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Tuesday, March 24, 1992
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O'BRIEN
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Rangers pack
punch, not pitch
in '92 campaign
T he Texas Rangers can dispel a
myth this season. They can
prove that baseball teams aren't
only as good as their pitching.
Pitching, indeed, is like a great de
fense in football. It seems to be a pre
requisite for championships.
But enter a Ranger batting lineup
this year that is second only to the
Houston Oilers in offensive capabili
ties. Texas has an array of batting tal
ent that scored more than 800 runs last
season and may just send the so-called
experts looking for advice.
Not that the experts question the
scoring potential of the Rangers. It's
just that Texas' pitching appears to be
so bad that 10 runs a game might not
be enough.
The Rangers will have the best bat
ting order in baseball this season and
every team that plays them will auto
matically have the second best.
Injuries and unfulfilled potential
have made a day at the ballpark
against the Rangers seem like, well, a
day at the park.
Reasons for concern:
□ Jeff Russell - The league's top clos
er in 1989 but has fallen on hard times
of late. Bone spurs were discovered in
his throwing elbow this spring, damp
ening the possibility that he will re
turn to his old form.
□ Brian Bohanon - In a desperate at
tempt to find a fifth starter, the
Rangers are looking at Bohanon as
their savior. The left-hander has
shown promise in spring training but
has thrown only 6 1/3 innings, well
i below the preferred 28 innings of pre
season work.
ieA
[INC
It
O Nolan Ryan - As many tickets as
the 45-yeaf-o\d, future Hall of Famer
sells, he can't carry the Rangers to a
division title on his own. There is also
increased concern regarding his ability
to last the entire season. Last year he
was on the disabled list twice.
□ The rest of the starters - Due to in
juries, Bobby Witt and Jose Guzman
remain question marks. Kevin Brown
is trying to return to old form after a
disappointing 1991 campaign.
Believe it or not, though, there is
great potential in Arlington. Each
pitcher, at one time or another, has
been a dominant major league pitcher.
But for this season, the hopes for an ef
fective pitching staff rest on potential.
For this staff to be even slightly
better than average, all the pieces
would have to fall into place.
That's why offense will have to
carry the Rangers. And it can.
The same experts that believe good
pitching is a prelude to success will
agree that the Rangers are loaded on
offense. While most major league
teams can boast only of one or two
franchise players, Texas can brag of
four, potentially five, stars.
First baseman Rafael Palmeiro is
one of the game's best hitters. Next to
him is second baseman Julio Franco,
last year's American League batting
See O'Brien/Page 4
Sports
The Battalion Pages]
Rice coach resigns, takes Wichita St. job
Thompson leaves Owls with successful basketball program
Scott Thompson accepted the head
coach position at Wichita St. on Monday.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Scott Thomp
son, who coached Rice to its first 20-victo
ry season since 1953-54, resigned Monday
to take over at Wichita State.
“We're hoping we can get things
turned around and headed in the right di
rection as soon as possible/' Thompson
told a crowd of more than 200 Wichita
State students and boosters after he was
introduced at a news conference at Levitt
Arena late Monday night.
He promised his teams would play
tough, exciting basketball.
i like pushing the ball. I like playing
tough defense. I like shooting 3-pointers,''
he said.
Thompson and Wichita State Provost
Rex Cottle declined to discuss the terms of
Thompson's contract, but KHOU-TV in
Houston reported the deal was worth be
tween $1.5 million and $2 million.
“It was with regret I've accepted
Scott's resignation/' Rice athletic director
Bobby May said. “In the past five years,
Scott and his staff have given Rice fans
some of the best and most exciting basket
ball in school history."
Rice players emerged from a 20-
minute meeting with Thompson on Mon
day night with somber faces.
Rice:
From Rags to Riches
The Owls became SWC contenders
during Scott Thompson's 5-year tenure.
1987-88
6-21 (3-13 in SWC)
1988-89
12-16 (6-10 in SWC)
1989-90
11-17 (5-11 in SWC)
1990-91
16-14 (9-7 in SWC)
1991-92
20-11 (8-6 in SWC)
“Deep down, you have mixed feel
ings," senior guard Marvin Moore said.
"You're sad to see him leave, but it was
just too good of a situation for him and his
family. You have to wish him well."
Thompson said the decision to leave
Rice was difficult because of the Owls'
bright future.
"I told the guys the program will go
on with or without Scott Thompson," he
said. "The hard part is that I feel we will
be good in years to come and I still love
Rice."
Thompson replaces Mike Cohen, who
resigned last month, effective at the end of
the season. Cohen posted a 32-56 record in
three seasons, losing 20 games this year, a
school single-season record.
Texas A&M head coach Tony Barone
had been mentioned as a candidate for the
position when the Shockers first began
their search.
Television commentator and former
North Carolina State coach Jim Valvano
talked with Wichita State twice, but decid
ed to pursue his broadcast career instead.
Thompson led Rice to a 20-11 mark
this season, though the Owls did not earn
a post-season bid.
Wichita State was reported among
several schools that had sought permis
sion to talk to Thompson, 37, who just fin
ished his fifth season at Rice. Among the
other schools were UNLV and Oregon.
As late as last Wednesday, Thompson
said he had no intention of leaving Rice.
The previous day, Thompson was report
ed to have visited with Wichita State offi
cials, although the coach denied any face-
to-face meetings and insisted he planned
none.
Thompson came to Rice after serving
as an assistant at Notre Dame, Iowa and
Arizona. He played college ball at Iowa
where he was team captain and most
valuable player in his senior season.
BILLY MORAN/The Battalion
Aggies host
Sam Houston
The Battalion News Services
The Texas A&M baseball team hopes
to break a two-game losing streak when
they host Sam Houston State University at
7 p.m. at Olsen Field.
A&M is coming off a weekend series
in Austin against the University of Texas
where the Aggies won the series opener
before dropping a doubleheader on Satur
day.
The Aggies are 20-10 on the season
while the Bearkats are 12-18.
This will be the second time this sea
son the Aggies have faced Sam Houston.
A&M won the first game, 9-2, on February
26. In that game, Kelly Wunsch picked up
the victory.
Tonight, the Aggies are scheduled to
start either Chris Clemons or Jay Hogue.
Clemons is 3-1 with a 6.88 ERA while
Hogue is 1-0 with a 1.45 ERA.
Peter Schandua, who has yet to win a
game in four decisions, is scheduled to
start for the Bearkats.
The series between the two dates back
to 1950 with the Aggies leading, 46-27-1.
A&M is hoping that the offense will
begin producing again. After scoring 11
runs in the first game against Texas, the
Aggies were limited to three runs in the
two losses on Saturday.
Aggie coach Mark Johnson would
rather give credit to Texas pitcher Doug
Pettit than blame his team's hitting.
"Pettit threw well," Johnson said. "He
threw strikes. He threw breaking pitches
when he was ahead in the count and
breaking pitches when he was behind in
the count.
"We didn't do as well as I thought we
would against him. But you have to give
him credit, he pitched well."
Despite the hitting problems, senior
shortstop Jason Marshall and junior out
fielder Eric Gonzalez are both still hitting
over .300.
The weekend series dropped the Ag
gies' Southwest Conference record to 9-6,
but A&M remains in second place, just
ahead of the Baylor Bears, who are 10-8 in
conference play.
Mad hatter
Stephen Claybrook, a freshman
baseball player from Corpus Christ!,
wears his rally cap during one of the
Aggies' games at Olsen Field. A&M,
No. 29 by Collegiate Baseball, hosts
Sam Houston St. today at 7 p.m.
Rockets
suspend
Olajuwon
HOUSTON (AP) - The Houston
Rockets suspended center Hakeem Olaju
won indefinitely without pay Monday ac
cusing the six-time All-Star of failing to
suit up after a doctor cleared him to play.
Leonard Armato, Olajuwon's agent,
said he planned to file a grievance against
the Rockets after further talks with the
NBA Players Association.
"We've agreed that we're going to file
the grievance," Armato said. “It's like
when Saddam went into Kuwait, they've
been lobbing in those scud missies and
we've been trying to duck. Now we have
to respond."
The suspension will cost Olajuwon
$46,900 per game, based on his $3.8 mil
lion per year salary.
"You'd think they would call and say
we've got a problem here, but I haven't
heard from them," Armato said. “It
makes you wonder if there's a hidden
agenda here."
Rockets owner Charlie Thomas said in
a statement that Olajuwon, who says he
sustained a hamstring injury on last Tues
day, had failed to render his services un
der terms of his contract. Olajuwon will
not be paid during his suspension.
The Rockets accused Olajuwon of fak
ing his injury as a ploy to get his contract
renegotiated.
"All we can do is refer to the ongoing
pattern of renegotiation demands," Rock
ets general manager Steve Patterson said.
"Those talks came to a head earlier this
week.
"He says he can't play, therefore he's
suspended. If he gets out on the court and
plays, then the suspension is lifted."
Olajuwon worked out in the training
room while his teammates worked out in
a closed door session Monday prior to be
ginning a three-game road trip.
"They are trying to shift the blame to
the contract," Olajuwon said. "That's not
the issue here. It's my hamstring. That's
the issue."
rses:
T)
TUTOTtmc
Mr. Bill's
Mon. 3/23
Tues. 3/24
Wed. 3/25
Thurs. 3/26
Fri. 3/27
Sat. 3/28
Classes:
:• 3-5 p.m.
Chom102
Chp.. 18
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Chp... 20
Test Review
5-7p.m.
.Phys202
Chp.32
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Chp. 34
Chp. 35
7-9p.m.
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Chp. 18
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Test Review
9-11 p,m.
• Chemt02
Chp. 18
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Test Review
n P-m. - 1 a.m.
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Chp. 8
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Chp. 10
Test Review
ggf | Mon. 3/23 | lues. 3/24 | Wed. 3/25 Thurs.3/26| Fri. 3/27
For More
Info, call
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FACEs 1992-93
Freshmen
■nences
BE A JVpsNTOR FOR AN ETHNIC MINOKKQf
FRESHMAN '96
MENTOR APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE
1§[ A-2 LOUNGE (corner of Hughes and Moses) ^
% DUE-MARCH 27, 1992 BY 5:00 P.M.
" Yo u criTt fi uLl nia k e a di{l<irr>iice "
REQUlW^ENTS:
* 2.25 GPR
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ANY QUESTIONS CALL: 845-9804
M