resources Department Room 604 845-2316 April 25-29 5-7 p.m. Jb P ill M CLINICS AM/PM Clinics Minor Emergencies 10% Student Discount with ID card 3820 Texas Ave. Bryan, Texas 846-4756 401 S. Texas Ave. Bryan, Texas 779-4756 8a.m.-11 p.m. 7 days a week Wa!k-in Famiiy Practice SCHULMAN 2.50 ADMISSION THEATRES DENOTES DOLBY STEREO I 2. Tuesday - AH Seats 1 3. Mon-Wed - Local Students With I Current ID's PLAZA 3 226 Southwest Pkwy 693-2457 S 4. 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