THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 26, 1994 TAG: 9406260239
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940626 LENGTH: Medium
With no big league baseball to cover, the national media would almost certainly descend upon the minor leagues. It would mean greater publicity, potential cable TV appearances and a sure expansion of the Tides' name and marketing potential.
{REST} But Young swears he hopes those possibilities never play out, and that the big leagues continue to play on. Because whatever good things might happen for the Tides in the short run, Young believes, would be canceled by the public relations smudge to baseball in general.
``I prefer not to see a strike,'' Young said. ``I'm not torn at all. I think with any pro sport when there's a strike, I think the fans just get fed up with the whole thing, with both the players and the owners.
``I don't think we would see a decrease in attendance, and maybe there will be some significant television dollars for us, I don't know. But I don't think the financial benefit is worth the bad perception to the sport.
``I think the publicity about Ken Griffey maybe hitting 60 home runs or more, I think all that stuff's helpful to us, maybe in a round-about way. But I think all that publicity is good.''
VALENTINE UPDATE: Tides manager Bobby Valentine, hospitalized since Thursday with an intestinal ailment, has improved enough that he should be discharged today or Monday.
Mets minor league instructor Rich Miller visited Valentine on Saturday and said his fever had subsided and that he was antsy to get out.
``He had a good strong handshake, a nice smile on his face. He looked like the old Bobby,'' Miller said. ``I know he'd be out here if he could. Those four walls are closing in.''
REVERSAL OF FORTUNE: He is a veteran who could have turned bitter when he was taken off the Mets' 40-man roster. But after a slow start with the Tides, righthander Dave Telgheder has simply gotten better.
``I think in four of his last five starts, it's been the best he's thrown his fastball, as far as locating it down,'' said pitching coach Bob Apodaca, who has worked with Telgheder for three seasons with the Tides. ``This is the best I've ever seen David pitch.''
Telgheder began the season with the Mets, gave up eight runs in 10 innings and was sent down April 26. After his first six starts, Telgheder was seemingly lost. He had a 2-4 record, 6.56 ERA and given up 54 hits in 35 2/3 innings.
Since then, Telgheder has worked 37 2/3 innings, yielded 24 hits and lowered his ERA to 3.93.
``I'm very, very pleased,'' Apodaca said. ``As down as he was when he first came down and pitched badly, he's as excited as you can be the way he's turned his season around.
``Now it's going to give himself every opportunity to get back to the big leagues, if not with this organization then with some other organization.''
AROUND THE LEAGUE: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's touted second baseman, Kevin Jordan, returned from a broken fibula and went 3-for-6 in a doubleheader. ... Richmond reliever Terry Clark, who leads the league with 18 saves, entered the season with the most career minor league victories - 102 - among active minor leaguers. ... Former Tide Mike Birkbeck is 7-2 with a 2.79 ERA for Richmond. His ERA is third behind the Tides' Jason Jacome (2.63) and Richmond's Brad Woodall (1.65). ... Les Lancaster of Syracuse leads all pitchers in appearances with 36.
by CNB