onday • July 13,1998
The Battalion
PORTS
leeman signs with ColoradoRockies, Ambres poised to do same with Florida Marlins
By Jeff Webb
Sports Editor
■^xas A&M recruited multi-talented
Petes and now are seeing the result,
hi recent football class that is ranked
fang the best in the nation slowly
Might be picked apart by Major League
' aseball teams.
^■aphael "Choo" Freeman, a wide re
viver prospect out of Dallas Christian
Itigh School, signed with the Colorado
-Rockies for a reported $1.4 million signing
*^omis, a figure he said was the minimum
)r|rying him away from college football.
IjiBvvo more of the talented Aggie trio of
1a|jbr-league draftees have not made de-
Hns concerning their future at A&M.
■he Rockies took Freeman in the sup-
Uen ental draft after the first round. Chip
yorlbres, a quarterback from Beaumont
Vest a rook High School, was drafted 27th
in the first round by the Florida Marlins.
Greg Porter, a tight end from Keller
High School and shortstop prospect, was
drafted in the third round as the 80th pick
of the Cincinati Reds.
Ambres set an August 4 deadline for
the Marlins to tender him an acceptable
contract. Despite the difficulty of the de
cision, it seems likely he will sign since he
said his first love is baseball.
"You think about a lot of things," he
said. "Whatever I decide. I'm going to be
happy with it. I've been playing baseball
since I was five, and football has grown
on me, but there comes a time for change.
I'd feel happy with both, though."
Ricky Williams, senior running back
for the University of Texas and
Philadelphia Phillies prospect, plays
baseball in the summer and football in
the fall for the Longhorns. However,
Ambres said the Marlins do not offer
two-sport opportunities for it's players.
"There's no possibility," Ambres said.
"On certain ballclubs, they have no prob
lem with that. The organization I'm with
doesn't like it too much. There would also
be less money involved with playing both
sports together."
The bonus of signing with a profession
al baseball team usually includes paid col
lege education, something the Marlins said
it will include in Ambres' contract.
Florida dumped a large amount of
salary — and talent—in recent trades with
the Dodgers and Mets. However, Ambres
said that only makes him feel he has more
of an opportunity to step in and play early.
"They (the Marlins) got rid of a lot of
those big name players like (Gary)
Sheffield, but they like young players," he
said. "I feel like it's a good opportunity for
me to progress. I saw a projection in the
Sporting News for the year 2000 that had me
in right field and batting fifth in the order."
Josh Booty, sixth pick of the Marlins a
few years ago, was a highly-touted colege
recruit who chose to play baseball.
Booty, a blue-chip shortstop and quar
terback recruit from Evangel High School
in Shreveport, La., signed with the Mar
lins and saw his fortunes sink with in
juries and sub par seasons.
Louisiana State University offered
Booty the quarterback position, but he
was unable to pay back his signing bonus
in order to attend college.
"My parents are leaving the decision
up to me," he said. "They want the best
thing for me to do. What (Josh) Booty did,
it's what he wanted to do. I can go back
and get an education. They don't want to
feel bad for making the decision for me,
so they leave it up to me.
"If everything goes right. I'm going to
take it (the chance)."
Aggies open Reed Arena
schedule against UNT
From staff and wire reports
The Texas A&M Men's Basketball Coach Melvin
Watkins will have to open the 1998 season with one
final Aggie game in old G. Rollie White Coliseum.
Watkins and the Aggies will open their 14-game
home schedule with an exhibi
tion game against the Aus
tralian All-Stars and officially
begin their Reed Arena era
against the University of North
Texas on November 13.
"We are very excited about
our schedule," Watkins said.
"Our home schedule should be
very attractive to our fans as we
move into Reed Arena."
Tough non-conference games
highlight the schedule with home
dates against the University of Al
abama, Tulane University and Arizona State University.
Big 12 Conference play opens for A&M in Allen
Fieldhouse for a showdown with the defending con
ference champions University of Kansas Jayhawks.
Watkins
wiss team signs Smedsrud
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Battalion file photo
fistie Smedsrud is the all-time kills leader at Texas A&M.
From staff and wire reports
Volleyball Club Kanti, a professional team in
Schaffhausen, Switzerland, signed former Texas
A&M volleyball team standout Kristie Smedsrud to
a professional contract.
Smedsrud, the 1997-98 Texas A&M Female Athlete
of the Year, signed the contract in late June while on
a two-week European tour with 19 other former U.S.
collegiate players.
"When I first started playing volleyball in the eighth
grade, I never thought I would be moving to Switzer
land to play," she said. "After my junior year of college,
I started thinking about playing professionally.
"Then after I finished my collegiate career this past sea
son, the opportunity to travel and play in Europe for two
weeks came and it was the opportunity of a lifetime."
A four-year starter at A&M, Smedsrud finished her
collegiate career by becoming A&M's all-time kill leader.
Smedsrud led the Aggies to four consecutive NCAA
appearances during her career, including Sweet Sixteen
Regional appearances in 1995 and 1997, while being
named all-conference and all-region all four years.
"Kristie will be a great ambassador for Texas A&M
and United States volleyball," A&M coach Laurie Cor-
belli said. "She is the first Aggie to sign overseas, and it
is very fitting because she was the first to accomplish so
many things while with the A&M program. We are very
proud of all her accomplishments."
According to Smedsrud, approximately 10-15 other
members of the first-ever organized American group of
former collegiate players to make the tour to Europe
signed with European teams, although the league lim
its the teams to one foreigner on the roster.
Smedsrud will meet with her new Swiss teammates
for the first day of practice on August 1.
"There was no way to pass up this great opportuni
ty," Smedsrud said, "not only to play volleyball, but to
see new things and meet new people.
"I'm just glad to be playing again."
France becomes first host country
to capture World Cup in 20 years
SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) —
Vive la France, champions of the
soccer world.
With nearly 80,000 of their fans
going wild in the stands and mil
lions more breaking out in the
biggest celebrations since World
War II ended, the French got two
goals from play maker Zinedine Zi
dane and stunned Brazil 3-0 on Sun
day to win their first World Cup.
The French secured their place
in the pantheon of great teams by
throttling the defending champi
ons, who were seeking an un
precedented fifth title. And
France did it in its first tourna
ment appearance since 1986 : —
when it eliminated Brazil in a
quarterfinal shootout.
France, which created the tour
nament 70 years ago, is the first
host to win the championship since
Argentina in 1978.
Winner of all seven of its games,
the French beat Brazil at its own
game and did so down a man for
the last 22 minutes after defender
Marcel Desailly was ejected for
rough play.
It was France that had the flair and
Brazil that was overly cautious and
sloppy. It was France that threatened
from the opening kickoff, and it was
Brazil that was reeling all night.
And it was France that held the
trophy high as the Stade de France
rocked with cheers, singing and the
frenzy that comes with winning the
world's biggest sporting event.
Brazil won its titles in 1958,1962,
1970 and four years ago. Its only
previous loss in the final came at
home in 1950 to Uruguay.
France has never been a power
/ Y
m m mM zmmm
\x/ o ft L o CUP
in Europe along the lines of Ger
many and Italy, both three-time
Cup winners. And the sport has
never before been such a raging
passion for the French.
But all day Sunday, in anticipa
tion of exactly what happened at
night, they were in a festive mood.
People hung out of cars, the horns
honking as they waved flags and
shouted "Allez La France." French
youngsters walked the streets,
their faces painted in the blue, red
and white national colors, shout
ing down any Brazilians who
might samba by.
One French TV station even cov
ered — without interruption — the
team's bus ride to the stadium in
this Paris suburb.
Then Zidane, the son of Algerian
immigrants, turned the nation's
hopes into magnificent reality with
one of the best performances in
World Cup finals history. Midfield
er Emmanuel Petit scored the third
goal just before the end of the game.
The French got lots of help from
the Brazilians for the victory.
Brazil didn't come out for
warmups before the game, and it
barely made an appearance in the
first half. Except for a short flurry
midway through the half, it was
all France.
In the second half, Brazil came
the closest to beating goalkeeper
Fabien Barthez when Ronaldo had
a pointblank shot from 8 yards. But
the fierce-looking, baldheaded
Barthez made the save.
Barthez allowed just two goals all
tournament, one on a penalty shot.
The 3-0 score was indicative of
how dominant the French were.
They controlled the ball, they
made Brazilian striker Ronaldo
disappear — a sore ankle for
which he was examined at a hos
pital in the morning certainly
helped — and their star, Zidane,
was unstoppable.
> a itel
ash at the Beach Alou vs - Kile: the free-agent debate
dman finds home among WCW’s elite
estlers, ready to take on Malone, Page
dM DIEGO (AP) — Dennis Rod- two paired for a World Champi-
When the Astros gave up on Darryl Kile and turned their focus to Moises Alou, Houston
made a decision that has them in the drivers’ seat in a tough National League division
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Dennis Rod-
i may have found just the outlet
for his outra
geousness:
pro wrestling.
The
Chicago
Bulls star,
who likes to
shock with
his hairdos,
tattoos and
tutus, has
made the
from
Rodman
move
| e world of slam dunks to body
l ar ns in Sunday's pay-per-view
pestling match dubbed "Bash at
P Beach."
Just call him "Rodzilla" — he's
ready got the attitude.
Dennis dances to a different
Jne ' professional wrestling main
ly 'Hollywood" Hulk Hogan,
io worked out daily with Rod-
preparation for the match.
This is a forum where he can
l Y e and perform to his utmost.
finis can S et into the ring and do
"at he does best."
kisn t the first time Rodman has
r me d with Hogan for a chance to
flump on grown men and not get
lo oted or fined for it. But this time
le brought Utah Jazz star Karl Mal-
lne mto the fray.
Representatives for World
- ampionship Wrestling, a sub-
lar y °f Turner Broadcasting Sys-
[n f' ] [ nc -' planned to pay Malone
. Rodman for the match, but
e y wouldn't say how much.
0c ^ rna n and Hogan teamed
v s July in Florida for Rodman's
restling debut. And after Game
me NBA Finals this year,
two paired for a World Champi
onship Wrestling event in Auburn
Hills, Mich.
Rodman skipped practice, was
fined, and the Bulls went on to
beat Malone and the Jazz for their
sixth title.
"Malone," Hogan snarled, "the
guy that already is a loser on and off
the court."
Malone, who is partnered with
pro wrestler Diamond Dallas Page,
is living out his boyhood dream to
"wrassle" with the big guys.
"Him and his little coward
friend will get beat in the ring,"
Malone predicted earlier in the
week of his rumble with Rodman.
Hogan said the only plan of at
tack he and Rodman had for Mal
one and Page was to "romp and
stomp them."
"We're going to go ahead and em
barrass Mr. Clean Cut," Hogan said.
Malone, who weighs 254
pounds to Rodman's 248, said he
wasn't worried about injury. He
said the Jazz didn't agree with
many of the things he likes to do,
like riding motorcycles, but he has
to live his own life. Besides, he did
n't plan on getting hurt.
As for Rodman, he said he does
whatever he wants.
And Hogan said wrestling al
lows Rodman to be as bad as the
crowd wants him to be.
"I think he likes it a lot better,"
Hogan said, noting that if Rodman
tires of criticism in the NBA, he al
ways has a place in pro wrestling
and could probably make more
money doing it.
"It's not rocket science," Hogan
said. "The wilder he is, the more T-
the shirts we sell."
Robert
Hollier
staff writer
W hen the Hous
ton Astros won
the 1997 Central
Division title, it was a bit
ter-sweet accomplish
ment. True, they won a
division title and were in
the postseason for the
first time since 1986, but
they had drawn the At
lanta Braves in the best-
of-five first round series
of the playoffs.
The players and the or
ganization believed they could surprise the
heavily-favored Braves with their "Killer B"
attack of Craig Biggio, Derek Bell, Jeff Bagwell
and Sean Berry and they felt they had a pitch
ing staff good enough to hold its own against
the best pitching staff of the modern era.
However, reality set in quickly as the team
was literally swept out of the playoffs by the
Braves in three games.
During the off season, the Astros knew
changes had to be made if they were going to
compete with the best. The two most pressing
problems for the Astros were to re-sign pitcher
Darryl Kile and to
sign a quality power
hitter to give the line
up more punch.
Kile, who went 19-
7 with six complete
games, four shutouts,
205 strikeouts in 255
innings and a 2.57
ERA, was asking for a
contract that would
pay him close to $7
million a year.
Astros manage
ment decided that
was too much money
for one player and Kile eventually signed with
the Colorado Rockies as a free agent.
With Kile gone, the Astros turned their at
tention to signing a proven power hitter. The
Astros got one when they purchased the con-
Kile
tract of Moises Alou from the world-champion
Florida Marlins for $25 million over five years.
After the Marlins won the 1997 World Se
ries, they began trading and selling their star
players like pieces of property in a Monopoly
game in order to reduce the payroll.
And the Astros were more than happy to
take a player such as Alou off their hands.
Now, at the half-way point of the 1998 sea
son, it is clear the Astros made the right choice
by signing Alou instead of Kile.
Currently, the Astros are 20 games over .500
(54-34) after 88 games. They are in first place
by six games over the Cubs, have the best
record in franchise history and have one of the
most potent offenses in baseball. And Alou de
serves a lot of the credit for the success.
Alou is batting .315 with a club-leading 20
home runs and 75 RBI. He also has 19 doubles
and has scored 50 runs. His 20 homers tie him
for seventh in the National League and his 75
RBI ties him for third. He was named to the
All-Star Team.
Alou brings two things to the Astros that
cannot be measured with statistics. First, his
presence in the lineup provides a lot of protec
tion for Bell and Bagwell who bat third and
fourth in the lineup. Second, Alou brings
much-needed playoff experience and veteran
leadership.
Bell is sporting a .337 batting average, sec
ond in the league, and he has 12 home runs
and 62 RBI. Bagwell, despite missing 15 games
on the disabled list, still has put up his usual
great numbers.
He is batting .275 with 20 home runs and 57
RBI. And with Alou batting right behind him,
pitchers no longer have the luxury of inten
tionally walking him like they do to Mark
McGwire.
As a team, the Astros have one of the best
offenses. They lead the league in several cate
gories such as runs scored (487), doubles (174),
stolen bases (90) and on-base-percentage. They
also lead the league with a team batting aver
age of .279.
Last year during the playoffs, Alou led the
Marlins with 15 RBI and he had three home
Alou
runs, two during the World Series.
Unfortunately for Kile, a year can make all
the difference. Kile is
5-11 with a 5.04 ERA
and has 69 walks to
only 76 strikeouts. Be
cause of the thin Col
orado air, his curve
ball (considered by
many to be the best in
the game) does not
have as sharp a break
as it did in the As
trodome in Houston.
Batters are teeing off
on his curve balls this
year as opponents are
batting nearly .280
against him.
The Rockies are in fourth place in the West,
15 games under .500 (37-52) and 20.5 games
behind the first-place Padres.
For the Rockies, the $7 million they are pay
ing Kile is not money well spent.
For the Astros, with the departure of Kile,
the pitching staff has not missed a beat. Shane
Reynolds has stepped up to the role of staff
ace and has posted an 11-5 record with a 3.38
ERA and 106 strikeouts in 136 innings.
Perhaps the biggest surprise for the Astros
has been the solid pitching of Sean Bergman.
He has an 8-4 record which ties a career high,
and a respectable ERA of 3.01.
The Astros also have one of the best closers
in the game in Billy Wagner. Wagner has con
verted 21 saves in 22 chances and he has 56
strikeouts in 36 innings to go along with a
2.27 ERA.
If the Astros and the Braves meet in the
playoffs again this year, the new-look Astros
will not be the same team the Braves pushed
around last year.
This time, it may be the Braves who will
need a reality check.
Robert Hollier is a junior
journalism major.