THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Monday, April 3, 1995                  TAG: 9504030125
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: C5   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   48 lines

UNCERTAINTY OVER, TIDES FINALLY GET A FULL ROSTER TEAM LACKS SOME PROSPECTS WHO HAVE BEEN ON STRIKE.

Norfolk Tides manager Toby Harrah finally learned the identity of his full roster Sunday night, the one that, barring more moves, he will open the season with Thursday in Charlotte.

Delayed by the uncertainty over whether or not there would be replacement baseball in the big leagues, the selection process was handled in a staff meeting at the New York Mets minor league complex in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

It still isn't the unit Harrah thought he would have when he was hired to follow Bobby Valentine last winter. It lacks a few of the prospects who have been on strike because of their place on the Mets' 40-man roster. They will join the Tides probably in about three weeks, when the entire minor league network will be shaken up by major personnel changes.

``I just try to look at it like everybody else is in the same boat,'' Harrah said. ``We're all starting out even.''

Beginning the season with the Tides are some players who would have had a chance to make the Mets in a normal spring training. So the Tides have benefited from the strike largely in the outfield, where Jarvis Brown, Chris Jones and Derek Lee form a solid, veteran group.

They suffer from inexperience at some other positions though, particularly behind the plate. Starter Charlie Greene has played only 30 games in Double-A. Backup Ben Boka has not played above the low short-seasoned rookie level.

Harrah will get a couple players, first baseman Frank Jacobs and utility infielder Greg Graham, he barely saw in spring training because they played in most of the replacement games. He also won't meet who might be his starting second baseman, veteran Edwin Alicea, until the team works out in Norfolk on Tuesday. Alicea was acquired Sunday from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Tides roster as of Sunday:

Starting pitchers: Mike Birkbeck, Paul Byrd, Bill Pulsipher, Chris Roberts, Dave Telgheder.

Relief pitchers: Don Florence, Mark Fuller, Jim McCready, Bryan Rogers, Jimmy Williams.

Catchers: Ben Boka, Charlie Greene.

Infielders: Edwin Alicea, Greg Graham, Jason Hardkte, Frank Jacobs, Rey Ordonez, Chris Saunders.

Outfielders: Jeff Barry, Jarvis Brown, Jay Davis, Chris Jones, Derek Lee. by CNB