ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, May 19, 1996 TAG: 9605200137
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-9 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: BASEBALL
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR.
David Groseclose always has played the game of baseball with the reckless abandon of a foot soldier heading into battle, which is what you would expect from a graduate of Virginia Military Institute.
But he also has learned that a modicum of caution can lead to a longer baseball life.
For Groseclose, the former Alleghany High School star who became one of the all-time greats for the Keydets, that meant one simple lesson: feet first, as opposed to headfirst.
Five games into his professional baseball career with the Portland (Ore.) Rockies, the short-season Northwest League affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, Groseclose dislocated his left shoulder while diving headlong into second base.
When Groseclose rammed his left shoulder into the knee of a lunging second baseman in June 1995, it meant a month on the shelf and a 31-game rehabilitation assignment in Mesa, Ariz.
``I don't slide headfirst anymore, that's for sure,'' Groseclose said.
One year later, Groseclose has taken that lesson with him to the hills of North Carolina, where he is the regular second baseman for the Asheville Tourists, the Rockies' low-Class A affiliate in the South Atlantic League.
The Covington native is off to a fine start for the Tourists, with a .278 batting average, 21 runs scored and eight stolen bases. His .421 on-base percentage ranks third in the league.
Although he had committed seven errors through 31 games, Groseclose said he feels no effects from the injury when diving for hole-seeking grounders.
``I lifted weights and built my strength back up,'' he said. ``The doctor still told me that there's a 20 to 30 percent chance it'll happen again no matter how hard I work to strengthen it.''
Groseclose still works, though. He expects to spend the entire season roaming the space between first and second base at historic, recently refurbished McCormick Field. Next year, he hopes to make the jump to the Carolina League and play in his back yard for the Salem Avalanche.
``I'd love to play in Salem,'' said Groseclose, VMI's all-time hits leader. ``Obviously, everybody wants to make it to the major leagues. Statistically speaking, the law of averages is against that happening. If it doesn't happen, I'd like to at least have the chance to play in front of my family and friends. I'm going to wind up in the Roanoke-Salem area after baseball anyway. The first thing I looked at [after being drafted in the 22nd round in 1995], was the possibility of playing in Salem.''
If he gets the chance, he'll jump at it. Feet first.
IN HOT WATER: The new hot tub at Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium continues to generate exposure - both inside and outside the water.
Publicity surrounds the hot tub like a bunch of gawking bullpen inhabitants, which was exactly the crux of a story about the tub that appeared Monday on the front of The Washington Post ``Style'' section.
Beneath the headline ``Take Me Out to the Hot Tub,'' Post writer Donald P. Baker reported ``a dripping-wet young woman in a bikini bounded up to the fence and pleaded with the outfielder to give her [a baseball]. He obliged, and the entire visiting Prince William Cannons bullpen lined up to autograph the ball for Audra Palmer ... ''
One of the Cannons' pitchers, John Quirk, told Baker, ``We love it here.''
TAPE MEASURE: Charlie Manuel, the Cleveland Indians' batting instructor and a Buena Vista native, is hitting the video market. Or rather, he's using the video market to teach hitting.
Manuel, who keeps an off-season home in Roanoke County, and Indians pitching coach Mark Wiley are featured in the instructional videos ``Inside Baseball.'' Manuel stars in Volume 2 (``Charlie Manuel on Hitting''), which is advertised in the June 9 edition of Baseball America.
Manuel's videotape sells for $24.95 and can be purchased by calling 1-800-HITT302.
LOCAL BOYS: Former Virginia Tech slugger Trey McCoy was released by the the Norfolk Tides of the Class AAA International League this past week. ... Former Radford Highlander Phil Leftwich is 2-2 with a 3.41 ERA for Vancouver, the Class AAA Pacific Coast League affiliate of the California Angels. Leftwich, who made two starts for the Angels a couple of weeks ago, has 38 strikeouts in 341/3 innings with Vancouver. ... Another former Highlander, Duane Filchner, is off to a solid start with the West Michigan Whitecaps, a Class A Midwest League affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. Filchner is batting .308 with a pair of home runs and 25 RBI in 30 games.
LENGTH: Medium: 82 linesby CNB